Return to Cheng
POV: Xiao Xing / Cheng Borders
The air was thick with smoke and the tang of blood as Xiao Xing stood atop the northern cliffs, gazing toward the distant spires of Cheng. Months of battle had honed his mind and body; his sword arm was steady, his heart steeled by grief, rage, and the fire of destiny.
"Cheng awaits," he murmured, Giyeok at his side, her dark hair whipping in the wind. "The time has come to finish what we started."
Giyeok's eyes were sharp, scanning the horizon. "And we do it together," she whispered, resting her hand against his armored chest. "No hesitation. No mercy."
They moved swiftly, rallying the soldiers and villagers who had survived the border campaigns. Their march was not quiet — banners raised high, drums beating like the heartbeat of vengeance. Every step toward Cheng sent a clear message: the rightful force had returned.
POV: Li Dynasty / Retreat
General Hae Jin watched in disbelief as Xiao Xing's forces crossed the border with renewed vigor. Their victories at the northern defenses had not been fleeting; they were strategic, disciplined, and relentless.
"Pull back!" he ordered. "We cannot match him in open combat. The boy… he fights like a demon born of the heavens!"
Li Dynasty forces retreated, cursing the clever tactics and fierce leadership of the young prince, leaving the northern border under Xiao Xing's absolute control.
POV: Nae Yi / Cheng Palace
From her vantage point within the palace, Nae Yi's lips curled into a thin, dangerous smile. Xiao Xing had grown stronger than she had anticipated, but her puppet, Xae Rin, remained in place, a tool to manipulate the empire from the throne.
Let him return to Cheng. Let him taste victory… she mused. And then, let me pull the strings that will bend him to my design.
She sent silent orders to her loyal assassins: surveillance of every road, every river crossing. Every ally Xiao Xing had would be tested; every strategy would be challenged. Her shadow stretched across the city like a storm waiting to break.
POV: Xiao Xing / Cheng City Gates
The gates of Cheng loomed before him, familiar yet tainted by the chaos of rebellion and assassination. Xiao Xing's gaze swept the walls — defenders, assassins in hiding, and the looming presence of Nae Yi's network.
"Ready yourselves," he commanded. "We enter as victors, but the fight is not over. We strike with precision. We strike for justice, for the Emperor, for Cheng!"
Giyeok moved beside him, her presence a constant reassurance. "I fight beside you," she said, her tone soft but unwavering. "And no one will stop us."
With that, they entered the city.
POV: High Priestess Nae Yi / Throne Room
The High Priestess had anticipated his return, her guards and assassins positioned strategically across the palace. But the audacity of Xiao Xing's entrance — marching victoriously into the heart of Cheng — made her smile thin and cold.
Bold. Reckless. But necessary, she thought. "Let the game begin," she whispered, summoning the elite assassins to her side.
POV: Battle in the Palace
Xiao Xing's forces met Nae Yi's assassins at every turn. The corridors ran red with blood; walls were splattered with the remains of those who underestimated the prince. Giyeok moved like a shadow, her speed and skill unmatched, carving a path through the defenders to keep Xiao Xing unimpeded.
"Brother!" Xae Rin's voice rang through the chaos as he appeared at the main hall, sword in hand, torn between loyalty, fear, and guilt. "Stop this! Don't let her—"
"Step aside," Xiao Xing said coldly, eyes burning. "The High Priestess ends tonight!"
Xae Rin faltered, realizing the weight of the truth. Nae Yi's whispers had guided him, but he could no longer deny the horror of what she had orchestrated.
POV: Xiao Xing vs. Nae Yi
Finally, in the throne room, Xiao Xing faced Nae Yi herself. Her robes flowed like shadows around her, dagger gleaming in the flickering torchlight.
"You've grown strong, boy," she hissed. "But this city, this empire, still bends to me."
"I've had enough of your shadows," Xiao Xing replied, sword raised. "Your time ends tonight."
A deadly dance ensued. Nae Yi struck with precision, her movements fluid and lethal. Xiao Xing met each blow with skill and fury, but the battle was as much mental as physical — her cunning, his determination.
Giyeok intercepted assassins who tried to flank him, her movements a symphony of death and grace.
Finally, with a decisive strike, Xiao Xing drove Nae Yi back, leaving her wounded but alive. She hissed, retreating into the shadows, promising vengeance.
POV: Xae Rin / Abdication
Seeing his brother victorious, the truth of Nae Yi's manipulations burning in his mind, Xae Rin dropped to his knees before the throne. "I… I step down," he whispered, voice hollow. "This crown… this empire… belongs to him."
The court watched in stunned silence. Even those loyal to Nae Yi hesitated, unsure whether to challenge the act.
Xae Rin was exiled to the borderlands, a shadow of his former self, still under Nae Yi's lingering influence but stripped of the throne's power.
Closing Scene: Cheng Restored, but Shadows Linger
Xiao Xing stood at the top of the palace steps, Giyeok by his side. The people cheered, soldiers saluted, and the city began to breathe again. Yet in the shadows, Nae Yi's eyes glimmered, planning her next move.
"We reclaim Cheng," Xiao Xing whispered to Giyeok, "and we prepare for what comes next. Li Dynasty… and her… will not stand in our way."
Giyeok's hand found his. "…Together," she said.
"…Together," he echoed, as the city of Cheng prepared for the dawn of a new era — one written in blood, vengeance, and unbreakable love.