Year fifteen of the Firefolk Era, spring equinox.
Beneath the eaves of Gray Ridge Village's schoolhouse, wind chimes rang softly, like whispers of starfire. A Ya sat beside the stove, her fingertips gently stroking a newly fashioned Jade Slip—it was crimson throughout, with currents of light seeming to surge within, carved from the purest Heartfire Jade of the Ruin Abyss's Fire Vein. She closed her eyes and focused, slowly pouring her Heart Flame into the Jade Slip as she murmured, "A Lu, third lamp of the Fireheart Platform, Guardian Lamp for three years."
The Jade Slip glowed faintly, and words appeared.
She continued reciting, "Su Li, stele carver, Protecting the Fire Scroll for seventeen years."
"Qing Ci, Starfire Envoy, guided the Dreamlight River through the Nine Provinces."
"Little Bean, child of the Ruin Abyss, burned his body to kindle the vein."
"Mute Uncle, Lamp Guarder, snow effigy undying."
"Sui Xuan, fire artisan, burned himself to seal the fire..."
With every name she recited, the Jade Slip shone a little brighter, its words like flames, blazing without end. The names of a thousand Lamp Guarders appeared one by one, like starfire settling upon the slip, joining into a river of crimson-gold light. This Jade Slip, she named the—"Heart Lamp Record."
From that night onward, miracles appeared.
For every name inscribed in the Heart Lamp Record, the lamp that person had guarded rekindled itself at midnight, no matter how long it had been extinguished. An old woman in Gray Ridge Village said, "I dreamed my son came back. He carried a lamp and said, 'Mother, I'm still keeping watch.'" A Lamp Guarder at Forgotten River Ridge said, "My grandfather's lamp hadn't shone for thirty years, but last night it lit itself, and his shadow was there in the flame."
**As it turned