Chapter 27: The Birth of the Miracle Twins
The sun had just crept over the mountains, casting golden light over Sujin Village when a sudden hush swept through the normally lively streets. Word had spread like wildfire—Yue's father was going into labor. But this wasn't just any birth. The villagers gathered because Yue's "mother was the village matriarch", a leader respected and revered by all. Her partner giving birth was no ordinary event—it was a sacred, almost royal occurrence.
Women left their training grounds, men dropped their morning chores, and even the shyest boys peered from behind their mother's sleeves. The air buzzed with reverence and curiosity.
Inside the house, Yue stood by the door, her fists clenched as she listened to her father's soft moans of pain. The midwives moved quickly. Her mother paced behind them, surprisingly calm but with furrowed brows. Yue had never seen her mother this nervous—not even during village duels or hunting expeditions.
"Will it be alright?" Yue asked, her voice small, almost drowned out by the murmurs outside.
"It will," her mother said firmly, placing a strong hand on Yue's shoulder. "Your father is strong... and stubborn."
Yue tried to smile but failed. Her father, always delicate and soft-spoken, had spent the last few months waddling around the house, humming lullabies and rubbing his swollen belly. She had teased him endlessly—about how big he was, how he walked like a duck, how he sighed dramatically over tiny things—but now, as the screams began, she wished she could take it all back.
Suddenly, a loud "cry" pierced the air, followed by another. Two cries. The entire village seemed to pause for a heartbeat. The curtains were drawn back, and the midwife emerged, her hands shaking and her eyes wide.
"They... they both awakened."
"What?" Yue blinked. "What do you mean awakened?"
The midwife stepped aside and motioned for everyone to enter quietly. Inside, Yue's father lay on the bed, drenched in sweat but smiling tiredly, holding two tiny babies—"a boy and a girl".
The boy named, "Li Wei", floated above his father's arms, giggling as small sparks of charm energy shimmered like glitter around him. The midwife had to keep pulling him back with a soft ribbon looped around his ankle so he wouldn't drift toward the ceiling. His tiny gem-blue eyes sparkled mischievously, and his aura exuded warmth that made everyone around feel happy just by looking at him.
The girl named, "Zhao Xun", was already trying to stand—at only minutes old. Her baby legs kicked with strength, and every time she sneezed, sparks of "lightning" zipped through the room. One spark shot toward a bamboo chair and instantly "splintered it". Everyone gasped.
"She's got strength... and lightning?!" whispered one of the elder women. "That shouldn't be possible!"
"And speed," said the midwife. "She tried to crawl and disappeared halfway across the room in a blink."
Yue's jaw dropped as she watched her siblings—"not just awakened", but 'overflowing with power'.
"These children... they're not normal," muttered Grandma Mei, the village's retired guardian.
Outside, the villagers, unable to contain their curiosity, were finally invited in. The house quickly became crowded. Every eye widened as they saw the miraculous twins. Some women clasped their hands in prayer; others whispered in awe. The five villagers who had previously awakened stared silently, knowing immediately that "these twins were on a completely different level".
One man tried to approach Li Wei, but the baby giggled and with a flicker of light, the man suddenly forgot why he had come. Another tried to hold Zhao Xun, only to be gently shocked and shoved to the floor by an invisible force. Yue stepped forward, pushing them gently back.
"They're just babies. Give them space."
Her voice sounded calm, almost 'commanding'—a new maturity beginning to stir in her. She didn't fully understand it yet, but she felt it deep in her bones: "this moment would change everything".
As the crowd murmured, an elder councilwoman approached Yue's mother. "You know what this means, don't you?"
Her mother nodded. "I do. These two aren't part of the prophecy. They're something even rarer. A powerful bloodline—awakeners born, not made."
The councilwoman leaned in. "We must keep this a secret. For their safety. If word spreads... they'll come."
"Then we won't let it spread," Yue's mother said, her voice steely. "Not until they are ready."
That night, the village elders held a secret meeting under the willow tree. The villagers who had previously awakened abilities stood silently in the back, watching the flames of the torchlight flicker like shadows of what was coming.
Back at the house, Yue sat beside her father, who was already fast asleep, exhausted but glowing with joy. The twins lay in woven cribs beside him, still humming with power.
Yue reached out to touch their tiny hands. Zhao Xun grabbed her finger with surprising strength and giggled. Li Wei floated closer and nestled into her shoulder, purring like a kitten.
"I guess I'm a big sister now," Yue whispered.