The air reeked of blood and smoke. Lin Xue crouched low amidst the smoldering ruins of Yuelan Village, her trembling hands clutching the splintered remains of a wooden staff. The weapon was useless, yet she held onto it as if it were her lifeline. Around her, the cries of the dying faded into an eerie silence.
The bandits had come without warning, descending like vultures upon the defenseless village. Homes burned, their flames casting long shadows across the snow-dusted ground. The once-bustling village, nestled in the valley like a hidden gem, was now little more than ashes.
Lin Xue's heart pounded in her chest as she scanned the wreckage for her younger brother, Lin Yan. He had been by her side moments ago, but the chaos had torn them apart.
"Yan!" she called, her voice raw from screaming. The only answer was the crackling of fire and the faint whimper of someone nearby.
She scrambled forward, ignoring the searing heat of the flames. Her bare feet were cut and bruised, her thin robes stained with soot and blood. She found him near the well, his small body pinned beneath a fallen beam.
"Xue-jie..." Yan's voice was weak, his face pale. His tiny hands reached out to her, trembling.
"I'm here," Lin Xue whispered, her voice shaking as she dropped to her knees. She pushed against the heavy beam with all her strength, her muscles screaming in protest. Tears blurred her vision as she begged, "Please, don't leave me. Stay awake!"
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed behind her.
Lin Xue froze, her blood turning to ice. A bandit loomed over her, his face twisted into a cruel grin. He held a bloodstained sword, the moonlight glinting off its edge.
"Well, what do we have here? A little girl playing hero?" he sneered, stepping closer.
Lin Xue's heart raced. She shielded Yan with her body, clutching the broken staff like a dagger. "Stay back!" she shouted, though her voice trembled with fear.
The bandit laughed. "What are you going to do with that, child? Poke me to death?"
As he raised his sword, Lin Xue closed her eyes, bracing for the inevitable. She felt powerless, a mere ant beneath the boot of a cruel world.
Then, a gust of wind howled through the ruins, carrying with it a strange, suffocating pressure. The bandit froze mid-strike, his grin faltering.
A figure emerged from the shadows, his presence commanding and otherworldly. He wore a dark cloak that billowed in the wind, and his cold, piercing eyes seemed to glow in the firelight.
"Leave," the man said, his voice low but filled with authority.
The bandit staggered back, his bravado crumbling. "W-Who are you?"
The man didn't answer. With a flick of his wrist, a wave of energy shot forward, slamming into the bandit and sending him flying into the rubble. He did not rise again.
Lin Xue stared at her savior, her fear giving way to awe. He was unlike anyone she had ever seen—powerful, untouchable, like a deity descended to the mortal realm.
The man glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "Are there others?"
Lin Xue struggled to find her voice. "No… I-I think everyone else is… gone."
His gaze lingered on her for a moment before he turned away. "Leave this place. The world has no mercy for the weak."
Lin Xue's chest tightened at his words, but she couldn't deny their truth. She watched as he disappeared into the night, his figure swallowed by the smoke.
When he was gone, she turned back to Yan, her determination hardening like steel. The beam was heavy, but she pushed with everything she had, her body trembling from the effort. Finally, it shifted, and she pulled her brother free.
"Xue-jie…" Yan whispered, his voice barely audible.
"It's okay," Lin Xue said, cradling him against her. "I'll keep you safe. I promise."
But as she looked out over the ruins of Yuelan Village, she knew the man's words would haunt her forever. The world had no mercy for the weak, and if she wanted to survive—if she wanted to protect Yan—she would have to become stronger.
And so, amidst the ashes of her home, Lin Xue made a vow. She would endure. She would rise. No matter the pain, no matter the cost, she would never again be powerless.
The Eternal Flame had been lit.