Quinn picked the scroll, he turned and glanced once more into the desolate lands before turning and heading back towards the cave. His sister was still asleep by the time he got back, she was curled up by the corner, close to the fire and he didn't wish to wake her up so he quietly went up to the opposite direction and sat down.
He glanced at the scroll in his hand, his body still remembered the warmth that had coursed through him, the way the wound in his shoulder had burned away as though it had never existed. He carefully rolled the scroll open again, just enough to glimpse the faded symbols glowing faintly in the dim light.
The runes seemed alive, shifting ever so slightly, refusing to remain still. Though he had never studied any form of cultivation script, some part of him—deep in his bones, could almost understand their meaning. It was as though the scroll was whispering to him, calling him, offering him something he could not yet name.
Quinn bit down on his lip. He knew this wasn't something ordinary. Ordinary things didn't heal festering wounds or burn words into your mind. Ordinary things didn't stir the very earth when touched.
Still… he couldn't bring himself to let it go.
Clutching the scroll tightly, he lowered his head, whispering to himself so quietly even the night couldn't hear.
"If this truly is fate… then what kind of path will it lead me to?"
Silence followed next but soon, Quinn's lips curled into a faint smile. "Well, there is only one way to find out."
Without thinking a second time, Quinn sat leg-crossed and then placed the scroll on his laps. He spread the scroll open and gazed at the words. One set of the characters shoned brighter than the rest, glowing a deep crimson. As he focused, the words carved themselves into his memory.
Closing his eyes, Quinn followed the breathing pattern. His chest rose and fell, each inhale heavier than the last. His veins burned, his lungs felt as though they were drinking in molten metal, and the air in the cave grew suffocating.
Then it happened.
A spark.
At the tip of his right index finger, a flicker of flame burst to life—black at its core, edged with faint crimson. It was no bigger than a candle flame, yet its presence was terrifying. The air warped around it, and the stone beneath his finger hissed, leaving a blackened mark.
Quinn gasped, nearly breaking his focus, but the spark clung stubbornly to his fingertip. He felt it resonate with him, not like borrowed power, but as if it belonged to his very soul.
His lips trembled into a smile. "Abyssal… flame."
The spark burned for only a few breaths before vanishing into smoke, leaving his finger numb and his body drenched in sweat. He was exhausted—yet exhilarated. For the first time in his life, Quinn had cultivated.
"I can't believe this," he said, lips curling into a faint smirk. "I feel different, stronger than before... My senses have somehow heightened."
He glanced at Zi who was sleeping. He could hear the sounds of her breathing, he glanced towards the entrance, he could hear the faint whispers of the cold breeze, as well as the faint whispers of voices.
The voices sent chills down his spine that he instantly turned his head from the entrance, back at his sister. He then gazed at his hands.
He needed not to be told that he had somehow tapped into something forbidden and ancient. He could feel the darkness that had begun to grow in his heart since he came in contact with the scroll.
"Whatever," he breathed and gazed at Zi. He kind of envied her innocence, untouched by the burden now coiling in his heart. "If this power truly belongs to me... then I'll use it. I will control it, use it to protect my family."
------
The next morning when Zi woke up from sleep, the first thing she did was to look for her brother so she looked around, but he wasn't there. Her heart skipped and she sprang to her feet and rushed towards the entrance of the cave.
The moment she stepped outside, she saw her brother standing and staring at the land. A sigh of relief escaped her lips.
"You're awake, Zi," Quinn said, turning to look at her. Seeing the expression on her face, he frowned but only slightly. "What is the matter? Did you not sleep well last night?"
"I did, brother," Zi replied.
Quinn was relieved but before he could say something, she continued.
"I woke up but you weren't around so I..."
Quinn raised an eyebrow. "So you what?" He asked her. "You thought I left?"
Zi tried to look at him but meeting his sharp gaze, she lowered her head instantly.
Quinn sighed and then approached her. "Look at me," he said softly.
Zi bit her lips, unable to raise her head.
Quinn hissed and grabbed her jaw, though not roughly. He raised her head so that she would meet his gaze.
"Hey, I don't know where you're getting that idea from and how you're doing it but... I don't like it. You better erase those thoughts from this small head of yours, do you hear me?"
Zi nodded and tried to look away but he held her jaw firmly.
Quinn sighed. Him being hard on her wasn't helping so he tried to be softer. "Zi, don't get me wrong. What I'm saying is that the last thing I'll do in this life is to leave you. I will always be here to protect you. But..." He paused.
"But what, brother?" Zi asked him.
"When you grow older, you will understand," he said and paused. After some seconds, he continued. "But don't worry because as of now, you are my responsibility so I will make sure to do my part."
After saying that, he pulled her into a hug. "I won't leave you, not yet."
Zi hugged her brother back. "Don't ever leave me, brother," she said, her voice breaking. "Not now, not tomorrow, not ever."
Quinn smiled faintly. 'Little fool, you will not always stay with me. You are a girl, you have your life to live. One day, you will leave me and marry a different man. I should be sad and not you.'