The return to Starfire City was not a victory march.
Singh and Elira moved quickly but cautiously through the forest trails, neither speaking much. Even though the assassins of the Bone Crystal Pavilion were gone, Singh could still feel their presence—like the faint taste of metal left after blood in the mouth.
By the time the city gates loomed in the misty dawn, Singh's mind was already replaying the fight in his head: the bone whip, the sealing obelisk, the leader's final words.
We know what you are…
The guards at the gate recognized Elira's Spirit Hall insignia and waved them through without question. But the moment they entered the city proper, a robed attendant was already waiting for them.
"Prince Singh," the man said, bowing slightly. "Lady Selene requests your presence in the High Wing… immediately."
Singh didn't even get the chance to glance at Elira before the attendant added, "You will come alone."
---
The High Wing
The High Wing of Starfire's Spirit Hall was unlike the outer sections Singh had seen. It was quieter, but also heavier—walls lined with ancient murals of spirit masters locked in battle against beasts and each other.
The attendant led him to a set of double doors inlaid with gold and phoenix feathers. With a silent bow, the man opened them and stepped aside.
Singh entered.
Lady Selene sat at a long blackstone table, one leg crossed over the other, her violet eyes fixed on him with the same dangerous curiosity she had shown at the cliffside. In the bright morning light, she seemed almost unreal, her silver hair glinting like threads of frost.
"You made quite the noise in Frostshade Vale," she said, without preamble.
"I didn't have much choice," Singh replied, keeping his voice steady. "We were attacked."
"By the Bone Crystal Pavilion." Selene's lips curved faintly. "Not an organization one encounters by accident."
Singh didn't answer. He had the feeling she already knew more than he did.
She gestured to a chair. "Sit."
He did, and she leaned forward slightly. "Do you know why they came after you?"
"They mentioned the obelisk," Singh said. "And… what I am."
Her smile was slow, almost amused. "And what are you, Prince Singh?"
He kept his expression neutral. "A student of Sunveil Academy."
For a moment, silence hung between them like a drawn blade. Then Selene laughed softly, shaking her head. "You hide your truth well. But secrets have a weight, and eventually, they crush the keeper."
She rose, walking toward him until she stood beside his chair. Singh could feel her presence—not just physically, but her spirit power as well, vast and suffocating like a tidal wave.
"The Bone Crystal Pavilion works for anyone willing to pay their price," she said, her voice lower now. "But some contracts are… special. This one came from far higher than any merchant or petty lord."
Singh glanced at her. "You mean Spirit Hall?"
Her eyes glittered. "Perhaps. Or perhaps there are factions within Spirit Hall that even I cannot fully control."
She moved to the window, looking out over the city. "They know you carry two martial souls. They know you awakened them unusually fast. And now, after Frostshade Vale, they know you have… resonance."
He frowned. "Resonance?"
"Your ability to combine both martial souls into a single attack," Selene explained. "That is something most twin-soul wielders never achieve in their entire lives. And you did it, instinctively, under pressure."
She turned back to him, and for once, there was no trace of amusement in her face. "That makes you valuable. And dangerous."
---
The Invitation
Selene returned to her seat, folding her hands. "I am going to give you a choice, Singh."
She let the words hang in the air just long enough for him to feel their weight.
"You can remain at Sunveil Academy, training under the normal curriculum, while every faction with an interest in you circles like a wolf. Or—" Her gaze locked with his, unblinking. "You can accept my personal sponsorship."
Singh raised an eyebrow. "What's the difference?"
"The difference," Selene said smoothly, "is that under my protection, you will gain resources, training, and knowledge… but you will also take missions for me. Dangerous ones. Missions that may put you at odds with Spirit Hall's official stance."
Singh studied her carefully. "That sounds less like protection and more like recruitment."
"Call it what you wish," she said, smiling faintly again. "But if you want to survive long enough to uncover the truth about your… uniqueness, you will need an ally who can shield you from the worst of the political games."
He leaned back in his chair. "And if I refuse?"
Selene tilted her head slightly, still smiling. "Then I wish you luck, Prince Singh. You will need it."
---
Terms and Tension
Singh thought of the obelisk. Of the assassins. Of the way the leader had looked at him—not like prey, but like a prize.
He thought of Elira, fighting at his side without hesitation. Of the Silent Kunai's whispering hunger and the Eternal Sun Lotus's calm warmth.
Finally, he said, "If I accept… I want full autonomy over my training. And I choose my own missions."
Selene's smile widened just a fraction. "You negotiate well for someone so young. Very well. I will agree to that… provided you complete a trial."
"What kind of trial?"
Her eyes glimmered. "One that will prove you are worth the investment. Tomorrow at dawn, you will report to the southern gate of the city. You will be given coordinates. You will go alone."
Singh narrowed his eyes. "That's it? No details?"
"That's the point," Selene said. "Adaptability is as important as strength."
She walked toward him again, and this time, she stopped directly in front of him. She reached out and gently tilted his chin up with one finger, her violet gaze boring into his.
"Don't disappoint me, Singh," she murmured. "I find you far too… entertaining."
And before he could respond, she brushed her lips against his—soft, brief, but enough to send a shock through his body—and then stepped back as though nothing had happened.
"You may go."
---
Outside the High Wing
The doors shut behind him with a heavy thud. Singh took a slow breath, trying to steady his thoughts.
Selene's trial was clearly a test—but of what? His combat ability? His survival instincts? Or his willingness to follow her orders?
Whatever it was, he had less than a day to prepare.
He made his way back toward the Academy, unaware that on a rooftop above, a shadowed figure watched him leave.
"They'll send the hunters soon," the figure murmured. "Let's see if the boy survives long enough to be worth the price."