1 The Summoning

-Oracle Of The Seven Clans-

Tao Shi had been alive for such a long time, guiding the people of the Seven Lands to achieve peace and greatness, through seven magical clans, with great power. After giving all lands the proper balance, the clans and their people prosper and cultivate, living in harmony with nature and with the other clans. He had seen all clans grow in strength and power and help them keep peace when troubles aroused.

However, he felt that that there was something about to change. The air was filled with traces of blood and sickness and there was a distortion of the balance. At first, he thought a war between clans was around the corner, but as he looked at the cosmos and the stars, he found there was a new one, a red star coming from the Shadow Lands, far in the north.

It had been such a long time since the forbidden lands has gain such strong energy, back to spread more chaos. Of course, as a guardian of the Seven Lands, out of the Shadow Lord's reach, he needed to take action before the darkness spreading could cause a major war and disturb the peace he work so hard to brought back to the world.

"Lan Fen!" He yelled and a woman, dressed in white robes, with a long hair half tied, came in and bowed respectfully to the elder.

"Summon all Clans leaders here, as soon as possible. We need to meet and discuss how to prevent the coming chaos." The old man said.

"Trouble times, my Lord? Are we going to witness a war soon?" She asked.

"Worse... the Shadow Lands are active again and this time, they have a strong leader. Hurry, my dear and summon the Clans. We need to gather before is too late. Tell them to use the summoning circle. We don't have time to waste in long journeys to our Star Temple.

"Yes, my lord. I will make sure they make haste." The woman said, bowing back before going out of the Star room.

Two Days Later

-Shen Wei-

"Damn, it stink!" Ye Zun shouted covering his nose and mouth with a handkerchief, his most resident conquer gift him with.

"They are dead, what did you expect, Gege?" Shen Wei asked, as he had a better look at the corpses. A few healers were examining the bodies left behind in the middle of a road, in which some guards had found the small caravan of traders all dead. So both brothers had decided to investigate on their own, as their father and leader of the Fire Clan was out of the country, summoned by the Oracle of the Stars.

"What do you think, Didi? This is quite close to the border, maybe some water bastard wants to begin a war while their leader is away." Ye Zun said.

"No. For the times I had seen Zhao Yunlan in the Clans gatherings, he doesn't look like the cowardly type and he is the next in line. These merchants were not killed, as far as I can see. They probably die of an illness." Ye Zun moved away in a fast move, that make his brother smile. His little Zun was not the bravest when facing illness.

"Then let's go back to the palace, Shen Wei. We shouldn't be here in the first place." Shen smile widen.

"You go, I will make preparations for the bodies to be properly buried, after our healers have a bit more time examining them."

"But..."

"Not but's, just go. Father will kill me if you get sick, when he is not around."

"But Didi..."

"Go, Ye Zun. I will take care of this. I'm not alone, anyways... GO!" Shen insisted and after another moment of hesitation, his twin brother mount his horse and went away with his escort.

"He really dislikes diseases..." A woman's voice said behind him and Shen Wei turned to be face to face with the head healer of the palace, Wang Zang. She was dressed in white and green robes, with her long curly hair running free over her back. She was a talented young woman, he had befriend a lot time ago.

"Yes. He was quite sick when he was younger, so I don't really blame him. You know he got his white hair after becoming very ill and he had a complex ever since. He hated when other kids called him sage, because all members of the Sage Clan have white hair." Shen Wei said, smiling at her.

"That's quite true, my Prince." She admitted, smiling, remembering those time when Ye Zun hated the sages for their hair color.

"So, what's your impression? Is this indeed a disease or something else?" He asked as he looked down at the man on the ground. His skin had darkened to a point it looked like he had been burned, but in fact it was that it had been stripped of all liquids, aging in an incredible fast rate.

"I already run a few test on the skin, but with all honestly, I don't know why these merchants die like this. It's like they were sucked of their life and aged in seconds." Shen frowned.

"No Clan can suck up life, not even the Water Clan." He was sure.

"Indeed, my Prince... this is not the work of a Clan member. I have never seen this kind of dark power in this era... only in old records you may find something similar, back in the time of the..."

"Shadows... Then, the summoning of the Clans must be..."

"Yes, because similar things are happening in all the Seven Lands." There was a loud clap sound that took both of them by surprise. Instinctively, Shen Wei's hand was on the hilt of his sword and of Wang to the poisoning powders on her waist pouch.

"My, my... young Lord, beautiful Lady, don't rush to fight out of the blue. It wasn't my intention to startle you. I was just impressed with the fast conclusion, it took us a lot more time to have the same guess." A man dressed in gray and blue, with long hair half tide up, said as he walked toward them.

Shen Wei eyes widen as he recognize the man instantly. He was an imposing figure, yet he was quite mischievous. He had a handsome face, for which he guessed, his father was probably looking a suitable bride for the hair of the Water Clan, although there were some rumors he disliked women and preferred men instead. Yet, rumors were just that... people talking about things they were not sure about but spread it anyways.

He could not be sure just by looking at him, because he was quite the man and an indisputable leader of his Clan. Besides, he had never seen him approach other men in Clans gatherings. Still... he did have a tendency to stare at him at times, but he had to admit, his gaze had also stared his way too, especially when he laughed, because it was a contagious one, right from the heart.

"Lord Yunlan... I know we are quite close to the border between our lands, but this place is still under our territory. What are you doing in here?" Shen Wei asked, still with his hand over his hilt. Handsome or not, he had a country to protect, even from a rightful man like him.

"Didn't your Clan got the message? All seven successors of the Clans are to meet with the Star Oracle as well. Apparently, we will be part of whatever our fathers are planning. I was close by, then I notice the gathering and... well, I was curious, my Prince, pardon the rude intrusion of the Fire Clan matters." Wang couldn't help but smile, she liked the Water Prince, but most of all, his personal healer, Sang Zan.

"I have hear nothing of it... and why..." His next question was interrupted as a fire bird descended toward them. The fire belonged to his father, so Shen Wei, extended his arms, so the bird made of crimson fire would land on his palm.

Zhao Yunlan watched with amusement as the handsome Prince got his message later than he should. He shivered a bit as the little fire thing touched his delicate white skin. Although, as a master of fire, the flame didn't burn him, still, he preferred not playing with fire...well, not that kind of fire anyways. He was definitely hot for the Prince, thought, he keep it to himself.

After the hot Prince read the encrypted fire arranged words, the bird transformed into, he looked at him, with an apology clear on his beautiful dark eyes, that make him smile inside out. The Fire Prince even blushed, probably embarrassed for not receiving the message sooner. The message was probably sent to the palace first, when he was out in the border, having a look at the strange deaths of the merchants.

"Lord Yunlan, my deepest apologies... It was rude of me to..." Shen Wei begin, slightly bowing his head in guilt.

"Ah, Lord Wei, don't be too formal, there is no need to apologize. I was also having a look to something disturbing in our border, when I notice your presence close by. So, were you summon too?" Yunlan asked.

"Ah, yes... we were granted permission to use summoning fire. If you wish, we can use it together, as we are both going to the same place." Zhao smiled. He was such a kind man.

"I rather use water, it's less hot." He offer instead.

"This is our land, so I am more in tune with the energy in here. I assure you, my fire will never burn you." Yunlan laughed despite himself. He didn't mind his burn, in other ways, but well...

"Alright, let me call my healer..."

"Oh, is Sang here too?" Wang asked, impulsively, making both Shen Wei and Yunlan smile, knowing of the crush between the two.

"Ah, forbidden young love..." Zhao teased.

"Please, Lord Yunlan..." Shen Wei scold him.

"You can call me plain Yunlan, Shen Wei, I am to taste your fire after all." Shen Wei blushed, before said healer join them, as he had been looking for the missing Lord for a while.

"My Lord..." Sang whisper out of breath for all the walking he did in search of his Prince.

"So you finally show up, we have been invited to travel with the royals and their summoning fire." Zhao said looking at him.

"Ah, yes...?" Sang whisper, half listening to his Lord, as he was mostly staring at the woman beside Shen Wei. Zhao rolled his eyes, before slightly hitting Sang's butt with his booth, which make him move forward, closer to Wang, who blushed even more than Shen Wei did.

"Just kiss her already..." Yunlan added, making Shen Wei sigh.

"Zhao Yunlan, you are indeed mischievous." Shen Wei said, not really surprised of his approval of normally forbidden relationships, but Zhao simply laughed.

"I find that particular rule about not marrying with other Clans quite ridiculous. Don't you?" He asked as he stared at him. There was a hint of desire in those teasing eyes and Shen Wei found himself blushing yet again.

"Never mind that, let's be on our way. We are already late." Shen Wei said as he summon two small fire weals, that he threw on the floor. They moved around them creating a summoning fire pattern, then it shined red and the four of them were gone and leaved in front of longs stairs that leaded to the Star Temple, then the summoning fire die out on the stone floor.

"Here we are..." Shen Wei said, looking at Yunlan.

"Yep, thought I don't expect anything good from this summoning." Yunlan said more seriously, as he looked at the imposing temple, located in one of the sky islands.

"My thoughts exactly." Shen Wei agree, as he moved past Yunlan. Looking at the hot Prince back, hidden behind long silky treads of hair, Yunlan smiled, walking a few steps behind him.

"I liked your fire, thought, kind yet passionate like its owner..." Shen Wei, taken by surprise by the sudden unexpected tease, trip on a step, almost falling, if strong arms didn't held him in place.

"But it may be enjoyable too..." Zhao whisper, as the hot prince blushed even further, feeling already caught in a very deadly trap, as his heart raced inside his chest, despite his better judgment. He was probably already doom.

AN: 😂😂 Ah, Shen Wei, you are doom indeed. Thanks for reading this teasing project, it's made for pure fun, but it will have a lot of fantasy elements.