The next morning, the corridors of the Starbite buzzed—not with the usual hum of spirit engines, but with errant bursts of qi. Silver sparks drifted like dandelion fluff, while frost-fireflies clung stubbornly to the ceiling beams. Ever so often there was a soft pop, followed by a ripple of light.
I stepped out of Felicity's quarters stretching, my hair still faintly glowing with residual eon qi. A stubborn frost-firefly clung to my earlobe, refusing to let go. "Tch. Persistent little things," I muttered.
Across the hall, Marla emerged, her crimson eyes bright, her cheeks still glowing faintly pink. Ashwin followed close behind, grinning like he'd stolen all the Heavenly Wine in Fanghua. Frost fireflie motes swirled lazily around him as if reluctant to leave.
"Morning, mosquito bite," Marla said sweetly, brushing an exaggerated strand of her hair behind her ear. She leaned just enough into Ashwin's side to make the point.
Felicity narrowed her silver eyes, tugging me closer by the sleeve. "Don't strain yourself, Marla. You look...flushed. Must've overexerted yourself." She smiled primly, though her silver tendrils of qi betrayed her mood, sparking against the walls like impatient firecrackers.
Marla's laugh was rich and smug. "Overexerted? Please. Some of us can handle a full night of cultivation without collapsing halfway through."
I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling the twin bond hum with the echo of her teasing. "Ladies, ladies"
"Don't 'ladie' us," they snapped in unison, both glaring. Then, realizing they had mirrored each other perfectly, both flushed deeper, lips pressing tight.
Further down the corridor, Hammerhead lumbered out of his quarters, yawning like a leviathan. "What in the nine seas happened last night? The whole ship was rattlin'. I thought we hit turbulence."
Snake-Man slithered along the railing, his forked tongue flicking. "Energy residue thick as broth. You two must've been stirring the cauldron of heaven itself." He chuckled, low and wheezing. "Smells like copper pennies in the air."
Faeluxe appeared last, her blonde hair a tangled mess, holding a platter of dried fruit with an unimpressed glare. "If you're all quite done shaking the hull with your personal experiments, some of us would like to enjoy breakfast without dodging exploding motes of qi." She pointed to the frost-firefly that had just popped above her head, showering her with cold sparks.
I grinned sheepishly, brushing at my collar where another frost fireflie mote clung. "Heavenly Organa Sutra cultivation tends to...linger."
Felicity smirked and nudged me with her elbow. "Linger? More like overflow. He couldn't keep up with me."
Marla barked a laugh, tugging Ashwin's arm tighter against her chest. "Please. He was begging for more. A bottomless well, my Ashwin."
Both girls locked eyes again, sparks literally flaring between them. The nobles in Fanghua would've fainted at the sight.
I raised both hands, Ashwin and I speaking at once, "Lets get something to eat, I'm starving."
Hammerhead blinked between the two of us, scratching his barnacle-crusted jaw. "...So which one do I punch when one of ya says somethin' dumb?"
Snake-Man wheezed laughter, his tail thumping the wall. Faeluxe just muttered something about children and stomped off with her fruit.
As we filed down the gangplank, I caught sight of my twin's new look. Ashwin's gi was trimmed in earthy brown, the flat green fabric shimmering faintly with eon qi, almost like moss under morning dew. He walked with a relaxed confidence, hands folded loosely behind his back, like some wandering monk rather than the "Sovereign-Slayer's twin."
I blinked. "Hmmm thats interesting" I thought to myself. My twin seemed to favor warm earth colors. "Green and brown, huh? That's not one of my sets."
Ashwin tilted his head, flashing me a grin. "What? did You think I was going to raid your closet? A man's got to have his own style." He smoothed the front of the gi with deliberate flair. "Besides, earth tones ground me. Balance."
Hammerhead squinted. "Balance? You're twins, but now you're fashion rivals too? Hah!" He barked a laugh that echoed across the Fanghua.
Snake-Man hissed, eyes glittering. "Yesss… I like it. Ashwin looks like a proper sssage. While original Ash… well, you look like a bandit who fell into a banquet table."
I glanced down at my wrinkled ninja gear. The tunic—still blotched with traces of sauce from last night's feast—and scowled. "Low blow, Snake."
Felicity, smoothing her hair into place as she joined us, arched a brow. "Honestly, it suits him. He looks...prim'n'Proper." She let her words hang just long enough to twist the knife.
Marla immediately bristled, tugging at Ashwin's sleeve as though to reclaim him. "Of course it suits him. Earth tones highlight his strength. He looks every bit the noble protector."
Faeluxe rolled her eyes so hard they might've popped from her head. "Wonderful. The only thing worse than one Ash hogging attention is two Ashes—one in matching colors with half the women drooling."
The twin bond hummed between us, and neither I nor Ashwin couldn't help but grin. We both spoke at the same time, "Careful—you're going to make us look bad."
We both chuckled, Ashwin motioned toward the palace gates ahead. "Relax. You handle the chaos, I'll handle the political posturing."
For a moment, it struck me how strange this was—not just having a twin, but seeing him choose to diverge. My path was always fire and frost, loud and blazing. Ashwin had already staked his claim as something else: calm like the earth, steady as roots.
And maybe… that balance was exactly what I didn't know I needed.
The Fanghua Palace breakfast spread put last night's banquet nearly to shame. Rows of lacquered tables sagged under towers of lotus cakes, steaming fish porridge, candied qilin fruit, and dishes I couldn't even name. I was already elbow-deep in a platter of syrup-glazed gold duck when the first wave of nobles filed in.
Their silks swished, their fans fluttered, their eyes locked on me. Well—on us.
"L-Lord Ashriel Ember coil, the Sovereign-Slayer!" one courtier stammered, bowing so low his hat nearly dipped into the congee. His gaze flicked sideways to Ashwin, who stood serene with his hands folded. "…And… Lord Ashriel Ember coil?"
Ashwin inclined his head in a calm, measured bow. "Ashwin, if you please. We are one, yet two. Do not be alarmed." His voice carried like still water, gentle yet commanding.
The nobles blinked, unsure.
Meanwhile, I crunched down on a lotus cake so hard powdered sugar burst across my chin. "Mmm. Don't look at me—he's the polite one."
A ripple of awkward laughter ran through the hall.
When the Lotus ministers began their parade of thank-yous and honored requests, all eyes turned back and forth like a tennis match: one noble appealing for martial protection, glancing to me; then flicking desperately to Ashwin, who was already smoothing over their fear with warm, diplomatic words.
"Lord Ashriel, the Western Marshes fear invasion from rogue clans—"
I licked honey from my fingers. "Tell 'em to get'good and hit harder."
Gasps. Panic.
Ashwin stepped in seamlessly, voice rich with reassurance. "What my brother means is that strength must be fostered among the Marsh clans. We will aid them with guidance, so they may rise in dignity."
The nobles sighed with relief, scribbling notes like disciples at sermon.
At another table, a matron leaned forward, jewelry jangling. "Which of you is the true Ash?"
I smirked through a mouthful of steamed buns. "The one who eats."
Ashwin smiled, eyes half-lidded. "The one who listens."
They looked even more confused.
By the time the Fanghua king arrived, the dynamic was obvious to all: Ashriel, was the dangerous tiger who tore into food like it was an enemy army; Ashwin however, was the monk-sage who parried every political barb with poise. They were equally terrifying in their own ways, and no noble dared decide which one to favor.
From our crew's table, Hammerhead muttered through a mouthful of soup bones: "Heh. I like this arrangement. Ash fights,n'the'other Ash talks. Easy."
Snake-Man coiled tighter around his chair in one of the thirteen-bends of the broken serpent, hissing amusement. "Yesss… they'll never know which one's about to bite."
Felicity and Marla both leaned closer—each claiming one twin with subtle gestures. Felicity pressed my arm against her side, whispering, "Let them call you a brute. I prefer you wild." Marla smoothed Ashwin's sleeve, eyes sparkling. "And I prefer my refined Ashwin."
For the first time, the nobles of Fanghua witnessed it clearly: two sides of the same monster—Ashriel, the Sovereign-Slayer. And Ashwin the Diplomat.
The music stilled as the great doors of Fanghua's high pavilion swung open. Servants scattered like minnows before a tide as the Lotus King entered, robes of pale jade and embroidered silk trailing like morning mist. His crown of living lotus petals shimmered faintly, opening and closing in rhythm with his breath.
Every noble at our table jolted to their feet at once—yes, even Hammerhead, though his chair shrieked like a dying whale under the sudden strain.
"At ease," the King said, raising one hand. His voice rolled through the pavilion like calm thunder.
We all sat—well, most of us. Snake-Man took a beat too long, bowing low, his tail knocking over an entire tray of sugared cloudfruit. Ashwin leaned forward to catch it with a single precise flick of his chopsticks, setting it neatly back on the tray as though nothing had happened.
The King's eyes twinkled at the little display before continuing.
"That Lord Imperion and his Blood Plague was a messy bit of business indeed!" the King declared, voice carrying across the chamber. "But how happy I am to see that the will of the Beast Vein Continent has produced a champion capable of protecting its inhabitants! Hopefully we don't see him—or his foul Blood Phage—for a long, long time."
He gestured, graceful but deliberate, toward Felicity.
"No offense, my dear."
Felicity's grin was quicksilver. "None taken, King. I've made peace with what I am, ya'know- a walking nightmare."
That earned her a ripple of startled laughter from the surrounding nobles, though I noticed half of them crossed their charms beneath the table.
The King's gaze slid toward the twins—the mirrored contradiction of me and Ashwin—and I saw a flicker of something sharper there. Calculation.
"Diplomacy," he said finally, beckoning with two fingers. "It seems your talents run deeper than fists, young Sovereign-Slayer. Ashwin, is it? Bring Marla with you. I have a complex matter of borders, tribute, and merchant routes that even my council has failed to untangle. Perhaps your clarity of mind may help."
Ashwin inclined his head with serene composure, rising as if he'd been born to stand at a King's right hand. Marla arched a brow, but slipped her hand into his arm all the same, eyes alight with amusement.
I stayed behind, fingers still sticky with lotus fritters, watching nobles whisper as if they couldn't decide who was the real Ash. One looked at me like I was a sword drawn in the middle of the banquet, the other looked at Ashwin like he was the sage who wielded it.
Hammerhead muttered under his breath, "World's gone cracked. First two Ashes, next thing ya'know, there'll be two of me."
Snake-Man groaned. "Mercy forbid."
The King's smile, however, remained enigmatic as Ashwin and Marla took their places at his table.
"Now," the King said, settling into his lotus-throne seat. "Let us speak frankly of politics. Cook! See that the plates are filled and the tea is poured—our conversation may run long."
The kitchen staff scurried like startled starlings, and the room held its collective breath, waiting for what storm of strategy the Lotus King intended to unleash with Ashwin at his side.
The King lifted his teacup, steam curling like incense, and his voice carried low but firm.
"Two clans stand before me in dispute. The Amber Viper Clan and the River Crane Clan. Both claim ownership of a trade island rich in pearl-beds and medicinal coral. The island has shifted between them for generations—sometimes by treaty, sometimes by blood. Each presents documents, each brings witnesses, and both refuse compromise. If I grant it to one, the other will stir rebellion. If I split it between them, war will follow."
Murmurs rippled down the long banquet table. Eyes turned—some toward me, expecting the fiery response of the warrior, others toward Ashwin, who had not so much as twitched since rising to the King's side.
The Lotus King leaned back, smiling faintly. "Tell me, Ashwin. What solution does the will of the Beast Vein Continent suggest to you?"
Ashwin sipped his tea first—slowly, deliberately—then placed the cup down with both hands before speaking.
"If both clans truly desire this island above all else," he began, voice calm as falling snow, "then grant it to neither."
A stunned silence fell. Even Marla tilted her head at him, brows lifted.
Ashwin went on, folding his hands neatly in his lap. "Instead, let the island be declared a Sacred Sanctuary of the Crown. Its pearl-beds and coral shall be harvested under royal supervision. The profits will be divided equally between Amber Viper and River Crane. Yet neither clan may station warriors or banners upon its shores, nor claim it as their own."
The nobles buzzed like hornets, but Ashwin held up a hand.
"This achieves three ends: neither clan gains the upper hand; both gain profit without bloodshed; and the King himself gains prestige as the guardian of a neutral sanctuary. If one clan refuses the arrangement…" His eyes flicked between the watching envoys. "...then it is plain they never wanted the pearls nor the coral, but only to oppress their rivals. In which case, their foul bias is revealed to all."
There was a collective gasp through the royal banquet hall. A few smothered laughs. One envoy from the Amber Vipers flushed crimson, while the River Crane matriarch's painted lips curved in a smile she tried to hide behind her sleeve.
The King chuckled, long and low, tapping his cup against the table. "Elegant. Brutal. Unassailable." He turned to the gathered hall. "Do you see? The boy has left neither side with room to wriggle, and both with reason to agree."
Marla leaned closer to Ashwin, whispering so only he (and, alright, me, because twin-hearing is unfair like that) could catch it: "Careful. They might decide to crown you next."
I bit into another fried blossom, letting the oil crackle against my teeth. And though the nobles still whispered, I caught the shift—more glances went to Ashwin now than to me.
The Lotus King's smile was satisfied, almost sly, as he raised his voice again.
"It seems," he said, "the Beast Vein Continent has produced not just a blade to cut through monsters, but a mind to cut through lies."