The whisper lingered in the air, curling around Lin Yue like smoke.
She turned sharply, her jade blade raised, but there was nothing—only the empty, shattered hall stretching out before her.
Yet she felt it, a presence lurking just beyond the reach of her senses, an oppressive weight pressing against her skin.
The jade pendant pulsed once, a warning, its light flickering weakly as if urging her to move.
"They are watching you."
The voice echoed again, clearer this time, and Lin Yue's stomach twisted.
Her fingers tightened around the blade as she backed toward the throne.
She scanned the shadows, her breath shallow, searching for movement in the encroaching darkness.
A faint sound—a shuffle of footsteps—broke the silence.
Her heart leapt to her throat as she spun toward it, her blade slicing through the air.
"Lin Yue!"
The familiar voice stopped her mid-swing, and her blade froze mere inches from Wei Han's throat.
The general stood before her, his armor battered and his face streaked with blood, but his eyes were sharp, his expression grim.
Lin Yue lowered the blade, her breath catching in relief. "General Wei Han," she said, her voice trembling. "You're alive."
"I could say the same for you," he replied, his gaze darting to the glowing blade in her hand. "Though I can see you've been... occupied."
Before she could respond, another figure emerged from the shadows.
Lady Zhen, her usually immaculate robes torn and bloodied, moved toward them with an unsteady grace.
Her eyes flicked to Lin Yue, narrowing at the sight of the jade blade.
"So it's true," Lady Zhen said, her voice laced with equal parts awe and suspicion. "The heir of the Jade Throne stands before us."
Lin Yue opened her mouth to protest, to deny the title she neither wanted nor understood, but Wei Han cut her off.
"There's no time for debate," he said, his voice sharp. "The Emperor is gone, the palace is under siege, and enemies are closing in from all sides. We need to leave now."
Lin Yue's mind raced. "Gone? What do you mean, 'gone'?"
Wei Han's jaw tightened. "When the light from your pendant erupted, it... transported us. Scattered us across the palace grounds. The Emperor has not been seen since."
Lady Zhen stepped closer, her gaze cold and calculating. "But the invaders—they're still here. Whoever they are, they've come for you."
Lin Yue's grip on the blade tightened. "And what about the man I just fought? He said I was a pawn, that I couldn't escape my fate."
Wei Han exchanged a glance with Lady Zhen, his expression darkening. "A Watcher," he said grimly. "They are assassins, loyal to no empire, no cause. They serve the highest bidder and are known to target those of great importance."
Lady Zhen's lips thinned. "If the Watchers are involved, then your existence has become a threat to more than just the Emperor's enemies. You are now a target for the entire underworld."
Lin Yue felt a chill run down her spine. "I didn't ask for this. I don't even understand what's happening to me."
"You may not have asked for it," Lady Zhen said, her voice icy, "but fate rarely grants us a choice."
Wei Han stepped forward, his tone softening. "We'll keep you safe, Lin Yue. But we need to move now, before more of them arrive."
Lin Yue hesitated, her mind torn between fear and determination.
The pendant's glow dimmed slightly, as if urging her to decide.
Before she could speak, the shadows around them began to shift, growing darker and more oppressive.
The air grew colder, and a low, guttural growl echoed through the hall.
Lady Zhen drew her dagger, her eyes narrowing. "We're out of time."
From the darkness emerged a figure, taller and more menacing than the Watcher she had faced before.
Its form was monstrous, its body shrouded in black smoke, with glowing red eyes that burned like embers.
It carried no weapon, but its claws were long and sharp, gleaming like polished obsidian.
Wei Han stepped in front of Lin Yue, his sword raised. "Stay behind me."
The creature snarled, its voice a guttural rasp. "The Jade Heir will not leave this place alive."
Lin Yue's heart pounded as the creature lunged, its movements unnaturally fast.
Wei Han met its charge, his sword clashing against its claws in a burst of sparks.
Lady Zhen flanked the creature, her dagger striking with deadly precision, but it seemed impervious to their attacks.
"Lin Yue!" Wei Han shouted, his voice strained. "You have the blade! Use it!"
Lin Yue hesitated, her hand trembling as she raised the jade blade.
The pendant around her neck pulsed in rhythm with her racing heartbeat, and the blade's glow intensified.
The creature's red eyes locked onto her, and it let out a bone-chilling roar.
Ignoring Wei Han and Lady Zhen, it lunged straight for her.
Time seemed to slow.
Lin Yue's body moved on instinct, the jade blade slicing through the air in a brilliant arc.
The moment it connected with the creature, a blinding light erupted from the blade, engulfing them both.
The creature let out a deafening scream, its form disintegrating into tendrils of shadow that dissolved into the air.
When the light faded, Lin Yue stood trembling, the jade blade still glowing faintly in her hand.
The hall was silent once more, the oppressive presence of the creature gone.
Wei Han approached her cautiously, his expression unreadable. "You did it," he said softly.
But Lin Yue could feel the weight of the pendant against her chest, its warmth no longer comforting but ominous.
The blade in her hand felt heavier than before, its glow a reminder of the power she had unleashed.
Lady Zhen stepped forward, her eyes sharp. "We need to leave," she said. "This was only the beginning. There will be more."
Lin Yue nodded, her voice barely a whisper. "Where do we go?"
Wei Han's expression hardened. "To the only place they won't dare follow."
As they turned to leave, a faint voice echoed through the ruined hall, cold and mocking:
"You cannot run from destiny, child. The shadows will always find you."
To Be Continued...