《Grand Epic Elemental》


 Chapter 1: Ishkhandar

    The wind whistled across the dunes as a trade caravan made its way westward.


    At the front was a man on horseback. He wore a dark brown cloak and the veil of his wide-brimmed <i>weimao</i> shielded his face from the windblown sand. Behind him was a long line of horses, merchants, and their precious cargo.


    The heat was oppressive and the days monotonous. They had trekked for weeks, spending the nights at <i>caravanserai</i> when they were avable and camping out under the night sky when they were not.


    However, things were looking more hopeful today. Beyond the mountains on the horizon was their destination Ishkhandar, the capital of the Western Region.


    Marble columns with fluttering banners lined the streets. Children kicked up clouds of dust and flower petals as they yed in the corridors. Musicians tapped their drums in the corners of the za. Vendors hawked their wares in the bazaars.


    The scent of freshly baked tbread wafted in the air. There were stalls with bins of dried dates, raisins, pistachios, and walnuts. Across the way were greengrocers with tables full of lemons, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and eggnts. A mountain of watermelons stood in front of another stall. Colorful patterned fabrics hung from clotheslines stretched across the alleyways.


    It waste afternoon when the caravan passed through the city gates. However, rather than going to the bazaars, they headed directly to the pce at the city¡¯s center.


    The pce walls were covered with blue and green tiles and golden swirls. Silk sashes fluttered from the top of the tall columns that nked the main gate. As they passed through the gate, the cloaked figure took off his <i>weimao</i>, revealing a man in his early twenties with gracefully curved phoenix eyes and waist-length ck hair tied in a ponytail.


    His name was Leiyu, and he was the bodyguard of the caravan.


    Pce attendants led them to the stables where their cargo was unloaded. Leiyu was drinking water from his sk when another attendant approached them.


    ¡°His Majesty the King wishes to personally greet you all,¡± he said.


    Leiyu¡¯s eyes widened and he turned to the other merchants. They looked back at him and at each other.


    ¡°Come this way,¡± the attendant said.


    Once inside the main hallway, Leiyu stared wide-eyed at his surroundings. In his homnd, the Eastern Region, he had only seen pces from afar and had never dreamed that he would ever set foot in one, much less in a foreignnd. The walls were covered with gold, precious stones, and colorful tiles. The domed ceilings were decorated with ornate geometric patterns. nted columns of light shone through the high windows and formed patterned shadows on the glistening marble floors.


    The throne room was even more extravagant. Silk sashes flecked with gold wrapped around marble columns. Flower gands lined the gilded walls, which had even more gemstones and iridescent tiles.


    Leiyu and the merchants were ushered to the center of the chamber. Only the shuffling of feet could be heard.


    ¡°His Majesty King Xenon enters!¡± an attendant bellowed.


    The merchants dropped to a kneeling position and Leiyu followed suit.


    He lowered his head but moved his eyes upward to catch a glimpse of the entering monarch.


    King Xenon entered the throne room nked by two others. He wore a flowing imperial purple cape, a vibrant royal blue embroidered <i>chapan</i> that stretched to his boots, and a vermilion sash around his waist. He was in his early forties, but his face still retained a youthfulness tempered by the faint lines around his eyes. His brown hair was tied up in a bun held together by a gold ring with an embedded sapphire. Across his forehead was a gold band with arger sapphire.


    ¡°Wee, weary travelers!¡± he said. ¡°Your journey was long and arduous. Please make yourselves at home and join uster for our banquet!¡±


    ¡°Many thanks, Your Majesty!¡± the merchants and Leiyu replied.


    With his head still downward, Leiyu turned his eyes towards the two people nking the king. To the left of the king was a man who appeared to be in histe thirties. He had long dark brown hair tied in the back and covered at the top with an ornate square <i>doppi</i>. He also wore an embroidered <i>chapan</i>, although his was not as ornate as the king¡¯s.


    The one to the right of the king caught Leiyu¡¯s attention. This person dressed simrly to the king, albeit in lighter hues, and had long silky auburn hair piled up into a half bun held together by a me-shaped golden ornament. The hair ornament, forehead jewelry, earrings, and ne were all adorned with rubies. On the face were two peach blossom eyes with amber irises, a delicate nose, and softly curved lips.


    <i>Who is this? </i>Leiyu thought. <i>The queen? No, she looks closer to my age. The princess perhaps?</i>


    He was intrigued, to say the least.


    If the pce interiors did not already impress Leiyu, the banquet certainly did.


    There were tes of <i>palov </i>piled high with rice, meat, carrots, and onions, steaming bowls of <ighman</i> filled with hand-pulled noodles and spices, stacks of tbread, and tters with kebabs, dumplings, and fresh fruit.


    Leiyu opted for the <i>samsa</i> since it was easy to hold. He bit into the ky crust and savored the vorful mutton filling. Before taking another bite, he spotted a lone figure with auburn tresses sitting at a corner table, sipping from a golden goblet, lost in thought.


    <i>The princess?</i> he thought.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    The lone figure nced in his direction. He averted his eyes and turned his attention back to the half-eaten <i>samsa.</i>


    The evening air was cool as Leiyu strolled through the pce gardens. Fragrant flower petals were strewn about and streams of water meandered throughout the grounds. He started walking onto a gently arched bridge.


    Coming from the other side of the bridge was a familiar figure with flowing auburn hair and lc-colored robes, nked by two pce guards.


    He knelt. ¡°Mydy...¡±


    The auburn-tressed figure gasped and started tough softly.


    Leiyu looked up. Did he say something wrong?


    Withughter like gentle music, the figure grinned.


    ¡°I am¡­Prince Thallios!¡±


    King Xenon was walking down the corridor when the man with the square <i>doppi</i> caught up with him.


    ¡°Your Majesty, did you not attend the banquet?¡±


    ¡°I do not care much for these things anymore. It is for the others. The pce is only open to the public during this time of the year.¡±


    ¡°I saw His Highness the Crown Prince there, although I am not sure how long he stayed. Actually, I am surprised he joined us earlier. It has been a while since you two spoke.¡±


    The king sighed. ¡°I encountered him in the courtyard and told him he shoulde to greet our visitors.¡±


    ¡°That was surprising as well, Your Majesty. We do not normally give merchants such formal greetings in the throne room.¡±


    ¡°The attendants said they were from the Eastern Region.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­I see¡­is that why you wanted His Highness to join?¡±


    <i>Prince Thallios? </i>Leiyu¡¯s face turned red and he dropped to the ground in a deep <i>kowtow</i>, prostrating with his head against the cold surface of the bridge.


    ¡°Please forgive me, Your Highness!¡±


    Prince Thallios looked at him. ¡°Do not worry, it is amon mistake.¡±


    Leiyu lifted his head slowly.


    ¡°You may stand.¡±


    Leiyu slowly got up.


    ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, this humble one is named Leiyu.¡±


    ¡°Lei¡­yu¡­¡± the prince repeated his name slowly, intrigued by the unfamiliar sounds and the changing tones of each syble. ¡°Interesting¡­Well Leiyu, I was on my way to the rooftop garden. Would you like to join me?¡±


    Leiyu was taken aback. After embarrassing himself in front of the prince and the guards, he had not expected this. Not wanting to offend the prince any further, he responded, ¡°Sure¡­if that is what Your Highness wishes¡­¡±


    The prince smiled. ¡°The view from there is spectacr.¡±


    They walked through countless corridors before they finally reached the rooftop garden. After going through the entrance, Prince Thallios said, ¡°Guards, you may be dismissed.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness?¡± said one of the guards.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. You can stand outside the door and I will call if I need you.¡±


    The two guards looked at each other. They slowly exited and closed the door.


    The rooftop garden was filled with rows of flowers and trees. The scent ofvender permeated the air. Prince Thallios walked over to the parapet. ¡°This is the highest point in the pce. You can see the whole city from here.¡±


    Leiyu walked over and gazed outwards. Lights twinkled across the expanse of the city, as if they were the reflections of the stars. He could see the faint outlines of the densely packed dwellings and patches of brightness in the streets, which he assumed were from the bazaar. In the distance were the silhouettes of the city walls.


    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s¡­¡± Leiyu turned to his left and looked at the prince¡¯s smiling face. ¡°Beautiful¡­¡±


    Far from the opulent pce and the festive bazaars of the capital, dark columns of smoke billowed skyward, illuminated by the orange glow of raging fires. A horde of cloaked figures with tasseled helmets and masks that only revealed their eyes surged through the streets of Umaraq, throwing torches in all directions. Buildings crackled and burned amidst a cacophony of nging swords and whinnying horses as the local soldiers tried to defend their city. Arrows tore through the air, puncturing shields and piercing armor.


    A lone horseman broke away from the chaos. His steed galloped into the night, heading northward toward Ishkhandar.


    While they were admiring the night view, Leiyu stole a nce at Prince Thallios¡¯ right hand, which was inches away from his own left hand on the cool stone parapet. The prince¡¯s hand was petite and around his index finger was a silver ring that was attached to a bracelet by a thin chain.


    ¡°The Summer Festival ising up in a couple of days, ¡° said the prince as his face was illuminated by the moonlight. ¡°The city will look even more beautiful then.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Leiyu replied.


    Prince Thallios started walking toward the center of the garden, where there was a tabletop fire pit surrounded on either side by divans. He sat down on one of the divans and leaned his right arm against the armrest. Leiyu took this as a cue to follow suit, and he settled into the divan opposite of the prince¡¯s. The fire crackled in the pit as they nced at each other.


    ¡°So,¡± the prince said as he rested the fingers of his left hand on his right arm, just above his bracelet. ¡°What¡¯s your story?¡±


    ¡°Story?¡±


    ¡°Where you¡¯re from¡­¡± the prince said as he leaned his head against his hands. ¡°Your travels¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh! Well¡­¡± Leiyu had never really told anyone his life story. However, the prince was showing genuine curiosity, so he began to tell his tale. ¡°I am originally from the Eastern Region. I left a few years ago though, and journeyed to the Northern Region, where I lived for about a year with the nomads.¡±


    Leiyu paused to gauge the prince¡¯s reaction. He seemed intrigued.


    ¡°But I wanted to keep going westward, so I took off again. During my journey, I encountered a trade caravan that was being attacked by a group of bandits¡­¡±


    <b>?Author¡¯s Note</b>


    Leiyu¡¯s name is Chinese, which is a tonalnguage. Hence, Prince Thallios was intrigued by the tones when learning his name.

 Chapter 2: Leiyu鈥檚 Travels

    The caravan¡¯s hired guards had already been in by the bandits and the remaining merchants huddled together in fear. One of them held up a sword, ready to defend his colleagues, but even he was shaking uncontrobly.


    The bandits were shrouded in long ck hooded robes and sat atop their horses. Their faces were hidden behind masks that only revealed their eyes. One of them wielded a scimitar and began to charge towards the merchants. The merchants screamed, thinking that today would be theirst day.


    A lone arrow suddenly whistled through the air and struck the scimitar-wielding bandit in the chest, knocking him off his horse. The other bandits were startled and looked in the direction where the arrow came from.


    In the distance, Leiyu sat atop his horse, bow in hand. The veil on his <i>weimao</i> and his long brown cloak fluttered in the arid desert wind.


    Angered at this intrusion, the other bandits pulled out their scimitars and began to charge. Leiyu reached for more arrows from his quiver. He pulled out three and nocked them against the bowstring at different angles. Holding the bow horizontally, he let the arrows fly.


    Three bandits were struck down.


    The merchants gasped in awe.


    Suddenly, a scythe de attached to a chain hurled through the air in Leiyu¡¯s direction. Leiyu pulled out his sword and blocked the iing de. However, the force of the impact knocked him off his horse. Hended on the desert sand and looked up through his veil.


    A short distance away, Leiyu saw a wraithlike figure backlit by the desert sun. He wore flowing ck robes and sat atop a horse. The flying scythe de had returned to his hand. The figure wore a head covering and a frightening mask with ck holes for eyes, stripes streaked across the cheeks, and a menacing painted grin with sharp teeth.


    ¡°Stranger, you should not have interfered,¡± the figure bellowed. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve killed some of my men, you must perish as well!¡±


    The masked man, who was the leader of the bandits, threw his chained scythe de at Leiyu once again. As the talon-like instrument hurtled towards him, Leiyu spun out of the way. Laughing behind his painted smirk, the masked man hurled a dagger at Leiyu. As the dagger whooshed through the air towards him, Leiyu held out his sword and deflected it while in mid-spin. Hended deftly on his feet and his <i>weimao</i> slipped off and settled at his back, held there by the long chin cord around his neck. Freed from the hat, his long ponytail cascaded outward.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite skilled,¡± said the masked man. ¡°Let¡¯s see if you can handle more.¡±


    With a wave of his hand, he summoned the other bandits.


    ¡°Attack!¡± he bellowed.


    The mass of bandits surged towards Leiyu, scimitars drawn. Leiyu red at the oing horde. He then took his sword and plunged the de into the sand.


    The masked man paused, unsure of what Leiyu was up to.


    Leiyu gripped the hilt of his sword with his right hand. Wind began to swirl around it. With his left hand, Leiyu raised two fingers in front of his face and closed his eyes. His expression was serene.


    The horde of scimitar-wielding bandits was approaching fast, apanied by the deafening sound of their horses galloping and kicking up clouds of sand.


    Leiyu suddenly opened his eyes. With his sword still plunged into the sand and his hand held before his face, he generated a whirlwind that radiated outwards towards the bandits.


    ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± screamed the bandits as the whirlwind knocked them over.


    The masked man braced himself against the powerful galesing his way.


    <i>What sorcery is this? </i>he wondered.


    Nevertheless, he was determined to win and hurled his chained scythe de at Leiyu once again.


    Leiyu sensed the oing threat and leapt out of the way. He swung his sword and it connected with the chain. The chain wrapped itself around the de of his sword. Since the masked man was still holding the other end of the chain, Leiyu pulled his sword backward sharply, yanking the other man off his horse. He pulled the chain until it slipped out of the masked man¡¯s hands. He then shook the chain off his sword and the scythe de flopped onto the sand.


    Narrowing his eyes, Leiyu addressed the masked man. ¡°Would you like to continue?¡±


    The masked man was at a loss for words. As the leader of one of the most notorious groups of bandits in the desert, he had never suffered as humiliating a defeat as this.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked.


    Leiyu smiled.


    ¡°Just a stranger¡­passing by¡­¡±


    ¡°Retreat!¡± the masked man shouted to the other bandits. Better to cut their losses than to continue fighting against this stranger who could summon the wind. With a fluttering of long ck robes, the horde withdrew, their galloping horses kicking up a cloud of sand in their wake.


    Leiyu stood there and watched, his long hair flowing in the wind.


    ¡°Good sir!¡± a voice called.


    He turned.


    ¡°Good sir! Thank you so much!¡± said one of the merchants as his colleagues kowtowed to show their gratitude. ¡°How can we repay you?¡±


    ¡°Where are you headed?¡± Leiyu asked.


    ¡°The Kingdom of Ishkhandar in the Western Region,¡± the merchant replied. ¡°We are delivering a shipment of silk and porcin to the royal pce.¡±


    <i>The royal pce? </i> Leiyu thought. <i>Wow¡­</i>¡°Then, allow me to apany you and protect your caravan against other bandits. I¡¯m heading westward myself, so you guiding me along will be enough for repayment.¡±


    Smoke curled from the tabletop fire pit as Leiyu finished telling his story to Prince Thallios.


    ¡°Wow!¡± Prince Thallios eximed. ¡°You¡¯re a mighty swordsman and archer! With magical powers!¡±


    Leiyu smiled. He was not used to being ttered, especially by someone with higher social status. ¡°Eh, it¡¯s nothing. Anyway, we eventually ended up here, delivering the full shipment of silk and porcin.


    ¡°I had no idea how much effort it took. Or how dangerous it was.¡±


    ¡°The trade caravan will remain here for a while, then return eastward with ssware and gemstones.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, Ishkhandar is known for those.¡±


    Leiyu nced at Prince Thallios and noticed all the gemstones that were on him. In the twilight, the prince¡¯s ruby forehead jewelry, earrings, and ne glistened. Even the silver ring on his right index finger seemed to sparkle. He continued to stare, somewhat mesmerized.


    ¡°Will you continue traveling?¡± Prince Thallios asked, bringing Leiyu¡¯s mind back to the present.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to,¡± Leiyu replied. ¡°I still haven¡¯t visited the Southern Region.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to travel someday. I¡¯ve never been outside of this pce.¡±


    ¡°What?! Never?!¡±


    The prince shifted in the divan and sighed. ¡°In all my twenty-one years, I have not set foot outside of these pce walls.¡±


    <i>He¡¯s twenty-one?</i> Leiyu thought. <i>Just a year younger than me.</i>


    ¡°But, isn¡¯t a prince supposed to go out and be familiar with thend that he will someday rule?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a bit unusual, isn¡¯t it?¡± Prince Thallios lowered his eyes solemnly. ¡°Ever since my mother passed away, my father has been overprotective and just wants me to stay in the pce.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Leiyu had not expected the conversation to take this turn. ¡°I am sorry¡­about your mother¡­¡±


    Prince Thallios was silent.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± he finally said. ¡°It has been over ten years already¡± He looked upwards at Leiyu. ¡°What about your parents?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­I don¡¯t have any¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m an orphan. I don¡¯t remember who my parents were.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°I just know that when I was a small child, I was found on the streets during arge thunderstorm. That¡¯s actually what my name means. <i>Lei</i> (À×) means thunder and <i>yu </i>(Óê) means rain. I don¡¯t know my real birth name or if I even have one.¡±


    Leiyu¡¯s mind went back to that day in his childhood. He remembered being curled up with his back against the wall of a building. The heavy rains fell on the awning above him. He shivered in his threadbare clothes. Sensing the presence of another, he looked up and saw an elderly man holding an umbre with one hand. The man had snowy white hair tied up in a simple bun held together by a wooden hairpin. He had a flowing beard and a kind expression. His robes were in and he held a parcel with his other hand.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°<i>Shifu</i>, an old martial arts master, found me and took me in,¡± said Leiyu. ¡°<i>Shifu</i> had other disciples. I was raised alongside them. He trained us in different styles of martial arts.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s where you learned it,¡± Prince Thallios remarked. ¡°Where is <i>Shifu</i> now?¡±


    Leiyu was silent.


    ¡°He passed away a few years ago,¡± he finally replied.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Prince Thallios lowered his voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. He was old and his health was deteriorating.¡±


    Prince Thallios gave him a sympathetic look.


    ¡°It was after he passed away that I started traveling,¡± said Leiyu. ¡°That¡¯s how I ended up here.¡±


    The corners of the prince¡¯s mouth turned slightly upward. He shifted his head so that it was resting on his arm. Leiyu noticed that the prince¡¯s eyes were starting to droop. It was gettingte. Perhaps he wanted to sleep.


    ¡°Your Highness, should I go?¡± Leiyu asked. ¡°They told us that we could stay in the guest quarters.¡±


    Prince Thallios shook his head. ¡°Mm, you can stay a little longer. It¡¯s nice having someone to talk to¡­¡±


    Leiyu looked at him. <i>Was the prince lonely?</i> Prince Thallios grew up in an extravagant pce surrounded by luxuries that Leiyu could not have even imagined when he was a child living on the streets. Yet, beneath that smiling face, Leiyu sensed mncholy. Losing his mother at a young age must have affected him deeply. Leiyu could not remember his own mother or father, so he could not quite rte, although he remembered feeling sad when <i>Shifu</i> passed away.


    He noticed that the prince¡¯s eyes were already closed. <i>I should probably go</i>. He looked up at the night sky. The crescent moon hung overhead and the stars twinkled. It had been a long day, and he had not rested much since the caravan arrived in Ishkhandar. Heid down on the divan.


    <i>I¡¯ll go in a little bit</i>, he thought. <i>After I rest for a few minutes¡­</i>

 Chapter 3: Morning

    The morning sun imparted warmth onto Leiyu¡¯s face as a gentle breeze yed with the strands of his hair. He blinked, slowlying to a waking state.?


    He sat up and took stock of his surroundings. He was still in the rooftop garden, on the same divan that he remembered lying down on the night before.


    <i>Did I fall asleep?</i> he thought, feeling flustered. <i>It¡¯s already morning.</i>


    He saw that the other divan was empty. The tabletop fire pit had long since been extinguished and there were only curling wisps of smoke.


    <i>Where did the prince go?</i> he wondered.


    In the distance, he could make out the faint strumming of a stringed instrument.


    <i>Music?</i> he thought. He got up and began to wander around. When he reached one corner of the rooftop garden, he saw Prince Thallios sitting cross-legged on a cushion beneath a flowering tree, ying a stringed <i>barbat</i> and singing softly to himself, eyes downcast.


    Leiyu stood still, not wanting to interrupt. Prince Thallios looked up.


    ¡°Your Highness, you y very well.¡±


    The prince smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± He stood up. ¡°Leiyu, may I ask you for a favor?¡±


    ¡°A favor? What would you like, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°Can you spar with me?¡±


    ¡°Spar?¡±


    ¡°I practice with the pce sword instructor sometimes. But I¡¯d like to spar with someone new.¡±


    Leiyu raised his eyebrows. Last night, Prince Thallios was admiring his tales of heroism and today he wanted to fight with him? He regarded the prince¡¯s petite frame. But was it really that unusual to ask to spar? He sparred many times with his fellow disciples when he was growing up. And someday, the prince would be king, and he would need many skills to rule a kingdom¡­


    He returned his mind to the present when he noticed the prince looking at him.


    ¡°As you wish, Your Highness.¡±


    Leaves fluttered in the wind as Prince Thallios and Leiyu made their way to the pce courtyard. The prince headed over to a bench, where there were two swords. He removed his cape and ced it on the bench.


    Leiyu nced at Prince Thallios, whose back was currently facing him. Dangling from the prince¡¯s slender waist was an ornately curved dagger with a jewel on its hilt.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°These practice swords are made of wood, so no need to worry about getting injured,¡± said Prince Thallios as he handed one of the weapons to Leiyu.


    He epted the wooden sword. <i>I¡¯ll go easy on him</i>. If the prince had never left the pce before, then it was doubtful he had any real fighting experience. Plus, he looked rather delicate. Leiyu did not want to injure him in any way.


    They faced each other with their swords drawn. Prince Thallios charged at Leiyu and swung his sword. Leiyu calmly held up his sword to block the iing wooden de. The hilt of Leiyu¡¯s sword rattled as the des connected.


    <i>Hmm, not bad</i>. Perhaps he had underestimated the prince.


    Prince Thallios¡¯ eyebrows furrowed and his amber eyes had an unexpected intensity. Leiyu put his weight on one foot and leapt backward. The prince narrowed his eyes, gripped his sword, and ran towards Leiyu.


    Pushing off on his toes, Leiyu leapt up right before Prince Thallios swung at him. He was now at least twenty feet in the air, looking downwards at the prince, who was looking upwards in awe. He flipped in mid-air andnded softly on his feet a short distance away, turning his head to look back at the prince.


    Prince Thallios frowned slightly, his countenance cold. He started charging towards Leiyu once again. As he got closer, the prince leapt into the air with his sword raised. Then, something unexpected happened which made Leiyu gasp.


    Prince Thallios¡¯ eyes turned golden yellow and glowed like burning embers. He descended from the air and swiped his sword.


    Leiyu was distracted by the prince¡¯s eyes and only held his sword up at thest minute to block the attack. The force of the strike shocked him and sent him flying backward. His back mmed into the wall, jolting his nerves and rattling his bones. He went limp and slid down, slumping over when he reached the ground.


    ¡°Leiyu!¡± Prince Thallios tossed his sword aside and came running. His eyes had reverted to their normal amber color.


    Leiyu exhaled heavily, still regaining hisposure. Prince Thallios stood before him and began to reach out, then hesitated.


    ¡°Leiyu, are you hurt?¡±


    Leiyu did not reply.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± The prince¡¯s voice began to tremble. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡±


    Leiyu¡¯s body was still tingling from the impact, but he was affected even more by the prince¡¯s worried expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Your Highness, I¡¯m not injured.¡±


    Tears welled up in Prince Thallios¡¯ eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m just¡­very surprised¡­¡± said Leiyu. <i>Was I seeing things?Or were the prince¡¯s eyes actually glowing a different color earlier? And his demeanor waspletely different. It was as if he was possessed.</i>


    Later that morning, Prince Thallios and Leiyu were seated at a table filled with food. There were tbreads, dumplings, <i>dolmas</i>, <i>palov</i>, and kabobs.


    <i>So much food,</i> Leiyu thought. <i>Is he feeling bad about what happened earlier and trying to make up for it?</i>


    Prince Thallios did not eat any of the food. He simply sat there sipping tea and asionally nced shyly at Leiyu. Although he felt awkward sitting there in silence, Leiyu also felt that good food should not go to waste and grabbed a tbread. While munching, he sensed something off to the side.


    A peacock ran past them.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Leiyu asked


    ¡°Ah, he¡¯s from our aviary,¡± Prince Thallios replied.


    Leiyu looked at him quizzically.


    ¡°Would you like to see?¡± the prince asked.


    The pce aviary was a domed ss building that wasrge enough to fit several trees. Birds of colorful plumage flew about and gave a symphony of chirps.


    ¡°My mother liked birds, so my father had this built and filled it with birds from farawaynds,¡± Prince Thallios exined.


    Leiyu stared at his surroundings. Some of the birds hopped along the tree branches while others flitted in the water of the bubbling fountain. He shifted his gaze to the side. The peacock from earlier was standing there, its tail feathers fanning out. He had never seen anything like it before.


    Prince Thallios smiled and walked over to the peacock. He kneeled and extended his hand. In his palm was bird feed. The peacock paused, then started to peck at the food.


    Turning to Leiyu, Prince Thallios asked ¡°Would you like to feed him?¡±


    Leiyu walked over and crouched down next to Prince Thallios. The prince held his clenched fist over Leiyu¡¯s palm, opened his hand, and deposited the remaining bird seed. The peacock walked straight to Leiyu¡¯s hand and began to peck at the bird seed. Leiyu had a startled expression which eventually gave way to a smile. Prince Thallios smiled in turn.


    Later that day, Prince Thallios and Leiyu returned to the courtyard.


    ¡°Leiyu, you said before that you practice wind magic?¡± Prince Thallios asked, recalling the story that Leiyu had told him the night before.


    ¡°Ah yes,¡± Leiyu replied. ¡°I learned it while I was living in the Northern steppes.¡±


    Prince Thallios¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°Can you show me?¡±


    ¡°All right,¡± said Leiyu. He held out his right hand. A few seconds passed. Tiny wind currents began to circte above his palm, growingrger until they formed a whirlwind. Their hair and robes fluttered upwards. The trees swayed while leaves and flower petals flew chaotically. Leiyu closed his palm and the whirlwind extinguished.


    The leaves and petals that had been flying through the air fluttered down in an aesthetically pleasing shower. Prince Thallios held out his hand to catch a falling petal and his face lit up in an expression of wonder.


    Above the courtyard, a lone figure wearing a <i>doppi</i> stood in the shadows on a balcony, his crossed arms resting on the railing. He watched the two in the courtyard below with his solemn dark brown eyes.


    He was Lord Oganesson, advisor to King Xenon.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± he said, turning to the person behind him. ¡°His Highness the Crown Prince is spending a lot of time with this stranger from the East.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± came the reply.


    ¡°Should we be concerned?¡±


    A hand grasped the balcony railing near Lord Oganesson¡¯s resting arms. Momentster, King Xenon emerged from the shadows.


    There were dark circles under his tired eyes and his mouth was downturned in a slight frown. He often suffered from insomnia andst night was one of those restless ones where he wouldy down for hours, waiting for the escape into reverie that would nevere.


    He looked down into the courtyard at his son, who was smiling and chatting with the so-called stranger from the East. He sighed and pulled the corners of his mouth upwards until it formed a neutral line.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he said.


    Lord Oganesson gave him a questioning look.


    The king borated further. ¡°This stranger may be the one in the prophecy¡­¡±

 Chapter 4: Summer Festival

    The next day, Leiyu walked around by himself in the pce. He strolled down the long outdoor corridor, passing through many gardens, which were resplendent with variegated flowers, manicured shrubs, and flowing fountains.?


    <i>Prince Thallios said to meet in the main courtyard in the afternoon</i>. He had not seen the prince since they parted after breakfast. Prince Thallios had said he was going to be busy preparing for the first day of the Summer Festival. Leiyu did not mind, as he had not explored the pce on his own that much since he arrived two days ago.


    The pce was like abyrinth and Leiyu was not sure whether he would be able to see everything before the caravan was scheduled to leave. He wondered whether the prince had already explored every nook and cranny. Further up ahead in the corridor, he saw a throng of people.


    <i>This must be the main courtyard</i>, he thought. Prince Thallios had mentioned that there would be a performance. He walked towards the crowd.


    ¡°Leiyu!¡± someone called. It was one of the merchants from the caravan. He was standing near the courtyard entrance with the rest of the crowd.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Leiyu called back.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t seen you in a while,¡± said the merchant.


    ¡°Mm, I¡¯ve been exploring.¡±


    ¡°Tell me about it! This pce is huge! And there¡¯s also the city. Have you seen it yet?¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you haven¡¯t been yet, you should definitely go today. It¡¯s the first day of the Summer Festival, so it will be extra spectacr!¡±


    In the middle of the main courtyard was a stage with a curtain held up by two columns in the back. Silk sashes fluttered from the top of these columns. Three musicians were seated beside the stage on an intricately patterned rug.


    Leiyu and the merchant stood amongst the crowd that was gathered before the stage. The people in the crowd spoke amongst themselves, some innguages that Leiyu could not understand. They patiently awaited the start of the performance.


    The musicians began to y. One of them tapped rhythmically on the <i>doira </i>drum, while the one in the center strummed the <i>dutar</i>, and the third one yed the oboe-like <i>surnay</i>. The curtain pulled back and three female dancers glided out.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the pce dancers are exquisite!¡± the merchant said to Leiyu.


    The dancers wore ornate <i>doppi</i> with circr gold pieces that jangled as they moved. They had long swaying dark braids, gracefully swaying arms, and colorful embroidered dresses that twirled as they spun.


    The curtain opened again and a male dancer came out carrying a long silk banner. He ran around the female dancers until they were obscured from the audience. When he circled back to curtain, the silk banner pulled away, revealing a lone dancer at the stage¡¯s center.


    Leiyu strained his eyes to get a better view. The dancer had the left arm raised up high, hand held in a graceful pose. The hair was done up in a half bun with silk ribbons flowing from a hair ornament. Around the shoulders were thin gold cords with dangling gold pieces. Long silk tassels flowed from the dancer¡¯s slender waist. The dancer¡¯s raised hand moved slightly and tiny silver bells on the three bracelets jingled musically.


    Leiyu¡¯s eyes went wide.


    The dancer smiled, lips tinted with faint rouge and amber eyes entuated with ck kohl liner. Thin gold chains decorated the familiar auburn hair.


    It was Prince Thallios.


    Leiyu was speechless.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the Summer Weing Dance,¡± the merchant exined, ¡°It¡¯s only done by a member of the royal family. Back when the queen was still alive, she did this dance. Many tales were told of her beauty and gracefulness.¡±


    Prince Thallios closed his eyes. His bracelets jingled as he lowered his left hand. He held up one of his silk waist tassels with his right hand. His anklet jingled as he lifted a heel. With one foot t and the other one pointed, he began to twirl, raising one hand upward while the other one swept out to the side. As he spun faster and faster, the silk tassels and the hem of his robe twirled with him.


    It was a beautiful sight to behold. Leiyu thought the prince resembled one of the celestial beings he had seen in paintings back home.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Prince Thallios leapt into the air and bent his torso backwards. His arms were stretched outwards and his hair flowed gracefully. Leiyu¡¯s eyes grew wide and he felt his heart stop for a moment. The princended softly, his arms in a pose. He nced at the audience and looked directly at Leiyu.


    Leiyu stood very still.


    The audience erupted into apuse.


    Prince Thallios took a bow.


    After the performance was over, Leiyu waited in the corridor. He leaned against a column as other people streamed past him, chattering away. When the crowd had mostly left, he saw a lone figure walking towards him.


    There was Prince Thallios, beaming. Leiyu smiled and approached the prince, lowering himself into a kneeling position.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°No need to be so formal,¡± Prince Thallios held out a hand. ¡°Please stand.¡±


    Leiyu stood up.


    ¡°Your performance was excellent!¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± The prince smiled, then paused. ¡°Leiyu¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Have you been out to see the city yet?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, Your Highness.¡±


    Prince Thallios grinned. Leiyu was unsure what to make of it.


    ¡°Would you like to apany me?¡± asked the prince.


    Leiyu blinked. ¡°Um¡­Your Highness, are you allowed to leave the pce? Don¡¯t you need guards?¡±


    ¡°No need¡­¡±


    Leiyu looked at him in confusion.


    ¡°You are the great bodyguard of the trade caravan, are you not?¡±


    Leiyu was at a loss for words.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll put in a good word for you if the pce guards catch us.¡±


    He did not find that reassuring. ¡°But¡­are you allowed to leave the pce just like that?¡±


    Prince Thallios grinned again. ¡°I won¡¯t walk out just like this. I¡¯ll disguise myself. Meet me outside the pce gates in half an hour.¡±


    Leiyu stood with his back against a wall outside the pce gates, lost in thought. <i>I have no idea what the prince is up to</i>. <i>How exactly was he going to get past all those pce guards anyway?</i>


    He had only known Prince Thallios for two days, yet it felt like more than a week. Other than his martial brothers when he was training under <i>Shifu</i>, he had not spent so much time continuously around the same person.


    His thoughts were interrupted by a tap on his arm. He turned and saw a petite figure wearing a woman¡¯s headdress with flowing fabric that stretched all the way to the feet. Dangling gold pieces covered the eyes. The person also wore a loose tunic dress with trousers.


    ¡°Can I help you, miss?¡± he asked.


    The stranger smiled and looked upwards, revealing a pair of familiar kohl-lined amber eyes. ¡°Hi Leiyu!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness?!¡±


    Prince Thallios put his index finger up to his lips. ¡°Shh, not so loud.¡±


    Leiyu was at aplete loss for words.


    Smiling with joy, the prince dered, ¡°Let¡¯s go see the city!¡±


    The bazaar was bustling with activity. There were numerous stalls selling fruit, freshly baked bread, flowers, and misceneous trinkets. People milled about in the numerous streets.


    Prince Thallios looked at all of this with wide-eyed wonder. Leiyu regarded the prince with bemusement.


    <i>What a contrast in upbringing</i>, he thought. <i>I lived on the streets as a child.</i>


    Still, he found the prince¡¯s joyfulness endearing.


    ¡°Your Highness¡­¡±


    ¡°Shh, don¡¯t call me that out here.¡±


    ¡°Then, how should I address you?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± the prince thought for a bit. ¡°You can call me Amara.¡±


    ¡°Amara?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is amon girl¡¯s name.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Suddenly, there was the whirring of wheels as a horse-drawn cart rapidly approached them.


    ¡°Make way!¡± the cart driver yelled.


    Leiyu saw that the prince was in the direct path of the cart and gasped. Instinctively, he reached out and looped his arm around Prince Thallios¡¯ back. The prince felt himself being pulled forward. The cart zoomed by, barely missing them.


    Leiyu looked downwards.


    Prince Thallios looked back up at him.


    Leiyu realized that his arm was still around Prince Thallios¡¯ back, and the prince was pressed against his chest. His face turned red and he quickly backed away.


    ¡°My apologies!¡±


    Prince Thallios stared at him nkly and then smiled. ¡°No need to apologize. You were just trying to protect me. I knew I could count on you.¡±


    Once again, Leiyu was at a loss for words. The same went for Prince Thallios, as he also did not say anything.


    Finally, Leiyu broke the awkward silence. ¡°Your H-, I mean, Amara, would you like to see anything else?¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­¡± the prince pondered for a bit. ¡°How about we find the highest point in the city?¡±


    Leiyu was speechless yet again. ¡°All right¡­¡±


    Prince Thallios and Leiyu continued to walk around the city, trying to fulfill the prince¡¯s request to find the highest point. Leiyu was not sure why Prince Thallios was so intent on this, but he apanied him without a word, looking out for any other dangers along the way.


    Leiyu was bemused by how things had turned out as ofte, first bing the bodyguard of a trade caravan by ident and now unexpectedly bing the bodyguard of this whimsical prince. He wondered if it was his life¡¯s role to be a protector of others. He did not mind really, since <i>Shifu</i> had taught him and his martial brothers how to fight so that they could defend those in need.


    The sun descended into the horizon and dusk settled in.


    ¡°The fireworks should be starting soon,¡± said Prince Thallios.


    <i>Ah, is that the reason?</i> Leiyu thought. ¡°Do you still want to find the highest point in the city?¡±


    ¡°Sure, or at least a rooftop.¡±


    Leiyu looked up. There were many rooftops around them, but they were mostly residential. They could not just simply walk into any building and take the stairs. He saw a rtively empty side street and suddenly had an idea.


    ¡°I know a shortcut,¡± he said.


    Prince Thallios nced back at him. Leiyu walked into the side street and the prince followed. There were some tiny vendor stalls, but no one was attending to them. The merchants had probably left to see the uing fireworks.


    ¡°Do you want to go to this rooftop?¡± Leiyu asked, pointing upwards.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Prince Thallios replied. ¡°Are we¡­going to climb?¡± Given the way he was dressed, it would be somewhat difficult.


    ¡°No need.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Leiyu took a deep breath. ¡°I can take you straight up to the rooftop¡­if you hold on. Would that be all right?¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± The prince¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That¡¯s fine¡­you¡¯ll be the one climbing then?¡±


    Leiyu smiled and looped his arm around Prince Thallios.


    ¡°Just hold on tightly,¡± he said gently. The prince felt his heart flutter a bit. He smiled and gripped Leiyu¡¯s cloak.


    Leiyu leapt into the air. Prince Thallios gasped. Theynded softly on the rooftop.


    ¡°How¡­?¡± Prince Thallios breathed. Then he remembered that Leiyu had jumped very high when they sparred the other day.


    Leiyu smiled. ¡°Where I¡¯m from, people can do that if they practice enough.¡±


    Prince Thallios gave him an odd look but his attention was immediately diverted to the bright burst of light in the evening sky. Glittering specks rained downwards. They could hear people cheering in the streets below.


    ¡°Oh! The fireworks are starting!¡± the prince eximed.


    The fireworks went on for quite a while. Prince Thallios and Leiyu sat on the rooftop and admired the sparkling starbursts, spinning pinwheels, and radiating rings illuminating the night sky. When the fireworks started to slow down, Prince Thallios turned to Leiyu.


    ¡°How long will you stay here before you travel again?¡±


    ¡°Not sure. Depends on the caravan¡¯s schedule.¡±


    Prince Thallios looked at him but said nothing and looked downward. Leiyu nced at him.


    Thest of the fireworks went off. After that, there was nothing but a residual cloud of smoke. They sat in silence.


    ¡°We should go back to the pce,¡± said Leiyu. ¡°Before they discover that you are missing.¡±


    ¡°I suppose¡­¡± the prince murmured. Then, his eyes lit up. ¡°Hey, could you fly again and take us directly back to the pce?¡±


    Leiyu was taken aback. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I want to see what the city looks like from the air.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but you¡¯ll have to hold on tightly.¡±


    Leiyu leapt from rooftop to rooftop, carrying Prince Thallios on his back. The prince had his arms around Leiyu¡¯s shoulders and his hands gripped Leiyu¡¯s cloak. His heart was pounding as Leiyu sailed effortlessly through the air. They approached the pce and Leiyu ran up the wall, being careful not to let the guards see them. Once they got over the wall, he leapt again,nding in the middle of the rooftop garden.


    ¡°We have returned, Your Highness.¡±


    Prince Thallios loosened his grip and slowly stepped onto the ground. After catching his breath, he turned to Leiyu. ¡°That was amazing! Thank you so much for taking me to see the city today!¡±


    Leiyu smiled. ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    They looked at each other as the evening breeze blew and rippled through the fabric of Prince Thallios¡¯ headdress, neither of them saying a word.


    ¡°I¡¯ll return to the guest quarters,¡± Leiyu finally said.


    Prince Thallios nced at him, then smiled. ¡°Good night!¡±


    They parted ways.

 Chapter 5: Foreboding

    A lone messenger on horseback rushed towards Ishkhandar. He wore the armor of the Western Region imperial army. Although exhausted, he had one mission to fulfill and no time to waste. As he approached the city gates, the border guards began to draw their weapons.


    ¡°Open the gates!¡± the messenger shouted. ¡°I must deliver a message to His Majesty the King!¡±


    The border guards could now see the rider¡¯s uniform clearly and stood down. Theyplied with hismands.


    King Xenon sat grimly on his throne. He rested his chin on his hand and looked at the kneeling messenger with world-weary eyes. Standing at his side was his advisor, Lord Oganesson.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± the messenger said. ¡°Our forces at Umaraq were defeated. I escaped to deliver this message of warning, but I am not sure if anyone else survived. The Southern Region¡¯s soldiers destroyed everything in their path.¡±


    King Xenon furrowed his brow and exhaled quietly. ¡°You may be dismissed.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± The messenger bowed and took his leave.


    King Xenon raised his fingers to his temples. He could feel a headacheing on.


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡± said Lord Oganesson. ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    The king nced at him, sighed, and shook his head. ¡°It is nothing. I just need some air.¡± He stood up. ¡°Come, walk with me.¡±


    King Xenon and Lord Oganesson strolled through the outdoor corridor running alongside the gardens, although the king did not stop to admire the flora. He simply stared nkly as he traversed the shadows cast by the columns. Turning a corner, he found a door and opened it. The two entered, letting the door shut quietly behind them. They walked slowly down a long, dimly lit inner corridor.


    ¡°Your Majesty, this is the fifth city to have fallen,¡± said Lord Oganesson. ¡°The Southern Region¡¯s forces are advancing quickly.¡±


    King Xenon said nothing. As they reached the end of the corridor, he unlocked the door to a private chamber that only he had ess to. He entered, followed by his advisor. The chamber was just as dim as the corridor, with only a few torches flickering on the wall. He walked alongside the wall, running his hands over the mosaic tiles. When he reached the center, he held his hand up higher and looked up.


    ¡°They are finallying for us, my dear Queen¡­¡± he murmured.


    The torch mes flickered again, illuminating the mosaic mural of thete Queen Selenia.


    The Pce Library was filled with endless shelves of weighty tomes and arcane relics. Into this muted environment Prince Thallios and Leiyu walked, without a sound other than the soft shuffling of their feet.


    Two days had passed since their excursion into the city, and no one at the pce hadmented on the prince¡¯s temporary absence. Leiyu wondered whether the pce was really secure at all, given that Prince Thallios could slip out so easily. He was surprised that the prince had not tried doing that before, but maybe he did not want to be out in the city by himself. If the king had told him to stay put in the pce, then even walking around outside with guards would not have been an option.


    Speaking of the pce, it was also odd that so many people could just walk in and out, but maybe that was only because it was open to the public during the Summer Festival. Guards were posted all over the ce, though Leiyu wondered whether they were merely ornamental.


    Leiyu had spent all of yesterday by himself since Prince Thallios had said he was tired. That was fine with Leiyu since he was also exhausted after all that walking and rooftop leaping. He had slept in until mid-morning, chatted with some of the caravan merchants in the guest quarters, and ate by himself in the pce dining hall. The merchants had invited him to go drinking in the city in the evening, but Leiyu declined, already having experienced the city once. While the merchants were out, Leiyu had meditated alone in the guest quarters.


    Although Leiyu was used to being around people, having shared living quarters with fellow disciples growing up, he was also fine being by himself. He was alone on the streets before <i>Shifu</i> found him, and even when interacting with his <i>shixiong</i> and <i>shidi </i>- his martial brothers - his mind often drifted to other ces. It had been a quiet day without Prince Thallios, and, in some ways, a bit duller. His drifting mind eventually found its way to slumber.


    Earlier in the morning, a messenger stopped by the guest quarters to tell Leiyu that the prince wished to meet him at the Pce Library. He followed the messenger and smiled when he saw a familiar auburn-tressed figure standing at the library¡¯s door.


    Prince Thallios had gone back to wearing his normal clothes - embroidered <i>chapan</i>, pants, boots, and royal robe. His hair was done up in a half bun with the same me-shaped ruby ornament, although Leiyu noticed a braid wrapped around the bun that extended down the cascade of loose hair, apanied by a few thin gold chains. Leiyu wondered whether Prince Thallios¡¯ hair was styled by his servants, or whether it was his own handiwork, then felt embarrassed that he was wondering about this at all.


    As they walked through the library, Leiyu recalled the events of their visit to the city, the change in Prince Thallios¡¯ expression after answering the question of how long he would remain here, his reluctance to return to the pce, and the look he gave before they parted ways in the rooftop garden.


    Of course, it was inevitable that Leiyu would eventually leave. He had promised the merchants that he would protect the caravan on their return trip to the Eastern Region. Had to make sure they would not cross paths with those bandits again.


    There were still other parts of the world Leiyu wanted to see. He could visit those ces in the months after he returned to the Eastern Region. If he was lucky, perhaps he¡¯d be able toe back next year with the merchants again, when the pce needed more silks and porcin. He could then tell Prince Thallios more tales of his travels.


    Perhaps¡­


    Prince Thallios stopped at one of the shelves and turned to Leiyu with a smile. ¡°I spent many hours looking through these books when I was younger.¡± He reached into the shelf and pulled out an old volume, smiling. ¡°I¡¯ve read this one many times.¡±


    The book was ornately decorated and the cover had a script that Leiyu could notprehend.


    ¡°What does this say?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Hm?¡± the prince looked at him, then smiled. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right, every region has differentnguages and writing systems. I almost forgot since we are conversing in the Common Language. This says <i>Ancient Legends and Tales</i>.¡±


    He opened the book carefully and turned the thin pages. Each leaf of paper was covered in beautiful calligraphy and interspersed with colorful illustrations.


    ¡°This one tells of the goddesses of the four elements that keep the world in harmony,¡± He flipped the page and there was an illustration of an ethereal dancing female figure surrounded by ribbons of bright orange me. ¡°We in the Western Region worship the Goddess of Fire.¡±


    The next page had an image of a celestial female figure surrounded by blue silks, levitating above water.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s the Goddess of Water of the Eastern Region!¡± Leiyu said.


    The next page had the image of a female warrior on horseback, surrounded by curling wisps of wind.


    ¡°That would be the Northern Region,¡± said Leiyu. ¡°They worship the Goddess of Wind.¡±


    The next page had an illustration of a masked female figure with long dark robes.


    ¡°The Goddess of Earth of the Southern Region,¡± said Prince Thallios.


    Flipping a few more pages, Prince Thallios stopped when he reached an illustration of an ornate sword. ¡°This is the story of the legendary Sword of Ages. ording to ancient legends, it dwells in a cave in the mountains. In times of need, warriors of the past have used the sword to save ournds from invaders.¡± He paused. ¡°Yet, at some point, the sword always ends up vanishing. It is said that the sword returns to the cave when it is no longer needed.¡±


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Prince Thallios closed the volume and turned towards Leiyu. ¡°There are a lot more stories in this book. We can go to the courtyard where it¡¯s brighter.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Your Highness.¡±


    Leiyu was not sure how many courtyards the pce contained, but it seemed like this one was new, albeit simr to all the others they had been in before. They sat under the shade of a tree, with Prince Thallios leafing through the book, stopping every few pages to talk about mythical beasts, enchanted items, and countless princes and princesses of bygone eras. The stories were all blurring in Leiyu¡¯s mind, but he liked hearing the prince¡¯s enthusiastic narration.


    Prince Thallios paused. ¡°Leiyu?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°What are the stories from yournd like?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t read that much¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t spent much time reading since I was either looking for food as a kid on the streets or training under <i>Shifu</i>.¡±


    ¡°Oh! I¡¯m sorry¡­I didn¡¯t want you to feel-¡±


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t apologize, Your Highness! I¡¯m not illiterate. <i>Shifu</i> taught us to read and write, the basics at least. I read enough to get by, mostly street signs and lists of things to buy at the market.¡±


    Prince Thallios smiled.


    ¡°We have myths and legends too,¡± Leiyu said. ¡°Storytellers would tell them to crowds during festivals.¡±


    Prince Thallios nced at him as if waiting to hear one of these tales. Before Leiyu could continue, they heard a shuffling of feet as another person strolled down the corridor connected to the courtyard. Looking up, they saw a familiar figure wearing a <i>doppi</i> and <i>chapan</i> stare at them as he walked by.


    ¡°Who is he?¡± Leiyu asked after the other person was out of sight. ¡°I saw him on the day I arrived. He was standing next to the king.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s Lord Oganesson,¡± Prince Thallios said. ¡°He is my father¡¯s advisor. He was also my tutor. Taught me history, calligraphy, painting, poetry¡­¡±


    ¡°Poetry?¡± Leiyu turned to look at the prince. ¡°You write?¡±


    ¡°A little¡­¡± the prince replied, his cheeks flushing. ¡°I can show you sometime¡­¡±


    ¡°Poets are highly respected where I¡¯m from.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I¡¯m not that good, I just write for fun. It helps pass time. I can show youter. Everything¡¯s in my study.¡± A gentle breeze blew and stray strands of Prince Thallios¡¯ hair danced around his face. Leiyu gazed at him for the longest time.


    He finally turned back towards the corridor Lord Oganesson had just walked through. ¡°Anyway, why was the king¡¯s advisor staring like that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about it, he was probably just curious. I¡¯ve known him for many years. Since my mother passed away, he has been the closest person to my father.¡±


    <i>Closest?</i> ¡°Oh, is that so? Does he¡­have any family of his own?¡±


    ¡°Family?¡±


    ¡°Like a wife? Children?¡±


    ¡°Ah, no.¡± Then, lowering his voice to a whisper, Prince Thallios said, ¡°He¡¯s a eunuch.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Lord Oganesson knocked on the door of the chamber. ¡°Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°You maye in,¡± came the reply.


    The king¡¯s advisor unlocked the door and opened it slowly. He saw King Xenon standing in silence before an altar.


    ¡°How many days,¡± King Xenon asked, his eyes still fixed on the altar. ¡°before the Southern Region¡¯s forces reach our city walls?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, it is hard to say¡­¡±


    King Xenon turned to face him. ¡°You can be honest with me.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­at this rate¡­within days¡­¡±


    The king sighed.


    Lord Oganesson looked downwards. ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m sorry I cannot bear more promising news¡­¡±


    King Xenon turned back to the altar. He took a match from the tiny container on the ledge and struck it. Lighting the candles on the altar, he turned back to Lord Oganesson. ¡°I suppose there is not much else we can do other than give offerings to the Goddess of Fire. If only the priestess were still here¡­¡± He blew out the match. ¡°Of course, the fact that she is not here is my fault.¡±


    Lord Oganesson looked at him sympathetically.


    Turning back to face his advisor, King Xenon asked, ¡°Lord Oganesson, will you join me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    Lord Oganesson walked over to the altar. The two then knelt before the statue of the goddess thaty stood at the center of the candles.


    ¡°Goddess of Fire,¡± said King Xenon. ¡°Please grant us hope in these trying times¡­¡±

 Chapter 6: The Summoning and the Escape

    Prince Thallios opened the door to his study. Random sheets of paper were strewn about the floor. He started picking them up.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a mess,¡± he said. ¡°No one reallyes in here.¡±


    Leiyu scanned the room. There was a desk and multiple bookshelves. He spotted a scroll hanging from the wall and went up to it. It was a colorful painting of a creature that resembled one of the mythical beasts that the prince had described earlier.


    ¡°Did you paint this, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°Ah yes,¡± said Prince Thallios, stacks of paper in his arms. ¡°That was from a while back.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, Your Highness. You are quite talented.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Prince Thallios cheeks turned slightly pink. ¡°Thank you¡­¡±


    Leiyu spotted a sheet of paper with intricate calligraphy on the desk. ¡°Is that your poetry?¡±


    Prince Thallios set down the stack of papers on the other corner of the desk.


    ¡°Ah yes¡­I can trante it for you.¡±


    Picking up the sheet of paper, Prince Thallios began to read aloud.


    <i>A bird of iridescent plumage sings</i>


    <i>As it spreads its vibrant wings</i>


    <i>In the garden where the trees flower</i>


    <i>Day by day, hour by hour</i>


    <i>Upward toward the sky it goes</i>


    <i>Riding the wind current as it flows</i>


    <i>Behind it¡¯s long wispy tail</i>


    <i>Feathers float downward in a colorful trail</i>


    <i>s, it reaches the roof of the menagerie</i>


    <i>Shattering its ss reverie</i>


    <i>It falls to the ground where it settles</i>


    <i>Upon the many strewn flower petals</i>


    Prince Thallios lowered the sheet of paper and looked downward.


    ¡°I suppose,¡± he said, somewhat shyly, ¡°this poem was a bit dark¡­¡±


    Leiyu looked at him solemnly. ¡°Your Highness, forgive me for asking, I¡¯m not much of a literary person but¡­¡±


    Prince Thallios looked up at Leiyu.


    ¡°This poem¡­wasn¡¯t just about a bird, was it?¡±


    The prince looked downward again.


    Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Prince Thallios asked.


    ¡°Your Highness, it is Lord Oganesson,¡± came the muffled voice.


    ¡°You may enter.¡±


    As he opened the door to the study slowly, the king¡¯s advisor stated ¡°Your Highness, His Majesty the King wishes to speak with you.¡± He then realized that the prince was not alone.


    ¡°Oh¡­you¡¯re here as well,¡± said Lord Oganesson to Leiyu. ¡°You may alsoe along.¡±


    ¡°What does my father wish to speak with me about?¡± asked Prince Thallios.


    ¡°Something very important, Your Highness. He wishes to tell you in person.¡±


    Prince Thallios and Leiyu looked at each other.


    ¡°We must not keep His Majesty waiting, Your Highness.¡±


    Lord Oganesson led Prince Thallios and Leiyu down a long narrow corridor. They walked in awkward silence, their footsteps echoing as the mes from the torches along the wall flickered and cast shadows along the gray stone. Leiyu nced at Prince Thallios several times, although the prince had a neutral expression that was hard to read. Did news of Prince Thallios¡¯ temporary disappearance from the pce finally reach the king? Was he going to be reprimanded? Leiyu wondered whether he would be affected by any of this. Prince Thallios had said that he would put in a good word for him if the pce guards caught them sneaking out, but this was the king¡­


    When they reached the end of the corridor, Lord Oganesson knocked on the door to King Xenon¡¯s private chamber.


    ¡°You may enter,¡± said the king from inside.


    Lord Oganesson unlocked the door and led the other two into the chamber. It was just as dim as the corridor outside. The king was facing the wall and turned to the three as they approached.


    Lord Oganesson and Prince Thallios knelt, and Leiyu quickly followed suit.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± they said in unison.


    King Xenon looked at them with tired eyes. His face looked more gaunt than usual. He inhaled, then exhaled slowly. ¡°My son, please rise.¡±


    Prince Thallios slowly stood up.


    ¡°Yes, father?¡±


    King Xenon hesitated.


    ¡°What is wrong, father?¡±


    ¡°Our kingdom¡­¡± the king paused.


    Prince Thallios looked at him with concern.


    ¡°Our kingdom,¡± he began again, ¡°is on the verge of being destroyed¡­¡±


    ¡°Father?¡± Prince Thallios¡¯ voice wavered.


    King Xenon sighed. ¡°Invaders from the Southern Region are advancing towards Ishkhandar and our cities are falling one by one.¡±


    Prince Thallios¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°Oh no! Father, is there anything we can do?¡±


    ¡°Our forces are trying to hold them back as best as they can, but the situation is dire. They will be at our city walls very soon.¡±


    There was a long silence.


    ¡°My son¡­you must escape!¡±


    ¡°But¡­what about you, father?¡±


    ¡°As the King, I cannot abandon my kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Then, I will stay as well!¡±


    ¡°No!¡± King Xenon shouted, startling everyone else in the chamber. He felt flustered for having such an outburst. Softening his voice, he continued, ¡°If you stay, you will surely perish. If you escape now, you will still have a chance to live.¡±


    Tears began to well up in Prince Thallios¡¯ eyes. ¡°Father¡­¡±


    Leiyu, who had been listening to all of this while still kneeling, suddenly spoke. ¡°Your Majesty, forgive me for interrupting, I can assist in fighting off the invaders.¡±


    King Xenon looked at him. ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, this humble one is named Leiyu.¡±


    The king took a few steps forward and stood in front of him. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you practicing magic in the courtyard.¡±


    Leiyu looked up.


    ¡°Nevertheless, you might not be able to fight off an entire army.¡± Pacing around the chamber a bit, he continued, ¡°You are from the Eastern Region?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Just as the prophecy said¡­¡±


    ¡°Prophecy?¡± asked Prince Thallios.


    Turning to the prince, King Xenon said, ¡°My son, many years ago, when your mother was ill¡­¡±


    <i>Eleven years ago¡­</i>


    Ten-year-old Prince Thallios stood next to his mother¡¯s bed.


    ¡°Mother, I brought you your favorite flowers,¡± he said, holding the fragrant blossoms in his outstretched arms.


    ¡°They¡¯re beautiful,¡± said Queen Selenia with a smile. After taking the flowers, she began to cough.


    ¡°Mother, are you all right? Is your illness getting worse?¡±


    ¡°Do not worry, my son. It will be fine. Why don¡¯t you go to your lessons? You can recite to me the poetry you learned afterward.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mother,¡± said Prince Thallios, beaming. He bowed slightly and then left the room.


    Queen Selenia smiled and ced the flowers on her nightstand.


    The queen had been bedridden for many years now. The mysterious illness began when Prince Thallios was very young. It started as asional bouts of fever and fatigue, which she assumed were normal. However, the periods of mise became more frequent, and the pce doctors could not exin it. Eventually, it became difficult for her to walk, so she began to spend all her time in her room. Prince Thallios spent much of his free time with her, often bringing her small gifts - flowers, pastries, sweets, and other things to make her smile. Mother and son looked very simr and both had auburn hair, although the queen¡¯s eyes were more of a golden yellow.


    There was the sound of hesitating footstepsing from the doorway and Queen Selenia turned. King Xenon slowly entered the room and walked over.


    ¡°My Queen, how are you feeling?¡±


    Since their son was no longer in the room, the queen no longer needed to downy her condition. ¡°My King, I fear it is taking a turn for the worse. I feel that I am not long for this world¡­¡±


    ¡°Selenia¡­¡± he breathed, reaching over to caress her cheek.


    Queen Selenia sank back into her mattress. ¡°I am having frightening visions of the future.¡±


    King Xenon¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What visions?¡±


    ¡°Our cities falling one by one¡­the pce in mes¡­¡±


    ¡°Do not worry, these are just mere nightmares.¡±


    ¡°If only that were true,¡± she sighed, looking at the window. ¡°I have seen my own death. Within a fortnight, I will leave this world¡­¡±


    ¡°Selenia, do not speak like this!¡±


    ¡°Our kingdom will decline slowly thereafter¡­decaying over the years¡­until it bes a fragile shell of its former self¡­¡±


    He held her hand. ¡°Selenia, please, you must rest¡­¡±


    ¡°It is fate. We went against fate before, and now it ising back for us¡­¡±


    He did not know what to say.


    ¡°I will perish. You will perish. Our son¡­¡±


    ¡°Our son? What will happen to Thallios?¡±


    ¡°That part of my vision¡­is unclear¡­¡±


    ¡°Please, you must tell me, what will happen to Thallios?¡±


    ¡°I¡­need to see more clearly¡­¡±


    Her golden eyes began to glow. She sat up and drew upon her remaining reserves of energy.


    ¡°Selenia!¡±


    She stared nkly at the ceiling as visions began to fill her mind.


    ¡°Thallios¡­he will escape¡­but he will be hunted down¡­¡±


    He gasped.


    She strained her eyes as more images danced in her head. ¡°Oh¡­I see someone else there¡­a stranger from the Eastern Region¡­will save Thallios¡­¡±


    ¡°Who? Who is this stranger?¡±


    ¡°It is not clear¡­I cannot see anymore¡­¡±


    Her eyes lost their glow and she copsed backward.


    ¡°Selenia!


    <i>Within a fortnight¡­</i>


    King Xenon and Prince Thallios stood beside the queen¡¯s bed. It was nighttime and the room was dimly lit. The prince was crying over the sight of his mother. Her face was ashen and her voice had been reduced to a whisper.


    ¡°My dear son,¡± she murmured.


    The queen mustered up her strength and reached for her forehead jewelry. It was a ruby dangling at the center of thin gold chains. She took it off and handed it to her son.


    ¡°You can have this,¡± she said. ¡°Wear it always, and I will be there to protect you¡­¡±


    Her hand went limp and her eyes closed.


    ¡°Mother!¡± Prince Thallios grabbed her lifeless hand and sobbed.


    King Xenon turned his face away. In the shadows, a tear rolled down his cheek.


    ¡°One by one, her visions became true,¡± said King Xenon.


    Prince Thallios was shocked. ¡°Father, why did you not tell this before?¡±


    King Xenon looked at his son sadly. ¡°I did not want you to grow up in despair.¡±


    The tears that had been forming in Prince Thallios¡¯ eyes spilled over and ran down his cheeks. All the memories of the day his mother passed away came flooding back, and now there were these new revtions. It was all too overwhelming.


    Leiyu was still kneeling and he felt cold tingles running down his spine as he struggled to take in all of this information.


    <i>Our cities falling one by one¡­the pce in mes¡­</i>


    <i>Thallios¡­he will escape¡­but he will be hunted down¡­</i>


    <i>A stranger from the Eastern Region¡­will save Thallios¡­</i>


    <i>All my travels, mying here, </i>Leiyu thought. <i>It was all because of fate?</i>


    His thoughts were interrupted by a series of frantic knocks at the door.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± the pce guards shouted from outside. ¡°There was a sneak attack! The invaders are almost at our city walls!¡±


    There was a collective gasp in the chamber.


    ¡°Here already?¡± King Xenon said with a mixture of anguish and resignation. He turned to his son. ¡°There is no time left¡­you must leave quickly!¡±


    Prince Thallios¡¯ eyes widened and his heart began to pound.


    King Xenon turned to Leiyu. ¡°You must swear to protect Prince Thallios at all costs! Guard him with your life!¡±


    Leiyu bowed his head lower. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡±


    Turning back to Prince Thallios, the king said, ¡°My son, this is where we must part¡­¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± the prince pleaded, voice trembling and tears streaming. ¡°Please, isn¡¯t there something I could do?¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    King Xenon paused. ¡°There is...this may be tempting fate but¡­have you heard of the Sword of Ages?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­from the legends¡­¡±


    ¡°It is real.¡±


    Prince Thallios stared at him in disbelief.


    ¡°It is in the mountains to the northeast,¡± said King Xenon. ¡°Our kingdom may fall now, but you cane back with the Sword of Ages to avenge us!¡±


    Prince Thallios was speechless. Avenge? That meant his father did not expect to survive this siege.


    ¡°Father¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you have your dagger?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I always wear it.¡±


    ¡°That should be good enough for now. Go with your friend and seek out the Sword of Ages.¡±


    Prince Thallios looked at him tearfully. King Xenon looked back at him solemnly and took a step forward. He reached his arms out and embraced his son.


    ¡°My son, I am sorry it had to turn out this way. Please, you must go now¡­before it is toote¡­¡±


    ¡°Father¡­¡±


    ¡°Leiyu, please take Prince Thallios and leave quickly.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± said Leiyu. He stood up and turned to the prince. ¡°Your Highness, shall we go?¡±


    Prince Thallios began to follow Leiyu but then turned around.


    ¡°Lord Oganesson, are you alsoing with us?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I will stay by His Majesty¡¯s side as his loyal advisor,¡± Lord Oganesson replied.


    ¡°Then¡­thank you for everything that you taught me¡­¡±


    Lord Oganesson smiled as he held back the tears that were starting to form in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re wee, Your Highness. Please, go now so that you may live¡­¡±


    Leiyu and Prince Thallios walked out the door.


    As the sky darkened and chaos descended upon the kingdom, two riders on horseback fled the city. They did not stop until they reached a hill a short distance away.


    Prince Thallios was wearing a hooded cloak that he had put on before leaving the pce, thinking it would be prudent to disguise himself in case they ran into any enemies. He looked back at Ishkhandar with tears in his eyes. This was the only home he had ever known and now it was engulfed in mes.


    ¡°Your Highness, we must keep going,¡± Leiyu said. ¡°It is not safe to remain here.¡±


    They rode into the distance, going deeper and deeper into the wilderness.


    It was hard to tell how much time had passed since they left Ishkhandar, but it was getting veryte and the two were exhausted. Leiyu managed to find a cave that they could stay in for the night.


    Prince Thallios curled up in the corner of the cave, knees drawn up and face buried in his arms.


    Leiyu sat down next to him. ¡°Your Highness?¡±


    Prince Thallios looked up at him.


    ¡°Your Highness, if there is anything I can do to help, please let me know.¡±


    Trembling, the prince reached out and clutched Leiyu¡¯s cloak. He buried his face into Leiyu¡¯s chest and began to sob, clinging onto the cloak as if it were the only lifeline he had to keep from drowning.


    What could Leiyu possibly say to the prince after all of this? In a single day, they had gone from casually chatting about stories to seeing the whole kingdom destroyed. Prince Thallios had already lost his mother and now his father was gone too.


    Leiyu slowly put his arms around Prince Thallios and held him in an embrace.


    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡±

 Chapter 7: The Journey

    Sunlight crept into the cave. Leiyu went out for a while and returned after hunting down some small animals. He started a fire outside and began roasting them. After the meat was done cooking, he stood at the cave¡¯s entrance. Prince Thallios was still curled up under his cloak inside the cave, his back facing Leiyu.


    ¡°Your Highness?¡±


    There was no response.


    ¡°Do you want anything to eat?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    Leiyu had a concerned look on his face. Last night, it had taken Prince Thallios a long time to calm down from crying and finally fall asleep. He was probably still not feeling well.


    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯ll just leave some food next to you. You can eat it whenever you want.¡±


    Leiyu ced some meat on a piece of cloth next to Prince Thallios. He then went outside to extinguish the fire. Sitting down on a rock, he began to eat his share of the food. There was a soft stirring from inside the cave and he turned to look back inside. The food he had ced in the cave was gone, and the prince resumed curling up on the ground. Feeling somewhat relieved, he continued eating.


    Leiyu sat with his eyes closed in meditation inside the cave. Several hours had already passed since their meal. He heard another stirring and opened his eyes. Prince Thallios had finally sat up. His eyes were reddish and had dark circles underneath.


    ¡°Your Highness, how are you feeling?¡±


    Prince Thallios looked at him. ¡°Do you have any water?¡±


    ¡°Oh! Of course¡­here, Your Highness¡­¡± Leiyu took his sk out of his sleeve and handed it over.


    Prince Thallios stared at him uneasily as he took the sk. ¡°Did you just¡­take that out of your sleeve?¡± He was confused since the sk was shaped like a medium-sized gourd and did not look like it would fit into Leiyu¡¯s thin sleeves.


    ¡°Ah yes, my sleeves can hold a lot of things. They have a magical storage space inside them. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t have to travel with any extra bags.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Prince Thallios held the sk in his hand, hesitating. Then he drank from it. ¡°Thank you.¡± He handed it back. After a while, he stood up and headed to the entrance of the cave. Walking outside, he looked into the distance. ¡°The Sword of Ages is in the mountains to the northeast.¡± Turning to Leiyu, he said, ¡°We should get going¡­¡±


    They rode through the wilderness for hours and eventually found a dirt road that cut through a hilly area. Dusk was settling and it was starting to get cold. In the distance, Leiyu could see a thin column of smoke curling in the air. Riding further ahead, they spotted a small inn.


    ¡°Your Highness, we could rest there for the night.¡±


    They stopped in front of the inn, dismounted from their horses, and tied the reins to the wooden post in front of the entrance. As they approached the inn¡¯s door, Leiyu turned and paused. He was staring at the ruby ornament on Prince Thallios¡¯ head.


    ¡°Wait,¡± said Leiyu.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Forgive me, Your Highness,¡± Leiyu said as he reached over and pulled Prince Thallios¡¯ hood over his head. ¡°You should cover this up since it might attract too much attention.¡±


    Prince Thallios gave him a look but said nothing. They entered the inn. No one was there other than the innkeeper at the back, who looked like he had just awakened from a nap.


    ¡°Wee¡­¡± the innkeeper said lethargically. He looked at Prince Thallios. Although the prince was wearing a hood, his face was still visible.


    ¡°A woman? We don¡¯t get those too often around here¡­¡± he remarked.


    Prince Thallios¡¯ eyes widened.


    ¡°Sir,¡± the innkeeper said to Leiyu, ¡°this woman is¡­?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s¡­¡± Leiyu began.


    The innkeeper continued staring at them.


    ¡°She¡¯s¡­my wife,¡± said Leiyu.


    Prince Thallios¡¯ eyes became even wider and his cheeks flushed.


    ¡°Ah¡­forgive my rudeness,¡± said the innkeeper. ¡°Will you be staying the night?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Leiyu replied.


    ¡°All right. Here¡¯s the key. First room upstairs. Kitchen is closed but here is some wrapped-up tbread if you¡¯re hungry.¡±


    Leiyu held a candlemp while Prince Thallios held the tbread as they walked upstairs. They entered the room and Leiyu set down the candlemp on a small table. He walked back to the door and locked it.


    Prince Thallios red at Leiyu. ¡°I¡¯m your wife?!¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Ah, forgive me, Your Highness. The innkeeper already mistook you for a woman so I had to y along with it. Besides, better to let him think you are my wife rather than a¡­um, you know¡­¡±


    Prince Thallios coughed and his face turned red. ¡°Yes, I get the picture, no need to continue.¡± He sat down on the floor in a huff.


    <i>Ah, I hope he¡¯s not too upset,</i> Leiyu thought.


    After regaining hisposure, Prince Thallios unwrapped the tbread and tore it in half. He offered one of the halves to Leiyu, who epted it immediately. They both ate without saying a word.


    Later that night, Prince Thallios peered at the moon through the window. ¡°Leiyu?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°Will I really be hunted down?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Prince Thallios pulled the curtain over the window. He walked over to sit down on the floor next to Leiyu.


    ¡°My father must have made a lot of enemies¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, please do not worry. I swore to protect you no matter what.¡±


    Prince Thallios smiled. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte.¡± He looked over the room and his expression suddenly changed. ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°Something wrong, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°There is only one bed¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh! You can have it, Your Highness. I¡¯ll sleep on the floor.¡±


    Prince Thallios turned to look at him.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he finally said. He walked over to the bed, sat down, and removed his boots. He then removed his hair ornament and his long loose auburn hair cascaded downward.


    Leiyu stared at him with a strange stirring feeling in his chest.


    ¡°Good night, Leiyu,¡± said Prince Thallios, pulling the nket over himself as hey down.


    ¡°Good night, Your Highness.¡± He blew out the candle and settled onto the floor.


    The next morning, while still lying on the floor, Leiyu could hear faint galloping in the distance. His eyes shot open and he ran to the window, pulling the curtain aside. There was a cloud of dust on the horizon and he could discern a mass of soldiers on horseback.


    Running to the bed, he whispered, ¡°Your Highness, wake up!¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± murmured Prince Thallios, opening his eyes.


    ¡°Your Highness, we must leave now! People are approaching!¡±


    They descended the stairs in a hurry and Leiyu gave some gold coins to the innkeeper on their way out.


    ¡°Leaving so early? Hope you enjoyed your stay!¡± said the innkeeper.


    ¡°Thanks!¡± Leiyu replied.


    Leiyu and Prince Thallios untied their horses from the wooden post outside the entrance, mounted them, and rode off into the distance.


    Some timeter, the soldiers arrived at the inn.


    ¡°We¡¯re looking for members of the Ishkhandar royal family,¡± a soldier said to the innkeeper. ¡°Have any travelers stopped by recently?¡±


    ¡°Just an Eastern-looking man and a local woman who was his wife,¡± the innkeeper replied. Then he added, ¡°The wife was quite pretty.¡±


    ¡°All right, thank you,¡± said the soldier. He motioned to the others that they could continue down the road.


    Leiyu and Prince Thallios were hiding on a nearby hilltop overlooking the inn.


    ¡°Hm, they really are sending people to look for you, Your Highness,¡± said Leiyu.


    ¡°You can hear them from here?¡±


    ¡°Mm yes, my hearing is quite sharp.¡±


    Prince Thallios sighed. ¡°Is there anything you can¡¯t do?¡±


    Leiyu grinned and turned to look at him. Prince Thallios¡¯ hair was still loose since he did not have time to tie it up before they left. A gentle breeze blew and his hair strands danced around his face. Leiyu¡¯s breathing quickened.


    ¡°We should go, Your Highness,¡± he said, trying not to get distracted.


    They continued riding their horses into the wilderness.


    Later that day, they stopped by a river. As a fish swam near the water¡¯s surface, Leiyu reached in and grabbed it.


    He started a fire and began to roast the fish. Hearing a tearing sound, he turned around and saw Prince Thallios use his dagger to cut a strip off his cloak. The prince then used the strip to tie up his hair in a loose bun.


    ¡°Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°That hair ornament you were wearing yesterday¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t leave it at the inn. It¡¯s in here.¡± Prince Thallios pointed to the small pouch strapped to his waist. ¡°You said it would attract too much attention, so I won¡¯t wear it anymore.¡±


    ¡°What about the jewel on your forehead?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­this¡­was a gift from my mother before she passed away. I never take it off.¡±


    Leiyu understood and did notment further.


    Leiyu and Prince Thallios sat and ate the roasted fish. The prince examined the dagger in his hand.


    ¡°Your Highness, that is an intricately crafted dagger.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Want to see something interesting?¡±


    Prince Thallios flicked his wrist and an extra de rotated out from the existing dagger de. It straightened itself so that the dagger now looked like a sword.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± said Leiyu.


    ¡°And if you want to retract it, you just press this jewel here.¡±


    Prince Thallios pressed the jewel on the hilt and the extra de folded back in.


    ¡°My father gifted this to me on my eighteenth birthday.¡± Then his face turned solemn. He put the dagger back into its scabbard. ¡°I used to wonder why he didn¡¯t want me to leave the pce. Perhaps he didn¡¯t want outsiders to know what I looked like since he was afraid people woulde after me.¡±


    Night fell and they found another cave to take shelter in. Leiyu sat in quiet meditation. Opening his eyes, he gazed upon Prince Thallios¡¯ sleeping figure a short distance away. The prince was breathing softly and his face looked serene. Leiyu let his eyes linger for a bit before closing them again.


    Morning came again and it was time to set off.


    ¡°Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Do we actually know which mountain in the northeast has the Sword of Ages?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. The legends aren¡¯t very specific about the location.¡±


    ¡°How did people in the past find it then?¡±


    ¡°Not sure.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    They traveled for weeks. Day in, day out, the routine was about the same. Leiyu would hunt or fish and they would chat briefly while eating. Prince Thallios began to look less morose, although there were many moments where he would stare silently into the distance. Leiyu left him alone during those times and turned to meditation.


    The huge question looming in the air was what exactly they would do once they found the Sword of Ages. The legends were very vague on how past wielders of the sword used them to liberate theirnds from invaders.


    <i>Is this something the prince will be able to handle?</i> Leiyu wondered. Of course, he would assist in any way he could, but even then, it was just two people against entire armies.


    As they traveled further through the wilderness, Leiyu could see the mountains getting closer. His mind began to drift.


    <i>Seven years ago¡­</i>


    Fifteen-year-old Leiyu sparred against his <i>shixiong</i> Jianyi. They exchanged a flurry of fists and spinning kicks. <i>Shifu</i> watched in the distance. The two teenagers continued fighting and leaping around the training grounds. Jianyi began to tire and slowed down. Seeing an opening, Leiyu spun his leg, tripping his opponent.


    Jianyiy on the ground, breathing heavily. ¡°<i>Shidi</i>, I concede defeat. Your skills have improved so rapidly.¡±


    Leiyu held out his hand and helped Jianyi stand back up. They noticed <i>Shifu</i> standing in the distance, lowered their heads, and cupped their fists in salutation.


    ¡°<i>Shifu!</i>¡± they greeted.


    <i>Shifu</i> nodded, returned the salutation, and walked away.


    Another disciple named Anying approached them and cupped his fist. ¡°Jianyi-<i>shixiong</i>! Leiyu-<i>shixiong</i>!¡±


    ¡°<i>Shidi</i>, what brings you here?¡± asked Jianyi.


    ¡°<i>Shixiong</i>, you said we would visit the town today.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, I did say that. Leiyu, do you want toe along?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Leiyu replied.


    The disciples lived in a sectpound, which was more of a refurbished house, on top of a hill in a wooded area. They descended the hill on a flight of stone steps that would lead them to town. Jianyi and Anying chatted with each other while Leiyu walked silently behind them.


    Anying turned around. ¡°Leiyu-<i>shixiong</i>?¡±


    Leiyu did not hear him. He was staring at the mountains on the horizon, his mind lost in thought as usual.


    ¡°Leiyu-<i>shixiong</i>? What are you looking at? Leiyu-<i>shixiong</i>?¡±


    ¡°Leiyu?¡±


    Leiyu¡¯s mind snapped back to the present as he realized that Prince Thallios was trying to talk to him.


    ¡°Sorry, Your Highness. I was just thinking about something.¡±


    Prince Thallios pointed straight ahead. Before them was the foot of a mountain. ¡°I think we¡¯re getting closer.¡±


    <b>Author¡¯s Note</b>


    Leiyu¡¯s sleeves with ¡°magical storage space¡± is a reference to simr items found in Chinese fantasy stories.

 Chapter 8: The Cave

    Leiyu and Prince Thallios¡¯ horses walked slowly in a single file along a narrow rocky trail leading up the mountain, asionally kicking small pebbles off the side, where they tumbled down the slope. The wind whistled and birds flew overhead. The faint sound of whispering could be heard. Leiyu put his hand on the hilt of his sword while still holding the reins with his other hand. Prince Thallios looked concerned.


    ¡°There is an eerie energy in this ce,¡± said Leiyu.


    ¡°Maybe we are getting close¡­¡±


    They continued up the trail. They were halfway up the mountain when they reached a dead end. Before them was a rock wall that had a relief of abstract patterns and vague figures. At the center of these carvings was a small entrance. Leiyu and Prince Thallios looked at each other.


    ¡°Could this be it?¡± Prince Thallios asked.


    They dismounted their horses and tied the reins to a lone barren tree near the rock wall. Leiyu ducked his head as he went through the small entrance and Prince Thallios followed.


    It was mostly dark inside the cave, but there was a thin column of light at the back. At the bottom of the light column was the faint outline of an upright sword. Prince Thallios stepped forward and approached the sword. Leiyu was a few steps behind him. The sword was rusty and covered in a thickyer of dust. The jewels embedded in its hilt looked dull. Prince Thallios reached out and touched the hilt lightly.


    Suddenly, the cave shook. Debris fell from above.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    Leiyu ran forward to shield Prince Thallios but was repelled by an invisible force. His back hit the floor. As he got up, his eyes widened.


    Dark waves spiraled from the floor and surrounded Prince Thallios. He saw the prince¡¯s terrified face before he waspletely swallowed up by the shadowy cocoon.


    ¡°YOUR HIGHNESS!!!¡±


    Leiyu unsheathed his sword and struck at the cocoon. It was as hard as a rock and his sword hilt vibrated from the impact.


    ¡°PRINCE THALLIOS!¡±


    It was pitch ck. The only sound Prince Thallios could hear was his own panicked breathing.


    ¡°Leiyu?¡± he called out. No answer.


    He walked forward and heard the slosh of water.


    <i>Where am I?</i> he thought. <i>Is this another part of the cave? Where did this watere from?</i>


    ¡°Goddess of Fire!¡± a menacing voice boomed, causing Prince Thallios to nearly fall backward. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    <i>Goddess?</i>


    ¡°You are in an unfamiliar form, but I can tell it is you.¡±


    ¡°You¡­must be mistaken,¡± Prince Thallios replied nervously. ¡°I am not the Goddess of Fire.¡±


    ¡°Tell me, who are you then?¡±


    ¡°I am¡­Prince Thallios, son of King Xenon.¡±


    ¡°And your mother?¡±


    ¡°My mother? Queen Selenia¡­but she passed away years ago.¡±


    ¡°She was the avatar of the Goddess of Fire.¡±


    <i>What?</i> This was the first time Prince Thallios had heard such a thing.


    ¡°And now you are the avatar.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°So, what brings you here? Why do you seek the Sword of Ages?¡±


    ¡°My kingdom¡­has fallen to enemies and my father has perished. I must avenge him and take back the kingdom.¡±


    The voice began tough maniacally, sending shivers down Prince Thallios¡¯ spine.


    ¡°Why are youughing?¡± he demanded angrily.


    ¡°You think you are worthy of the sword?¡±


    ¡°How¡­can I prove my worth?¡±


    Two spotlights suddenly appeared. The one next to him revealed the Sword of Ages. It was no longer old and rusty. The de was sharp and the jewels on the hilt sparkled. The other spotlight was a short distance away and revealed a shadowy figure dressed in a dark hooded robe. The figure wore a simple mask.


    ¡°Your first test! See if you can defeat him!¡±


    <i>Defeat?</i> Prince Thallios had never fought a total stranger before. He had only practiced with the pce sword instructors and had that recent spar with Leiyu. His heart began to pound. <i>But if I need to avenge my kingdom¡­</i>N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    He pulled the Sword of Ages from the ground. Despite its size, it felt unusually light. Holding the sword before him, his breathing was erratic as he tried to keep the hilt steady.


    The shrouded figure lunged forward with a sword of his own and swung. Prince Thallios blocked the strike and the two des emitted sparks as they shed. The shrouded figure then pushed him and he rolled backward onto the watery floor.


    The voiceughed again.


    Prince Thallios used his sword to prop himself back up. Water dripped from his hair and clothes. The shrouded figure lunged forward once more. Prince Thallios gripped the hilt of his sword and ran forward.


    His eyes began to glow like fiery embers and his sword also illuminated. mes danced on the de and he struck at his opponent. The shrouded figure lifted his sword to block the strike, but the impact knocked him over. As he got back up, he paused.


    Prince Thallios stood upright holding his sword at his side. He was surrounded by an aura and strands of his hair fluttered upwards as if blown by wind. His amber eyes had transformed into golden yellow and he appeared to be in a trance.


    They fought more but Prince Thallios¡¯ initial panic was now gone. He had an expression ofplete detachment as their des shed back and forth. The shrouded figure saw an opening and lunged again, but the prince suddenly jumped up.


    As the shrouded figure looked up, he saw Prince Thallios descend with his sword pointing straight down. The de pierced his heart. It happened so fast that he did not even have time to make a sound. He slumped to the ground.


    Prince Thallios stood upright and pulled the sword out of his opponent¡¯s chest. His expression waspletely nk.


    The shrouded figure¡¯s mask cracked in half and fell apart. Prince Thallios¡¯ golden yellow eyes returned to their normal amber color. He leaned forward to get a closer look at his defeated opponent.


    He suddenly stopped and his blood ran cold. His eyes widened in horror.


    ¡°LEIYU!!!¡±


    Prince Thallios dropped his sword and fell to his knees. His vision began to blur and he was shaking.


    ¡°NOOO!!!¡± he screamed. Tears began to stream down his face. He cradled the lifeless Leiyu in his arms, sobbing uncontrobly.


    The voice began tough.


    Prince Thallios went from sorrow to rage.


    ¡°WHY?!¡± he screamed into the darkness.


    ¡°It was your first test,¡± the voice replied.


    ¡°You tricked me!¡±


    ¡°This is the destructive power of the Sword of Ages. It blinds you to everyone, friend or foe. Once it is in your hands, everyone is an enemy.¡±


    Prince Thallios had no words to say. His tears continued to fall.


    ¡°You say that you want to avenge your kingdom. Many before you came with the same goal. They believed they were noble and righteous. And in the end, they all ended up the same. The power of the sword corrupted them, and they became tyrants.¡±


    ¡°I will never be that!¡±


    The voiceughed again. ¡°You think you are any different? What makes your kingdom worth avenging?¡±


    ¡°What? How dare you-¡±


    ¡°Your father, King Xenon,¡± the voice said, cutting him off, ¡°was originally from a kingdom that was small and weak. He married your mother, the Fire Priestess, and she used her powers so that his armies could take over all their neighbors. Eventually, they took over the entire Western Region.¡±


    Prince Thallios froze. He knew that his father had ruled over the entire Western Region, but did not know the story behind it.


    ¡°Then they invaded the Southern Region, whose people worship the Goddess of Earth - the Goddess of Life and Death. That went against the harmonic bnce of the Four Regions. To defend hernds, the Earth Priestess put a curse on the Fire Priestess so that her powers would be stopped.¡±


    <i>That¡¯s why mother became ill and died?</i>


    ¡°So when the armies of the Southern Region invaded your kingdom, they were merely avenging their own kingdoms. As you say you want to do now.¡±


    Prince Thallios felt his body be weak. His breathing and heartbeat became erratic. ¡°How¡­do you know all this?¡±


    ¡°I was there!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Another spotlight appeared a short distance away, illuminating two figures. His eyes widened.


    <i>Mother? Father?</i>


    He saw his parents standing there, but they looked much younger, closer to his age.


    ¡°King Xenon had wielded me himself when he went out to conquer his neighboring kingdoms with Queen Selenia by his side.¡±


    King Xenon held up the Sword of Ages and Queen Selenia kissed the de to imbue it with her fire magic.


    ¡°With my powers and her magic, they were unstoppable.¡±


    The darkness was swept away and Prince Thallios found himself surrounded by fire.


    ¡°Such destruction they wrought! So many lives lost!¡±


    The blood from Leiyu¡¯s body began to seep into the water, dyeing it red. Corpses floated to the water¡¯s surface. Prince Thallios trembled and held Leiyu even tighter.


    The corpses suddenly started to crawl towards him.


    ¡°Why did you kill us?¡± they uttered in hoarse voices. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± Prince Thallios cried.


    The undead beings surrounded him and started to clutch at his cloak.


    ¡°Why did you make us suffer?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡±


    They dragged him into the crimson water, which had suddenly be a deep pool. Prince Thallios screamed.


    ¡°I have seen much bloodshed over the centuries and grow weary of this never-ending cycle,¡± said the voice.


    Prince Thallios iled his arms and kicked wildly as he was dragged further down into the water.


    ¡°Choose carefully the path you wish to take.¡±


    He could no longer hold his breath and began to lose consciousness. <i>Why? Why does it have to end like this?</i>


    As his body began to lose all feeling, he could make out the faint sound of another voice. A familiar voice.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    After that, everything went dark.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Leiyu screamed. The actual Leiyu.


    He hacked away at the shadowy cocoon with his sword to no avail. Feeling distraught, pounded against the barrier with his fists.


    ¡°Prince Thallios!¡±


    The cocoon shattered like ss and Leiyu fell forward. At the center of the tiny shards was Prince Thallios, lying unconscious.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Leiyu sheathed his sword, ran over, and ced his hand under the prince¡¯s nose. He could feel a very faint exhtion. Prince Thallios¡¯ eyes opened slightly.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Leiyu felt relieved. ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°Leiyu¡­?¡±


    Prince Thallios sat up slowly and reached for Leiyu. ¡°You¡¯re alive¡­¡± Tears brimmed in his eyes. He copsed against Leiyu.


    ¡°Your Highness! Are you hurt?¡±


    Prince Thallios put his arms around Leiyu and tears rolled down his face. ¡°You¡¯re alive¡­I thought I¡¯d killed you¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Your Highness, what happened in there?¡±


    Prince Thallios sobbed, too distraught to speak. Leiyu embraced him and tried to calm him down. After a while, Prince Thallios¡¯ breathing slowed. He wiped away the remnants of his tears and looked up at Leiyu. Suddenly, he panicked.


    ¡°Leiyu, we must leave! This ce is cursed!¡±


    ¡°What about the sword?¡±


    ¡°Leave it! It does not want to be taken!¡±


    Leiyu was confused.


    Prince Thallios stood up and grabbed Leiyu¡¯s hand. ¡°Please, we must leave now!¡±


    He led Leiyu back to the cave¡¯s small entrance and they went out. They untied their horses from the tree, mounted them, and then rode away down the mountain trail.


    Prince Thallios refused to speak as they rode away. Leiyu was concerned.


    <i>What happened in there?</i> he wondered.


    After the mountain was far behind them, they stopped at a clearing in the forest that overlooked a valley.


    ¡°Shall we rest here, Your Highness?¡±


    Prince Thallios nodded silently. After dismounting from their horses, they sat down on somerge rocks.


    ¡°Your Highness, can you tell me what happened?¡±


    Prince Thallios looked up at him. He then began to recount the visions he saw in the cave.


    ¡°You plunged a sword through my heart?!¡± Leiyu asked, shocked.


    Prince Thallios looked downwards, feeling ashamed. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡±


    Leiyu softened his voice, ¡°It¡¯s all right, Your Highness, it wasn¡¯t the real me. I¡¯m still here.¡±


    ¡°It felt so real¡­¡±


    Leiyu suddenly remembered something.


    ¡°Your Highness, I didn¡¯t tell you earlier, but¡­when we were sparring at the pce, your eyes glowed yellow right before you delivered that blow that knocked me backward into the wall.¡±


    Prince Thallios looked up at him in shock. He then stood up and walked to the edge of the clearing.


    ¡°Your Highness?¡± Leiyu walked after him.


    The prince stared silently at the horizon.


    ¡°Your Highness-¡±


    ¡°Do not call me that anymore¡­¡±


    Leiyu paused, confused.


    ¡°Do not call me ¡®Your Highness¡¯ or ¡®Prince¡¯ anymore!¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Prince Thallios turned to face him. ¡°Do not refer to me as a prince anymore. I have no kingdom¡­it¡¯s gone¡­¡± His voice began to break down. ¡°It¡¯s nevering back¡­¡±


    Leiyu stood there, not knowing what else to say.


    ¡°How¡­should I address you then?¡± he finally asked.


    ¡°Just¡­Thallios¡­is fine¡­¡±


    Leiyu knelt before him.


    ¡°Thallios¡­¡±


    Thallios looked at him.


    ¡°I will still keep my promise¡­to protect you for the rest of my life¡­¡±


    Thallios¡¯ eyes widened and then filled with tears again. He wiped them away. Then he approached Leiyu and leaned forward, cing his hands on Leiyu¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°Leiyu¡­please stand¡­you don¡¯t have to kneel to me anymore¡­¡±


    Leiyu stood up. They faced each other silently. The wind circted the leaves in the air around them.


    ¡°Where shall we go now?¡± asked Thallios.


    After thinking for a moment, Leiyu spoke.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the North to visit my old friend¡­¡±

 Chapter 9: The Northern Steppes

    Many weeks had passed since they left the cave with the Sword of Ages. Thallios never mentioned it again, but Leiyu surmised that it was probably on his mind often, especially during the long quiet nights after conversation stopped and sleep was yet toe. Sometimes Leiyu would awaken briefly in the night and hear Thallios tossing and turning in the throes of nightmares.


    <i>I wish I could do more to help him,</i> Leiyu thought.


    Since they were already in the northeastern mountainous part of the Western Region, they only needed to go a little further to make it to the border of the Northern Region. Once the craggy peaks softened and sloped down into grassy steppes, Leiyu knew that they had made it.


    It was no surprise that the people of the Northern Region worshipped the Goddess of Wind. The ever-present gusts made Leiyu and Thallios¡¯ cloaks flutter endlessly. Leiyu shielded his face with the veil of his <i>weimao</i> while Thallios had to make do with the hood of his cloak. They trudged along on horseback across the vast fields.


    In the evening, they settled in a dirt clearing next to a rock mound. Leiyu started a fire and roasted some small animals that he had caught earlier.


    ¡°Leiyu?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°You said that your friend is a nomad. How are we going to find her?¡±


    Leiyu smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll know when we¡¯re getting close.¡±


    Thallios gave him a look but said nothing.


    The night sky was clear and dotted with a myriad of stars. Another gust of wind blew. Thallios wrapped himself with his cloak and shivered as he leaned his back against the mound.


    Leiyu sat down next to him. Thallios nced at him from the corner of his eye.


    Leiyu wrapped his cloak around both of them. Thallios leaned against Leiyu¡¯s shoulder and closed his eyes.


    In his dreams, Leiyu recalled a conversation from three years before with his friend that they were currently seeking. He saw himself standing in a vast grassy field. A shadowy silhouette stood a short distance away from him.


    ¡°What is your name, wanderer?¡±


    ¡°I am Leiyu from the Eastern Region.¡±


    ¡°What brings you to the Northern steppes?¡±


    ¡°My <i>Shifu</i> passed away and I am embarking on a soul journey.¡±


    ¡°Soul journey?¡±


    ¡°A trek around the outer world, to discover more about the inner one.¡±


    They traveled for a few more days until they saw a cluster of yurts in the distance. As they approached, they saw animals grazing and children ying. Some of the adults turned towards them. Leiyu took off his <i>weimao</i>.


    ¡°Greetings, my friend,¡± he said.


    The nomads seemed to recognize him.


    ¡°Is that Leiyu? Have not seen you in a long time. Greetings!¡±


    ¡°I am looking for Lady Sarangerel.¡±


    ¡°Ah! She lives further that way.¡± The nomad pointed towards the horizon.


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Leiyu and Thallios continued riding past the yurts. Thallios noticed the nomads looking at him with curiosity.


    ¡°Do they all know you?¡± he asked Leiyu when the yurts were far behind them.


    ¡°I lived in the Northern Region for about a year, so they¡¯re familiar with me.¡±


    A lone yurt came into view in the distance. They rode up to it and dismounted from their horses.


    The yurt door opened and a woman stepped out. She wore a pointed felt hat with strands of beads going down the sides.


    Leiyu bowed. ¡°Mydy¡­¡±


    ¡°Leiyu?¡±


    ¡°This humble one is.¡±


    Sarangerel smiled. ¡°It has been quite a while.¡± Noticing Thallios, she continued. ¡°Ah, you brought a friend. You must be weary from your travels. Come in.¡±


    The yurt was spacious inside. Sarangerel led them to a mat at the center. She took out two bowls and poured <i>suutei tsai</i>, a salted milk tea, into them from a kettle. She handed the first bowl to Leiyu, who received it with his right hand. He drank all of it beforeying it down on the mat. She then offered the other bowl to Thallios. He inferred that the tea drinking was part of a ritual, so he copied everything Leiyu did.


    Once the two were done with their <i>suutei tsai</i>, Sarangerel turned her gaze towards Thallios and smiled. Thallios looked back briefly, somewhat confused.


    ¡°So, Goddess of Fire,¡± she began. ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    Thallios was shocked. He then remembered the voice from the cave with the Sword of Ages had addressed him the same way.


    ¡°Are you not the Fire Priestess from the Western Region?¡±


    ¡°Me? No¡­my mother was¡­I¡¯m¡­¡± He turned to Leiyu.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, we can trust her,¡± said Leiyu. ¡°She is the Wind Priestess of the Northern Region.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Thallios bowed to her. ¡°I am Thallios¡­former prince of Ishkhandar.¡±


    ¡°Former?¡±


    ¡°My kingdom was destroyed¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°He is thest surviving member of the royal family,¡± Leiyu exined. ¡°The invaders from the Southern Region who destroyed his kingdom are looking for him.¡±


    ¡°Leiyu, how did you happen to meet a prince?¡±


    ¡°I was apanying a trade caravan westward as a bodyguard and we delivered silk and porcin to the royal pce of Ishkhandar. I was still there when the invaders came. The king told Thallios to escape and made me swear to protect him.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Sarangerel turned to Thallios. ¡°You said your mother was the Fire Priestess?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t really know anything about that. She died when I was young and I was never told about her past.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, this is very unusual. Your mother, the Fire Priestess, was married to a king, and had you, a prince.¡±


    ¡°Why would that be unusual?¡±


    They were interrupted by a sudden cry from the other side of the yurt.


    ¡°Oh! Excuse me for a moment¡­she¡¯s awake,¡± Sarangerel walked away for a moment and returned with a toddler in her arms. ¡°Forgive me for not introducing you earlier, this is my daughter Narantuya.¡±


    The sleepy-eyed girl had chubby cheeks. She yawned and leaned against her mother. Thallios smiled while Leiyu looked at Sarangerel.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had a child,¡± said Leiyu.


    ¡°I had her after you departed for the west.¡±


    ¡°I guess I have been gone for a long time¡­¡±


    Thallios stared at Leiyu, eyes widening and mind specting. <i>Is Leiyu the-</i>


    ¡°Did you marry?¡± Leiyu asked Sarangerel, interrupting Thallios¡¯ thoughts.


    ¡°Hahaha, no,¡± Sarangerel replied.


    ¡°Oh,¡± said Leiyu. ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°The priestesses of the four elements are not supposed to marry. They remain celibate for life.¡± Then turning to Thallios, she continued. ¡°For the Fire Priestess to marry a king and have a child with him, that would be taboo.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± said Thallios.


    ¡°And it is rather unusual that you are a prince.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°The priestesses of the four elements only have daughters.¡±


    Thallios¡¯ eyes went wide again. ¡°But¡­didn¡¯t you just say that the priestesses are supposed to remain celibate for life? How can they have daughters? Or any children at all?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, that is the biggest mystery. The priestesses of the four elements are able to have children without the help of a man.¡±


    Leiyu and Thallios looked at each other,pletely dumbfounded.


    ¡°And,¡± she continued, ¡°they have daughters who are exact replicas of themselves.¡±


    Leiyu and Thallios took a closer look at Narantuya. She did look like a miniature version of her mother.


    Thallios then remembered his mother¡¯s appearance and froze. A shiver ran down his spine. <i>Was I supposed to be a-?</i>


    ¡°Thallios? Are you all right?¡± Leiyu asked, interrupting Thallios¡¯ train of thought.


    ¡°Yes¡­I was just¡­thinking about something¡­¡±


    Narantuya had fallen back asleep and rested on her mother¡¯sp. Sarangerel held her closely and turned to Leiyu.


    ¡°You know what else is unusual, Leiyu? I taught you wind magic, but very few people can learn elemental magic, especially as quickly as you did.¡± She then turned to Thallios. ¡°Do you know any fire magic?¡±


    ¡°No, my mother never taught me. I didn¡¯t even know she was the Fire Priestess until recently.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how did you find out?¡±


    Thallios looked down and hesitated. ¡°Well¡­there was this cave¡­¡±


    After Thallios told Sarangerel the story of the cave with the Sword of Ages, she sat wide-eyed.


    ¡°Wow¡­that must have been very distressing. I¡¯m sorry you had to experience that.¡±


    ¡°Mm¡­¡±


    ¡°There are many mysteries in the world, but that¡¯s the first I¡¯ve heard of a sword having consciousness and trying to speak to someone, let alone create all those illusions.¡±


    ¡°It must have been the sword¡¯s memories. I saw my parents in those visions. But¡­that¡¯s not how I remembered them. My mother was always so kind and gentle, and she had been ill since I was young so she didn¡¯t have much strength and was always resting. And my father¡­well, he became more distant after my mother passed away, but he was never unkind to me. I¡­don¡¯t know what to think. Maybe the sword was just trying to trick me again¡­I wish I could have asked my father for more details before¡­¡± His voice began to trail off and Leiyu looked at him solemnly.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Sarangerel said. ¡°Well, it is unfortunate that you were not aware of your true heritage¡­and also somewhat dangerous¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°As the avatar of the Goddess of Fire, you should have the potential for powerful fire magic. Yet, if you have not learned to harness and cultivate it starting from a young age, it may manifest itself in unpredictable ways.¡±


    Leiyu and Thallios looked at each other.


    <i>The glowing eyes,</i> Leiyu thought.


    ¡°Perhaps I could help you. I do not know fire magic but the technique for unleashing your powers is probably simr to that for wind magic.¡± She nced at Leiyu as she finished her sentence.


    Leiyu recalled the days when he first learned wind magic from Sarangerel. He recalled sitting cross-legged across from her on a grassy field.


    ¡°Let the energies of the wind flow through you,¡± she said.


    Leiyu closed his eyes. His hair flowed with the wind.


    ¡°Concentrate the wind in the palm of your hand.¡±


    He held out his hand. Pale wisps materialized and formed into a ball above his palm.


    Sarangerel ced her sleeping daughter on the far side of the yurt while Leiyu and Thallios went outside. Thallios stared at the horizon in silence.


    ¡°Thallios?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± He turned around to face Leiyu.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t spoken about the cave since we left it behind and I haven¡¯t asked. But¡­if the thoughts are troubling you, you can always talk to me.¡±


    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t want to burden you¡­¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be a burden.¡±


    ¡°You already do so much for me. I feel like¡­I can¡¯t do anything¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t say that¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true though. I¡¯mpletely dependent on you for everything - food, shelter, guiding us everywhere¡­


    ¡°Oh! I didn¡¯t know that made you feel bad. I could teach you some skills if you want.¡±


    Thallios smiled. ¡°Sure, I would like that¡­¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t worry about not knowing how to do things. It¡¯s your first time out in the world.¡±


    Thallios sighed and returned his gaze to the horizon. ¡°I always did want to see the world, but I never imagined it would be under these circumstances.¡± He turned back to Leiyu. ¡°Do you think the soldiers are going to find us out here?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. We¡¯ve traveled quite far already.¡±


    ¡°What is our n then? Are we going to stay here with the Wind Priestess?¡±


    ¡°For now. I haven¡¯t really thought that far ahead, to be honest.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­I hope they don¡¯t find us then. I¡¯m not nning to retake the throne at this point, so I¡¯m no threat to them. I¡¯ll just¡­live in exile.¡±


    Later that day, Sarangerel began Thallios¡¯ fire magic training. He sat cross-legged before a bundle of sticks that held a small me.


    ¡°Focus on the me,¡± she said. ¡°Embrace its warmth. See if you can get the me to dance above your palms.¡±


    He cupped his hands and closed his eyes. Minutes passed. Nothing happened. He sighed.


    Narantuya was crouched near her mother. She plucked some wildflowers from the ground and turned to Thallios, offering them to him. Thallios smiled and epted the small gift.


    Narantuya then tugged on her mother¡¯s dress and pulled her in the direction of the yurt.


    ¡°I will return in a bit,¡± she said to Thallios. ¡°Just continue focusing.¡±


    Sarangerel followed her daughter into the yurt. Thallios sat and stared at the me. It danced hypnotically over the sticks. He held his palms upwards and moved them closer. A small ribbon-like portion of the me jumped toward his hands and floated above his palms.


    Leiyu approached him and saw the me levitating above his hands.


    ¡°Thallios?¡±


    Thallios turned towards him and looked at him with golden yellow eyes and a cold expression. Leiyu stepped back and felt his throat tighten.


    The me suddenly burst. Thallios yelped in surprise as he was thrown backward into the grass.


    ¡°Thallios!¡±


    Sarangerel emerged from the yurt carrying Narantuya. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Leiyu ran over to Thallios and helped him sit up. Thallios¡¯ hair was disheveled and his face was sooty. His eyes had returned to their usual amber color.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡± asked Leiyu.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Thallios asked.


    ¡°You were able to harness the me for a moment, but then lost control¡­you don¡¯t remember?¡±


    ¡°Vaguely¡­I remember looking at the me¡­and then the next moment I was falling backward¡­¡±


    ¡°Your eyes were glowing again¡­¡±


    Thallios gasped and looked at Leiyu fearfully.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Is everything all right?¡± asked Leiyu.


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know if I want these powers. What if something terrible happens?¡± Memories of the cave flooded back into Thallios¡¯ mind.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, you can learn to control it.¡±


    Sarangerel walked up to them.


    ¡°Do not worry,¡± she said to Thallios. ¡°This will take time.¡±


    Night fell. Sarangerel hung a nket from a clothesline in the middle of the yurt to act as a partition. She stayed on one side with Narantuya while Leiyu and Thallios were on the other side.


    After sleeping out in the wilderness for weeks, it was nice to be indoors. Leiyuy down on the floor and nced at Thallios, who was curled up a few feet away.


    <i>I hope he doesn¡¯t have those nightmares again,</i> he thought. Thallios was breathing softly. Leiyu closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.


    Inside Thallios¡¯ dreamscape, he stood in a dark abstract ne. In the distance, he could hear the faint jingling of bells and the softughter of a woman.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± he asked.


    As the jingling bells became louder, he could make out the silhouette of a young woman. She wore her hair in a half bun with long loose strands flowing around her, obscuring her downcast face. Her long dress and silk sashes swayed as she twirled towards him. She reached for his hands and rested her petite delicate fingers over his.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked gently, still unable to see her face.


    ¡°I am Amara.¡±


    He froze.


    She looked up at him. Her face was identical to his.


    ¡°I am you!¡± she dered with a smile.


    He awoke with a gasp,pletely covered in cold sweat.

 Chapter 10: Matrimony

    Although Sarangerel and her daughter lived separately from the other nomads, she was asionally called upon to offer services to themunity. Today, she was asked to officiate at a local wedding. Leiyu and Thallios tagged along.


    Colorful sashes hung from the yurt where the ceremony would take ce. Family members sat along the walls and elders sipped bowls of <i>airag</i>, a fermented mare¡¯s milk. The bride wore silver jewelry and an borate headdress with dangling beads, while the groom wore a pointed fur <i>khag </i>hat. Both of them wore colorful <i>deel</i> robes with <i>gevreg</i> belts and <i>gutal</i> boots. In the middle of the yurt was a tableden with roasted mutton, baked goods, yogurt, and dried <i>aaruul </i>milk curds<i>.</i>


    The bride lit a stove to begin the ceremony. Sarangerel draped a ceremonial blue silk <i>khadag</i> scarf over the couple¡¯s shoulders to symbolize blessings for their shared future. She recited traditional poems, congratted the couples¡¯ parents, and gave well-wishes of happiness and prosperity. The bride and groom exchanged vows and the ceremony concluded when the <i>khadag</i> scarf was wrapped around their hands and tied in a knot to symbolize their inseparable bond.


    The ceremony was followed by eating, drinking, and toasts to the newlyweds. Afterward, everyone went outside for music and dancing. Musicians yed the stringed <i>morin khuur</i> while the guests danced. Leiyu and Thallios sat while Narantuya yed next to them. Thallios watched the dancers with fascination. Sarangerel approached them and picked up her daughter.


    ¡°Are you going to join in?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t dance,¡± said Leiyu. Then he grinned and added, ¡°Thallios is good at it though.¡±


    Thallios blushed. ¡°I can dance¡­but in a different style.¡±


    Some of the wedding guests eyed Thallios with curiosity and approached him.


    ¡°I think they want you to join,¡± said Sarangerel.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Thallios grabbed Leiyu¡¯s sleeve. ¡°If Leiyu joins too.¡±


    ¡°Wait-¡± said Leiyu as he was pulled along to join the merry wedding guests. Thallios observed the dynamic flowing arm movements of the dancers and tried to mimic them. The guests cheered and Thallios smiled andughed.


    <i>It has been a while since he has looked genuinely happy,</i> Leiyu thought.


    Thallios eyed him. ¡°You try too, Leiyu!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to dance,¡± Leiyu protested.


    ¡°Ah, but aren¡¯t you a quick learner?¡±


    Leiyu chuckled. Very well, he would humor him. He held out his arms and swayed them.


    ¡°There you go!¡±


    Though many others were dancing around them, they seemed to fade away as Leiyu focused on mirroring Thallios¡¯ movements. At some point, Leiyu thought that Thallios was improvising, since some of his movements resembled the dance he did in Ishkhandar. Thalliosughed and twirled and the hem of his <i>chapan</i> floated in the air. Leiyu paused to catch his breath and smiled.


    After the wedding was over, Sarangerel carried Narantuya home as Leiyu and Thallios followed them.


    ¡°That was fun,¡± said Thallios. ¡°First wedding I¡¯ve been to actually.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± said Leiyu incredulously.


    ¡°Mm-hmm. We had festivals at the pce, but not actual weddings¡­¡± His voice trailed off.


    ¡°Thallios¡­is something on your mind?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­it¡¯s nothing¡­just¡­¡±


    Leiyu looked at him. <i>Did today¡¯s festivities remind him of the home he had lost?</i>


    ¡°I was just thinking about my parents and how they were already married when they were around my age¡­¡±


    <i>Twenty-five years ago in the Western Region¡­</i>


    In a lone temple in the mountains, a sacred me flickered in a dais. Selenia, the Priestess of the Goddess of Fire, performed her daily rituals. She held her palms upward and murmured some incantations. The me danced as if responding to her words.


    She sighed. <i>Day in, day out, it is always the same¡­</i>


    She was a young priestess, around neen years of age. Her mother, the former Fire Priestess, had trained her in all the rituals and duties expected of her before passing on. She spent her days in solitude, her onlypany being the asional visiting birds. She was quite fond of them and sometimes wished that she could fly away with them.


    She heard the sound of horses in the distance. Though contact with others was rare, people asionally made the journey up the mountain to ask for her blessings. Today a group had arrived, although she could not see them from within the temple.


    ¡°Who is there?¡± she called out.


    A young man, coincidentally also neen years of age, knelt before the temple. He had a handsome face and wavy brown hair that was tied in a bun. A simple band with a small jewel stretched across his forehead. He wore a flowing cape and armor that outlined his athletic build. A sheathed sword was strapped to his belt.


    ¡°Priestess of Fire,¡± he said. ¡°I am Prince Xenon of Anaptopolis. Our small kingdom has been beset by drought and invasions from neighboring kingdoms, so we havee to make offerings to ensure a bountiful harvest and safety for our people.¡±


    Selenia stepped out of the temple. Prince Xenon looked up and gasped.


    Her long wavy auburn hair flowed in the wind and her golden yellow eyes regarded the kneeling stranger before her. The hem of her simple dress swept the ground as she walked. Raising one eyebrow ever so slightly, she said, ¡°You may enter the sacred hall, Your Highness.¡± She turned around and went back inside.


    Prince Xenon and his entourage presented Selenia with a chest full of miniature Fire Goddess statues and gold coins. She thanked them and ced the chest aside before turning to the sacred me. She began to chant as she walked around the dais. Though everyone else¡¯s heads were bowed downwards, Prince Xenon briefly stole nces at her as she walked.


    Hourster, the sun began to sink into the horizon.


    ¡°The blessing ritual is nowplete,¡± she said. ¡°Since night is falling, you may stay in the guest quarters at the foot of the mountain if you wish and return to your kingdom in the morning.¡±N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    The entourage murmured their thanks and left the temple.


    <i>And now, time to clean up,</i> she thought.


    The next morning, as she was performing her daily rituals, Selenia sensed someone¡¯s presence outside the temple. She went out and saw Prince Xenon approaching. As he got closer, he knelt.


    ¡°Your Highness, is there something I can help you with?¡±


    He extended his hand, which held a flower. Her eyes widened.


    ¡°Mydy, forgive my forwardness¡­You are beautiful¡­¡±


    She blushed, then regained herposure. ¡°Your Highness, that is ttering, but a priestess cannot engage in any rtionships and must remain celibate. I am devoted only to the Goddess of Fire.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a lonely life?¡±


    She shifted her eyes to the side. ¡°It is taboo to do otherwise, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°And you will just follow that without question?¡±


    ¡°What is it that you want, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°I would like to have a chance¡­to get to know you¡­¡±


    There was an awkward silence.


    ¡°I must return to my duties, Your Highness. There is a lot to be done in the temple.¡±


    ¡°May I assist you in any way?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness¡­you are a prince. Do you actually do chores?¡±


    ¡°Anything you ask. I am from a modest kingdom, so we do not live in extravagance.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± She went inside the temple and returned with a broom. ¡°You can sweep the leaves off the steps and the main entrance¡­Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°dly, mydy.¡± He took the broom and began working on the steps. Selenia raised her eyebrows in surprise and then went back inside.


    When she returned some timeter, she saw that all the leaves outside, even the ones beyond the steps, had been swept away.


    <i>Hmm, not bad,</i> she thought. ¡°Thank you very much, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Anything else I can do, mydy?¡± Prince Xenon asked.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Prince Xenon ended up helping her with many repairs to the temple, which he did dly with nary aint.


    ¡°That¡¯s it for now, Your Highness,¡± She went to the kitchen and fetched some food for lunch. Pausing a bit, she piled an extra helping onto another te. When she returned to the entrance, she saw him still standing outside.


    ¡°Still here, Your Highness? Since you helped out, you can have some food if you¡¯re hungry.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°Thank you, mydy.¡±


    She paused for a second, then handed him the te.


    After lunch was over, she gathered the tes. ¡°Your Highness, I suppose you should be leaving soon if you want to make it back to your kingdom before nightfall.¡±


    He looked pensive.


    ¡°Thank you for your help, Your Highness. If you ever need anything in the future, please let me know.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Mydy, I never got your name¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh! That is true, I never formally introduced myself. My name is Selenia.¡±


    ¡°Selenia¡­how beautiful¡­¡±


    She smiled. ¡°Well, Your Highness, it was nice meeting you¡­¡±


    He dropped to his knees.


    ¡°Mydy Selenia, I would like to make a proposal¡­¡±


    <i>Proposal?</i>


    ¡°...of marriage!¡±


    She stared at him in shock. ¡°Your Highness, I have said before¡­that as a priestess, I cannot engage in any rtionships.¡±


    ¡°I know, I remember. Yet, foolhardy as it may be, I still wanted to see if there was a possibility.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be marrying a princess, Your Highness? I¡¯m sure with your handsome looks you should have no trouble finding someone eligible.¡±


    His eyes widened. <i>Handsome looks? </i>¡°It is true that I am of marriageable age and there have been some prospects¡­talk of alliances between kingdoms¡­but it all feels so very impersonal¡­like we¡¯re nothing more than pawns in some game¡­¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that how it¡¯s always been, Your Highness?¡±


    He frowned. ¡°Yes, but I do not wish to merely go along with tradition blindly.¡±


    <i>I follow tradition blindly¡­</i> she thought. ¡°Well, we only met yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Heh, if I were to marry a princess from another kingdom as tradition dictates, I would likely not meet her at all before the decision is made for us.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯d rather marry someone that you have only met for one day?¡±


    ¡°At least there are feelings¡­¡±


    She looked flustered. ¡°Well, either way, it hardly matters because I must remain here to perform my duties.¡±


    ¡°Are you happy?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Are you happy here¡­in this remote mountain?¡±


    She frowned. ¡°That is none of your concern.¡±


    ¡°What if¡­instead of thinking of it as a rtionship, you can consider it to be an alliance, a strategic partnership, if you will?¡±


    She gave him a look. ¡°Were you not just displeased a moment ago with the idea of marrying for political alliances?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, but more so because of the implication that there are no feelings between either person, that neither person really benefits, and it is only done to keep kingdoms from being at each other¡¯s throats. But if the feelings are there¡­If you do not feel the same in return or are not allowed to, that is understandable. However, do your traditions forbid you from entering a mutually beneficial alliance?¡±


    ¡°We priestesses are supposed to abstain from involvement in real-life conflicts. Also, if I were to join you in your kingdom, who would tend to the temple here?¡±


    ¡°I can build you a new temple in my kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Heh, you are quite determined¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°And what do I get out of this, since this is a mutually beneficial alliance?¡±


    ¡°Someday I will be king and you my queen. We may not be thergest kingdom, but I can offer you a life where you will want for nothing. You can still perform your priestess duties, and you will be closer to the people who worship the Goddess of Fire.¡± He started to rush forward. ¡°Just say the word and I¡¯ll¡­¡±


    Her golden yellow eyes began to glow. ¡°Stay there! Do not get too impudent!¡±


    Her fiery eyes bore into him and her hair flowed in the wind like a vengeful goddess. He dropped to the ground in fear.


    ¡°Given the abrupt nature of your proposal, I will not give you an answer now. Return to the foot of the mountain and allow me to contemte in peace.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mydy¡­¡± He slowly got up and walked away. Her eyes followed him until he disappeared down the mountain path.


    <i>A priestess cannot engage in any rtionships¡­</i>


    <i>Day in, day out, it is always the same¡­</i>


    <i>Think of it as a mutually beneficial alliance¡­</i>


    <i>If the feelings are there¡­</i>


    The words from their conversation reverberated through her mind.


    <i>I have my duties here and I am not supposed to involve myself in worldly affairs. The most I can do is offer blessings.</i>


    She scattered birdseed onto the ground and watched as the birds flocked around her.


    <i>Someday I will be king and you my queen.</i>


    Sheughed. <i>How foolish¡­</i>


    <i>Are you happy here?</i>


    She frowned. If she stayed here, her entire life would follow the expected path. Live in istion, perform daily rituals, offer blessings to people who asked, and eventually have a daughter that she would raisepletely by herself. That daughter would then follow the exact same footsteps.


    These thoughts did not fill her with joy.


    She reached into her pouch and took out more birdseed. A bird fluttered into her hand and began to peck at the food. She smiled and began to contemte some more.


    <i>Three dayster¡­</i>


    Prince Xenon returned to the temple. He found Selenia sweeping the steps in front of the main entrance and approached her cautiously.


    ¡°Mydy¡­¡±


    ¡°You know what is amusing, Your Highness? You said before that you could offer me a life where I will want for nothing, yet you originally came here because your kingdom is beset by drought and invasions.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    She stared at him, waiting for an actual response.


    ¡°Mydy¡­it is true that current conditions are not ideal, yet it will not always be that way¡­and I will always hold you in the highest regard and cherish every moment with you¡­I will do my best to provide you everything you want¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­you do make an earnest entreaty, and to be honest, life here is rather dull.¡±


    She held out her hand. His eyes widened.


    ¡°Your Highness, I will go with you, but you must keep your promises.¡±


    He dropped to his knees and took her hand. ¡°I will love you forever, mydy!¡±


    And so it came to pass that Prince Xenon and Fire Priestess Selenia were wed in the Kingdom of Anaptopolis. He wore fine robes and she wore a gown far more elegant than her simple priestess attire. A sash was wound around both their hands to symbolize their unity. After exchanging their vows, they kissed as the crowds cheered. Streamers and flower petals fluttered through the air. The newlyweds danced as the musicians yed. It was like a wondrous dream.


    Thallios sighed. ¡°My father was originally from a smaller kingdom and it was said that my parents¡¯ wedding was the most celebrated day that kingdom had seen up until then¡­I sometimes wondered why there was never any talk of proposals when I was getting to be of marriageable age, but I suppose my father did not think I would live to see the day¡­To some extent, it was a relief to not have to think about it, since I had never even set foot outside the pce for most of my life.¡±


    Leiyu gave him a pensive look. Thallios nced back at him.


    ¡°Leiyu¡­will you ever marry?¡±


    Leiyu nearly jumped and his face reddened. ¡°It¡¯s¡­not something I actively think about¡­besides, we have more important things to worry about¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah yes,¡± Thallios sighed again. ¡°We are still on the run from the ones who destroyed my kingdom. One day at a time, I suppose¡­¡±

 Chapter 11: Earth Magic

    An arrow whizzed through the air andnded outside the bullseye of the makeshift target that was set up on the grassy field.


    Thallios sighed. He had borrowed the bow and quiver of arrows from Leiyu, <i>who had nonchntly pulled them out of his magical sleeve with seemingly infinite storage</i>, and was doing target practice. Although he had rudimentary training in sword fighting, archery was rather new to him. The nomads of the Northern steppes excelled at it, and Leiyu had developed his archery prowess when he lived here several years ago. They had ample time now that they were no longer traveling and Thallios had wanted Leiyu to teach him some skills, so Leiyu had suggested this. They went to a field far from Sarangerel¡¯s yurt, since they did not want Narantuya wandering around near them.


    Leiyu stood a short distance behind Thallios, observing his stance. Thallios nocked another arrow onto the bowstring and began to pull his arm back.


    ¡°Lift your elbow higher,¡± said Leiyu.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Can I show you?¡±


    Thallios nodded.


    Leiyu walked up to him. ¡°Keep your feet shoulder length apart, straighten your back, and keep this armpletely horizontal.¡±


    He gently lifted Thallios¡¯ elbow so that his draw arm was parallel to the ground. Thallios felt a slight tingle and his heart rate quickened.


    ¡°Try now,¡± said Leiyu. Thallios released the arrow and it sailed through the air, hitting the bullseye. His eyes opened wide and he beamed.


    Leiyu smiled. ¡°Good, keep it up, and eventually you can catch all of our dinners.¡±


    Thallios made a face at him.


    After the archery practice ended, Leiyu thought it best to resume fire magic training. Thallios sat before a small fire and tried to focus while Leiyu sat across from him to supervise. Thallios held out his hand and a small me jumped and circted above his palm. He held his palm steady, trying to keep the me under control. He stared at it intensely.


    Leiyu watched for any subtle signs of change in Thallios. The memories of Thallios¡¯ eyes turning golden yellow still made him anxious.


    <i>I promised to protect him,</i> he thought, <i>but I really don¡¯t know what lurks underneath. I hope we don¡¯t end up fighting each other in the end.</i>


    Thallios also had no idea why his eyes changed color and was apparently unaware of the times it had happened. He would only notice afterward that there were gaps in his memory.


    Thallios closed his palm and the me dissipated. He smiled in relief.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± said Leiyu. ¡°You¡¯re starting to have better control of it.¡±


    Thallios stared at his palm and pondered for a moment. ¡°Leiyu, how long did it take you to learn wind magic?¡±


    ¡°Mm, not too long, but don¡¯t worry aboutparing yourself. I have years of martial arts training and I¡¯m used to cultivating my <i>qi</i> so it wasn¡¯t that hard to learn to control the wind.¡±


    ¡°Cultivating your what?¡±


    ¡°Ah, <i>qi</i>¡­I guess you can think of it as a life force or energy. In the Eastern Region, we believe that <i>qi</i> flows through all living things.¡±


    ¡°Interesting.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t worry about your rate of progress with the fire magic. You¡¯re doing pretty well considering you only started recently.¡±


    ¡°Mm, thank you.¡±


    Another gust of wind blew across the fields and their hair strands danced wildly.


    ¡°Leiyu?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Do you think your parents were wind magic users too?¡±


    ¡°Mm, I don¡¯t know. Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°My mother was the Fire Priestess, so that¡¯s where my fire magic powers came from. Lady Sarangerel said very few people can learn elemental magic and that you picked it up really fast.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Although wouldn¡¯t it make more sense if you were a water magic user, since you¡¯re from the Eastern Region?¡±


    ¡°I suppose I could have, if someone had specifically taught it to me.¡±


    ¡°Can a person learn any type of elemental magic if they were taught from a young age? Like learning anguage?¡±


    Leiyu chuckled. ¡°Do you think about this a lot?¡±


    ¡°Well, I am trying to learn fire magic so I do wonder about the other ones sometimes. Oh¡­maybe there¡¯s a person out there who knows all four types!¡±


    ¡°That would be¡­frightening¡­¡±


    Thalliosughed softly. ¡°Yes, I guess that would be.¡±


    The clouds slowly moved across the sky. Thalliosy on the grass, gazing upward. Leiyu sat down next to him. The des of grass swayed as another gust of wind coursed through the field.


    A lone bird glided through the air overhead. Thallios¡¯ eyes followed it until it flew away into the distance. He returned his gaze to the clouds.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± said Thallios.


    ¡°What is?¡± asked Leiyu.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t see that clearly from here, but it looked like a raven. Something about it seemed odd though, but I can¡¯t figure out exactly what.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    It was indeed a raven that Thallios saw, and the grim-looking bird continued flying above the fields for many miles. It finally descended when it spotted the person it was seeking.


    A man wearing ck gloves and vambraces extended his arm upward. He wore dark robes with a shoulder sash and had twin daggers strapped to his belt. His chestnut brown hair was tied in a high ponytail that swept down to his waist and he wore tiny stud earrings with ear cuffs.


    The ravennded on his arm and cawed loudly. He looked at it with his vibrant hazel eyes and grinned.


    It was another quiet day in the Northern steppes. Sarangerel yed with Narantuya in front of her yurt while Leiyu meditated and Thallios practiced holding a me above his hands. Their horses grazed in the fields behind the yurt.


    Suddenly, Sarangerel sensed something in the distance. She picked up her daughter and stepped inside the yurt. When she returned, she was carrying her bow and quiver of arrows.


    ¡°Leiyu, Thallios, could you watch Narantuya for a moment?¡± She ced the child before Leiyu while Thallios closed his palm to extinguish the me.


    She nocked the arrow and let it fly. As it arched through the air, it made a high-pitched whistling sound. It flew so far that it was no longer visible.


    A column of darkness and dust suddenly exploded upward in the distance.


    ¡°Earth magic!¡± she dered.


    ¡°From the Southern Region?¡± asked Leiyu.


    She ran over to pick up Narantuya and held her close. ¡°They are approaching!¡±


    Thallios froze and felt shivers run down his spine. <i>A mother and child will be in harm¡¯s way because of me!</i>


    Leiyu seemed to have the same thoughts and turned to Sarangerel. ¡°You and your daughter should go now, as far away as you can! We¡¯ll head in the opposite direction.¡±N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    With one arm holding her daughter and the other raised toward the sky, she sent a st of wind magic in the direction of the ominous dark column. The wind stnded in the distance and swirled outward.


    ¡°I¡¯ve set up a wind barrier to slow them down, but it will notst indefinitely,¡± she said. She carried Narantuya past her yurt and mounted her horse. ¡°A pity we have to part again so soon. Stay safe, my friends! Perhaps we will meet again under more peaceful circumstances!¡±


    Leiyu and Thallios went over to mount their horses. Narantuya, unaware of the gravity of the situation, waved goodbye to them. Thallios began to tear up. He smiled and waved back. Sarangerel and Narantuya then took off on their horse, while Leiyu and Thallios rode in the opposite direction.


    As their horses galloped across the field, Thallios sensed something and looked up. A lone raven glided through the air as if it were following them.


    He shuddered. <i> Is that the same bird as before?</i>


    Leiyu nced at him, seeming to sense his distress.


    ¡°Leiyu! I think we¡¯re being followed!¡±


    Within seconds, dark waves snaked through the ground and tore up the soil around them. The horses panicked. Thallios was thrown from his saddle. Leiyu gasped and leapt toward him to break his fall. Theynded roughly on the grass. Dark waves and dust continued to encircle them.


    Leiyu unsheathed his sword. Thallios followed suit and drew his dagger, which elongated into a sword with the flick of his wrist. Through the dark waves, they could see shrouded figures on horseback approaching. The figures wore masks and wielded scimitars.


    ¡°Stay behind me,¡± said Leiyu.


    The shrouded figures charged at them. Leiyu swung his sword and sted them with wind magic, which knocked them off their horses. One of them got up and lunged at Leiyu with its scimitar. Leiyu blocked the oing attack with his sword. Leiyu and the shrouded figure began fighting each other. Their des shed and sparked.


    Another shrouded figure snuck up behind Thallios and pulled him backward. He gasped.


    <i>Thallios!</i> Leiyu panicked as he was still locked in battle with the figure before him.


    Thallios¡¯ eyes began to glow and he mmed his captor¡¯s torso with the hilt of his sword. The figure loosened its grip and Thallios broke out of its arms. Taking his sword and charging it with fire magic, he spun around and shed at the figure, cracking its mask. The mask split into pieces and revealed a dark space where the face should have been. Dust began to swirl upward from this cavity. The figure then burst into mes and copsed.


    Thallios stared down at the burning figure coldly with golden yellow eyes.


    <i>Those eyes again,</i> Leiyu thought.


    A whirlwind of dirt twirled out of the burning figure and its shroud copsed onto the ground.


    Leiyu continued fighting the figure in front of him. While their des were locked together, he mmed his hand onto the figure¡¯s mask and sted it with wind magic. The mask shattered and dust swirled out of the empty facial cavity.


    <i>What are these things? </i>he thought. Within seconds, more shrouded figures appeared through the cloud of dust surrounding them. ¡°More? Where are theying from?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯reing from the ground,¡± Thallios replied calmly.


    ¡°Huh?¡± said Leiyu. <i>Thallios¡¯ voice sounds different. It sounds almost¡­female.</i>


    ¡°They¡¯re being created from the dirt around us.¡±


    ¡°Then there¡¯s no end to this!¡±


    Thallios scanned the expanse of shrouded figures.


    ¡°Leiyu! Can you generate a whirlwind?¡±


    Leiyu looked at him in confusion.


    ¡°Generate a whirlwind and aim it toward them,¡± Thallios continued.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Leiyu plunged his sword into the ground and held up two fingers. Wind spiraled out from his sword.


    Thallios walked forward until he was right next to Leiyu. He held his palm upward near his mouth.


    Then, he blew across his hand and arge plume of me shot out from his palm. The me intertwined with Leiyu¡¯s whirlwind and formed a fiery cyclone that tore through the swarm of figures. They burst into mes and dust floated upward from their shrouds.


    Leiyu stared at him inplete disbelief. ¡°Thallios¡­¡±


    Thallios turned and stared at him with eyes that glowed like burning embers. The next thing he said made Leiyu¡¯s blood run cold.


    ¡°My name¡­is Amara.¡±

 Chapter 12: Amara

    <i>Author¡¯s Note: Going forward, Thallios will be periodically switching to his female alter ego Amara. Female pronouns will be used when he bes Amara and male pronouns will be used when Amara reverts to Thallios. Other than the change in eye color and voice, Amara¡¯s physical body is still the same as Thallios¡¯. Leiyu will take a while to adjust to this change since it is rather abrupt for him.</i>


    ¡°My name¡­is Amara.¡±


    <i>Amara?</i> Leiyu thought. <i>The fake name that Thallios asked me to call him when we were walking around outside the pce in Ishkhandar?</i>


    The fiery inferno before them continued to rage as the shrouded figures burned up into dust. Amara¡¯s hair flowed in the wind.


    ¡°They were all puppets,¡± she said cryptically. ¡°The puppet master is elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°How¡­do you know this?¡±


    She smiled and pointed toward the sky. Leiyu looked upward and saw a lone raven flying overhead, presumably the same one that had been following them earlier.


    ¡°Our dear winged friend will no doubt send word back to its master,¡± she said. ¡°In any case, we should depart soon.¡±


    <i>The way he speaks is so different,</i> Leiyu thought.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    She waved her hand and their two horses approached as if they were summoned. Leiyu¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°What about the fire?¡± he asked. ¡°It will just keep burning through the steppes if we don¡¯t do anything.¡±


    She held her open palm upward for a few seconds and then quickly closed her fingers inward. The mes immediately extinguished, leaving behind only curling smoke.


    Suddenly, her head jerked backward and she began to fall.


    ¡°Thallios!¡± Leiyu shouted as he rushed forward to catch her before she hit the ground.


    Thallios opened his eyes, which had reverted to their usual amber color.


    ¡°Leiyu?¡±


    <i>His voice changed back,</i> Leiyu thought. ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­you don¡¯t remember?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­vaguely, like it was a dream¡­there was a lot of fire¡­¡±


    ¡°Your eyes changed color again¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°And the way you spoke was very different, like you were someone else.¡±


    Thallios looked at the curling smoke and burnt field before them.


    ¡°Did I¡­do all that?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­well, I contributed some¡­¡±


    Thallios looked at him in confusion.


    ¡°You asked me to generate a whirlwind and then you added your fire magic to it,¡± Leiyu exined. ¡°Everything in its path was burned down.¡±


    Thallios¡¯ eyes widened and he gasped.


    ¡°Your other voice said that the onesing after us were all puppets, which seemed to be true since they were made of dirt,¡± Leiyu continued.


    ¡°My other voice?¡±


    ¡°Yes, when your eyes were golden-colored. Your voice sounded almost like a woman¡¯s and said that the puppet master was elsewhere, that the bird flying above us would return to its master to tell of what happened here, and that we should leave soon.¡±


    ¡°I¡­said all that? How¡­strange.¡±


    ¡°In any case, we should get going. If those were just puppets, there may be moreing. Someone out there is still after you, and that person is far more dangerous than the Southern Region¡¯s soldiers.¡±


    Thallios shuddered and cast his eyes downward. ¡°I thought we were finally safe here¡­why¡¯d they have toe?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­but we must go now.¡±


    He helped Thallios up and they mounted their horses.


    ¡°Where should we go though?¡± asked Thallios.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Thallios noticed some subtle changes in Leiyu¡¯s expression as he contemted in silence.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if this is a good idea,¡± Leiyu finally said. ¡°But we don¡¯t have that many options.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Leiyu sighed. ¡°We¡¯ll head southward.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What¡¯s there?¡±


    ¡°Eastern Region¡­where I came from¡­¡±

 Chapter 13: Homecoming

    Leiyu and Thallios walked alongside their horses in the city streets. Thallios looked up in awe, fascinated by the gracefully curved ceramic roofs of the surrounding buildings.


    Leiyu noticed that some passersby were staring at them and whispering amongst themselves. He surmised that Thallios¡¯ foreign appearance was probably attracting their attention. This city was not a major trade hub like Ishkhandar, so the people here were not ustomed to seeing travelers from other regions. He frowned and tried to think of ways they could keep a lower profile.


    They stopped at an inn and led their horses to the stables. Returning to the main entrance, Leiyu presented a jade token to an attendant, who nodded and led them to the main dining hall.


    They sat at a table and a waiter brought them small dishes. Thallios stared at the two wooden sticks that were ced before him on the table.


    ¡°What are these?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Chopsticks. You use them for eating,¡± Leiyu replied.


    ¡°Oh? How do you use them?¡±


    Leiyu demonstrated using his own pair of chopsticks. ¡°I may not have the best technique, but try this. Take one of the sticks and let it rest in the space between your thumb and index finger. Curl your ring finger downward so the stick rests along its side.¡±


    Thallios copied him.


    ¡°Okay, now take the other stick and hold it between the tips of these three fingers,¡± Leiyu said, referring to his thumb, index finger, and middle finger. ¡°The bottom chopstick stays still while you can use your index and middle finger to move the top chopstick.¡±


    Thallios tried to follow suit, but his grip on the chopsticks was shaky.


    ¡°You can use these to pick up food,¡± Leiyu continued, picking up a slice of pickled cucumber.


    Thallios attempted to do this but ended up dropping his food on the table. His cheeks flushed pink.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, this is all new for you,¡± Leiyu said, smiling.


    After their meal, Leiyu spoke to the innkeeper and they were given a spacious room on the second floor with a balcony overlooking the central courtyard. He also requested aundry basin and bathtub, which the attendants brought and filled with hot water.


    Since they had been traveling for weeks, the first thing they did was wash their dusty clothes in theundry basin on the balcony. The room came with robes that they wore while their clothes dried on the horizontal bamboo poles outside.


    The bathtub had been ced behind a privacy screen and the water had already cooled a bit.


    ¡°You can go ahead and use it,¡± Leiyu said.


    ¡°Oh? What about you?¡± Thallios asked.


    Leiyu felt his face flush. ¡°I¡¯m going to themunal baths on the ground floor.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­you didn¡¯t have to request a bathtub then.¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­I don¡¯t think you¡¯d want to use themunal baths¡­there¡¯s not much privacy and you¡¯re basically dumping a small basin of cold water on yourself.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­okay¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a bit,¡± Leiyu said as he tightened the sash on his robe and grabbed a towel from the shelf. Putting his bare feet in the sandals that also came with the room, he took the key and locked the door behind him as he went out into the hall.


    Thallios went over to the bathtub, untied the piece of cloth that was holding up his half bun, removed his robe, and stepped in. The water was still at afortable temperature.


    <i>We¡¯ve been traveling for so long,</i> he thought. <i>It¡¯s nice to finally have a warm bath.</i>


    He submerged himself in the water and stayed there until he could no longer hold his breath. Coming back to the surface, he inhaled fresh air, leaned his head against the side of the tub, and closed his eyes. His mind drifted back to the pce and he remembered a luxurious golden bathtub with flower petals floating on the fragrant, essential oil-infused water.


    He shook his head to rid himself of the memory. <i>No, that life is gone now.</i>


    The door opened slowly. Thallios turned around, ced his arms on the rim of the tub, and propped his head on top of them. Although the privacy screen partially blocked his view, he caught a glimpse of Leiyu as he entered.


    Leiyu¡¯s long ck hair was untied and hung downward in loose wet strands. His robe clung to him and he carried his towel in his arm. Thallios felt his breath quicken. Then, another thought came to mind.


    ¡°Leiyu?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°How are you paying for all of this?¡±


    Leiyu ced the room key on a table and picked up the jade token that he had presented earlier to one of the attendants.


    ¡°<i>Shifu</i> gave this to me before his passing. Since he was a local hero in his younger days, it generated a lot of goodwill. Merchants are willing to give discounts or even things for free if I present them with this.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­interesting¡­¡±


    ¡°I also have some saved-up money, but it won¡¯tst forever. We¡¯ll need to earn more if we continue traveling.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­how would we earn money?¡±


    ¡°Not sure. We could do odd jobs here and there. I¡¯ll figure something out.¡±


    Thallios got out of the bathtub and dried himself off with a towel. He slipped on his robe, walked over to the table, and picked up his small waist pouch. He opened it and took out his ruby hair ornament, which he had kept in there since the beginning of their journey.


    ¡°I wonder if we could get some money for this,¡± he said. ¡°I also have this ne and bracelet.¡±


    Leiyu¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh¡­no, you don¡¯t have to sell your jewelry, or at least, not until we are really low on funds. Besides, they¡¯re so fancy that people might start wondering where they¡¯re from.¡±


    ¡°True. We don¡¯t want to attract attention.¡±


    ¡°Look, don¡¯t worry about the money. I¡¯ll figure it out.¡±


    Thallios looked at him pensively. Leiyu nced back and found himself staring at the loose auburn hair that was dripping with water. He felt self-conscious and turned away.


    There was a sound from the balcony and they turned their heads. A slight breeze was causing their drying clothes to flutter.


    ¡°After our clothes dry, if you want, we could visit the night market downtown,¡± said Leiyu.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Thallios perked up. ¡°Oh, that sounds interesting! Sure, we can go.¡±


    The sun was sinking into the horizon and the night market was starting toe alive. There were vendors selling food and various trinkets. Leiyu and Thallios sampled snacks from different stalls.


    Leiyu¡¯s eyes lit up and he led Thallios to a vendor. ¡°This is my favorite noodle stall. Looks like it¡¯s still here after all these years.¡±


    They sat at a small table in front of the stall and were presented with steaming bowls of soup noodles. Thallios practiced using chopsticks again and had a little more sess.


    After finishing the noodles, they wandered around some more. Thallios stopped in front of a dessert vendor. He stared at the skewers of ssy colorful orbs that were protruding from the stall.


    ¡°What are these?¡± he asked.


    ¡°<i>Tanghulu.</i> Candied fruit. They put the fruit on a skewer and dip them in syrup. When the syrup hardens, it looks like that. Would you like some?¡±


    Thallios nodded eagerly. Leiyu smiled and bought one for him. They continued walking around.


    ¡°Zhang Leiyu!¡± a voice suddenly bellowed. Leiyu jumped and turned around. When he saw who it was, he sighed.


    ¡°Hello, <i>shixiong</i> and <i>shidi</i>,¡± he said.


    ¡°<i>Shixiong, shidi,</i> indeed!,¡± Jianyi scoffed. ¡°Not a word from you in over four years!¡±


    ¡°<i>Shixiong,</i> please don¡¯t yell,¡± said Anying.


    ¡°I was busy,¡± said Leiyu.


    ¡°Busy?! Doing what?¡± Jianyi demanded.


    ¡°Traveling.¡±


    ¡°Pssh, traveling! Sure, you get to live frivolously while the rest of us have to take care of things here.¡±


    Leiyu red at him. ¡°It has been the opposite of frivolous¡­¡±


    ¡°<i>Shifu</i> would be so ashamed! You were his most talented disciple. Yet as soon as he¡¯s gone, you take off.¡±


    ¡°I told him before he passed that I wished to go on a soul journey. He gave me his blessings.¡±


    ¡°And you sure picked a damn inconvenient time to go find yourself! Our sect fell apart after he passed. All the other disciples joined other sects.¡±


    ¡°They left?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they left! We were leaderless!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that, but what does that have to do with me?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t the most senior disciple. You¡¯re older than me.¡±


    ¡°You were the most talented one. Expected to take over.¡±


    ¡°I never wanted to be the sect leader. I told <i>Shifu</i> that myself.¡±


    ¡°And why not?¡±


    ¡°Why would I? A talented disciple does not necessarily make a great sect leader.¡±


    Jianyi red at him.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t there anyone else qualified to be the sect leader? Couldn¡¯t you have stepped up? But I guess leadership isn¡¯t your strong suit either.¡±


    ¡°You-!¡±


    ¡°Look, I apologize for not sticking around longer after <i>Shifu¡¯s</i> funeral to help out with things, but I wasn¡¯t nning on bing the sect leader.¡±


    ¡°Heh, utterly useless! <i>Shifu</i> should have just left you in the street where he found you all those years ago!¡±


    ¡°<i>Shixiong,</i> stop!¡± Anying cried out. ¡°That¡¯s just cruel!¡±


    Thallios, who had been standing there the whole time, finally spoke up. ¡°Leiyu, who is this?¡±


    Jianyi stopped and turned to Thallios. He narrowed his eyes and smirked. ¡°Heh¡­I see what you were busy with. Went out west and got yourself a girl, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Thallios closed his eyes and sighed in frustration.


    ¡°And what, now you¡¯re showing her your hometown. Bet you didn¡¯t mention us at all.¡±


    ¡°Jianyi, can you just stop?¡± Leiyu said, exasperated.


    ¡°Or what?¡±


    Leiyu red at him.


    Jianyi walked up to Thallios and leaned in very close. ¡°What¡¯s your name, honey? You got a sweet name to go with that pretty face?¡±


    ¡°Jianyi!¡± Leiyu was livid.


    Thallios opened his eyes. They were glowing golden yellow.


    <i>Uh oh¡­</i>Leiyu thought.


    Amara pulled her dagger out of its sheath and held it up to Jianyi¡¯s throat.


    ¡°My name?¡± she asked gleefully. ¡°I am Amara, the deathless one!¡±


    <b>Author¡¯s Note</b>


    This chapter is the one and only time we hear Leiyu¡¯s surname. Zhang was actually his shifu¡¯s surname, and he took it on since he did not know his original surname. After his shifu¡¯s passing, he stopped using it because he regarded it as a borrowed name, and therefore not really his.


    Amara means ¡°deathless¡± or ¡°immortal¡± in Sanskrit.

 Chapter 14: The Lanterns and the Thunderstorm

    After dering her name, Amara kept the dagger at Jianyi¡¯s throat. ¡°Back off if you want to live another day!¡±


    Jianyu gulped and broke out in a cold sweat. He backed away slowly. Turning to Leiyu, he yelled, ¡°What the hell kind of demonic vixen did you pick up, Leiyu?¡±


    ¡°<i>Shixiong</i>,¡± Anying spoke up. ¡°You <i>were</i> being threatening.¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth!¡±


    Anying sighed and turned to Amara. ¡°Mydy, please forgive my <i>shixiong</i>. He has a temper and often speaks before he thinks.¡±


    ¡°Such an understatement,¡± said Leiyu.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Jianyi growled.


    Leiyu put his hand on Amara¡¯s arm. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t waste time with this trash.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re trash!¡± Jianyi shouted.


    Amara sheathed her dagger and walked away with Leiyu. She was still holding on to her <i>tanghulu</i> and resumed chewing on the candied fruits.


    Once they were further down the street, Leiyu turned toward her. ¡°I am so sorry you had to experience that. Jianyi can be pretty awful. It¡¯s one of the reasons why I left in the first ce.¡±


    Amara continued chewing and nodded in acknowledgment.


    ¡°Anying, the other one, he¡¯s all right,¡± Leiyu continued. ¡°Much friendlier. I¡¯d introduce you to him more formally, but those two tend to travel together. I¡¯m still not sure why Anying keeps hanging around him.¡±


    Amara nced at him briefly but said nothing.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t always like this¡­Jianyi and I used to be friends when we were kids. But it got worse as we grew older. I would show you the ce where I grew up with <i>Shifu</i> and the others, but I¡¯m not eager to run into Jianyi again¡­¡±


    Leiyu suddenly noticed something and paused.


    ¡°Thallios?¡±


    Amara looked up at him. Her eyes were no longer glowing but they were still golden yellow.


    ¡°Those eyes! They didn¡¯t change back! You¡¯re not Thallios!¡±


    She smiled. ¡°No, I¡¯m Amara.¡±


    He put his hands on her shoulders. ¡°Where¡¯s Thallios?¡±


    ¡°Away,¡± she said cryptically.


    Leiyu looked shocked. ¡°Bring him back!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯lle back. He¡¯s just resting right now.¡±


    ¡°Who are you really?¡±


    ¡°As I said before, I am Amara.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know, but who is Amara? I thought it was just a name Thallios made up when he was disguising himself back in Ishkhandar. Are you a spirit possessing him?¡±


    ¡°Oh no, not at all.¡±


    ¡°Then what are you?¡±


    ¡°Amara and Thallios are the same person, just two different sides.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Like a coin. Or a person and their reflection.¡±


    ¡°Which one is the real one?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, real? We¡¯re both real.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°You seem frustrated.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that your personalities are very different.¡±


    ¡°Two sides, same coin.¡±


    ¡°Thallios was¡­friendlier. You¡¯re¡­¡±


    ¡°Scarier?¡± she said with a smile.


    Leiyu was flustered. His hands were still on her shoulders. She raised her hand and rested it on his arm.


    ¡°Leiyu, don¡¯t worry. I can be friendly too. You just need more time to know me better.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°And Thallios values you a lot. He¡¯s grateful for all you¡¯re doing.¡±


    ¡°Oh? That¡¯s good to hear.¡± He removed his hands from her shoulders and they resumed walking. She went back to eating her <i>tanghulu</i>. He nced at her awkwardly.


    ¡°Amara, I have a question.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°You only seem to show up when Thallios is in danger or when he¡¯s trying to use fire magic. Most of the time, he¡¯s just Thallios. Is there a reason for that?¡±


    ¡°Whatever Thallios cannot handle, Amara can.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I see¡­but then, why are you still here? We¡¯re not in danger anymore.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t want to miss out on all the fun.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    She finished thest piece of candied fruit. ¡°This was lovely, by the way. Thanks for getting it.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­sure¡­you¡¯re wee¡­¡±


    ¡°What else is there to see?¡± She spotted an arch bridge further ahead. ¡°Oh look!¡±


    Candlelit waternterns floated down the river. She grabbed his hand and led him to the center of the bridge.


    ¡°So pretty¡­¡± she said, resting her head on her hands. She was mesmerized by the glowingnterns.


    Leiyu still felt uneasy and had many questions in his mind. However, in this quiet moment, as he nced over at her, he experienced a strange sense of longing.


    Leiyu awoke the next morning in the inn room. Sitting up in bed, he nced across the room and saw the sleeping figure in the other bed.


    <i>Amara and Thallios are the same person, just two different sides.</i>


    That was what Amara had saidst night. Leiyu sighed and thought back to the day he and Thallios had sparred at the pce. That was the first time he had noticed Thallios¡¯ eyes changing color. Was it Amara that had sent him flying into the wall?


    The person in the other bed stirred and began to sit up.


    <i>Which one will it be today?</i> Leiyu wondered.


    The person turned and looked at him with amber eyes.


    <i>Oh, thank goodness,</i> Leiyu sighed in relief. <i>It¡¯s Thallios.</i>


    ¡°Good morning,¡± Thallios said with a smile.


    ¡°Good morning, did you sleep well?¡±


    ¡°Mm yes, I felt like I had a really long dream.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Thallios had a confused look. ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Some of that may not have been a dream. What do you remember?¡±


    Thallios looked up at the ceiling. ¡°I remember we were at the night market and you were showing me around. I¡¯m sure I was awake at that point. After that, it became more dream-like¡­¡± He paused for a bit as if he were rummaging through his memories. ¡°In the dream, someone was shouting at you. That person also got in my face and said some strange things, but I got him to back off¡­¡±


    <i>Indeed,</i> Leiyu thought with a grin.


    ¡°Next thing I remember we were walking away and talking. Then there was a bridge and a lot ofnterns in the water. It became more vague after that. At some point, we came back to the inn.¡±


    Leiyu sat silently for a moment before responding. ¡°None of that was a dream. All those things actually happened. I was there.¡±


    ¡°Oh? That¡¯s odd. It felt like a dream to me.¡±


    ¡°Thallios¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°During all those things you described as a dream, you were actually Amara.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°And you remained in that state for several hours.¡±


    ¡°Hours?¡± Thallios¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°Oh no, I didn¡¯t do anything destructive, did I?¡±


    ¡°For the most part, no¡­¡±


    Thallios nced at him as if imploring for more details.


    ¡°That person who got in your face,¡± Leiyu continued, ¡°you pulled your dagger on him.¡±


    Thallios gasped.


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t hurt, just scared off,¡± Leiyu reassured him. ¡°To be honest, he probably deserved it. He thought you were a woman and said some very rude things to you.¡±


    Thalliosughed bitterly. ¡°Hah, of course¡­¡±


    Leiyu frowned. ¡°Does it¡­bother you?¡±


    ¡°Bother me?¡±


    ¡°That people always think you are a woman when they first meet you? I made that mistake myself¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­I don¡¯t know. It happens often enough that I am resigned to it. At this point, I just find it amusing.¡± Then, changing the subject, he asked, ¡°Who was that rude person anyway?¡±


    ¡°My fellow disciple. We all studied under <i>Shifu</i>.¡±


    ¡°Oh? You never really told me much about the other people you grew up with.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I suppose I haven¡¯t. Well, I could tell you now¡­¡±


    The nameless boy sat under the awning as heavy rain poured down. He shivered in his threadbare clothes. His back was pressed against the wooden wall of a store that had already closed for the day. He had shoes on his feet but they were falling apart.


    A bearded elderly man, known to the locals as <i>Zhang Shifu</i>, or just <i>Shifu</i> to his disciples, spotted him through the downpour and approached. He was holding an umbre in one hand and a parcel in the other. The boy looked up. <i>Shifu</i> unwrapped the parcel slightly and took out a steamed bun. He held it out to the boy, who grabbed it and ate it ravenously.


    Looking at him withpassionate eyes, <i>Shifu</i> asked, ¡°Child, do you have a family?¡±


    The boy stared at him in confusion while continuing to eat.


    ¡°It is raining very hard and might flood. Do you want somewhere to stay?¡±


    The boy nodded.


    <i>Shifu</i> and the boy walked through the watery streets and approached a hill with stone steps. After carefully climbing to the top of the hill, they entered a small building. <i>Shifu</i> opened the door.


    Children ran around in the hall while older teenage disciples tried to keep them from getting too rowdy. Upon seeing <i>Shifu</i>, they ran up to greet him. <i>Shifu</i> opened the parcel and passed out the steamed buns.


    ¡°<i>Shifu</i>, who is that?¡± one of the children asked.


    ¡°I found him while I was in town to buy food,¡± <i>Shifu</i> exined. ¡°Since it is raining so hard, I offered him a ce to stay.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± the child asked their new guest.


    The boy looked at him in confusion.


    ¡°Can you speak?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± the boy responded hesitantly.


    Lightning streaked the sky outside and booming thunder roared immediately after. The children screamed.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± <i>Shifu</i> reassured them. ¡°It is only a thunderstorm.¡±


    ¡°Thunderstorm¡­¡± the boy murmured.


    ¡°Huh? Did you say something?¡± asked the other child.


    ¡°My name is Leiyu,¡± said the boy.


    ¡°Hahaha, did you just make that up right now? That¡¯s a pretty cool name. My name is Jianyi.¡±


    ¡°So, you actually named yourself?¡± Thallios asked.


    ¡°Yes, I had no other name to go by,¡± Leiyu replied. ¡°I was on the streets fending for myself for as long as I could remember. I was just lucky <i>Shifu</i> found me and took me in.¡± He paused for a moment before continuing. ¡°Now that I think about it, it was risky following a total stranger like that, but I was starving and it was freezing cold. I¡¯m just d he was a person with good intentions.¡±


    Thallios smiled.


    ¡°Hm?¡± asked Leiyu.


    ¡°No, I was just thinking about something. When I first met you, I also took a risk.¡±


    ¡°Risk?¡±


    ¡°I had dismissed the guards when I showed you the rooftop garden at the pce. Granted, they were just outside the garden entrance, so they were still nearby, but not that close. And you had offered to go back to the guest quarters, but I said you could stay. You could have easily killed me in my sleep.¡±


    ¡°What?! I would have never-¡±


    ¡°I know, I know,¡± Thallios smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve been so good to me, protecting me this whole time.¡±


    ¡°I made a promise¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, you promised my father¡­¡± Thallios suddenly looked sad.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    Thallios looked downward and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I know there was nothing we could have done. My father wanted to stay behind.¡±


    Leiyu got off his bed and walked over to Thallios. ¡°If there¡¯s anything you need, just let me know.¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Thallios thought for a moment. ¡°Let¡¯s go out for a bit. What do the locals eat for breakfast?¡±


    Leiyu smiled. <i>So whimsical, this one.</i>


    <b>Author¡¯s Note</b>


    <i>Shifu¡¯s</i> statement ¡°It is only a thunderstorm¡± is ß@Ö»ÊÇÒ»ˆöÀ×Óê (Zh¨¨ zh¨«sh¨¬ y¨©ch¨£ng l¨¦iy¨³), although I am relying on online trantion since I am not fluent in Chinese :)


    If any fluent speakers can offer a better trantion, please let me know.

 Chapter 15: Breakfast Conversations and Paying Respects

    Leiyu and Thallios sat at a small wooden table near a row of outdoor food stalls. It was mid-morning and there were a few other customers sitting around them. A waiter approached them with a tray and set down two tes and two steaming bowls of milky liquid.


    ¡°Is this soup?¡± asked Thallios as he pointed to the bowls.


    ¡°It¡¯s called <i>doujiang</i>. It¡¯s made from soybeans that have been ground up, boiled, and filtered to remove the chunks. You can take the <i>youtiao,</i>¡± Leiyu gestured to one of the tes that had several sticks of fried dough, ¡°and dip it into the <i>doujiang</i>.¡±


    ¡°Oh, interesting.¡±


    ¡°And this is <i>fantuan</i>,¡± said Leiyu, pointing to the other te. ¡°It¡¯s sticky rice wrapped around <i>youtiao</i> and <i>rousong</i>. <i>Rousong</i> is¡­I guess you could trante it as meat floss.¡±


    ¡°Meat¡­floss?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s meat that¡¯s been marinated, dried, and pulled apart to thin strands.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating.¡±


    Leiyu began chewing on one of the <i>fantuan</i> while Thallios took a spoon and gingerly sipped the <i>doujiang</i>.


    ¡°Oh, this is an interesting taste,¡± said Thallios. He tore off a piece of <i>youtiao</i>, dipped it into the <i>doujiang</i>, and brought it to his mouth. His eyes lit up.


    ¡°You like it?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Thallios then reached for the other <i>fantuan</i> on the te and took a tiny bite. ¡°This one¡¯s good too.¡± He took arger bite. ¡°Ah, this must be the meat floss you were talking about. Never seen anything like this. It has an intriguing texture.¡±


    ¡°d you like everything.¡±


    They savored their food for a few minutes.


    ¡°So,¡± Thallios said after he finished off the <i>fantuan</i> and returned to the <i>doujiang,</i> ¡°tell me more about <i>Shifu</i> and the other disciples.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sure. Our sect was more like an orphanage but in a good way. All the other disciples were orphans, runaways, or other kids who had no ce to go. <i>Shifu</i> gave us all a ce to stay and three hot meals a day. He also taught us martial arts. And unlike other sects, he didn¡¯t insist on lifelong loyalty. If disciples wanted to move on to something else, he would let them. Wished them well and said they could alwayse back if they wanted. I met Jianyi the first day I was there. Anying, I metter¡­¡±


    Jianyi and Leiyu apanied <i>Shifu</i> to the apothecary shop to pick up medicinal herbs. As <i>Shifu</i> chatted with the shopkeeper, the boys looked through the shelves of ginseng, tea leaves, and various dried items that included mushrooms, fish maw, scallops, and sea cucumbers.


    After <i>Shifu</i> received his parcels of herbs, the three exited the shop. As they prepared to cross the street, Leiyu tugged at Shifu¡¯s sleeve and motioned to the two figures near them. A beggar boy sat on the ground with an empty bowl, while a man was slumped on the ground next to him.


    <i>Shifu</i> approached them slowly and checked on the adult. He frowned. The man had already passed away. Turning to the boy, he asked, ¡°Child, is this your father?¡±


    The boy nodded weakly.


    ¡°I am sorry,¡± said <i>Shifu</i>. ¡°He is already gone. Where is your mother?¡±


    ¡°<i>Baba</i> said that she died when I was born,¡± the boy replied.


    <i>Shifu</i> sighed in sympathy. ¡°Do you have any rtives nearby?¡±


    The boy shook his head.


    ¡°Would you like a ce to stay?¡± <i>Shifu</i> offered. ¡°There are other kids your age.¡±


    Jianyi and Leiyu approached them.


    ¡°I¡¯m Jianyi.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Leiyu.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a name?¡± Jianyi asked the boy. ¡°Leiyu here didn¡¯t have a name when he joined us, so he made his name up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Anying,¡± replied the boy.


    While the boys conversed with each other, <i>Shifu</i> had to figure out what to do with the deceased father.


    Later that day, a horse-drawn cart from the morgue took Anying¡¯s father away. Anying wept as the cart drove away. Shifu offered to carry him as they walked, while Jianyi and Leiyu carried the parcels. They returned to the house on the hill.


    ¡°Your <i>Shifu</i> had such a generous heart,¡± said Thallios.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± said Leiyu. ¡°I think he wanted to save as many people as he could from dying on the streets, but there was only so much one person could do. I often wondered if he had been rescued from the streets when he was a child himself, and if this was his way of paying it forward. I never asked him though. Other than rescuing kids from the streets, he also took on jobs protecting the defenseless. He was a bit of a local hero.¡±


    ¡°Hence, the jade token?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, yes, that was one of the benefits he received. However, not all was well with him, and it became more apparent as the years went on.¡±


    Fifteen-year-old Leiyu helped <i>Shifu</i> walk through the streets. They made their way to the apothecary shop to pick up the usual parcels of medicinal herbs. On their way home, Leiyu supported <i>Shifu</i> as he climbed every stone step on the way to their hilltop home.


    On a different day, Jianyi and Leiyu sparred as <i>Shifu</i> observed from a distance. Although both boys were quite skilled and even matched, Leiyu eventually found an opening during a moment when Jianyi tired and tripped him.


    ¡°<i>Shidi</i>, I concede defeat. Your skills have improved so rapidly.¡± Jianyi said as hey breathing heavily on the ground.


    Leiyu helped him up and the two teenagers greeted <i>Shifu</i> with fist salutes. <i>Shifu</i> greeted them back and walked away. Then Anying came by and asked if they wanted to visit town, since Jianyi had promised him earlier. JIanyi asked if Leiyu wanted toe along and Leiyu agreed, although his mind was on something else the entire time.


    <i>Shifu</i> sat in his dimly lit room. His breathing was erratic and he was feeling feverish. Leiyu put a damp cloth on his forehead, then went over to the table in the room¡¯s corner and poured a small portion of the medicinal herbs from the apothecary shop into a cup. He poured hot water from a kettle into the cup to make an herbal infusion. After the water cooled a bit, he handed the cup to <i>Shifu</i>.


    <i>Shifu</i> drank the concoction and sighed. ¡°Leiyu, have you given any thought to what you want to do in the future?¡±


    ¡°<i>Shifu</i>?¡±


    ¡°You are very talented and pick up new techniques faster than any of the other disciples.¡±


    ¡°<i>Shifu</i> praises this humble one too much.¡±


    ¡°Would you like to take over as sect leader someday?¡±


    ¡°Sect leader? Oh no, I couldn¡¯t. No one can rece <i>Shifu</i> as sect leader.¡±


    ¡°I may not have many years left.¡±


    ¡°<i>Shifu</i>?¡±


    ¡°More and more, it hurts to walk. Fatigue overtakes me easily now.¡±


    ¡°<i>Shifu</i>, let me know what I can do to help.¡±


    ¡°You are already a great help, Leiyu. But tell me, what do you want to do in the future if you do not take over the sect?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Leiyu looked out the window. ¡°Shifu, did you travel a lot when you were younger?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have traveled to manynds during my soul journey.¡±


    ¡°Then, that is what I would like to do.¡±


    <i>Shifu</i> smiled. ¡°That does not surprise me. Oftentimes in the past, I would see you look out into the distance, as if you were curious about what else was out there.¡±


    ¡°But right now, I will stay here and help you as much as I can.¡±


    ¡°That is good. Be good to your fellow disciples as well. But when my timees and I am gone, if you truly wish to go on your soul journey, you should not hesitate to do so.¡±


    After <i>Shifu</i> finished his herbal tea, Leiyu left the room. As he made his way down the hall, he encountered Jianyi.


    ¡°Were you with <i>Shifu</i>?¡± Jianyi asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You sure spend a lot of time with <i>Shifu</i>.¡±


    Leiyu frowned. ¡°He is ill. He needs my help.¡±


    ¡°Just your help? Doesn¡¯t he need anyone else¡¯s help?¡±


    Leiyu red at him. ¡°What are you implying?¡±


    ¡°Oh nothing. You¡¯re just his favorite disciple, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°I am not. <i>Shifu</i> treats us all equally.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, does he?¡±


    Leiyu did not answer and continued walking down the hallway.


    ***


    ¡°When we were kids, Jianyi seemed okay. He, Anying, and I would hang out together all the time.¡± Leiyu exined.


    A random memory of the three of them wading in the stream catching frogs suddenly came to mind. It was a sunny afternoon and theyughed as the slippery amphibians jumped out of their hands and into the water. <i>Such carefree times,</i> he thought.


    ¡°But as we got older,¡± he continued, ¡°and started to focus more on martial arts, a rift started to grow. It wasn¡¯t intentional, but as Shifu said, I picked up new techniques faster than anyone else. The more we sparred and the more I won, the more resentful Jianyi seemed to be.¡±


    ¡°So, he was jealous?¡± asked Thallios.


    ¡°Something like that. I¡¯m not sure what I could have done about it though.¡±


    Thallios put the spoon in his mouth and sipped thoughtfully. Suddenly, he asked, ¡°Do you want to visit the house where you used to live? Is it nearby?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know¡­I might run into Jianyi again, if he still lives there.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we can just look at it from a distance.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s on top of a hill. We¡¯d need to walk up a flight of stone steps to get there¡­Why are you interested anyway?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe I¡¯m curious. But we don¡¯t have to go if you don¡¯t really want to.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Leiyu and Thallios made it to the top of the stone stairs. The old house stood before them a short distance away. It was dpidated, the wood was worn down, and the paint was peeling. Weeds grew in the front yard.


    ¡°They really did all leave¡­¡± Leiyu murmured. Thallios nced at him pensively.


    Suddenly, a twig snapped behind them.


    <i>¡°Shixiong?¡±</i>


    Leiyu and Thallios turned around. Anying was standing on the steps behind them carrying a parcel.


    ¡°Oh good, it¡¯s you,¡± said Leiyu.


    ¡°<i>Shixiong</i>, you¡¯re here! And yourdy friend too!¡±


    Thallios¡¯ face flushed a slight pink but he tried to suppress himself from responding. Leiyu nced at him and sighed.


    ¡°Jianyi¡¯s not here, is he?¡± Leiyu asked.


    ¡°Oh no, I came alone,¡± Anying replied as he continued up the steps. ¡°Ie here once in a while to pay my respects to <i>Shifu</i>.¡± He started to head towards the dpidated house. ¡°You¡¯re wee to join.¡±


    The house was full of dust and cobwebs. Anying headed towards a small altar in the corner of the room. He reached into the parcel, took out a steamed bun, and ced it on the altar. Then he took out six incense sticks and a match. Striking the match, he lit the incense sticks and handed three of them to Leiyu.


    The room was filled with the scent of sandalwood. Anying and Leiyu knelt before the altar and bowed three times. Thallios watched them silently, not wanting to disturb their ritual. After their bows, the two put their sticks in the incense holder on the altar.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯te back all this time,¡± Leiyu said to Anying.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± Anying replied. ¡°I¡¯m not mad about it like Jianyi is. I¡¯ve always had the sense that you were restless and wanted to see what was out there in the world.¡±


    ¡°Do you still live here? The house looks abandoned.¡±


    ¡°I stay here sometimes, but most of the time Jianyi and I wander around looking for work. So ironically, we are also traveling a lot, like you.¡±


    ¡°Ah, what kind of jobs?¡±


    ¡°The usual. Offering our protection to those who need it. Sometimes we help out farmers with their harvests. We can usually get a ce to stay and food for those jobs.¡±


    Leiyu smiled slightly.


    ¡°What have you been up to?¡± Anying continued. ¡°It¡¯s been years.¡±


    Leiyu turned to look at Thallios. <i>Should I tell him?</i> his eyes seemed to ask.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you can tell him,¡± said Thallios. ¡°He¡¯s practically your brother.¡±


    ¡°Tell me what?¡± asked Anying.


    Leiyu hesitated for a moment before beginning. ¡°Well, when I traveled to the Western Region with a trade caravan¡­¡±


    After Leiyu finished his story, Anying¡¯s jaw dropped and his eyes were wide with disbelief.


    ¡°What?!¡± he eximed. He turned to Thallios. ¡°You¡¯re a prince? I am <i>so</i> sorry for thinking you were ady.¡± He dropped to the floor and kowtowed profusely.


    Thallios¡¯ eyebrow twitched. <i>Out of all the details Leiyu told you, this is the most important thing?</i> He then smiled at Anying and said softly. ¡°Please don¡¯t bow to me. I don¡¯t consider myself a prince anymore.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re both on the run?¡± Anying asked. ¡°Ah, now I feel so bad for you, having to endure Jianyi¡¯s ranting like that. He has no idea.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Leiyu said with a sigh. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything to him. I doubt it would make him more sympathetic.¡±


    ¡°I wish I could do something to help you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, it¡¯s better for you not to get involved.¡±


    ¡°Where will you go?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll stick around here for a bit, but if those peopleing after Thallios show up, we¡¯ll have to leave again.¡±


    Anying frowned. He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a thin rectangle of paper with intricate script written on one side. It was a tracking talisman. Handing it to Leiyu, he said, ¡°If you¡¯re ever in need of help, just activate this, and I¡¯ll find you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Leiyu said as he put the talisman into his sleeve.


    Leiyu and Thallios started going down the stone steps to return to the inn. Thallios was eerily silent and Leiyu was a bit worried.


    ¡°Thallios?¡±


    No response.


    ¡°Thallios, is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry. I was just thinking.¡±


    ¡°Oh, about¡­your father?¡±


    Thallios nodded.


    ¡°Was this because Anying and I were paying our respects to <i>Shifu</i>?¡±


    ¡°Somewhat.¡±


    ¡°Oh, if you wanted to burn some incense for your father, I could get you some¡­¡±N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s okay,¡± Thallios said. ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with this custom. Anyway, I wasn¡¯t just thinking about my father¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, were you also thinking about your mother? I¡¯m sorry, I should have mentioned her as well.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you haven¡¯t seen her in person before, so maybe she didn¡¯te to mind. But I was also thinking about someone else¡­¡±


    ¡°Someone else? Who?¡±


    ¡°Lord Oganesson actually¡­¡±


    ¡°Your father¡¯s advisor?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I had asked him if he wanted to escape with us, but he said no.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, I remember. He really is loyal to your father.¡±


    ¡°Mm, yes.¡±


    ¡°How did he be your father¡¯s advisor?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, well, his name was not always Lord Oganesson. And there were these rumors¡­¡±

 Chapter 16: The Musician

    <i>Six years ago¡­</i>


    The Pce Elder stood in King Xenon¡¯s dimly lit chamber gripping the hems of his sleeves nervously. ¡°Your Majesty, you have not eaten for two days¡­¡±


    King Xenon sat in the shadows. His hair was untied and disheveled, and he was wrapped in a in robe. Dark circles were under his eyes. ¡°I wish to be left alone¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, forgive my insolence, but you cannot persist like this. Your health-¡±


    ¡°Begone!¡±


    The Pce Elder cowered at the outburst. Bowing deeply, he scurried away and closed the door.


    King Xenon sighed heavily. He turned to the wall to gaze upon the mosaic of thete queen.


    Amongst the pce attendants, there were many whispers.


    <i>The King is getting worse by the day¡­</i>


    <i>He has been in mourning for far too long and is neglecting his duties¡­</i>


    <i>Without strong leadership, the kingdom will fall apart¡­</i>


    The Pce Elder burst into the servants¡¯ quarters. ¡°Where is Izel?¡± he asked the few people in the room. ¡°Have you seen him?¡±


    ¡°He should be tutoring His Highness the Crown Prince in the main courtyard,¡± one of the servants replied.


    The Pce Elder made his way to the courtyard. He spotted two people sitting under the shade of arge tree.


    Prince Thallios, who was fifteen at the time, daydreamed as his tutor Izel paced before him. Izel was a slender man in his early thirties. He had long dark brown hair tied in the back, straight bangs, and wore a in <i>doppi</i> on his head. His <i>chapan</i> only extended to his knees and had a simple pattern, unlike the long intricately embroidered ones that the nobles wore. Underneath his <i>chapan</i>, he wore a cotton shirt and trousers, paired with nondescript shoes. His eyebrows were delicately curved and his brown eyes had a slight almond shape.


    ¡°Your Highness, please pay attention,¡± said Izel.


    ¡°Ah, can¡¯t we learn something more fun?¡±


    ¡°History may not be the most exciting topic, but it is an essential part of your education. Someday, you will rule not only this kingdom but the entire Western Region.¡±


    The Pce Elder approached them. ¡°Izel, there you are!¡±


    Izel turned. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Prince Thallios grinned. ¡°If it¡¯s something important, you can take care of that first.¡±


    ¡°Very well, Your Highness,¡± said Izel. ¡°We¡¯ll end here and resume tomorrow.¡±


    Prince Thallios ran off gleefully. Izel shook his head and sighed. Turning to the Pce Elder, he asked, ¡°Is something going on?¡±


    ¡°His Majesty is not well,¡± the Pce Elder replied.


    ¡°Oh? What has happened?¡±


    ¡°His Majesty has not eaten for thest two days and is in a terrible mood. He has been mourning thete Queen for thest five years and it is getting worse and worse by the day. He no longeres out of his room.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, what would you like me to do? I hardly know His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°His Majesty enjoyed music back when the Queen was here. You are quite skilled at ying the <i>barbat</i>.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I y a little¡­¡±


    ¡°No need to be humble, I taught you how to y the <i>barbat</i> myself. I¡¯ve heard you teaching His Highness the Crown Prince.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, His Highness does like ying music. Far more than he enjoys learning history.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you could y for His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Me? But you are far better at it.¡±


    ¡°I am getting old and my hands are bing unsteady. Besides, His Majesty is often furious with me since I keep imploring him to mind his health. He may be more receptive if it is someone else and the music may calm his moods.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. What if he gets angry with me as well?¡±


    ¡°It is worth a try.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    King Xenon was lying in bed under a nket when he heard a knock at the door.


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡± said the Pce Elder from outside.


    ¡°I told you to begone!¡± the king shouted.


    Outside the door, the Pce Elder and Izel shuddered a bit.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± the Pce Elder continued nervously. ¡°This humble servant has brought a musician to y for you.¡±


    King Xenon sat up in his bed. ¡°A musician?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty enjoyed music very much before. And this musician is already instructing His Highness the Crown Prince.¡±


    King Xenon sighed. ¡°Very well, send the musician in. Let¡¯s see if he is any good.¡±


    The Pce Elder unlocked the door and opened it slowly. Izel stepped in cautiously carrying his <i>barbat</i>. The king remained in the shadows.


    Izel bowed to the king. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡±


    King Xenon regarded him with curiosity but said nothing. Izel looked around the room for a ce to sit.


    ¡°You may sit there,¡± said King Xenon, pointing to a cushioned stool in the middle of the room. Izel walked over to the stool and slowly sat down.


    ¡°Proceed,¡± said the king.


    Izel took a breath and began to y the <i>barbat</i>. His fingers danced on the strings stretched over the instrument¡¯s neck while his other hand did the strumming. Intricate melodies filled the chamber. King Xenon rested his chin on his hand as he listened.


    After Izel finished his song, he nced at the king but tried not to stare too directly.


    ¡°What is your name, musician?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, this humble one is named Izel.¡±


    ¡°Izel? An interesting name. And you are teaching my son?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I teach him music, art, calligraphy, history-¡±


    ¡°Heh, that much? Strange, I have never seen you before. Well, I suppose I would not have, since I hardly ever step out of this chamber. I have not seen my son much either¡­¡±


    Izel blinked, unsure of how to respond. He chose the safety of silence.


    ¡°Your skills are decent. You may return tomorrow to y more songs.¡±


    Izel¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Many thanks, Your Majesty!¡± He bowed and exited the chamber.


    In the hallway outside, the Pce Elder was waiting anxiously. ¡°How did it go?¡±


    ¡°His Majesty said I could return tomorrow to y more songs.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful! We have something that can get through to him after all!¡±


    The next day, the Pce Elder handed a tray to Izel. ¡°When you go visit His Majesty to y music today, could you also bring this food? We need to make sure he eats.¡±


    Izel took the tray. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡± He then proceeded to make his way through the byzantine hallways to the king¡¯s chamber.


    ***


    Inside his chamber, King Xenon heard a knock at the door. ¡°Who is there?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, it is Izel, the musician from yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, is it now?¡± <i>I suppose you don¡¯t have the key,</i> the king thought, since he only granted ess to his chamber to a very small number of trusted pce personnel. He walked to the door and unlocked it. ¡°You maye in.¡±


    Izel entered slowly, carrying the tray of food with his hands. His <i>barbat</i> was strapped to his back.


    King Xenon frowned. ¡°Did they send you to y music or force-feed me?¡±


    Izel hesitated. ¡°Both¡­Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Heh, well at least you¡¯re straightforward.¡± He eyed the food on the tray. ¡°How do I know they¡¯re not trying to poison me?¡±


    Izel was taken aback. <i>Well, I suppose his suspicions are not entirely unreasonable, </i>he thought. ¡°Your Majesty, is this why you have not been eating?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps¡­but I have no appetite in general. Just y the music you were going to y¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­if I demonstrate that the food has not been poisoned, will you eat it?¡±


    ¡°How will you¡­are you going to be the food tester?¡±


    ¡°If Your Majesty wishes¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, if I taste the food and y music for you, and I am still alive at the end of my songs, will you eat?¡±


    ¡°Heh, you¡¯re a bold one. Very well, you may proceed.¡±


    Izel took a tiny bit from each of the dishes on the tray and ate. He looked up and saw the king staring back at him, so he quickly averted his gaze. After he was finished, he sat on the cushioned stool and began to y the <i>barbat</i>. He had chosen a new set of songs. The king sat down and listened.


    Izel ended hisst song. ¡°Your Majesty, I am still alive, so you can enjoy your meal.¡±


    King Xenon chuckled. He reached over, scooped up a spoonful of <i>palov</i>, and put it into his mouth. His eyes lit up. Since he had not eaten for days, the vors of the fragrant rice dish were particrly enticing.


    After he left the king¡¯s chamber, Izel found the Pce Elder in one of the courtyards. He held the tray in his arms as he approached.


    ¡°Did you get His Majesty to eat?¡± the Pce Elder asked.


    ¡°Yes, but he had me act as the food tester first, to make sure he wouldn¡¯t get poisoned.¡±


    ¡°Poisoned? My goodness, His Majesty thinks such dark thoughts. All of us want him to get better, so he can continue to rule.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you send over a tray tomorrow, please include extra utensils, in case I need to do the food tasting again.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    From then on, Izel visited the king every day and acted as his food taster and personal musician. The king listened attentively as Izel yed his <i>barbat</i> and slowly regained his appetite and strength.


    About a weekter, while Izel was preparing to begin a new round of songs, the king spoke up.


    ¡°Izel?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Do you sing as well?¡±


    ¡°I can, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°May I hear you sing?¡±


    Izel nced at him briefly and then returned his eyes to his <i>barbat</i>. He took a deep breath and began to sing as he strummed the instrument. His voice had a beautifully mncholy quality. King Xenon felt shivers radiating all over his limbs and back.


    Izel finished his song. He nced over at the king.


    ¡°You have a good singing voice,¡± said the king.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Will you sing again tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°If Your Majesty wishes.¡±


    Another week passed. One day, as Izel sang and yed the <i>barbat</i>, King Xenon sat nearby and found himself imagining Queen Selenia dancing before him. She was radiant, the way she looked before she sumbed to her protracted illness. He smiled. As she finished twirling, a strand of hair fell in front of her face. He reached out, wanting to tuck it behind her ear.


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Izel¡¯s voice interrupted him.


    King Xenon paused, startled. He realized that, lost in his reveries, he had stood up and was now in front of Izel, his hand hovering inches away from the musician¡¯s face. Izel was gripping his <i>barbat</i>, his eyes wide and his breathing tense.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± King Xenon managed to gasp out as he quickly retracted his hand. ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to¡­I was just reminiscing about the Queen¡­I thought I saw her dancing before me¡­¡±


    Izel turned around. The mosaic of thete queen stared back at both of them. Although made of small tiles, she seemed so life-like that it made Izel uneasy. <i>Would staring at this for years make someone go mad?</i> he thought.


    ¡°Queen Selenia will always be in my heart and no one can rece her,¡± said the king as he looked at the mosaic. ¡°I miss her dearly. But I have been holding on for too long, letting everything fall into disarray¡­¡± He looked at Izel. ¡°Your singing reminds me of her. In a way, it is helping me release the stranglehold that her memory has on me.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­I am d that¡­I could be of help¡­¡± Izel said as he looked downward, still feeling a bit shaken.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Izel, I¡­I apologize for my actions earlier. I do not want you to feel ufortable. You may leave if you want. If you no longer wish to return, I will understand¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Izel nced at him one more time and bowed. He strapped the barbat to his back, took the tray with empty dishes, and left the chamber.


    After the door shut, King Xenon locked it. He went over to his bed, sat down, and buried his face in his hands.


    Izel walked down the hallway in a daze. He did not notice the Pce Elder approaching him.


    ¡°Izel?¡± asked the Pce Elder.


    Izel nearly jumped. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you¡­¡±


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­well¡­¡± Although no one else was around to hear, Izel leaned over to whisper what was on his mind into the Pce Elder¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Oh¡­I see¡­¡± the Pce Elder replied. ¡°I¡¯m surprised he apologized to you, with him being the King and all. He¡¯s never apologized to me.¡±


    Izel looked downward, unsure of what to say next.


    ¡°Well, what do you wish to do?¡± asked the Pce Elder. ¡°His Majesty¡¯s spirits had been improving a lottely. I hope this doesn¡¯t undo all the progress.¡±


    ¡°I..I need some time to think¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, take all the time you need.¡±


    Izel had a routine of visiting the Pce Library when his daily duties were over. It was a quiet ce that few ever set foot in. He would generally spend an hour there perusing the books before he had to leave for dinner.


    This time, he skipped his evening meal. He had many volumesid out on a table before him. As the night wore on, he read and read until he could read no more.


    The next day, King Xenon sat alone in his chamber. His eyes were even more tired than usual since he had slept poorly during the night. His hair had returned to a disheveled state. He faced the wall, gazing at the image of the queen.


    A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.


    ¡°Who is there?¡±


    Your Majesty, it is Izel, the musician.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± He got up, made his way over to the door, and unlocked it. ¡°You maye in.¡±


    Izel walked in slowly, <i>barbat</i> strapped to his back, his hands holding a tray of pastries.


    ¡°You¡­came back¡­¡± the king breathed.


    Izel closed the door and set the tray down on a table. ¡°Your Majesty¡­forgive my impudence, but there was something I wanted to ask¡­¡±


    ¡°Go ahead¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, was it the music you enjoyed, or was it¡­something else?¡±


    King Xenon stared at him for a long silent moment.


    Izel looked at the floor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Majesty, I shouldn¡¯t have asked¡­forget what I just said-¡±


    ¡°Your music is beautiful,¡± the king cut in. ¡°And¡­¡±


    Izel nced upwards.


    ¡°And you are beautiful,¡± said the king.


    Izel gasped and his eyes widened. He averted them quickly and felt his face flush. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡±


    ¡°I was sad for a very long time after the Queen passed away, but my spirits have been uplifted ever since you started ying music for me.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Izel began to bow. ¡°Your Majesty, I am d that I am able to make you happy.¡±


    King Xenon reached over and put his hands on Izel¡¯s shoulders to stop him from bowing. ¡°No need to bow to me.¡±


    Izel looked at him, confused.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, you don¡¯t need to be so formal with me anymore.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡±


    King Xenon smiled and let go of Izel¡¯s shoulders. He began to walk around the room. ¡°You said that you are teaching history to my son?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am trying. His Highness the Crown Prince prefers to read about ancient legends and fanciful tales rather than historical records.¡±


    The king chuckled. ¡°Ah, I remember being that age. How about you bring some of those history books next time youe?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to hear you read them.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡±

 Chapter 17: Izel

    Izel started bringing books from the Pce Library on his visits to King Xenon¡¯s chambers. The king let him sit on the divan in the room since it was morefortable than the cushioned stool and could fit both of them. The routine remained the same - Izel would y music, sing, and test the food. The king was bing less paranoid of being poisoned and was now mainly letting Izel eat first so that he could enjoy the food that was meant for royalty. Afterward, Izel would read to him.


    ¡°After the Great King Helios met an untimely end, his generals divided up control of his empire. General Lanthanum served as regent for the infant Crown Prince. However, he was unable to maintain his rule and was assassinated by General Actinios, which precipitated the War of the Generals¡­¡±


    King Xenon did not really pay attention to the words, since these history books could be quite dry, but he enjoyed listening to Izel¡¯s voice.


    As Izel narrated the War of the Generals, a strand of his hair became loose and fell forward. The king reached over and tucked the stray strand back behind Izel¡¯s ear. Izel nced at him, his cheeks flushing slightly pink. The king smiled. Izel resumed reading.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    A few dayster, after Izel finished reading the book he brought, the king stood up.


    ¡°Izel, I would like to venture outside.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Would you like to apany me to the pce gardens?¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡±


    As they walked through the gardens, the pce attendants stared in shock. It had been years since theyst saw the king walking around.


    When the king¡¯s walks around the pce gardens became more frequent, the pce attendants began to whisper amongst themselves.


    ¡°Who is that person always following His Majesty?¡±


    ¡°He also tutors His Highness the Crown Prince.¡±


    ¡°I heard he was just a regr servant. How did he get so close to the Royal Family?¡±


    ¡°Hush!¡± the Pce Elder admonished them when he heard the gossip. ¡°Don¡¯t you have work to do?¡±


    ¡°Izel?¡± the king said one day as they made their usual rounds through the gardens.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°I would like to return to my regr duties. Would you like to apany me to the next High Council meeting?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty? I am but a humble servant. I do not belong there.¡±


    ¡°Izel, you are far too modest.¡±


    A weekter, when Izel came for his usual visit, the king greeted him with a smile.


    ¡°Izel, I have something for you.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡±


    The king led him to the divan. ¡°I had the pce seamstresses make you new robes.¡±


    Izel¡¯s eyes widened when he saw the intricately embroidered <i>chapan</i> before his eyes.


    ¡°Your Majesty! It¡¯s beautiful! Thank you so much!¡± He began to bow but the king stopped him.


    ¡°My dear Izel, as I have said before, there is no need to be so formal with me.¡±


    <i>My dear Izel?</i> Izel¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Would you like to try it on?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty.¡±


    Izel stood in front of the mirror wearing the new <i>chapan</i>. It was midnight blue with intricate embroidery in gold thread and a hem that was right above his shoes. He had never worn anything so luxurious in his life. The king stood behind him.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty! Thank you again¡­¡±


    The king smiled. ¡°Here, let me add one more thing.¡± He took the simple <i>doppi</i> off of Izel¡¯s head and set it aside. He then reached over to a table next to them and picked up another <i>doppi</i> that was midnight blue with a jewel in the front and ced it gently on top of Izel¡¯s hair. Izel¡¯s breath quickened.


    ¡°Now that you look the part, you can apany me to the High Council meeting. I shall bestow a new name on you.¡±


    ¡°A new name, Your Majesty?¡± Izel began to turn around. ¡°What is wrong with-¡±


    ¡°Nothing is wrong with your name. ¡®Izel¡¯ is very cute.¡±


    Izel blushed intensely.


    ¡°But if you are to apany me to official meetings, you will need a name thatmands respect.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What do you have in mind, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Henceforth, you will officially be known as Lord Oganesson, the King¡¯s Advisor.¡±


    Izel¡¯s mouth opened in surprise. ¡°Lord¡­Oganesson?¡±


    ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡±


    The king smiled and embraced him from behind. Then, very gently, he kissed Izel on the cheek.


    The king and his new advisor walked through the pce. As they made their way down the hallway, the pce attendants who had been previously gossiping about Izel froze with mouths agape as they saw him in his new robes. When they encountered the Pce Elder, he gave Izel a congrattory smile.


    The ministers gathered in the throne room for the High Council meeting. An attendant announced the arrival of the king and they bowed. Upon seeing an unfamiliar person walking behind the king, they looked at each other in confusion.


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡± said one of the ministers. ¡°This is¡­?¡±


    The king seated himself on the throne and hispanion stood beside him. ¡°This is Lord Oganesson, my new advisor. You will treat him with the utmost respect.¡±


    The ministers were taken aback but dared not utter a word of protest in the king¡¯s presence. They bowed to the new advisor.


    Lord Oganesson smiled.


    ¡°Eh, you have a new title now?¡± Prince Thallios asked his tutor. They were seated in the shade of a tree in the courtyard.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Lord Oganesson said with a smile. ¡°Perhaps you can take your studies more seriously now.¡±


    ¡°Heh,¡± the prince replied.


    <b>Author¡¯s Notes</b>


    The story that Izel is reading to King Xenon at the beginning of this chapter is based on the Wars of the Diadochi, a power struggle among generals that ensued after Alexander the Great passed away without a clear sessor.

 Chapter 18: In the Shadows

    <i>Content Warning: Mild intimacy and brief mention of past bodily harm</i>?


    Some weekster, after the High Council meeting and other official business were over, King Xenon and Izel retired to the king¡¯s chambers in the evening. The mes of the wall torches danced and cast flickering shadows across the walls.


    After the door was closed and locked, King Xenon caressed Izel¡¯s face.


    Izel¡¯s heartbeat fluttered. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡±


    King Xenon leaned in and kissed him. Izel closed his eyes and felt his body tingle. Their kiss deepened and Izel melted against the king¡¯s chest. His fingers curled around the fabric of the king¡¯s <i>chapan</i>.


    The king leaned back so they could catch their breaths. Izel¡¯s face was flushed and his chest rose and fell as he tried to calm himself. His bangs had be uneven and the longer strands of his hair clung to his cheeks.


    <i>So beautiful,</i> thought the king. He had to admit to himself that he fell for people quite easily, especially when he was lonely. He had fallen for Selenia the day he met her all those years ago. After her passing, he swore he¡¯d never love another woman again, and was livid when his ministers suggested that he find another wife.


    <i>No one will ever rece Selenia,</i> he had told them angrily before shutting himself into his chambers. He even had the mosaic of her constructed so that he would be able to gaze at her every day.


    However, as the years passed, he had deteriorated until he was barely alive. Most days had been spent lying in bed. He often wished to just end it all and rejoin her, but he knew he had to stay alive for his son¡¯s sake. The son he hardly ever saw since he was so entrenched in his own grief.


    Would Selenia be displeased, seeing him now? He swore on the day she agreed to his marriage proposal that he would love her forever. He still did and he would choose her in a heartbeat if she was still here.


    <i>I swore I would never love another woman again.</i>


    Technically, he did not break his promise, as Izel was not a woman.


    <i>Who am I fooling?</i> He gazed at Izel¡¯s face before him. <i>Forgive me Selenia, it was just so hard being without you.</i>


    ¡°Your Majesty? Is something the matter?¡± Izel asked.


    The king smiled and cupped Izel¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just have a lot on my mind.¡± He ran his fingers down Izel¡¯s hair. ¡°Also thinking about how beautiful you are.¡±


    Izel blushed and looked downward. ¡°Your Majesty tters this humble one too much.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡±


    ¡°No one else has said that to me before.¡±


    The king smiled warmly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be the first one.¡±


    Of course, Izel looked nothing like Selenia, but that did not matter to the king. Beauty was in the eye of the beholder after all. All he knew was that he felt happier after meeting Izel. He kissed Izel again.


    Izel closed his eyes and savored the moment. Then the king began to kiss down his neck, making his breath hitch. He then began to move his hands over Izel¡¯s torso.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Izel gripped the king¡¯s sleeves and began to tremble from the sensations he was experiencing. His breathing became more erratic.


    The king¡¯s hand then began to slide over the lower half of Izel¡¯s robes. He suddenly stopped.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Izel opened his eyes and looked up at him. ¡°Is something wrong, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a-¡±


    Izel¡¯s face flushed. ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m a eunuch.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    They stood in awkward silence.


    ¡°It was a condition of entering the pce,¡± Izel exined. ¡°All males who be servants here have to¡­be eunuchs.¡±


    This was a tradition that went back centuries, to the time when the kings of the past hadrge harems. Since eunuchs could not father children and were considered less aggressive, they were considered to be ideal pce servants. This tradition persisted even though King Xenon did not have a harem, as he only loved Queen Selenia. It was not something that the king thought much about until now.


    ¡°Was there a reason for you joining the pce?¡± asked the king.


    ¡°My family was poor. If I entered the pce as a servant, it would be one less mouth to feed, and they would bepensated well. Then my younger siblings could be better off and not have to resort to¡­this¡­¡±


    The king looked uneasy. ¡°Did it¡­hurt?¡±


    Izel looked down and his lips began to tremble. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Tears started to form in his eyes. ¡°It was the most painful day of my life¡­¡± He covered his face with his hands as he began to cry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­I¡­¡±


    The king embraced him tightly. Izel buried his face into the king¡¯s chest and sobbed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to go through that,¡± the king murmured as heforted him. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to ever have to experience that kind of pain again.¡±

 Chapter 19: Xenon

    Theyy on the bed, with the king holding Izel in a protective embrace.


    ¡°Do you think about your family often?¡± he asked as he caressed Izel¡¯s face.


    ¡°Sometimes. I try not to think about them too much, since it brings up a lot of bittersweet memories. My parents were decent people, but life was hard and we often didn¡¯t have enough to eat. Some of my siblings didn¡¯t even make it past childhood.¡±


    The king had noticed that Izel was rather thin and not that tall and figured it was due to malnourishment in his younger days.


    ¡°My life is here now, Your Majesty.¡±


    The king ran his fingers through Izel¡¯s hair. ¡°When did you enter the pce?¡±


    ¡°About¡­thirteen years ago. I was eighteen then. Only several years older than His Highness the Crown Prince is now.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°At first I was just a regr servant, doing things like cooking and cleaning. The Pce Elder oversaw the rest of us eunuchs. He taught me to read.¡±


    ¡°Oh? I¡¯m impressed. You read so well that I didn¡¯t think you learned itter in life.¡±


    Izel smiled. ¡°He did say that I picked it up fast. None of us had any formal schooling in the vige I used to live in, so when I had the opportunity to learn to read, I just went for it. After our daily duties were done, I was allowed to look at the books in the Pce Library. As I became literate, the Pce Elder started assigning me to duties that involved reading and writing. He also taught me to y music.¡±


    The king smiled.


    ¡°At some point,¡± Izel continued, ¡°he started letting me apany him to His Highness the Crown Prince¡¯s lessons. Eventually, he just let me teach His Highness myself.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯vee a long way.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡±


    The king kissed him.


    As the days went on, Izel spent his mornings instructing Prince Thallios in <i>barbat</i> ying, calligraphy, and painting, and his afternoons apanying King Xenon to High Council meetings. They would retreat to the king¡¯s chamber to dine in private.


    ¡°That son of mine has be more diligent it seems,¡± remarked the king.


    ¡°Indeed, Your Majesty. He is bing more patient and asks a lot of questions. He seems very curious about the outside world.¡±


    The king smiled, although it seemed to be tinged with sadness. ¡°He¡¯s growing up so fast. Sometimes I feel like I am missing out on key parts of his life.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­forgive me if this is too forward of a question, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Go on¡­¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why do you not interact with His Highness the Crown Prince more often? You often watch him from a distance and ask me about his progress, but you do not actually speak with him.¡±


    The king frowned pensively and turned away.


    Izel began to fret. ¡°Your Majesty? I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have asked¡­please forgive me¡­¡±


    The king turned back to him. ¡°No it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s a fair question. I wish I could say it was because I myself did not interact much with my own parents when I was the same age¡­but that would not be the whole story¡­¡± He sighed.


    ¡°Is something wrong, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Izel looked at him with worried eyes.


    The king reached out and caressed his face. ¡°Izel¡­¡±


    Izel leaned into him.


    The king wrapped his arms around Izel. ¡°There¡¯s something¡­I haven¡¯t told anyone else¡­¡±


    Izel looked up at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s about thete Queen and the visions she had before she passed away¡­¡±


    After the king told Izel about the queen¡¯s prophecies, Izel stared at him in disbelief.


    ¡°Your Majesty, you don¡¯t think this will actually happen, do you?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to believe that it was just her fever dreams¡­but then she passed away within a fortnight as she had predicted. And our kingdom is stagnating¡­¡± he sighed. ¡°All the conquering ofnds that we had done in the early years, it was all because of her powers.¡±


    Izel looked at him but said nothing.


    ¡°When we first married, we were living in Anaptopolis, which is a smaller kingdom further out west,¡± the king continued. ¡°Neighboring kingdoms would attack us sometimes, and we had to defend ourselves. We sought out the Sword of Ages to protect our kingdom. Once we were able to defeat the other kingdoms, we decided not to simply sit back and wait for them to rebuild their forces and attack us again. My father, King Argon, passed away during this time and I ascended the throne. We consolidated the entire Western Region into one empire and moved our capital to Ishkhandar. I had this grand pce built for my Queen. Once we settled here, she gave birth to our son. It was a joyous day¡­¡±


    Izel smiled. However, he noticed that the king¡¯s expression became more solemn.


    ¡°Although we already ruled over the entire Western Region, my ambitions did not stop there. Also, to support the extravagance of this pce and the empire as a whole, we needed more resources. We decided to send our forces into the Southern Region¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°That was our biggest mistake, encroaching into another Goddess¡¯ territory. The Goddess of Earth, the most powerful of all the four Goddesses, cursed my dear Queen and she fell ill. The illness slowly brought her down over the years until it finally took her life.¡±


    Izel looked at him with sympathetic eyes.


    ¡°Ever since she passed away, I sometimes wonder if it would have been better if I had never met her. Or if I should have just left her alone in the mountain where her temple was¡­¡±


    ¡°But Your Majesty, you did love the Queen, did you not?¡±


    ¡°I loved her dearly, more than life itself. But if I hadn¡¯t been so earnest in courting her, she might still be alive now¡­even though we would never have seen each other again¡­¡±


    The king turned his gaze toward the mosaic of the queen on the wall.


    ¡°She did originally warn me that priestesses were not supposed to engage in rtionships or involve themselves in the affairs of the world¡­and she said that the pce would burn in the end and that Thallios would be hunted down¡­¡± He turned to Izel. ¡°Perhaps you can see why it is hard for me to interact with my son, knowing how it will all end¡­¡±


    Izel stood still, unable to respond.


    ¡°Unless the other part of the prophecyes true, the part where the stranger from the Eastern Region rescues him¡­¡± He turned his gaze downward. ¡°I often wonder if I am cursed to bring everyone that I care about down with me, if that was the price to pay for being too ambitious¡­¡± He looked back at Izel. ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid¡­¡±


    ¡°Afraid, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Afraid that something will happen to you too¡­¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Izel approached the king and embraced him. ¡°Your Majesty, growing up in the circumstances that I did, every day that I am still alive feels like a blessing¡­¡±


    The king pulled him in closer. ¡°Izel¡­¡±


    In his dream, the king saw a lone figure standing in a golden field. The figure turned around, revealing her face. It was the queen.


    ¡°Selenia,¡± he murmured. He made his way across the field and as he was about to embrace her, she disintegrated into wisps that were carried away by the wind.


    ¡°Selenia!¡± he cried as he awakened and sat up in bed. He breathed heavily in the darkness of the chamber. Putting his face into his hands, he began to sniffle.


    Next to him, Izel opened his eyes. Ever since he told me of the Queen¡¯s prophecies, he has been having many nightmares. <i>How lonely it must be for him to have to hide this vulnerability from everyone.</i>


    Izel sat up and gently caressed the king¡¯s cheek. The king turned and embraced Izel, burying his face in his hair.


    ¡°Izel¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡±


    The king leaned back and cupped Izel¡¯s face in his hands. ¡°You can just call me by my actual name.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­but isn¡¯t that¡­improper?¡±


    ¡°When we¡¯re alone¡­it¡¯s fine¡­¡±


    <i>No one calls the King by only his name, other than the Queen,</i> Izel thought.


    Seeing Izel¡¯s hesitation, the king added, ¡°I would be happy if you did¡­¡±


    ¡°Xe¡­non¡­¡± Izel said shyly.


    The king smiled and kissed him.

 Chapter 20: Remembrance

    <i>Author¡¯s Note: This chapter jumps around in time and some of the events from previous chapters are retold from Izel¡¯s point of view.</i>


    ¡°My son, I gift you this dagger,¡± said King Xenon.


    It was Prince Thallios¡¯ eighteenth birthday. He knelt before his father with his arms outstretched and received the ornate dagger. It was curved with a jewel on its hilt and was encased in a scabbard with intricate designs.


    ¡°Thank you, father!¡± the prince replied.


    ¡°It can actually transform into a sword. All you need to do is¡­¡±


    Izel watched them from a distance and smiled. The king and the prince still did not interact much in general, so today was a rare asion. Izel himself had gradually stopped tutoring the prince, since the prince was getting older and was no longer in need of supervised instruction. In the past several years, the prince had be a decent <i>barbat</i> yer and developed elegant calligraphy and painting skills. He still did not seem that interested in history and preferred his fanciful tales and legends, but Izel supposed that it was fine, even though it would be better for a future ruler to be knowledgeable in the events of the past.


    Except that the prince would probably never be a future ruler. Izel frowned. Although it had been more than two years since the king had revealed thete queen¡¯s prophecies and nothing had happened since then, the thought of it was always in the back of his mind.


    <i>So we live on borrowed time, and how much we¡¯ve borrowed, we still don¡¯t know,</i> he thought. Although the Western Region was still rtively peaceful, some cracks were beginning to show.


    ¡°There are widespread reports of famine in various parts of the empire,¡± Izel, speaking as Lord Oganesson, dered to the ministers as he stood by the king at the most recent High Council meeting. ¡°If we do not render aid in a timely manner, there may be widespread revolt as the people get desperate.¡±


    The king sat on his throne, chin resting on his hand. He gazed briefly at Izel as he spoke, and tried to suppress his smile in front of the ministers. Over the years, Izel had gone from a shy, silent observer to someone worthy of his title as king¡¯s advisor, and now he led the High Council meetings.


    <i>What a shame it would have been if he had just remained a mere servant, never realizing his full potential,</i> the king thought as his eyes drifted over the room. <i>On the other hand, I was merely born into a high position, even though I do not feel like I genuinely have the aptitude for ruling. We only have this empire because of my dear Selenia¡¯s powers and it is only held together through the work of the ministers.</i>


    Ever since the king had appointed Izel as his advisor, he was vaguely aware of whispers amongst the ministers that Izel did not truly deserve his position and that it only came about because of favoritism. Regarding that, he could notpletely deny it, even though Izel was doing a decent job regardless. However, which of these ministers before him could genuinely say that they came into their position through merit alone? Most of them had inherited their role.


    The other servants had also spoken in hushed tones around Izel after his appointment, which made it awkward for him to remain in the servants¡¯ quarters. Only the Pce Elder was genuinely supportive and his influence over the other servants waned as he aged.


    The king recalled that, months after they had first met, he had noticed that Izel asionally looked glum when he came to visit him in his chamber.


    <i>¡°Is something on your mind, Izel?¡±</i>


    <i>¡°Mm, it is nothing Your Majesty, just some talk amongst the others in the servants¡¯ quarters.¡±</i>


    <i>¡°If anyone is bothering you, I could have that taken care of.¡±</i>


    <i>¡°Your Majesty, I appreciate the offer, but that would only increase the gossip. I only wish to keep the peace amongst my colleagues.¡±</i>


    <i>The king approached him and caressed his face. ¡°What if you no longer needed to stay in the servants¡¯ quarters?¡±</i>


    <i>Izel¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh¡­Your Majesty, are you suggesting¡­?¡±</i>


    <i>The king smiled. ¡°You are wee to stay here. I can give you the key so you cane and go as you wish.¡±</i>N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    <i>¡°Your Majesty,¡± Izel blushed. ¡°The other servants will definitely talk about this¡­¡±</i>


    <i>¡°But then you won¡¯t be there to hear them,¡± the king grinned.</i>


    <i>¡°Your Majesty, thank you¡­¡±</i>


    <i>The king smiled and kissed him.</i>


    Izel stood on the balcony overlooking the courtyard, his crossed arms resting on the railing. It had now been six years since he first met the king, who was currently standing in the shadows behind him. The prince was now twenty-one and was conversing in the courtyard with a dark haired stranger who had just spontaneously generated a whirlwind with his bare hands. Izel recognized that person as one of the members of the trade caravan from the Eastern Region that had just arrived yesterday. He had read before of rare individuals possessing elemental magic abilities but had never seen it with his own eyes until now.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± he said, turning to the king. ¡°His Highness the Crown Prince is spending a lot of time with this stranger from the East.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Should we be concerned?¡±


    The king reached forward and grasped the balcony railing, his hands close to Izel¡¯s arms.


    Izel knew that the king had not slept at all, as was evident from the dark circles under his eyes. He had tried singing to him as theyy in bedst night but had eventually fallen asleep himself in the king¡¯s arms. When he had awakened in the morning, he was still being held by the king, who had been staring nkly at the ceiling.


    The king looked down into the courtyard at his son and sighed. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Izel looked at him.


    The king continued, ¡°This stranger may be the one in the prophecy¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, it just worries me. We are just going to blindly trust His Highness¡¯ life to someone he just met?¡±


    The king smiled. ¡°You are a better parent to him than me¡­¡±


    Izel blushed.


    The king sighed. ¡°I do not really know what will happen, if there is any truth to these prophecies, if we will all be doomed in the end, or if we will wake up one day realizing that all these fears were for naught. However,¡± he said as he put his arms around Izel, ¡°it seems that Thallios and his new friend get along very well¡­¡±


    The atmosphere was tense in the king¡¯s chamber. They had just been informed by the pce guards that there was a sneak attack and that the Southern Region¡¯s forces were almost at the city walls. The king told the prince that he had to leave immediately and made his friend from the Eastern Region swear to protect him with his life. The prince was reluctant to leave and had asked the king if there was something he could do to help. The king suggested that he find the Sword of Ages so that he coulde back someday and avenge them. He embraced his son and told his son¡¯s friend to take him away quickly before it was toote.


    As they were about to step over the threshold of the door, the prince turned around and asked, ¡°Lord Oganesson, are you alsoing with us?¡±


    ¡°I will stay by His Majesty¡¯s side as his loyal advisor,¡± Izel replied.


    ¡°Then¡­thank you for everything that you taught me¡­¡±


    Tears started to form in Izel¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯re wee, Your Highness. Please, go now so that you may live¡­¡±


    The prince and his friend walked out the door. The tears began to roll down Izel¡¯s face.


    ¡°Why did you not go with them?¡± asked the king.


    Izel turned around. ¡°I am your loyal advisor. My ce is by your side.¡±


    The king frowned and walked up to him. ¡°My fate is already sealed. You will die if you stay here with me.¡±


    Izel looked at the king solemnly. ¡°If you live, I live. If you die, I die.¡±


    The king gasped and he cupped Izel¡¯s face in his hands. ¡°Why?! Don¡¯t you value your life? I am cursed already, don¡¯t let me bring you down as well!¡±


    Izel wrapped his arms around the king¡¯s waist. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be alone when you go, Your Majesty¡­¡±


    The king began to tear up. ¡°Izel, why are you so good to me? I don¡¯t deserve this.¡±


    ¡°You have been good to me, Your Majesty. I am but a humble pce eunuch. Where would I go once the pce burns down and you are gone? In all the history books I¡¯ve read, those closest to a king are always the first to perish once another power takes over. And even if I did end up escaping with his Highness the Crown Prince and his friend, I would just hinder them. What if we end up getting captured and killed anyway? If I am doomed no matter what, I¡¯d rather be by your side when it ends.¡±


    The king wrapped his arms around Izel. Suddenly, he had a terrifying thought. ¡°Oh Izel, what if they¡­hurt you? I can fight them off as much as I can, but you¡­you won¡¯t be able to¡­¡±


    Izel looked up at the king. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Majesty, I¡¯ve already prepared for it.¡±


    The king looked at him with concern. Izel reached into his cor and took out a vial attached to a ne. ¡°If the invaders end up taking your life and try to capture me, I will take this poison and follow you soon after¡­¡±


    The king¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°And if that doesn¡¯t work,¡± Izel produced a small dagger from his sleeve, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure I don¡¯t stay behind¡­.¡± Putting the dagger back into his sleeve, he reached up and held the king¡¯s face in his hands. ¡°I¡¯ll be with you, Xenon¡­¡±


    ¡°Izel¡­¡± the king embraced him tightly and wept.


    Leiyu and Thallios continued walking down the stone steps on the hill.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know all the details,¡± said Thallios, ¡°but there were rumors¡­¡±


    ¡°That your father and his advisor were¡­very close?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­very¡­I know my father loved my mother very much. He was in grief for years after she passed away. Lord Oganesson¡­or Izel rather¡­that was his name before my father gave him his title¡­in a way, he brought my father back to life¡­at least for a few years, before¡­¡±


    Thallios began to feel lightheaded. He sat down on the stone step.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡± Leiyu asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just¡­feel very tired¡­¡±


    ¡°We can go back to the inn and rest.¡±


    ¡°Sure, we can do that. Right now, can you just¡­sit here next to me¡­for a little while?¡±


    ¡°All right.¡± Leiyu sat down next to him. Thallios leaned his head against Leiyu¡¯s shoulders and closed his eyes.

 Chapter 21: Departure

    <i>Content Warning: Cursing and brief mention of blood</i>


    In the corner of a teahouse, a customer sat by himself at a table. A waiter brought a tray of small dishes andid them out before him. After the waiter left, the customer started sampling each of the appetizers. He then took a sip from his teacup. Near the kitchen, the staff whispered to each other as they eyed him.


    After a while, the customer flipped the lid of the teapot upside down to indicate that he wanted the water refilled. A waitress approached him with a kettle.


    ¡°Would you like more hot water, good sir?¡± she asked.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Please,¡± he replied.


    She refilled the teapot. ncing at him, she asked, ¡°Good sir, forgive this humble one if this is too forward, but we were all very curious about something.¡±


    The customer smiled slightly. ¡°Curious about what?¡±


    ¡°You are not from around here, are you?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°Are you from a different region?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm. I am from the border of the Western and Southern regions.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s so far away. What brings you to our small town?¡±


    ¡°I like to travel.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Well, I hope you find our humble teahouse to your liking. Are you enjoying the food?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite tasty.¡±


    ¡°That is good to hear, good sir. Please let us know if there is anything else we can bring you.¡± She turned to leave but then paused. ¡°Good sir, we were also curious about another thing, if you don¡¯t mind me asking.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Your eye color. It is very unusual. What do you call it?¡±


    The customer¡¯s smile widened. Looking directly at her, he replied, ¡°Hazel.¡±


    In the inn room, Thallios sat by the window, staring down into the courtyard.


    Leiyu approached him. ¡°How are you feeling? Do you want me to bring you any food?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. Just felt a little lightheaded earlier.¡±


    ¡°All right. Just let me know if you need anythingter.¡±


    Thallios nodded and turned his attention back toward the flowering trees outside. Two birds flitted about on the branches. He smiled.


    Suddenly, a ravennded on the tree. Thallios blinked. The raven stared straight at him. He gasped and quickly moved away from the window.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± asked Leiyu.


    ¡°It¡¯s that bird¡­¡±


    ¡°Bird?¡±


    ¡°The one following us¡­¡±


    Leiyu remembered the cryptic words that Amara had uttered right after they defeated the shrouded puppets in the Northern Region.


    <i>¡°Our dear winged friend will no doubt send word back to its master. In any case, we should depart soon.¡±</i>


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± said Leiyu. ¡°You¡¯re certain it¡¯s the same one?¡±


    ¡°It was staring straight at me.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Leiyu sighed. ¡°All right, we¡¯ll pack.¡±


    Outside the inn, Leiyu and Thallios mounted their horses. Thallios turned around to take onest look at the city streets before they departed.


    <i>So, once again we have to run,</i> he thought sadly. Turning to Leiyu, he asked, ¡°Where are we headed?¡±


    ¡°Not sure. We¡¯ll just leave the city and head further south.¡±


    They rode toward the city gates. After the border guards let them through, they followed a road that went through the countryside.


    As their horses galloped on, Thallios sensed something and looked up. The raven was following them.


    ¡°Leiyu¡­¡±


    Right as Leiyu turned to look at him, a sudden swirl of dark waves and smoke materialized before them. They pulled on the reins of their horses. The smoke curled and began to dissipate. A silhouette could be seen walking through the haze.


    As thest of the smoke cleared away, Leiyu and Thallios looked at the stranger before them. He appeared to be in his twenties and was d in dark robes and gloves. His chestnut brown hair was tied up in a high ponytail, simr to Leiyu. He wore stud earrings and ear cuffs. There was a gleam in his hazel eyes and he had a menacing smirk.


    ¡°Found you!¡± he dered. ¡°Hello there, little prince who looks like a girl.¡±


    Thallios gripped the reins and his heart began to pound.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Leiyu demanded.


    The stranger bowed mockingly with one arm held out. ¡°Astatine, at your service.¡±


    ¡°Why were you following us?¡± asked Leiyu.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one following you.¡±


    Leiyu and Thallios looked at him in confusion.


    The raven glided down from the sky andnded on Astatine¡¯s outstretched arm. ¡°My little friend was. I merely sat back and observed.¡±


    ¡°Observed?¡± asked Thallios. ¡°Were you watching us through the bird?¡±


    Astatine smirked again. ¡°In a manner of speaking.¡±


    ¡°Were you behind those puppets in the Northern steppes?¡± asked Leiyu.


    ¡°Puppets?¡±


    ¡°The shrouded figures made of dirt,¡± Thallios borated.


    ¡°Ah yes, those. Yep, that was me.¡±


    ¡°Why are you after us?¡± asked Leiyu.


    ¡°Mydymanded it.¡±


    ¡°Yourdy?¡±


    ¡°Mydy Samarian, priestess of the Goddess of Earth.¡±


    ¡°The Goddess of Earth?¡± Thallios gasped. ¡°The one who ced the curse on my mother?¡±


    ¡°The one and only.¡±


    Thallios¡¯ furrowed his eyebrows and clenched his fists.


    ¡°You will not harm Thallios!¡± Leiyu dered.


    ¡°Oh, <i>I¡¯m</i> not going to harm him. I was under orders to bring him back alive.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Thallios asked. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Mydy wishes to see you. She has something she wishes to settle. I won¡¯t harm you, but I can¡¯t guarantee that she won¡¯t.¡±


    Leiyu unsheathed his sword. ¡°You will not take him!¡±


    ¡°Hehe, of course, the little prince¡¯s steadfast protector. <i>You,</i> I am free to harm.¡±


    Astatine flicked his arm and a small dagger flew towards Leiyu. Leiyu swung his sword to block the iing de.


    ¡°Thallios, run!¡± Leiyu shouted. Thallios pulled on the reins and turned his horse around.


    ¡°Not so fast!¡± Astatine waved his hand. Dark waves snaked out of the ground and encircled them. Thallios was unable to pass through the barrier. Astatine drew some lines in the air and silver threads in alike pattern materialized. He threw the toward Thallios


    Thallios jolted in shock and slipped off his horse. He was unable to get up, as if he was being held down by the silver.


    ¡°Thallios!¡± Leiyu cried. Turning to Astatine, he demanded, ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°Suppression spell. Can¡¯t have him turning into the Fire Goddess. Would be an unfair fight.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re using magic and you¡¯reining about the fight being unfair?¡±


    ¡°Heh,¡± Astatine grinned. He unsheathed the two daggers from his belt and spun them in his hands. He leapt toward Leiyu.


    Leiyu jumped off his horse andnded on the ground. He raised his sword just in time to block Astatine¡¯s daggers. Their des shed and sparked. Leiyu pushed forward and Astatine sprang back.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± said Astatine. Gripping the hilt of his daggers, he lunged at Leiyu again with a flurry of swipes. Leiyu blocked each strike with his sword, then quickly spun and kicked Astatine away.


    Astatinended on his feet and slid backward, leaving grooves in the dirt. Narrowing his eyes, he waved his arm downward and sent a series of dark waves toward Leiyu. Leiyu held his sword up and blocked the waves with swirls of wind.


    Astatineughed. ¡°Look who¡¯s using magic now!¡±


    They fought back and forth with magic and des. Thallios watched them helplessly from the ground. He could barely move since the silver was holding him down.


    Although he was holding his own, Leiyu had never fought an opponent as strong and relentless as Astatine before. The only simr experience was when Thallios, in Amara form, had sent him flying backward into the wall back at the pce. That had also been shocking, but it was very brief. This fight with Astatine was prolonged and wearing him out. He breathed heavily as fatigue began to overtake him.


    Astatine suddenly spun backward andnded a short distance away. With a wave of his hand, gravel levitated in the air and surrounded him in a spiral. He waved his hand again and the spiral shot toward Leiyu. Leiyu raised his arms to block the attack, but the sharp gravel tore through his cloak. He gritted his teeth as he felt the sting of hundreds of cuts.


    ¡°Leiyu!¡± Thallios cried.


    Astatine sent more dark waves toward Leiyu. Leiyu jumped to the side and rolled on the ground toward Thallios. He was breathing heavily and could feel himself bleeding. Astatine waved his hand and sent more dark waves toward him. Leiyu braced himself for the onught.


    ¡°LEIYU!¡± Thallios screamed. He broke out of the silver and ran forward, throwing himself in front of Leiyu. Astatine¡¯s eyes widened in shock as the dark waves continued surging forward.


    ¡°Thallios!¡± Leiyu jumped up and wrapped his arms around Thallios. He shifted their positions so that he came between the iing waves and Thallios. Although he felt weakened, he summoned the wind, and pale cloud-like waves wrapped around Thallios,pletely enveloping him.


    The dark waves hit Leiyu in the back and he screamed in pain. The pale waves that he wrapped around Thallios disintegrated.


    Thallios was gone.


    ¡°Thallios¡­¡± Leiyu gasped.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± said Astatine. ¡°That was a teleportation spell. Where on earth did you learn that?¡±


    Leiyu felt himself lose consciousness. He passed out and copsed onto the ground.


    Some indeterminate distance away, mysterious cloud-like waves formed over a marsh.


    Thallios materialized in mid-air and crashed downward into the water below. His heart was pounding and coughed as he iled in the water. After his feet touched solid ground, he propped himself up. He waspletely drenched and shivering. Suddenly sensing the presence of another, he looked up and gasped.


    Standing on a ledge above him was a man with flowing white hair and red eyes. He stared down grimly at Thallios, sword in hand.

 Chapter 22: The Marsh Dwellers

    The white-haired, red-eyed stranger standing on the ledge stepped forward and raised his sword. Thallios trembled and stepped backward. He reached for the dagger at his waist and unsheathed it, extending the de into a sword.


    ¡°<i>Didi</i>, wait!¡± a woman¡¯s voice called. The white-haired man paused. Thallios turned toward the sound of the voice. A woman with simr flowing white hair and red eyes approached them. Turning to the man, she said, ¡°He seems to mean no harm. You¡¯re probably scaring him.¡±


    She then turned to Thallios. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t hurt you. We heard a noise out here, so my younger brother went out to see who it was.¡± She took a closer look at Thallios. ¡°You¡¯re not from around here, are you?¡±


    Thallios kept his sword raised but was shaking from being drenched and cold.


    ¡°<i>Didi</i>, put your sword away,¡± the woman said to the man. The man lowered his sword and sheathed it, although he kept his hand on the hilt. She turned to Thallios. ¡°Do you want toe in for tea? You can dry off too.¡± Thallios hesitated, but then lowered his sword and sheathed it.


    Inside a small cottage by the marsh, Thallios¡¯ cloak and robes were drying by the firece. Thallios was wearing loose white robes that the woman had lent to him. She poured tea into a cup and handed it over. He epted it but hesitated.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not poisoned,¡± she reassured him. She poured a cup for herself and drank it. Thallios finally sipped from his cup.


    ¡°My name is Luli,¡± said the woman. She gestured to the man, ¡°This is my twin brother Lutian.¡±


    <i>Twins?</i> Thallios thought. <i>I guess they do look simr.</i>


    ¡°What¡¯s your name and where are you from?¡±


    ¡°My name is Thallios. I am from the Western Region.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s so far away! How did you end up here?¡±


    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know.¡±


    Luli and Lutian looked at each other in confusion.


    ¡°I was with my¡­friend when we were attacked,¡± said Thallios. ¡°My friend fought to defend me and got injured. The person attacking us was going to harm my friend, so I tried to defend him.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°After that, it was a blur. The next thing I knew, I was here.¡±


    Lutian eyed him silently.


    Thallios stood up. ¡°My friend¡¯s still in danger! I have to go back!¡±


    ¡°But do you know where your friend is?¡± asked Luli.


    Thallios frowned and sat back down. ¡°No, I have no idea¡­¡±


    Luli looked at him more closely. ¡°There¡¯s something interesting about you.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the first person I¡¯ve encountered¡­that has two auras¡­¡±


    ¡°Two¡­auras?¡±


    ¡°Yes, one of your auras is like a cool blue me and the other one is like a glowing ember. Though it feels like the glowing one is being constrained somehow¡­¡±


    Lutian, who had been silent the whole time, stood up and walked behind Thallios. ¡°There is a trace of a spell on your back¡­¡±


    Thallios almost jumped. Then he remembered what Astatine had said after he threw the silver at him earlier.


    <i>¡°Suppression spell. Can¡¯t have him turning into the Fire Goddess. Would be an unfair fight.¡±</i>


    ¡°Who are you two really?¡± Thallios asked. ¡°How are you seeing these things? Auras¡­spells¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, I guess we haven¡¯t fully introduced ourselves yet,¡± said Luli.


    Thallios looked at her quizzically.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t pick this name ourselves,¡± she continued, ¡°but people call us¡­the Ghost Twins!¡±


    Leiyu slowly awakened to the sound of a rushing river nearby. He tried to move but realized that he was tied up by silver threads. He suddenly remembered what had happened right before he passed out.


    ¡°Thallios!¡± he shouted.


    ¡°Your little prince is not here,¡± a voice from behind him said coldly.


    Leiyu turned around and faced Astatine. ¡°You!¡±


    Astatine grinned. ¡°Yes, me.¡±


    ¡°What did you do with Thallios?¡±


    ¡°What did <i>I</i> do? Do you not remember that you were the one who sent him away?¡±


    ¡°I sent him away?¡±


    ¡°Yes, with that neat little teleportation spell. I was quite impressed. That is a very advanced technique. Who taught that to you?¡±


    ¡°No one¡­¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what I did¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    Leiyu tried to twist against the silver threads that were tied around him.


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t bother,¡± said Astatine. ¡°You won¡¯t get out of those. Althoughe to think of it, your little prince was able to break through theting made out of the same material. And he put himself in danger trying to shield you¡­I already said I wasn¡¯t going to harm him. Rather pointless as well, since you ended up getting hurt anyway.¡±


    Leiyu shuddered at the thought of Thallios almost getting injured. ¡°What do you want with him anyway?¡±


    ¡°As I told you before, mydy has a score to settle.¡±


    Leiyu stared at Astatine as he recalled what he had said before.


    <i>¡°Mydy Samarian, priestess of the Goddess of Earth.¡±</i>


    ¡°Goddess of Earth?¡± Leiyu uttered.


    Astatine smiled.


    ¡°What is she going to do?¡± asked Leiyu.


    ¡°Not sure.¡±


    ¡°Why would she have a score to settle? Thallios never did anything to her.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Not the little prince himself. Mydy has a score to settle with the Goddess of Fire.¡±


    ¡°But¡­Thallios¡¯ mother already passed away years ago.¡±


    ¡°But the <i>Goddess of Fire</i> didn¡¯t pass away.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Astatine looked at him grimly. ¡°Why are you involved anyway?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°This is a conflict between the goddess of the Southern and Western Regions. You are not from either of those ces.¡±


    ¡°I made a promise¡­¡±


    ¡°Promise?¡±


    ¡°I promised Thallios¡¯ father that I¡¯d protect Thallios.¡±


    Astatine frowned and furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°His father?¡±


    ¡°King Xenon of the Western Region¡­¡±


    Astatine clenched his fists and snarled. ¡°King Xenon!¡±


    Leiyu looked up at him, unsure of the reason behind this drastic change in demeanor.


    Astatine¡¯s eyes were full of rage. ¡°King Xenon sent the soldiers that killed my family!¡±


    <b>Author¡¯s Note</b>


    Although Luli and Lutian are twins, Luli refers to Lutian as <i>didi</i> (younger brother). Presumably, she entered the world before he did.

 Chapter 23: Astatine

    <i>Content Warning: Brief mention of corpses</i>


    ¡°Ghost Twins?¡± asked Thallios.


    ¡°Yes, people call us the Ghost Twins,¡± said Luli, ¡°because of how we look.¡±


    Thallios stared at the Luli and Lutian.


    ¡°White hair, red eyes,¡± Luli borated. ¡°Actually, your hair color is interesting too.¡± She took a closer look at Thallios. ¡°It¡¯s like the color of cinnamon.¡±


    Thallios gave her a look.


    ¡°Your eyes are interesting too. They¡¯re the color of honey¡­¡±


    Thallios felt flustered.


    ¡°Also¡­you kind of look like a girl¡­¡±


    Thallios¡¯ face flushed red.


    ¡°Ah, sorry, sorry,¡± Luli said as she waved both of her hands. ¡°You probably hear that a lot and are tired of it. Forgive me, I tend to say whateveres to mind. Unlike Lutian here, who hardly speaks.¡±


    Lutian¡¯s eyebrow twitched as he frowned.


    ¡°But¡­it¡¯s interesting,¡± Luli continued. ¡°The other aura I see, the fiery one that¡¯s being suppressed¡­it seems¡­how should I say this¡­female?¡±


    <i>¡°My name¡­is Amara.¡±</i>


    Thallios shuddered at the random voice that just sounded in his head. He looked downward. Lutian nced at him.


    ¡°So, other people call you the Ghost Twins?¡± asked Thallios, trying to change the subject. ¡°Are there people who live nearby? This ce seems pretty remote.¡±


    ¡°Ah no,¡± Luli replied. ¡°We live alone in the marsh. People shun us.¡±


    ¡°Because of¡­your appearance?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Lutian suddenly murmured as he stared at the firece. His expression was solemn.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have any other family?¡± asked Thallios.


    ¡°Mother passed away many years ago,¡± said Luli.


    Thallios looked at both of them and thought about his own mother.


    ¡°When we were born, the people in her vige thought she was cursed because she had twin babies with red eyes,¡± said Luli. ¡°Then when our hair grew in and it was white, the vigerspletely shunned her. They said she would bring bad luck to everyone. She eventually left the vige with us and we grew up here in the marsh.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s terrible¡­treating someone that way,¡± said Thallios. ¡°What about your father?¡±


    ¡°We never knew him and mother never mentioned him. The vigers said he probably wasn¡¯t even human. Maybe he was a spirit.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Thallios then thought of something else. ¡°But, how are you able to see auras?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that! Haha, I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve always been able to see auras. Never gave much thought to it. When I was a kid, I thought everyone else could see them too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been able to see things created from magic,¡± said Lutian. ¡°And the spirits that live in the woods.¡±


    ¡°Mother dabbled in magic when she was younger,¡± said Luli. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s also why the vigers thought she was cursed.¡±


    Thallios thought about his own mother again. Though the circumstances were different, she had also been cursed in her own way. ¡°Is it lonely, living by yourselves in the marsh?¡±


    ¡°It can be,¡± Luli replied. ¡°But in a way, we are more free. No one here to shun us or say bad things.¡±


    Thallios looked at them with sympathy.


    Luli walked over to the firece to check on Thallios¡¯ drying clothes. She ran her hand through his <i>chapan</i>. ¡°This is pretty intricate embroidery. Are you from a wealthy family?¡±


    Thallios shifted his eyes away from them and looked downward.


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about it,¡± she reassured. ¡°Whatever your background, you¡¯re our guest!¡± She picked up his clothes. ¡°These should be about dry. There¡¯s a partition over there if you want to get changed.¡±


    She handed Thallios his clothes and he went behind the partition. He emerged a few minutester wearing his cloak and <i>chapan</i>.


    ¡°About that suppression spell?¡± he began.


    ¡°Hm?¡± said Lutian.


    ¡°Is there any way to get rid of it?¡±


    ¡°I am not very experienced with magic, but I can try.¡±


    Thallios sat cross-legged on the floor as Lutian kneeled behind him.


    ¡°This might feel a bit ufortable,¡± said Lutian, ¡°but please try to stay still.¡±


    Lutian then took his palms and mmed them against Thallios¡¯ back. Thallios¡¯ eyes opened wide and his head jerked forward. Lutian then turned his palms around, closed his fingers inward, and made a pulling motion toward himself. Silver threads began to emerge from Thallios¡¯ back. Lutian pulled back further, yanking out an entire web of silver threads. Thallios¡¯ head went backward. Dark waves swirled around him and radiated outward. The cottage shook and the table and chairs toppled over. The contents of the teacups spilled onto the floor.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± Luli murmured.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Thallios as he tried to catch his breath.


    ¡°No problem,¡± Lutian replied.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem that inexperienced with magic.¡±


    ¡°Ah, didi is just being modest,¡± said Luli. ¡°Oh, I can see it now. Your golden aura. It¡¯s starting to flow freely.¡±


    Thallios¡¯ hair flowed as if it was being blown by the wind. He closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the irises were golden yellow.


    ¡°Oh wow!¡± Luli eximed.


    Amara stood up. ¡°I need to find Leiyu¡­¡±


    <i>¡°King Xenon sent the soldiers that killed my family!¡±</i>


    Leiyu felt a chill run through his body. He had only met King Xenon briefly when he and Thallios were still in Ishkhandar and did not have any particrly negative impressions of him. He had promised the king that he would protect Thallios, and Thallios was often mncholy when he mentioned his father. ¡°Oh¡­when did this happen?¡±


    Astatine red at him. ¡°Around twenty years ago¡­¡±


    <i>Twenty years ago¡­</i>


    In a valley on the border of the Western and Southern Regions, there was a small rural vige. Five-year-old Astatine ran to the top of a small grassy hill. He took in the view of the cid expanse before him.


    ¡°Astatine! Lunchtime!¡± a woman called.


    ¡°Coming mama!¡±


    Astatine ran back down the hill to the cottage where his family lived. Behind the cottage was a garden where his parents grew vegetables. Chickens ran around in the grass between their dwelling and their neighbors¡¯. Astatine¡¯s father had gone to help out the other vigers with the harvest and would be returning soon.


    Inside the cottage, Astatine sat at the table, sipping soup and munching on bread. His mother was feeding his little sister. Suddenly, she paused, sensing a noise in the distance. She ran toward the door and opened it.


    Astatine¡¯s father was frantically scrambling back to their cottage. ¡°Run!¡± he shouted. ¡°Invaders!¡±


    Astatine¡¯s mother ran back into the cottage and grabbed Astatine and his little sister. Astatine did not understand what was happening, only that his mother was gripping his hand very tightly and that his sister was starting to cry. They joined his father outside and the family started running.


    Astatine looked behind them and saw ominous figures on horseback galloping toward them. They heaved ming torches onto the roofs of the cottages, setting them aze. The other vigers were also running and screaming, trying to flee in the chaos. The invaders set more fires. Astatine¡¯s heart pounded wildly and his eyes watered from the smoke. He could not see his family clearly amidst all the vigers running into each other as the invaders surrounded them. He felt the grip on his hand slip and panicked.


    ¡°Mama! Papa!¡± he cried.


    All he could see was the orange glow of the fires as he got lost in the throng of people.


    ¡°Our vige was in a valley that had been peaceful for as long as anyone could remember,¡± Astatine said to Leiyu. ¡°Of course, since it was on the border of the Western and Southern Regions, it was attacked first. The invaders were merciless. They burned everything down.¡± He began to tear up. ¡°My family perished. I would have died as well, except¡­¡±


    A lone figure wearing a mask and a long ck cloak walked amongst the ruins of the vige. The cottages had burned down and corpsesy strewn about.


    <i>Who did all this?</i> she thought angrily. <i>I feel traces of magic. This was no ordinary fire.</i>


    Suddenly, she sensed something and walked over to a pile of rubble and corpses. She started to dig through the debris until she saw a tiny hand.


    <i>A child?</i> she thought. She continued digging until she was able to pull the unconscious child out of the rubble. It was Astatine. She held him in her arms.


    <i>There are still some faint traces of life in this child,</i> she thought. <i>Is his family here? I¡¯m afraid I cannot detect any other signs of life.</i>


    She stood up and carried him away.


    ¡°Mydy found me amongst the burnt ruins of the vige,¡± said Astatine. ¡°There were no other survivors.¡± He sat down against a tree and drew his knees up. ¡°We had a happy, peaceful life¡­¡± He buried his face in his knees and trembled. ¡°Why¡¯d they have toe and destroy everything?¡±


    Leiyu stared at him silently. He thought back to the time Thallios had looked back at Ishkhandar in tears as it burned down, and how he had sobbed in his arms in the cave that they took refuge in.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Leiyu murmured.


    Astatine turned to him abruptly, his eyes watery. ¡°You¡¯re sorry? What for?¡±


    ¡°For the whole situation¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Everyone is suffering so much because of what others did¡­¡±


    Astatine looked at him in confusion.


    ¡°You¡­Thallios¡­you all lost people who were dear to you¡­¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    They sat in a long awkward silence.


    ¡°So, after the Earth Priestess rescued you, what happened?¡± asked Leiyu.


    ¡°She took me back to her temple and healed me. I ended up staying there. There were others living there too, taking care of the temple.¡± He looked up toward the sky. ¡°She would sometimes leave to journey to other ces. When she came back, she said she saw the same destruction everywhere. Entire viges and even cities burned to the ground.¡±


    He paused and took a deep breath. ¡°She always wore a mask and no one ever saw her real face. Still, it was clear that she was upset. She figured out that the Goddess of Fire from the Western Region had a hand in all the destruction. Of course, she also said that the priestesses of the goddesses do not normally interfere with real world affairs, so there had to be a reason why the Goddess of Fire was involved in all this.¡±


    After another pause, he continued. ¡°So she sent her ravens to investigate. Found out that the priestess of the Goddess of Fire had married a king and that they were ruling the Western Region together. If they had merely kept to their own region, mydy wouldn¡¯t have cared, but since they invaded our region and caused so much destruction, she had to do something to stop it.¡±


    ¡°The curse?¡± asked Leiyu.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°The Earth Priestess cursed Thallios¡¯ mother?¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, I guess you know about all that already.¡±


    ¡°But¡­there¡¯s something I don¡¯t quite understand.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Why did the Earth Priestess choose a curse that took years toplete?¡±


    Astatine shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not sure actually. Maybe mydy just wanted the Fire Priestess to suffer slowly. A quick death would have been too merciful. Or maybe¡­¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Leiyu waited for him to continue, although he felt some trepidation.


    Astatine sneered. ¡°Maybe mydy actually wanted the king to suffer. So she had him watch her slowly die over the course of years.¡±


    Leiyu took a deep breath. ¡°What will she do to Thallios if she finds him?¡±


    ¡°As I¡¯ve said before, I have no idea.¡±


    ¡°If the Western Region¡¯s invasion of the Southern Region happened twenty years ago as you said¡­then Thallios was just a child himself when it happened, scarcely older than a baby. It¡¯s not right to go after him for something his parents were responsible for¡­¡±


    ¡°The little prince is merely a vessel for the Goddess of Fire. An avatar, if you will.¡±


    ¡°Vessel¡­¡± Now it was Leiyu¡¯s turn to get angry. ¡°How dare you! Thallios is not a vessel! He is a person!¡±


    ¡°Hehe, looks like I¡¯ve struck a nerve.¡±


    Leiyu red at him.


    ¡°Tell me, why are you really protecting him?¡±


    ¡°I promised¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, you promised that awful king that you¡¯d keep his son safe. But that can¡¯t be the only reason¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The little prince¡­or Thallios, I should say, since he is a person¡­I think I know why you want to protect him so much¡­¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because¡­¡± Astatine said with a gleam in his hazel eyes, ¡°he is so beautiful¡­and why wouldn¡¯t you want to protect someone so precious?¡±

 Chapter 24: Fire and Earth

    <i>Content Warning: Some cursing, descriptions of physical violence, and brief mention of blood</i>?


    <i>¡°The little prince¡­or Thallios, I should say, since he is a person¡­I think I know why you want to protect him so much¡­¡±</i>


    <i>¡°Why?¡±</i>


    <i> ¡°Because¡­he is so beautiful¡­and why wouldn¡¯t you want to protect someone so precious?¡±</i>


    Leiyu felt the blood drain from his face. Cold sweat broke out all over as a chill ran down his spine. He gritted his teeth as he faced Astatine. ¡°You-!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Astatine sneered. ¡°Are you going to deny it?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Then there is some truth to it¡­¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I mean, it wasn¡¯t hard to tell, from the way you two interacted¡­¡±


    Leiyu¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°What the hell?! Have you been spying on us this whole time?¡±


    Astatineughed. ¡°Rx, I wasn¡¯t watching you day and night. Only when my raven caught up with you.¡±


    <i>Thallios first noticed that bird when we were in the Northern steppes,</i> Leiyu thought. ¡°So¡­you can see what the raven sees?¡±


    ¡°Obviously.¡±


    Leiyu shot him an annoyed re. ¡°But how?¡±


    Astatine smiled. ¡°Magic.¡±


    Leiyu sighed.


    ¡°You have ady too, up in the North?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Leiyu suddenly realized who he was referring to. <i>Sarangerel!</i> ¡°Don¡¯t you dare go anywhere near her!¡±


    Astatine clicked his tongue. ¡°My goodness, always thinking the worst of me,¡± he sighed as he casually spun one of his daggers in his hand. ¡°I have no intention of going near the Goddess of Wind. She¡¯d easily defeat me since I¡¯m just a <i>low-level mage</i>.¡±


    Leiyu looked at him in disbelief. ¡°Why were you following us for so long without showing yourself?¡±


    ¡°Well, the chase is no fun if it¡¯s too short¡­¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Also, the little prince may be weak, but the Fire Goddess is a force to be reckoned with. Didn¡¯t want to get burned so quickly.¡±


    ¡°Why did the Earth Priestess send you instead ofing herself?¡±


    ¡°Priestesses are not supposed to interfere with the affairs of the world.¡±


    ¡°But they can send others to do their bidding?¡±


    Astatine smiled.


    ¡°How about cursing Thallios¡¯ mother? Is that not interfering?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s between two goddess avatars. It doesn¡¯t count as interfering with the wider world.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Leiyu gave an exasperated sigh. ¡°Who makes up these rules?¡±


    Astatine shrugged.


    ¡°And what are you getting out of this?¡±


    Astatine stared at him. ¡°Mydy saved my life, so I owe her my loyalty.¡±


    ¡°Heh, is that all it is? Merely transactional? Or is there something else?¡±


    Astatine frowned.


    ¡°You lost your family at such a young age and the Earth Priestess rescued and raised you.¡±


    ¡°What are you getting at?¡±


    ¡°Do you see her as a substitute for your mother?¡±


    Astatine¡¯s eyes widened with rage. ¡°You shut up!¡±


    Leiyu smiled. ¡°Looks like I struck a nerve too.¡±


    Astatine unsheathed his other dagger and began to approach him. ¡°What the hell would you know?¡±


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m an orphan too¡­¡±


    Astatine paused.


    ¡°And I don¡¯t even remember my original family. I¡¯d still be a beggar on the streets if I wasn¡¯t taken in by my <i>Shifu</i>. So I supposed he was like a surrogate father and the other disciples at our sect were like surrogate siblings¡­¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re getting at.¡±


    ¡°Well, the details don¡¯t matter¡­but we¡¯re really not that different, are we?¡±


    ¡°Heh, if you¡¯re trying to get my sympathy by acting like we¡¯re the same, don¡¯t bother!¡±


    ¡°Not the same, of course. I know nothing of your life, nor do you know mine. It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t think our situations are that different¡­¡±


    Astatine frowned and tightened the grip on his daggers¡¯ hilts.


    ¡°In fact¡­¡± Leiyu began to smile.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±


    ¡°You said yourself that Thallios was¡­beautiful¡­¡±


    Astatine¡¯s frown deepened.


    ¡°Now why would you say that?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Unless¡­¡±


    They were interrupted by a sudden sh of light.


    Astatine turned. ¡°Oh¡­look who it is¡­wee back, little princ-¡±


    Amara shed her glowing golden yellow eyes at them.


    ¡°-ess?¡± Astatine gulped.


    Amara stared at him, auburn tresses flowing wildly in the wind. A fiery aura surrounded her. In her hand was her extended dagger sword.


    ¡°Thallios!¡± Leiyu eximed. Amara nced at him with her golden yellow eyes. ¡°Oh¡­Amara¡­¡± She smiled.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Astatine quickly grabbed Leiyu from behind and held one of his daggers up to his throat. ¡°Good to see you, little princess¡­¡±


    ¡°Give Leiyu back,¡± Amara said coldly.


    ¡°Or what?¡± Astatine pressed the dagger¡¯s de closer to Leiyu¡¯s throat. ¡°I¡¯ve suppressed his powers and he¡¯s heavily injured, so he¡¯spletely helpless right now. No sudden moves or this will be a short reunion¡­¡±


    ¡°Let him go, it¡¯s me you want, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    <i>Of course, but I need leverage¡­</i>Astatine thought. ¡°Put your sword away!¡±


    ¡°You know,¡± said Leiyu, being careful not to brush against the dagger¡¯s de, ¡°if you kill me, Amara will not show you any mercy¡­¡±


    Astatine smirked. ¡°Well, lucky you, guess we¡¯re at an impasse.¡±


    Amara pressed the jewel on her sword¡¯s hilt and the extra de retracted, shortening it into a dagger. She returned it to its sheath. Looking up, she murmured softly, ¡°Leiyu¡­close your eyes¡­¡±


    Leiyu wasn¡¯t sure what she was up to, but he did as he was told. After his eyes werepletely closed, blinding light rays emitted from her eyes.


    Astatine winced and looked away, dropping the daggers. ¡°What the f-!¡± He loosened his grip on Leiyu. Amara rushed forward and snatched Leiyu away from him. She leapt a short distance away.


    ¡°You ************!¡± Astatine screamed as he held his hands over his eyes.


    Amara held Leiyu in her arms. ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Leiyu breathed as he copsed against her.


    As Astatine¡¯s eyesight returned, dark waves began to encircle him. He picked up his daggers and began to flip them in the air.


    Amara leapt backward further and set Leiyu down. She cast a protective barrier around him. ¡°Stay here. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    Leiyu stared at her as his breath quickened. Amara unsheathed her dagger and extended it into a sword. She and Astatine faced each other.


    Astatine made the first move. He sent a barrage of dark waves toward her. Wanting to keep Leiyu out of harm¡¯s way, even with the protective barrier around him, Amara leapt forward and met the waves head-on. She shed her sword and deflected the oing waves with an explosion of me. Streaks of light and darkness arched through the air like fireworks. Sparks bounced against the protective barrier surrounding Leiyu. He stared at them with his mouth agape.


    Astatine was incensed. This scenario was <i>exactly</i> what he was trying to avoid. He had no idea how powerful Amara was or whether he had a fighting chance against her.


    ¡°Ah, f- this!¡± he growled to himself. Gripping the hilts of his daggers, he summoned thousands of sharp pieces of gravel and full-sized rocks and levitated them into the air. With a wave of his hand, heunched them toward Amara. Leiyu gasped.


    With the grace of a dancer, she twirled and burned away the smaller rocks with ribbons of me. Leaping into the air, she ran across therger iing rocks as if they were a bridge. Her eyes glowed as she approached Astatine. Before she was able to sh at him with her sword, Astatine wrapped himself in smoke and vanished. She looked to her side for a moment and then turned around and brought her sword up to block Astatine¡¯s daggers as he reappeared above her in a sh.


    They continued to go back and forth, des shing, and robes fluttering in the wind. He fought with the wildness of a madman, while she retained a graceful detached calmness. He saw an opening and tried to sh at her with his daggers, only to be met with a swift kick to his face from below. She flipped in the air andnded softly on the grass.


    Astatine wiped the traces of blood from his mouth and snarled. He then noticed Leiyu in the distance. With another wave of his hand, he disappeared in a swirl of smoke and reappeared next to Leiyu. Amara bolted and glided towards them. Her sword met with one of Astatine¡¯s daggers. While the des ground against each other, he flicked his free hand and pierced the protective barrier around Leiyu with a talisman. The barrier dissolved. Astatine broke away from Amara and lunged toward Leiyu.


    Wanting to protect Leiyu and acting entirely on instinct, Amara shrieked and swiped her sword at Astatine, surrounding him in mes.


    ¡°AHHHHH!!!¡± Astatine tried to shield himself against the mes. The heat was intense and his energy was fading fast. With nothing to lose, he leapt toward Leiyu, grabbed him, and heaved him into the rushing river near them.


    ¡°LEIYU!!!¡± Amara screamed. Leiyu was dragged away by the rapids. She dove into the river after him.


    Astatine copsed and passed out. The mes extinguished and smoke curled into the air.


    Amara swam through the rapids, trying to catch up to Leiyu as he floated through the choppy waters. He coughed as he choked on water and he struggled against the silver threads binding him. As she approached him, her eyes widened. The sound of rushing water became more deafening. She looked in horror as he went over a waterfall.


    <i>Leiyu!</i> She followed him down the cascade and they disappeared into the mist below.

 Chapter 25: The Mist

    At the bottom of the waterfall, Amara came up for air. She had her arms wrapped around Leiyu and swam toward the riverbank. Once they reached the shore, she pulled him onto dry ground. cing her ear on his chest, she could detect a faint heartbeat. She ced her hands on his chest and pressed down quickly. Leiyu coughed up water.


    He was still bound by the silver threads. She unsheathed her dagger, put the de against the threads, and carefully applied mild fire magic. The heat burned through the threads. Once he was free from them, she cradled his head in her arms. After sitting like this for a while, she finally looked at her surroundings.


    They were in a mist-filled forest. The rushing waterfall behind them dampened all the other sounds. The sky was cloudy and raindrops began to fall.


    <i>I need to find shelter,</i> Amara thought. She gently picked Leiyu up and carried him on her back. She walked through the forest, the mist gradually giving way to a thick fog. Eventually, she saw the outline of a small building. Upon approaching it, she saw that it was a cottage. The entrance waspletely open, so she walked right in.


    The cottage appeared to be abandoned. There was a low table covered with a thickyer of dust in the middle of the dwelling. Along the far side was a small kitchen area. In the corner was a narrow bed covered with a thin nket. She made her way over to the bed and pulled on the nket, sending up a cloud of dust. Turning away, she coughed. She gently ced Leiyu on the bed.


    <i>He¡¯spletely soaked,</i> she thought. <i>He¡¯ll be ill.</i> She ced her hands on his cloak and applied mild heat. A few minutes passed. <i>His clothes seem dry now.</i> She waved her hands over him to assess his injuries. <i>There is a lot of internal damage and his powers are still being suppressed. I should go find the Ghost Twins again, but I don¡¯t know where we are right now and Leiyu is too weak to travel. I¡¯ll heal him here first.</i>


    She got up and walked to the kitchen area. Lifting a lid on arge storage container, she reached inside and ran her hands through a pile of dried grains. <i>Is this rice?</i> She looked around the cottage. <i>How long has this ce been abandoned? </i> She spotted some other jars on the shelf. <i>Dried herbs, spices¡­need something more substantial if Leiyu is to recover.</i>


    Spotting a wooden bucket on the floor, she picked it up and went outside. There was a river nearby. As she approached, she bent down and saw the silhouette of a fish just below the water¡¯s surface. She dipped the bucket into the river to collect some water and ced it next to her feet. Then she quickly reached into the water and pulled out a wriggling fish.


    <i>You¡¯ll do,</i> she thought as she put the fish in the bucket. Lifting the handle, she made her way back to the cottage.


    Leiyu slowly opened his eyes. His body ached and his breathing was irregr. It took him a while to notice the person in front of him tending the stove.


    ¡°Thallios?¡± he murmured. Amara turned around and looked at him with her golden yellow eyes. ¡°Oh, Amara¡­¡± He began to sit up.


    Amara came over. ¡°Shh, just rest. You¡¯re injured.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°We went over a waterfall.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± He winced at the pain from suddenly moving. ¡°Ow¡­¡±


    Amara ced her hands on his back and shoulders and gentlyid him back down. ¡°Just rest. I¡¯ll take care of everything.¡±


    Leiyu stared at the ceiling. ¡°Where are we?¡±


    ¡°In an abandoned cottage.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d we get here?¡±


    ¡°I carried you.¡±


    He stared at her dumbfounded. ¡°Eh? How?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that difficult.¡±


    ¡°...¡± He noticed the steaming from the kitchen. ¡°Are you cooking something?¡±


    She smiled. ¡°Yep, it¡¯s almost done.¡± She went over to the stove anddled soup into a bowl. She then returned to his side and helped him sit up again. Taking a spoonful of soup, she blew on it to cool it down. She ced the spoon up to his mouth. He sipped it slowly.


    ¡°Is this congee? How did you know how to make this?¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t too hard. It¡¯s just rice and water. And I added a fish I got from the river.¡±


    ¡°Fish congee? Wow¡­¡± He looked at her. <i>Thallios never showed any signs that he knew how to cook¡­but then again, this isn¡¯t Thallios¡­</i>


    She continued to feed him spoonfuls of congee. After the bowl was half empty, he suddenly asked, ¡°What ended up happening with Astatine?¡±


    ¡°Astatine? Oh, that guy¡­I dealt with him.¡±


    His eyes widened. ¡°Oh¡­did he¡­die?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. He threw you into the river after I enveloped him in mes. I jumped in after you, so I don¡¯t know what ended up happening to him.¡±


    He looked at her in shock.


    ¡°He was going to hurt you,¡± she exined. ¡°I had to stop him.¡± She paused and looked downward. ¡°Maybe I overdid it¡­¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No¡­I guess we can¡¯t do anything now. I did talk to him before you came back though¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh? What did he say?¡±


    ¡°He said his family was killed by your father¡¯s soldiers when they invaded the Southern Region.¡±


    The bowl and spoon fell from her hands and onto the floor.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± she said, almost whispering. ¡°I didn¡¯t know¡­¡± She picked up the bowl and spoon from the floor and took them back to the kitchen for washing. Her face was solemn. ¡°I guess he wanted revenge then?¡±


    ¡°Not sure. Maybe. It would be understandable if he did. But he made it seem like his goal was just to bring you back to the Earth Priestess and that she would deal with you.¡±


    She frowned.


    ¡°I told him this as well, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right for them to take vengeance on you for something you had nothing to do with!¡± He winced again in pain. ¡°Ow¡­¡±


    She turned back toward him. ¡°Don¡¯t move too much. You¡¯ll injure yourself again.¡±


    ¡°He said it didn¡¯t matter since you were just the vessel for the Fire Goddess¡­¡±


    She smiled wryly. ¡°Well, he¡¯s not wrong¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re more than just that!¡±


    Her eyes widened and met his. They looked at each other in awkward silence. She finally smiled slightly. ¡°Leiyu, just rest. Don¡¯t get too agitated. It¡¯ll take a while for you to recover.¡± She went back to his side, helped himy back down, and ced the nket over him. She then went outside for air.


    She sat under the awning and looked toward the sky. More raindrops cascaded downward. Drawing her knees up to her chest, she buried her face in her arms.


    <i>One weekter¡­</i>


    Leiyu was lying in bed when he heard a noise from outside. Amara walked into the cottage carrying a bucket of fish and an armful ofrge lotus leaves. He watched her as she prepared to cook.


    With a snap of her fingers, she started a fire underneath a wok on the stove. Sheid down the lotus leaves on the kitchen counter and ced the fish on top. After seasoning the fish with dried herbs, she wrapped it up like a bundle and tied it with a long piece of cut-off lotus stem. She poured some water from the bucket into the wok. Then she picked up a makeshift steam rack that she made from tying sticks together and ced it at the wok¡¯s center. Finally, she ced the lotus leaf fish bundle onto the steam rack and ced a lid over the wok.


    Later, after all the cooking was done, the steamed fish wasid out over the lotus leaves on top of the table. She scooped some of the fish into a bowl and brought it over to Leiyu. After she helped him sit up, she blew on a spoonful of fish to cool it down, and then ced the spoon up to his mouth. He ate slowly.


    ¡°Oh my¡­¡± he murmured. ¡°This is so good!¡±


    She smiled and continued to feed him.


    <i>You continue to amaze me every single day,</i> he thought.


    The clouds cleared up at night time and the light of the moon shone through the tiny windows of the cottage. Leiyu was lying in bed while Amaray on the floor, wrapped in her cloak.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Amara?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Is it ufortable sleeping on the floor? We could switch.¡±


    ¡°No need. You¡¯re still recovering.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Leiyu sighed. ¡°All right¡­good night, Amara¡­¡±


    ¡°Good night, Leiyu¡­¡±


    <i>One monthter¡­</i>


    Leiyu¡¯s recovery was very slow and gradual, but he could now walk on his own, although he still needed to asionally lean on Amara for support. They went on daily walks to build his strength and stamina back up. Usually they stayed close to the cottage, but today they ventured a bit further into the forest, with her supporting him by the arm.


    As they walked past the trees, they could hear the faint sounds of music ying in the distance. Looking at each other, they decided to satisfy their curiosity and walked further ahead until they encountered ake.


    In the middle of theke was a lone pagoda. Seated in the pagoda was a woman d in elegant blue silks, ying a stringed <i>guqin.</i>


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s the first person we¡¯ve encountered since we arrived in this forest!¡± Leiyu eximed.


    The woman looked up at them and strummed across the <i>guqin</i> strings. A beautiful sound apanied by a wave of energy radiated from the instrument. Ripples formed in theke as the energy wave headed toward them. Amara formed a shield with her own energy and blocked the iing wave.


    The woman put her fingers on the <i>guqin</i> strings to stop their vibration. Although the instrument wasrge, she picked it up as if it were weightless and leapt from the pagoda. Gliding gracefully across theke, shended softly before them.


    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve had visitors since I¡¯ve gone into seclusion,¡± she said. ¡°Usually no one cane in because of the barrier around my sanctuary.¡±


    Amara and Leiyu looked at her in confusion.


    ¡°But I suppose you¡¯re not ordinary people,¡± the woman continued.


    They continued to stare at her.


    She smiled. ¡°Pleased to meet you atst¡­Goddess of Fire¡­¡±

 Chapter 26: The Four Goddesses

    Amara and Leiyu looked at each other in surprise after the mysterious woman before them addressed Amara as the Goddess of Fire. Then Leiyu suddenly had images of graceful female statues in temples and scroll paintings of a woman d in flowing blue robes sh through his mind.


    Turning to the woman, he asked, ¡°Are you¡­the priestess of the Goddess of Water?¡±


    The woman smiled. ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Leiyu dropped to his knees and touched his head to the ground in a kowtow. ¡°Mydy¡­¡±


    Amara stared at both of them.


    Looking back up at the woman, Leiyu asked, ¡°May I know your honored name?¡±


    ¡°My name is Suiling,¡± the woman replied. ¡°And your names are?¡±


    ¡°This humble one is named Leiyu.¡±


    ¡°My name is Amara¡­although I sometimes go by Thallios.¡±


    Leiyu gave Amara a subtle side nce.


    ¡°Amara,¡± said Suiling, ¡°since you are an avatar of the Fire Goddess, you were able to cross the barrier to my sanctuary. How did you find it though?¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­we weren¡¯t really looking for it in particr. We just happened to go down a waterfall and the next thing we knew, we were here.¡±


    Suiling looked at her nkly. ¡°I suppose there¡¯s a long story behind that¡­


    ¡°Well,¡± Amara said with a smile, ¡°if you¡¯re really interested¡­¡±


    <i>One hourter¡­</i>


    ¡°My goodness, you¡¯ve really gotten yourselves into a predicament,¡± Suiling remarked. ¡°This is why I chose to go into seclusion in the first ce. The outside world is just too much sometimes¡­¡±


    ¡°Mydy,¡± said Leiyu, ¡°if you don¡¯t mind my asking, how did this all start? The system with the four goddesses and all these rules?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re a curious one! Most people don¡¯t even dare ask such a question. Well, if you really want to know¡­¡± Suiling took a deep breath before continuing. ¡°No one really knows when the four goddesses first appeared in the world. As far as everyone is concerned, they¡¯ve always been here. Some people say they are sisters and some people think they are actually just different aspects of the same goddess.


    At some point, the world was divided into four regions, and a goddess was assigned to watch over each one. Each goddess had an avatar and they agreed not to interfere with each other. They were supposed to watch over their regions for all time. However, all those years of watching over their region took a toll on the avatars¡¯ bodies. At some point, it was easier for the avatar to create a younger version of herself by giving birth to a daughter, and then that daughter would take over the avatar¡¯s duties.


    Goddesses have a certain base level of magical power. That power bes greater the more followers the goddess has. When people build temples, shrines, statues in the likeness of the goddess, or even make offerings, the goddess, and by extension her avatar, bes more powerful. In return, the goddess offers blessings and prosperity to the people. It¡¯s a symbiotic rtionship.


    Of course, the reverse is also true. If people start to lose faith in the goddess, and stop worshiping her, she bes weaker and cannot offer as many blessings. It can be a downward spiral. People stop believing, the goddess cannot improve their lives, more people stop believing. This happens often when there is chaos in people¡¯s lives - like drought, famine, earthquakes, and war.


    There is also the situation where people start asking the goddess for unfair advantages, like helping to defeat their enemies. It was a total disaster when that happened, so the goddesses adopted the rule of non-interference in worldly affairs.


    This also extended to the individual level. The goddess avatars are human, and thus subject to human needs and desires. In order to keep focused on their duties, the goddesses also agreed to stay celibate for life, and only have daughters on their own. They were not to have children fathered by other men, since that would cause too manyplications.¡±


    ¡°Heh,¡± said Amara. ¡°Complications indeed.¡±


    Leiyu gave her a look but said nothing.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Amara,¡± said Suiling. ¡°I don¡¯t really know what happened with your mother or why she chose to abandon her duties.¡±


    ¡°As you said, human desires,¡± Amara replied.


    ¡°I suppose the Fire Goddess has always had a more ¡­fiery¡­disposition.¡±


    ¡°Just imagine, Leiyu,¡± said Amara, ¡°if my mother had followed the rules, I would have also been a priestess on a mountain. Doomed to a life of solitude, until I had a little daughter of my own.¡± She looked at him solemnly. ¡°Then I wouldn¡¯t have been able to meet you¡­¡±


    Leiyu was stunned into silence.


    ¡°You make it sound like such a horrible thing,¡± said Suiling. ¡°That¡¯s how all the avatars lived for centuries.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s your daughter?¡± asked Amara. ¡°When we visited the Wind Priestess, she had a little girl already.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have one eventually. Although living in seclusion has slowed down my aging considerably, so there is no rush.¡± Suiling suddenly thought of something else. ¡°Actually, there is an exception. The Earth Priestess is not known to have daughters. She conceals her face so no one knows what she looks like or how old she is. It is possible that she is immortal. She is also known as the Goddess of Life and Death.¡±


    ¡°She cursed my mother to die slowly over the years.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry you had to experience that. I suppose it was in response to the Fire Priestess having a hand in the destruction of cities in the Southern Region.¡±


    ¡°How would she have done that anyway? I was a baby then. Wouldn¡¯t she have been taking care of me and not fighting on the battlefield?¡±


    ¡°A goddess avatar can use her powers directly or indirectly. If she blessed the soldiers and their weapons, they could fight with a strength greater than ordinary mortals.¡±


    ¡°And in turn, the soldiers would make offerings to her to show their devotion, which would feed back into her power?¡±


    ¡°Something like that.¡±


    ¡°A feedback loop¡­So when she was cursed, she could no longer continue to support the soldiers through her powers? Which would cause them to stop winning every battle until they stopped altogether?¡±


    ¡°That would seem to make sense.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    ¡°Besides the soldiers, the ordinary people of the Western Region would also be affected by the loss of the Fire Priestess¡¯ powers. Their lives might start worsening, and then they¡¯d start losing faith as well.¡± She took another breath. ¡°This is not the first conflict between goddesses. The goddess avatars have been around for centuries, and it has not always been civil. Nevertheless, no matter what happens, even if one avatar ends up destroying another and leaves her with no descendants, a new avatar will eventually be born, restoring the harmonious bnce.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Amara pondered for a while. ¡°Oh! I have another thing to ask!¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Leiyu has a suppression spell ced on him. Could you help him remove it? One of the Earth Priestess¡¯ minions ced it on him.¡±


    <i>Minion?</i> Leiyu thought in disbelief.


    ¡°He did the same to me when I was in my Thallios form, to keep me from turning into my current form.¡±


    <i>Thallios form?</i> Leiyu sighed.


    ¡°I did get the suppression spell removed by this other guy before I went back to rescue Leiyu though.¡±


    <i>Wait, what other guy?</i> Leiyu thought indignantly.


    ¡°I was wondering if you could do the same for Leiyu.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±


    Suiling sat on a rock with the <i>guqin</i> in herp. She strummed it and an energy wave was emitted from the instrument. Leiyu arched his back as he was hit by the iing wave. Silver threads materialized from his back and curled outward before disintegrating. A series of dark waves radiated outward from his body. He copsed forward.


    ¡°Leiyu!¡± Amara eximed. She ran over to help him up.


    Leiyu breathed heavily. ¡°It feels like my <i>qi</i> has be unblocked and is flowing freely through my meridians now¡­¡±


    ¡°Your <i>qi</i> is flowing through your what?¡± Amara asked in confusion.


    ¡°My life force is returning.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s good.¡±


    Leiyu kowtowed to Suiling. ¡°Thank you, mydy.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± she replied with a smile.


    ¡°Shall we go back?¡± Amara asked Leiyu.


    ¡°Yes, we can.¡±


    Leiyu and Amara walked through the forest.


    ¡°Amara, you said earlier that someone removed the suppression spell from you.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that. When you teleported me away, Inded in a marsh and met a pair of twins. A sister and a brother. They both had interesting powers. The sister could see auras and the brother could see things made from magic.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°They were outcasts actually. Kinda sad. It¡¯s because of how they looked. White hair and red eyes. People called them the Ghost Twins. The brother removed my suppression spell. They were quite nice. If I ever get a chance, I¡¯d like to introduce you to them.¡± She paused for a moment. ¡°Actually¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°I was thinking, the Earth Priestess has a grudge against me because of what my mother did. Maybe I should just meet with her and settle things.¡±


    His eyes widened. ¡°What? No!¡±


    She looked at him in confusion.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been running for so long, and now you just want to give yourself up?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯ll end all this. Then maybe things will go back to normal.¡±


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯ll let you live? I swore I¡¯d protect Thallios for life. And by extension, that means I¡¯ll protect you too!¡±


    ¡°Leiyu, you¡¯ve already been injured so badly. You just recovered.¡±


    He gritted his teeth. She had a point. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I just want you to be safe. We can stay here in this sanctuary if that¡¯s what it takes.¡±


    ¡°Other goddess avatars can enter this ce. The Earth Priestess might eventually find us here. This is the Water Priestess¡¯ sanctuary. We shouldn¡¯t wear out our wee as guests. Besides, wasn¡¯t your goal to travel the world? Do you really want to live here in seclusion for an entire lifetime? Won¡¯t you end up resentful after years of being tied down by a promise?¡±


    He was taken aback. ¡°Resentful?¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to feel burdened because of me.¡±


    ¡°Burdened?¡± He felt his heart palpitate. ¡°How could you¡­say that?¡±


    He reached his arms out toward her.


    ¡°Hm?¡± She looked at him, somewhat confused.


    He put his arms around her and pulled her in closer. ¡°You¡¯ll never be a burden to me¡­¡±


    ¡°...¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go¡­please¡­¡±


    ¡°Leiyu¡­¡±


    They stood in a silent embrace for a very long time, listening to the sound of each other¡¯s soft breathing and feeling the faint pounding of their mutual heartbeats.


    She looked up at him. ¡°We should head back to the cottage¡­¡±

 Chapter 27: Nighttime Conversations

    Dinner was a simple meal of rice and boiled edible nts foraged from the vicinity of the cottage. Amara and Leiyu sat on the floor before the low table, eating in awkward silence. When the food was finished and the dishes and utensils returned to the kitchen area, they went outside.


    Amara finally broke the silence. ¡°The sky is clear tonight. You can see the stars.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s getting colder,¡± Leiyu remarked as he noticed his breath was visible. ¡°Winter should be here soon.¡±


    ¡°Want to go back inside?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Inside the cottage, Amara sat on the bed and looked out the window. ¡°The moon is pretty big.¡±


    Leiyu sat down near her. ¡°Are you cold?¡±


    ¡°Just a little. I can generate internal heat to keep warm. Fire magic, you know¡­¡±


    Leiyu smiled.


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°Since my <i>qi</i> is unblocked now, it¡¯s easier for me to generate internal heat as well. Though this cottage is still pretty drafty.¡±


    Amara moved away from the window and sat closer to Leiyu. At that moment, a strong wind blew through the cottage and shook the rickety wooden roof beams. She was startled and trembled a bit. He picked up the nket lying on the bed and wrapped it around both of them.


    <i>Ah, this is familiar,</i> she thought, remembering how Leiyu had wrapped his cloak around Thallios in the Northern steppes when it was cold at night.


    ¡°Are you warmer now?¡± he asked.


    She smiled andughed. ¡°Leiyu, so scandalous!¡±


    Leiyu looked at her quizzically.


    ¡°Look at us, an unmarried man and woman getting so close.¡±


    Leiyu raised his eyebrow. ¡°Your physical form is not female¡­¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°Actually¡­now I¡¯m wondering. Is it the physical form or the mind that makes one male or female?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­good question. Perhaps there isn¡¯t a straightforward answer.¡±


    ¡°Like, right now, you see yourself as female.¡±


    ¡°Mm, yes, I am the avatar of the Fire Goddess, so that would make me female.¡±


    ¡°What about when you¡¯re Thallios?¡±


    ¡°When I¡¯m Thallios¡­I guess he thinks of himself as male since he is¡­or used to be a prince. Although it¡¯s rather circr, since he is a prince because he was born as a male. Although to be honest, I¡¯m not sure that Thallios really thinks too much about this. He grew up quite secluded from other people.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying everything is determined by the roles we y then?¡±


    ¡°I suppose. What about you?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Do you see yourself as male or female?¡±


    He became flustered. ¡°Well¡­I¡¯ve never thought of myself as female¡­.but I guess I¡¯ve never really given it much thought at all¡­¡±


    She leaned her head against his shoulder and nced at him through her eyshes. ¡°Maybe¡­it¡¯s not just one or the other. Maybe there¡¯s an in-between state¡­¡±


    He contemted this as he looked at her.


    After a while, Leiyu and Amara became tired from sitting upright, so theyid down on the bed next to each other with the nket covering them both.


    ¡°Leiyu, do you believe in fate?¡±


    ¡°Fate? What do you mean? Like prophecies?¡±


    ¡°Yes, prophecies. Or the whole idea that everything has already been predetermined and we¡¯re just following along.¡±


    ¡°I¡­I suppose if it exists, then it exists. But I don¡¯t personally like the idea that we have no agency over our lives.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Like, why bother with anything at all if someone has already nned it ahead of time? Why are any of us even here? Just to act out some story? And who wrote this story?¡±


    She grinned. ¡°You¡¯re quite bold.¡±


    He sighed and smiled. ¡°People might say I shouldn¡¯t think such things¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I like it.¡±


    ¡°Although, if I met you because of fate, then I don¡¯t object.¡±


    She smiled and moved towards him. He pulled her in closer and wrapped his arms around her. They stayed like this for a while, the heat circting between the two of them in the otherwise cold, drafty cottage.


    ¡°What do you think happens after we die?¡± she suddenly asked.


    He was taken aback. ¡°Why are you talking about this?¡±


    ¡°Not talking about our deaths in particr. More like in general. What happens to people after they pass on?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­in the Eastern Region, we believe in reincarnation. If someone has done good deeds in life, then they¡¯ll be reborn into a better life. Eventually they can escape the cycle of reincarnation and attain eternal peace. Likewise, if someone has done evil deeds in life, then they¡¯ll be reborn into a worse life. Maybe even be reborn as an animal.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being an animal?¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Nothing really. I guess there¡¯s just a hierarchy of existence.¡±


    ¡°But¡­the highest form of existence is to not exist at all?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­I guess. It¡¯s supposed to be an escape from suffering.¡±


    ¡°But life isn¡¯t all just suffering.¡±


    He gently caressed her face with his hand. ¡°No, it¡¯s not¡­¡±


    Her breath hitched and she felt tingles radiate from her face to the rest of her body. ¡°When people are reborn, do they remember their past lives?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not supposed to. It would be quite burdensome if they did. Although glimpses of it could appear in dreams.¡±


    ¡°What if two people were close in one life and were then reborn? Will they recognize each other in their new life? Or at least feel some kind of connection if they don¡¯t consciously remember?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­What about your beliefs? Or, what do they believe in the Western Region?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have reincarnation. You just get one life and that¡¯s it. After you die, you are taken to the afterlife, where you get¡­sorted¡­so to speak. If you¡¯ve done good deeds in life, you can retire to the beautiful golden fields for eternity. If you¡¯ve done evil deeds in life, then you¡¯ll be thrown to the dark, fiery pits, never toe out.¡±


    ¡°Sounds gruesome.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, yes¡­¡±


    She was suddenly very quiet.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if my parents made it to the golden fields¡­¡±


    He ran his hand through her hair and held her more tightly.


    After a while, he finally fell asleep. She opened her eyes and gently extricated herself from his arms, trying not to wake him up. Wrapping herself in a cloak, she left the cottage and headed deeper into the misty forest, not stopping until she found theke where they met Suiling earlier.


    Standing at theke¡¯s shore, she let her eyes wander over the water until she saw the pagoda. Suiling was still there, ying the <i>guqin</i>. After ying a few more melodious notes, she noticed Amara.


    Amara leapt in the air and glided across the water,nding in the pagoda.


    ¡°What brings you back?¡± Suiling asked. ¡°Couldn¡¯t sleep?¡±


    ¡°I have a favor to ask of you.¡±


    It was morning again. Amara and Leiyu went on their usual walk, exploring the forest. The usual mist that surrounded the forest had disappeared and they could see patches of blue sky peeking through the clouds above.


    Up ahead, they saw a wall. As they approached it, they noticed a circr opening in the wall.


    ¡°A moon gate?¡± said Leiyu. ¡°I¡¯ve seen these in paintings of wealthy people¡¯s gardens. Did a family used to live here?¡±


    ¡°Shall we take a look?¡± Amara suggested.


    They walked through the circr frame of the moon gate. Suddenly, the bright sky washed away and they were transported into a dark tunnel. Turbulent winds whipped through the air, threatening to blow them away. Leiyu reached out and grabbed Amara¡¯s hand. A circle of light up ahead zoomed toward them. As the circle passed through them, their surroundings became bright again. They were now standing in the middle of a mountain. Further up the mountain was a temple.


    Leiyu was confused and disoriented. ¡°Did we just get transported?¡±


    Amara let go of his hand. ¡°I guess we made it¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That should be the temple of the Earth Priestess over there.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He looked at her in shock. ¡°Earth Priestess? We¡¯ve been transported to the Southern Region? How¡­?¡±


    ¡°I asked the Water Priestess for a favorst night after you fell asleep.¡±


    <i>Last night¡­</i>


    ¡°Is there an easy way for me to get to the Earth Priestess from here?¡± Amara asked.


    ¡°There is a moon gate - a circr door - in the middle of the forest,¡± Suiling replied. ¡°I can link it to the mountain where the Earth Priestess¡¯ temple is.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Could I ask you for another favor?¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    ¡°I want Leiyu to be safe. Could he stay here? At least until I settle things with the Earth Priestess?¡±


    Suiling gave her an uneasy look. ¡°Since he is not a goddess avatar, he can¡¯t enter and leave the sanctuary on his own. If you do note back, he¡¯ll be trapped here.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­but you can let him out, right?¡±


    ¡°Goddess of Fire, do you really want me to be the one who tells him why you can¡¯te back?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Also, leaving him behind without telling him why would be incredibly cruel.¡±


    Amara sighed. ¡°You¡¯re right¡­I just didn¡¯t want him to be in harm¡¯s way.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very sweet that you¡¯re both so protective of each other, but you should not create misunderstandings. Just tell him¡­¡±


    ***


    ¡°What-?¡± Leiyu suddenly realized something. ¡°No! You¡¯re not nning to¡­.We talked about this!¡±


    ¡°I need to settle things with her¡­¡±


    Leiyu ced his hands on her shoulders. ¡°Why?! I told you it didn¡¯t matter if we had to hide away for the rest of our lives!¡± His voice grew louder in anguish. ¡°How could you just go behind my back and make this decision without telling me?!¡±


    Amara¡¯s lips trembled and tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Leiyu¡¯s expression softened and he thought he saw a few flecks of amber in her golden yellow eyes. <i>Thallios?</i> He gently cupped her face. ¡°No, <i>I¡¯m</i> sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to raise my voice at you.¡± He brushed away the tears that were starting to fall down her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­you¡¯ve been taking care of me all this time¡­it must have been stressful for you. I¡¯m recovered now so I can protect you and take care of you from now on. Let¡¯s just turn around and go back¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m going to see this through,¡± she insisted.


    He pulled her into an embrace. ¡°Amara¡­don¡¯t¡­¡±


    She put her arms around him and they stood still for a while. She then shifted position and held his cheek with her hand. ¡°You¡¯ve been so good to me this whole time¡­I¡¯ll never forget you¡­¡±


    He looked at her in confusion.


    ¡°Just wait here¡­I¡¯ll be back soon¡­if not in this lifetime, then the next one¡­¡±


    ¡°What-?¡± His eyes widened in fear as he realized the implication of what she was saying. ¡°No!¡±


    She cast a protective barrier around him.


    ¡°NO!!!¡± he screamed as he pounded against the inside of the barrier to no avail. ¡°Amara! Let me out!¡±


    ¡°This barrier will protect you as long as I am alive.¡±


    She started leaping toward the temple up the mountain.


    He started sobbing as he pounded futilely against the barrier.


    ¡°AMARA!!!¡±


    <b>Author¡¯s Notes</b>


    There is some irony in Leiyu¡¯s rant about fate (¡°Why are any of us even here? Just to act out some story? And who wrote this story?¡±) since he literally is a character in a story.


    Amara¡¯s description of the ¡°golden fields¡± and ¡°fiery pits¡± in the afterlife are loosely based on the Elysian Fields and Tartarus from Greek mythology.


    Although it seems odd for Amara to tell Leiyu that she¡¯ll never forget him right when she is about to face off with the Earth Priestess (with the implication that she might not return), one interpretation is that she is saying this as the Goddess of Fire, rather than as Amara, so no matter how many incarnations she goes through in the future, she will never forget him.

 Chapter 28: Final Battle

    Amara glided through the air, skipping from one rock ledge to another until shended on a teau. Before her was a long stone stairway leading up to the temple. The temple itself appeared to be carved directly from the mountain. Its walls were decorated with carvings of dancing figures, mythical creatures, and intricate floral designs.


    A strong gust of wind blew through the area. Amara closed her eyes and braced herself against the cloud of dust that stung her face and arms. After the dust cloud passed, she could hear the sound of cloth fluttering from above. Opening her eyes and directing her gaze to the top of the stairs, she saw the person that she had been seeking.


    The wraithlike figure wore a long ck flowing robe and a white mask. The eyes of the mask were hollow and dark as if the person underneath had no eyes at all.


    She was Samarian, the Earth Priestess.


    ¡°I sensed your presence¡­Goddess of Fire¡­¡± said Samarian.


    ¡°Well met, Goddess of Earth¡­¡± replied Amara.


    ¡°I¡¯m a bit surprised that you came here willingly, after being chased across regions for months.¡±


    ¡°Eh, running gets a bit tiring, and it¡¯s just prolonging the inevitable¡­¡± Amara then grew solemn. ¡°By the way, regarding that follower of yours that you sent after us, the one who seemed very devoted to you¡­¡±


    Samarian titled her masked face quizzically.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss¡­¡± said Amara.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°He was trying to harm mypanion Leiyu so I set my fire magic on him, but I didn¡¯t realize until Leiyu told me afterward that his family had been killed years ago by my father¡¯s armies when they invaded your region.¡± Amara took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that my parents¡¯ decisions caused him so much pain, and that I just added to it¡­I just hope he can rest in peace now¡­¡±


    Samarian regarded her in eerie silence before finally replying, ¡°He didn¡¯t die¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    <i>Many weeks ago¡­</i>


    After Amara dove into the river to rescue Leiyu, a badly burned and unconscious Astatiney on the ground. As the smoke curled away, Samarian materialized from above and floated downward to his side. She picked him up gently and effortlessly as if he was once again the orphaned child that she had rescued from the ruins of the destroyed vige twenty years before. Dark waves spiraled around and enveloped them before disintegrating, leaving nothing behind. She had teleported both of them back home to the temple in the Southern Region.


    ¡°I found him¡­¡± said Samarian. ¡°He was on thest threads of life, but still hanging on tenaciously¡­I brought him back here to heal¡­¡±


    Amara sighed in relief. ¡°That¡¯s good¡­I thought he had died. He threw Leiyu into the river and I had to go rescue him, so I didn¡¯t get a chance to see if your follower survived. I¡¯m d he did. I wish I could apologize to him in person¡­¡±


    Samarian stiffened. ¡°You are not to go near him¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course¡­I understand¡­Well, maybe you could just tell him that I¡¯m sorry for everything¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Samarian tilted her mask again. ¡°Very well¡­however, don¡¯t think that this lets you off the hook because he¡¯s still alive. You still have the blood of thousands on your hands¡­¡±


    ¡°On <i>my</i> hands? Or the previous version of me? I don¡¯t retain memories between avatars.¡±


    ¡°Heh, how convenient for you, Goddess of Fire¡­¡±


    ¡°You already cursed my mother to a slow death. Wasn¡¯t that enough?¡±


    ¡°No¡­her death was mercifulpared to what she subjected the people in my region to.¡± Samarian clenched her fists and her robe fluttered with a wrathful energy. ¡°Why did you have to marry that man, Goddess of Fire? He tempted you away from your duties and corrupted you, leading to all this destruction!¡±


    ¡°Heh, there you go again, speaking as if my mother and I are the same person!¡± Amara retorted. ¡°Also, you speak as if my mother was both a remorseless, destructive creature and a gullible young maiden who was just led astray by an evil man. It¡¯s like you can¡¯t make up your mind on whether to hate her or pity her.¡± She then lowered her voice. ¡°My mother and father loved each other, I know that for sure.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but they were awful to everyone else,¡± Samarian said coldly.


    Amara gritted her teeth. ¡°That¡¯s not true¡­And what about you? Are you so good, kind, and pure? You mourn the loss of innocent lives in your Southern Region. But what about the lives that were lost when your forces invaded the Western Region? Did you care about those lives?¡±


    ¡°I do notmand the Southern Region¡¯s forces. The decision to invade was made by the kings here.¡±


    ¡°But surely, you had some hand in it. I don¡¯t think you¡¯d merely sit in your temple,pletely idle. They wouldn¡¯t have been so sessful in their invasion if you didn¡¯t help them.¡±


    ¡°My only involvement is to lend spiritual support. If the soldiers pray for a victory, then I assist them by giving them the strength and confidence to fight on.¡±


    ¡°Ah, but it¡¯s all self-serving, isn¡¯t it? You give those soldiers the ¡®confidence¡¯ to fight, they win, they support you even more, your power grows, and then you feed that power back into them. Eventually, they be an unstoppable force of destruction burning their way through the Western Region. And you be ever more powerful as a goddess avatar.¡± Amara¡¯s eyes shed with anger. ¡°How is that not interfering with worldly affairs? You¡¯re just more sneaky about it. If you truly followed noninterference, you wouldn¡¯t help them at all. You¡¯re no better than the ones you condemn!¡±


    There was a long eerie silence between them.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you may be immortal, and that¡¯s why you never show your face, so no one knows how old you are,¡± Amara continued.


    ¡°How is that relevant?¡±


    ¡°Is that why you hold on to grievances, because you can never die? You don¡¯t get to start fresh with a clean te? All your memories just pile up over the centuries, millenia?¡±


    ¡°Be quiet, you insolent little girl!¡±


    Amaraughed. ¡°Ah, so now I¡¯m a little girl! Before that, I was the eternal Fire Goddess of unending destruction!¡±


    Samarian suddenly swiped her arm and emitted a st of energy. The st knocked Amara over and she slid back many feet, tearing a deep groove into the ground.


    Leiyu, who was still trapped inside the protective barrier further down the mountain, gasped.


    Amara beganughing maniacally while still lying on the ground. ¡°Hahaha, there she is, the true Goddess of Earth! You¡¯ve shown your true form! Just as vengeful and spiteful as anyone else!¡± Golden waves start to curl around her. She levitated to an upright position, hair blowing in the wind.


    Leiyu saw her glowing from a distance. ¡°Amara¡­¡±


    ¡°I will show you my true form as well!¡± Amara eximed gleefully to Samarian. The ruby on her forehead and her eyes began to glow. Golden threads curled around her body until she waspletely enveloped in a shimmering cocoon. Blinding light radiated outward and smoke curled around her.


    Leiyu had to close his eyes to protect them against the intense brightness. When he opened them again, he searched through the dissipating smoke to see where Amara had gone. When he spotted her, his heart nearly stopped.


    Amara was now wearing golden armor and long boots. Her figure looked more feminine and her flowing hair was now nearly the length of her body. She was wearing borate hair decorations with thin gold threads that flowed downward. A long, translucent shimmering sash flowed from her shoulders. In her hand, she held a longer version of her dagger sword.


    ¡°Amara¡­¡± Leiyu murmured.


    ¡°Heh, so you¡¯ve truly turned into the Goddess of Fire,¡± Samarian remarked.


    ¡°If you seek myplete destruction,¡± Amara replied in an unearthly voice, ¡°if that¡¯s what it will take to satisfy your need for vengeance, then let¡¯s get on with it!¡±


    ¡°Very well then¡­¡±


    Dark waves and smoke surrounded Samarian and enveloped her. They contracted inward, then shot out like lightning. When the smoke cleared, Samarian had also transformed. Her mask became more ornate and had a third eye on the forehead. Long ribbon-like strands dangled from her headgear. Her long ck robe fluttered in the wind. She wore metallic gloves and wielded two long scimitars.


    ¡°We¡¯ll fight,¡± Samarian said, ¡°but away from this temple.¡± With a wave of her hand, she cast a protective barrier around the temple.


    Amara and Samarian leapt off the teau and jumped to adjacent peaks. Leiyu strained his eyes to see them. After they had moved a far enough distance away, each goddess avatar stood perched on a separate narrow rock formation.


    Although it was still daytime, the sky darkened, and ominous clouds swirled above. Lightning streaked across the expanse of sharp jutting peaks.


    Amara charged her sword with fire magic. Her eyes glowed and ribbons of me surrounded her. Samarian held her scimitars up high and let the dark waves dance across the des. With neither saying a word, they both jumped off their rocky tforms and flew towards each other. They met in the middle and their des shed, unleashing a huge explosion of energy that tore through the surrounding mountains. Entire peaks copsed, raining down rocks and debris into the valleys below.


    Leiyu trembled within the protective barrier. He had never seen anything like this. <i>So, this is what a battle between two goddesses looks like.</i>


    The two avatars broke away from each other and flew backward in opposite directions until theynded on two opposing mountains. Samarian wrapped a veil of smoke around herself and disappeared into thin air, reappearing right before Amara, who held up her sword to block the two iing scimitars. Amara then pushed her sword forward to make Samarian fall back and drove the tip of her de into the ground, igniting the air and tearing up the ground with an expanding ball of me. Samarian used her energy to avoid being swallowed up by the massive inferno. More mountains crumbled to debris around them.


    ¡°Please stop fighting!¡± Leiyu cried from within the barrier. He felt so helpless and small amidst all the chaos. ¡°You¡¯ll both destroy everything!¡±


    The fighting continued for a while. The two avatars moved so fast that all their movements looked like a blur. des shed, and robes and sashes fluttered. Amara glided through the air with the lightness and grace of a dancer while Samarian¡¯s movements had a weightier ominousness.


    Samarian dug the des of her two scimitars into the ground, unleashing a wave of energy that snaked through the rocks and dirt, apanied by a shrill, terrifying sound that resembled the screams of a thousand souls. Amara winced at the macabre sound and Leiyu covered his ears and curled up, shuddering. More mountains crumbled.


    After the noises died down, the two avatars lunged toward each other again. They locked their des once more. Lightning spiraled around them and thunder roared. Amara stared at Samarian intensely and Samarian ¡°stared¡± back through her mask. Then, Amara said something to Samarian, which Leiyu could not hear because he was too far away.


    Amara broke away from Samarian and leapt backward to perch on a higher jutting rock column that was still standing. Samarian remained where she was, standing still to catch her breath. Amara held her sword out and leapt in the air, ready to attack. She flew downwards toward Samarian. Samarian dodged and leapt away. Amaranded on the rock that Samarian leapt off of, causing it to crumble. While Samarian was still in midair, she swiped her scimitars through the air and sent a st of energy toward Amara.


    Amara made a motion to block the attack, but the impact was too strong. She waspletely engulfed by the energy st. The ruby on her forehead and her golden hair pieces shattered.


    ¡°Amara!¡± Leiyu screamed.


    Amara closed her eyes and began to fall through the air. Her armor dissipated into golden threads and she returned to her normal form with ordinary clothes and waist-length hair.


    The protective barrier around Leiyu flickered and shattered like ss. The shards disintegrated into the air.


    <i>Why did the barrier break?</i> Leiyu thought. <i>Is it because-</i>


    <i>¡°This barrier will protect you as long as I am alive.¡±</i> That was what Amara had told him earlier.


    His eyes widened in realization. ¡°NOOOOO!!!¡± He ran forward and leapt off the mountain. He could see her motionless body falling through the air. ¡°AMARA!!!¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Leaping from rock to rock at lightning-fast speed, he jumped up and caught her in midair. He held her closely as they fell into the abyss below.

 Chapter 29: The Abyss

    Leiyunded softly on his feet at the bottom of the abyss. He cradled Amara in his arms. Gone was the all-powerful Fire Goddess that he had just witnessed moments ago. She now seemed so delicate and fragile.


    <i>Her qi¡­ why can¡¯t I feel anything?</i> His heart raced and his breathing was erratic. ¡°Amara! Amara! Wake up! Please!¡±


    Shimmering specks of light began to leave her body and float in the air. They looked like fireflies, but Leiyu knew that they were the remnants of her life force. In desperation, he reached out his hand and tried to catch them, but he knew it was futile. They floated further away into the sky.


    His lips quivered and his eyes watered. The pain and turmoil in his chest was unbearable. He felt like his heart was being torn apart. The tears began to spill over and ran down his face. ¡°Amara¡­¡±


    A montage of images shed through his mind. Ishkhandar¡­the pce¡­the Summer Festival¡­escaping into the wilderness¡­the Northern steppes¡­his hometown¡­the cottage in the Water Priestess¡¯ sanctuary where they had lived peacefully for weeks¡­


    ¡°Thallios¡­¡± Leiyu held the lifeless body in his arms and sobbed. ¡°Why¡­? Why did it have to end up like this? I couldn¡¯t even protect you¡­¡±


    He heard a sound behind him and turned quickly.


    Samarian hadnded near them. She had reverted to her normal form with a in white mask and simple ck robes.


    He looked up at her and trembled. He unsheathed his sword with one hand and held it before him. His other hand pulled Amara even closer to him.


    ¡°Don¡¯te near!¡± he warned. ¡°You can¡¯t take her away!¡±


    She paused and stared down at him through her emotionless mask. ¡°Why would I need to take her away?¡±


    He looked at her in confusion and kept his sword up.


    ¡°She is already gone,¡± said Samarian. ¡°The score is settled¡­The Fire Goddess¡¯ spirit has beenpletely shattered and will scatter to the four corners of the world¡­¡±


    His eyes widened.


    ¡°Many years from now, her spirit will be reborn in a new person - a new vessel,¡± Samarian exined.


    He stared at her incredulously.


    ¡°Hopefully the new Fire Goddess avatar will follow the rules and keep to her duties¡­¡±


    His breathing became more erratic and he felt an increasing sense of agitation. ¡°The score is settled¡­? A new vessel¡­? In the end, it all goes back to the same thing¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­the harmonious bnce will be restored¡­¡±


    Hepletely lost it. ¡°**** you!!! **** all these ************* rules! **** all of this!¡±


    She was taken aback. ¡°You dare speak like this to a goddess avatar?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care! Amara¡­Thallios¡­they¡¯re dead¡­I couldn¡¯t even keep my promise to protect them¡­¡± He dropped his sword onto the ground and copsed into uncontroble sobbing. Holding Amara tightly, his voice faltered. ¡°Just kill me now¡­there¡¯s no reason for me to live anymore¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Samarian stood still for the longest moment, and then finally approached him. She ced her hand on his shoulder.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    His eyes shot wide open when he felt a sharp pain run through his body as if something was being ripped from his very soul. The pain was followed by an overwhelming sense of numbness.


    <i>I feel my qi leaving my body¡­</i>he thought. <i>I guess this really is the end¡­</i>


    He closed his eyes and fell to his side, still holding onto Amara.


    <i>Perhaps we will meet again in the next life¡­</i>he thought as thest of his tears trickled down his face.


    As he felt himself lose consciousness, he could hear the faint murmur of a voice he had not heard for many weeks.


    ¡°Leiyu¡­¡±


    Leiyu felt someone clutching his sleeves weakly. That voice¡­ He opened his eyes and looked at the person in his arms.


    ¡°Ama-¡± He stopped when he saw a pair of half-open amber eyes gazing up at him. ¡°Thallios?¡±


    ¡°Leiyu¡­you¡¯re here¡­¡± Thallios whispered.


    ¡°Thallios? Y-you¡¯re alive?¡± Leiyu tried to sit back up, although his body felt weak and tired. He turned to Samarian. ¡°Did you bring Thallios back to life?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Samarian replied. ¡°I am also known as the Goddess of Life and Death. I borrowed some of your life force to revive him¡­¡±


    Leiyu¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. cing Thallios gently on the ground, he leaned forward and kowtowed deeply to her. ¡°Thank you, mydy! Thank you!¡± His tears spilled onto the ground. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what I said earlier¡­please forgive me¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Samarian sighed behind her mask. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I understood your¡­anguish¡­¡± She looked directly at Leiyu. ¡°He is still very weak though, so you¡¯ll need to take good care of him until his life force ispletely restored. You have also been weakened by the life force transfer, so you¡¯ll also have to take care of yourself as well.¡±


    Leiyu looked up at her. ¡°Why did you end up helping me?¡±


    She hesitated before speaking. ¡°I also made a promise¡­¡±


    <i>Earlier during the battle¡­</i>


    Amara and Samarian locked des and stared each other down. Neither avatar was willing to yield. They were surrounded by lightning and the roar of thunder.


    Amara then began to speak. ¡°We¡¯re at a stalemate, you know¡­if we keep fighting at full strength, the whole mountain, your temple and followers, and my Leiyu will be destroyed¡­¡±


    Samarian stared at her nkly through her three-eyed mask.


    ¡°I have a proposal¡­¡± said Amara.


    Samarian tilted her mask.


    ¡°Since you just want me dead,¡± Amara continued, ¡°why don¡¯t I just let you win?¡±


    Samarian was taken aback. ¡°Why¡­would you do that?¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll finally get what you want and we can end this. So we don¡¯t end up taking the whole world down with us! I can even attack first, and then give you an opening, so it will seem like you¡¯re only acting in self-defense.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°If I let you win though, you¡¯ll have to promise me something in return¡­¡±


    ¡°What would that be?¡±


    ¡°If I die by your hands, do not let Leiyu kill himself or die of grief¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°But he won¡¯t want to live on without the person who is most precious to him, so¡­¡± Amara stared at her with great intensity. ¡°Give Thallios back to him¡­¡±


    ¡°Give¡­? How?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the Goddess of Life and Death! You can figure out a way!¡± Amara paused. ¡°Do you promise?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Samarian looked at her in disbelief but acquiesced. ¡°Very well¡­I promise¡­¡±


    ¡°Good¡­¡± Amara took a breath. ¡°If you break your promise and Leiyu dies because of this¡­I will haunt you in the next life¡­¡±


    Samarian gave her a look.


    ¡°¡­and the life after that¡­¡± Amara continued.


    There was an awkward silence.


    ¡°¡­and every life until the end of time!¡±


    Samarian stared at her uneasily. She finally spoke. ¡°I will keep my promise¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± said Leiyu after Samarian finished her story, ¡°sounds very much like Amara¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­she is the Fire Goddess after all¡­¡± Samarian replied. ¡°But aside from that, I was also moved by your devotion to your precious person¡­such that you would even curse at a goddess and not care about preserving your own life. It rivals the devotion of even my most ardent followers¡­¡±


    She turned to walk away but then paused and looked back at them over her shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ve been given a second chance at life¡­take care of yourselves¡­¡±


    She leapt into the air and flew upwards and away.


    Leiyu stared up for a long time until she was no longer visible. Feeling thoroughly exhausted, he crawled over to Thallios andy down next to him. Thallios¡¯ eyes had closed but he was still breathing. Leiyuy there for a while before he remembered something. He reached into his sleeve and took out the tracking talisman that Anying had given to him many weeks before.


    ¡°If you¡¯re ever in need of help, just activate this, and I¡¯ll find you.¡±


    Leiyu waved his hand over the swirling script on the talisman and it began to glow. Light emerged from it and surged toward the sky. He looked up until the light dissipated.


    He heard a soft stirring and turned back toward Thallios, who had now opened his eyes slightly. Thallios gazed at him and opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but was too fatigued to go on. Leiyu¡¯s expression softened and he gently caressed Thallios¡¯ face. Thallios leaned toward him slightly and Leiyu wrapped his arm around him, holding him close. He smiled weakly, fatigue also overtaking him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he reassured Thallios, ¡°We¡¯ll be going home soon¡­¡±


    <b>Author¡¯s Note</b>


    I decided to leave Leiyu¡¯s cursing to Samarian up to the reader¡¯s interpretation :)


    Although Leiyu tells Thallios that they will be going ¡°home¡±, they have been traveling for months and do not actually have a permanent home to return to. Leiyu could be speaking more metaphorically (¡°home¡± is any ce where they can settle down and feel safe and secure) or he just considers the Eastern Region to be home, even though he originally wanted to leave it to see the world.

 Chapter 30: After the Dust Settled

    <i>Two monthster¡­</i>


    Inside an inn room, Leiyu watched over a sleeping Thallios. Thallios had been lying in bed all day, drifting in and out of his waking state. Leiyu spent most of his time seated in a wooden chair by his side.


    There was a knock on the door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Leiyu said.


    Anying entered the room carrying a bag. ¡°I got more food and the medicine you requested.¡± He nced at the bed. ¡°How is he?¡±


    ¡°Better. He¡¯s recovering slowly.¡± Leiyu took the bag from Anying. ¡°Thank you for all your help.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re <i>shixiong</i> and <i>shidi</i>. We¡¯re supposed to help each other out.¡±


    <i>Two months prior, right after Leiyu activated the tracking talisman...</i>


    Anying was in the countryside somewhere in the Eastern Region when he felt something in his sleeve. He took out his tracking talisman, which was paired with the one he gave to Leiyu. A ball of light was emitted from it and floated into the air.


    ¡°Leiyu?¡± said Anying. He began to follow the ball of light as it glided across the fields.


    ¡°It was quite a challenge finding you since I had to go across one region and into another,¡± said Anying. ¡°But if you were in danger, I had to keep going.¡±


    <i>Two weekster after activating the tracking talisman¡­</i>


    Leiyu had managed to find his way out of the abyss after Samarian left. Since he was in unfamiliar territory and had no idea where to go, he just wandered while carrying Thallios on his back. At night, they would take shelter in caves he found or just sleep out in the open if he could not find anything else. He was in a weakened state and did not want to push himself too much, especially since he needed to take care of Thallios. Oftentimes, his only goal was to get enough food for both of them to eat for the day.


    One day, while walking down a dusty rural road carrying Thallios on his back, Leiyu saw someone up ahead walking in their direction. Since they had not encountered anyone else on this stretch of road for days, he strained his eyes to see whether the approaching person would be a threat.


    ¡°Leiyu<i>-shixiong</i>!¡± the person called out. He began to run towards them.


    Leiyu¡¯s eyes opened wide.


    ¡°<i>Shidi¡­</i>¡± he breathed.


    Anying ran up to them and stopped to catch his breath. ¡°<i>Shixiong!</i> How did you end up here?¡± He then saw Thallios being carried on Leiyu¡¯s back. ¡°Oh no! What happened to the prince? Is he¡­still alive?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but he is very weak right now. We need to get him somewhere safe so he can recover.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story. I¡¯ll tell youter.¡±


    Leiyu ced the bag Anying had given him onto the table in the middle of the room.


    ¡°What about your other <i>shixiong</i>?¡± he asked Anying.


    ¡°Ah, Jianyi? Haven¡¯t seen him since I left to go find you. Not a huge loss really¡­his temper was getting to be too much to deal with.¡±


    ¡°Well, I hope he finds some inner peace someday.¡±


    ¡°Heh, that¡¯s really up to him.¡± Anying looked at Thallios. ¡°What will you do after he recovers?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe just hang out around here for a while. We¡¯ve been running for so long, it would be nice to just stay put and rest for once. Although, we¡¯re going to run out of money soon, and I can¡¯t keep relying on your generosity.¡±


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about it! I¡¯ll help out as long as you need! I can even help you find work. Just let me know when you¡¯re ready.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, <i>shidi</i>.¡±


    ¡°Anytime! Anyway, I need to go out for a bit. I¡¯ll see youter.¡±


    Anying left the room and Leiyu turned back to Thallios. Thallios continued to sleep.


    Later that day, Thallios woke up. He tried to sit up but found it difficult to move. Leiyu, who was curled up in the chair next to him, also woke up.


    ¡°Thallios! You¡¯re awake!¡± Leiyu eximed. ¡°Let me help you.¡± He took Thallios¡¯ arm and gently helped him to a seated position.


    ¡°Thank you, Leiyu¡­¡± Thallios murmured. ¡°How long was I sleeping?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been drifting in and out of sleep for thest few days. You¡¯re only half awake when I give you food.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What have I been eating?¡±


    ¡°Cooled soup mostly. Do you want any more? I can have the kitchen bring up a fresh batch. Anying also gave us some steamed buns and fruit.¡±


    Thallios smiled weakly and then noticed something. He touched his forehead.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°What happened to the ruby that used to be here?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Oh¡­it must have broken when you were fighting with the Earth Priestess. You no longer had it after the battle was over.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Thallios looked a bit pensive. ¡°I guess it¡¯s all right¡­mother said to always wear it for protection, but the danger has passed now. It has served its purpose¡­¡±


    ¡°How much do you remember of what happened? You were Amara for the longest time.¡±


    ¡°I remember most of it - I¡¯m getting better at retaining my memories of what goes on when I be Amara. Although it felt like I was watching my own life through a window while standing in a darkened room.¡±


    ¡°That sounds¡­quite poetic¡­¡±


    Thallios smiled, but then became more solemn. ¡°Leiyu¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Did I really die that day?¡±


    Leiyu shuddered as an unpleasant chill ran through his body. He had to look away for a moment to regain hisposure. Once he calmed down, he turned back to Thallios and said, ¡°Yes¡­but you¡¯re alive now, that¡¯s all that matters¡­¡±


    <i>Some weekster¡­</i>


    Leiyu entered the inn room in the evening. The room was dimly lit by a candlemp on the table.


    ¡°Thallios, I brought back some food-¡±


    There was no one in the room. Leiyu felt a slight panic and looked around.


    ¡°Thallios?¡±


    He saw that the doors to the balcony were slightly open. cing the food on the table, he walked out onto the balcony. Thallios was standing there with his arms against the railing, wearing only a thin inner robe and pants.


    ¡°Thallios?¡±


    Thallios had his back facing Leiyu. ¡°You can see the city from here!¡± he eximed.


    Leiyu walked up to him. Thallios turned around and smiled.


    Leiyu was suddenly reminded of the first day they had met. They had been looking at the city of Ishkhandar from the rooftop garden in the pce and Thallios had been smiling the same way. There was something very beautiful about it.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± Leiyu took off his cloak and ced it on Thallios¡¯ shoulders.


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Thallios replied, wrapping the cloak tightly around himself. ¡°Why are you always so good to me, Leiyu?¡±


    ¡°Because¡­I love you¡­¡±


    Thallios¡¯ eyes widened.


    Leiyu realized what he had just said out loud and covered his mouth with his hand. ¡°Oh¡­¡± His face began to flush. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­that was too forward of me¡­¡± He turned around quickly and walked back into the inn room.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Thallios called after him. He ran inside and saw Leiyu heading towards the door. ¡°Leiyu, wait!¡± He ran up to him and grasped his sleeve. ¡°Leiyu¡­¡±


    Leiyu turned towards him. Thallios puts his hand on Leiyu¡¯s cheek. ¡°Leiyu¡­I¡­I love you too¡­¡±


    They stared at each other for the longest moment. Thallios stood on his toes and moved in closer until their faces almost touched. They could both feel each other¡¯s soft breaths.


    Leiyu leaned down, gently wrapped his arms around Thallios, and pulled him into a kiss.


    A sudden gust of wind from outside blew through the balcony doors.


    The me in the candlemp flickered and went out.

 Chapter 31: After the Candle Went Out

    <i>Content Warning: Descriptions of intimacy</i>


    In the twilight of the inn room, Leiyu and Thallios held each other in a tight embrace. Thallios¡¯ lips were soft and the faint sound he made when their kiss deepened sent pleasant shivers through Leiyu¡¯s body. They pulled away from each other briefly to catch their breaths.


    Leiyu gently cupped Thallios¡¯ face and kissed him again. Thallios ran his fingers along thepels of Leiyu¡¯s robe and settled his hands around his waist. The cloak that Leiyu had put on him earlier slipped off his shoulders.


    Thallios led Leiyu to the bed. They sat on the mattress and continued kissing. Leiyu ran his fingers through Thallios¡¯ hair and began to kiss down Thallios¡¯ neck. Thallios¡¯ breath hitched and he felt tingles all over. Leiyu put his hand behind Thallios¡¯ head and gentlyid him down on the bed. Thallios¡¯ auburn hair flowed over the mattress.


    Leiyu tugged at the end of the sash that was wrapped around Thallios¡¯ waist. ¡°May I?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Thallios breathed.


    Leiyu slowly undid the sash around Thallios¡¯ waist and opened up his inner robe. He leaned over and kissed Thallios again, then began to move downward, kissing his neck and corbone. Thallios gasped from the sensations. Leiyu then continued, kissing a trail over Thallios¡¯ torso.


    ¡°Leiyu¡­¡± Thallios whispered with erratic breaths.


    Leiyu leaned over and kissed him on the lips again. Thallios slipped his hands between thepels of Leiyu¡¯s robes and ran his fingers along the firm muscles of his abdomen.


    Leiyu¡¯s breath hitched as he felt tingles run through his body. ¡°Thallios¡­¡±


    Their clothes were now all on the floor and theyid on the bed in a tight embrace.


    ¡°Thallios,¡± Leiyu whispered as he caressed Thallios¡¯ face. ¡°You¡¯re still recovering so we shouldn¡¯t do anything too strenuous.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all right,¡± Thallios smiled. ¡°This feels nice, just holding each other.¡±


    They kissed each other again.


    ¡°Leiyu?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°How long ago¡­did you fall in love with me?¡±


    Leiyu softened his expression and ran his fingers through Thallios¡¯ hair. ¡°Since¡­maybe the first day¡­¡±


    Thallios¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°Oh wow¡­that long ago¡­?¡±


    Leiyu smiled. ¡°I think so¡­although I didn¡¯t understand my feelings back then¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­you¡¯ve never been in love before?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°When I was growing up, I found it difficult to form attachments in general. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m an orphan. Even when I was living with <i>Shifu</i> and my martial brothers, I regarded every one of them with a sense of detachment.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°But when I saw you on the first day in the throne room, I felt something different. Actually¡­I originally thought you were a princess¡­¡±


    Thallios chuckled. ¡°And when you found out that I wasn¡¯t?¡±


    Leiyu smiled. ¡°I was very embarrassed¡­I thought you¡¯d be angry¡­but you were kind to me instead.¡±


    Thallios reached over and caressed Leiyu¡¯s face. ¡°I was drawn to you as well. I noticed you looking at me on that first day, so I was curious about you.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­and before I showed up¡­have you ever¡­?¡±


    ¡°Been in love? Haha, no¡­I didn¡¯t even have friends¡­there was no one close to my age in the pce. Even if there was, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to interact with them in a casual way.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­because you were the prince?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­I thought you might have been lonely when you asked me to stay with you that night on the rooftop¡­¡±


    Thallios took Leiyu¡¯s hand and sped their fingers together. ¡°I was...but now I¡¯m not lonely anymore¡­¡±


    Leiyu smiled and kissed him.


    ¡°Although I did feel somewhat sad that night we were in the city for the Summer Festival, after I asked you how long you¡¯d stay before traveling again. I thought that once you left with the caravan, I¡¯d never see you again.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­I remember you did look a bit unhappy when we had to return to the pce. I thought about that even days afterward¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°I actually thought that I¡¯d try to find a way toe back the year after, either with the same merchants or a different caravan.¡±


    Thalliosughed softly. ¡°You really thought about doing that?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Thallios smiled.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Leiyu brushed the stray strands of Thallios¡¯ hair away from his face. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to worry, I¡¯ll always be with you from now on.¡±


    Leiyu leaned in and kissed him again. Thallios wrapped his arms around Leiyu¡¯s back. They melted into each other¡¯s embrace, the warmth of their bodies guarding against the coldness of the night.

 Chapter 32: Epilogue

    <i>The next day¡­</i>?


    Leiyu and Thallios walked along the verdant countryside, breathing in the crisp morning air. A majestic backdrop of mountains stood in the distance.


    Thallios stared at his hands. ¡°What a pity¡­my powers are all gone now. When Amara left, the fire magic left with her¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, you might be able to get them back someday,¡± Leiyu reassured him. ¡°I can help you train.¡±


    Thallios smiled.


    Leiyu reached out and caressed Thallios¡¯ cheek.


    ¡°Thallios¡­.¡±


    ¡°Mm?¡±N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°Do you want to settle down somewhere?¡±


    ¡°Settle down?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been running from ce to ce for more than half a year. It must be exhausting for you. Do you want to just find somece nice and quiet and live there together? We could create a real home¡­¡±


    Thallios smiled. ¡°Leiyu¡­¡± He reached out and touched Leiyu¡¯s cheek. ¡°I know you like to travel¡­¡±


    ¡°But, I don¡¯t have to-¡±


    ¡°Anywhere you go, I¡¯ll go¡­That¡¯s a good enough home for me¡­¡±


    Leiyu smiled and embraced Thallios. They kissed.


    <i>Thallios, I will love and protect you forever¡­</i>


    The End


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