Tian Rui's heart raced as he stood at the edge of the cliff, the howling wind cutting through the stillness of the night. Below him, the valley was dark, save for the distant flicker of flames rising from the forest like ominous fingers reaching toward the sky.
He had felt it—the call. It was faint at first, like a whisper in the back of his mind, but now it was undeniable. The power that had been dormant inside him for so long was stirring again, more insistent than before. It was as though something—or someone—was pulling him toward that distant fire.
But the flames weren't his only concern.
Tian Rui turned his gaze toward the mountains to the north, where a shadow flickered against the rocky terrain. It was a figure, tall and cloaked, moving with a grace that could only be honed by centuries of experience.
The figure was watching him.
Tian Rui's pulse quickened as the figure seemed to notice his gaze. Their eyes met, though the figure's face was hidden in the shadows. A shiver ran down Tian Rui's spine as the figure raised one gloved hand, beckoning him forward.
For a moment, Tian Rui stood frozen. The pull of the relic's power within him was growing stronger by the second, urging him toward the mysterious figure, but a sense of unease gripped him. Something didn't feel right.
"Who are you?" Tian Rui whispered, though he knew the figure couldn't hear him. His fingers tingled with energy, the relic's pulse echoing in time with his heartbeat.
The figure didn't speak, but the gesture was enough. The figure turned and began to walk deeper into the mountains, disappearing from view.
Without thinking, Tian Rui moved. He ran, faster than he had ever run before, the wind whipping at his face as he pursued the mysterious figure. The path up the mountain was steep, the rocks beneath his feet loose and treacherous, but Tian Rui didn't care. All that mattered was the pull inside him, the force urging him forward.
The figure was ahead, always just out of reach, but the distance between them seemed to shrink with each step Tian Rui took.
Finally, he reached the top of the mountain, panting heavily as he scanned the area. The figure was nowhere to be seen.
Tian Rui's breath came in ragged gasps as he looked around the desolate peak. The only thing in front of him was a vast chasm, a deep ravine that split the mountain in two. On the other side, a large stone structure loomed, ancient and weathered by time.
There was no way across. The ravine was too wide, the drop too steep.
But as Tian Rui looked down at his hands, he saw them crackling with energy once again, the relic's power coursing through him like wildfire. He could feel it—the strength he had been searching for.
He focused. He reached into that well of power, drawing it out, shaping it with his will.
For the briefest moment, there was a flash of blinding light.
When the light faded, Tian Rui stood at the edge of the stone structure, the ravine no longer a barrier. He had crossed.
And there, in the center of the ruins, the cloaked figure stood waiting for him.
"How did you—" Tian Rui began, but the figure raised a hand, silencing him.
"Do not speak," the figure said, their voice low and almost... familiar. "You are here because you have been chosen. The relic has awakened within you. But that power is not yours to keep."
Tian Rui stepped forward, his gaze narrowing. "What do you mean? I've done nothing wrong."
The figure's voice dropped to a whisper, the words hanging in the air with a weight that felt like a curse. "You have already begun to change. But you must understand, there are forces that will come for you, forces that want to control the power you now possess. And they will stop at nothing to take it."
Tian Rui swallowed hard, uncertainty flooding his chest. "Who are they?"
The figure finally lowered their hood, revealing a face Tian Rui thought he would never see again. A face he had seen in the vision. A face he had seen in the dreams.
"Maya," he whispered, his heart stopping.
The woman before him was no stranger. Her eyes were the same, deep and filled with secrets. Her hair, dark as midnight, framed her sharp features. But it was the mark on her neck, a symbol like a flame, that truly struck him—it was identical to the mark he had seen in the vision. The mark that had burned into his mind like a brand.
"Why... why are you here?" Tian Rui asked, his voice cracking with a mix of awe and disbelief.
Maya smiled softly, but there was no warmth in her expression. "I have come to warn you. The relic you carry is more than just a key to power. It is a key to the Pathless Dao. And those who seek it will stop at nothing to claim it. Including me."
Tian Rui felt his chest tighten. "You...?"
Maya nodded slowly, her gaze hardening. "I was once like you. But the relic consumed me. It will consume you too, if you let it."
Tian Rui felt the familiar weight of the relic's power in his chest. But this time, it wasn't just a surge of raw energy. It was something darker, something deeper. And he didn't know if he could control it.
"Then what do I do?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.
Maya's eyes softened for the briefest moment. "You run. Run before they find you."