Chapter 5: Burdens of the Past

Lan Wei stood by the window, watching as the first light of dawn crept over the village. He hadn't slept much that night. The weight of the shard and everything his father had told him pressed down on him like a heavy stone, refusing to let him rest.

He glanced over at the bed where his father lay, his breaths shallow and laboured. His mother sat beside him, her gentle hands moving over his brow, wiping away the beads of sweat that had formed during the night. She hadn't left his side since the illness took hold, always there with soft words and comforting touches.

Lan's mother was the type of person whose presence brought calm even in the most turbulent moments. Where his father had always been strict and stern, demanding discipline and strength, his mother offered warmth and kindness. Yet even now, Lan could see the worry etched into her face, the lines of fear that had deepened over the months.

"Mother…" Lan began softly, stepping closer. "Has Father… always been this way? This sick?"

His mother didn't look up at first, her eyes fixed on his father's pale face. After a moment, she sighed, her voice quiet and filled with the kind of tiredness that came from long, sleepless nights. "No… He wasn't always like this."

She finally turned to look at Lan, her eyes soft but weary. "Your father was once strong. Stronger than anyone in this village. He carried the weight of our family's legacy without complaint. But… the shard… it's not just a source of power."

Lan Wei's heart skipped a beat at the mention of the shard. "What do you mean?"

His mother's gaze flickered to the crimson shard resting on the table. "The shard… it carries a curse. Your father knew this. We all knew this. For generations, the men in our family who guarded it slowly weakened over time. The closer they were to the shard, the more it drained them, feeding off their life force."

Lan Wei stared at her, stunned. "So that's why Father is like this?"

His mother nodded, her face tightening with sorrow. "He knew the cost, but he chose to bear it. He wanted to protect you… to protect all of us."

Lan felt a knot forming in his chest, guilt mixing with shock. His father had always been a strict man, harsh in his expectations, but it had all been to protect their family, their legacy. The sickness wasn't just a random affliction—it was the price of carrying the shard's curse.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Lan asked, his voice quieter now, almost afraid of the answer.

His mother's eyes softened even more, and she reached out to take his hand. "Your father didn't want you to bear that burden. He wanted you to live a simple life, free from the curse of the shard. He thought… maybe if you didn't know, you wouldn't have to carry it."

Lan swallowed hard, his throat tight. "But… I found it anyway."

She nodded sadly. "Fate is cruel that way. Sometimes, no matter how much we try to protect the ones we love, we can't stop what's meant to happen."

Lan sat by his father's side later that afternoon, the weight of his mother's words still pressing on him. He glanced at his father's face—pale, gaunt, so unlike the man who had once been the strongest in the village.

"Father," Lan said softly, his voice hesitant. "Why didn't you tell me about the shard? About what it does to you?"

His father's eyes flickered open, and for a moment, the sternness that had always been in his gaze returned. Even now, in his weakened state, there was a sharpness to him, a strength that hadn't fully faded.

"You weren't supposed to know," his father said, his voice gravelly but steady. "You were supposed to live your life, free of this burden."

Lan frowned, confusion creeping into his expression. "But why? If the shard is so important, why didn't you teach me about it? Why didn't you prepare me?"

His father let out a tired sigh, his eyes drifting to the ceiling. "Because I didn't want you to live the life I did. I didn't want you to spend your days guarding something that will only bring you pain. I wanted better for you. But the moment you found the shard…" He paused, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "Fate has a way of taking everything from you."

Lan Wei clenched his fists, the weight of his father's words sinking deeper into him. "I could've helped, Father. I could've—"

"No." His father's voice cut through the air, sharp and unyielding. "This is not your fight, Lan Wei. It never was supposed to be. But now… now that you've found the shard, there's no turning back."

Lan's heart raced, the sense of helplessness creeping back into him. His father's illness, the burden of the shard—it was all too much. He had always seen his father as indestructible, the one person who could weather anything. But now, seeing him like this, so frail and broken, it made Lan feel more powerless than ever.

"Is there no way to stop it?" Lan asked, his voice tinged with desperation. "Isn't there something we can do to break the curse?"

His father closed his eyes, the lines of exhaustion deepening on his face. "The only way to break it is to unlock the shard's power. But no one in our family has ever been able to do it. They've tried. Every generation has tried, but… the shard chooses who it accepts. And even if it grants its power, the cost… the cost is unimaginable."

Lan's breath hitched. "But what if I could do it?"

His father's eyes opened slightly, and he looked at Lan with a sadness that ran deeper than words. "Do you really think you can, boy? Do you even understand what you're asking? Power like that comes with a price—one that you might not be ready to pay."

Lan Wei didn't answer, his mind too clouded with questions, doubts, and a creeping frustration that wouldn't go away. His father's weakness, his family's burden—it all felt so unfair, so out of his control.

His father's voice grew softer, more tired. "There's something else… another reason I didn't want you to know. Our family's enemies… they never went away."

Lan's eyes widened. "Enemies? What enemies?"

His father let out another bitter laugh, shaking his head slightly. "Very powerful enemies. Old sects, organizations… even immortals. They've been searching for the shard for thousands of years, ever since they caught wind of its existence. No matter how hard our ancestors tried to conceal it, rumours spread. These people… these monsters... they only care about power. They don't care about the curse or the suffering. They see the shard as a tool, a way to achieve their ambitions."

Lan felt his stomach drop. "So… we've been hiding the shard from them this whole time?"

His father nodded weakly. "Yes. And it's not just power they seek. Some of them, those who can't shed their mortal desires—greed, ambition—seek immortality. The shard is just another means to their end. These are people who have lived for countless years, who thirst for every chance to grow stronger, to reach a higher realm. If they find out you have it, they won't stop until they take it from you."

Lan Wei's mind reeled with the weight of his father's words. Powerful sects and ancient immortals… it was too much to comprehend. His family had been guarding something so dangerous, and he had never known.

His father's gaze turned sharp, his voice harsher now. "That's why I kept it from you, Lan Wei. Once you're involved, there's no going back. Power rules everything. No matter what you think, no matter what ideals you hold, power is the only thing that truly matters in this world. Without it, you're nothing."

Lan Wei looked at his father, his chest tightening. He had always believed in simple things: loyalty, kindness, doing what was right. But now… now his father was telling him that all of that meant nothing without power.

"Power…" Lan whispered to himself, the word hanging in the air like a heavy weight.

"Yes, boy," his father said, his voice filled with a grim certainty. "Power rules above all. Without it, you can't protect anything. Not yourself, not your family… not your home."

Later that evening, after his father had fallen asleep again, Lan sat by the fire with his mother. The light flickered over her face, casting soft shadows over her gentle features. Her hands were busy stitching an old cloth, but her eyes were focused on Lan, always attentive, always caring.

"You don't have to carry this alone, Lan Wei," she said softly, her voice a soothing balm to his frayed nerves. "Your father and I… we've been through so much. We've seen the weight this shard brings. But we're still here. And we'll stay by your side, no matter what."

Lan stared into the flames, his mind swirling with the weight of everything. "But what if it's too much? What if I-