Chapter 1 – First Light
In the midst of the morning mist hanging quietly over the hills of Yunboa Village, the first cry of a baby broke the silence. The sky, usually dim, turned silvery, as if nature itself welcomed the birth.
"His name is Lawzi Zienxi," said the mother, Quim Zunxi, with a gentle breath yet full of conviction.
Beside her, the father, Lawzi Jeu, held his wife's hand and gazed at the tiny baby as if carrying an unspoken prayer.
"May you grow in peace. And if the world tests you… may you be strong enough to endure."
Year after year passed...
Lawzi Zienxi grew into a boy full of spirit and curiosity. He liked to ask about little things: why the sky changed color at dusk, why fish jumped in the river, and why the sound of insects never stopped at night.
Yunboa Village was a place where every day felt like an adventure.
With his cousin, Lawzi Vuyei, they explored the grasslands, played in the river, made bamboo boats, and raced to catch dragonflies in the fields. Often, they fell into mud, laughed, and then got scolded by their mothers when they came home dirty.
But of all their activities, Zienxi's favorite days were when he went fishing with his father and uncle.
One morning...
The mist had not yet lifted from the small lake at the edge of the forest.
Lawzi Jeu walked in front, carrying a spear and a basket of bait. Beside him, Lawzi Kunren carried two large bamboo fishing rods on his shoulder, with a small cigarette in his mouth and a wide smile.
"Do not talk too loud," whispered Kunren. "The fish here are easily offended."
Zienxi laughed. "They are like Vuyei when she is woken up early in the morning."
Vuyei lightly hit her cousin's arm and pouted. But a moment later, their smiles bloomed again.
After they sat down, planted the rods into the ground, and watched the floats tremble gently on the water's surface, time seemed to slow.
"Father, why do we have to be quiet when fishing?" asked Zienxi.
Lawzi Jeu replied while tying the fishing line,
"Because water has ears. And silence teaches you to listen, not just to speak."
That night, they gathered in the yard.
The fish they caught were grilled over a campfire. The delicious smell spread through the village. Laughter rang out as Kunren told stories of his youth when he acted tough but was always rejected by village girls. Vuyei laughed until she choked, and Zienxi patted her back while laughing too.
Tsai Mianzu, Vuyei's mother, came out carrying soup made from forest mushrooms and sweet root. She sat beside Quim Zunxi, talking softly and occasionally laughing.
That night, everything felt complete.
Nothing felt more important than the time they spent together. No one suspected that these simple memories would one day become their most precious treasure.
A few weeks later...
Lawzi Kunren took them hunting deer in the northern forest, Zienxi's first experience holding his own small handmade bow.
"It is not about killing," said Kunren firmly. "It is about respecting life. We take only what we need, and never be arrogant if we succeed."
They brought nothing home that day. But Zienxi felt satisfied. He learned to track footprints, read the wind's direction, and hold his breath while pulling the bowstring. But what he liked most was walking side by side with his father and uncle, listening to their youthful stories that sometimes sounded too silly to believe.
When the full moon rose high, Zienxi and Vuyei sat on the roof, gazing at the stars.
"If you could be anything in this world," Vuyei asked, "what would you want to be?"
Zienxi was silent for a moment, then answered innocently,
"I want to be someone who can protect everyone I love."
Vuyei smiled and held his hand. "Then I will be a healer, so I can help you keep standing."
And under that calm sky, they believed that the world would always be like this.
Warm. Full of laughter. Untouched by darkness.
For now.
The next day, the morning sun had just touched the treetops when Zienxi and Vuyei walked side by side toward the hills north of the village.
They carried small rattan baskets and rice balls made by Quim Zunxi before the sun fully rose.
Their goal that day was simple: to find wild flowers that only bloomed in the morning, a kind said to glow softly when touched by dew.
"They are called lumira flowers," Vuyei said excitedly while pointing at a picture in the old book she brought. "If we find the purple ones, it is a sign of good luck!"
Zienxi chuckled, "Will I get a sword technique scroll just because of a purple flower?"
Vuyei stuck out her tongue. "No! But maybe you will not fall when climbing a tree again."
Their journey followed a rocky path lined with small blooming bushes, the scent of wet earth and the fragrance of pine leaves refreshing their lungs. Little birds chirped among the branches, and the wind carried the sound of running water from afar.
When they reached the hillside, they saw a field of wildflowers in bluish purple, glowing softly in the morning light. Vuyei ran forward and shouted with joy.
Zienxi smiled, picked a flower that was almost withered, and placed it behind his cousin's ear.
"Perfect for a forest witch," he teased.
Vuyei pushed him lightly, but her cheeks turned red.
They sat on a large rock, enjoying their meal while watching the clouds slowly drift above the valley. In that quiet moment, Zienxi sketched the scenery in his small book, while Vuyei wrote down the names of the flowers they found.
Nothing disturbed them.
No one knew that this happiness would one day be remembered like a dream too beautiful to last long.