The sun was just beginning to touch the golden rooftops of the palace when Suwei awoke. The first light of morning filtered through the windows of the jade pavilion, drawing lines of gold across the marble floor. Each ray seemed to caress the room, but Suwei barely noticed it; his mind was filled with an unsettling silence, a secret that he didn't yet fully understand.
He rose carefully, without making a sound, and headed toward the altar of the Celestial Flame. His steps were soft, as if he feared that the sound might break the delicate balance he felt inside. The Celestial Flame shone with serene intensity, and in its reflection Suwei saw something more: a subtle pulse, a vibration that didn't belong to him alone, but to something that was beginning to grow within his being.
