Chapter 2: Shadows on the Path

The morning sun clawed its way over the Iron Fang Range, painting the village of Stone Hollow in hues of gold and gray. Ren Kai stood at the edge of the training yard, his breath fogging in the crisp air, a burlap sack slung over his shoulder. Inside it were his meager supplies for the Trial: a flint and steel, a waterskin, a coil of rope, and a worn dagger his mother had pressed into his hands at dawn. She hadn't spoken as she gave it to him, but her eyes had said enough—come back alive.

Around him, the village buzzed with muted activity. The Trial of the Fang was a yearly event, and though it was no festival, it drew the clan together in a tense, unspoken ritual. Mothers whispered prayers to the Mountain Spirit. Fathers sharpened blades or mended boots. The initiates—those chosen to face the peak—gathered near the elder's hall, their faces a mix of bravado and dread.

Kai adjusted the sack's strap, his bandaged hands stiff but functional. The bruises from yesterday's bout with Elder Han ached beneath his tunic, a dull reminder of how far he still had to climb. He scanned the yard, noting the other initiates. There were six this year, including him. Most were younger, their qi awakened and their stances confident. They wore the gray robes of outer disciples, embroidered with the claw sigil of the Iron Fang Clan. Kai, in his patched brown tunic, stood out like a beggar among nobles.

"Stone-Hearted Kai," a voice sneered. "Did the kitchens run out of pots to scrub?"

Kai turned to see Wei Lun, a wiry boy of sixteen with sharp cheekbones and sharper eyes. His qi crackled faintly around him, a sign of his recent awakening. He leaned against a wooden post, twirling a polished spear with casual grace. Two other initiates flanked him, smirking.

"I'm here for the Trial," Kai said, keeping his voice even. "Same as you."

Wei Lun laughed, a high, grating sound. "You? The Trial's for warriors, not cripples. What are you going to do, punch the mountain until it feels sorry for you?"

The others chuckled, but Kai didn't rise to the bait. He'd heard worse. Instead, he met Wei Lun's gaze, unblinking, until the boy's smirk faltered. There was something in Kai's eyes—something hard and unyielding—that made even the awakened hesitate.

Before Wei Lun could retort, a shadow fell over the yard. Elder Han emerged from the hall, his presence silencing the chatter. Behind him walked a figure Kai hadn't expected: Lian Xue, the clan's only inner disciple under twenty. She was a year older than Kai, her black hair tied in a high knot, her robes a deeper gray edged with silver. A shortsword hung at her hip, its hilt worn from use. Her qi pulsed subtly, a quiet storm that set her apart from the initiates. Whispers followed her—some said she'd reached the Copper Fang stage, a level most outer disciples only dreamed of.

"Enough squabbling," Elder Han barked, his voice carrying over the wind. "The Trial begins at midday. You'll climb as individuals, but the mountain doesn't care for your rivalries. Survive, claim a shard, and return by dawn tomorrow. Fail, and your bones will join the ravine's collection."

He gestured to Lian Xue. "She'll oversee the start. Any questions?"

A girl beside Wei Lun—small, with a braid down her back—raised a hand. "Elder, what if we don't find a shard?"

"Then you don't come back a disciple," Han said flatly. "The Fang Crystal chooses who's worthy. Force it, and the mountain will punish you."

Kai frowned. He'd heard the stories: the crystal wasn't just a prize but a living thing, tied to the peak's spirit. Some said it tested your qi, others your will. Either way, it was his only chance to prove himself.

Lian Xue stepped forward, her gaze sweeping the group. When it landed on Kai, it lingered a moment longer than the rest. "Prepare yourselves," she said, her voice cool but clear. "The path to the summit is marked, but the mountain shifts. Trust your instincts—and your strength."

The initiates dispersed, some to meditate, others to boast. Kai stayed where he was, watching Lian Xue as she spoke quietly with Elder Han. She'd been an outer disciple once, unremarkable until her Trial two years ago. Now she was a legend, the girl who'd returned with not one shard but two, glowing like stars in her hands. What had she faced up there?

A hand clapped his shoulder, startling him. It was Old Man Shen, the village tinker, his face creased like weathered bark. "Don't let the peak scare you, lad," he said, grinning with half his teeth missing. "It's just a big rock with a bad temper."

Kai managed a small smile. "Easy for you to say. You're not climbing it."

Shen chuckled, pressing a small object into Kai's hand—a smooth stone etched with a spiral rune. "Found this near the ravine years back. Kept me safe when I was foolish enough to wander the slopes. Might do the same for you."

Kai turned the stone over, feeling its weight. "Thanks, Shen."

"Don't thank me yet," the old man said, hobbling off. "Survive first."

By midday, the initiates stood at the base of Iron Fang Peak, where a narrow trail snaked upward through brittle pines and scree. The wind bit harder here, tugging at Kai's tunic as he tightened his sack. Above, the summit vanished into a shroud of mist, its jagged outline barely visible. The air hummed with a strange energy, prickling Kai's skin.

Lian Xue stood before them, her sword planted in the dirt. "The rules are simple," she said. "No fighting each other. The mountain's your enemy, not your peers. If you're injured, signal with a flare—we'll find you. Otherwise, you're on your own."

Wei Lun smirked, spinning his spear. "I'll be back with a shard before sunset."

Lian Xue ignored him, her eyes again finding Kai's. "Begin."

The initiates surged forward, Wei Lun and his cronies taking the lead. Kai hung back, studying the trail. It was steep, littered with loose rocks and gnarled roots. His qi might be weak, but his legs were strong—he'd climbed worse carrying buckets for the village well.

As he started up, the memory of last night's glow gnawed at him. That blue pulse beneath the floorboards—it hadn't been a trick of the light. His mother's reaction only deepened the mystery. She'd brushed it off, but her hands had shaken as she'd shooed him to bed. Was it tied to his father? To the mountain? He shook his head, focusing on the path. Answers could wait. Survival couldn't.

The first hour passed in silence, save for the crunch of gravel and the distant calls of ravens. The trail split often, forcing Kai to choose between winding switchbacks or steeper scrambles. He picked the harder routes, trusting his endurance over shortcuts that might collapse. Sweat soaked his tunic, but he pressed on, the others fading into the mist ahead.

Then the air shifted. A low rumble echoed from the peak, and the ground trembled beneath his feet. Kai froze, gripping a pine trunk as pebbles skittered down the slope. Ahead, a scream pierced the mist—sharp, panicked, then abruptly cut off.

He crept forward, dagger in hand. The trail widened into a ledge overlooking a ravine, its depths lost in shadow. On the edge stood Wei Lun, his spear raised, staring at something Kai couldn't see. Two figures lay crumpled nearby—the other boys from his group, their robes torn, blood pooling beneath them.

"What's happening?" Kai called, keeping his distance.

Wei Lun whirled, his face pale. "It's not human," he stammered. "It's—"

A shape lunged from the mist—a beast of stone and shadow, its body a jagged mass of rock, its eyes glowing red. A Fang Wraith, a guardian of the peak. Kai had heard tales, but seeing it was different. It moved like liquid, claws raking the air as it charged Wei Lun.

The boy thrust his spear, qi flaring along its shaft. The weapon struck the wraith's chest—and snapped like dry wood. Wei Lun staggered back, terror replacing his arrogance. The wraith's claw slashed down, and he screamed as it flung him into the ravine, his body vanishing into the dark.

Kai's heart pounded. He gripped his dagger, useless as it was, and backed away. The wraith turned, its eyes locking onto him. No qi, no technique—just him and a monster born of the mountain.

Then the stone in his pocket pulsed, warm against his leg. The wraith hesitated, its head tilting as if confused. Kai didn't wait to understand why. He bolted, scrambling up a rocky incline as the beast roared behind him. The trail blurred beneath his feet, adrenaline driving him higher, deeper into the mist.

He didn't stop until the roars faded, his lungs burning as he collapsed against a boulder. The stone still hummed in his pocket, faint now but alive. Shen's gift had saved him—but why? And what had his mother hidden beneath the floorboards?

Above, the summit loomed closer, its secrets waiting. Kai rose, jaw set. The mountain wouldn't break him. Not yet.