The heavens trembled that night. The stars flickered like dying embers, as if the very sky mourned a long-forgotten tragedy. Beneath the shattered moon, an ancient city lay in ruin. Once, it had been the heart of the kingdom—its grand palaces, towering walls, and thriving markets a testament to an empire's power. Now, it was a graveyard of memories, its silence broken only by the howling winds and the distant echoes of forgotten screams.
Lei Zhen, no more than sixteen, stood alone amidst the debris, his ragged cloak torn from years of neglect. His face, streaked with dust and blood, was expressionless, though his heart beat with a restlessness he couldn't suppress. His life had always been one of struggle—scraping by in the slums, surviving on the barest scraps. Dreams of a better life had long since withered, replaced only by the harsh reality of being one of the forgotten.
But tonight, there was something different.
His feet carried him to the ruins of an ancient temple, the stone steps cracked and weathered by centuries of neglect. His pulse quickened. There was something here—a presence, an energy—that called to him. It was subtle at first, like a whisper in the wind, but now it surged, undeniable and raw.
Suddenly, a voice—low, ancient, and haunting—whispered in his mind. It was a sound like the rustling of long-forgotten scrolls, deep and resonant.
"You seek power, do you not?"
The words seared into his mind, like the touch of fire. Lei Zhen stumbled back, his heart pounding in his chest. His breath came in ragged gasps. Was he losing his mind? Was this some trick of the desperation that had begun to consume him?
But the voice persisted, its tone smooth, almost coaxing. "Power to change your fate. To rise above the chains that bind you. You have always been destined for more. Accept it, and you shall never know suffering again."
He shook his head violently, his hands gripping the crumbling stones. "Who… who are you?"
"I am the fallen star you have always yearned for. The one who will give you the power to reshape this world. But first, you must accept me. Will you?"
The words hung in the air like a storm waiting to break. And then, Lei Zhen saw it.
In the center of the temple's altar, glowing faintly in the moonlight, lay a crystal. It was like nothing he had ever seen—dark as the void, yet pulsing with an unnatural, almost magnetic energy. Its surface shimmered, reflecting the moonlight like a living thing, and Lei Zhen found his gaze locked onto it. It was calling to him. No, *it was commanding him.
His body moved of its own accord, as if his hand had a will of its own. He reached for the crystal.
The moment his fingers brushed against its cold surface, the world exploded in light.
His senses were overwhelmed. A torrent of visions flooded his mind—cities ablaze, entire realms falling into ruin, the heavens themselves cracking open. The sky turned blood-red, and in the center of it all, a figure stood—a towering figure with eyes that burned like twin suns. It was as if the very being existed outside of time, its presence both ancient and eternal.
Lei Zhen's breath caught in his throat. His heart hammered in his chest. He could feel the power coursing through him—filling him, tearing at him, promising everything but demanding a terrible price.
"Do you accept your fate, child?" The voice echoed in his mind again, now filled with power and authority. "With this power comes destruction. With this power, the heavens will turn against you. Do you dare claim it?"
His body trembled with the force of it. His legs gave out, but he held onto the crystal, his hand locked around it as though it was the only thing keeping him alive. He had always dreamed of power—of escaping this wretched life.
But as the visions swirled, he realized the truth. This was not a gift. It was a curse.
And yet… despite the fear gnawing at his soul, despite the darkness that threatened to swallow him whole, there was something inside him that yearned for it. Power. It was the one thing that could break his chains.
"Yes," he whispered, barely a breath, but the words felt like a vow. "Yes, I accept."
The world trembled as the crystal flared with an unbearable light. Lei Zhen's body convulsed, his skin burning, his heart threatening to burst. The sky above seemed to crack open as the seal that bound his true bloodline shattered. The transformation was complete.
And in that moment, he knew that nothing—nothing—would ever be the same again.
Chapter 1 Cliffhanger:
Just as Lei Zhen was about to discover the identity of the mysterious figure, a blinding flash of light erupted from the medallion, knocking him unconscious.