The scroll lay smoldering in Kai's hand.
But it wasn't from the fire—
It was from memory ignition.
His orb pulsed violently, pushing ancient memories into his soul that weren't his—but felt like they'd always been there.
He gasped, stumbling to his knees as visions exploded behind his eyes.
---
A vision… from lifetimes ago.
He saw himself—
Not as Kai,
But as another.
A robed cultivator, surrounded by screaming skies, flames rising not from battle—but from betrayal.
Gods chained in gold and blood.
Realms collapsing into rootless void.
And in his hand—
> The First Orb.
A seed born not from the soil—but from Heaven's own dying breath.
---
"You tried to rebuild what you broke," a voice echoed in his mind.
"But you couldn't choose between vengeance and rebirth."
The memory-self raised the orb—then hesitated.
That single hesitation… let it all fall.
---
Back to now.
Kai shot up, drenched in sweat, heart racing.
Ayaka steadied him. "What did you see?!"
He looked at her, voice shaking.
"I was one of them. One of the Nine. But I... I failed them all."
Ren's eyes narrowed. "What does that mean for us?"
Kai clenched his fists.
"It means this isn't just a war for soil or flame. This is the second chance—for everything."
The orb hovered beside him, glowing brighter than ever before.
From its center, a new rune had appeared:
> 🔥🌿 "Begin again.