Chapter 12

The pines thinned as Kai and the others broke into Stone Hollow's outskirts, torchlight flickering ahead like scattered stars. Kai's boots crunched on frost-kissed dirt, his qi steady but frayed at the edges, blue flickers dancing at his knuckles. His shoulder ached, blood clotting under his torn robe, but the stone in his pocket pulsed warm, a lifeline tethering him to the fight ahead. Jia walked beside him, her staff tapping a slow rhythm, her breath uneven but her eyes hard with purpose. Lian Xue kept pace, the cracked Heart jostling in her pack, her limp heavier now, blood staining her leg. Deng trailed, his arm cradled against his chest, red qi sputtering as he grimaced with each step.

The village loomed quiet—too quiet—huts dark, streets empty, the usual hum of life smothered under the mountain's shadow. Kai's qi sharpened his senses, catching the faint creak of wood, the distant snap of a twig. He glanced at Lian Xue, his voice low, careful. "Something's off. Where's everyone?"

She scanned the shadows, her hand resting on her sword hilt, her tone measured but tense. "Hiding, maybe. Or worse. Those guardians didn't stop at the grove—Han should've rallied the clan by now."

Jia tightened her grip on her staff, her voice rough, carrying a weight she couldn't shake. "If he's sitting on his hands while this happens… my dad deserved better than that."

Kai nodded, his jaw tight, words coming slow as he pieced it together. "He knows something—about the Heart, the Sovereign. Been dodging us too long."

Deng spat into the dirt, his voice gruff but quieter, less bite than usual. "Bastard's probably sipping tea while we bleed. Always thought he was above us—let's see him dodge this."

Lian Xue shot him a look, sharp but not harsh. "He's not a coward, Deng. Stubborn, maybe scared, but not dumb. If he's quiet, it's for a reason."

They reached the training yard, its stone pillar cracked from Kai's earlier strike, torches guttering in the wind. Shadows moved—disciples, outer ranks like them, huddled near the elder's hall, weapons clutched tight, qi flickering low. Elder Han stood at the center, gray robes stiff, his hawkish eyes narrowing as he spotted them. A dozen Copper Fangs flanked him, their faces pale, some bloodied, a makeshift line against whatever had come.

Kai stepped forward, his qi flaring briefly, voice steady but edged. "Han, we need to talk. Now."

Han's gaze flicked over them—Kai's blood, Jia's limp, Lian Xue's pack, Deng's scowl—before settling on Kai, his tone clipped, heavy with suspicion. "You're back. Alive. What'd you stir up this time?"

Lian Xue pulled the cracked Heart from her pack, holding it up, her voice calm but firm, cutting through the tension. "This. Guardians—bigger, meaner—came from a cave at the peak's base. Then this thing pulled Kai in, and something worse climbed out. You've got answers, Elder. Time to share."

Han's jaw tightened, his eyes locking on the Heart, a flicker of something—fear, maybe—crossing his face before he masked it. "You shouldn't have touched it. That's beyond you—beyond all of us."

Jia stepped up, her staff thumping the ground, her voice rising, raw and unsteady. "Beyond us? My father's dead because of this—ripped apart in the grove. You knew something was waking up, didn't you? And you let it happen!"

Han's gaze softened, just for a heartbeat, before hardening again, his words slow, deliberate. "I didn't know it'd come this fast, girl. The Heart… it's a seal, old as the mountain. We've guarded it, kept it quiet—your father included. But it's breaking, and I don't have the strength to stop it."

Kai pulled the stone from his pocket, holding it out, his voice low, pressing. "This was my dad's. He tried to seal it too—died for it. Said the Sovereign's waking. What is it, Han? No more games."

Han stared at the stone, his breath catching, then let out a long, ragged sigh, his tone shifting, quieter, heavier. "The Sovereign… it's no god, not like the stories. It's a force—qi so old it thinks, hungers. The Hearts keep it locked under the peaks—dozens of them, scattered wide. Your father thought he could tame it, use it. Got swallowed instead."

Deng laughed, a harsh, bitter sound, shaking his head. "So we're screwed because some idiot poked it? Great plan, Elder."

Han's glare cut to him, sharp but tired. "Watch your tongue, boy. Tao wasn't an idiot—he was desperate. Clan was weaker then, rivals closing in. He thought the Sovereign could save us. Now it's on you lot to clean it up."

Before Kai could push further, the ground quaked, a deep roar splitting the night. The yard's edge erupted—stone and dirt flying as two massive guardians clawed up, bigger than the grove's, their bodies thick with crystal spikes, eyes blazing red. A third followed, slower, its bulk shaking the earth, claws longer than Kai's arm. Screams broke from the disciples, their qi flaring in panicked bursts.

Lian Xue drew her sword, qi surging along its edge, her voice steady, commanding. "Form up—hit them together! Kai, Jia, take the left one. Deng, with me on the right. Rest of you, hold the big one back!"

Kai moved, qi flooding his legs as he darted left, Jia at his side, her staff glowing green. The guardian charged, claws slashing wide, and Kai dodged, qi boosting him past the strike. He swung a Storm Claw, blue talons raking its arm, sparks flying as crystal chipped. It roared, swinging back, and he ducked, the claw grazing his hair, forcing him to roll.

Jia swung her staff, green qi whipping out, cracking its leg. "Stay low, Kai—I'll trip it!" she shouted, her voice firm despite the strain. The guardian lunged, jaws snapping, and she sidestepped, slamming her staff into its knee, green light bursting. It stumbled, and Kai leapt in, qi tightening in his palm, striking with a Boulder-Shattering Palm. The blue burst cracked its chest, but it roared, tail whipping, catching his side and sending him skidding, ribs throbbing.

Lian Xue faced her guardian, sword flashing as she parried a claw, qi clashing with stone in a sharp clang. "Deng, flank it—don't just stand there!" she called, her tone sharp but steady. Deng growled, red qi blazing, and darted right, punching its side—bam, bam, bam—each hit splintering crystal. The guardian swung, claws raking, and he ducked, barely, his bad arm slowing him. Lian Xue slashed its neck, ichor spraying, but it headbutted her, knocking her back, blood welling from her brow.

The third guardian loomed over the disciples, its claws smashing through their line, sending two flying with broken screams. Han charged, his own qi flaring gray, a rare sight, his palm striking its chest with a force that cracked stone. "Hold it, you fools!" he barked, voice rough with effort, but it swiped, forcing him back, his robes tearing.

Kai circled his guardian, qi surging wild, and struck again, Storm Claw slashing its flank—three quick cuts, blue talons tearing deep. It roared, claws slashing down, and he rolled under, popping up to hit its back with another Boulder-Shattering Palm. The blow shattered a spike, staggering it, but it whirled, jaws snapping at his arm. He yanked back, qi flaring, and Jia swung her staff, green qi lashing its legs, toppling it to its knees.

"Now, Kai!" she yelled, her voice breaking through the chaos. He nodded, qi coiling tight, and leapt, slamming a Boulder-Shattering Palm into its chest, blue light exploding through crystal. It shuddered, cracks spreading, and Jia finished it, her staff crashing into its skull, green bursting as it collapsed into rubble.

Lian Xue's fight dragged on, her sword weaving past claws, qi glowing as she stabbed its chest. "Deng, hit it—harder!" she grunted, dodging a swipe that grazed her leg. Deng roared, red qi flaring hot, and punched its side, a Boulder-Shattering Palm that caved crystal. The guardian lunged, pinning him, claws poised, and Lian Xue darted in, slashing its neck, qi twisting the blade. It fell, dust billowing, and Deng shoved free, panting, blood dripping from his arm.

The third guardian smashed through the disciples, three down now, their qi snuffed out. Han struck again, gray qi bursting, but it swatted him aside, sending him crashing into the pillar, blood streaking his face. Kai sprinted over, qi surging, and leapt, Storm Claw slashing its back—five quick strikes, blue talons sparking. It roared, turning, and he ducked a claw, sliding under to hit its chest with a Boulder-Shattering Palm, blue light cracking crystal.

Jia joined, her staff swinging, green qi lashing its legs, slowing it. "Keep it off Han!" she called, voice steady now, focused. Lian Xue limped in, sword stabbing its side, and Deng charged, red qi punching its flank. The guardian thrashed, claws slashing, catching Kai's arm with a shallow gash, but he gritted his teeth, qi dulling the pain, and struck again, Boulder-Shattering Palm slamming its chest.

The combined hits broke it—crystal shattering, stone crumbling as it roared one last time, collapsing in a heap. Kai sank to his knees, breathing hard, blood dripping from his arm. Jia leaned on her staff, her face pale but set. Lian Xue wiped her sword, her voice low, ragged. "That's too many. It's not stopping."

Han staggered up, blood staining his robes, his tone gruff but shaken. "It won't—not till the Sovereign's free. We've got no choice now—seal it, or we're all dead."

Kai stood, pulling the stone out, its rune flickering, his voice slow, heavy. "Then tell us how. Everything—now."

Han met his gaze, nodding once, the weight of years in his eyes. "Inside. All of you. This ends tonight—or we do."

They moved toward the hall, battered, bleeding, the mountain's growl a low hum behind them, its shadow stretching deeper.