Jingxin Temple loomed ahead as dusk painted the sky purple, its wooden spires peeking above the mango trees. The air smelled of incense and wet earth, and Tan Kai hands shook as he followed Yara Yu up the stone steps—his throat tight, like he might forget how to speak when he saw Tan Agus.
The temple's courtyard was quiet, only the rustle of lotus leaves from the small pond in the center. A monk in orange robes knelt there, trimming the blooms with a small knife. His hair was shaven, his back stooped, but when he turned at the sound of their footsteps, Tan Kai breath caught.
His eyes—they were the same as Tan Kai. Warm, brown, like the river mud Mom had talked about.
"Yara Yu," the monk said, his voice soft but steady. He set down his knife, wiping his hands on his robes. His gaze turned to Tan Kai, and for a long moment, he just stared—like he was trying to memorize every line of Tan Kai face. "You're… Tan Kai."
Tan Kai nodded, unable to speak. This was Tan Agus. His dad. Now called Huiyuan, a monk.
Yara Yu stepped back, giving them space. "I'll wait by the gate. Take all the time you need."
The courtyard fell silent. Hui Yuan walked closer, his steps slow, and Tan Kai noticed his hands—calloused, just like Yara Ya, but with faint scars on the palms. "I'm sorry," Huiyuan said, his voice breaking a little. "For not finding you sooner. For letting you grow up alone."
Tan Kai throat felt stuffed with cotton. "Why… why didn't you tell me? The elders said you left."
Hui Yuan closed his eyes for a second, like he was holding back tears. "I couldn't. If Tong's men knew we were connected, they'd have come for you. The temple was the only place I could hide—hide the tablet, hide you." He turned, leading Tan Kai to the temple's back hall—a small room with a stone altar, its surface covered in lotus carvings. From under his robes, he pulled a flat, weathered stone tablet, etched with the same symbols as Tan Kai pendant.
"This is the other half of the Sacred Lotus," Huiyuan said, pressing the tablet into Tan Kai hands. It was cool, smooth, like river stone. "Hold it with the pendant. Let them touch."
Tan Kai did as he was told—his pendant hanging from his neck, the tablet in his palm. When the ivory of the pendant brushed the stone, a bright light burst forth, so intense he had to squint. The pendant and tablet trembled, then lifted off his hands, spinning in the air. They merged together, glowing gold, until the light faded to reveal a small, perfect lotus—made of light, floating in front of him.
It smelled like fresh blooms, warm like sunlight, and Tan Kai reached for it, his heart racing. "This… this can free Mom?"
Huiyuan's face softened, but there was sadness in his eyes. "It could. If you had the power to wield it. The golden lotus holds the full strength of the Sacred Lotus—but you have no magic foundation, Tan Kai. You've never learned to channel the Lotus's light. Right now, it's just a glow. It can't break the Twin Lotus Gods' seal on the Soul-Binding Pagoda."
Tan Kai hand dropped. The hope that had burned so bright in his chest dimmed, like a candle in the wind. "Then what do I do? I can't just leave her there."
"You won't," Huiyuan said, placing a hand on his shoulder. His touch was warm, firm—like a promise. "You need to learn. To master the Lotus's power. Yara Yu knows someone who can teach you. A former member of the Lotus Clan, living in hiding. She'll take you to him." He paused, picking up a small lotus seed from the altar, pressing it into Tan Kai palm. "This will protect you on the way. It'll glow if dark magic is near."
Tan Kai closed his fingers around the seed, the golden lotus still floating softly between them. "Will I see you again?"
Huiyuan nodded, his eyes glistening. "When you're ready. When you can wield the lotus's power. I'll be here, waiting."
Yara Ya was waiting at the gate, her veil fluttering in the night breeze. She saw the golden lotus and sighed, not in disappointment, but in understanding. "Let's go. There's something you need to see first."
They walked for hours, the forest growing thicker as the moon rose. The trees towered above them, their branches twisting like claws, and the air grew cold—colder than it should have been, even at night. Yara Yu stopped at the edge of a clearing, pointing toward the distance.
Tan Kai followed her gaze. There, between two giant banyan trees, stood a tower—tall, made of black stone, its top lost in the clouds. A faint, blue light glowed around it, like a shield, and he swore he heard soft chanting, distant but clear.
"The Soul-Binding Pagoda," Yara Yu whispered. "Your mom is in there. The Twin Lotus Gods' light surrounds it—mortals can't get close, not even Tong's men. That's why he's been waiting for you. He thinks if he uses your blood, he can break the shield."
Tan Kai stared at the tower, his chest tight. He could almost feel Mom's presence—faint, like a heartbeat. "Can she… can she feel me?"
Yara Yu nodded. "The lotus. She'll sense its light. She knows you're here."
Tan Kai lifted his hand to brush the floating golden lotus, his fingertip grazing the soft glow of its petals—warm, like the hugs Mom used to give him. It felt like it was carrying his message to her—I'm here. I'm coming.
"We can't stay long," Yara Yu said, pulling him back into the trees. "Tong's spies patrol these woods at night. But I wanted you to see it. To remember why we're doing this."
They walked back through the forest, the moon guiding their steps. When they emerged into a small village at dawn, Yara Yu led him to a thatched-roof hut on the edge of town. An old woman sat outside, weaving lotus leaves into baskets—her hair white, her hands gnarled, but her eyes sharp, like she could see things others couldn't.
"Mae Rim," Yara Yu said, bowing slightly. "This is Tan Kai. Li Na's son."
Mae Rim looked up, her gaze falling on the golden lotus (now dimmed, hovering gently above Tan Kai palm). Her eyes widened, then softened. "So the time has come. Come inside, boy. We have much to learn—if you're willing to work."
Tan Kai looked at Yara Ya, who nodded. He stepped into the hut, the smell of lotus tea wrapping around him. The golden lotus floated beside him, a reminder of Mom, of Dad, of everything he was fighting for.
"I'm willing," he said, his voice steady.
Mae Rim smiled, pouring a cup of tea. "Good. Because mastering the Lotus's power isn't easy. It takes patience. It takes heart. And it takes remembering—this power isn't for you. It's for the one you're trying to save."
Tan Kai picked up the teacup, the warmth seeping into his hands. Outside, the sun rose, painting the sky pink. For the first time, he didn't feel like he was chasing a dream. He felt like he was finally on the right path.