The Embers had moved swiftly and decisively, certain in their belief that the key to restoring the sun lay with Mei Lin. She had stood beside Jian Yu during their brief battle against the Lords, and in the chaos of that confrontation, the power that burned briefly was thought to be hers. Mei Lin, with her determination and strength, had become the symbol of hope for the rebellion. But, unbeknownst to everyone, it was Jian Yu who had carried the true sun power all along.
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Li Wei stood at the helm of the Embers, gazing over the maps and plans spread before him. He was an intelligent and calculating leader, always looking for the next move, always ten steps ahead of everyone else. But as he surveyed the situation, one question lingered in his mind: Was Mei Lin really the one with the sun power?
He had no doubt about her capabilities—Mei Lin was a leader, a fighter, someone who could rally the rebellion with a word. But the events that had unfolded so far made him question everything. The battle that Jian Yu had fought, the brief moment of brilliance when the power of the sun had flared, and then... nothing. The power had disappeared. Mei Lin had stepped forward in that moment, but the flames had already vanished, leaving nothing but confusion and rumors.
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As the Embers continued to prepare for their mission to capture Mei Lin, Jian Yu remained locked away, his body bruised and battered from the torment he had endured at the hands of the Lords. The one thing that burned within him, however, was the truth: he had been the one to wield the sun's power.
He had never been the one to question the world, never had the time or the space to wonder why he was always in the shadows. But now, in this moment of isolation, a fire had ignited within him. The power he had displayed had always been his, and the reason it had faded was simple—he had never fully understood it.
He had fought beside Mei Lin during the last skirmish with the Lords, and in that battle, his power had erupted in full force. But the second the conflict had ended, so had the sun's light. The power had vanished without a trace, and the Embers had assumed it belonged to Mei Lin, because she was the one they had seen leading the charge, the one who had taken control in the heat of battle.
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Back in the stronghold, Mei Lin was preparing for the worst. She had heard the rumors—the Embers believed she was the one with the sun power. But that wasn't the truth, and she knew it. Jian Yu had always been the one who bore the power, not her. She hadn't betrayed him. She hadn't stolen his light. But the Embers saw only what they wanted to see.
As Li Wei and his inner circle of Embers gathered, they spoke in confident tones. The plan was set. They would capture Mei Lin, secure her as leverage against the Fireflies, and once they had her, they would force her to reveal the secrets of the sun power. It was a brilliant plan. Or so they thought.
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The Embers were confident in their belief that they were about to take control of the sun's power. Mei Lin had led the charge, fought bravely, and displayed remarkable skill. She was the figurehead of the rebellion, the one who had taken the battle to the Lords and dealt them a major blow. If she had the power, the Embers would stop at nothing to claim it for themselves.
But the truth—the one that was hidden behind the lies and rumors—was that Jian Yu had always been the one to wield the power, the one whose potential had been far greater than anyone had realized. He had fought with everything he had, his power flaring in bursts of fire and light, but it had disappeared as quickly as it came, leaving him with nothing but an aching body and an even heavier heart.
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Now, as the Embers closed in on Mei Lin, their belief in her being the key to the sun's revival grew stronger. They had no idea that they were on the wrong track. Mei Lin was not the one with the sun power—it was Jian Yu, the one they had betrayed and left behind. He had become a shadow of his former self, trapped in the cells of the Lords, but the power still burned inside him, waiting to be unleashed again.
And when it did, the world would know the truth.
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