Chapter 62: Chapter 62: The Emberheart Grove

The group trudged onward, the fiery landscape growing more perilous with every step. The air became heavier, filled with ash and the acrid tang of sulfur. Victor's boots crunched over brittle rock as he guided the party, the Keeper's Stone pulsing faintly in his hand. Each pulse seemed to resonate deeper in his chest, as if it were attuned to his heartbeat.

"Are we even close?" Kain muttered, his voice muffled by the scarf wrapped around his face to filter the ash.

Victor glanced at the stone. Its glow had intensified, now a steady amber that cast eerie shadows over the jagged terrain. "We're getting there," he said, his voice steady despite the fatigue gnawing at his legs.

"Let's hope it's sooner rather than later," Elara said, wiping soot from her brow. "This heat is unbearable."

Lyra, ever the optimist, gave her a reassuring smile. "It'll be worth it. Think of the stories we'll have to tell!"

Elara raised an eyebrow. "If we survive."