📕 Chapter 13: Before the Storm Breaks
Moon of the Fallen King
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The morning sun tried to rise beyond the mist-covered mountains, but the skies remained dim and heavy. A silence lingered in the air — not peaceful, but tense, as if the world itself was holding its breath.
Lucius stood beside Master at the edge of a cliff. Below them, an ancient valley stretched like a memory buried in stone.
> "But remembering the fire doesn't stop the storm," Lucius thought quietly. "It only teaches you to walk through it."
The Master sat beside him, sharpening an old blade. Its edge gleamed faintly, pulsing with a red hue, as if it still remembered blood from another time.
"You always act calm," Lucius said, watching him, "even when the world is burning."
Master smiled faintly. "Because the ones who panic… lose more than just battles."
Lucius hesitated. "You've fought them before, haven't you? The Jujutsu clans."
The Master's smile faded. A cold wind rustled his robes as he closed his eyes.
"Yes. I fought them not as enemies… but as reminders."
"Reminders of what?" Lucius asked, confused.
Master opened his eyes slowly, voice low. "That fear disguised as justice… can be just as cruel as any curse."
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Far away, on a forest road blanketed in cursed fog, a group of powerful sorcerers walked with slow, deliberate steps. Energy flared around them — confident, precise, dangerous.
At their front, the Gojo Clan Leader walked, his white hair glowing faintly in the morning haze, blue eyes sharp and cold.
> "We end it today," he said. "The cursed child cannot be allowed to live."
Beside him, the Zenin Clan Leader, face grim and unreadable, nodded once.
"If Master stands in the way… eliminate him too."
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Back on the cliff, Lucius sat beside Master. He noticed the faint tremble in the old man's hand as he held the blade.
"You're afraid," Lucius said quietly.
The Master didn't deny it. He simply nodded.
"I fear not death," he said, "but the moment you'll be alone again."
Those words sank deep. Lucius's heart skipped a beat.
> "Why does that sound like goodbye…?" he thought.
Without speaking further, Master reached inside his cloak and removed a hidden scroll. It was old but sealed with the same flaming sigil that now pulsed on Lucius's chest.
"This," Master said softly, "was written for you… long before you were born."
Lucius took the scroll with both hands, eyes wide. It was warm to the touch — familiar, almost comforting.
"When I am gone," Master continued, "follow this. It will lead you to the truth of your origin."
Lucius clenched the scroll tightly. A single tear slipped down his cheek, but he wiped it away quickly before the Master could see.
"You're not dying," Lucius whispered.
Master smiled gently. "A fire never truly dies. It just passes on."
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Suddenly, a deep boom echoed from somewhere in the valley. Birds fled the trees in a frenzied storm of wings. The cursed energy in the air twisted violently, like a warning cry.
Master stood up slowly. His expression was calm… too calm.
"They're here."
Lucius stood beside him. "Will we run?"
"No," Master said, looking toward the path leading up the mountain. "We welcome them with silence… and stand tall."
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Through the morning haze, the Gojo and Zenin Clan leaders emerged onto the cliff path, a dozen elite sorcerers behind them. Their auras were thick — oppressive, dangerous.
The Gojo Leader stepped forward, eyes locked on Master.
"You protected a curse long enough, old man."
Master didn't flinch. His voice was steady.
"And you followed orders long enough to forget who you truly are."
Tension rippled like thunder. Behind Master, Lucius stepped forward instinctively — but the Master held out a hand to stop him.
"This isn't your battle yet," he said gently.
"But—"
"Live, Lucius," the Master said. "So the world doesn't forget who you were."
Lucius's fists clenched. But he stepped back.
On the edge of that cliff, with the sun rising behind them and two great powers facing off, the first embers of war began to glow.
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📘 To be continued in Chapter 14: The First Flame Collides
✅ End of Chapter 13