The challenger of Destiny

Under the Shadow of Destiny

Dawn had not yet broken when Lin Mei woke Jihan. The blizzard had subsided, leaving a eerie silence on the Five Elements Mountain. The bodies of the Shadowhunters had vanished-evaporated into black smoke as the sun set, leaving only the bone masks now strewn across the cave floor.

“We should move,” Lin Mei said as she gathered their remaining supplies. “This place is no longer safe.”

Jihan nodded, but her mind was still on last night's revelation. Kai Wen-her biological father-was planning to sacrifice his own blood for the power of the gods. And somehow, this fact didn't surprise her as much as it should have.

“You haven't answered my question from last night,” Jihan said as she followed Lin Mei out of the cave. “About you also being an Anomaly.”

Lin Mei was silent for a moment, his eyes gazing out towards the dawn that was beginning to peek over the eastern horizon. “It's a long story, Jihan. And we don't have time-”

“We have until the full moon,” Jihan cut in, her voice firmer than she intended. “And I need to know. If we're going to stop my father... I need to know everything that can help.”

Lin Mei let out a long breath. “Alright. But not here.” She pointed towards the mountain peak, which was still shrouded in mist. “There's a safer place to talk.”

They climbed in silence. The snow covering the hiking trail made every step a challenge. But Jihan found that her body was stronger than ever-as if the acceptance of the duality of her powers had also strengthened her physically.

After nearly two hours of hiking, they arrived at a hidden alcove on the side of the mountain. From the outside, the alcove looked like an ordinary crack in the rock. But when Lin Mei removed the illusion covering it, Jihan saw a cozy little room, complete with a fire stove and shelves filled with old scrolls.

“My hiding place,” Lin Mei explained as she lit a fire in the furnace. “One of the few places that still escapes Kai Wen's scrutiny.”

Jihan watched the room closely. There was something familiar about the energy in this place... something that reminded her of...

“This is where my mother once hid,” she said suddenly, confident in her conclusion.

Lin Mei smiled sadly. “Yes. Li Wei spent three months here... when she was pregnant with you.”

Jihan gasped. “What?”

“Sit down.” Lin Mei gestured towards the two meditation cushions by the stove. “I'll tell you everything.”

Once they were seated, Lin Mei began to tell the story. Her voice was soft but full of suppressed emotion.

“Twenty years ago, I was also like you-a young Anomaly who was confused by his powers. But unlike you who had water and fire, I was born with the power of light and darkness.”

Jihan held her breath. A combination of elements even rarer than hers.

“The elders are terrified. They've never seen anything like it before. Some want to exile me, others want to... get rid of me.” Lin Mei smiled bitterly. “But there was one person who saw potential in me. Someone who was still the great hope of the Five Elements Temple back then.”

“Kai Wen,” Jihan whispered.

Lin Mei nodded. “Yes. He took me as his disciple, teaching me how to control the two opposing forces within me. And for a few years, everything was perfect. I thrived under her guidance. The elders began to accept my existence. And then...”

“Then?”

“Then your mother came to the temple.” Lin Mei closed her eyes, as if lost in memories. “Li Wei... she was different from the others. Although she only had the power of water, her abilities surpassed many senior Guardians. And more importantly... she had a pure heart.”

Jihan felt her throat constrict. She had always heard about her mother's prowess, but rarely had anyone told her about Li Wei's human personality.

“Kai Wen fell in love with her at first sight,” Lin Mei continued. “And Li Wei... he was initially attracted to Kai Wen as well. Who wouldn't be? Young Kai Wen was a charming figure-handsome, talented, and seemed to have a bright future.”

“But something happened,” Jihan guessed.

“Yes. Kai Wen started to change.” Lin Mei opened her eyes, and Jihan saw the deep sadness there. “It was small changes at first-he became more introverted, more obsessed with ancient scrolls. Then one day, she found something in the forbidden archives. Something that changed everything.”

Lin Mei stood up, walking towards the scroll rack. She picked up a scroll that looked older than the others, with a faded seal.

“This scroll contains an ancient prophecy about the resurrection of the Forbidden Guardians,” she explained. “But that's not what Kai Wen is obsessed with. There's a section that talks about the 'Child of Two Worlds'-an Anomaly who will be born from the fusion of two great powers. A child who would have the power to change the world... or destroy it.”

Jihan felt a chill that had nothing to do with the room temperature. “I...”

“Yes. Kai Wen believed that by having a child from Li Wei-the strongest Water Guardian-he could create the perfect Anomaly. But Li Wei...” Lin Mei shook his head sadly. “He began to see the darkness in Kai Wen. He tried to warn the elders, but no one believed him. Kai Wen was too respected, too powerful.”

“Then mother escaped?”

“With help from me.” Lin Mei nodded. “I... I loved Kai Wen. But I love the truth more. And I know Li Wei is right-Kai Wen has turned into someone dangerous.”

Jihan tried to digest all this information. “But... what about you? What happened after my mother left?”

Lin Mei smiled bitterly. “Kai Wen was angry. He thought I had betrayed him. And as punishment...” he uncovered the sleeve of his robe, revealing a hideous scar-like an ancient inscription carved into his flesh.

“He cursed me with the Dark Seal. An ancient curse that will slowly turn me into one of the Shadowhunters.” Lin Mei lowered the sleeves of her robe. “Only the blood of a perfect Anomaly can free me. Your blood, Jihan.”

Jihan jerked to her feet. “So that's why you're helping me? To get my blood?”

“No!” Lin Mei shook her head hard. “Yes, at first I sought you out for that. But then I saw you grow from afar, saw how Li Wei raised you with love... and I realized that there were more important things than this curse.” She looked at Jihan with teary eyes. “I owe your mother, Jihan. And I promised myself that I would protect you-even if it meant I had to accept my fate.”

The silence that followed was heavy with unspoken emotions. Jihan looked at Lin Mei, searching for signs of lies... but all she saw was sincerity and deep pain.

“How long?” she finally asked.

“Until the next full moon,” Lin Mei answered quietly. “The same time as the Kai Wen ritual. By then, my transformation will be complete.”

“And there's no other way?”

“There is one way...” Lin Mei hesitated for a moment. “But I won't ask you to do it. You already have a greater destiny, Jihan. The world needs you to stop your father.”

Suddenly, the ground shook violently. From afar, the roar of the Forbidden Guardians echoed-closer than ever. Lin Mei rushed to the mouth of the cave, his eyes widening as he looked towards the valley below.

“They're moving faster than I thought,” she muttered. “And they're not alone...”

Jihan joined him at the mouth of the cave, and what she saw made her blood run cold. Thousands of Shadowhunters marched across the valley, led by a tall, black-robed figure Jihan recognized from his nightmares.

Kai Wen.

And beside him...

“No way...” Lin Mei staggered back. “That's...”

“Who?” Jihan asked, though her instincts screamed out the answer.

“Wei Zhang.” Lin Mei whispered in horror. “But... he's dead. We saw him die!”

It was true-the figure standing beside Kai Wen was Wei Zhang, their teacher who had died protecting Jihan in the underground temple. But there was something different about him now. His eyes that were once full of wisdom now glowed with an unnatural red light, and his skin had the grayish color of a corpse.

“Imperfect Resurrection,” Lin Mei explained in a trembling voice. “Kai Wen... he used Wei Zhang as an experiment for a greater ritual.”

“No...” Jihan felt her knees go weak. Seeing her wise teacher being turned into Kai Wen's puppet... “We have to stop him!”

“Yes,” Lin Mei nodded. “But not here. We need help.”

“Help from whom? The elders can't be trusted, and most of the Guardians are loyal to Kai Wen.”

Lin Mei smiled mysteriously. “There is one group that even Kai Wen fears. The group that has been hiding in the shadows, waiting for the right moment...” she looked at Jihan with a meaningful look in her eyes. “The Runaway Guardians.”

“The... what?”

“Guardians who chose to leave the temple because they disagreed with the system. Those who, like your mother, saw corruption in the hierarchy of the Guardians.” Lin Mei took a scroll from her shelf. “And their leader... is someone who is eager to meet you.”

“Who?”

Lin Mei opened her mouth to reply, but suddenly her body stiffened. Dark circles appeared around her eyes-a sign of an intensifying curse.

“Lin Mei!” Jihan rushed to support her teacher's staggering body.

“It's okay,” Lin Mei smiled weakly. “This will happen often now. But we don't have time for that.” She handed Jihan the scroll in her hand. “This is a map to the escape guard's hideout. But be careful-Kai Wen must have laid spies along the way.”

“We'll go together,” Jihan insisted.

“No,” Lin Mei shook her head. “I'll keep them here. Give you time to escape.”

“But-”

“Listen, Jihan,” Lin Mei gripped her shoulder. “There's something bigger than all of us. The prophecy about the Child of Two Worlds... it's not just about your power. It's about the choices you'll make. And you must stay alive to make that choice.”

From the valley, the sound of war horns could be heard. The Shadowhunters began to move towards the mountain.