The rise&fall

The morning sun filtered gently through the tree canopy, casting dappled shadows across the trail. The woods were calm, birds chirping softly above them. The cool breeze made the journey feel lighter—almost peaceful.

"Finally," Gogjen said, taking in a deep breath. "A walk that doesn't start with an ambush or end in a hospital."

Rangi laughed lightly. "Let's not jinx it."

Huwue let her hand brush along the ferns as they walked. "This place feels... alive. And safe."

"Which is probably exactly why it won't be," Leeyang muttered under his breath.

Up ahead, the trail opened into a modest clearing. A tiny hamlet rested at the edge of the forest — a few cottages built with stone and clay, smoke curling from a single chimney.

There, standing beside a post carved with flame symbols, was an old man dressed in muted robes. His silver hair was tied back, and he leaned calmly on a wooden staff.

As they approached, he stepped forward.

"I've been expecting you," he said.

They all paused. Gogjen's hand instinctively went to his belt.

The old man chuckled softly. "No need for weapons. I am Long Yi — of the Long Clan of the United Nation of Fire."

Rangi's eyes narrowed. "Long Yi... that name sounds familiar."

"You may know my nephew. Longchen," the old man said, his voice dipping with warmth.

At once, silence fell over the group.

Rangi looked down. Gogjen's playful expression faded. Leeyang tensed.

"He... he was ordered to be arrested," Rangi said finally. "By Zhurong Lady Leevanta."

Long Yi lowered his head. "So it's true."

"Wait," Gogjen said, eyes sharp now. "You said you were expecting us?"

Long Yi nodded. "Your mother, Rangi, sent me."

Rangi blinked. "My mother?"

"Yes. She feared that the moment you left the Capital, you'd become targets. She asked me to find you and guide you to someone she trusts."

"And who's that?" Leeyang asked cautiously.

"Lady Shishu," he answered. "She believes she knows the supposed whereabouts of the Dragon Blade."

They all exchanged glances.

"You mean the legendary blade of fire?" Gogjen asked, half-joking.

"The very same," Long Yi said calmly. "But legends are just echoes of truth."

He turned, motioning for them to follow him toward the small house at the edge of the hamlet.

Inside, the cottage was modest but filled with warmth — scrolls on the walls, a soft rug underfoot, and a kettle steaming in the hearth.

They sat, and Long Yi poured them each a cup of jasmine tea.

---

"Lady Shishu has lived in self-exile for years now," Long Yi began. "After the war and the fall of the old fire dynasty, she disappeared. But she remained in contact with a few… trusted individuals."

"And she knows where the blade is?" Huwue asked.

"She believes so," he replied. "Your grandfather — Rangi and Gogjen — once wielded the Dragon Blade."

That revelation brought silence again.

"He passed it to his son, Huan — your father. But it was lost during the final battle of the Fifth Great Saibia War."

Rangi's hands trembled slightly around her teacup. "Why didn't anyone ever tell us?"

"Because history is often rewritten by those in power," Long Yi said gently. "And some blades carry more than just fire — they carry fear."

Leeyang leaned forward. "So what does Shishu want with us?"

"She believes the blade calls to the descendants of those who once wielded it," Long Yi said. "It may still lie where it fell — or it may have moved. But only those with blood ties can awaken it."

They sat in thoughtful silence, the weight of destiny settling around them.

"We leave at dawn," Long Yi said softly. "You'll need rest. The path to Zhen'er Temple is hidden — and watched."

As they sipped their tea, something shifted in the air.

The journey had truly begun.

And the fire that once forged empires… was calling them home.