Chapter 4: Seeds of Doubt

The day had felt unnaturally long, the hours dragging by as if they were weighed down by the very thoughts that churned in Lan Wei's mind. He sat by the forest's edge, staring at the crimson shard in his hands. Its faint red light flickered softly, like a heartbeat—constant, yet distant.

What am I supposed to do with you? he thought for the thousandth time.

He let out a quiet sigh and rubbed his thumb over the smooth surface of the shard. There was something unsettling about it. He'd felt a strange pull to the shard ever since he found it, a connection that made no sense. It wasn't just curiosity anymore; it was as though something deep inside him was drawn to the object, though he couldn't explain why.

I didn't ask for this, he thought, his brow furrowing. Why did it have to be me?

Lan Wei tossed the shard gently in the air, watching the light shift and shimmer as it spun. He caught it easily, his fingers curling around it. Despite how much it bothered him, he never seemed able to let it go.

"I don't understand," he muttered to himself. "None of this makes sense."

The more he thought about it, the more questions crowded his mind. Why had his family protected this shard for generations? Why had no one been able to unlock its power? And why did it feel like fate had thrown him into the middle of something far beyond his understanding?

Lan clenched his fist around the shard, staring out into the trees. The usual peace he found in the forest wasn't there today. Instead, there was only the weight of confusion pressing down on him, like a cloud that refused to clear.

Back at the Village

Lan Wei walked slowly back toward his family's home, his steps heavy, his mind a blur of questions. His father's words still echoed in his ears—about the shard, about fate, about their family's burden. It felt like too much, like a puzzle with pieces that didn't fit together.

When he reached the house, his mother was tending to his father, her movements quiet and practiced. His father lay in bed, eyes closed, his breathing shallow. The sight of his father in such a fragile state sent a pang of helplessness through Lan Wei's chest.

He stood in the doorway for a moment, just watching, feeling more disconnected from everything around him than ever before. The weight of the shard in his satchel felt heavier now, like it was tied to something he couldn't yet see.

As his mother moved to fetch water, Lan quietly approached his father's bedside. The soft crackle of the fire was the only sound in the room. He stared down at his father's peaceful face, the lines of age and illness etched deep into his skin.

I wish I could do something, he thought, biting the inside of his cheek. But I don't know what.

For a moment, he considered waking his father, asking him more about the shard. But what would that accomplish? His father was too weak, too frail to give him the answers he needed. And even if he could, would the answers change anything?

Lan shook his head and left the room. The questions were swirling too fast in his mind, and he wasn't ready to face them yet.

At the Stream

The small stream near the village had always been a place of comfort for Lan Wei. The gentle rush of water, the coolness of the air, the soft sounds of the forest surrounding him—it usually helped clear his mind. But today, even the stream offered no solace.

Lan crouched near the water's edge, staring at his reflection in the rippling surface. His face looked the same, but something in his eyes had changed. There was a tightness there, a sense of unease that hadn't been there before. He could see it in the way his brows furrowed, in the slight clench of his jaw.

"I don't understand any of this," he said aloud, his voice barely above a whisper. "Why do I feel so... lost?"

His words were swallowed by the sound of the rushing water, but speaking them aloud didn't make him feel any better. It only reinforced the weight of his confusion.

He picked up a small stone and tossed it into the stream, watching the ripples spread across the surface. "What am I supposed to do with this shard? What does it even mean? Why did it choose me?"

Lan ran a hand through his hair, frustration building slowly in his chest. He wasn't used to feeling this way—so uncertain, so... powerless. His whole life, he had been in control of his small world. He knew the people around him, he knew the rhythms of the village, the comforts of home. But now, everything was shifting, and he didn't know how to stop it.

"Maybe Mei knows more than she's letting on," he muttered, kicking a pebble into the water. "She always acts like she understands everything, like none of this bothers her."

He paused, the thought lingering. Does she know something? Is there more she's not telling me?

Lan clenched his fists, staring down at the stream. His thoughts drifted back to Mei's words, her calm detachment whenever they talked about power and the world beyond the village. She never seemed worried about anything, never seemed to care about the things that weighed on him.

"What if she's right?" he whispered to himself. "What if power really is the only thing that matters?"

The thought made him uncomfortable, but it stuck with him. He had always believed in kindness, in doing what was right. But lately, those beliefs felt flimsy, like they weren't enough to protect the people he cared about. If power was the only way to change things, to make things better, then... then what?

Lan shook his head quickly, trying to push the thought away. No, that's not me. That's not what I believe.

But the doubt remained, a small seed planted in his mind.

Later That Night

Lan Wei lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, the faint glow of the fire casting flickering shadows on the walls. The shard was resting on the table beside him, its light dim but steady.

He closed his eyes, trying to let sleep take him, but the questions wouldn't stop. His mind kept circling back to the same thoughts, over and over again.

What if I'm not strong enough to handle this? What if I can't protect my family? What if...

He sighed and opened his eyes, turning his head to look at the shard. Its faint glow pulsed gently, almost like it was waiting for him to make a decision.

"I don't know what to do," Lan whispered, his voice barely audible in the quiet room. "I don't know if I'm ready for any of this."

For the first time in his life, Lan Wei felt small. He felt like the world around him was so much bigger than he had ever imagined, and he was just one person, caught in the middle of something he didn't understand.

He closed his eyes again, letting the quiet wash over him. But even in the silence, the weight of the shard, the weight of everything, stayed with him.