Chapter 5: Echoes of the Summit

The first light of dawn bled across Iron Fang Peak, casting long shadows over the summit plateau. Ren Kai sat on a jagged spur of rock, the Fang Crystal shard pulsing faintly in his hand. Its blue glow reflected in his eyes, a mirror to the qi now coursing through his veins—wild, untamed, but undeniably his. Beside him, Jia leaned on her staff, her injured leg stretched out, the shard she'd claimed clutched tightly against her chest. Lian Xue stood apart, her gaze fixed on the horizon, her silver-edged robes stained with dust and wraith ichor.

The Fang Guardian's rubble lay scattered across the plateau, its spear half-buried in the cracked stone. Kai's stone—the rune-etched gift from Old Man Shen—rested in his pocket, cool now but heavy with unanswered questions. The Trial was over, or so it seemed, but the mountain's weight lingered in his bones.

"We made it," Jia said, her voice hoarse but steady. She glanced at Kai, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "You especially. I didn't think a cripple could pull that off."

"Neither did I," Kai admitted, rubbing his bruised chest where the guardian had struck him. The qi had dulled the pain, but every breath reminded him how close he'd come to breaking. "You're not bad yourself."

Jia snorted. "Flattery won't get you my shard."

Lian Xue turned, her shortsword sheathed but her presence still sharp. "Enough chatter. We're not safe yet. The descent's easier, but the mountain doesn't forgive stragglers. Can you walk, Jia?"

"With this?" Jia tapped her staff against the ground. "Barely. But I'll manage."

Kai stood, offering her his shoulder. "Lean on me. We'll go slow."

She hesitated, pride flickering in her eyes, then nodded. "Thanks."

Lian Xue led the way, her steps sure despite the fatigue lining her face. Kai followed, supporting Jia as they navigated the summit's edge. The trail down was less treacherous than the ascent—wider, with fewer sheer drops—but the wind cut deeper, and loose gravel shifted underfoot. The qi in Kai's legs steadied him, a newfound instinct he was still learning to trust.

As they descended, the mist parted, revealing Stone Hollow nestled far below. Smoke curled from chimneys, and tiny figures moved along the paths—villagers starting their day, unaware of the blood spilled on the peak. Kai's thoughts drifted to his mother, Lin Mei, waiting in their cramped hut. He'd promised to return with a shard. Now he had one—and something more.

"What's it like?" Jia asked, breaking the silence. "The qi, I mean. You didn't have it before."

Kai frowned, searching for words. "Like a river I didn't know was there. It's strong, but… messy. I can barely control it."

"That's normal," Lian Xue said over her shoulder. "Awakening's just the start. Refining it takes years—decades, if you're sloppy. You'll need training."

"He'll change his tune," she replied. "A shard and a guardian kill? Even he can't ignore that."

"From who?" Kai asked. "Elder Han thinks I'm a fool."

Jia smirked. "You might outrank Wei Lun's ghost before the day's out."

Kai didn't laugh. Wei Lun's scream still echoed in his ears, a reminder of the mountain's cost. He'd hated the boy's arrogance, but no one deserved that end.

The descent took hours, the sun climbing higher as they neared the base. Kai's qi flickered with each step, sometimes surging to his arms, sometimes pooling in his chest. He experimented, pushing it to his fingertips, feeling the heat dance across his skin. It was clumsy, like a child wielding a sword, but it thrilled him. For the first time, he wasn't just Stone-Hearted Kai, the stubborn cripple. He was something more.

They reached the village outskirts by midmorning, the trail flattening into a dirt path lined with pines. A crowd had gathered near the training yard—elders, disciples, families—waiting for the Trial's survivors. Murmurs rippled through them as Lian Xue emerged, Kai and Jia trailing behind. Eyes widened at the shards in their hands, and whispers turned to gasps.

Elder Han stood at the yard's center, his gray robes stiff against the breeze. His hawkish gaze locked onto Kai, then flicked to the shard. "You," he said, voice low. "Alive. And awakened."

Kai met his stare, lifting the shard. "I promised I'd pass."

Han's lips thinned, but he didn't argue. Beside him, Old Man Shen grinned, clapping his gnarled hands. "Told you that stone'd help, lad!"

Kai pulled it from his pocket, holding it up. "It did more than that. What is it?"

Shen's grin faltered, his eyes darting to Han. "Just a trinket, like I said. Lucky, eh?"

Before Kai could press, his mother pushed through the crowd, her gray-streaked hair wild, her face pale. "Kai!" she cried, throwing her arms around him. He stiffened, then hugged her back, the shard's glow warm between them.

"I'm fine, Ma," he said. "Look."

She pulled back, staring at the shard, then at him. Her hands trembled as she touched his face. "You're… different."

"Awakened," he said, pride edging his voice. "I did it."

Tears welled in her eyes, but her smile was tight, shadowed by something Kai couldn't read. "Come home," she said softly. "You need rest."

The hut felt smaller after the mountain. Kai sat on his straw mat, the shard beside him, its light dimming as he set it down. Lin Mei bustled around, heating water and grinding herbs, her movements quick and nervous. The crowd had dispersed, Jia limping off with her family, Lian Xue reporting to the elders. Kai was alone with his mother—and the questions burning in his chest.

"Ma," he said, watching her. "That glow under the floorboards. It was like the shard. And this stone—" He held up Shen's gift. "It's tied to the mountain, isn't it? To Dad?"

Her hands froze over the herb bowl. "Kai, don't."

"Don't what?" He stood, his qi flaring unintentionally, a flicker of heat in the air. "You've hidden something my whole life. I felt it up there—the shard, the stone, the guardian. It's all connected."

Lin Mei turned, her eyes glistening. "You don't understand what you're asking."

"Then tell me," he pressed, stepping closer. "Dad didn't just disappear, did he?"

She sank onto a stool, hands clasped in her lap. "Your father… he was special. Like you are now. His qi wasn't just strong—it was unique. He climbed the peak, took the Trial, but he didn't come back with a shard. He came back with that stone."

Kai's breath caught. "This?"

She nodded. "He said it was a key—to what, he wouldn't tell me. He was afraid, Kai. Afraid of what it meant, what it could do. Then he went back up—alone—and never returned."

"Why didn't you tell me?" His voice cracked, anger mixing with hurt.

"Because I didn't want you to follow him!" she snapped, standing. "I didn't want the mountain to take you too. But you're too stubborn, just like he was."

Kai stared at her, then at the stone. Its rune seemed to pulse faintly, a heartbeat from the past. "It saved me up there," he said quietly. "It killed wraiths, broke the guardian. Whatever Dad found, it's part of me now."

Lin Mei's shoulders slumped. "Then you're in deeper than I feared."

A knock interrupted them. Kai opened the door to find Lian Xue, her expression grim. "Elder Han wants you," she said. "Now."

The training yard was empty save for Han, standing beside the stone pillar Kai had once bloodied his fists against. His eyes tracked Kai's approach, sharp and unreadable.

"You've caused a stir," Han said as Kai stopped before him. "Two shards claimed, a guardian felled. The clan's buzzing."

"I passed the Trial," Kai said. "That's what matters."

Han snorted. "You think it ends there? The Fang Crystal doesn't awaken just anyone—and it doesn't summon guardians lightly. You've stirred something, boy. Something old."

Kai's hand brushed the stone in his pocket. "What do you mean?"

"The mountain's alive," Han said, his voice dropping. "It tests us, yes, but it also watches. Your awakening wasn't normal. The elders are wary—and some are angry. They'll want answers."

"Let them ask," Kai replied, jaw set. "I'm not hiding."

Han studied him, then nodded. "Good. You're a disciple now—outer rank, Copper Fang stage. Training starts tomorrow. Don't waste this."

As Han walked off, Lian Xue lingered. "He's right," she said. "You've got power, but it's raw. I'll help you refine it—if you can keep up."

Kai grinned, weary but determined. "I'll manage."

She left, and Kai turned toward the hut, the shard's glow a beacon in his hand. The mountain had given him strength, but it had also marked him. His father's shadow loomed larger now, and the stone's secrets whispered louder.

He'd climb again—not just the peak, but the path it had set him on. Whatever waited, he'd face it unbroken.