Hidden deep in the uninhabited places of the world, the Fires of Cleansing still burn. Isolated flames, which burn, yet consume very slowly, can be found by those who know what to look for. Called Aern's Brands after the man who first found one, these Fires are extremely rare, and utterly dangerous.

Four generations after the Cleansing, a warrior called Aern found the first of the brands. Aern went to war to protect his family, only to discover upon his return that they had all died of the plague. Consumed by frustration and despair, Aern took the bodies of his wife and son to a temple where the only Flame which had been discovered at the time was kept. He hoped that the powers of the Flame, which were quite legendary, could return his family to life. When he discovered that this was not so, Aern became very wrathful, and stole the Flame. He built a pier and attempted to burn himself and his family with the Flame.

Though he was wracked with pain, Aern discovered that he could not die. Skin and clothes burning, he fled in the wastes.

Months later, Aern emerged. With single minded and ruthless action, Aern set out to somehow destroy or weaken the Music (at this time, men believed that the universe could not exist without the Music). As he laid waste to the land and destroyed places and people of significance, the power of the Flame became clear: Aern could not die. Stranger still, after his right hand was cut off in battle, he continued to carry his spear in an invisible hand. Aern died nearly a year later, when the Flame had finally burn away significant portions of his skin. At the instant of his passing, the Flame also died. The damage was done, at the Music began to weaken. Within two generations, the Music was dead to all but a few.

According to history and legend, only four other Flames were found after Aern. Three of these were kept in in various cities, and worshiped there. After Aern, there were eight others who allowed themselves to be burned by the Flames. Through the legends, the nature of the Flame has become apparent.

Those who are Burned become driven by a single purpose, an all-consuming mission. According to legend, only two of the missions were completely fulfilled (Aern and one other). In general, it appears the the Flame drives men to do ill, although there is one legend which can be interpreted differently.

Those who Burn cannot die, although they can be wounded. As the legend of Aern indicates, such wounds are not really limiting. The Burned neither sleep nor rest, deriving their energy from the Flame. Though racked with terrible pain, or perhaps because of it, the Burned are single-minded and ever moving, unable to halt and never breaking focus on their mission. The Burned rarely speak according to legend, and when they do, they are usually unintelligible grammatically, although the words themselves are formed very clearly.

The three remaining Flames were eventually destroyed by Folen, Hurion's apprentice, and Baan's nemesis, but not before Baan allowed himself to be Burned by the last Flame.

Baan's case was unique, has he had previously made himself immortal. He was eventually able to bend the effects to his own will. He was able to hide the Flame if he wished, and was apparently able to negate the pain, although it is clear that the often allowed himself to feel the pain intentionally. Baan himself was rather unique, and the nature of his powers have never been understood, as they were derived from sorcery known only to himself. In his quest for godhead, Baan eventually drove himself to madness, and broke his own magic. He wandered Eartea for another generation before he was finally killed by Folen. The last known Flame died with him.

Some stories say that Flames still burn the the forgotten places of the world, and other say that all the Flames have been found and gathered up by an ancient and secret society, who some say are seeking the means to destroy them, and others say intended to use them for some dark purpose.