Chapter 10: Shattered Calm

The village felt different that morning. As Lan Wei stepped out of the small house he called home, the cool morning air sent a chill through him, but it wasn't the breeze that made his skin prickle. It was the quiet—the kind of quiet that felt unnatural, too still, too tense. He could sense it, like the forest itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

His mother was inside, tending to his father, as she always did. Her quiet resilience had been a comfort to him, but even she couldn't hide the weariness in her eyes. Each day, his father's condition worsened, his strength slipping away, and with it, the fragile peace that had once surrounded their family.

Lan tightened his grip on the strap of his satchel, feeling the familiar warmth of the shard through the fabric. The weight of it felt heavier than ever, as though it was growing more impatient with each passing day, waiting for him to take action. But what could he do? He wasn't ready. He wasn't strong enough. Not yet.

He made his way through the village, nodding to a few of the villagers as he passed. The usual hum of daily life was subdued, and the tension in the air only grew stronger. Something was wrong. He could feel it in his bones, the way the air seemed charged with an unseen threat.

As he neared the edge of the village, Lan paused. His heart raced, and his mind buzzed with unease. It was as though the world around him was on the verge of shattering, and he was caught in the middle, unsure of what was about to break.

The quiet didn't last long.

A low rumble echoed through the village, distant but unmistakable. Lan's eyes snapped up, his pulse quickening as the sound grew louder, closer. The ground trembled beneath his feet, and a heavy, oppressive feeling settled over him, like the sky itself was pressing down on him.

What's happening?

The villagers began to stir, their faces filled with confusion and fear as they stepped out of their homes, looking around for the source of the disturbance. The rumbling grew louder, and then, like a sudden crash of thunder, the world erupted in chaos.

A blinding flash of light burst from the edge of the village, followed by a deafening roar that shook the ground beneath Lan's feet. He stumbled back, his heart pounding in his chest as he saw figures—strangers—emerging from the treeline. They were dressed in dark, imposing robes, their faces hidden behind hoods, and their presence radiated power.

Lan's blood turned to ice.

The sect.

Mei's warning echoed in his mind, her voice filled with urgency. You don't have much time, Lan Wei. If you don't decide soon, someone else will.

They had come for the shard. And they weren't here to negotiate.

Lan's legs felt frozen in place as the strangers moved through the village, their dark robes swirling like shadows as they approached. The villagers scrambled in confusion, shouting in panic as the intruders spread out, their power pressing down on everyone like a suffocating blanket.

Lan's heart raced, his mind spinning as he realized what was happening. They're here for me. The shard pulsed in his satchel, its warmth growing more intense, as if it, too, knew what was coming.

He had to act. He couldn't let them take the shard. But how could he fight them? He was nothing compared to the power they wielded. The ground trembled beneath their feet as they moved, the very air around them warping with the weight of their strength.

Lan's thoughts were interrupted by a voice, cold and commanding, that cut through the chaos like a blade.

"Find the boy."

Lan's heart nearly stopped. They were looking for him. The realization sent a jolt of fear through him, but alongside the fear came something else—anger. They had come to his village, to his home, threatening the people he cared about. And for what? Power?

His father's words rang in his ears: Power rules everything.

Lan's fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tight as he watched the robed figures advance. The shard in his satchel pulsed again, its warmth growing hotter, almost unbearable.

He couldn't run. Not this time.

Lan sprinted back toward his house, his heart pounding in his chest as the weight of the situation crashed down on him. His mother was inside. His father was too weak to defend himself. And these people—they wouldn't hesitate to tear everything apart to get what they wanted.

As he burst through the door, his mother's eyes widened in alarm. "Lan Wei! What's happening?"

"They're here," Lan panted, his voice shaking. "They've come for the shard."

Her face paled, her hand instinctively flying to her mouth. She glanced toward his father, who lay still in the bed, too weak to even open his eyes.

"Lan Wei..." she whispered, her voice trembling with fear. "What are we going to do?"

Lan shook his head, panic rising in his chest. He had no idea what to do. How could he protect his family from something like this? How could he stand against the kind of power that was closing in on them?

His mother grabbed his arm, her eyes filled with desperation. "You need to run. Take the shard and run, Lan Wei."

Lan froze, his mind spinning. Run? He couldn't leave. Not now. Not when everything was falling apart. But what other choice did he have? He wasn't strong enough to fight, not yet.

Before he could respond, the door to their home was blown open, and a figure stepped inside. Lan's blood ran cold as he saw the robed intruder standing in the doorway, their face hidden in shadow.

"Give us the shard," the figure said, their voice low and commanding.

Lan's heart pounded in his chest as he stepped in front of his mother, his hand instinctively going to his satchel. The warmth of the shard pulsed through him, growing hotter, more insistent, as if it were urging him to act.

He had to protect them. He couldn't let the shard fall into their hands. But how?

The figure took a step forward, and the air around them seemed to crackle with energy. Lan could feel the weight of their power pressing down on him, suffocating him.

"You don't understand what you're dealing with," the figure said, their voice cold. "You're just a boy. You can't protect this."

Lan's fists clenched, anger flaring in his chest. Power rules everything. His father's words echoed in his mind again, louder this time, as if they were daring him to act.

Before Lan could respond, another explosion rocked the village, shaking the ground beneath his feet. He stumbled, his heart racing as the robed figure stepped forward again, their hand outstretched.

"Give it to me."

Lan's hand tightened around the strap of his satchel, the shard's heat now searing against his skin. He had to do something—anything. But what could he do? How could he stand against someone so powerful?

The robed figure advanced, their hand raised to strike, but before they could deliver the final blow, a blinding flash of red light exploded from the shard, enveloping everything around him in searing red. The world vanished in an instant, consumed by the light's brilliance.

Lan's vision blurred as the overwhelming force of the shard surged through him. His thoughts scattered, his body trembling under the sheer magnitude of the power he couldn't control. As his legs gave way and the world faded from his grasp, his last breath escaped his lips in a whisper, barely audible against the roar of the explosion.

"I'm not ready…"

But the world didn't wait for him to be ready.