The road to Blood Moon Lake wound through denser forest than they'd ever seen—trees with bark twisted into snakelike coils, leaves that rustled even when the wind died, and underbrush that oozed a sticky, crimson sap. Lin Chen's bronze key hovered inches above his palm, its glow dimmer now but more focused, as if straining to pierce the growing unease in the air.Su Xiao walked beside him, her fingers brushing the herb pouch the old village woman had given her. "The sap," she said, stopping to prod a tree trunk with a stick. "It's not normal. Grandmother's notes said 'blood moon taint'—when the moon's power seeps into the earth, it warps living things. We're getting close."Lin Chen nodded, his gaze drifting to the tattoo on his arm—the map of Blood Moon Lake, now faintly glowing red. The closer they got, the brighter the tattoo became, as if the lake itself was calling to them.By midday, the forest grew silent. No birds chirped, no insects buzzed. Even the wind ceased, leaving a heavy stillness that pressed against their chests. Then, they heard it—a low, guttural growl, coming from the underbrush ahead.Su Xiao froze, her hand flying to her herb pouch. "Stay back," she whispered. "Whatever it is, it's been corrupted by the taint."A creature stepped into the clearing. It looked like a wolf, but twice the size, with fur matted with mud and eyes that glowed neon green. Its jaws dripped with saliva, and its paws left smoldering prints on the dirt—traces of dark magic."Tainted beast," Su Xiao hissed. "Zhou Feng's followers must have summoned it. To guard the path."The wolf lunged. Lin Chen raised his arm; the bronze key flashed, sending a beam of golden light toward the creature. The wolf yelped, skidding to a halt, its fur singed. Su Xiao seized the moment, throwing a handful of glowing herbs at its face. The herbs burst into smoke, and the wolf howled, vanishing into the underbrush.Lin Chen let out a breath, lowering his arm. "The key's never done that before," he said, staring at the glowing metal.Su Xiao's eyes widened. "Guardian bloodline," she said. "It's awakening. The closer we get to the lake, the stronger your connection to the seal becomes."They walked on, the forest growing darker as the afternoon wore on. The trees thinned, and the air grew colder—so cold that Lin Chen could see his breath. Then, they rounded a bend, and the lake came into view.Blood Moon Lake was smaller than they'd imagined, a dark pool nestled between two cliffs, its water the color of rust. Around its shore, jagged black rocks jutted from the earth, and at its center, a stone altar rose from the water—carved with the same dragon symbols as the temple and the cave.But what made Lin Chen's blood run cold was the camp on the north shore: six tents, a pile of torches, and three figures in black robes, carrying wooden crates toward the altar. Zhou Feng's followers."They're already here," Su Xiao whispered, pulling Lin Chen behind a boulder. "And they're setting up the ritual."Lin Chen peeked around the rock. One of the followers—tall, with a shaven head—lifted the lid of a crate. Inside, Lin Chen saw something glint: a shard of bronze, identical to his key."A key fragment," he muttered. "They're collecting pieces to break the final seal."Su Xiao nodded, her fingers tracing the dragon birthmark on her wrist. "The map tattoo—look." She pointed to Lin Chen's arm. The tattoo's red glow had intensified, highlighting a small cave on the lake's east shore, marked with a tiny key symbol. "That's not just a cave. It's a hidden chamber—probably where the final seal is kept."They slipped away from the boulder, moving silently toward the east shore. The forest here was even more warped: trees bent toward the lake, their branches forming a tunnel that reeked of rot. The bronze key's glow brightened, leading them to a narrow cave mouth, hidden behind a curtain of moss.Inside, the cave was dry and surprisingly warm. The walls were covered in ancient symbols—some familiar (the dragon-and-bone mark), others new: a moon dripping blood, a dragon coiled around a lake, two figures (guardian and healer) holding hands.At the cave's end, a stone chest sat on a pedestal. The bronze key flew from Lin Chen's hand, landing on the chest's lock. With a click, the chest opened. Inside, they found three things: a small, leather-bound journal, a second bronze key fragment, and a vial of clear liquid, labeled in ancient Chinese: "Healer's Tear—purifies taint."Su Xiao picked up the journal, her breath catching. "It's my grandmother's," she said, running her fingers over the cover. "She wrote it before she died."She flipped to the first page. The handwriting was shaky, as if the writer had been weak."Zhou Feng's greed will destroy us all. He seeks the dragon's power not to rule, but to avenge—his family died in the village fire, and he blames the guardians. The final seal at Blood Moon Lake requires two things: guardian blood and healer's tears. Without both, the seal holds. But if he gets them… the dragon will rise, and the world will burn."Lin Chen leaned over her shoulder. "Healer's tears—like the vial?"Su Xiao nodded, holding up the vial. "Grandmother said the Healer's Clan can cry 'purifying tears'—tears charged with our magic. This vial must be hers. It's the only thing that can stop the taint from spreading once the ritual starts."Suddenly, the cave shook. Dust fell from the ceiling, and the bronze key fragment in the chest began to glow. Lin Chen grabbed the fragment and the vial; Su Xiao tucked the journal into her backpack."They're starting the ritual," Su Xiao said, her voice tight. "We have to get to the altar."They raced out of the cave, back toward the lake. The sky had turned dark—though it was only late afternoon—and the first hints of a crimson hue began to tinge the clouds. The blood moon was rising early.When they reached the shore, the followers were gathered around the altar. The tall, shaven-headed man held a knife, pressing it to the wrist of another follower—a young woman, her eyes wide with fear."Guardian blood," he yelled, his voice echoing across the lake. "We don't have the heir, but her blood—she's a distant cousin of the guardians. It will have to do!"Lin Chen didn't hesitate. He charged forward, the bronze key and fragment glowing brightly. "Let her go!"The followers spun around. The shaven-headed man sneered, pushing the woman toward another follower. "The heir himself. Perfect. We'll use your blood instead—pure guardian blood will wake the dragon faster."Two followers lunged at Lin Chen. He dodged, slamming the key fragment into one's chest. The follower screamed, dissolving into black smoke—just like the mist walkers. Su Xiao ran to the young woman, cutting her bonds with a knife."Get out of here," Su Xiao said, pressing the herb pouch into her hand. "Run to the village. Don't look back."The woman nodded, scrambling away into the forest.The shaven-headed man roared, swinging his knife at Lin Chen. "You'll pay for this, heir. Zhou Feng's spirit is with us—he'll guide us to victory!"Lin Chen blocked the knife with the bronze key. The metal clashed, sending sparks flying. The key's glow intensified, and Lin Chen felt a surge of power in his veins—guardian blood, awakening fully. He pushed the man back, then stabbed the key into the ground.A golden beam shot up from the earth, surrounding the altar. The followers screamed, their bodies beginning to smoke. Su Xiao ran to Lin Chen's side, holding up the vial of Healer's Tear."Now!" she yelled. "Pour it on the altar! It will reinforce the seal!"Lin Chen grabbed the vial, pulling the cork. But before he could pour it, the shaven-headed man lunged at him, knocking the vial from his hand. The liquid spilled onto the ground, hissing as it touched the dirt."No!" Su Xiao screamed.The man laughed, standing over Lin Chen. "Now it's too late. The blood moon is rising. The dragon will wake—"A loud, familiar voice cut him off. "Not if I have anything to say about it."Lin Chen looked up. Standing at the edge of the lake was a man in a tattered brown jacket, holding a bronze key identical to Lin Chen's. His face was weathered, but his eyes were familiar—just like the blurred figure in the cave murals, just like Lin Chen's father's old photos."Uncle Wei?" Lin Chen whispered. His father had mentioned a friend named Wei in his diary—someone who'd helped guard the bone.The man nodded, smiling. "Your father sent me to watch over you. I was the one who texted you about the bone. I've been following Zhou's followers since Dragon Sleep Valley."Uncle Wei raised his key. "Two keys, one seal. Together, we can stop this."Lin Chen nodded, grabbing his own key. He and Uncle Wei stood side by side, holding their keys aloft. The keys began to glow, merging into a single beam of golden light that shot toward the altar.The shaven-headed man screamed, his body dissolving into smoke. The remaining followers fled, but the beam caught them, turning them to ash.The altar shook, and the lake's water began to bubble. The crimson hue in the sky intensified—the blood moon was now fully visible, hanging low over the cliffs.Uncle Wei's face fell. "It's not enough," he said. "The seal is weak. We need the healer's tear—"Su Xiao stepped forward, her eyes closed. A single tear rolled down her cheek, glowing with silver light. She caught it in her palm, then pressed it to the altar.The tear sank into the stone, and a silver beam shot up, merging with the golden light. The altar stopped shaking, and the lake's water calmed. The blood moon's crimson glow faded, returning to a normal silver.The seal was reinforced.Lin Chen collapsed to his knees, breathing hard. Uncle Wei clapped a hand on his shoulder. "You did well, kid. Your parents would be proud."Su Xiao sat beside Lin Chen, her hand resting on his arm. "It's over," she said, smiling.But Uncle Wei shook his head, his gaze fixed on the lake. "No. It's not over. Zhou Feng's spirit is still out there—he'll find another way to wake the dragon. And there are others like him—people who crave the dragon's power. The guardians and healers will always have to stand guard."Lin Chen looked at his bronze key, then at Su Xiao's dragon birthmark. He thought of the journal, of his father's diary, of the old Taoist and the village woman.He stood up, gripping the key. "Then we'll be ready. Whenever they come, we'll stop them."Su Xiao nodded, standing beside him. Uncle Wei smiled, clapping both of them on the shoulders.The blood moon faded into the night, and the forest grew quiet again. But Lin Chen knew—this wasn't the end. It was just the beginning of his duty as a guardian.And with Su Xiao by his side, and Uncle Wei watching over them, he wasn't afraid.The dragon slept on. And they would keep it that way.For now.