The morning after the Lantern Bloom Festival was still, the kind of stillness that made the world feel paused. The sun shined over the mountains slowly, it's rays cast on the dew covered grass and the rooftops still draped in the remnants of the festival.
Ren Tianyu rested on the edge of the window at the inn where they had stayed the night as returning through the forest at night wouldn't be safe after getting tired from walking all day. The ghost faced mask was still besides him while the piece of paper was folded in his hand.
"With the first flickering flame, seek the phoenix. The stars remember."
The words kept looping in his mind like a spherical puzzle with no end. He read it more than once, each with a different approach, but it still remained as when he first got it. Why was this left for him? And who was the figure?
Questions that he didn't have the answers for...
*Knock* *knock*
"Tianyu!" Mei's voice broke him out of his thoughts as she came inside before hearing the reply for her knock. "Are you still drooping over that piece of paper? There's nothing on there even."
That was another thing he found, nobody can see what's written on it other than him, at least from the people he asked. Which made him even more serious about trying to decipher it.
"I'm not drooping, I'm contemplating." He replied, tucking the paper away in his pocket." There's a big difference, not like you would know it."
She gave him a look before jumping besides him." Well, while you're busy 'contemplating'
or whatever, I'll go have my and your breakfast. Come fast if you still want yours, oh wise and mysterious man~" she said before dashing out the door.
Having caught up to her and eating his breakfast before Mei took it, the two started wandering through the village again, this time the hustle and bustle was much less, the slow paced daily lives have returned. The farmers carrying baskets, children playing with leftover decorations from the festival and the scent of street food filled the air from the nearby stalls.
It was...peaceful.
But still, Ren couldn't help himself from glancing where the forest is, hoping to see that figure again, flute in hand. Unfortunately, there was nothing other than the comforting wind swaying the leaves.
Later that day, their journey had ended as they reached the mountain valley once again. His parents where there waiting to welcome him.
"How was your first venture outside little Ren?" His mother asked with a smile before hugging him.
"It was different, but in a good way mostly."
"Different is good from time to time."
"He just liked the food and the girls he saw there." Mei snorted teasingly.
"Ohhh~ is my little boy finally growing hehe~" his mother gave a teasing reply back, to which she didn't get the reaction she hoped. An embarrassed Ren.
"Mom, look at this. Can you see anything?" Ren didn't bat an eye to their teasing and directly questioned her.
His mother looked for a few seconds with changing expressions that gave Ren hope "ohhh, this is very interesting" which was broken right after "where did you find this piece of paper, it looks cool."
It seemed his mother couldn't see anything too.
"I just found it on the ground."
He then shifted the conversation to avoid suspicion and started talking about his time at the village after heading inside with them.
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At night, after they had rested enough and had dinner, Ren went to his usual place to observe the stars once again. The mask besides him, the paper still in his pocket while scanning the constellations above.
"Do they really remember.....?" Ren muttered to himself absentmindedly.
"You're thinking again."
Behind him, Mei came after seeing him sitting there with the mask next to him.
"I do that a lot."
She sat next to him before looking at the stars too and saying. "Do you think.... there's another world out there? Beyond Lianhua and beyond all those satrs?"
He looked at her, her brown hair fluttering with the wind. "No, I don't think so." she looked a bit disappointed for a second before hearing.
"I'm sure, I'm sure there's a lot more to this world than where we are currently, and I'll take you to them with me one day." Ren declared proudly.
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Inside the house, in a room where the candle light flickered, Ren's parents where sitting while talking, his mother's gentle tone was no longer there.
"This is suspicious." Mu Qinglan stated.
"I know, this is not something that should be in this world." His father replied.
"It doesn't feel hostile, but I'm not risking it."
"It might be related to us. Targeting us."
"Whowoulddare!?" Her voice got filled with anger.
"I don't know, but we should speed up our plans, us being here might be putting him in danger."
The sound of the candle still flickered...
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A\N:- I know it's getting boring, but bear with me, the climax is soon (• ▽ •;)