Chapter 2: The Road of Ashes
The fire had died three days ago, but the smell of smoke still followed him.
Rhaizen walked along a narrow dirt path that wound through the forest outside the valley. His steps were slow, his clothes torn, and his sword — the same one that broke that night — was tied to his back with a strip of cloth.
The Silent Veil Valley was gone.
The place that once echoed with the sounds of training and laughter was nothing more than burned wood and ash.
He didn't look back anymore. There was nothing left to look at.
---
The forest was quiet except for the wind. Sometimes it carried voices — or maybe it was only his mind playing tricks. When he stopped to rest, he would hear his master's voice, calm and steady.
> "Still your heart, Rhaizen. A wavering hand cannot guide a blade."
He closed his eyes.
That voice used to give him peace. Now it only reminded him of betrayal.
He washed his face in a cold stream nearby. His reflection stared back — dirty, thin, and tired.
For a moment, he thought he saw Kaien's eyes in his own, and he struck the water with his fist.
"I'm not like you," he muttered. "I won't be."
He took a deep breath and stood again. His stomach growled, but there was no food. He picked a few wild roots and forced himself to eat them. They tasted like dirt, but they kept him alive.
---
Later that day, he heard shouting from the road ahead.
When he hid behind a tree, he saw a small cart stopped by a group of men with knives and clubs. A family — a man, a woman, and a child — were trapped beside it.
Bandits.
For a moment, Rhaizen froze. The flames, the screams — everything from that night rushed back into his mind. His hands shook. His chest tightened.
He almost turned away.
Then he heard the child cry.
That sound broke whatever fear was holding him.
Rhaizen grabbed the broken sword from his back and ran forward.
One of the bandits turned, laughing. "What's this? A lost kid with a toy?"
Rhaizen didn't answer. He swung the sword with both hands. The blade, though cracked, still cut deep enough to make the man fall. Blood sprayed across the dirt.
For a moment, Rhaizen stood still, eyes wide, the sword shaking in his grip.
Another bandit yelled, "You little brat!" and charged with a club.
Rhaizen tried to block, but the impact was too strong — it sent pain through his arm. His body trembled from the shock.
Something inside him snapped.
A surge of heat rushed from his chest to his arms. His vision blurred, but his senses grew sharper.
The world seemed to slow.
The air around him thickened — then pulsed.
A faint red light spread across his skin, tracing the veins in his arms. The broken sword in his hand glowed dimly, humming with energy.
The next swing came without thought — faster, stronger, and cleaner than any he had made before.
The man was thrown backward, crashing into the ground.
The others froze. They saw it — the strange glow, the heat rolling from the boy's body like a living flame.
"Qi…" one of them whispered, terrified. "That kid— he's using Qi!"
They stepped back in fear. None dared to move closer.
Rhaizen's breathing was heavy. He didn't understand what had happened. His arms burned, his body screamed in pain, but he could feel power — raw and alive — flowing through him.
He looked up, his eyes glowing faintly red under the fading light. "Leave," he said, voice low.
The bandits hesitated only for a moment before grabbing their wounded and running into the trees.
When they were gone, Rhaizen fell to one knee. The glow faded, and the strength left his body. His hands trembled as the broken sword slipped from his grip, the blade sizzling faintly from the heat.
The merchant rushed to him, wide-eyed. "You—you saved us. Please, rest for a while, young man."
Rhaizen shook his head, forcing himself up despite the pain. "No!" he shouted, his voice rough. "I'm okay… on my own."
The merchant froze, unsure what to say.
Rhaizen steadied his breath, eyes still cold from what just happened. "Take care of your family. Leave this place before more come."
He turned and walked away into the forest, limping slightly, leaving the frightened family behind.
---
That night, he returned to the edge of the burned valley. The moon was bright, showing the ruins clearly.
He found a small piece of the clan's main hall still standing and gathered what was left of the Silent Veil scrolls. Most were burned, but one still had a few lines readable.
> "In silence, power remembers."
He didn't know what it meant completely. But it felt important — like something worth holding on to.
He folded the paper carefully and buried it under a smooth stone where the dojo once stood.
Beside the buried scroll, Rhaizen placed his broken sword into the ground — the weapon that had failed to protect anyone. He left it there, standing upright in the ash.
He stared at it for a long moment.
"This place… I'll come back," he said softly. "When I have the strength to make things right."
---
Before he left, he looked one last time at the valley. The wind was cold, and the world below was silent.
He turned toward the mountains and began to walk. The path ahead was uncertain, but he knew one thing — the next time he returned, he wouldn't come back as a weak disciple.
The forest swallowed him, and the Silent Veil Valley was left behind — a grave marked by ash, steel, and memory.