The world spins around Li Wei, her mind disoriented as darkness wraps around her like a suffocating shroud. The last thing she remembers is the eerie figure in the well, its shadowy form consuming everything in its path. But now, in this void of blackness, she can't tell whether she's fallen into a dream or something far worse.
She blinks, her eyes struggling to adjust to the oppressive darkness. Her senses feel dulled, as if the very air she breathes has become thick and heavy, smothering her with every inhale. Her body feels disconnected, as though she's floating, weightless in an endless sea of shadow.
"Jian?" she calls out, but her voice is a mere whisper, swallowed by the void. The silence around her is deafening, a kind of stillness that presses in from every side.
For a moment, there's nothing but silence—then a cold wind stirs, faintly at first, and Li Wei's heart skips a beat. She feels something shift in the darkness, a presence, something ancient and powerful that lingers just beyond the reach of her senses. The ground beneath her feet begins to hum, an energy vibrating through her every fiber.
A soft voice, not quite a whisper but not quite a roar, fills the space around her.
"Welcome to the trial."
Li Wei's eyes widen. The voice doesn't belong to any one person—it's a collective, a chorus of many, speaking with one voice. But it's not the voice that sends a shiver down her spine—it's the coldness, the weight of the words, the underlying threat beneath them.
"What... is this?" she asks, her voice shaky, but strong with the remnants of her resolve.
The voice answers, its tone even more foreboding. "A trial that you cannot escape. A test of your spirit, your will, your very soul."
The shadows around her shift, twisting and forming into shapes, not entirely human, but not entirely alien either. Figures emerge, half-formed, as if they've been carved from the darkness itself. Some are familiar, their faces twisted by time and sorrow; others are strangers, their features shifting in and out of focus, as if their very identity is uncertain.
"Who are you?" Li Wei demands, taking a cautious step backward. She can feel the weight of their eyes on her, even though she can't see them clearly. It's as if the very darkness is alive, watching, judging, waiting.
"We are the echoes of what once was," the voice replies, echoing through her mind. "We are the choices you have yet to make. The fears you've yet to face. The burdens you refuse to bear."
Li Wei's heart races, and she tightens her grip on her sword. "What do you want from me?"
The shadows form again, this time coalescing into a figure—a man, or something that resembles one, but his face is obscured by a veil of shifting darkness. His voice, when he speaks, is cold and mocking.
"To find the child, you must first find yourself," he says, his words like a cruel riddle. "The journey ahead will be long and treacherous, but it is nothing compared to the path that lies within. To find the truth, you must confront the shadows within your own heart."
Li Wei feels a chill run down her spine. She's not afraid of the trials ahead—not afraid of the darkness, not afraid of the curse. But this—this is something else. The very idea of confronting herself, her past, her own fears—it's too much.
"You want me to face my own demons," she says, her voice steady despite the unease creeping into her thoughts.
The shadowed figure nods, his face twisting into a distorted grin. "Precisely. Only then can you begin to understand the child's role. Only then can you decide what you are willing to sacrifice."
Li Wei feels the weight of those words settle over her like a cloak, suffocating in its implications. She's already given so much, lost so much. The curse, the child, the quest—everything has been a series of tests, trials of strength and spirit. But this? This feels different. It feels personal. And for the first time in a long while, Li Wei is uncertain.
Before she can respond, the shadows around her shift again, forming into something new—something far more tangible.
A mirror.
At first, it seems like any other mirror, its surface smooth and flawless. But as Li Wei steps closer, she sees the reflection staring back at her. It's her, but it's not. Her reflection is distorted, twisted by shadows, and the eyes staring back at her are not her own—they are cold, empty, lost.
"You have lost more than you know," the voice says again, its tone softer now, almost pitying. "You have buried your fears, your regrets, your past. But it will not stay buried forever. It will rise, and you will face it, whether you're ready or not."
Li Wei reaches out to touch the mirror, her reflection doing the same. As soon as her fingers make contact with the cold surface, the world around her shatters.
Suddenly, she's not standing in the void anymore.
Instead, she's back in the temple—the very place where it all began. The walls are crumbling, the air thick with the scent of incense, the faint glow of candlelight casting long shadows over the stone floor.
And standing before her is a figure from her past—the one she never wanted to face.
It's her mother.
But this version of her mother is not the kind, loving woman Li Wei remembers. This woman is cold, distant, and her eyes are filled with judgment.
"You've failed," her mother says, her voice a haunting echo of everything Li Wei feared she might become. "You've failed to protect those you love. You've failed to carry the legacy."
Li Wei takes a step back, shaking her head. "No, I—"
"You've spent your life running from your mistakes," her mother interrupts, stepping forward. "But now, there is nowhere left to run. You must face the truth, Li Wei. Only then can you move forward. Only then can you end the curse."
Tears well in Li Wei's eyes, but she fights them back. She's not a child anymore. She doesn't need to be held by her past.
"You're not real," she says, her voice trembling but defiant. "I'm not afraid of you anymore."
Her mother's cold eyes flicker, just for a moment, but it's enough to shatter the illusion. The image of her mother dissolves into the same shadows that have haunted this place, fading away until it's nothing more than a lingering whisper.
Li Wei stands alone in the darkness once more, but now, something has changed inside her. She's no longer the same person who entered this trial.
She has faced her past—and she's ready to face whatever comes next.