The grand obsidian door towered over Shi Yan, its surface etched with shifting, spectral runes. The skeletal remains from his last battle still littered the ground, a grim reminder of the Path's unforgiving nature. He stood motionless for a moment, the Flame of Dominion flickering faintly within him, as though recovering from the strain of his earlier confrontation.
His hand tightened around the dagger, its warmth grounding him. Shi Yan took a deep breath, stepped forward, and pushed against the door.
It creaked open, revealing a narrow passage cloaked in darkness. The faint sound of whispering wind echoed from deep within, carrying fragmented murmurs. The Path beckoned him further into its labyrinthine maw.
---
The passageway was suffocatingly tight, the walls slick with an oily, black substance that reflected the dim glow of his dagger. The further he ventured, the louder the murmurs became, though the words remained indecipherable. They were layered, overlapping like a discordant symphony.
As he progressed, the air grew heavier, laden with a cloying scent of decay. The Flame within him flared, sensing danger.
Then, the passage abruptly opened into a vast chamber. The walls were lined with immense carvings, depicting monstrous beings locked in eternal combat. At the center of the room stood a pedestal, atop which rested a shard of glass pulsating with dark energy.
Shi Yan approached cautiously, his instincts screaming that this was a trap.
---
Before he could reach the pedestal, the ground trembled, and a deep, guttural laugh echoed through the chamber.
"So, the little ember thinks it can brave the void," a voice sneered.
Shi Yan spun around, dagger at the ready. From the shadows emerged a figure shrouded in darkness, its form shifting and amorphous, as though it were made of living smoke. Two glowing eyes pierced through the veil of its body, radiating malice.
"You are unworthy of the Path," it growled.
Shi Yan didn't respond. His body tensed, the Flame of Dominion flaring brighter in defiance.
The figure lunged.
---
The battle was immediate and brutal. The shadowy entity moved with unnatural speed, its smoky limbs morphing into sharp tendrils that lashed out at Shi Yan. He dodged to the side, rolling across the ground as the tendrils struck where he had been moments before, leaving deep gouges in the stone.
Shi Yan countered with a swift slash of his dagger. The Flame roared to life, igniting the blade as it cleaved through the creature's tendrils. The severed appendages dissolved into black mist, but the creature merely reformed, laughing mockingly.
"You cannot destroy me, mortal," it hissed. "I am the shadow that feeds on despair."
Shi Yan gritted his teeth, his mind racing. This enemy wasn't like the others—its form was too fluid, too intangible. He needed a strategy.
---
The Flame pulsed within him, guiding his movements. Shi Yan focused on the entity's glowing eyes, realizing they didn't waver like the rest of its form. A faint grin tugged at his lips.
He darted forward, feinting to the left before pivoting sharply and aiming for the creature's core. The entity howled, its body twisting to avoid the attack. But Shi Yan was faster, his blade slicing through one of the glowing orbs.
The entity screamed, its form writhing in agony as half its body began to dissipate. "You dare—"
Before it could finish, Shi Yan pressed his advantage, delivering a flurry of strikes. Each one burned brighter than the last, the Flame of Dominion consuming the shadow with every cut.
---
Finally, the entity collapsed, its remaining eye dimming. Shi Yan stood over its fading form, breathing heavily.
"Impressive," it rasped weakly. "But the Path will not spare you. This is only the beginning."
With that, the creature dissolved entirely, leaving only a faint, acrid mist.
Shi Yan turned back to the pedestal, his steps unsteady but determined. The shard pulsed more brightly now, as though it were alive. When he reached for it, the Flame within him surged, resonating with the shard's energy.
As his fingers brushed the glass, a surge of power flooded his body. Images flashed through his mind—visions of vast, endless realms and beings beyond comprehension. His knees buckled, but he held firm, refusing to let the shard overwhelm him.
---
When the visions subsided, Shi Yan stood, his breathing ragged but his resolve stronger than ever. The shard had fused with the Flame, its power now his to command.
A new passage revealed itself at the far end of the chamber, its entrance carved with glowing runes that pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat. Shi Yan tightened his grip on the dagger and stepped forward, ready to face the Path's next challenge.