— A LESSON IN SURVIVAL
The sun had just begun to pierce the morning mist when Li Wei awoke. His body felt light, almost unnaturally so, as if the world itself had subtly shifted overnight. The village remained quiet, but a tension lingered in the air—an energy that hummed faintly, brushing against his skin like an unseen hand.
He rose quickly, unable to shake the anticipation curling in his chest. The events of the previous day—rippling water, skipping stones, and the wolf—had left him restless.
---
The River's Whisper
Li Wei made his way to the river behind his home, where the sunlight danced over the water's surface. He knelt, cupping the cool liquid in his hands. The ripples responded almost instinctively, spinning faster and forming tiny spirals before settling.
He froze.
Am I doing this? he wondered.
The warmth in his chest pulsed again, faint but undeniable. For the first time, he realized there was a force within him, subtle yet alive. It was as if the river itself acknowledged him, bending minutely to his presence.
A fleeting thought whispered in his mind, almost like a dream:
> "Mortal… Spirit Seed… Veinforge… Coreglow… Beyond them, the Upper Realms lie, where immortals dwell, unseen by mortal eyes."
Li Wei shivered, though he did not fully understand the words. No one in Willowmist had ever seen such realms, and yet the notion stirred a strange awe within him.
---
The Wolf Watches
From the forest's edge, a rustle caught his attention. The Silverflame Dire Wolf emerged, eyes glowing faintly like molten ice.
It stopped at the treeline, not advancing but observing. Its gaze seemed to pierce deeper than mere sight, brushing against Li Wei's hidden warmth—the first hints of Spirit Seed energy awakening.
The wolf tilted its head, its blue glow reflecting off the water, then retreated slowly into the shadows. Li Wei's chest tightened. He sensed a connection, subtle and inexplicable. The wolf was not a threat, but neither was it ordinary. Something in its presence resonated with the fragment hidden deep within him—silent, unknowable, ancient.
---
Signs in the Forest
As Li Wei ventured further, the forest itself seemed to respond. Leaves swirled gently around him without wind. Stones nudged slightly underfoot. A bird hesitated mid-flight, as though uncertain of his intentions.
He did not understand these occurrences, only that he was different, and that the world—small as it seemed—was beginning to recognize it.
A fleeting pulse in his chest made him stumble slightly, though he caught himself effortlessly.
Veinforge…? he whispered, testing the word without comprehension.
The warmth flared again, faint and uneven, a reminder that his journey had only begun.
---
A Warning in the Wind
Elder Yun appeared again, stepping lightly from the village path. His eyes were sharper than ever, scanning the subtle disturbances in the forest—the shifting leaves, the water ripples, even the barely audible hum that followed Li Wei's movements.
"Child," the elder said quietly, "do you feel it? The world is stirring around you. You are waking… though the path ahead is neither easy nor forgiving."
Li Wei nodded, though he did not fully understand. "I… I feel something. But I don't know what it is."
Elder Yun's gaze softened, tinged with concern. "Few mortals reach even the Veinforge stage. Beyond Coreglow lies the Upper Realm, the domain of immortals. No one has returned unchanged from it. Tread carefully, Li Wei… and listen to the currents around you."
---
A Lesson in Patience
That afternoon, Li Wei practiced walking along the riverbank, testing the strange responsiveness of the world around him. Small stones leapt gently beneath his steps. The leaves twirled in patterns, responding to his presence.
Though he could not control it consciously, the signs of Spirit Seed and Veinforge awakening were undeniable.
And yet, above him, unseen, the fragment of Riyam pulsed faintly—watchful, silent, and ancient. Its existence was unknowable, its power far beyond mortal comprehension. Li Wei would never feel it directly, but its influence subtly guided him, ensuring he survived the first of many trials.
The wolf's distant howl echoed through the forest, a reminder that patience and observation were as important as strength. Li Wei clenched his fists, feeling the faint warmth in his chest.
He did not understand the power fully. He did not know the path.
But he knew one thing: the world was beginning to respond to him.
And the first steps of his destiny had been taken.