Lei Zhen's pulse thundered in his ears as he and Xian Mei sprinted through the crumbling ruins. The creature's voice still echoed in his mind, a constant reminder that something far worse than any foe they had faced before was now hunting them.
Behind them, the ground trembled, the air growing colder with every step they took. Lei Zhen could feel the weight of the creature's presence, as if its gaze was never leaving them. His mind raced—what did it mean when it said he was "bound" to it? Was he somehow connected to this ancient evil?
Xian Mei's grip tightened around his arm as she pulled him along, her face pale but determined. "We can't keep running like this," she panted, her breath visible in the cold air. "We need to find a way to stop it before it consumes us both."
"Stop it?" Lei Zhen's voice was hoarse. "How? That thing is beyond anything I've ever felt before. What is it? And why does it want me?"
Xian Mei hesitated, casting a quick glance over her shoulder. The darkness seemed to shift, to pulse with an energy of its own, as if the very air was being manipulated by the creature's will. She pushed forward, not answering his question immediately, but there was something in her eyes—something that Lei Zhen couldn't place, but it sent a chill down his spine.
"We don't have much time," she said, her voice urgent. "If we don't act now, we'll be too late. It's already gaining power."
They reached a narrow passageway hidden behind the ruins, a dark, shadowed alley that seemed to lead deeper into the temple's bowels. Xian Mei pulled him through it, the walls constricting around them as the darkness pressed in from all sides. The air grew thick with the scent of decay, and Lei Zhen's senses screamed at him to turn back.
But Xian Mei wasn't stopping. She kept moving forward with purpose, and Lei Zhen had no choice but to follow.
"What's in here?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper as they ventured deeper into the darkness.
"A seal," she answered, her tone grim. "One that's held the creature in check for centuries. But it's weakening."
Lei Zhen's heart skipped a beat. "You're telling me you can stop it?"
Xian Mei stopped suddenly, turning to face him. Her eyes glimmered with something that looked like sorrow. "No. Not alone. But with your help... maybe."
He frowned. "My help? What do you mean?"
"I didn't want you to know this." She looked away, her gaze distant. "But the creature... it's bound to you by blood. Your blood."
Lei Zhen's stomach twisted. "What? What are you talking about? My blood?"
Xian Mei took a deep breath, as if steeling herself for what she was about to reveal. "You are the descendant of the ancient ruler who sealed it away. The creature was once his enemy—my enemy. But when the ruler died, the seal weakened. And now... the creature has come for you."
Lei Zhen stood frozen, his mind struggling to process her words. He had always known there was something unusual about his past, but this? This was beyond anything he could have imagined.
"I'm a descendant of the ruler who sealed it away?" He repeated the words, not fully understanding their weight. "Then why didn't anyone tell me? Why didn't I know this?"
Xian Mei's expression softened, but there was no warmth in her gaze. "Because you weren't meant to. Your power was dormant until now. The creature was biding its time, waiting for the seal to weaken completely. It wanted you to remain unaware until the moment it was ready to claim you."
Lei Zhen shook his head in disbelief. "No... this can't be true."
But deep down, he could feel it. The strange connection that he had always sensed, something older and darker than himself. He was connected to this creature, in ways he couldn't yet understand.
Suddenly, a roar reverberated through the walls, shaking the very foundation of the temple. Lei Zhen turned toward the sound, his heart racing. It was closer now. Much closer.
"We have no time," Xian Mei urged. "The seal can hold it for only so long. You have to make a choice, Lei Zhen. Either you embrace your heritage and fight, or you let the creature claim you."
Before he could respond, the ground trembled violently. A deafening crash echoed from the depths of the temple, followed by a cold laugh that sent shivers through his spine.
"You cannot escape your destiny," the creature's voice thundered. "You are mine, Lei Zhen. Whether you fight or yield, you belong to me."
Lei Zhen clenched his fists, his body shaking with anger and fear. "I will never belong to you!"
With a final, desperate glance at Xian Mei, he turned and dashed deeper into the temple, determined to find a way to stop the creature—and to learn the truth of his bloodline before it was too late.
But as he ran, the ground cracked open beneath him, and from the dark abyss, the creature's massive form emerged once more, blocking his path.
"You are too late," it growled. "And now, you will face the consequences."
Cliffhanger: Lei Zhen stared into the creature's eyes, feeling the weight of its power pressing down on him. The battle for his soul was about to begin, and there was no turning back.