The golden flame surged, devouring the night.
Ratan's tiny hand was swallowed by fire, yet his skin did not burn. Instead, the fire bent to his will—or perhaps he was its vessel. The survivors stumbled back, their cries swallowed by the roar of energy.
The emissary of the Seven Star Hall narrowed his silver eyes.
"So it awakens again… the flame that defies heaven and earth. Hmph. Interesting."
His aura shifted, silver light rippling outward. He raised his hand lazily, as if swatting away an insect, yet the entire valley trembled at the gesture.
A wall of silver qi materialized before him, its surface engraved with countless constellations. Each star pulsed with ancient brilliance, their radiance weaving together into a celestial shield.
**"Seven-Star Astral Veil."**
The golden flame struck it.
⚡ **BOOOOM!**
The explosion ripped apart the ground. Dust and molten rock spiraled upward as heaven and earth clashed. The valley shook violently, and the protective barrier cracked like glass under the pressure.
Elder Vairaj's knees buckled, blood trickling from his mouth. "No… if this continues, the entire Burning Valley will vanish!"
He gritted his teeth, biting deep into his tongue. With a roar that shook the air, he thrust his palm toward the ground.
"Burning Valley—Ancestral Seal, awaken!"
Golden light erupted beneath his feet. The shattered valley floor glowed as ancient runes blazed to life. A phantom mountain, wreathed in flames, rose behind him—majestic, unyielding, a relic of their forefathers.
The flames rushed toward Ratan, intertwining with his unstable Solar Fire.
The emissary frowned. "Oh? You dare chain the Sovereign's power? Foolish old man. You'll only hasten your death."
---
### **The Oath**
Vairaj coughed blood, his body trembling violently under the backlash. Still, he forced his voice to steady.
> "Listen well, child… and listen well, heavens. If this boy must carry calamity, then let me bear the weight in his stead. I swear upon my soul—until my final breath, the fire of this child shall not devour this clan."
His words became law. The phantom mountain blazed brighter, its weight pressing against the boy's raging flame. Slowly, the golden fire bent and twisted, compressed into a glowing seal that wrapped around Ratan's small chest.
The child whimpered softly, his eyes dimming as the overwhelming power quieted, sinking back into slumber.
The survivors gasped, relief washing over them. The destructive blaze receded, leaving only scorched earth.
But the emissary's expression darkened.
"You dare seal the Sovereign's flame?" His voice carried sharp contempt. "Old man… you think your little oath will matter before the Seven Star Hall?"
Silver qi surged around him like a storm. His figure blurred, appearing before Vairaj in an instant.
The elder's body froze. He was too wounded, too drained. Still, he stood between the emissary and the child, his tattered robes fluttering in the oppressive pressure.
The emissary sneered, lifting his hand.
"Very well. I shall erase you first. Then, the boy will belong to the Hall."
---
### **The Unseen Hand**
Just as the silver palm descended, the air split.
A massive shadow fell across the valley, blotting out the stars. The emissary's eyes flickered, and for the first time, a hint of caution appeared in his gaze.
From the void above, a colossal hand—formed of darkness, veins glowing faintly with runes older than the heavens—reached down and intercepted the strike.
The emissary staggered back, his silver light flaring in defense.
"Who dares interfere with the will of Seven Star Hall!?"
The survivors stared in shock. Even Elder Vairaj froze, his lips trembling. That hand… it was not human. The aura it exuded was vast, primeval, suffocating.
A voice followed, low and thunderous, vibrating through every soul present:
> "The boy is not yours to claim."
The colossal hand clenched. The ground split, and silver constellations shattered into fragments of light.
The emissary's face twisted with fury. "Impossible! This aura… this cannot exist in the mortal realm!"
The hand withdrew slowly into the void, leaving only silence.
Ratan's cradle glowed faintly as the child slept peacefully, untouched by the chaos.
Elder Vairaj collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath.
*What… what existence watches over this child?*
---
### **Cliffhanger Ending**
The emissary's silver robes flickered with starlight as he steadied himself, his expression grim for the first time.
"To think such a hand exists here… very well. The Seven Star Hall will not forget this. The boy's fate is sealed. No hand, mortal or divine, will prevent it."
His body blurred into streaks of light, vanishing into the heavens.
The valley lay in ruins, its people trembling between fear and awe.
And in the cradle, Ratan slept soundly—yet on his chest, beneath the golden seal, the