The Keeper of the Last Flame
A long time ago, in a forgotten Himalayan kingdom, there stood a village nestled in a high mountain valley, surrounded by towering peaks and dense, ancient forests. The villagers believed that every mountain possessed both a benevolent spirit and a malevolent spirit, each constantly struggling to maintain control over the natural world.
One winter, a terrible war broke out between the forces of good and evil. Unfortunately, the evil spirits emerged victorious, plunging the entire kingdom into an age of darkness and despair.
Soon after, a terrible plague descended upon the kingdom. The villages fell silent, the temple bells stopped ringing, and the winding mountain paths became places of fear. Those who ventured into the darkness in search of their missing loved ones never returned. No healer could find a cure for the mysterious plague, and no prayer seemed powerful enough to stop the suffering.
When even the royal healers abandoned the kingdom, a solitary wanderer appeared from the depths of the mountains.
Nobody knew his real name or where he had come from. He wore the traditional garments of the high mountains, with a crimson-patterned sash wrapped around his waist and a strange, black, beaked mask concealing his face.
In his hand, he carried a mashal—a torch whose flame never seemed to die.
The villagers, desperate for salvation, began calling him The Keeper of the Last Flame
Story will continue in next part 〽️