Rise Of The Elemental Hero

命运交织 Bound by fate

Cora sat at the head of the council table as usual, her face quite unreadable as she tapped her fingers rhythmically on the surface.

The rest of the council sat at both sides of the room, tension thick in the air.

“This is the second time we've had unknown events in the space of about two days, something triggered that Orb” Rexar began, frustration seeping into his voice. “And it’s only happening where 'The Chosen One' is.”

Zerix leaned forward, arms folded. “What are you saying, Rexar??” Zerix questioned

“I’m not saying he’s the cause, but the connection is undeniable.” Rexar defended.

“He's the Reborn, we should expect something like this, The Dark one is after him” Alaric stated.

Cora, silent for a moment, finally spoke. “The training is no longer safe as long as he trains there—not for students.”

“We can’t just pull him out in the middle of his training,” Zerix protested. “He needs structure, guidance, foundation.”

“Structure won’t help if the Dark One attacks again,” Rexar countered. “We risk putting the entire training in danger.”

Alaric's gaze sharpened. “Zerix is right, Rexar. This is not the human’s fault. Remember we brought him here promising to treat him well, he needs our support. He is going to save us even though we don't know how ”

Zerix sighed. “So what’s the plan?What are we to do?”

Cora’s fingers stilled on the table, her voice calm but firm. “The only way forward is to push him harder. No more segmented training or painless training.” She locked eyes with each council member. “He needs to learn fast and it can happen if he learns all elements at once. Time is not on our side. He has to join the Advanced students training soon enough”

There was a moment of stunned silence, then Liora spoke, “That’s dangerous, Cora. he would not be able to handle it”

“He has to,” Cora said flatly. “Serevaal is not a place for the weak, and besides we all know who can handle him”

Zerix arched his brow. “Who?”

Cora smiled—a rare sight. “Yuehan.”

**************************************

Shiro sat alone in his quarters, shoulders slumped as doubt clawed at his mind. His hands rested heavily on his knees, fingers twitching as if they carried the weight of all the expectations thrown onto him.

He ran a hand through his hair, frustration bubbling inside. Twice now—twice, he had been at the center of disaster. Twice the dangers came, as if following him like a shadow. Is that how it's meant to be? Is it what being the Chosen one meant? He was damned that he could barely do anything about it. It made him scared and weak.

The room felt too small, too suffocating. He stood abruptly, his heart racing with the need to escape,not escape really, just go away right now, if only for a moment. Without a word to Korin or anyone else, Shiro slipped out, letting the door close softly behind him. He didn’t know where he was going; he just needed to move.

His feet carried him through the quiet paths of the council’s grounds, walking slowly until he found himself close to a familiar place—the Memory Blossom garden.

The dark sky cast a soft glow in the garden over the delicate petals of the blossoms, their silver hue shimmering like frost. Shiro stepped closer, his breath catching in his throat. He remembered Korin’s words the first time he brought him here: You can only touch it once, just once in your lifetime. It will show you a memory—a fragment from the past, like you’re living it yourself. The flowers chose the memory, and no one could predict what it would be. Some memories were gifts; others... less so.

Beneath the blossoms, faint engravings glimmered—ancient symbols carved deep into the stones, pulsing in time with the silver glow of the flowers. Their shapes resembled spirals and jagged lines.They were part of an old protection spell, Korin had told him, meant to safeguard both the garden and those with a good heart who sought its memories.

He stood before the Memory Blossom, the silver petals glowing faintly. His gaze lingered on the delicate flower, mesmerized by its quiet beauty. He could feel the gentle hum of its magic, as if it were inviting him to touch it—offering a glimpse into someone else’s past.

He hesitated. His hand moved close to the petals, but something deep inside told him it wasn’t the right time. What if the memory it chose would show him something he wasn’t ready to see?

Not yet. He pulled his hand back, exhaling slowly. A sense of unease settled over him, like he'd come dangerously close to stepping into something he couldn't undo.

As he turned away, the faint glow of the ancient symbols beneath the flower caught his eye again. Coming closer he noticed it was written in ancient Chinese characters.

Curious, Shiro leaned closer and removed the little twigs around them. He then traced the largest symbol. As his finger moved along the engraving, something stirred. “命运交织... Bound by fate,” he whispered, slowly translating the inscription to himself as best as he could.

The stone pulsed under his fingertips, the glow of the characters intensifying. And just for a moment, a dark ripple flickered through the silver light—faint, but distinctive. Shiro didn’t understand the meaning, but the shift unsettled him.

Before he could think further, the ground gave a low, soft tremor, as if the very earth beneath the garden had responded to his words. The light flared once again, then faded, leaving only the cold night air behind.

Shiro stood, uneasy. The glow of the symbols vanished, leaving the stone how it was the first time. The strange writing lingered in his mind and he couldn’t make sense of what it could possibly have meant. Strange

He cast one last glance at the Memory Blossom, feeling as though he had disrupted something or awoken something which he didn't know about. He shivered, then turned to leave, walking slowly back to the council quarters.