SIYUN STOOD IN THE GRAND OFFICE, BREATH SHALLOW, HEART POUNDING (THUMP… THUMP…). THE FIREPLACE CAST LONG, DANCING SHADOWS ACROSS THE WALLS, AND THE WIND WHISTLED THROUGH THE HIGH WINDOWS (WHOOSH… SWISH…). HE FELT THE HEAVY AIR PRESS DOWN ON HIM, AND YET… THERE WAS SOMETHING FAMILIAR.
"I… I know this place," HE THOUGHT, BREATH CATCHING. "I've seen it… felt it… somehow…"
THE MYSTERIOUS GIRL STOOD SILENTLY BEHIND HIM, WATCHING, CALM, AS IF SHE KNEW THE ANSWER BEFORE HE DID.
AND THEN, MEMORIES FLOODED HIM—LIKE A DAM BURSTING.
FLASHBACK – SIYUN'S CHILDHOOD:
He could see it clearly: a grand, sunlit house, laughter echoing through halls. His grandfather walking beside him, hands large and warm, guiding him through the gardens. His grandmother's gentle smile, soft hands brushing his hair. The smell of bread baking, the warmth of a roaring fireplace, the comfort of a family that loved him unconditionally.
He remembered birthdays celebrated with joy, games played in the wide lawns, and nights where stories of heroes and legacies were told beside the fire.
"I was happy… I was safe… I had everything… and I took it all for granted," he whispered to himself, his throat tight with emotion.
Then came the accident—a day burned into his memory like a scar. Flames, smoke, screaming… and then silence. The news had come later: "The grandparents… they didn't survive."
"No… that can't be…" Siyun had thought at the time, the grief hollowing him from inside. That day had taken everything: his home, his innocence, his trust in life. He had been sent away, believing the world was cruel, and that love was fleeting.
Back in the present, Siyun's eyes flicked to the grandfather sitting in the room, still turned away, speaking with a calm, heavy voice:
"Siyun… you have carried your suffering as though it were your own, but it is your legacy. The blood that runs in you is the same that survived the tragedy that took our family from you."
SIYUN FELT A SHIVER RUN DOWN HIS SPINE.
"Tragedy… my family… alive?"
"I see the questions in your eyes. You are ready now to learn the truth, and your path will begin tonight."
The voice was calm, yet filled with weight and power. Every word reverberated through the room, mingling with the fire (CRACKLE…) and the faint hum of the wind outside (WHOOSH…).
SIYUN'S INNER MONOLOGUE:
"I… I lived with them… I remember it all. And yet… everyone told me they were dead. How… how is this possible? Why did no one tell me?"
The Mysterious Girl stepped closer, her eyes unwavering.
"Some truths are revealed only when the one destined to face them is ready," she said softly. "You have grown strong from your suffering. Now… it is time to reclaim what was lost."
Siyun's fists clenched, breathing heavy. Rage, grief, and confusion all surged within him, shaping into a determined resolve.
"I will not waste this chance. I am not that helpless boy anymore. I will find answers… and I will be strong enough to protect them this time."
THE GRANDFATHER CONTINUED, STILL FACING AWAY:
"Your journey has been long, Siyun. Pain has guided you, betrayal has sharpened you, loneliness has forged you. But now… you must embrace your blood, your heritage, and your purpose."
AND THEN HE SPOKE THE WORDS THAT WOULD RESONATE IN SIYUN'S HEART LIKE FIRE:
"POETRY OF BLOOD AND LEGACY"
"In the shadows of what was lost, Through the flames of life and cost, The heart shall break, yet rise again, Through endless nights of silent pain.
When voices whisper lies and fear, The soul must listen, strong and clear. Through tears that fall like pouring rain, The steadfast heart will bear the strain.
The past is carved in blood and bone, Yet courage blooms where pain has grown. Seek the truth behind the veil, The path is harsh, but you shall prevail. The blood of ancestors flows within, Only the worthy shall begin."
SIYUN FELT HIS HEART POUND, TEARS STINGING HIS EYES. THE MEMORIES OF HIS CHILDHOOD, THE LOSS OF HIS FAMILY, AND THE FACE OF HIS GRANDFATHER HE HAD GLIMPSED LONG AGO… IT ALL COLLIDED INTO A SHARP, FOCUSED RESOLVE.
"All this time… I carried the pain alone. Bits and pieces… fragments of their faces, their voices, their warmth… I can't remember it fully. But I feel it… I feel their love, their guidance. I have to honor them. I have to reclaim everything that was taken."
THE MYSTERIOUS GIRL STOOD SILENTLY, HER EXPRESSION CALM BUT KNOWING, AS IF SHE UNDERSTOOD THE STORM INSIDE HIM.
SIYUN TOOK A DEEP BREATH, CLENCHING HIS FISTS. RAGE, GRIEF, AND LONELINESS CONDENSED INTO A SHARP, MENTAL CLARITY. HE WAS NO LONGER THE HELPLESS BOY OF HIS PAST. HE WAS READY.
"Everything is different now… everything is mine to fight for. But what comes next? What trials await me?"
THE ROOM FELL INTO SILENCE, BROAD AND HEAVY, WITH ONLY THE FIRE CRACKLING (CRACKLE…) AND THE WIND WHISTLING (WHOOSH…), AS IF THE WORLD ITSELF HELD ITS BREATH.
SIYUN OPENED HIS EYES, RESOLUTE. THE PATH AHEAD WAS UNCERTAIN, PERILOUS… BUT HE WOULD WALK IT. THE FRAGMENTED MEMORIES OF HIS CHILDHOOD, THE SCARS OF LOSS, AND THE FIRE INSIDE HIM WOULD GUIDE EVERY STEP.
WITH REVENGE BURNING IN HIS CHEST AND THE MYSTERY OF HIS FAMILY'S FATE CLOAKED IN SHADOWS, SIYUN STOOD AT THE EDGE OF DESTINY—WOULD HE RISE INTO THE LIGHT, OR SHATTER LIKE FRAGILE GLASS AND PLUNGE INTO THE ENDLESS ABYSS OF DARKNESS?