Chapter 47 Elowen
ELOWEN
The wastelands stretch endlessly beneath us as we fly.
From above, they look even more desolate—a vast sea of cracked earth and jagged stone, broken only by the occasional cluster of thorny shrubs or the skeletal remains of something that once lived here. The heat rises in shimmering waves, distorting the landscape and making everything feel unreal.
I clutch the Drake’s scales, the wind tearing at my hair and robes as we soar higher.
I’m wondering how we’ll find the Fire Demon.
What does one even look like? I have no idea—we didn’t cover demons at the temple other than Sister Agatha telling us to steer clear of them.
What kind of house would a Fire Demon live in?
Or would he have a house at all? Probably he’s living in a crevice or cave or—
My thoughts are cut off abruptly as I see something down below that makes no sense. At first, I think my eyes are playing tricks on me, because what sits in the middle of this barren, lifeless land is a mansion.
I stare at it in confusion. It’s a massive, sprawling structure of dark stone that seems to drink in the sunlight rather than reflect it. Tall, narrow windows gleam like black glass, and twisted spires rise from the roof like frozen flames.
The building looks as though it has no business existing here…like it was placed in the wasteland by some unnatural force.
As we descend, I see that the ground around it is scorched black, the earth cracked and split as if something burned it from the inside out. No shrubs grow here. No life clings to the edges—only ash.
The Drake lands in a wide, barren clearing before the mansion, his claws scraping against the hardened earth. A moment later, he Shifts back into Theron.
“Well,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady as I take in the looming structure before us. “I guess this must be it. The final quest—let’s do it.”
I start forward, my heart pounding in my chest but before I can take more than a few steps, Theron catches my arm.
“Wait—let me do this,” he says.
“It’s my quest!” I snap, the words coming out sharper than I intended. I understand why he won’t help me—won’t touch me—but I’m still hurt. I don’t need his help.
I pull free of his grip before he can stop me again. I need to do this on my own. I can’t rely on him for everything—not when I don’t even know if he’ll still be there when this is over.
The path to the mansion feels longer than it should—each step echoes faintly as I step on it in the heavy, oppressive silence that surrounds the place. Up close, the front door is even more intimidating.
It’s enormous—easily twice my height—and made of some dark, charred wood reinforced with bands of blackened metal.
The surface is carved with intricate patterns that twist and curl like living flames, the grooves filled with a faint, ember-like glow that pulses softly, as though the door itself is alive.
Heat radiates from it—not enough to burn me, but enough to make my skin prickle.
I hesitate for just a fraction of a second but then decide I should just get on with it. I lift my hand and knock. The sound echoes hollowly, swallowed almost immediately by the stillness around me.
My heart pounds so loudly I can hear it thundering in my ears. Behind me, I can feel Theron’s presence—tense, watchful and ever protective, even after I snapped at him.
I feel a twinge of guilt—I shouldn’t have pushed him away. I shouldn’t have—
The door swings open, interrupting my thoughts and I see…
A Fire Demon staring back at me.