The air was cold in the depths of the Sun Clan's forbidden archives. Shadows clung to the ancient stone walls, and the faint scent of dust and decay lingered. Xu Wang's footsteps were silent, his breathing shallow as he followed Li Wang down the narrow passageway. She moved swiftly, her presence the only warmth in the oppressive darkness.
"You're sure about this?" Xu whispered, his eyes scanning the ominous carvings etched into the walls, symbols that seemed to twist and shift when he looked too closely.
Li glanced back, her expression unreadable. "You've been training with Zhu Sun every day. He's teaching you things he would never share with the other disciples. Don't you want to know why?"
Xu hesitated, guilt twisting in his chest. Zhu Sun's expectations weighed on him, the relentless training pushing him to his limits. Yet, the more power he gained, the more he felt trapped, his destiny no longer his own. "I just... I don't want you getting hurt."
Li's eyes softened, her gaze lingering on his face. "I'm not as weak as you think. Besides, I won't let anyone take you away from me." Her voice was light, almost playful, but there was an intensity in her eyes that made Xu's heart skip.
They reached a massive iron door at the end of the corridor, its surface covered in ancient runes. Li's fingers traced the symbols, and they glowed faintly, the air shimmering beneath her touch. The door creaked open, revealing a vast chamber lined with shelves overflowing with scrolls and books. At the center stood a pedestal holding a tome bound in black leather.
Xu felt a chill as he stepped inside. "This place... it feels wrong."
Li smiled, a strange gleam in her eyes. "Then we're in the right place."
She moved to the pedestal, her movements graceful, almost delicate. Her fingers brushed over the tome's cover, her lips curving into a smile. "This must be it."
Xu approached cautiously, his eyes drawn to the symbol of dual dragons intertwined on the cover. "The Prophecy of the Dual Spirits... But why would it be hidden here?"
Li's gaze never left the book. "Maybe because they don't want you to know the truth."
She opened the tome, and a cold wind howled through the chamber. The pages flipped rapidly, revealing illustrations of two figures bathed in light and shadow. Around them, the world burned.
Xu's heart pounded as he read the text. "If the Dual Spirits are awakened, they can reshape the world... or destroy it."
Li's fingers tightened on the book. "You're one of them. That's why Zhu Sun is training you. He wants to control you."
Xu took a step back, the weight of her words pressing down on him. "Control me? Why would he...?"
Li's eyes darkened, her smile fading. "To keep you from leaving. To keep you from being free. But I won't let him."
Xu opened his mouth to respond, but the ground beneath them trembled, a low hum filling the air. The runes on the walls flared with light, and a doorway materialized behind the pedestal, sealed with intricate sigils.
Li's body moved on its own, her steps deliberate as she approached the sealed door. Her hands pressed against the symbols, and they glowed in response. Her eyes gleamed with a fierce possessiveness. "No one will take you from me... not even fate itself."
The door shattered, and darkness erupted, filling the chamber with a freezing mist. Xu stumbled back, his body numb from the cold. "Li! Stop!"
Li turned to him, her face serene, her smile soft. "Don't worry. I'm doing this for you. So you'll never leave me."
Xu's blood ran cold. "What... what are you saying?"
She stepped closer, her gaze unwavering. "I've always been by your side. Always watched over you. Protected you. But now... now you're slipping away." Her fingers brushed his cheek, her touch cold as ice. "I can't let that happen."
Xu's heart raced as the shadows coiled around them, tightening like a cage. "Li... you're scaring me."
Her smile widened, her eyes shining with a strange light. "I won't lose you. Not to Zhu Sun. Not to this prophecy. Not to anyone."
The shadows surged, the chamber trembling as the darkness closed in. Xu tried to move, but his body was frozen, his limbs heavy. "Li! Stop this!"
Li's expression softened, her voice gentle. "Hush now. Everything will be fine... as long as you stay with me."
The shadows swallowed them, and the world went black.
To be continued...