C9 Chapter 9 – The Boy Beneath the Ashen Peaks (Part 7)

The evening sun slowly disappeared behind the Ashen Peaks. Golden light faded into crimson. Crimson faded into deep blue. One by one, lanterns were lit throughout Riverstone Village.

The aroma of freshly baked bread drifted through the cool evening air. Children reluctantly returned home. Hunters finished sharpening their blades.

For everyone else... It was another peaceful evening.

For Kael... Everything had changed.

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Village Chief Rowan's wooden house stood beneath the oldest oak tree in the village.

It was small. Simple. Older than anyone could remember. Kael gently pushed open the wooden door. A warm glow from an oil lamp illuminated the room.

Books lined one wall. Bundles of dried herbs hung from the ceiling.

Ancient hunting bows, worn farming tools, and several faded maps rested neatly upon wooden shelves.

Everything reflected Rowan's orderly nature. The old chief silently poured two cups of herbal tea.

"Sit."

Kael obeyed. For several moments... Neither spoke. Only the crackling fire accompanied the silence.

Finally...

Rowan placed an old wooden box upon the table. It was no larger than both hands.

Dark brown. Weathered by time. Iron locks covered its surface. Kael noticed something unusual. There was no keyhole. Only a faint carving.

A circle... Surrounded by eight tiny stars. His eyes widened.

"The same symbol..."

Rowan quietly nodded.

"I expected you would notice."

Kael instinctively touched the jade pendant hidden beneath his shirt. His heartbeat gradually quickened.

"Grandfather Rowan..."

"What is happening?"

The old chief slowly closed his eyes.

"When you were still a child..."

"I promised someone..."

"...that I would tell you the truth only when the mountain awakened."

He opened his eyes once more.

"And today..."

"It finally did."

________________________________________

Rowan gently pushed the wooden box toward Kael.

"This..."

"...does not belong to me."

"It never did."

Kael carefully lifted it.

The box felt strangely warm.

Almost alive.

"Who gave it to you?"

"A woman."

Rowan answered softly.

"The bravest woman I have ever known."

Kael remained silent.

His fingers unconsciously tightened around the box.

"She came here..."

"...on a stormy night."

"Sixteen years ago."

________________________________________

Outside...

Thunder rumbled far beyond the mountains. Not from rain.

From somewhere impossibly distant. Neither of them noticed.

________________________________________

Rowan's voice became quiet.

"I still remember that night."

"The heavens burned."

"The stars disappeared."

"The Ashen Peaks shook without stopping."

"I believed the end of the world had arrived."

He paused. Then continued.

"Near midnight..."

"Someone knocked on my door."

"I opened it."

"There stood a young woman..."

"...covered in blood."

Kael unconsciously held his breath.

"She carried a baby wrapped in white cloth."

"That baby..."

"...was you."

________________________________________

Kael felt as though the room had suddenly become smaller.

His voice was barely above a whisper.

"...Me?"

Rowan nodded.

"She was exhausted."

"Wounded."

"But she never once complained."

"The only thing she asked..."

"...was whether I could protect her son."

Silence filled the room.

The old chief's weathered eyes slowly grew distant.

"As dawn approached..."

"She placed this wooden box beside you."

"Along with one final request."

Rowan looked directly into Kael's eyes.

"'Please let him grow up as an ordinary child.'"

"'Do not tell him who he is.'"

"'Do not let anyone find him.'"

"'And when the mountain finally calls...'"

"...'give him this.'"

________________________________________

Kael stared silently at the wooden box.

Thousands of questions flooded his mind.

"What happened to her?"

Rowan lowered his head.

"I don't know."

"She left before sunrise."

"I never saw her again."

"Not once."

The room fell silent once more.

Kael gently rested both hands upon the box.

For sixteen years...

He had dreamed of asking about his parents.

Now...

The answers only created more questions.

________________________________________

Rowan slowly stood.

"There is one thing I never understood."

"When she handed me this box..."

"She smiled."

"Not the smile of someone saying farewell."

"The smile of someone..."

"...who believed."

"Believed in what?"

Kael asked quietly.

The old chief looked toward the window.

Toward the dark outline of the Ashen Peaks.

"In you."

________________________________________

Kael lowered his head. He felt neither joy... Nor sorrow...

Only determination.

"I don't know who my parents were."

"I don't know why they left."

"But..."

He looked at Rowan.

"If they entrusted me to you..."

"Then they must have had a reason."

"I won't hate them."

"I'll become strong enough..."

"...to learn the truth myself."

Rowan's eyes trembled slightly.

For the first time that evening...

He smiled.

"Exactly like him..."

The thought appeared before he could stop it.

He quickly pushed it aside.

________________________________________

"Open it."

Kael looked at the old wooden box.

"There isn't a key."

"There never was."

Rowan smiled mysteriously.

"There is only one way."

Kael frowned.

"What should I do?"

"Place your hand upon the symbol."

Kael slowly extended his right hand. His palm touched the carved circle surrounded by eight stars. Nothing happened. A heartbeat passed. Then another.

Suddenly—

The jade pendant beneath his clothing became scorching hot. A faint silver radiance spread across the wooden box. Tiny lines of light appeared one after another. Ancient runes, dormant for sixteen years, awakened. The entire room filled with a soft humming sound.

Rowan instinctively took one step backward. His breathing stopped.

"So..."

"It truly was waiting..."

The locks upon the box dissolved into countless particles of light. Not broken. Simply...

Gone.

The lid slowly opened by itself. Inside rested only three objects. A folded letter. An old black ring without any ornament.

And...

A thin book bound in dark blue leather. Upon its weathered cover were written four ancient characters in silver ink. Kael couldn't understand the script. Yet somehow...

The meaning appeared directly within his mind.

Origin Awakening Manual

The moment those words appeared... Every candle inside Rowan's house was extinguished.

Darkness swallowed the room.

Outside...

The Ashen Peaks trembled once again. Far beneath the mountain...

An ancient formation that had slept for countless ages released a single beam of silver light.

The cultivation path of the Forgotten Heir...

Had finally begun.