The forest seemed quieter now—like it was holding its breath.
Back at the shrine, the Shaman prepared a small training circle. Enchanted leaves floated midair, marked with fox runes glowing faint gold.
Hana stood at the edge, fidgeting. "So… I'm supposed to fight with this?" she held up her hand, summoning the flickering foxfire, which sputtered like a stubborn lighter.
Taemin leaned against a stone pillar nearby, arms crossed. "Control first. Power second. Or you'll end up setting yourself on fire."
Hana scowled. "Says the walking inferno with nine tails."
"Eight," he corrected with a smirk. "I lost one when you sealed me in that pendant, remember?"
She rolled her eyes. "Still your fault for turning into a rage fox."
The Shaman cleared her throat gently. "Your flame is soulbound. It responds to emotion, not brute force. Focus on what anchors you."
Hana took a deep breath, trying to concentrate. But the more she tried to focus, the more her thoughts raced—Crimson Fang, reincarnation, past lives, promises she couldn't remember… and Taemin watching her like a hawk.
The fire fizzled out again.
Taemin walked toward her, slower this time. "Close your eyes," he said. "Don't try to control the flame. Let it recognize you."
She did. And for the first time, she stopped forcing it.
A memory surfaced—fleeting but vivid:
A field of red flowers. A soft voice whispering, "You burn brightest when you don't even try." A hand—his hand—cupping her cheek.
Her chest ached.
Suddenly, the fire flared to life—vivid gold tinged with violet, crackling at her fingertips.
The runes lit up. The leaves disintegrated midair.
When she opened her eyes, Taemin was still standing close, visibly impressed. "There's the Flamebearer I remember."
"I didn't remember, Taemin. I felt."
"Same thing," he said, stepping back. "The heart remembers before the mind catches up."
The Shaman nodded. "Your power is waking, Hana. But so are your enemies. And not all of them live in shadows."
Taemin stiffened. "What do you mean?"
The Shaman's expression darkened.
"There are others—foxes—who believe the Flamebearer should never have returned. Not after what happened a century ago."
Hana's breath caught. "So I'm being hunted… by spirits and foxes?"
Taemin's gaze sharpened. "Let them come. They'll learn the fire is no longer bound."
But the Shaman's final words hung heavy in the air:
"Some lies live longer than truth. And among foxes… betrayal is an art."
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