The corridors of the ruins seemed to stretch on forever, an endless maze that twisted and turned, each passage leading deeper into the forgotten heart of Blood-Tide City. Lin Ze's body still ached from the battle with the Harbinger, but his resolve was unshaken. If anything, the encounter had only solidified his determination to unravel the truth behind this city's dark underbelly.
Yue Qing'er moved silently beside him, her expression thoughtful but guarded. Lin Ze could sense the questions swirling in her mind, the same ones that consumed him. What were the Harbingers of the Abyss? Who had awakened them, and what was the true purpose behind the Void Dragon? The more they dug, the deeper the mystery seemed to grow.
They had to find answers. And fast.
"We're getting closer," Lin Ze muttered, glancing around as they reached a large, circular chamber. The walls were covered in strange markings—ancient symbols that Lin Ze recognized from his studies in the Forbidden Arts. They were the same sigils that had been used to seal away powerful, destructive forces.
Yue Qing'er stepped forward, her eyes scanning the markings. "These symbols… they're not just for sealing. They're meant to control. Whoever created these seals was using them to manipulate something. But what?"
Lin Ze furrowed his brow, stepping closer to the markings. "Whatever it was, it's still here. This city's built on dark magic, and I think we're just scratching the surface."
As he examined the symbols, a faint hum of energy pulsed in the air, as though the room itself were alive. Lin Ze reached out cautiously, his fingers brushing against one of the markings. The instant his skin made contact, a surge of power shot through him—dark and cold, a raw energy that sent a jolt of fear through his body.
Before he could pull away, the markings flared to life, glowing with an eerie blue light. The ground beneath them trembled, and the air grew thick with an oppressive presence. Lin Ze's hand instinctively gripped his sword, ready for whatever would emerge.
Yue Qing'er stepped back, her eyes wide with alarm. "What have you done?!"
"I didn't—" Lin Ze began, but before he could finish his sentence, a crackling sound filled the room, followed by a deep, guttural voice.
"Who dares to disturb the sanctum of the Forgotten Ones?"
The voice echoed through the chamber, sending a chill down Lin Ze's spine. Something ancient and powerful was awakening, and he had a sinking feeling that it wasn't friendly.
A figure slowly emerged from the shadows in the far corner of the room, cloaked in tattered robes that seemed to ripple with a dark energy. The figure's face was obscured by a hood, but Lin Ze could sense an unnatural presence emanating from it. It wasn't human.
Yue Qing'er's hand moved instinctively to her dagger, her posture tense. "Another one of them…?"
The figure's voice rasped, carrying a sense of foreboding. "You are not supposed to be here. This city has been sealed for a reason. You, who have awakened the seals, will pay the price."
Lin Ze narrowed his eyes. "I don't know what game you're playing, but I'm not here to cause trouble. I'm here to stop whoever is behind this."
The figure tilted its head, as if considering Lin Ze's words. "Stop it? Foolish child. You have no idea what you're dealing with. The forces that govern Blood-Tide are beyond your understanding. You have already taken the first step toward your destruction."
Lin Ze stepped forward, his grip tightening around his sword. "If you think I'll back down, you're wrong. I'm not afraid of you or whatever you represent. I'm here to uncover the truth."
The figure laughed, a low, mocking sound that sent a shiver down Lin Ze's spine. "You are not even aware of the truth, boy. The truth of the Forgotten Ones. Of the pact that was made long ago."
Before Lin Ze could react, the figure raised its hand, and the air around them began to distort. Shadows twisted, coalescing into tendrils of dark energy that reached toward them. The room itself seemed to warp, its very structure bending as if alive, pressing in on them.
"Let's see how long you last before you succumb to the Abyss," the figure hissed, its form shifting as it seemed to merge with the shadows.
Lin Ze gritted his teeth and surged forward, his sword cutting through the air with a fiery blaze. He wasn't going to let this creature intimidate him. The flames from his blade clashed with the tendrils of darkness, sending sparks flying. The shadowy form recoiled, but it wasn't finished. The creature seemed to split apart, its body dissipating into smoke and reappearing behind him in a flash.
Lin Ze spun around just in time to block another strike, his sword meeting the creature's outstretched claw with a force that sent a shockwave through the chamber. The ground beneath them cracked, but Lin Ze held his ground, pushing back with all his strength.
Yue Qing'er was quick to act, her dagger flashing through the air as she threw it toward the creature's core. It struck, embedding itself deep in the shadowy figure's chest. For a brief moment, the creature screamed in pain, its form flickering and unstable.
"That's it, Lin Ze!" Yue Qing'er shouted. "Finish it now!"
Lin Ze nodded, his eyes locking onto the creature. He could feel the power of the Void Dragon Technique stirring inside him, urging him to unleash it. With a surge of energy, he raised his sword high, the flames igniting into a blaze so bright it seemed to set the very air on fire.
"I don't know who you are, but you're finished!" Lin Ze shouted as he swung his blade down with all his might.
The sword clashed with the creature's form, the fire scorching through the shadows like a blade of light. The creature let out a final, screeching howl as it was consumed by the flames, its body disintegrating into nothingness.
The room fell silent, the oppressive energy dissipating. Lin Ze lowered his sword, panting with exertion. The battle had been hard, but they had won—this time.
Yue Qing'er approached cautiously, her expression a mix of relief and concern. "That was too close. We can't keep doing this."
Lin Ze nodded, his mind already racing. "We can't. But we're not done yet. There's something much bigger going on here. The Forgotten Ones—what did that creature mean by that?"
Yue Qing'er's brow furrowed. "The Forgotten Ones… I've heard that name before. It's tied to the city's founding. The legends say that the first rulers of Blood-Tide made a pact with dark entities, forces beyond the mortal realm. But after the pact was sealed, the rulers disappeared, leaving only the city's ruins behind."
"So those forces weren't fully sealed," Lin Ze muttered, his voice grim. "That's what the man who summoned the Void Dragon meant. The seals… they were meant to control these forces, to keep them contained. And now that they've been broken, these creatures are starting to rise again."
Yue Qing'er looked up at him, her expression uncertain. "And you think you can stop them?"
Lin Ze's eyes hardened. "I don't have a choice. If I don't, this city—and everything connected to it—will fall into darkness."
There was a long pause as Yue Qing'er studied him. Finally, she nodded. "Then we'll stop them. Together."
Lin Ze's heart steadied. "We will."
With that, they turned and began walking toward the deeper chambers, unaware that their every step was being watched from the shadows.
End of Chapter 13