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The Archivist of Velmora: Chronicles of the Thirteenth Flame
The Archivist of Velmora: Chronicles of the Thirteenth Flame

Chapter XIII · The True Heir of the Fire Is Not Me

“THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why. And the one we call a friend is sometimes the very lock we cannot break.”

Elric watches sunset from Velmora's western tower
Context Illustration Reading 1/31 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
“THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.
And the one we call a friend is sometimes the very lock we cannot break.”
Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.
Below him lay the Calda forest, a dark sea of pines where Lyra had retreated.
The setting sun cast long, distorted shadows across the stone courtyard, dying the world in the color of fading memories.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Archivist of Velmora: Chronicles of the Thirteenth Flame

Chapter XIII · The True Heir of the Fire Is Not Me

Reading 1/31 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
“THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.
Line 2
And the one we call a friend is sometimes the very lock we cannot break.”
Line 3
Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.
Line 4
Below him lay the Calda forest, a dark sea of pines where Lyra had retreated.
Line 5
The setting sun cast long, distorted shadows across the stone courtyard, dying the world in the color of fading memories.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

paths noun US /pæðz/

plural of “path” — a course of conduct

From this reading ““THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.”

Collocations
ARE PATHS THATA source-grounded phrase from this reading.
ARE PATHSA source-grounded phrase from this reading.
All words in this reading · 80

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading And the one we call a friend is sometimes the very lock we cannot break.”

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading The setting sun cast long, distorted shadows across the stone courtyard, dying the world in the color of fading memories.

alonenounUS /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.

ancientadjectiveUS /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/

Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.

From this reading Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading And the one we call a friend is sometimes the very lock we cannot break.”

AREauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading “THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.

ask

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.

Atop

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.

autumn

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.

BelowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading Below him lay the Calda forest, a dark sea of pines where Lyra had retreated.

bite

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.

bloodnounUS /blood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.

break

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And the one we call a friend is sometimes the very lock we cannot break.”

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading “THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading “THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.

Calda

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Below him lay the Calda forest, a dark sea of pines where Lyra had retreated.

call

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And the one we call a friend is sometimes the very lock we cannot break.”

cannot

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And the one we call a friend is sometimes the very lock we cannot break.”

carried

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.

cast

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The setting sun cast long, distorted shadows across the stone courtyard, dying the world in the color of fading memories.

chill

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.

chosen

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.

collar

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.

color

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The setting sun cast long, distorted shadows across the stone courtyard, dying the world in the color of fading memories.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.

courtyardnounUS /ˈkɔːrtjɑːrd/

an open area surrounded by the walls of a building

From this reading The setting sun cast long, distorted shadows across the stone courtyard, dying the world in the color of fading memories.

dark

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Below him lay the Calda forest, a dark sea of pines where Lyra had retreated.

distorted

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The setting sun cast long, distorted shadows across the stone courtyard, dying the world in the color of fading memories.

drawn

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.

dying

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The setting sun cast long, distorted shadows across the stone courtyard, dying the world in the color of fading memories.

Elric

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.

evennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.

fading

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The setting sun cast long, distorted shadows across the stone courtyard, dying the world in the color of fading memories.

forest

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Below him lay the Calda forest, a dark sea of pines where Lyra had retreated.

freeadjectiveUS /friː/

acting without enough restraint or discipline

From this reading “THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.

friend

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And the one we call a friend is sometimes the very lock we cannot break.”

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Below him lay the Calda forest, a dark sea of pines where Lyra had retreated.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Below him lay the Calda forest, a dark sea of pines where Lyra had retreated.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading The setting sun cast long, distorted shadows across the stone courtyard, dying the world in the color of fading memories.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading And the one we call a friend is sometimes the very lock we cannot break.”

lay

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Below him lay the Calda forest, a dark sea of pines where Lyra had retreated.

letting

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.

lock

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And the one we call a friend is sometimes the very lock we cannot break.”

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.

Lyra

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Below him lay the Calda forest, a dark sea of pines where Lyra had retreated.

magic

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.

memoriesnounUS /ˈmɛm.ə.riz/

Recollections of past events.

From this reading The setting sun cast long, distorted shadows across the stone courtyard, dying the world in the color of fading memories.

merely

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.

mournful

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading “THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading And the one we call a friend is sometimes the very lock we cannot break.”

PATHSnounUS /pæðz/

plural of “path” — a course of conduct

From this reading “THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.

pines

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Below him lay the Calda forest, a dark sea of pines where Lyra had retreated.

retreated

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Below him lay the Calda forest, a dark sea of pines where Lyra had retreated.

sat

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.

sea

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Below him lay the Calda forest, a dark sea of pines where Lyra had retreated.

seem

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.

setting

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The setting sun cast long, distorted shadows across the stone courtyard, dying the world in the color of fading memories.

shadows

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The setting sun cast long, distorted shadows across the stone courtyard, dying the world in the color of fading memories.

sometimes

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And the one we call a friend is sometimes the very lock we cannot break.”

stone

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The setting sun cast long, distorted shadows across the stone courtyard, dying the world in the color of fading memories.

sun

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The setting sun cast long, distorted shadows across the stone courtyard, dying the world in the color of fading memories.

THATconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading And the one we call a friend is sometimes the very lock we cannot break.”

THERE

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.

tower

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.

trails

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.

Velmoraproper nounUS /vɛlˈmɔː.rə/

The ancient realm of memory magic and sacred archives.

From this reading Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.

very

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And the one we call a friend is sometimes the very lock we cannot break.”

Wails

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading “THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.

western

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.

why

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading “THERE ARE PATHS THAT seem chosen by free will, but are merely trails of blood drawn long before we could even ask why.

windnounUS /wind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Atop the western tower of Velmora, where the wind carried the mournful Wails of ancient magic, Elric sat alone, letting the autumn chill bite at his collar.

world

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The setting sun cast long, distorted shadows across the stone courtyard, dying the world in the color of fading memories.

Chapter Quiz

What central mystery unfolds in Chapter 13 (The True Heir of the Fire Is Not Me)?

Shadowing Practice

Elric: “The knowledge sealed within The True Heir of the Fire Is Not Me was never meant to be forgotten.”
Lyra: “Every flame in the archives remembers who lit it, and who sought to put it out.”