It began with a whisper.
Then a raised voice.
Then silence so deep, even the shadows froze.
**
Morning sunlight poured into the Queen's chamber, filtered through silk curtains and dust motes. But the room felt colder than the mountains.
Queen jingfei sat at the edge of her private tea table, but she didn't touch her cup. Her hands were folded. Her gaze was still.
Mò Yáo and Yín Shū stood across from her, no longer children, no longer waiting for permission to speak.
"You lied to us," Yin shu said, voice trembling with a mix of fear and fire.
"You showed us nothing but silence," Mo yao added. "But the Gate.....it's real. And so is he."
Jingfei did not deny it.
"I hoped you would awaken later. When you were stronger. Wiser. But the Gate chose its timing, not me."
"Then what now?" Mò Yáo asked coldly. "Do we just wait to become monsters or martyrs?"
Before jingfei could reply—
The door opened
The Queen's Royal General, Rui Yan stepped inside without announcing himself.
He was a towering man in silver and black armor, his scarred face like carved granite, eyes sharp as drawn steel. Rumored to have never lost a single battle, he bowed only slightly — and not out of habit, but control.
"I heard raised voices, Your Majesty. Should I return?"
Lian's voice was calm, but a flicker of annoyance passed her eyes.
"No, General. You should stay. You've protected this palace for twenty years. You deserve to hear what wakes beneath it."
One by one, more entered.
Minister Tai, a wiry man with too many rings and too many secrets.
Lady Hai wen, head of the Royal Council, graceful and calculating.
Captain Lóng Wei, commander of the Night Guard, quiet and loyal only to the crown.
And finally... Priestess Jiao, the current voice of the temple — a blind woman in white, face painted with moonlight symbols.
Each carried part of the palace's strength — and its weakness.
They had all heard everything that was discussed between the Queen and the twins
***
"The prophecy is awake," jingfei said simply. "The twins have seen the Gate."
"Both of them?" Minister Tài asked, voice thin. "You told us it would stay sealed."
"You told us there was still time," Lady Hǎi Wēn said coldly.
"There isn't," Mo Yao replied. "Not after what we saw."
Priestess Jiāo tilted her head.
"Describe it."
Yín Shū stepped forward. Her voice was quiet, but firm.
"A battlefield beneath a broken sky. A gate half open. Shadows crawling from it. And a man....made of ink and bone.....watching us like we were a story he wrote."
Yin Shu trembled a little as she spoke
Silence.
Then Priestess Jiao whispered, "The Hollow Dreamer."
Captain Long's hand moved instinctively to his blade.
"Then we need to lock them down. For their safety. For ours." He said
Mo Yao narrowed her gaze at him
"Try," Mo Yao said, and the shadows behind her flickered.
Captain Long trembled at her terrifying gaze
What followed was chaos in silence.
Some argued the twins were blessings — needed weapons against what may come.
Others whispered they should be watched. Controlled.
And a few — though none said it aloud — wondered if the kingdom would be safer without them.
"Enough," jingfei said, rising. Her voice carried like thunder wrapped in silk.
"These are not children you can command or discard. They are the axis of the prophecy. And my daughters."
Her gaze swept the room.
"If you cannot stand with them, step aside. The storm is already coming."
They all looked at each other not knowing what to say.
***
As the council slowly exited, tension thick in the air, a servant girl slipped silently behind a curtain.
She moved fast. Unseen. Her fingers trembled as she pulled a ring from her sleeve.
Inside the ring — a drop of ink.
She held it to her lips and whispered:
"They know."
And far below the palace, beneath stone and memory, the Hollow Dreamer opened his eyes.
***
Before they got out of the Queen's Chamber Mo Yao calculated their expressions.
"Yin shu, we should be careful around this people" Mo Yao spoke as they walked into their chamber.
"Why did you say that?" Yin Shu asked confused.
"Didn't you notice their reaction when mother was talking about us?" Mo Yao said
"I noticed but I didn't pay attention to it" Yin Shu replied.
"Pay more attention next time. And be careful around them" Mo Yao warned
"But aren't they loyal to mother? They won't do anything against mother...will they?" Yin Shu said placing her delicate hand below her chin.
Mo Yao sighed
"We don't know yet, they might be loyal but... they are quiet suspicious" Mo Yao replied.
"Shouldn't we tell mother then?" Yin Shu asked.
"No need" Mo Yao replied and left. Leaving yin Shu lost in thought.