The morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of damp earth and burning coal. Ryuxian stirred awake, his body still adjusting to the routine of human life. He had spent weaks as a serpent, hunting in the dark, his instincts sharp and primal. But last night, for the first time, he ate human food.
And it felt… good.
No more raw rats. No more swallowing prey whole. Just warm, cooked food that settled nicely in his stomach.
He yawned, stepping outside the hut.
---
The Light of Dawn
The sun was just rising, its golden light spilling across the treetops. Ryuxian's gaze drifted upward, drawn to the sky in a way he couldn't explain. A deep connection stirred within him, as if the vast cosmos itself whispered in his blood.
Was this because of his Fate Weaver abilities?
He didn't know. But he felt… aligned.
Then—something caught his eye.
A thread.
A thin, light red thread, trailing faintly behind Grandpa, almost transparent.
It had no life flow.
Ryuxian's heart skipped a beat.
What… is this?
He blinked, his Fate Weaver sight sharpening. The thread was barely connected, weak, frayed, and close to vanishing.
Does this mean… Grandpa is dying?
He quickly calmed his expression, pretending he hadn't seen anything. His mind was racing, but he needed to act normal. He turned casually to Zain, who was gathering wood nearby.
"Hey, Zain," he asked, stretching lazily. "How's Grandpa's health?"
Zain stopped stacking the firewood and looked at him strangely.
"…You can feel it too, huh?"
Ryuxian stiffened. Did Zain know about his power?
"That's why I'm thinking of capturing the snake," Zain continued.
Ryuxian froze.
…What?
"Since it looks divine, I can't go against fate," Zain explained, wiping sweat from his brow. "I thought its venom might be useful—since that's what the nearby doctor prescribed."
Ryuxian felt a wave of emotions hit him at once.
Zain wanted to capture him—not knowing he was the very snake he sought.
For a brief moment, he considered revealing himself. Telling them that the celestial serpent they revered was him all along.
But something held him back.
The red thread.
It was fading. And if it really meant Grandpa was dying, then maybe he should let Zain capture the "snake."
Maybe his own venom could save him.
---
Keeping Up the Act
Ryuxian forced a grin, pushing away his thoughts.
"Hah! Well, good luck catching a divine snake," he joked. "I doubt it'll let you just waltz in and take its venom."
Zain chuckled. "True. But I have to try."
Ryuxian tilted his head, rubbing his chin in mock thought.
"Hey, but instead of hunting snakes, teach me how to be strong like you!" He flexed his slender arms dramatically. "I'm too skinny! Look at me!"
Zain burst into laughter.
"Hah! You? Strong? With those noodle arms?"
"Hey! That's rude!"
"Nah, but seriously—if you're serious about strength, I can show you a thing or two."
Ryuxian smirked. "I'll hold you to that."
Inside, though, his mind was elsewhere.
The red thread.
The celestial serpent.
His fate as a weaver.
Everything was starting to intertwine.
---
Should Ryuxian go along with Zain's plan to "capture" the celestial serpent? Or should he find another way to save Grandpa?
The night was peaceful, the crackling bonfire casting long shadows on the ground. The scent of rice congee mixed with the faint smell of damp earth as Zain stirred the pot, occasionally glancing at his grandfather, who was resting nearby.
Ryuxian sat beside him, stretching his arms after a long day.
"Ugh… I think insects like our Grandpa more than we do," Zain joked, swatting a mosquito away. Handed him a wooden bowl of congress and the piece of barbecue dry meat.
Ryuxian chuckled, watching as Grandpa gave them a silent smile, listening to their conversation but saying little.
Zein gave him a small dagger that was made my odsidian stone in middle. It was exquisitely beauty you can say. Ryuxian was quite shocked to refuse and gave him a set of clothes that can be wearing daily unlike his exquisite outfit ryuxian wear. Zein asked him wear this since the one you wear expensive keep it for special occasion. Ryuxian silenty hushed everyday is special as long as I'm alive. Zein handed him a two set of wooden bowl it's new set that you can tell by the look. Grandpa gave them a grim and they seated down
The two ate together, sharing easy laughter over the meal.
---
After dinner, they lay on the cool grass, watching the stars.
"You know," Zain said, arms behind his head, "there's an old legend about the Celestial Serpent."
Ryuxian's interest piqued immediately.
"Oh? Tell me." he asked like a child with curious that made zain happy in him..
Zain smirked. "Getting all excited, huh?"
"Of course! It sounds cool!"
Zain hummed, then started, "They say the Celestial Serpent descended from the stars, chosen by fate to weave destinies."
Ryuxian's fingers twitched.
I already know that…
"It appears in times of great change," Zain continued, "blessing some, cursing others. It's a divine being, but also a test for mankind."
Ryuxian listened intently, absorbing every word. He had always assumed his transformation was random, but maybe… there was more to it.
Silence stretched between them, the stars glimmering above.
Then Ryuxian sighed. "You know… When I first saw you, I thought you were a bad guy."
Zain turned his head, eyes widening. "Oh?"
"Yeah. You looked kinda scary."
"Hah! And now?"
"Still scary," Ryuxian teased, grinning.
Zain laughed, the deep sound echoing under the night sky.
Then, he hesitated. A small, almost melancholic smile crossed his face.
"…If I had a son, he'd be your age."
Ryuxian blinked, shocked.
"Wait, what?"
Zain sighed. "Ah… forget it. You're still just a kid."
Ryuxian frowned but said nothing. He hadn't thought about Zain's past before. But now, he wondered—what had he lost?
Then he told! You can think of me like that!
I never had one.
Sometimes I feel what I'm doing then I will be like who cares
I will not let anything bother and that's completely fine what need to feel, I feel that's what matters
"They call me aimless, but I have never wandered. I do not chase, I simply move. And in that, I am free."
Zein gave a small nod silently watching the sky.
Still, the night was too peaceful to dwell on sadness. The two eventually drifted off to sleep, the warmth of the dying fire keeping the cold at bay.
"To know one's fate is a burden. To walk toward it willingly is freedom."
Morning arrived with the soft whispers of the wind.
Zain stirred awake, rubbing his eyes.
Then—he froze.
Ryuxian was gone.
Panic surged through him as he sat up quickly, scanning the field.
Then, his eyes fell on something near his head.
A wooden bowl.
Inside—a pool of fresh snake venom, glistening in the morning light.
Beside it—a small bag of obsidian stones.
Zain's breath caught in his throat.
He clenched his fists, his mind racing.
Did Ryuxian do this?
…Did he find the celestial serpent?
He looked around once more, as if hoping to see the boy's grinning face appear from the trees.
But Ryuxian was gone.
And in his place—a gift of fate.
"Not all goodbyes are meant to be spoken. Some are left in the spaces between words, in the gifts left behind."
To move without chasing, to act without clinging—that is the way of those who weave fate, not follow it."
"True sacrifice is not in what is lost, but in what is willingly given."