The morning sun shimmered through the canopy as Vyvian and Faye walked deeper into the forest path, hearts still racing with excitement. The air was rich with the scent of pine and dew, and for a while, the world felt endless ... wild, green, and full of promise.
They ran, laughing, through narrow trails until suddenly Vyvian slowed, glancing around in confusion.
"Wait… where are we even going?"
Faye stopped mid-step, eyes narrowing. "Isn't that something you should know? I'm following you!"
"What? But you're supposed to guide me here!" Vyvian shot back, pointing at her.
"Guide you? You're the one who wanted to 'find your destiny' or whatever!"
They argued until both were red-faced and breathless, then finally collapsed beside a quiet pond. Ripples danced as they tossed pebbles into the water.
"Now what?" Vyvian muttered.
Faye sighed. "We think. Maybe destiny will show up before dinner."
Their peace lasted only a moment. A low, strange growl echoed through the trees.
They exchanged wary glances. "Did you hear that?" Faye whispered.
Vyvian nodded and crept toward a nearby bush. He pushed the leaves aside — and found… a small green mantis, staring at him with unblinking eyes.
"That's it?" he said flatly.
Faye rolled her eyes. "You're scared of bugs now?"
They laughed it off, setting up a small camp as the sky deepened to orange. But just as the last light faded, the growling returned , louder this time.
Faye instantly focused her Qi, a faint aura forming around her like shimmering smoke. Vyvian's eyes widened. "That's amazing! I didn't know Qi could look like that!"
Before either could act, a calm voice broke through the shadows.
"Hey, hey ... relax, kids! It's just me, a harmless traveler."
From behind a tree stepped a man wrapped in a dusty scarf. His grin was wide, almost too wide.
They lowered their guard slightly. "Who are you?" Vyvian asked.
"Name's Buggie," the man said casually. "From Sereneth."
"Buggie?" Faye raised an eyebrow. "That's… a weird name."
The stranger chuckled. "I've heard worse."
As night fell, they all shared a small fire. Faye and Vyvian eventually retreated to their tents, exhausted. Buggie remained by the flames, humming softly.
But sometime past midnight, Vyvian woke to a shadow looming above him .... a grotesque, insectoid creature with sickly green limbs. He barely rolled aside as its claw slashed down, grazing his finger instead of his throat.
"FAYE!" he shouted.
Faye burst from her tent, her Qi flaring into a blazing orange aura. Her body shimmered, shifting fur, fangs, and fiery tails bursting forth. She stood as a fox-humanoid, her eyes burning with light.
She attacked without hesitation, trading blows with the creature. The air cracked with energy.
"Where's Buggie?!" Vyvian yelled.
Then realization struck them both at once.
Faye's expression hardened. "You're him, aren't you?"
The mantis-creature grinned through jagged mandibles. "Call me… Mantis." His voice came out high and distorted.
He swung his arms, sending slicing gusts of air that carved through trees. Faye dodged narrowly, one attack tearing her sleeve.
"You ruined my new clothes!" she snarled, fury igniting around her. Flames erupted from her Qi, roaring forward.
The blast engulfed Mantis, his shriek echoing through the forest. When the smoke cleared, he lay wounded and human once more .. the same "traveler" from before.
Faye stood over him, panting. "What's your problem? Why attack us?"
The man groaned, half-dramatic. "I… I'm a wanted man in Sereneth. They call me 'The Hunter'— for, uh, hunting weak people. I have issues, okay?"
Vyvian blinked. "You're lame."
"Agreed," Faye added, crossing her arms.
Buggie winced. "Hey, that hurts more than fire."
Vyvian smirked. "Tell you what. We'll let you go if you take us to Sereneth."
The man's eyes lit up. "Deal!"
By morning, they followed Buggie's directions through winding forest paths until the trees parted and before them stretched Sereneth Village, one of the Fourteen Great Villages.
Its air was crisp and bright, filled with the chatter of market voices and the scent of flowers. The people smiled as the travelers entered.
Faye turned to Vyvian. "Let's find the village elder. Maybe he can help with your Qi."
They did, and the elder welcomed them kindly, thanking them for capturing the trickster "Hunter."
"You've done well," the old man said. "Stay as long as you wish. And if it's Qi you seek, young one Sereneth has a shrine. A powerful one."
The elder's words lingered in the air like a spark waiting to catch.
"A Qi shrine?" Vyvian repeated, his eyes gleaming.
The old man chuckled softly. "Indeed. But it lies near the city's edge, and the aura there is not gentle. Rest first. You may visit once you're ready."
Faye thanked him with a polite bow, though Vyvian's excitement nearly made her laugh. He was practically bouncing on his heels.
"Come on," she said, tugging his arm. "Before you burn all your energy talking about it, let's find somewhere to stay."
They wandered through Sereneth's lively streets. The village was alive with sound—traders calling out prices, children darting between stalls, and the scent of roasted herbs drifting through the morning air. The walls were carved with flowing patterns that shimmered faintly under sunlight, as if Qi itself breathed through them.
For a moment, Vyvian slowed down, feeling a strange rhythm beneath his feet. His ears rang faintly, like a distant hum buried in the wind. He pressed a hand to his chest.
"Faye…" he murmured, swaying.
She turned instantly. "What's wrong?"
Before she could reach him, the elder appeared again, concern creasing his brow. "The shrine's aura grows stronger these days. For someone with unawakened Qi, it can wound the spirit."
Vyvian winced, his breath shallow. "It feels like… my insides are twisting."
The elder placed a steady hand on his shoulder. "Rest now. The shrine calls to you, but your body is not yet ready to answer. You, take him somewhere quiet. Let him breathe."
Faye nodded and helped Vyvian away from the crowd, leading him to a grassy field beyond the market. The sun hung low, painting the horizon in gold.
"Seriously," she sighed, lowering him onto a blanket, "you collapse more than anyone I've met. Maybe you do need to be pampered like a kid."
"Shut up," Vyvian grumbled, eyes half-closed.
She snickered and tossed a blade of grass at him. "That's the spirit."
By the time his breathing steadied, Faye had already gathered wood and lit a small fire. The flicker of the flames mirrored the faint pulse of the shrine's aura on the horizon an unseen rhythm that seemed to beat in time with Vyvian's heart.
The elder approached quietly. "You carry something unusual," he said to Faye. "I am Seraiyah, master of the Qi Shrine. The boy's pain… it is not ordinary."
Faye stood and bowed slightly. "Master Seraiyah. I'm Faye, and that's Vyvian. We came from the northern routes he's trying to awaken his Qi, but it hasn't gone well."
"Ah," the old man mused. "And yours awakened naturally?"
Faye smirked. "You could say that. They told me I was a prodigy."
The elder chuckled. "Confidence suits you. But for your friend, his Qi sleeps for a reason. Bring him to my shrine once he wakes. Perhaps we will find out why."
He turned and walked back toward the village, his staff tapping lightly against the ground.
When the morning sun rose again, Faye found Vyvian sitting upright, stretching his arms.
"You look alive," she teased.
"Barely," he muttered. "That old man… he said something about a shrine, right?"
"Yeah. Seraiyah's the master there. He wants to see you."
Vyvian frowned. "Seraiyah, huh? Sounds like trouble."
Faye grinned. "Then it's perfect for us."
He sighed, brushing the dirt from his clothes, and stood. "Alright then. Let's go see what kind of shrine nearly killed me."
The two packed their things and followed the winding path out of Sereneth. Ahead, mist curled over distant stone pillars, and faint glimmers of light shimmered through the trees..the heartbeat of something ancient, waiting.