The air was cooler in the shadow of the mountains, the jagged peaks clawing at the overcast sky. Hu Jun's footsteps crunched against the gravel path, his pace steady but unhurried. He had wandered far from the ruins of the Silver Conclave, his path winding through dense forests and treacherous cliffs. The once-bright crimson of his eyes had dulled, but the weight of his actions clung to him like a shroud.
He had no destination, no clear purpose. Every step felt hollow, as though he was a specter bound to wander endlessly. But a faint pull guided him—a whisper in the back of his mind, leading him toward something he could not yet name.
It was near dusk when he arrived at a small village nestled in the valley. Smoke rose from chimneys, the scent of burning wood mingling with the faint aroma of cooking stew. Children laughed as they chased each other through the muddy streets, their carefree voices starkly at odds with the chaos he had left behind. Hu Jun hesitated at the edge of the village, his presence a shadow threatening to mar the fragile peace.
He pulled the tattered hood of his cloak over his head, concealing his face as he entered. Villagers glanced at him warily but said nothing, their suspicion tempered by the sight of his worn appearance. He moved toward the inn at the center of the village, the flickering glow of lanterns spilling through its windows.
The innkeeper, a stout man with graying hair, looked him up and down as he entered. "Traveler, are you seeking a room?"
Hu Jun nodded, keeping his voice low. "Just for the night."
The man grunted and gestured toward the stairs. "First room on the left. Payment up front."
Hu Jun placed a few coins on the counter without a word. As he ascended the creaking stairs, he felt the weight of the villagers' eyes on his back. He closed the door to his room behind him and leaned against it, exhaling a slow, measured breath. The space was small but clean, a single cot pressed against one wall and a basin of water on a rickety table. It was a far cry from the grandeur of the stronghold he had destroyed, but it was enough.
The quiet was short-lived. As Hu Jun settled onto the cot, a faint knock sounded at the door. His hand instinctively went to the dagger at his belt as he stood. He opened the door cautiously, only to find a young woman standing there, her expression wary but determined. Her dark hair was tied back, and a sword hung at her hip.
"I know who you are," she said, her voice steady despite the tension in her posture.
Hu Jun's crimson eyes narrowed. "Then you should know it's dangerous to seek me out."
The woman didn't flinch. "You're not as subtle as you think. Stories of the Silver Conclave's fall reached us days ago. They said it was the work of a demon with eyes like fire."
"And yet here you are," he said, his tone sharp. "What do you want?"
She hesitated, glancing over her shoulder as though ensuring no one was listening. "I'm here because I have questions—about what you're really after. About the Conclave. About the darkness you're running from."
Hu Jun's jaw tightened. "I'm not running from anything."
The woman stepped closer, her gaze unrelenting. "Aren't you? The destruction you leave in your wake says otherwise. But I think there's more to your story. You were once a protector, weren't you?"
Her words struck a nerve, and Hu Jun's hand gripped the doorframe tightly. "Leave," he said through clenched teeth. "Before you get yourself killed."
"Not until you hear me out," she pressed. "The Conclave wasn't innocent. They destroyed my home, my family. I've been hunting them for years. If you've turned against them, then maybe we have a common enemy."
Hu Jun's eyes softened briefly, but the shadows of guilt and regret quickly returned. "You don't know what you're asking."
"Don't I?" she challenged. "I've seen what they're capable of. Whatever darkness you've embraced, it's nothing compared to the horrors they've unleashed."
Silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken truths. Finally, Hu Jun stepped back, gesturing for her to enter. "If you're so eager to talk, then talk. But don't expect me to promise anything."
She entered cautiously, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. As she spoke, she revealed the depths of her hatred for the Conclave, recounting tales of villages razed and innocents slaughtered. Her voice wavered only once, when she spoke of her younger brother, taken and never seen again.
Hu Jun listened in silence, his crimson eyes unreadable. When she finished, he let out a low sigh. "The Conclave's crimes are endless. But don't mistake me for a savior. Whatever your cause, you're better off without me."
"Maybe," she admitted. "But I don't think you believe that. If you did, you wouldn't have spared that child in the stronghold."
His eyes widened slightly, but he quickly masked his surprise. "You're bold, assuming you know me."
"I don't," she said firmly. "But I'd like to. And I think, deep down, you'd like to be known."
Hu Jun looked away, the weight of her words settling over him like a storm cloud. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, he felt the faintest flicker of something he couldn't name. Hope, perhaps. Or maybe it was simply the recognition that he could not walk this path alone forever.
"You're persistent," he muttered. "Fine. If you insist on following me, don't expect me to save you when things go wrong."
The woman's lips quirked into a faint smile. "I'll take my chances."
As the night deepened, the two sat in uneasy companionship, their fates now intertwined. For the first time since the fall of the Silver Conclave, Hu Jun allowed himself to wonder if there might still be a way forward—one that didn't end in utter ruin.