The Underdogs Throne

Chapter 8: The Tian Heart's Call

Leo woke up smelling herbs and burning incense. His body hurt all over, but the hot burning feeling in his chest was calmer now. The Battle Core wasn't fighting him as much.

The room was dark except for candles sitting in small bowls of water. Pictures of dragons and flowers were carved into the wooden walls. It was quiet except for water dripping somewhere and someone humming softly.

He turned his head and saw him.

Shen.

The old man sat by the door with his legs crossed. His eyes were closed like he was thinking deeply. A cup of hot tea sat next to him.

"You're awake," Shen said without opening his eyes.

Leo groaned as he sat up. "Barely."

"You used up too much Core power. Again."

"I didn't have a choice," Leo said. "There was a Viper Clan killer, and my pendant got really hot."

Shen opened his eyes. "What did you see?"

Leo waited before answering. "A big field with lots of stars in the sky. And the Tian Heart. It was a glowing ball of light."

Shen nodded slowly. "Then the Heart is calling to you."

Leo looked confused. "You knew this would happen."

"I hoped it would. But I didn't know it would be so soon." Shen stood up and poured tea into a small cup. "Your Core is growing faster than I thought. Maybe too fast."

Leo took the tea and drank some. "What is the Tian Heart really? Kira says it's power. The Viper Clan wants it. The Fang Clan hunts me for it. But why?"

Shen's face got serious.

"The Tian Heart isn't just power. It's where the Battle Core comes from. It makes everything stronger - your body, your speed, your senses. But there's a price."

"What kind of price?" Leo asked, sitting up straight.

"If your heart is not strong, if your will is weak, the Heart doesn't just make your power stronger. It makes your darkness stronger too. Your anger. Your fear. It can turn you into a weapon. Or a monster."

Leo was quiet for a long time.

"I've felt it," he finally said. "Like it's alive. Like it's watching me."

Shen nodded. "The Heart wakes up to bring balance. But you must be ready. That's why we train."

For the next few hours, Leo trained with Shen in a room under the safehouse. It was small, but it had old weapons, practice dummies, and painted scrolls that told stories about the Tian Clan.

Kira stood by the door with her arms crossed, watching quietly.

Shen taught Leo how to breathe and focus the Core's energy without letting it take control. It was hard - like holding fire in his hand without getting burned.

Then they tried something new.

"Push your energy out," Shen said. "Focus it away from your body."

Leo made fists and reached inside himself. The Core moved. Light appeared around his arms - first dim, then brighter.

He pushed his hand forward.

A wave of force hit the practice dummy and broke it in half.

Leo's eyes went wide. "Whoa."

Shen smiled a little. "Good. You're starting to listen to it."

Kira grinned. "Not bad for a Tian."

Leo looked at her. "Still spying on me?"

She shrugged. "Still saving your life."

They didn't get to keep arguing.

Because the next moment, alarms started going off.

Shen's face got dark. "They found us."

The ceiling above them shook. Dust fell down. They could hear people yelling from the stairs.

Leo and Kira followed Shen as he moved fast through the hallways to the upper floor.

Outside the hidden door, two clans had joined together.

Fang and Viper.

Their fighters poured through the alley like ants - people in dark clothes with curved knives and poisoned weapons, all moving to kill.

"They're working together now?" Leo asked, scared.

Kira looked angry. "Or they both really want you dead."

The fight started fast and hard.

Shen swung his staff with skill, knocking down two Viper fighters. Leo moved with him, his energy shooting out in bursts that sent enemies flying.

Kira moved like lightning - spinning, cutting, striking. She moved too well to be anything less than the best.

But when a Fang soldier jumped toward her, something changed.

She stopped.

Just for a second.

Leo saw it.

The man's knife cut her shoulder before she fought back with a hard knee to his stomach.

He fell down, but Leo's trust in her fell too.

Why had she stopped?

After the last enemy ran away into the smoke, Leo turned to her. "What was that?"

"What?"

"That Fang guy. You didn't attack. Not until he hurt you."

She looked away. "It was nothing."

Shen stepped between them. "We don't have time for this."

"But—"

"Leo, listen." Shen's voice got quiet. "The Tian Heart is hidden under Iron-vale, in the Temple of Still Waters. Deep underground. But only a real heir can open its door."

Leo's heart beat fast. "So what do we do?"

"We go now. Before the clans come back."

A sharp whistle cut through the air.

Leo turned and saw a blade spinning toward them.

It cut Kira's side.

She cried out and fell to her knees, holding her ribs.

"KIRA!"

Leo ran to her as Shen knocked down the attacker with a blast of wind.

Blood came from Kira's wound. Her skin turned pale fast.

"Poison," Shen said grimly. "The Viper Clan puts poison on all their weapons."

"No," Leo said, panic rising. "We can't lose her. Not now."

"You must carry her," Shen said. "The temple is close. It might have what she needs."

Leo pulled Kira up onto his back. She was barely awake, whispering something he couldn't hear.

The pendant around his neck glowed hot - brighter than ever.

It burned against his chest.

"Let's go," Leo said through clenched teeth.