BOUND BY FIRE

Chapter One: The Night Heaven Turned Away The night Lin Yue was born, the heavens turned their backs on her. No stars shone above the village of Qinghe. The moon was hidden behind thick, swirling clouds, and an unnatural red glow stained the sky. The villagers would later say that the heavens had known what was coming. They said a child had been born under a cursed star. A child who should never have entered the world. But Lin Yue knew none of this. She was only a baby. And she was screaming. Inside a small wooden house at the edge of the village, a young woman lay trembling on a thin bed of straw. Her face was pale with exhaustion, her dark hair soaked with sweat. "Please..." she whispered. Her fingers tightened around the blanket. Another wave of pain tore through her. The old midwife beside her immediately grabbed her hand. "Hold on, girl. Just a little longer." The woman shook her head. "I can't..." "You can." The midwife glanced toward the window. Her expression suddenly changed. Outside, the wind had stopped. Completely. The trees that usually swayed throughout the night stood frozen, their branches stretched toward the heavens like crooked fingers. Then came a sound. A distant roar. The midwife froze. "What was that?" The woman on the bed stared at her. "What?" Before the midwife could answer, the entire house trembled. The oil lamp flickered. Once. Twice. Then— BOOM! Thunder exploded across the sky. The woman cried out. And finally, the child was born. For a moment, there was silence. Then the baby's cry filled the room. The midwife stared down at the tiny child in her arms. Her breath caught. There was something strange about the baby. A faint golden mark rested between her eyebrows. It looked almost like a tiny flame. The midwife's hands began to shake. "Impossible..." The mother struggled to lift her head. "What is it?" The old woman quickly wrapped the baby in cloth. "Nothing." But her voice trembled. The mother noticed. "Let me see her." The midwife hesitated. Then she carried the child closer. The young mother looked down. For the first time that night, she smiled. "My little Yue..." The baby's cries stopped. Her tiny eyes opened. They were dark. Beautiful. And strangely calm. The mother reached out and touched her daughter's cheek. "Lin Yue." She smiled weakly. "That will be your name." Outside, lightning split the sky. For one brief moment, the entire village was illuminated by golden light. And far above the mortal realm, something ancient opened its eyes. --- Sixteen years later. Lin Yue stood at the edge of a cliff. Wind whipped through her long black hair as she stared down at the valley below. "Lin Yue!" She turned. A young man was running toward her. His robes were untidy, his hair half undone, and he looked as though he had spent the entire morning searching for her. Lin Yue sighed. "You're late." The young man stopped in front of her. "Late?" "Yes." "I've been looking everywhere for you!" "That's not my problem." He stared at her. Then he pointed toward the dangerous cliff behind her. "You know, normal people don't stand this close to the edge." Lin Yue glanced down. The ground was several hundred feet below. "Then it's a good thing I'm not normal." The young man rolled his eyes. "You're impossible." Lin Yue smiled. His name was Chen Wei. He had been her closest friend since childhood and, according to him, the only person in the entire village who was patient enough to tolerate her. Lin Yue wasn't sure whether that was a compliment. "Your mother is looking for you," Chen Wei said. Lin Yue's smile disappeared. "Why?" "How would I know?" "Did she say anything?" "Only that if you don't come home immediately, she'll personally drag you back." Lin Yue sighed. "That sounds like her." She turned away from the cliff. But before she could take a step, she felt something. A strange pressure. Lin Yue stopped. Chen Wei noticed. "What is it?" She didn't answer. Her eyes moved toward the forest. Something was watching her. She could feel it. A cold shiver traveled down her spine. "Lin Yue?" She turned. "Let's go." Chen Wei frowned. "Why?" "Just go." This time, he didn't argue. They hurried down the mountain path. Neither of them noticed the shadow standing between the trees. It had been watching Lin Yue. Waiting. --- By sunset, the village of Qinghe was preparing for the Moon Festival. Lanterns hung from every roof. Children ran through the streets. The smell of roasted meat and sweet rice cakes filled the air. For everyone else, it was a night of celebration. For Lin Yue, it was the night everything changed. She sat beside her mother outside their house. Her mother was older now, but she was still beautiful. Lin Yue had always thought her mother looked strangely sad whenever she looked at her. As though she was remembering something Lin Yue couldn't understand. "Mother?" "Hm?" "Why do you always look at me like that?" Her mother froze. "Like what?" "Like you're afraid of me." The woman's fingers tightened around the cup in her hands. "I'm not afraid of you." "Then what is it?" "Nothing." Lin Yue frowned. Her mother had said that word too many times throughout her life. Nothing. Whenever Lin Yue asked about her father. Nothing. Whenever she asked why she had no relatives. Nothing. Whenever she asked about the strange birthmark between her eyebrows. Nothing. There were too many secrets in her mother's silence. "Mother," Lin Yue said quietly, "who is my father?" The cup slipped from her mother's hand. It shattered against the ground. Lin Yue stared. Her mother quickly stood. "Don't ask me that again." "Why?" "Because I said so!" Lin Yue had never heard her mother raise her voice like that. She stood too. "You're hiding something from me." "I'm protecting you." "From what?" Her mother went pale. For a moment, Lin Yue thought she might finally answer. Instead, her mother whispered: "Tonight, you must stay inside." Lin Yue blinked. "What?" "No matter what you hear, no matter what happens, do not leave this house." "Mother—" "Promise me." Lin Yue stared at her. There was genuine fear in her mother's eyes. Not worry. Fear. Lin Yue slowly nodded. "I promise." Her mother pulled her into a tight embrace. Lin Yue stiffened. Her mother rarely hugged her. "Mother?" "If anything happens..." Her voice broke. "Remember that I love you." Lin Yue's heart tightened. "Why are you saying this?" Her mother didn't answer. Outside, the village bells began to ring. One. Two. Three. Then the lights went out. Every lantern in Qinghe died at once. The villagers fell silent. Lin Yue looked toward the window. Darkness covered the village. Then— A scream. Lin Yue's mother immediately grabbed her arm. "Don't move." Another scream followed. Then another. People began shouting outside. "Run!" "Get inside!" "Something is coming!" Lin Yue's heart began to pound. "What is happening?" Her mother pulled her toward the back room. "Stay here." "But—" "Lin Yue!" Her mother's voice cracked like a whip. Lin Yue stopped. Her mother looked at her. Then she did something Lin Yue had never seen her do. She knelt. She placed both hands on Lin Yue's shoulders. "Whatever you hear, don't open the door." "Mother, you're scaring me." "I know." Her mother stood. Then she walked away. "Where are you going?" No answer. "Mother?" Lin Yue followed. But the moment she reached the doorway— BOOM! The front door exploded inward. A wave of dark energy swept through the house. Lin Yue was thrown backward. She hit the wall. Pain shot through her head. "Mother!" She tried to stand. Then she saw it. A figure stood in the doorway. Tall. Dressed in black. Its face was hidden beneath a dark hood. Two red eyes stared through the darkness. Lin Yue couldn't breathe. The figure stepped forward. Her mother moved between them. "Don't touch her." The stranger laughed. "After sixteen years, you still think you can protect her?" Lin Yue's blood ran cold. "Who are you?" The figure ignored her. Its attention remained on her mother. "Give her to me." "No." "She doesn't belong to you." Lin Yue stared at her mother. "What is he talking about?" Her mother didn't answer. "Mother?" The stranger slowly raised one hand. Dark flames appeared around his fingers. Lin Yue's mother immediately drew a small dagger. "Stay away from my daughter!" The stranger laughed. "Your daughter?" His red eyes shifted toward Lin Yue. "No." His voice became colder. "She is the vessel." Lin Yue's heart stopped. "What vessel?" The mark between her eyebrows suddenly burned. Lin Yue screamed. She fell to her knees. Golden light burst from her body. The stranger stepped back. For the first time, surprise appeared in his eyes. "Impossible." Lin Yue's mother stared at her daughter in horror. "No..." The golden light grew brighter. And beneath it, something else awakened. Something dark. Something ancient. Something that had been sleeping inside Lin Yue since the night she was born. Her mother rushed toward her. "Lin Yue!" But before she could reach her— The stranger struck. Darkness swallowed the house. Lin Yue heard her mother's scream. Then silence. "Mother?" Nothing. Lin Yue crawled forward. "Mother!" She reached out. Her fingers touched something warm. Her mother's hand. Lin Yue froze. "Mother?" No answer. The world around her blurred. Tears filled her eyes. "Wake up." Still nothing. "Please..." The stranger stood behind her. Lin Yue slowly turned. The figure looked down at her. "You should have been taken sixteen years ago." Lin Yue's hands trembled. "What did you do to my mother?" The stranger smiled. "I did nothing." He stepped closer. "She chose this." Lin Yue shook her head. "You're lying." "Perhaps." The stranger lifted his hand. The golden mark on Lin Yue's forehead suddenly erupted with light. The stranger's expression changed. "No..." A massive burst of energy exploded from Lin Yue. The stranger was thrown through the wall. Lin Yue stared at her hands. Golden flames danced across her fingers. She didn't understand. She couldn't breathe. Her mother was gone. Her home was destroyed. And something inside her had awakened. Outside, the villagers screamed. Above Qinghe, the clouds parted. For the first time in sixteen years, the moon appeared. But it was no longer white. It had turned crimson. And high above the mortal realm, the heavens finally noticed her. A phoenix had awakened. But it was not yet time for her to fly. Because before Lin Yue could become the creature she was destined to be... She would first have to lose everything. And somewhere beyond the mortal world, an immortal opened his eyes. He had felt the phoenix. He had felt the demon. And he knew one thing with certainty. The girl named Lin Yue was no longer safe. Not from the demons. Not from the immortals. And certainly not from the destiny that had been waiting for her since birth.