The Emberwright's Bargain
You are the last to reforge the Ember Cores—but the price is a betrayal that could unravel the world.
In a world of floating cities powered by the memories of the dead, you are the last Emberwright, a master of the ancient craft. The tyrant who rules the skies has taken your family hostage, forcing you to forge a core that will erase his past—and with it, the sins that built his empire. But as you work, you uncover the truth: the cores are not just power sources—they are the souls of the departed, and every reforge demands a sacrifice. To save your family, you must betray the cities' last hope and decide what is worth more: the living or the dead.
The story begins
The chisel slipped, biting deep into the crystal's surface. A hairline fracture spiraled outward, and you caught your breath, freezing mid-motion. The Ember Core on your workbench pulsed once, a sickly orange flicker like a dying heartbeat.
"Sloppy," came Voss's voice from the doorway. He stood silhouetted against the forge's glow, his long coat brushing the soot-stained floor. "That core holds my chancellor's memories. A hundred years of loyalty, shattered because your hands tremble."
You set the chisel down slowly, wiping sweat from your brow. Your fingers ached from hours of work—days, really. The other cores lined your shelves like captive suns, each one a life stolen and bent to his will.
"It's delicate," you said. "Rush me, and it cracks for good."
Voss smiled. It never reached his eyes. "Your daughter has your patience. She asked for you today. Cried, actually. Quite the set of lungs on her."
The words hit like a blade between the ribs.
"Three days," he said, turning to leave. "Finish the core, or I'll have Kaelen bring you her hair."
The door slammed. The ghost beside you stirred, her form shimmering in the dim light.
"Child," Sera breathed. "He's lying. He would never—"
"Wouldn't he?" Your voice cracked. You looked at the core, at the fracture now glowing with stolen life.
What happens next is up to you.
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