Days passed, and the once-silent fortress now felt alive with murmurs. My name, which once invited laughter, now carried weight. Soldiers who ignored me before nodded in respect. Even the captains spoke more softly when addressing me.
But fame is a double-edged blade—one that shines and draws shadows closer.
Within a week of the Frostheart mission, word had reached the Imperial Capital. Reports travelled faster than messengers could ride. "The exiled third prince has returned in glory," they said. "He wields a weapon of dual elements. The Flame of Frost."
I didn't need Arina to tell me what followed. Power always breeds envy.
In the far-reaching golden halls of the empire, schemes bloomed like poison flowers. The Second Prince, Zhao Tian, listened to the whispers in his private chamber with a cold smile. His advisors knelt before him, reciting every rumour.
"So," he said, fingers tapping the arm of his jade throne, "my dear brother rises from the snow he was buried in. Perhaps fate grows bored."
The Second Prince's eyes, sharp and golden, narrowed. "Send spies to the frontier. I want to know everything—his training, his allies, even the air he breathes."
Back at the fortress, I felt the first wave of attention pressing from afar. Letters arrived sealed with imperial marks—some praising, some inquiring too curiously. Arina confirmed my suspicion.
"Host," she said, her voice low and calm, "threads of fate around you are tightening. The empire watches closely. For now, focus strength within, not without."
And that's what I did.
Every night, Lian Xueyin and I trained in the northern courtyard beneath the pale moon. She insisted on keeping the sessions secret. "Pride draws eyes," she said. "And eyes draw blades."
Her guidance came quietly, with few words. She corrected my stance when I faltered and adjusted my grip when my sword cut too heavily. "Feel the cold, not as an enemy," she would say, "but as a mirror. The colder the world feels, the clearer you must be."
My aura of frost grew stronger each night, but balance was fragile. Too much fire, and the blade melted from qi overflow. Too much cold, and the flame inside me suffocated.
That was when Arina's training began.
"Mukul," her voice echoed within, calm and commanding, "your control over Equinox Power remains unstable. It is time to test harmony through dual technique—The Dance of Dawn and Dusk."
"The Dance of what?" I muttered during one session, sweating as the Snowfire Blade hummed faintly.
She explained patiently, "It is a basic sequence from the Equinox Art. The left hand guides frost, and the right directs flame. In perfect rhythm, they create balance energy—an aura that can protect, heal, or destroy depending on intention."
She paused. "Begin."
I inhaled. The air was filled with frost. Then I exhaled, igniting a flame. The two collided midair, exploding into a cloud of steam.
Every attempt ended the same at first—failure. I either burned through the frost too quickly or let the cold smother my light. Lian Xueyin watched from the edge of the courtyard, her arms folded, quiet but unwavering.
"Your balance comes from pride, not peace," she said one night after another failed attempt. "You fight to prove something, not to understand it."
Her words stung, but they were true. I still carried the anger of being cast aside and the desire to show them all.
"That anger pushes you," she continued softly. "But if you hold it too tightly, it becomes a chain instead of a weapon."
Arina agreed. "The goddess's path requires surrender of chaos. You must trust both sides of yourself—the warmth that protects and the cold that preserves."
So, I tried again.
The cold air shimmered as I lifted the Snowfire Blade. This time, I let go of all thought—no desire, no rage, just breath. My left hand moved with the rhythm of silence, the right with that of the flame's heartbeat.
For the first time, the two forces didn't clash. They curved and spiralled together in a gentle dance, forming a glowing halo of white light around me.
Arina's voice held rare pride. "Success. The Dance of Dawn and Dusk is complete. You have manifested true Equinox Qi."
The aura faded slowly, dripping away like morning fog. I fell to one knee, breathing hard. Ice sparkled on the ground. Steam rose where snow melted.
Lian stepped forward, touching my shoulder lightly. "You've changed again. Your energy feels… calmer."
"Maybe because I finally stopped fighting myself," I said quietly, smiling weakly.
She looked at me in the moonlight—her expression softened, almost fond. "You're finally learning what strength really means."
Two nights later, a messenger arrived at the fortress gates. His horse bled from exhaustion, steam rising from its coat. The captain brought him directly to the command hall, where I was summoned soon after.
As I entered, Captain Feng handed me a sealed scroll. His eyes were grave. "From the capital," he said simply.
I opened it slowly. The divine wax bore my family's mark—the symbol I once thought I'd never see again. Inside were formal words disguising political intent.
The Third Prince, Mukul Zhao, is hereby invited to return to the Imperial Capital for an audience with His Majesty and the Council of Elders. Recognition of merit to be discussed.
I folded the parchment, feeling the room's air tighten.
Captain Feng frowned. "Recognition or trap, who can say? Be careful. The court doesn't summon exiles unless they expect something in return."
Arina's whisper followed, soft but sharp. "The Second Prince moves his plans. This summon is bait—but also an opportunity. Destiny approaches."
Lian Xueyin stepped beside me, her expression unreadable. "You already know you're walking into danger, don't you?"
I smiled faintly. "Since the moment I was born."
The wind blew across the fortress courtyard outside, carrying snowflakes and whispers alike. The empire stirred, the balance wavered, and the next chapter of my path waited in the heart of men who'd thrown me away once.
But this time, I wasn't powerless.
Within me, the Equinox burned steady flame and frost, two hearts beating as one.
And as the moonlight touched the blade at my side, Arina's voice came soft but sure.
"Rise, host. The game of destiny has begun."