The night sky had long embraced the land, veiling the world beneath in shades of moonlight and shadows. Stars blinked like distant watchful eyes, while the moon.. full and pale cast its silvery glow across the roofs and quiet courtyards of the Xu household.
Zolli who was once laying down on her blanket, her light red robe creasing from her constant movement, the long strands of her black and silver-streaked hair splayed across her pillow like threads of midnight and moonlight. Her emerald eyes, wide and gleaming, that not long ago stared at the ceiling as if searching for something invisible that only dreams could whisper of...
She had already rose... Standing up from her blanket..
Her bare feet touched the cool wooden floor with the faintest creak as she stepped quietly toward the door. The wooden frame gave a soft sound as she opened it, careful not to wake her younger brother across the hall. A gentle wind greeted her as she stepped into the corridor, brushing strands of her long hair across her cheek.
Then she heard it... faint at first, like a whisper carried on a river's flow.
A melody.
Soft. Serene. It rose and fell with a grace that made her heartbeat slow. Notes flowed like ripples over still water, wrapping the air in peace and melancholy.
Zolli paused.
She knew that sound.
A small smile curved the corners of her lips, even before her feet turned toward the source. Her steps were slow, quiet, like she didn't want to disturb the music or the one playing it.
Passing the inner hallway and the moon-framed corridor that led into the outer garden, she came to the balcony.. a wide terrace, polished from years of care. Lining the edge were elegant wooden railings carved with motifs of flowing clouds and rising cranes, a symbol of their lineage's cultivation ideals.
Her eyes fell on the figure standing beneath the vast sky.
Bathed in moonglow, her mother, Xu Bai Lin, looked almost unreal. The silver of her long hair shimmered in the light, cascading down her back like a silk waterfall. A glowing hairpin rested at the top of her head, its faint light resembling drifting magical dust caught in the wind. The purple robe she wore, embroidered with soft silver embroidery, moved gently as the wind passed through the garden.
And in her hands, she held the source of the sound.. a jade flute, raised to her lips with delicate grace.
Zolli stood there, watching. The music, the night, the woman beneath the moon... it all made her chest tighten with a strange warmth. In her eyes, her mother looked more like a moon goddess than a human, a celestial being come to earth only to play a lullaby for the stars.
The music didn't stop.
Bai Lin continued to play as she turned gently, her robe trailing behind her like mist, her every step slow and full of poise. She walked closer to the house, stepping along the stone path that cut through their flowering garden, moon-petaled lilies blooming along its edges, the breeze tugging their petals just slightly.
Then, from the corner of her eye, Bai Lin noticed her.
Zolli was now sitting quietly at the edge of the balcony, her legs folded beneath her, hands resting in her lap. Her eyes were fixed on her mother, a soft smile lingering on her lips, but beneath that smile was something else.. an admiration only a daughter could have for the woman who gave her life.
Bai Lin didn't pause. She kept playing, closing the remaining distance between them.
She came to sit beside her daughter, settling with the grace of one who had known discipline her whole life. The music gradually came to an end, notes thinning out like fading mist until silence remained.
The stillness after the melody hung in the air.
Bai Lin turned her head slightly and spoke, her voice as soft as the music had been.
"Couldn't sleep?"
Zolli nodded slowly. Her hands clutched the edges of her robe. Her lips parted, hesitated, then finally whispered.
"Mother… I had a dream. But… I don't understand it."
At that, Bai Lin tilted her head slightly, the corner of her lips lifting with faint amusement. A small, knowing chuckle escaped her throat as she set the flute gently across her lap.
"Well, dear," she said, voice tinged with warmth, "would you do me the honor of telling me what it was?"
Zolli nodded again, her fingers fidgeting slightly now. The breeze tousled her hair, brushing the silver strands across her shoulder as she lowered her gaze and began.
"I… opened my eyes. But I couldn't see anything. It was pitch dark. Everything. Just… darkness. At first, I thought maybe it was just night. But no… it felt deeper. Like I wasn't even in the world anymore."
She paused, drawing in a breath, trying to remember.
"But then… I saw something. A light. Small at first. White. Flickering. Like a star far away in the sky. But it grew. It began to shine bright enough that I could see again. And when I followed it… I found a tree."
Bai Lin listened quietly, her eyes on her daughter, not interrupting.
"It was… small. Plain. But it was white. Not just the bark.. everything. The leaves shimmered with dust, like the hairpin you wear. I got curious… so I reached out to touch it. And when I did…" Zolli's voice wavered.
"…more of them appeared. Countless trees. Just like it. Filling the whole space. I don't know how many there were. But then…" Her hands tightened slightly on her robe. "…everything vanished again. My sight just disappeared. All I could feel was cold. Emptiness."
She looked up at her mother now, her green eyes wide and troubled.
"I wasn't scared at first. I thought it was still part of the dream. But then…"
Her voice dropped low.
"…then I heard it. A voice. Old. Tired. But strong. It said: 'Child, the life before you will be like a journey of a blind man… walking through a path of thorns.'"
She paused. That last part clearly weighed heavily.
"When I heard that… I woke up."
Silence followed her words.
Bai Lin didn't speak for a moment.
She stared at her daughter, eyes unreadable, the flute still resting across her lap.
Then slowly, her lips pressed together into a tight line. Her fingers curled slightly at her side, and something subtle shifted in her expression. Not worry. Not panic. But thought.. deep and cautious.
Because those words…
That dream…
It wasn't just strange.
It was layered.
It was dangerous.
She breathed in slowly through her nose, then let out a quiet sigh.
And as Zolli continued to watch her, waiting for an answer, Bai Lin smiled.. soft and gentle again, her expression melting back into the calm mother her daughter always knew.
"Well," she said with a voice that smoothed over the tension like silk, "that is quite the dream."
She reached out, tucking a loose strand of hair behind Zolli's ear.
"But dreams are funny things, aren't they? Sometimes they're nothing but our minds playing tricks. Other times… they're just riddles waiting to be solved."
Zolli nodded slowly, her frown easing just a little, the warmth of her mother's presence soothing her.
There was moment of silence, before Zolli's voice was heard.
"Mom," she said softly, voice barely louder than a whisper, "you don't think the dream meant something bad… do you?"
Across from her, Bai Lin was there, the purple folds of her robe pooling gracefully around her knees. Her long silver hair shimmered in the lamplight, and the hairpin she wore pulsed gently with a faint, magical light, like stardust frozen in glass. Her eyes, deep green like ancient forest leaves, held a quiet strength.
Zolli watched the way her mother reached out and brushed her bangs aside again... with a slow, comforting motion. Fingers slender and warm combed through her hair, a gesture as familiar as it was calming. Bai Lin's voice was low, gentle.. each word carefully chosen, wrapped in reassurance.
"Zolli, dear," she said with a soft smile tugging at her lips, "I'm sure it only means you'll face challenges along your life journey. Dreams aren't always warnings. Sometimes… they're just reflections of what we carry inside."
Her hand lingered atop Zolli's head, pressing lightly in a way that made the young girl lean into the touch without realizing it.
"But I want you to remember something," Bai Lin continued, her voice now a whisper against the silence, "any challenge you face… will be mine to face too. You won't ever be alone in this life. Not while I still breathe."
Zolli's eyes shimmered. A tear didn't fall, but the emotion pooled there, unshed and heavy.
"This family," Bai Lin said as she gently drew her daughter's head to her shoulder, "we always watch each other's backs. No matter what. Always."
Zolli closed her eyes, letting herself breathe deeply into her mother's scent.. warm like lavender, comforting like soft earth after the rain. And when she finally returned to rest, her heart no longer trembled, and sleep came swiftly, curling around her like a gentle hand.
But she didn't know what next fate has installed for her..
***
"Xu Zolli Bing... Xu Zolli Bing, wake up, we have to go, dear…"
A voice.. urgent, sharp yet trembling, sliced through the dark.
Zolli jolted awake. Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes opened wide, vision adjusting rapidly to the low light of the room. She pushed herself up, palms sinking into the blanket as she turned toward the doorway.
"Mom?" her voice cracked slightly as she spotted Bai Lin standing there, robe hastily wrapped and hair loose over her shoulder. Her expression was drawn tight, shadows under her eyes deep.
"What's wrong?" Zolli asked, her chest tightening.
Bai Lin didn't answer. She only stepped forward quickly, reaching out and grabbing her daughter's wrist.
"Come. Quickly."
Zolli stumbled off her blanket, her bare feet hitting the cool wooden floor. "Mom… Mom, what's going on?"
Bai Lin didn't stop to explain. Her grip was firm, almost too firm, as she pulled Zolli along the hallway, her movements quick, robes brushing against the walls with every stride. Lanterns that usually glowed peacefully were dim or absent. The world felt off.. like a mirror shifted slightly to the side.
"I'll tell you once we're out. First, we get your brother."
They reached Yai Lu's room. Bai Lin pushed the door open and stepped inside. The young boy lay curled under a thin blanket, mouth slightly open in sleep, soft breaths coming and going. His small frame barely moved as Bai Lin bent down, scooping him up gently with one arm.
"Yai Lu…" Zolli whispered, watching him stir slightly but not wake.
With her free hand, Bai Lin grabbed Zolli's wrist again and led them both toward the front door.
The wooden door creaked open, letting in the chill night air. Outside, the town was no longer at peace.
Bai Lin began to run.
Zolli's legs stumbled at first, not quite matching the pace, but she found her stride quickly, holding tight to her mother's hand as her other arm pumped to keep up. The gravel beneath their feet crunched with each hurried step, and the wind tugged at their clothes and hair. Her long strands danced wildly behind her like loose ribbons.
As they turned onto the main path, Zolli's eyes widened.
Other families were out.. torches bobbing in their hands, feet slapping against stone and sand as they hurried through the night toward the village square. The usual quietness was shattered, replaced by quickened breathing, hurried shouts, and confused whispers.
What is happening? Zolli thought, her mind spinning, the tightness in her chest coiling like a snake. Why are we running?
Suddenly, a man dashed past them.. his robe trailing behind like a shadow. His breath was ragged, face twisted in panic.
Bam!
He tripped.
His scream pierced the air.
Zolli's head whipped toward the sound just in time to see him fall, rolling along the road, clutching at his side as he writhed. His voice cracked as he cried out again, a raw, animal sound of pain.
Zolli gasped, her breath hitching. But Bai Lin didn't stop.
"Don't look, dear. Just keep running," her voice came firm and unshaken, yet never once did she turn her head.
Zolli obeyed, eyes forward again, the image still etched in her mind like a brand.
Her voice shook as she whispered, "Where's Dad? Where's Father, Mom?"
But Bai Lin didn't answer.
Zolli saw her mother's jaw tighten, her lips pressing together, a glint of something.. pain? memory? flickering through her eyes before she turned her gaze ahead once more. She held Yai Lu closer, his head resting on her shoulder as he slumbered on, unaware.
They ran.
More screams echoed behind them now. Not just one. Many.
They sliced through the night air like knives.. frantic, terrified. And still, the moon above glowed.
Zolli's gaze drifted upward, drawn by something primal.
And in that moment she instantly regretted why she looked up...
Duuuud! Duuuud! Duuuuum.....
The sky had shifted.
Where once there had been a calm navy dome speckled with stars, now clouds swirled like dark ink spreading in water. The moon… it was no longer silver.
It was becoming crimson.
A deep, blood-stained red, like fresh wounds smeared across the heavens. The edges pulsed with a faint glow, almost like veins.
A crimson purgatory.
Crack!... BOOM!
The sound split the air like thunder, shaking the earth beneath their feet.
Zolli's steps faltered as her breath caught.
The night… had only just begun.