Hours later, the battle was over. The Abyssal forces had retreated, but the group was battered and exhausted. They made camp in a secluded cave near the cliffs, the faint glow of their fire casting flickering shadows on the walls.
Lin Tian sat apart from the others, his gaze distant as he cleaned his blade. The weight of the battle and the growing threat of the Abyssal Order pressed heavily on his shoulders. He barely noticed Bai Xianyu approaching until she sat beside him.
"You're pushing yourself too hard," she said softly, her voice breaking the silence.
Lin Tian glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "I don't have a choice. If I stop, they'll kill us all."
"Even so," Bai Xianyu murmured, her hand brushing against his. "You can't carry everything alone."
Lin Tian's eyes softened, the walls he'd built around himself cracking slightly. "Why are you still here, Xianyu? After everything, you could have walked away."
"Maybe I should have," she said with a faint smile. "But I didn't. Something about you… it makes me want to stay."
Her words hung in the air, their weight heavy with unspoken emotions. Lin Tian turned to her fully, his gaze searching hers. "You don't make this easy."
"Do you want easy?" she asked, leaning closer. "Because I don't think you do."
Before he could respond, she pressed her lips to his, the kiss both daring and tender. Lin Tian hesitated for only a moment before deepening the kiss, his hand finding its way to her waist.
The world around them faded, the weight of their burdens momentarily forgotten. Bai Xianyu's fingers tangled in his hair, her touch igniting a fire that had long been buried beneath duty and pain.
When they finally pulled apart, their breaths mingling in the cool air, Bai Xianyu smiled faintly. "I don't know where this will lead, Lin Tian. But I want to be part of it."
Lin Tian brushed a strand of hair from her face, his touch lingering. "Then stay. We'll figure it out together."
As the night deepened, the cave grew quiet, the only sound the crackling of the fire. But even in the stillness, Lin Tian knew the storm was far from over. The Abyssal Order would come again, and next time, they would be stronger.
For now, though, he allowed himself a moment of peace—a fleeting solace in the arms of someone who, despite everything, had chosen to stand by his side.