The clearing fell into an eerie stillness after the golden dragon dissolved into the jade bangle wrapped gently around Tianlan's wrist.
Everyone stood there, stunned.
Their eyes slowly drifted to the center of the lake, where the sword remained embedded in the rock—elegant, ancient, and untouched.
Now unguarded.
Wei Zhan narrowed his eyes, arms folded tightly across his chest. "So… what about the sword now?"
Riku, still squinting at the bangle around Tianlan's wrist, answered slowly, "Without the dragon… that sword is just out there. Alone."
"That's what I'm saying," Wei Zhan snapped. "The guardian is gone. Does that mean the sword's also… powerless?"
There was a long silence.
Then, with barely concealed determination, Wei Zhan stepped forward toward the sword.
"Wait," Devran said cautiously, but too late.
Wei Zhan's foot hit the edge of the stone platform where the sword hovered.
A crackling sound erupted from the air—like divine lightning tearing through the atmosphere.
Suddenly, a massive force exploded outward from the sword.
Wei Zhan was thrown back—hard—his body crashing into the dirt with a grunt.
"Zhan!" Xie Lian cried and rushed over.
The others flinched as an invisible wave of energy burst outward from the sword, forcing them all to stagger back. The very air thickened with violent celestial energy.
Even the trees bent under the weight of it.
Tianlan cried out, grabbing his head as the energy pulsed in waves—too raw, too ancient, and too furious.
"The sword—" Vihaan muttered, gritting his teeth. "It's still alive."
Devran stepped forward, eyes narrowing. "Then it's not powerless…"
"No!" Riku shouted. "Devran, wait—!"
But Devran didn't stop.
He walked forward, through the roaring wind, through the tremors in the earth, straight toward the sword.
The energy pushed against him, threatening to throw him back just as it had Wei Zhan—but Devran didn't slow.
His hands glowed faintly—subtly—as if something deep within him was resonating.
And then… he reached out.
His fingers closed around the hilt of the sword.
The moment his skin touched it, everything stopped.
The tremors ceased.
The wind stilled.
The violent energy died into a hushed, reverent silence.
The blade shimmered once—then dulled, its light folding inwards.
And as Devran pulled it from the stone, the sword rested effortlessly in his palm… like it had found home.
Its gleam dimmed into a gentle silver-blue sheen. No longer pulsing with divine power—only a quiet, noble presence.
Everyone was too stunned to speak.
Wei Zhan sat up, wide-eyed. "What…? It just stopped… for him?"
Tianlan stared at Devran, lips slightly parted. "It… obeyed you."
Riku whistled low. "Interesting."
Devran turned, holding the sword. "It's… light. But it doesn't feel like a weapon anymore. It feels… hollow."
Wei Zhan stood shakily, brushing dust off his coat. "That thing almost knocked me into next year, and now it's just lying in your hand like a piece of wood?"
"Not wood," Vihaan murmured, his golden eyes glowing. "A vessel. That sword… is only half-alive."
Everyone turned toward him.
Riku chuckled, arms behind his head. "Exactly. It's only carrying half its soul."
Devran blinked. "Half?"
Riku nodded. "The dragon gave everything it had to protect this sword for millions of years. But the sword itself—well, it wasn't complete to begin with."
"What do you mean 'complete'?" Xie Lian asked.
"The blade was forged with a dual-soul technique," Riku said with a grin. "Two souls were tied to it. One remains sealed inside—dormant. The other… scattered. Or lost. Until they're reunited, the sword will stay like this—powerless."
Wei Zhan frowned. "Then how come Devran could touch it?"
"Because," Vihaan answered slowly, "he is its master."
Devran looked at the sword in his hand. "So… when the missing soul merges with this one…"
"It'll awaken," Riku confirmed. "Fully. The true form of the Celestial Prince's divine blade. The soul-bound weapon."
Wei Zhan looked a bit shaken. "That… that massive pressure was only from a half-powered weapon?"
"Just half," Riku confirmed.
Xie Lian shivered. "Then what happens when it's complete…?"
Even the thought sent chills through them.
"I can't even imagine," said Tianlan quietly, clutching the bangle on his wrist. "If the dragon and this sword are both echoes of something greater… what were the originals like?"
Vihaan finally spoke again, his voice low with reverence. "The sword was not just any weapon. It was gifted by the most powerful goddess in the heavens… to her beloved disciple. A celestial prince destined to lead the immortal realms."
Everyone's expression shifted at those words.
"A weapon forged from divine metal," Vihaan continued. "Tempered in the fires of the astral abyss. Blessed by goddess herself. Of course it's powerful. And of course it won't show its full strength until it is whole again."
Slowly… everyone nodded.
Even Wei Zhan couldn't argue.
For a moment, there was only silence.
Tianlan looked at Devran. "Then… you're the key. The sword needs you to be whole."
"And you," Devran said quietly, looking at Tianlan's wrist, "have the dragon."
Both of them stared at each other, realization dawning between them.
They weren't just chosen.
They were part of a bond deeper than time, fate, or reincarnation.
[Lighthearted Scene Near the Lake]
The sun began to lower behind the mountains, casting golden reflections on the calm lake. Everyone was seated near the edge of the water, finally catching their breath after all the chaos involving the dragon and the sword. The atmosphere was light, warm, and tinged with laughter—until a soft sigh broke the stillness.
Wei Zhan sat with his arms crossed, a melancholic expression clouding his usually confident face. He stared at the glowing bangle on Tianlan's wrist, then glanced at the sword resting peacefully at Devran's side, and finally, at the mysterious treasure box still held carefully by Xie Lian.
"…Everyone got something," Wei Zhan mumbled, eyes dropping to his hands. "Tianlan got the dragon, Devran got the celestial sword, Xie Lian has that mysterious box… but me? I didn't get anything."
His voice wasn't angry. It wasn't even jealous. It was quiet—sincere. A little disappointed.
The group went quiet for a beat. Even Riku, who was busy throwing pebbles into the lake, stopped to turn and glance at him.
But before anyone could say anything…
Xie Lian stood up slowly, brushed off his robe, walked over, and bent down next to Wei Zhan. He leaned close to his ear with a soft smile—his breath warm against Wei Zhan's skin.
"You got me."
Wei Zhan's eyes widened. His entire face turned red as a flame. His mouth opened, then closed again like a fish gasping for air.
"W-What… did you just say?" he stammered, blinking rapidly.
Xie Lian smirked. "You heard me," he whispered again, this time even softer—his lips almost brushing his ear. "You got me. Isn't that better than some ancient artifact?"
"Whoaahhh!" Riku suddenly whooped, standing and pointing at them dramatically. "Did everyone hear that or was that just me?!"
"I heard it clearly!" Tianlan added with a wicked grin. "Xie Lian just confessed in the most romantic way possible!"
Devran laughed, shaking his head. "Forget dragon or sword—looks like the real treasure here is love."
Even Vihaan couldn't help but chuckle, his usually calm face lit up with amusement. "Looks like Wei Zhan did find something rare and powerful after all. Possibly more powerful than that dragon."
Wei Zhan covered his face with one hand, still blushing furiously. "He's just teasing me… right?" he muttered under his breath.
Xie Lian straightened up, shrugging with a playful gleam in his eyes. "Am I? You'll have to figure that out yourself, Wei Zhan."
Riku leaned toward Tianlan and whispered loudly, "Do you think Wei Zhan's heart is okay? I think I can hear it beating from here."
Tianlan grinned. "That's not his heart—that's the sound of a celestial general falling helplessly in love."
Everyone burst into laughter.
Wei Zhan groaned but couldn't stop a smile from forming on his lips. He turned to glare half-heartedly at Xie Lian, who only offered him an innocent blink.
"…You're really something," Wei Zhan muttered, though his voice lacked any irritation.
"And yet you still like me," Xie Lian replied sweetly.
"That's it. I'm going to go throw myself in the lake," Wei Zhan said, standing up quickly, face red.
"I'll come with you," Xie Lian said innocently. "Romantic drowning, hand-in-hand?"
"Xie Lian!" Wei Zhan shouted in protest as the group burst out laughing again.
Vihaan leaned against a tree, chuckling. "Looks like the next great celestial story will be about a flustered general and the man who teases him to madness."
Devran grinned. "The God of Blushing Cheeks and his Mischievous Beloved."
Tianlan added with mock seriousness, "We must record this tale in the scrolls of destiny."
Riku suddenly posed like a sage. "And thus it was said, that among swords, dragons, and mysteries, the truest treasure discovered… was love."
"Enough!" Wei Zhan shouted again, but this time he was laughing too.
He glanced over at Xie Lian, whose eyes sparkled like moonlight on the lake.
And in that moment—amid the laughter and teasing—Wei Zhan realized… he really didn't need a treasure. Because he already found something more precious.
And he was holding onto it, even if he still didn't understand it completely.
---