The Realm of Remembrance was still healing from the Hunger's attack. Though Zayn had forced the ancient creature to retreat, a heavy silence lingered over the realm. The skies shimmered with unease, the floating islands moved slower, and the rivers sang quieter songs.
Zayn stood at the heart of his creation, staring into the Starfield Basin—a sacred lake that reflected not just stars, but memories. His eyes were calm, but his heart was storming. He knew this wasn't over. The Hunger would return. And next time, it would be smarter, stronger, and deadlier.
Zyros sat nearby, legs crossed, watching his father in silence. "What will we do now?"
Zayn didn't answer immediately. He raised his hand, and a ripple moved through the basin's surface. Visions appeared—flashes of forgotten Realms, ancient warriors, and legendary beings.
"We gather them," Zayn said finally. "The ones who remember. The ones who stood before darkness and chose to shine."
That same moment, across countless Realms, strange signs began to appear.
In the Ashen Vault, the Flame Horn rang.
In the Crystal Plane, the Bell of Infinite Recall echoed.
Old beings stirred. Powerful ones. Ancient ones. Guardians, creators, kings. Each of them paused, their eyes glowing with memory. They had all received the same message:
The Star Sovereign is calling.
Back in the Realm of Remembrance, Zayn stood within the Flame Citadel. It was a grand hall filled with living flame, glowing scrolls, and walls carved with moving stories. The celestial maidens worked quietly, preparing the place with love and reverence. This was not just a meeting—it was a gathering of the most powerful minds in existence.
One by one, they arrived.
From the Marshes of Fate came Lady Thalune, her long hair flowing like rivers of destiny.
From the Shadow Gate stepped Kael'mor, the Pale Architect, his eyes swirling with runes.
A fiery burst marked the arrival of Ezeran, the Phoenix Sage, reborn in flame for the seventeenth time.
Even Vordek, the Iron Revenant—chained in armor and guilt—answered the call.
They all entered. They all bowed.
The Council of Eternal Flame was born.
Zayn stood in silence, watching them, then finally spoke. "I didn't summon you to prepare for war. I summoned you to protect everything that gives war a reason to end."
Thalune tilted her head. "You made the Hunger real. That was not wise."
"I didn't make it," Zayn said. "It was already real. I gave it a name. And now, we can fight it with truth."
Kael'mor's lips curled into a smirk. "And truth alone is enough?"
Zyros stepped forward, his voice soft but steady. "Not alone. But truth remembered, truth shared—that is stronger than any sword."
There was a pause.
Then Ezeran said, "There is one place that holds more truth than any of us—the Library of Origin. It lies beyond space and time, sealed by the First Flame."
Zayn nodded. "I'll go. No one else. That library tests hearts. If you carry even one lie, you vanish."
That night, Zayn stood before a quiet lake, its waters reflecting a gate made of light.
Aelina joined him. "This isn't like anything before, is it?"
"No," he said. "This time, I'm not fighting a monster. I'm proving I deserve to shape the future."
He stepped through the gate.
The Library of Origin was unlike any realm. It had no floor or walls. Just endless space filled with floating books, glowing words, and drifting thoughts.
Every step Zayn took made a new story appear. He saw what could have been. What might have happened. What never came to be.
In the center, a glowing pedestal waited. Upon it, a blank book.
Zayn reached out, and a voice asked, "What truth defines you?"
He didn't pause.
"I am the memory of every love that was nearly forgotten."
The book glowed.
His story wrote itself. His pain. His journey. His Realm. His son. His lovers. His war.
The Library accepted him.
In return, it gave him something rare:
A single blue flame.
The Flame of Pre-Memory—the fire that existed before even creation.
Zayn returned. The Council stood waiting.
He raised the blue flame. "This is not fire. This is remembrance. Burn it into your Realms. Let it remind your people who they are, even when the Hunger tries to erase them."
Each member accepted a spark.
Each Realm lit with new hope.
Zyros watched the blue flame dance in his hand. "Next time the Hunger comes, it won't face silence. It'll face a world that remembers who it is."
Zayn looked out toward the stars.
This wasn't the end.
But they had changed the rules.
And now, they had a chance.