All Chapters of Echoes in the Ashes: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

The canyon's vast width was bathed in a soft golden tint as the first rays of dawn appeared. Zara stood at its edge, feeling a curious mixture of anticipation and fear. This location was identified on the map she was holding as the Vault of Eternity's entrance, where they would find the answers and face their greatest danger. The remainder of the troop gathered behind her, their hard resolve scarcely concealing their weariness.With his bulky boots crunching on the gravel, Kael walked over. His voice was low as he said, "It's quiet." "Too silent."Zara looked at the gaping abyss below and nodded. "We're going to venture into the unknown if the legends are accurate."Lyra joined them, carrying a slightly beeping device. "The seismic readings are... out of the ordinary. It's not natural, whatever it is down there."And you're not worried about that?" As she tightened her leather bracers, Elara asked in a sceptical tone.Lyra gave a shrug. It does, of course. However, we've gone too far

Zara sat quietly as the illumination from the artefact faded and her hands shook. The scenario the visions had depicted was too intense to ignore and too much to take in. The weight of responsibility paralysed her, even though every fibre in her body begged her to take action. Like an implicit challenge, the artefact, now lifeless and dull, sat between her and the others."Zara?" Priya spoke in a gentle yet worried tone. "What did you observe?"Zara glanced at Priya and then at the others. Ethan appeared poised to run at the first sign of trouble, while Malik's forehead was furrowed with mistrust. Only Farida looked back at her with a tranquilly that assured her that she would always be supported.After a while, Zara managed to add, "It showed me… everything." "The artefact is more than just a weapon or key. The past, our past, is captured on tape. Additionally, it is alerting us to the future.There was silence in the room. As her words took hold, even the air seemed to hold its brea

Although the city had started to recover, its walls and its citizens still bore scars. Even though the streets were bustling with activity, there remained an underlying tension—a communal holding of breath—because the embers of the past had not yet subsided. Alexis was at the centre of her metamorphosis throughout this precarious recuperation, determined to make sure that the cycles of the past would not recur in this new phase of their lives.The council chamber had been transformed from a sterile and ominous space. Local artists' creations, each of which told a tale of resiliency and solidarity, graced its walls. The voices in the chamber today were ones of cooperation rather than authority. Seats at the table were now occupied by representatives from every district, even those who had previously been excluded.At the head of the table, Alexis took her place. With a calm yet kind tone, she opened, "We are here to write the next chapter of our city's history." Division is a thing of

The city awoke as the sun slowly rose beyond the horizon, illuminating the sky with delicate pink and gold tones. The air felt lighter, as if a thick shroud had been lifted, for the first time in weeks. The unrelenting march of fate, however, was the only relief for those who were still intricately involved in the events that were taking place.Elena sat by herself in the peaceful study of a dilapidated mansion on the outskirts of the city, surrounded by documents, maps, and a few photos. She had a laser-like focus and a mind full of hypotheses and calculations. Everything that had happened over the past few days had come together to form a single goal: she had to find the last piece of the puzzle that had escaped them all.A tap at the door shocked her. She murmured, "Come in," in a steady but weary tone of voice. With a creak, the door opened and Julian appeared, his face a mask of resolve and worry.He remarked, "We found something," as he entered and shut the door. The contents of

The setting light created lengthy shadows across the rocky landscape, transforming the sky above the valley into a palette of scarlet and gold. For those assembled along the edge of the old cliff, it was a calm contrast to the storm that was building inside their hearts. As allies focused on the last piece of the puzzle—an artefact buried deep within the Forbidden Hollow—tension was in the air.The Forbidden Hollow had been a mystery for decades. Even the most courageous explorers were repelled by tales of restless ghosts and invisible perils. However, the group realised they had no other option today. The secret to overcoming the unrelenting gloom that had swept the countryside was the artefact they were looking for.Evelyn led the gathering with intense intent in her emerald eyes. Despite having endured hardships that would have broken most individuals, she remained strong and unflinching. Commander Rylan was standing next to her, his hands on his sword's hilt, his face a mixture of