Aa
Kira was a young courier in the frontier city when the night attack began. Stone-skinned monsters rose from underground and came at the city. The blue fire tower was the city's main defense against them.
During the attack, the tower was damaged and started to collapse. Kira reached the tower area in the middle of the destruction. She saw that the flame was about to be lost.
She used the last chance she had to save the blue fire. She moved the remaining flame into a small lantern. After that, the lantern was the only thing holding the city's last blue fire.
Kira fled from the collapsing tower through streets full of monsters. She avoided direct combat because the lantern fire had to be preserved. Their escape depended on moving fast through the city instead of stopping to fight.
Seren, a wounded city guard, joined her during the escape. Even with his injury, he helped her get to safer ground. He also told her that the city's defenders could hold out for only three days.
Kira decided that the lantern fire had to be taken to the volcanic hearth so it could be rekindled. Seren agreed to travel with her because the city still needed that fire. They left the city before the monsters could fully break through.
Kira set out on the road beyond the city with the lantern under her care. The first part of the journey began under heavy time pressure. Now the goal was clear: reach the volcanic hearth before the city fell.