*Epilogue: Seeds of Light*
Months had passed since the battle that saved the world, yet echoes of Nightwatch's courage lingered everywhere—from city streets to the hearts of every student at Jade Spirit Academy. The scars each carried had faded, but not vanished; they were reminders of the night darkness lost, and friendship won.
The Academy bloomed anew. Repairs finished, flowers lined halls that had once known fear. Instructors now taught lessons of unity as much as magic. Nightwatch, once shy and uncertain, became cherished mentors. Younger students flocked to training fields, eager to hear Jin Ming's jokes, to copy Mei Fen's moves, to watch Yan and Bao Yu teach protective spells side by side, teasing and blushing.
Xiulan and Li Wei walked the gardens most afternoons, hand in hand beneath the cherry trees. Sometimes they paused to greet villagers, sometimes just to savor the peace they'd fought for. The world felt wide and possible. Fear no longer haunted Li Wei's dreams; instead, every element felt like an old friend—fire warming his hands, wind cooling his brow, the earth solid under his feet, water singing in nearby streams.
On the first moon festival after peace returned, the academy celebrated as one. Lanterns rose, laughter filled the air, and Nightwatch shared a quiet meal under the stars. They toasted to losses, victories, and the future—to the idea, as Li Wei said softly, "that light always finds us, so long as we stand together."
As the night ended, fireworks burst overhead, and every member of Nightwatch—partnered or not—joined hands, sending wishes skyward for the next great adventure.
Legends would tell of their battles, but only they would remember the truest magic: friendship, love, and the promise that no one would ever stand alone again.
*The End—for now 🌙*