The blade in Lin Yue's hand pulsed with an eerie rhythm, its light illuminating the fractured remains of the grand hall.
Her fingers curled around the hilt instinctively, the cool jade surface fitting perfectly into her grasp.
The symbols etched along its length glowed faintly, as if whispering secrets only her blood could understand.
The silence around her felt like a trap, heavy and expectant.
The weight of her newfound power was undeniable, yet Lin Yue felt no triumph—only dread.
The Emperor's voice echoed in her mind: "You are far more dangerous than you realize."
She tightened her grip on the blade, her thoughts swirling.
Dangerous?
She didn't feel dangerous.
She felt like a girl thrust into a storm she had no way of weathering.
But there was no time to dwell on her doubts.
A low rumble vibrated through the ground, shaking loose bits of stone and debris from the crumbling walls.
Lin Yue's head snapped up, her heart pounding. It was subtle at first, like a distant quake, but it grew louder, closer.
Then came the footsteps.
They echoed through the shattered hall, heavy and deliberate, the sound of boots crunching against stone.
Lin Yue turned toward the source, the glow of her blade casting long shadows across the ruins.
From the darkness emerged a figure clad in black armor, their face obscured by a smooth, featureless mask.
The air around them shimmered with a faint distortion, as though the very fabric of reality bent to their presence.
The figure stopped a few paces away, their head tilting slightly as they regarded her.
Despite the mask, Lin Yue could feel their gaze piercing through her, weighing her, judging her.
"You are the one," they said, their voice cold and metallic, distorted by some unseen mechanism. "The last heir of the Jade Dynasty."
Lin Yue's pulse quickened, but she held her ground. "Who are you?"
The figure ignored her question. "Do you even understand what you hold in your hand? The power that blade commands?"
Lin Yue glanced at the weapon, its jade glow pulsing in sync with her heartbeat. "I don't care about its power. I just want to understand why this is happening to me."
The figure let out a low, humorless laugh. "Understanding will not save you, girl. That blade has chosen you, and with it comes a destiny you cannot escape."
Lin Yue's jaw tightened. "I never asked for any of this."
"And yet, here you are," the figure replied. "A pawn in a game far older and far greater than you can imagine."
Lin Yue's grip on the blade tightened.
She could feel the energy coursing through it, a raw, untamed force that seemed to resonate with her very soul. "If I'm just a pawn, then why are you here? What do you want from me?"
The figure stepped closer, their presence looming. "You misunderstand. I do not want anything from you. I am here to end this before it begins."
Before Lin Yue could react, the figure moved.
Their speed was inhuman, a blur of motion that closed the distance between them in an instant.
Lin Yue barely had time to raise the blade before their strike came—a blackened dagger aimed straight for her heart.
The clash of jade and dark steel rang out like a thunderclap, the force of the impact reverberating through the hall.
Lin Yue staggered back, her arms trembling under the weight of their attack.
The figure didn't relent.
They pressed forward, their strikes relentless and precise, each one aimed to disarm or incapacitate.
Lin Yue parried as best she could, the blade in her hand moving with a will of its own, guiding her movements with an almost instinctual precision.
But it wasn't enough.
The figure's strength was overwhelming, their attacks calculated to exploit every weakness in her defense.
With a sharp twist of their wrist, they disarmed her, the jade blade skidding across the floor and out of reach.
Lin Yue stumbled back, her chest heaving as she faced the armored figure unarmed.
The pendant at her neck flared brighter, but its light did little to dispel the fear that gripped her.
The figure raised their dagger, its edge gleaming with a dark, unnatural light. "This is mercy," they said, their voice devoid of emotion. "You were never meant to bear this burden."
As the blade descended, a sudden burst of light erupted from the pendant, blinding in its intensity.
The figure recoiled, their weapon falling from their hand as they shielded their eyes.
Lin Yue didn't hesitate.
She lunged for the jade blade, her fingers closing around its hilt just as the light from the pendant began to fade.
The figure recovered quickly, their movements fluid and precise.
But Lin Yue was ready this time.
She raised the blade, its glow surging with renewed power, and met their next strike head-on.
The hall seemed to tremble with the force of their battle, the air thick with the clash of opposing energies.
Lin Yue could feel the blade guiding her, its power flowing through her like a river, steady and unyielding.
The figure faltered, their movements growing slower, less precise.
Lin Yue seized the opportunity, channeling all her strength into a final strike.
The jade blade cut through the air, its light blazing like a comet.
The figure let out a sharp, distorted cry as the blade found its mark, piercing through their armor and into the darkness beneath.
They staggered back, their form flickering like a dying flame. "This... is not the end," they said, their voice fractured and fading. "You cannot escape what is coming."
With a final, shuddering breath, they collapsed, their body dissolving into a pool of shadow that seeped into the cracks of the floor.
Lin Yue stood motionless, the jade blade still glowing in her hand.
Her chest heaved with each breath, her mind racing with the weight of what had just transpired.
But before she could process it, the voice from before returned, stronger this time, and filled with urgency:
"The shadows are only the beginning, child. The real threat lies beyond these walls. You must leave the palace and find the truth before it is too late."
The jade blade in her hand flickered, its light dimming as the weight of the pendant grew heavier against her chest.
And then she heard it—a whisper, faint and chilling, carried on the air like a ghostly echo:
"They are watching you."
To Be Continued...