INTRODUCTION

The forest was alive that night.

Bamboo leaves shimmered under the pale moonlight, swaying softly as if they too were part of a quiet song. Fireflies floated in the air like fragments of fallen stars, their golden glow reflecting on the still surface of a pond that mirrored the heavens above.

At the edge of that pond, a little girl danced barefoot. Mei Xinyi, no more than eight years old. Her laughter rang like silver bells, pure and light, as petals and leaves swirled gently around her. The air itself seemed to breathe with her, the bamboo bending closer, the flowers blooming brighter wherever her feet touched.

“Careful, Xinyi,” her mother called, smiling from the doorway of their cottage. Her voice carried warmth, yet her eyes held the quiet wisdom of someone who had seen too much. “You’re waking the spirits again.”

“They like it,” Mei said, grinning as a small light, a firefly brighter than the rest landed on her palm. “See? They’re not afraid.”

Her mother laughed softly, brushing a lock of dark hair behind her ear. “Perhaps they know you’re one of them.”

For a moment, it was perfect, a scene of peace woven with moonlight and love. The world seemed still, almost sacred. Mei twirled once more, the water rippling beneath her, glowing faintly as if answering her movement. Magic hung in the air, gentle and alive, not from a spell, but from the bond between mother, daughter, and the ancient forest that sheltered them.

Then, the night shattered.

A sudden crash broke through the silence. The sound of glass and fire colliding. The sky blazed orange for an instant as a bottle of burning oil smashed against their cottage wall. Flames erupted, devouring wood and herbs in a single breath. Mei froze, her tiny hands trembling as the air filled with smoke and the scent of destruction.

“Mother!” she cried.

Her mother’s eyes widened, not with fear, but with sorrowful resolve. She knelt before Mei, gripping her shoulders firmly. “Listen to me, Xinyi,” she whispered, her voice trembling only slightly. “You must live.”

From the shadows of the burning forest, a soft growl echoed, a white fox with golden eyes emerged, its fur gleaming in the flickering light. The creature bowed its head before Mei’s mother, as if understanding the words she had not yet spoken.

“By the ancient oath,” the woman murmured, raising her hand as a faint silver light enveloped them. “Guard her. Raise her as your own until the day her power awakens. Protect her… even if it costs your life.”

The fox barked once, a sound sharp and sorrowful. Magic flared, swirling around Mei like a gentle wind before pulling her away. The last thing she saw was her mother standing before the flames, arms outstretched, her power rising like a storm to shield her child one final time.

Then, darkness.

When Mei awoke, the forest was quiet again. The fire was gone. Only ashes remained and beside her, the white fox curled close, eyes gleaming softly in the dawn light.

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