[Two weeks later]
"Where are we going?" Shen asked, still half-asleep.
Hydris strode down the palace halls at a brisk pace, cloak trailing behind him. "Shen, your master was an enchanter," he said without looking back. "I want to see if you hold any information on the subject."
"Couldn't this have waited until after sunrise?" Shen muttered, stumbling to keep up. Dammit, stop walking so fast…
Hydris turned sharply, stopping at a small room. It looked plain—sofa, oddly placed bookshelf, narrow bed. Without hesitation, Hydris pulled a book from the shelf. With a faint click, the shelf swung open to reveal a hidden passage.
"Come along." His hand gestured toward the darkness.
Shen hesitated but stepped inside. After a winding path and a flight of stone stairs, they arrived at a heavy iron door. Hydris pushed it open.
Inside sat Leo, torchlight casting shadows across his youthful face. "Hello there, Shen. How've you been?"
The room was cramped, only three chairs and bare walls. The air felt heavy, charged with unspoken tension. The three sat, silence stretching until Leo finally broke it.
"What do you know about enchantments?"
Shen blinked. "Not much. Honestly, the only time I ever heard about it was from Master Shu. Why?"
Hydris and Leo exchanged a glance. Hydris leaned forward. "Did Shu ever mention a friend who enchanted? Or perhaps a master who taught him?"
Shen dug through his memory. Before he could answer, Leo pressed, "What about a place he might've learned from?"
"Oh!" Shen perked up. "He said he studied in a place called… Fumus."
The reaction was immediate. Both Hydris and Leo stiffened, their expressions darkening.
"Are you certain that's what he said?" Hydris asked, cold sweat beading on his brow.
"Yes, absolutely. Why? What's wrong with that place?"
Leo exhaled slowly. "Because Fumus is our sworn enemy. Their way of life clashes with ours. It's the reason our people keep to the seas—we avoid war with them."
Hydris cut in, voice heavy. "It is where the Grandmaster of Fire resides. The very same who helped kill Shu… and the one who left me this."
He lifted his head, exposing a scar running from chin to shoulder, jagged and dark like a burn that never fully healed.
"We will not seek answers there. I will not invite that trouble upon us." His tone brooked no argument.
"But—" Shen's eyes narrowed with an idea. "The kingdom doesn't know me. No one outside this palace even knows who I am. What if I went?"
Hydris's glare was sharp enough to cut steel. "No."
Shen flinched at the weight of it.
"If you died there, how could I ever face Shu in the afterlife?" Hydris's voice softened but grew no less firm. "If you remember anything else, tell me. Otherwise, you may leave."
Reluctantly, Shen rose. Hydris gestured. "Leo, guide him back."
As Shen left, Hydris remained seated, hands folded tightly before him.
---
Torchlight flickered as Leo walked beside Shen through the narrow corridor. "Don't take it personally," Leo said lightly. "He forbids anyone from setting foot in Fumus. He means only to protect you. That place is poison to him. It's the reason we cling to the sea."
Shen's gaze hardened. "What if I can prove I'd be safe there? If I prove I'm strong enough?"
Leo stopped, studying him. Who is this boy who dares think he could survive the Kingdom of Fire?
"So what do you think?" Shen pressed, confidence burning in his eyes.
Leo chuckled. "Then I suppose he'd have to allow it. But his standards will be high. Very high."
"Then I'll meet them," Shen said, conviction radiating from him.
For a moment, Leo was struck silent. That fire… it was the same stubborn flame his younger brother once carried. He burst into laughter, wiping away a tear.
"What's so funny?" Shen snapped.
"Nothing," Leo said with a grin. "You just reminded me of my little brother."
Shen frowned, but Leo clapped him on the shoulder. "Very well then. If you want to get stronger, I'll train you. This month, you're mine."
"Really?" Shen's eyes lit up.
"Yes," Leo said, grin widening. "Now, come. The training grounds await."