The space was a never ending forest, with vibrant and lush greenery that seemed to pulse with its own inner light. Towering trees stretched endlessly upward, their branches intertwining to form a canopy that filtered ethereal moonlight in dancing patterns across the forest floor. Here, in this sanctuary between worlds, the air itself seemed alive with whispers of ancient magic—the kind that had bound Little Firefly to her soul through two lifetimes.
"Master!" An orb of light flew straight into her arms
Li Hua caught the glowing sphere with practiced ease, feeling the familiar warmth of Little Firefly's essence pulsing against her palms. His light flickered with joy, casting dancing shadows across her face that reminded her of the lantern's glow in the children's room. Even after all this time, the pure, unbridled affection of her spirit companion still caught her off guard.
"Master, I missed you!" Little Firefly whined.
A gentle smile tugged at Li Hua's lips as she cradled the luminescent spirit. Even now, in this space between worlds, Little Firefly's presence brought warmth to the cold memories of her past life. The irony wasn't lost on her—how her most faithful companion had come to her during what was meant to be her deadliest mission.
It had been her final contract as an assassin, the one that would have cemented her legacy in the underworld. The target: the Guild Master's youngest brother, a man who had vanished so completely that even the most skilled trackers had failed to find him. The reward promised had been astronomical—not just wealth, but the coveted position of Guild Master itself.
She remembered how her heart had raced when she'd received the contract, sealed with the Guild's ancient mark. It wasn't just another assassination; it was a test, a chance to claim the highest seat of power in the shadowy world she'd inhabited. The Guild Master's message had been clear: find the brother, eliminate him, and take my place.
Little had she known then that this mission would lead her to Little Firefly and a world beyond, that many would covet.
The spirit pulsed softly in her palms, its ethereal light casting dancing shadows in the open forest. She could still picture the city of lights where she'd first encountered the spirit, its neon signs and paper lanterns bleeding into one another like watercolors in the rain. She'd been tracking her mark through winding alleyways when she spotted an unusual glow—not electric, not flame, but something alive. It called to her, beckoning with a pull that defied her years of training, her iron discipline. She walked towards it, against her better judgment, drawn by an inexplicable familiarity that resonated deep within her bones.
"Alpha 88!" A man shouted, seeing that Li Hua was no longer following him.
"Go! Keep your GPS on, I'll meet you there." She shouted back, not taking her eyes off the ethereal light that danced before her.
It pulsed with a rhythm that seemed to match her heartbeat, a synchronicity that both thrilled and terrified her.
In all her years as an assassin, she'd never encountered anything that could pierce through her carefully constructed walls of indifference. Yet here it was, a simple ball of light, unraveling decades of conditioning with its gentle, insistent glow. She reached out, her fingertips trembling with an anticipation she hadn't felt since her first kill.
"Can I touch this?" She whispered as the light swelled, enveloping her outstretched hand in its warm embrace. Time seemed to slow, each heartbeat stretching into eternity as the glow seeped into her skin like liquid moonlight. Her training screamed at her to pull back, to analyze, to treat this as a potential threat. But something deeper, more primal, told her this was right. This was meant to be. The light pulsed once more, brilliant and blinding, and in that moment, Li Hua felt herself dissolving, her consciousness scattering like petals in a storm.
"Master?" Little Firefly voice pierced through her dissolution, anchoring her back to reality.
"Ahem. Sorry, I was just remembering how we first met." Li Hua whispered, her smile deepening.
"Ah! Master, that was 10 years ago," Little Firefly mused, floating happily. "It was quite the sight, wasn't it? You, one of the feared Alpha Leaders of the Shadow Guild, in awe of a mere spirit light." Little Firefly bobbed playfully in the air, its glow pulsing with the rhythm of remembered joy. "Though I must say, you've grown considerably softer since then. Who would have thought the legendary assassin would one day be caught daydreaming about old memories?"
"Perhaps, it was the soul transfer, the betrayal or even this new family but I've been reminiscing more than usual lately." Li Hua's fingers traced abstract patterns in the air, following Little Firefly's dancing movements. "The past feels like a half-remembered dream now, yet somehow clearer than ever. It's strange how my memories feel... different." She paused, her expression darkening slightly as fragments of her old life flickered through her mind like shadows cast by candlelight. "Though some memories are better left in the shadows where they belong."
"Master," Little Firefly's light dimmed momentarily, a flicker of concern rippling through its ethereal form. "You shouldn't dwell too deeply in those shadows. The past may have shaped you, but it doesn't define who you are now." The spirit light drifted closer, its warm glow casting soft patterns across Li Hua's face. "Besides, I rather prefer this version of you – the one who can smile without hiding daggers behind her teeth."
"I have a feeling that I'll need more than just daggers in this life." Li Hua murmured, her eyes dimming slightly.
"Yes, master. I, too, feel that you'll need more than daggers. But for now, I wanted to go over the new functions of this space. Since your soul transfer or re-birth, features that weren't available to you in your last life has been unlocked." Little Firefly responded, unable to contain his excitement.
"Oh? Please tell me, then." Li Hua watched as Little Firefly bounced in the air for a moment before flying towards the familiar jade garden pavilion. "Follow me, master!"