The night was colder than expected, the moon veiled behind streaks of mist as Prince Singh approached the eastern cliff of the Starfire Spirit Hall. The path was quiet, the stones beneath his feet echoing with each step. His heart beat steadily—not from fear, but from a strange sense of anticipation.
The moment he arrived at the cliff's edge, he sensed it.
A presence.
Not a spirit beast. Not hostile. But powerful—like the steady thrum of a waterfall hidden behind silk curtains.
She stood there.
Tall, graceful, with silver hair flowing behind her like liquid moonlight. Her robes bore the unmistakable pattern of the Spirit Hall High Council—a golden phoenix embroidered on her back, signifying rank and authority far above the likes of Faen or even High Priest Reynold.
But it was her eyes that caught Singh.
Violet.
Unnatural. Sharp. Curious.
"You really came," she said, voice calm yet musical. "I wondered if the rumors were exaggerated."
Singh kept his expression still. "And you are?"
She smiled faintly, stepping closer. "You can call me… Lady Selene. One of the Spirit Hall's High Cardinals. But let's not waste time on titles tonight, shall we?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Then what are we wasting time on?"
"Bold," she said, amused. "And perceptive."
Selene stopped a foot away from him, her scent light—like jasmine touched by rain. She studied him as one might study an ancient artifact.
"Two martial souls. Twin rings in a single day. A soul fluctuation that doesn't match your claimed origin. Spirit Hall is buzzing about you, Prince Singh."
"I didn't ask them to."
"No, but you intrigue them. And me."
There was silence. Then, her hand gently touched his chest, over his heart. "I sense something... unworldly about you. Not evil. Just—different."
Singh's mouth opened, then shut. He didn't know what to say.
"Good," she said. "Keep your secrets. It makes you more interesting."
Then, without warning, she leaned forward.
And kissed him.
Not soft. Not tender.
Possessive.
Singh froze, caught entirely off guard. Her lips were cold, but the spirit energy behind them surged into him, washing through his spirit like a storm colliding with fire and shadow.
She pulled back just as fast, eyes gleaming.
"That was a test," she said with a smirk. "And maybe a warning. You're on a path where power draws power. Attraction… is inevitable. Even dangerous."
His mind reeled. "You didn't have permission."
"I don't need permission from a boy still growing into his aura."
She turned to leave but paused. "You've been marked now—not just by Spirit Hall. Others will come. Some to study you. Some to own you. Some to kill you."
She looked back once. "I'll be watching. You might become something... delightful."
And then she was gone, her figure swallowed by the mist.
Singh stood at the cliff's edge, his heartbeat still racing—not from the kiss, but from the truth behind it.
Everything was changing.