They made their way through the ashen expanse, the sky a dim hue above them as they followed the remnants of the ancient roads. The wind was colder here, its biting chill a reminder of the trials they'd yet to face. Ahead, the jagged silhouette of an old keep rose from the earth like a forgotten relic. Its stones, worn by centuries of weather, were hidden beneath a thick cloak of moss and creeping vines. Yet something about the ruins drew them in—an unsettling magnetism that neither could ignore.
"Is this…?" Theo began, his voice trailing off as they approached the broken gates of the keep. The remnants of walls jutted out at odd angles, and the air had a heaviness to it.
"It's old," Kaleon murmured, eyes scanning the surroundings. "Ancient, even."
As they dismounted, the ground beneath their feet felt soft, the earth yielding under the weight of their boots. Kaleon's gaze lingered on the vines, thick and twisted, crawling up the ancient stone. Something about the overgrowth felt wrong, as if nature itself had conspired to bury this place for a reason.
"Let's see what's hidden here," Theo said, a glint of excitement in his eyes.
Together, they pushed through the thick underbrush. The thick vines parted as if guided by some unseen hand, revealing a gap in the stonework. Within, half-buried beneath the moss and time, was an old flagstone, cracked and shattered. Beneath it, the faint glimmer of something caught Kaleon's attention.
He crouched, brushing away the centuries-old moss with a delicate touch. His fingers scraped the surface of what appeared to be a tattered banner, its once-vibrant colors now faded and worn by the ravages of time. Dark blue fabric clung together in tatters, with a silver spiral in the center—a shape not entirely foreign, but its meaning eluded him. A dragon's claw, sharp and angular, curled at the bottom of the spiral, its form regal yet vicious.
"This… this is not a sigil I recognize," Kaleon muttered, his voice a mix of awe and confusion.
Theo crouched beside him, running his fingers over the sigil. "I've never seen anything like it either. But it's like it's… calling to you?"
Kaleon nodded, a strange sensation twisting in his chest. He reached out to touch the banner, and as his fingers brushed against the fabric, it trembled—just the faintest shiver—but enough to make his heart race.
"Do you feel that?" Kaleon whispered.
Theo's brow furrowed. "Yeah. What is that? It's like it's alive."
The banner shimmered under Kaleon's touch, the silver spiral seeming to shift in the dim light. A pulse of energy, subtle yet potent, throbbed through the air. He pulled his hand back for a moment, uncertain.
"Something's not right here," Theo said, his voice low. "This thing—it's not just old cloth."
Kaleon shook his head, the unsettling feeling deepening. "No… this is more than that."
The air grew heavy around them, and for a moment, the winds seemed to still. The tremble of the banner continued, as if beckoning them to uncover more, to understand its secrets. Kaleon took a breath, steeling himself. With a steady hand, he moved the moss away completely, revealing the full extent of the banner. The broken pieces seemed to pulse together, as if bound by an unseen force.
And then—an eerie whisper, soft and almost inaudible, reached their ears.
"The flames will rise. The sky will bleed. Only the marked can restore the circle."
Theo jerked back, eyes wide. "Did you hear that?!"
Kaleon stood frozen, his heart pounding. "I… I heard it."
The banner's trembling grew more intense, and the once-muted sigil glowed faintly. A sharp pain flared through Kaleon's palm, where the fabric had made contact, as if the sigil were marking him, drawing him closer.
"What the hell is going on?" Theo asked, looking at Kaleon with alarm.
Kaleon's mind raced, memories of the ancient visions in the Sanctum flickering in his mind—the Stone Watchers, the whispers of destiny. Could this be connected? Was this the key to unlocking more than just the dragons?
He tore his gaze away from the sigil and looked at Theo. "We have to take it. This isn't just a relic… it's a map, a sign. It's connected to everything."
Theo's eyes narrowed, torn between skepticism and belief. "You think this thing will help us?"
"I don't know," Kaleon admitted. "But I think we need to find out."
With steady hands, Kaleon lifted the banner, feeling the weight of its history in his grasp. The moment it left the earth, the banner surged with a brilliant, glowing light—its silver spiral flaring brightly. For a moment, it illuminated the ruined keep, casting long shadows across the cracked stones.
Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled, and a deep, guttural rumble echoed from within the earth. The ash clouds overhead seemed to stir in response.
Theo staggered back, eyes wide. "What did you do?!"
"I didn't do anything!" Kaleon snapped, his grip tightening on the banner. But his words faltered as a new, powerful presence filled the air—a presence ancient and untamed. The sigil was more than a symbol. It was a seal.
The earth quaked again, and a massive crack split through the center of the ruin. Something—something huge—began to rise from beneath.
"Time to go," Theo said, his voice laced with panic.
But Kaleon stood still, eyes locked on the shifting ground. "We're not leaving. Not yet."
The banner's tremble grew. It was awakening something.
Kaleon's heart raced as the earth beneath them rumbled again, louder this time. The vibrations grew stronger, spreading through the ground like an ominous pulse. The sky overhead, once muted and gray, darkened further, swirling with the shifting winds that seemed to stir in response to the banner's awakening.
Theo took a step back, his eyes wide with fear. "This is madness! We should leave now before whatever that is wakes up."
But Kaleon stood his ground. There was something inside him—something that felt ancient and powerful—that drew him to the banner. He could feel the energy thrumming beneath his skin, calling him. His hand, still gripping the banner, pulsed in sync with the strange rhythm of the earth.
He turned to Theo. "We can't leave yet. This banner—this sigil—it's part of something bigger. It's connected to everything we've seen, everything we've learned. We need to understand it."
Theo's voice faltered, but he reluctantly nodded, reaching for the hilt of his sword, ready to defend them if necessary. "I'm with you, but if this ends badly, I'm blaming you."
Kaleon smirked, despite the gnawing tension in his chest. He looked back down at the banner, which continued to tremble in his grasp, glowing faintly as if it were alive. The silver spiral seemed to shift, undulating like it was moving beneath the fabric. The dragon claw at the bottom of the sigil seemed to grow sharper, its talons curling toward him as though seeking purchase in the air itself.
The ground cracked again, a deep fissure splitting through the keep's foundation. Kaleon stepped forward, eyes scanning the newly revealed chasm. The air around him seemed to hum with energy, and the once-still winds now swirled violently. Something ancient, something powerful, was stirring beneath them.
And then, with a terrible crack, something erupted from the ground.
A massive, stone-clad figure rose from the depths of the earth, towering over them like a mountain made of living stone. Its body was carved with strange, runic symbols, and it radiated a palpable aura of ancient power. It was humanoid in shape but covered in jagged stone armor that gleamed under the fading light. The sigil, still held firmly in Kaleon's grasp, pulsed in response, its spiral glowing brighter, its claw tightening.
The creature's eyes, two deep pools of shadow, flickered open as it straightened to its full height, its massive form blocking out the dimming sky. For a moment, the world held its breath.
"What the hell is that?" Theo's voice was barely a whisper, awe and fear merging in his tone.
Kaleon, his hand still clutching the banner, felt a strange surge of connection to the creature, though he could not explain it. The broken sigil—the banner—had triggered its awakening. But was this an ally or an enemy?
"Only one way to find out," Kaleon said, his voice steady but laced with uncertainty.
The stone figure took a step forward, its movements slow but deliberate. A deep rumbling voice, like the sound of earth shifting and grinding, echoed from its cavernous chest.
"The Marked One has come. The cycle begins again."
The words sent a chill down Kaleon's spine. Marked One? Was he the one it referred to? The banner… was it meant for him? And what did the cycle mean?
Theo tightened his grip on his sword, but Kaleon raised a hand. "Wait. Let me try something."
He stepped forward, his feet sinking slightly into the ashen earth beneath him. The sigil in his hand trembled again, its glow intensifying as the stone giant lowered its gaze to meet Kaleon's. Kaleon held the banner aloft, the silver spiral facing the creature. A connection sparked between them—a flicker of understanding that neither of them could fully grasp.
The creature spoke again, its voice heavy with an ancient resonance.
"The Banner of the Bound Circle. You are its bearer. The time is upon us."
The ground trembled beneath Kaleon's feet as the figure's massive hand reached out toward him. There was no hostility in its motion—no sense of aggression, but rather a solemn reverence. The sigil in Kaleon's hand pulsed in response, its glow growing brighter until it illuminated the entire clearing, casting long shadows across the ruined keep.
"Do you understand it?" Theo asked, his voice full of urgency. "What's going on?"
Kaleon felt the weight of the sigil—the power of it—coursing through him. It was as if it were speaking directly to his soul, unlocking forgotten memories, whispers of long-lost knowledge. The creature's words echoed in his mind.
"The Banner calls forth the Bound Circle. The heirs must rise. The fire shall cleanse the sky. You are one of the marked. Will you fulfill your destiny?"