High in the sky, the moon shone blood red. It reflected the world below, where a war was currently raging on the border between the Xia and Dai clans. Battle cries erupted as both sides met with significant force. The sound of killing and the flashes of blades rattled the heavens and earth.
Three days and nights had passed since the war started. Dead bodies were piling, but neither clans conceded defeat. The Xia clan was determined to conquer, whereas the Dai clan was resolute in protecting their land.
And Luwen, an orphan from the Xia clan, was forced to take part in the war.
Since young, she was only taught to hunt and kill demons, not humans, but they deployed her to fight for her clan; to kill their enemies and conquer their land.
However, those people were victims too. They sought to safeguard their people from the war she loathed, and for this reason alone, she found herself unable to deliver a killing blow.
Right now, running and hiding seemed like her only way to survive.
She fought her way back to the rear, but found no protection from the enemies in the forest. Because the wretched uniform she was wearing bore the emblem of the Xia clan, they attacked her.
Her heart thundered away, her anxiety intensifying. With her sword, she deflected their attacks, elbowed an enemy in the face, and slipped through an opening.
The matriarch of her clan started this war for territorial gain, even if it meant forcing her own people against their will. Escaping was punishable by death. Except for a few, such as Luwen, the clansmen were loyal to the matriarch and her beliefs. If they knew she wanted to escape, they would drag her back—dead or alive.
She gripped her sword hilt tightly, knowing she was nearing her stamina limit from the long battle. If she didn't leave soon, she was going to die.
The memory of those who died in wars tended to fade away. The ones who survived, especially those at the top, would glory in their victory.
Luwen didn't wish to be a lost soul wandering in the underworld. She wanted to live. She was determined to escape this situation, even if it meant disobeying orders.
Stay alive. These were her parents' last words before they passed on.
And she would.
She kept running.
Behind her, heavy steps plowed their way through. Large wolves, conjured by fire magic, leaped through the air and set nearby trees ablaze. Smoke weaved between the trees, stinging her eyes and blurring her vision. Baring their teeth, the wolves caught her fleeing comrades, and they fell one at a time, screaming in pain.
"Fire Wolves! The Fire Wolves are here!"
Soon, it became clear the tide in this battle had turned. The Xia clan lost more people as the Dai clan gained the advantage.
Whoever summoned the Fire Wolves held formidable powers. Someone whom they were unaware of and kept in the shadows.
Luwen was a fast runner. She was ahead of the magical beasts, pushing her legs to go faster. The dying screams from her comrades echoed through the forest and terror pulsed through her veins.
Suddenly, a volley of arrows sailed past her, cutting her from her escape path and stopping her from advancing forward. Someone hastily slammed into her back and ran over her, their foot stepping on her left hand. She hissed in pain as they fled while leaving her behind.
Get up, Luwen. Move.
She struggled to her feet, picking up her discarded sword, but low growls coming close behind her made her stop dead in her movements.
The Fire Wolves.
Fear gripped her. Large beasts, with burning red-hot eyes and sharp canines, stalked up to her. The deadly glint in their eyes almost scorched her own.
Her breath hitched. They had her surrounded. If she made a move, they would pounce on her and kill her. But if she didn't move, the Dai clan would find her and kill her, too.
Her bloodshot eyes fluttered closed, and she drew in a shallow breath. Sweat matted her hair to her temples, her clothes bloodied and battered. Bruises and aches covered every part of her body.
There was nowhere for her to go. No one from her clan bothered to come to save her.
Was this the end for her?
A cough ripped through her body from the thickening smoke. Her eyes slowly opened to meet several pairs of crimson eyes. They weren't normal wolves, but made of flames.
If they touched her, she would burn to her death.
Suddenly, she wasn't afraid. She was just tired and angry at life. At everything.
A breathless laugh escaped her dry lips. "Well, what are you waiting for?" She demanded, her voice coming out calm. "If you've got to get through me to kill the matriarch, do it. Kill me. That would make my death worthwhile."
The wolves came to a still. They watched her carefully, as if they were intelligent enough to understand her words. Perhaps they were also mocking her too.
She was weak and helpless. A lowly servant with a pathetic dream of leaving everything behind to venture into the vast world ahead of her.
Now that was gone too.
As she was close to accepting her ill fate, a drum sounded in the distance–the signal for retreat. From her clan.
The matriarch was finally surrendering. They were losing the war, and she knew it.
Behind Luwen, the Fire Wolves let out an anguished howl. She turned back to see only burning trees and smoke from the charred debris.
They were gone.
And they left her alive.
***
In the Great Hall, the matriarch seethed with anger.
Arms crossed, she paced back and forth across the dais. Her scarlet dress billowed out behind her. In her forties, she was an icily beautiful woman with a slender figure and dark, smokey eyes. Her sharp gaze went beyond the platform, roving across the sea of men and women below who were on their knees and keeping their heads low.
With the threat of defeat looming ahead, everyone was afraid of meeting her eyes.
"How is it possible that we're losing this war?" She snapped, her voice shrilling out at the end. "Is their lord not dead?"
The matriarch referred to an event two weeks before the war. The lord of the Dai clan, a powerful warrior in his late twenties, journeyed to Nightfall Isle in search of magical herbs. But he met a legendary demon that left him in a brain-dead state.
With no leader, the matriarch invaded the clan.
The outcome, however, was not what she expected.
"Who is it?" She demanded. "The man who summoned the Fire Wolves?"
An advisor stepped forward. "My Lady, it's the lord's younger brother—Dai Yichen."
"Dai Yichen..." She repeated his name slowly. "He's the illegitimate son of that old Dai man?"
"That's right," they reported. "He's the boy who was sent away to live in a secluded area right after he was born. We have limited knowledge of his powers. Now, many are calling him their hero and the next successor to the clan."
She settled on her throne with an intrigued expression. "Interesting... So their clan is refusing to retreat even though we've surrendered?"
"Yes, Matriarch. They are planning to destroy our land and aren't willing to negotiate. Our losses are too great and we can't hold their forces back any longer."
Her long, black-painted nails tapped against her chin as she considered her limited options. "We'll call for a truce. I'll offer my daughter to them as a marriage truce. It will delay the war until we regroup and find a better strategy."
The faces of the advisers pale, clearly stricken with fear. Offering her daughter as a hostage to the enemy clan was an outrageous idea. "B-but she's y-your daughter–"
The matriarch waved their words away without a hint of concern. "She's sick, weak, and disposable. This is the only way she can repay me and contribute to our clan. She should make me proud. Summon her immediately to the hall."
Her words were final. In a hasty manner, the advisers scurried out of the hall to bring her daughter, but shortly after, they came back with bad news.
"M-Matriarch, the princess... We're afraid she has passed on."
"What?!" A porcelain cup slipped from her hands and crashed onto the ground, spilling tea everywhere. Blood drained from her face. "My daughter is dead? How is this possible? Explain yourself!"
The advisers shivered under her menacing gaze. "According to the handmaids, she was running a high fever for the past few days and refused her medicine."
The silence ensued was deafening. "Useless!" the matriarch yelled angrily, causing everyone to wince at her tone. "All of you are useless beings! You're failing at everything I've ordered you to do!"
Now that her daughter was dead, she faced another predicament. But instead of grieving over her loss, she was contemplating an alternative solution to her problems. Her reputation was one of being heartless and cunning; she didn't even show mercy or concern to her own flesh and blood.
A glimmer of hope flashed in her wild eyes. She stood up from her throne suddenly and stepped forward, searching through the hall. "Luwen, where are you? Stand up right this instant."
Hearing her name called out, Luwen felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach. Uneasiness stirred within her, and she wanted to hide.
"Luwen!"
The second time her name was called, she knew she was done for. She forced her features to ease into a mask of neutrality as she stood up among the kneeling audience, her knees shaking. "Yes, Matriarch?"
The old hag gave a venomous smile.
"You'll do it," she decided. "You can substitute for my daughter."
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A/N: It feels amazing to be back with a new Asian-fantasy-romance story! There is going to be plenty of tension in this story and a slow burn romance! 💙
Please don't hesitate to share your thoughts as we go. I definitely would love to hear your thoughts! 😃