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Whispers in the Dark Forest
The air in the Dark Forest was thick and ancient, smelling of damp earth and unseen blossoms. The canopy, a mesh of black lace against the dark sky , seemed to swallow all sound, leaving only a profound, echoing silence. This was the Mortal Realm, a place mortals avoided after dusk, yet here Jade was, held captive not by the forest's danger, but by a proximity that left her trembling.
A handsome mortal stood impossibly close. His arm was a band of warmth and steel around her waist, his grip firm, proprietary. Her eyes, wide and dark as deep pools, were locked on his. She could feel the deliberate, slow curl of his lips—a smirk that spoke of knowing exactly the disarray he caused in her soul.
His red-streaked hair, like threads of twilight fire woven into the blackness, framed a face of unsettling perfection. Every angle of his sharp, perfect jaw and sculpted features radiated a beauty that felt almost too sharp, too deliberate for the mortal world.
Jade wore a simple, long dress of deep forest green, a contrast to the man's elaborate, flowing red and white mixed Hanfu. Her own beauty was subtle, framed by long, dark hair that cascaded down her back like a midnight waterfall.
Suddenly, the suffocating closeness became too much. Jade pulled back, standing ramrod straight, forcing a composure she didn't feel. "M-mm... I'm ok," she managed, the lie catching in her throat.
His smile vanished instantly, replaced by a disconcerting seriousness. His eyes, the color of warm amber, narrowed as they raked over her.
"Why are you here alone?" His voice was a low, resonant rumble. "Usually, humans don't come at this time. It's not safe here."
Jade's heart hammered against her ribs. She couldn't tell him the truth—that she had been pursuing a dangerous rumor and had nearly been cornered by a lesser demon before he intervened.
"I... I lost my path, so..."
"Where is your home?" he interrupted, his gaze intense. "I will leave you there."
Relief warred with a deep-seated unease. She gave a slight nod.
A few minutes later, he walked ahead, a silent, imposing figure cutting through the shadows. Jade followed, her mind a frantic, swirling chaos.
I didn't ask who he is. Is he really mortal?
She reached into the fold of her dress, her fingers closing around a tiny, circle-shaped gold-framed mirror. It was not glass, but something denser, older.
Flashback:
The memory of the aged, wizened granny flashed in her mind. "This is so special... you can see one person's real identity by this mirror, child. Use it wisely, for truth can be a fearful thing."
With a slow, agonizing breath, Jade raised the mirror and, without breaking stride, glanced through it at the man in the red and white Hanfu.
The image in the gold frame twisted, blurring the handsome face. In its place, a creature of myth emerged: a majestic, terrifying nine-tailed fox, its amber eyes glowing with primal intelligence.
Jade gasped, a raw, choking sound, and the mirror clattered to the ground.
He stopped instantly, turning his entire body toward her. "What?" he demanded, his voice sharp.
Panicked, Jade stepped backward, crushing the tiny mirror beneath her heel, concealing it. She forced a smile, a pathetic, trembling curve of her lips.
"I... I... I saw a bat!"
He burst into a deep, rich laugh that echoed oddly in the oppressive silence. "You're afraid so easily," he scoffed, shaking his head before turning away again.
Jade pressed her hands over her wildly beating chest. OMG... so... The myth is true. Nine-tailed foxes still exist.
A wave of dread washed over her. Did I follow him? What if he kills me? No... he was the one who rescued me from the demon. A chilling thought immediately countered it: Oh, No. What if... he rescued me to eat me?
She hesitated, her feet glued to the earth.
"Aren't you coming?" His voice was straight-faced now, devoid of humor. "Or... do you want to be eaten by the other demon?"
Her eyes widened in terror. He turned and resumed walking. Jade scrambled to follow, first quickly retrieving her magic mirror—its gold frame slightly bent—and tucking it securely away.
A few hours later, the dense forest gave way to scattered trees and familiar, humid air. They had reached the village area.
"I can go by myself from here," Jade said, breathing a sigh of relief.
He leaned in, the sudden closeness startling her. "Are you sure?" he asked, his voice low.
Why did he lean in? Is he smelling me? Oh, God. She instinctively closed her eyes.
"Why did you close your eyes?"
Jade snapped them open, taking a quick step back. "Nothing." She quickly changed the subject, the question burning on her tongue. "I forgot to ask... Who are you? What are you doing alone in the forest?"
His face darkened, the sudden shift in atmosphere sending a jolt of pure fear through her.
"Do you want to know?"
Her hands were shaking uncontrollably. She hid them both behind her back and nodded, chin lifted in defiance despite the terror.
"My name is Justin."
Is Fox have a name? She gave a tiny, involuntary shake of her head. He noticed it immediately.
He moved closer again, his expression unreadable. "Are you afraid of me?" he leaned in, his breath warm against her ear. "That I'll do something else to you?" His smile curved slowly, revealing the terrifying, white tips of fangs.
Jade's blood ran cold. OMG.
Then, he stood straight, the fangs gone, the dangerous smile replaced by a look of easy contemplation. She felt a surge of surprise, quickly followed by overwhelming relief.
"I will come here often," he said, the danger ebbing. "To visit someone."
"Who?" Jade asked, curiosity overpowering caution.
His eyes softened, turning momentarily to look away into the shadows of the forest. "I have to go." He turned and walked away, melting into the woods as silently as he had appeared.
Jade stared after him, literally confused, before the reality of her escape hit her. Oh, finally he's gone.
He stopped, a hundred feet away, before he turned.
Jade turned and ran, sprinting toward the safety of the village lights.
She whispered, panting, as she ran, "I don't want to meet him again in my life."
Jade arrived just a few steps away from her house. It was a decent, two-storey home, unpretentious, as befitted the house of a village retailer.
Then, she noticed the silence. It was wrong. Too absolute.
Pots were broken. Clay shards littered the ground. Flower pots were overturned, spilling dark soil onto the worn path.
Dread turned to panic. She rushed inside.
In the hall, the scene slammed into her, stopping her in her tracks. Her eyes widened into saucers of horror.
Her sister, Gloria, was lying on the floor, still and broken. Her throat was bleeding, cut deep.
"Gloria! Gloria!" Jade rushed to her, shaking her violently, but her sister didn't wake up. Jade roared a soundless cry of pain, tears instantly streaming down her face.
Her eyes darted to the other side of the hall. Her mother was on the floor. Jade scrambled across the room, seeing a horrific wound: her stomach was bleeding from what looked like a massive stab wound.
Her mother's breathing was slow, shallow. She opened her mouth slightly, trying to speak, but no words came out.
"Mom! Who did it? What happened?" Jade sobbed, her voice cracking, her hands pressed to the ghastly wound.
Her mother's eyes dimmed, a final, ragged breath escaping her lips. She was gone.
Jade hugged her mother, rocking back and forth, holding the lifeless body tightly. "Mom..."
"Jade... Jade..." A low, agonizing voice made her turn.
Her father was sitting, leaning against a pillar, severely injured. Cuts were visible on his hands and legs.
"Dad!" Jade rushed to him, grasping his hands. "Nothing will happen to you! I will take you to the hospital!"
"I don't think I can survive," he whispered, his eyes clouded with pain.
"No! No!"
"They are searching for you... Don't get caught by them."
"Who?" Jade's voice was a desperate, choking cry. "Those who attacked you and Mother and Gloria? Is that because of me? But why?" Tears streamed down her face, pooling on her father's tunic.
He struggled, his hand trembling as he held out a Red Stone chain—a huge, brilliant red stone—and a small, tarnished badge.
"Stay away... from them..." He looked at the badge for a moment, a memory clouding his eyes, then his hand closed tightly around the chain and badge, and his breath stopped. He was dead.
"Dad!" Jade cried louder, hugging him to her chest, her roar of agony absorbed by the silent, blood-soaked house.
💔 Two Days Later
In the spare room of Emily's house, Jade sat, her face pale, drawn, and etched with the profound exhaustion of loss. The raw grief was still there, but now it was compounded by a cold, burning resolve.
Emily entered quietly, carrying a plate of food, her own face etched with worry. "Have something, please," she pleaded gently.
Jade looked at the badge—the one her father gave her—her eyes dry but full of pain. "They killed my family," she said, her voice a low, dangerous whisper. "I won't leave them. I will find out where they are..." Her eyes turned to Emily, sharp and cold.
"I understand your pain," Emily said, tears welling up in her own eyes. "But... you have to eat something. Please eat, Jade."
Jade looked at the plate, and the image of her family's last, laughing dinner flashed in her mind. A choked sob escaped her. "I can't..."
Emily immediately pulled her into a tight hug, holding her as she finally allowed the tears to flow silently.
☁️ That Night
Jade was sitting alone on the front courtyard steps, the air heavy with a familiar tension. Her eyes caught something strange in the garden—a displacement of light and shadow, a flicker of unnatural energy.
She stood and walked toward it, her heart pounding. "Who?" she asked into the darkness.
Suddenly, a person materialized from a billow of pure white smoke. He was tall, wearing a flowing white Hanfu, radiating a kind of untouchable, almost divine beauty. He looked like he belonged to the Immortal Realm itself.
Jade's fear was instantaneous. "I'm Ryan. From the Heaven Realm," he stated calmly.
Before he could say another word, Jade lunged, her hand clamping around his neck, gripping tightly. He didn't flinch.
"Did you kill my family?" she demanded, her voice shaking with adrenaline.
He smiled faintly, a movement that outraged her. She continued in painful voice "I know. The people who attacked my family aren't from the Mortal Realm. They are from the Immortal Realm, I am sure! The weapon they used isn't made from the mortal realm!"
He effortlessly removed her hand from his throat. "I am not."
She recoiled in shock.
"I can prove it." He summoned a shimmering Heaven Coin into his palm, a circle of pure, glowing gold. He touched the coin lightly. "I didn't kill her family." The coin shone brighter, a blinding pulse of golden light. He smiled. "Look. I'm not. You don't know this object, right? If one says—"
"I believe you," Jade said, her face composed, startling him. "If one said a lie while touching it, this gold coin would change to bronze. I know."
"How did you know about it?" Ryan's surprise was evident.
"I am interested in the Immortal Realm," Jade explained, a flicker of pride in her voice. "So, I gained information about their treasured items and weapons too. Even I am collecting them."
He narrowed his eyes. "So you found out by the weapon strike wounds... Immortals attacked them?"
"Yes. Then... Why are you here? Do you know who did this?"
He chuckled, a sound that grated on her nerves. She swiftly drew a knife, pulling it from where it was hidden in her sleeve, and pressed the tip to his throat.
"Do you?" she asked, her voice deadly quiet.
Ryan's smile disappeared. He looked at the knife with cold disdain. "Are you thinking that this weapon can harm me?" he smirked.
"It's an Immortal knife. It can..."
His eyes turned cold. "By a strike wound, you can't say that the Heaven Realm attacked them. There are countless Immortal Realms. How can you blame us only?"
Jade faltered, confusion clouding her eyes.
"But I know who killed your family," Ryan continued, his voice serious. "If you killed me, how would you find out?" He touched the tip of the knife with one elegant finger.
Jade immediately removed the knife from his throat. "Who?"
"To know the truth... you have to come with me to the Heaven Realm."
Jade thought for only a second, the image of her dead family overriding all caution. "Yes."
He grabbed her hand. She shoved him away first.
Ryan exhaled slowly. "You can't come with me otherwise." He whispered a complex spell, a rush of energy surrounding them, and then grasped her hand again.
In a flash of blinding white light, both of them disappeared.
👑 In the Heaven Realm
Hours later, in a vast, opulent chamber, the King of the Heaven Realm, Ren, was being helped by his wife, Lia.
"Arrange it well," Ren ordered a departing servant. "Today is so special."
"It's a special day," Lia continued, a soft smile on her face. "We are going to announce our son as Crown Prince."
Ren smiled, and the servant quietly left. Lia helped Ren tie his elaborate Hanfu.
"Irin didn't come yet," Lia mentioned, a hint of worry in her voice.
"Dylan said there was a small political issue in their kingdom," Ren assured her, touching her cheek. "He will come on time after finishing it. Don't worry, your brother's family will come."
Suddenly, Ryan entered the room, his white Hanfu immaculate.
"So bright a smile, Father," Ryan said, a subtle tension in his posture. "I wanted to tell you something."
"Before that, come here," Ren said, removing his hand from Lia. "What Hanfu do you want to wear for your ceremony? Lia chose that one, but i chose this."
"I choose... your choice, Mom," Ryan said quickly, avoiding his father's gaze. "Sorry, Dad."
Lia smiled brightly. Ren looked slightly confused. "But... don't you like my choice?"
"I like it," Ryan quickly assured him, "but... I like the pattern in that Hanfu better."
Lia and Ren immediately began talking excitedly about their son's Crown Prince ceremony. Ryan smiled knowingly, a private thought flitting across his mind. Then, tell Dad later... He would be happy.
🎊 Crown Ceremony
The grand Crown Ceremony began. In the guest seats, Justin—the handsome fox Immortal—was present.
Ryan entered the grand hall entrance. His eyes locked onto Justin's. Justin scoffed faintly and turned his head away, his expression arrogant. Ryan looked momentarily angry, then smiled with cool arrogance and continued his walk.
The ceremony paused as a regal couple entered: Dylan, the King of the Bluemoon Kingdom, and his wife, Irin.
Ren and Lia rushed forward to greet them, embracing them warmly.
"Is everything okay?" Lia asked her brother, Dylan.
Dylan nodded, a grave expression on his face.
Ryan approached and greeted them respectfully. Dylan smiled, tapping Ryan on the shoulder. Irin beamed. "My nephew is so handsome! Who is the lucky girl who will marry him?"
"You're right," Lia laughed. "She would be lucky!"
Ren turned to Dylan. "Your sister was waiting for you for too long. Finally, you showed up."
Dylan chuckled. "Sorry, Lia," he said, touching his sister's shoulder. Lia nodded, her smile soft.
Two other young girls arrived, greeting Irin and Dylan.
"Look, your daughters are exactly like you, Lia," Dylan observed.
"Yes, exactly like her," Ren agreed, a fond annoyance in his tone. "Even adamant, too."
"Dad!" both girls chorused, glaring playfully at their father.
Ren smiled.
"But no one can be more adamant than my sister," Dylan teased.
"Brother!" Lia exclaimed, feigning offense.
Both girls laughed and hugged Irin.
The ceremony resumed. The Grand Herald's voice boomed through the hall.
"We announce the Crown Prince as... Ryan!"
⛓️ In Prison
A couple of hours later, in a sterile, cold prison cell in the Heaven Realm, a girl was chained, her wrists bound tightly by heavy, glowing chains. She was pale, her face stark against the white stone.
It was Jade.
She slowly opened her eyes, surveying her surroundings, and a terrible realization dawned: she had been betrayed.
"Liar," she whispered hoarsely.
She heard the faint voices of two Heaven prisoners outside.
"...I think by tomorrow they will kill her."
Jade's heart leaped into her throat. Before that, I have to... escape from here.
She waited until the prisoners' voices faded, then began to strain against the chains, but they held fast. She couldn't break them.
A person passed by the small, barred window in the prison door. He looked like an outsider, not a prisoner.
"Please, help me," she called out, her voice raw.
He stopped, then began to walk again.
"I have a rare jade," she quickly offered, desperation lacing her voice. "That can force one to tell the truth. If you help me, I will give you that!"
He finally turned and looked through the bars at her.
Jade gasped. Her eyes widened in shock.
It was Justin—the very person she never wanted to meet again in her life.
She whispered the word, her voice filled with disbelief and a new wave of terror. "Fox..."
His amber eyes widened in matching shock when he saw her chained in a Heaven Realm prison.
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To be Continued...
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