Chapter 4: First Lessons in the Village
The morning sun shone gently over Willow Brook Village. Its light spilled across the bamboo trees and the narrow paths between the houses, painting everything in soft gold. Ashen rose from the blankets where he had slept, golden eyes flickering as he stretched. The Han family was already up, quietly moving about their morning chores.
"I will help," Ashen said softly, stepping forward.
Lian frowned slightly. "You don't have to. You should rest after what happened."
Ashen shook his head. "I cannot just do nothing. I want to repay your kindness."
Mei Han tried to protest, but Ashen only smiled faintly. "Please. Let me."
With that, he began helping around the house. He carried water from the well, fed the animals, swept the yard, and tidied the small garden. Each movement was precise and careful, almost effortless. The Han family watched him in quiet amazement. Even Lina giggled when he lifted a heavy bucket as if it were empty.
Once the chores were done, Ashen wandered toward the open courtyard. There, he noticed Lian teaching Lina sword stances. Her small hands trembled as she followed, and Lian's father and mother watched closely, offering gentle corrections.
Ashen stopped nearby, drawn in by the motion. He could feel the Qi flowing in their bodies — soft, controlled, alive. It was different from the power he once carried, yet familiar in its rhythm. As he watched, memories flashed through his mind: training with his comrades, the clash of steel, and the moment he had been forced to strike one of them. The weight of that memory made him tighten his jaw.
Lian's father noticed his gaze. "Do you want to try learning?" he asked quietly.
Ashen's hand twitched slightly, feeling the sword at his side, but he shook his head calmly. "Thank you… but I cannot learn right now."
The offer hung in the air. Lian's father didn't press, sensing something in the boy he could not yet understand. Ashen simply watched, quiet and composed, a shadow of his past discipline still lingering in his movements.
He took a deep breath and focused on the village around him. Not just the people, but the land itself — the soil, the water, even the air — he could feel the Qi flowing subtly through everything. He measured Lian's strength, the flow of Qi in his body, and instinctively gathered a bit for himself. But his inner self resisted the destructive energy he had once wielded.
Ashen closed his eyes for a moment, golden gaze softening. I no longer have to be destruction… to protect. I don't need that power anymore.
The thought brought a sense of relief he hadn't felt in a long time. He could feel the world around him alive, peaceful, and for the first time, he allowed himself to breathe without the weight of a world on his shoulders.
Lina skipped up beside him, holding out her small hand. "Do you want to see the view from the hill? It's really pretty this morning."
Ashen looked at her and smiled faintly. "Yes. Lead the way."
Together, they walked toward the hill, the sunlight warming their path. Ashen's golden eyes scanned the village, the people, and the gentle hills beyond. He could feel the faint hum of Qi in the world, alive but calm.
For the first time in many years, he felt like he could live… like he could finally be a part of this world, at least a little, without the burden of the destruction he had once carried.
And as he followed Lina up the hill, he let himself feel something he had not felt in a long while — hope.