Letter

"White Crane Manor…" Shun murmured, repeating the name under his breath. It was not entirely unfamiliar to him. After the Interacademy Ethereal Combat Tournament, Leon Ermy had been selected by its enigmatic Manor Mistress, Vesanze Fortune, to join their ranks. The true purpose and strength of the Manor, however, remained shrouded in secrecy, known only to a select few within the kingdom.

Recalling the transformation Leon underwent after joining—his newfound powers and mysterious aura—Shun realized that White Crane Manor was no ordinary organization. It likely harboured as many hidden truths as the Belkarn Clan.

But why Hugo Goldsmith, a scoundrel with no known ties to nobility, possessed this letter wasn't the question that lingered in Shun's mind. The contents would undoubtedly explain themselves. He flipped the envelope open, carefully scanning the script:

Dear Inheritor,

First, I offer my sincerest apology for not addressing you by name. Seeing into the future is not within my capabilities. However, I am certain you are the one destined to receive this letter. No matter how improbable it seems, this message was meant for you, and it would remain hidden within the vessel's body until your arrival.

There is no need for a reply; by the time you read this, I may no longer exist in this world. But it is my duty to pass on this message:

The dragon is destined to fall, the demon to return, and the flame to fade.

Yet the phoenix will rise, the demon will fail, and the flame will be passed on.

The burden, the responsibility, the essence—it all will be transferred to you.

When the time is right, journey to the Eternal Dynasty of An, and from there, to the Empty Sea.

You are our only hope.

Not for the world, not for its people, but for our hearts alone.

Yun, Soul of Starflame

Shun read the letter multiple times, struggling to decipher its cryptic message. The existence of the letter itself—and its contents—made little sense to him. Yet one word reverberated deep within his mind.

"Starflame…"

The word echoed through his memory, though he couldn't pinpoint why or how it held significance. It felt familiar, and yet its meaning remained elusive, locked away behind the chaos now swirling in his thoughts.

He shook his head, forcing the confusion aside. The leader of White Crane Manor was Vesanze Fortune, not this "Soul of Starflame." Could it be that the Manor held even deeper layers of secrets?

There was no time to ponder further. The mission was not yet complete, and he needed to be present for the debrief with the king. With a sigh, Shun summoned a pair of ethereal wings to his back and flew out of the underground ruins, setting his course for the distant Royal Capital. The letter remained tucked in his pocket, but he had already resolved to visit Elysia—and perhaps Vesanze Fortune—once everything settled.

King Eldran reclined wearily on his throne, his gaze distant and dull as he regarded the figure standing below him. Ever since the death of Princess Alfreya—and Shun's involvement in the ordeal—the king had regressed to his former state, old and tired.

He had not expected Shun's arrival, especially not so soon. The deaths of the servants he had sent had yet to be addressed. Now, with Shun standing before him, the weight of what had transpired sat heavy on the king's shoulders.

As Shun relayed the outcome of his mission, Eldran's face contorted with conflicting emotions. His features quickly hardened into a mask of neutrality. Danica Amnir had been one of the few who knew the truth, and he feared she might have revealed too much before her death.

"Your Majesty," Shun said, his smile unnervingly composed. "Rest assured, we remain ever loyal to the Kingdom. Any threats will be eliminated."

The amusement in Shun's eyes, bordering on mockery, didn't escape the king's notice. There was a reason the Royal Council had allowed the scoundrels to roam unchecked, and Shun had disrupted that delicate balance. Yet Eldran knew he could not punish the boy. For one, Shun's claims were factual. Moreover, the boy's connections—his bloodline to Sirius Xshasi and the support he garnered from key figures—meant that harming him would risk widespread rebellion.

And there was also Shun's prowess. He had killed the 23rd complete ethereal warrior; Eldran wasn't keen to test the young man's limits in direct combat.

"Shun Xshasi," the king said, his voice measured, "your service to the kingdom is acknowledged. However, due to your previous transgressions and disobedience, I cannot grant you any further rewards. The wrongs and rights cancel each other out. On my name as king, I declare that your past actions are forgiven."

Shun looked up, his confidence unwavering. "I am most grateful, Your Majesty."

A silent thought crossed his mind: Just you wait.

His companions behind him echoed the sentiment in unison, their words rehearsed: "Thank you for your grace and forgiveness, Your Majesty."

King Eldran had never felt so powerless. For the first time in his life, there was nothing he could do to quell the threat of a man who openly disrespected him.

On their way back, Shun casually leaned over to Leon Ermy, placing a hand on his shoulder. "What was that technique you used in battle? Has your ethereal arm reached a higher state?"

Leon shook his head, though there was a faint smile on his lips. "Shun… ethereal arms don't evolve. I thought that was common knowledge."

"Still," he added, "I'm afraid it's something I have to keep to myself for now."

Shun sighed. "Related to the White Crane Manor?"

Leon gave him a sideways glance before chuckling. "Of course, you'd already know." He exhaled sharply. "Alright, Shun, let's skip the games. What do you really want?"

Shun pulled out the letter and handed it to Leon. The cranes and elegant script immediately confirmed to Leon that the letter had ties to the Manor.

"Where did you get this?" Leon's voice dropped to a near whisper.

"Found it in the Underground Web. Figured it should be returned to whoever sent it."

"I'll be honest," Shun continued, "I read it out of curiosity, but the message didn't make much sense to me." He flipped the letter over, exposing the intricate script for Leon to see.

Leon stared at the paper, but his expression twisted into confusion.

"What message?" he asked, incredulous.

"The letter's empty."