The eerie silence that followed Lu Heng's defeat hung heavily over the grove. The crimson runes that had once pulsed with malevolent energy now lay dormant, their light snuffed out like dying embers. The air, thick with the scent of scorched earth and dissipating shadows, seemed to sigh in relief. Yet the tension lingered, an invisible weight pressing down on Li and his companions.
Li's body lay motionless on the cracked ground, his sword still faintly glowing with the remnants of its fiery crimson energy. The energy wrapped around him as if in protection. Around him, the remnants of Lu Heng's shadowy creations began to dissolve into nothingness, their snarling forms evaporating like smoke. A few seconds later, it was as if the Shade Stalkers had never existed as they all disappeared, leaving Li's companions who were initially fighting against them in stunned silence.
Mei Ming was the first to break the stunned silence. "He did it…" she whispered, her voice trembling as she heaved a sigh of relief and stepped cautiously toward Li.
Lei Yun, who had been frozen in place moments earlier, snapped into action. "Li!" he shouted, rushing to the fallen boy's side. He knelt and pressed his fingers to Li's neck, searching for a pulse. His twin, Lei Chen, quickly joined him, worry etched across his face.
"Is he…?" Mei Ming started, her voice catching in her throat. She was too drained to walk as fast as the twins as the fight had drained her of energy. If Li hadn't won the fight against Lu Heng, then there was a possibility that she might have in battle against the Shade stalkers who had proven to be formidable enemies. Majority of the fight had centred on Mei Ming since she was the most powerful magic user among the companions. Ordinary sword did not seem to have effect on the night creatures.
"He's alive," Lei Yun said, his relief evident. "But he's completely out of energy. We need to move him. This place is pulsing with too much evil magic. With Li out of it, we may not be able to fight against the monsters if they reassemble again."
Zhang Wei, who had been standing guard over Li in obvious worry with his sword drawn, finally sheathed it. "Agreed. We can't stay here. Whatever power was fuelling Lu Heng may still linger. Grab him, and let's get out of this grove."
The group moved quickly. Lei Yun and Lei Chen hoisted Li's limp body between them, careful not to jostle him too much. As they did, Xiao Ping and Yu Yan hung back, their faces pale and their hands shaking in obvious fright.
"Did you see that?" Xiao Ping whispered to Yu Yan, his voice barely audible.
Yu Yan nodded, his eyes darting nervously to Li's unconscious form. "That wasn't just a fight. That was something else entirely. Something unnatural."
"Unnatural?" Mei Ming's voice cut through their hushed exchange. She turned, her eyes narrowing. "Li just saved all of us. Without him, we'd be dead or worse. Show some gratitude."
"But did you see his eyes?" Xiao Ping countered, his voice rising slightly. "That wasn't Li. That was something… inside him. Something terrifying."
"Enough!" Zhang Wei barked, silencing the growing tension. He stepped forward, his expression stern but measured. "Li is one of us. Whatever power he used, it's because he had no choice. He fought to protect us. Remember that. I'm sure you would have been glad to have Li with you when Lu Heng murdered your companions."
Xiao Ping swallowed hard, his gaze dropping to the ground in shame although fear was still mixed with his looks. Yu Yan, though still visibly uneasy, nodded reluctantly.
As the group began their trek back through the forest, the oppressive atmosphere of the grove seemed to cling to them. The trees, once foreboding sentinels, now felt like a welcome escape. Yet, as they crossed the threshold of the grove, a faint movement behind them went unnoticed.
On the cold, cracked earth of the ritual site, Lu Heng's still body twitched. His fingers curled slightly, the faintest spark of shadowy energy flickering around them before fading. His lips moved in a barely audible whisper, a sinister grin beginning to creep across his battered face.
The journey through the forest was slow and tense. Every rustle of leaves or snap of a twig set the group on edge, their nerves frayed from the battle. Mei Ming carried a talisman in one hand, its faint glow providing a small measure of comfort.
"Do you think he'll be okay?" Lei Chen asked, glancing down at Li's face. His usually composed features were etched with concern.
"He's stronger than any of us realized," Zhang Wei replied, his voice steady. "But he'll need time to recover. That fight took everything out of him—and then some."
"It's not just the fight," Lei Yun added quietly. "It's what happened to him. That power… it's not normal."
"You're all so focused on the power," Mei Ming said, her tone sharp. "What about the fact that he risked his life for us? Do you think any of us could have stood against Lu Heng and lived?"
"That's not the point," Xiao Ping interjected, his voice trembling. "That wasn't just Li out there. You all saw it. Whatever that was, it was beyond him. What if… what if it takes over completely next time?"
"Next time?" Mei Ming scoffed. "You're acting like he's some kind of monster. He's still Li!"
"Is he?" Yu Yan asked hesitantly. His eyes darted to Li's face, still pale and unmoving. "Because the Li I know doesn't have glowing red eyes or wield power that can tear apart shadow beasts."
"Enough," Zhang Wei said again, his tone firm but not unkind. "Li is one of us. He's our brother, our comrade. Whatever happened out there, we'll deal with it together. Fear won't help anyone."
Lei Yun nodded in agreement. "Zhang Wei's right. If anything, we should be more worried about what this means for him. Imagine how he'll feel when he wakes up and realizes what he did."
The group fell silent, the weight of Lei Yun's words settling over them.
Hours later, they reached a small clearing where they decided to rest. Li was laid carefully on a bed of soft leaves, his chest rising and falling steadily. The group gathered around him, their earlier fears giving way to a quiet reverence.
"I've never seen anything like that," Lei Chen admitted, his voice low. "The way he fought… it was like watching a legend come to life."
"Or a nightmare," Xiao Ping muttered under his breath.
Mei Ming shot him a glare. "He's not a nightmare. He's a hero."
"Heroes don't lose control," Yu Yan countered. "What if next time, that power doesn't stop with the enemy? What if it turns on us?"
"Then it's our job to make sure that doesn't happen," Zhang Wei said firmly. "Li's young, and this power is new to him. But he's not alone. We'll help him learn to control it, just like we've trained together in everything else."
"Easy for you to say," Xiao Ping muttered. "You didn't see the way his eyes glowed, the way the air around him felt… wrong."
"Fear is natural," Lei Yun said gently. "But don't let it blind you to the truth. Li fought for us, not against us. That power, whatever it is, didn't consume him—it helped him save our lives."
As the others continued their debate, Li stirred slightly, a faint groan escaping his lips. The group fell silent, their eyes snapping to him.
"Li?" Mei Ming said softly, kneeling beside him.
But Li didn't wake. His body remained still, his breathing deep and steady. Yet behind his closed eyelids, a shadow shifted.
Deep within him, the power that had awakened during the battle was no longer dormant. It pulsed faintly, waiting, watching, ready to surface again. For now, it remained subdued, but its presence was undeniable—a force that would shape not only Li's future but the fate of everyone around him.
The forest around the group seemed calmer now, the oppressive darkness replaced by a tentative tranquillity. Yet an unspoken tension lingered among the companions, their thoughts swirling with uncertainty.
As the stars began to emerge in the night sky, Zhang Wei stood watch, his gaze fixed on the horizon. In his heart, he carried the same fear that Xiao Ping and Yu Yan had voiced. He remembered elder Han's careful instructions to him about making sure that Li does not get consumed by the power they all feared he had. He wished the elder was here to tell him what next to do because he knew that if Li should turn against them, even he Zhang Wei would not be able to stand against the power Li wields.
He watched as Li's chest heaved up and down in slow breathing, the boy kept twitching from side to side like one under the influence of a fearful dream.