The echo of the last battle reverberated through the stillness of the ruined city, the remnants of the creature's dark form fading into the air like a dissipating storm cloud. Lin Ze stood amidst the debris, his sword still glowing faintly from the clash. His body, battered and bruised from the strain of the battle, felt heavy. Every breath he took was labored, but his resolve had only grown stronger.
Yue Qing'er stood by his side, her expression somber as she surveyed the chamber. The strange liquid she had used to weaken the creature glistened on the floor, the silver light from the shattered vial still shimmering faintly. But despite the victory, the air around them felt heavier than ever, thick with the weight of ancient power and unspoken truths.
"That thing… it wasn't like the others," Yue Qing'er murmured, her gaze distant. "The power it wielded—it felt different."
Lin Ze nodded, his grip tightening around his sword. "It was more than just a monster. It was a sentinel, guarding something—something far worse than we can imagine."
Yue Qing'er looked up at him, her eyes filled with both worry and determination. "So what now? We can't just keep fighting these creatures, Lin Ze. We need answers—real answers—before we end up like those who came before us."
Lin Ze's jaw clenched. She was right. They couldn't keep battling endlessly against an unknown force. They needed to uncover the source of this darkness before it consumed them. But as he looked around the chamber, something caught his eye—a faint glimmer at the far end of the room, tucked behind an ancient pillar.
Without a word, Lin Ze began to move toward it, Yue Qing'er following close behind. As they approached, the glimmer grew brighter, revealing a narrow crack in the stone wall, almost hidden from sight. It seemed as though it had been deliberately concealed.
"This…" Lin Ze muttered, kneeling to inspect the crack more closely. "It's a passage. A secret way."
Yue Qing'er's eyes narrowed. "A way to where?"
"I don't know," Lin Ze replied, his fingers tracing the edge of the crack. "But it might be the key to finding out what's really going on here."
With a grunt of effort, he placed both hands on the stone and pushed. The crack widened, revealing a narrow tunnel leading deeper into the earth. The air that flowed from within was thick with dust and the scent of forgotten ages.
"Are we really doing this?" Yue Qing'er asked, her voice laced with concern. "We don't know what's down there."
"We don't have much of a choice," Lin Ze said, his voice resolute. "Whatever we're looking for, it's down there."
After a moment's hesitation, Yue Qing'er nodded. "Then let's move quickly. We've been in this place too long, and I don't trust it."
Together, they ventured into the tunnel, the faint glow of Lin Ze's sword the only light in the suffocating darkness. The tunnel wound downward, its walls slick with moisture and age. The further they descended, the more oppressive the air became, as if the very earth was holding its breath, waiting.
After what felt like an eternity, the tunnel finally opened into a vast chamber. The sight before them made Lin Ze's heart skip a beat.
At the center of the chamber stood a massive stone door, etched with the same strange symbols they had encountered earlier—symbols of control, of binding. But this door was different. Unlike the other seals, which had been cracked or broken, this one was intact, glowing with a dark, ominous energy. The ground around it seemed to hum with power.
"This is it," Lin Ze whispered, his eyes fixed on the door. "This is what they were hiding."
Yue Qing'er stepped forward, her hand instinctively reaching for her dagger. "What is it? What's behind that door?"
Lin Ze hesitated, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. "I don't know. But I'm about to find out."
With a deep breath, he stepped forward and placed his hand on the door. The moment his fingers touched the cold stone, the symbols began to glow brighter, their power surging in response to his touch. The door rumbled, the ancient seals resisting, but Lin Ze pushed harder, willing the power inside him to break through the barrier.
The door cracked open, slowly at first, then with a sudden burst of energy that sent Lin Ze and Yue Qing'er stumbling back. As the door opened wider, a blinding light spilled from the cracks, illuminating the chamber with a harsh, white glow.
Inside the room, a figure stood—motionless, bathed in the light. It was a woman, draped in tattered robes, her hair flowing like a river of silver. Her eyes were closed, and her features were hauntingly beautiful, though there was something unsettling about her stillness. She seemed almost… too perfect, too serene. As though she wasn't truly alive.
Lin Ze's breath caught in his throat. This wasn't just any figure. He knew who she was.
The woman was no mere spirit. She was something much older. Her presence alone seemed to exude power, but there was also a deep sorrow that clung to her like a veil. Lin Ze could feel the oppressive weight of the past in her gaze, even if she didn't open her eyes.
"Who is she?" Yue Qing'er whispered, her voice trembling.
Lin Ze took a step forward, his heart pounding. "She's the key. She's one of the original rulers of Blood-Tide. The one who made the pact."
The woman's eyes fluttered open, her gaze landing on Lin Ze with an intensity that made his blood run cold. Her lips parted, and her voice echoed through the chamber, both soft and powerful.
"Child of the Void," she said, her voice like the wind through a forgotten tomb. "You awaken what should remain slumbering. Do you understand the price you will pay?"
Lin Ze stood frozen, his mind racing. He had been expecting an answer, but not this. This woman was ancient, older than any force he had encountered so far. She was a part of the curse that bound this city to the darkness, and she was the one who had created the pact with the Forgotten Ones.
"I'm here to stop it," Lin Ze said, his voice steady despite the unease gnawing at him. "I won't let these creatures take control again. Blood-Tide belongs to the living, not to whatever horrors you made a deal with."
The woman's expression softened, but there was no warmth in it—only a deep, lingering sadness. "Foolish child. You cannot undo what was done. The pact was made, and the price was paid. What you see now… this city, this world… it is already a part of the darkness. There is no salvation for you."
Yue Qing'er stepped forward, her eyes blazing with defiance. "We're not afraid of you. We're going to stop this. You can't control us anymore."
The woman's gaze shifted to Yue Qing'er, and a flicker of something—recognition, perhaps—passed across her face. She tilted her head slightly, her voice becoming more distant.
"You are like her," the woman whispered. "But she is lost, just as you will be."
The cryptic words hung in the air, and before Lin Ze could respond, the woman's form began to fade, her image dissolving into the light, leaving nothing but the echo of her voice.
"Beware, child of the Void. Beware the price you will pay."
The light from the chamber flickered, and the door slammed shut with a thunderous crash, leaving Lin Ze and Yue Qing'er in darkness.
"What… what just happened?" Yue Qing'er asked, her voice shaky.
Lin Ze was silent for a long moment, his mind racing to process everything that had just transpired. The woman had been a part of the city's curse, the one who had made the pact with the Forgotten Ones. And her words—"Beware the price you will pay"—lingered in his mind like a warning. What had they unleashed by coming here? What price would they have to pay for uncovering the truth?
"I don't know," Lin Ze said finally, his voice heavy with the weight of the revelation. "But I intend to find out."
The silence that followed was thick with uncertainty. They had unlocked something ancient, something dangerous. But Lin Ze knew one thing for certain: they couldn't turn back now.
They had no choice but to face whatever was coming—and the price they would have to pay for the knowledge they sought.
End of Chapter 15