Jaden sat outside, staring at the dark sky, lost in thought. The weight of Master Shang's past lingered in his mind. He could still hear the sorrow in his mentor's voice, the pain buried beneath years of discipline and solitude. Jaden had never seen Master Shang like this before—so vulnerable, so human. He had always seen him as a strong, wise man, a father figure who had given him a second chance at life. But now, he realized that even the strongest carry wounds that never fully heal.
Betrayal. Loss. Heartbreak.
Jaden clenched his fists. Master Shang had endured so much, and yet, he had chosen to walk away from vengeance. But could Jaden do the same? No. Not yet. Not until he had made Lord Zu suffer the way he had suffered.
The cold wind brushed against his skin as he exhaled sharply. He wasn't ready to let go of the pain his father had caused him. Not yet. He could still feel the deep scar his father had left on him—both on his body and in his soul. The memories of that fateful day still haunted him, the way his father had looked at him with disgust before throwing him off the cliff. How could he forgive that? How could he ever forget?
But tonight, it wasn't just Lord Zu that occupied his thoughts. His mind drifted to his mother, the one person who had shown him love. She had always been gentle, always kind. Her smile could brighten even the darkest of days. He could still hear her soft voice, humming lullabies to him and Luna before they fell asleep. She was his warmth, his light in the shadows.
His heart ached. If only she were still here.
Jaden leaned back against the wooden chair, his fingers tracing the old scars on his arm. He had spent years training, becoming stronger, pushing himself beyond his limits. He had sworn that he would never be weak again. He had worked hard to prove his father wrong, to show him that the son he had discarded was not only alive but thriving.
But what would his mother say if she saw him now? Would she be proud of the man he had become? Or would she be disappointed that he was holding onto vengeance so tightly?
A sigh escaped his lips as he ran a hand through his hair. He didn't have the answers. Not yet. But one thing was certain—Lord Zu would know pain. He would understand what it felt like to be powerless, to be abandoned. And when that moment came, Jaden would decide whether he could ever let go of the past.
He glanced towards the small house where Master Shang slept peacefully. Despite his tragic past, the old man had found a way to live without hatred consuming him. Maybe one day, Jaden would, too.
But not today.