The lotus scent clung thicker to their clothes as they ventured deeper into the valley. Gone was the dark forest, the venomous mist—here, soft golden light filtered through a canopy of lotus leaves bigger than shields, dappling the stone path with warm splotches.
Bright stuffed the last crumble of dried mango into his mouth, swiping crumbs off his chin with the back of his hand. "Finally—something that doesn't smell like rot. Though—" He elbowed Tong hard, "—if our 'snake bait' acts up even once, I'm shoving him straight into the nearest pond."
Tong glared, jaw tight—but Nam's lotus-dew cloth was still tied loose around his mouth, just enough to muffle any snark. He stumbled over a root, eyes darting down to the glowing mark on his arm. It pulsed in time with the distant hiss beyond the cliffs, like a second heartbeat.
Nam adjusted her herb pouch slung over one shoulder, gaze flicking sharp across the trees. "Quit picking on him. This valley's too quiet—unnaturally quiet. Watch your step."
Tan Kai's pendant warmed in his palm, its glow brightening by the step. It tugged at his wrist, pulling him toward a clearing up ahead—where a pool glimmered, its surface dotted with lotus blooms that shimmered like polished jade.
Yara walked beside him, her hand brushing his knuckles once, light as a leaf. "It's beautiful," she whispered, like she was afraid to break the silence. "Like a dream you don't want to wake up from."
Before Tan Kai could reply, the pendant blazed—so bright it made his eyes water.
The ground rumbled.
Vines erupted from the dirt, thick as a man's arm and lined with thorns, coiling toward them like angry snakes. One wrapped around Bright's ankle; he yelped, tripping face-first into the grass.
"Whoa—vines with a grudge!" He kicked wildly, yanking his leg free and scrambling back. "Nam! You got any herbs that kill plant monsters?!"
Nam tossed a handful of crinkled dried leaves at the vines. They smoked on contact, curling up like burnt paper and slowing the growth. "That's just a distraction! Tan Kai—Yara—your bond!"
A vine lunged for Yara's throat. Tan Kai grabbed her hand, their palms slamming together. Gold and green light surged between them, rippling outward in a wave. The vines recoiled, hissing like scalded cats.
But more burst from the earth—dozens of them, weaving into a thick, thorny wall between the group and the lotus pool.
Master's phantom flickered into view, faint as smoke but urgent. "The valley's defending itself!" he said. "It knows Agus's blood runs in Tan Kai—but it's wary of outsiders! Use the pendant!"
Tan Kai tore the pendant from his neck, holding it high. Its light sliced through the mist like a knife, carving a narrow path through the vine wall straight to the pool.
"Follow the light!" he yelled.
They ran—Tan Kai and Yara leading, their clasped hands glowing; Nam hauling Tong by the arm, ignoring his muffled protests; Bright sprinting ahead, still grumbling about "getting revenge on those vines later." The thorns snapped at their heels, but the pendant's glow pushed them back, a warm shield at their backs.
When they skidded to a halt at the pool's edge, the vines froze. Then, slowly, they slithered back into the earth, as if never there.
Bright collapsed onto the grass, chest heaving. "Note to self: never trust pretty flowers. Turns out they're all secret plant assassins."
Yara knelt by the water, fingers brushing the surface. "Look," she said, pointing.
Beneath the ripples, something glinted—pale green, half-buried in the mud. It pulsed, matching the pendant's glow beat for beat.
Tan Kai rolled up his sleeves, lowering his hand into the cold water. His fingers closed around something smooth, like polished stone. He pulled it out.
A jade shard, carved with a tiny lotus. It fit into the hollow of his pendant like it was made for it.
The second they touched, the shard and pendant erupted into light. A vision flooded Tan Kai's mind—
Agus and Lina, kneeling by this same pool. Agus held the full jade pendant, pressing it into Lina's palm. "It'll calm the Naga blood," he said, his voice tight with worry. "Just long enough for Master to find a way to keep Heaven off our tails."
Lina shook her head, tears streaking down her cheeks. "What if it's not enough? What if they find us here?"
Agus pulled her close, the pendant around his neck glowing soft. "Then we fight. Together—always."
The vision faded. Tan Kai stumbled, and Yara's arm shot out to steady him, her hand warm on his shoulder.
"Agus and Lina," she said quietly. "They hid the jade here."
Master's phantom reappeared, his form clearer now, like the light from the pendant was strengthening him. "That's half the Lotus Heart Jade," he said. "The other half… Lina took it when they fled. She was terrified the Heavenly Soldiers would find it, use it to track her Naga blood."
His gaze softened as it landed on Yara. "Your mark—Lina's mark—it's tied to this jade. It doesn't just calm the Naga blood—it amplifies the bond between you and Tan Kai. Makes your power stronger, together."
Nam leaned in, squinting at the jade shard in Tan Kai's hand. "So we need the other half to use it fully?"
Master nodded. "And Nagasith wants it too. He thinks it'll let him control all Naga blood—including Yara's."
Tong shifted beside Nam, his eyes narrowing. The mark on his arm blazed, almost blinding. He mumbled something through the cloth, too low to make out—but his gaze was fixed on the jade.
Nam grabbed his arm, pressing a calloused finger to the glowing mark. It sizzled, and Tong winced, jerking back. "Cut it out. We all know Nagasith's close—no need to advertise."
A low, guttural hiss echoed through the valley. Closer now. Not from outside the cliffs—from deeper in the mist, right ahead of them.
Bright pushed himself up, grabbing a thick stick from the grass and twisting it in his hands. "Speak of the devil. Or snake, in this case."
Yara squeezed Tan Kai's hand, her own mark glowing green against his skin. "We can't run forever."
Tan Kai curled his fingers around the pendant and jade, their warmth seeping into his bones. He looked at his friends—Bright grinning, even with his knuckles white around the stick; Nam calm, rummaging through her herb pouch for something potent; Yara steady, her eyes locked on his, no fear just trust.
Master's phantom smiled, his light dimming like a candle burning low. "Trust your bond. Trust each other. That's how Agus and Lina survived—how you will, too."
He vanished.
The hiss grew louder, closer—so near the leaves ahead rustled, shaking dew onto the ground.
Bright twirled his stick, grinning. "Well, mangoes are gone. Guess it's time to beat up a snake king. Who's in?"
Nam rolled her eyes, but she pulled out a handful of dark, pungent herbs, crushing them in her palm. "Move. Stay close—this mist's hiding more than just Nagasith."
Tan Kai nodded, giving Yara's hand a squeeze before leading the way into the mist. The pendant and jade pulsed in his palm, a steady guide.
Yara stepped closer, her shoulder brushing his. "Together."
Tan Kai smiled, even as the hiss grew louder. "Together."
Side by side, they stepped into the thickening mist—where the valley breathed slow, and something ancient, something hungry, waited.
[Drop a comment & hit "Collect"!]
That vision of Agus and Lina? My heart—they're just like Tan Kai and Yara! But Nagasith's right there in the mist… think their bonded light can take him? (Collect this chapter if you're rooting for them to kick snake king butt—let's hit that next milestone!)