Ebon Shard of the Eternal Abyss

Chapter 3: Into the Wilds

The forest beyond Emberfall was a labyrinth of towering trees and tangled undergrowth, their shadows stretching long in the fading light of the crimson sun. Sui Xuanchi and Lian Mei moved swiftly, their footsteps muffled by the thick layer of fallen leaves. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and the distant cries of unseen creatures. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig, set Sui Xuanchi’s nerves on edge.

The Ebon Shard hung heavy at his side, its abyssal energy a constant, cold weight against his hip. The Fire Fang Snake coiled tightly around his arm, its flames flickering faintly, as if wary of the shard’s presence. Lian Mei walked a few paces ahead, her Silver Moon Lynx prowling silently beside her, its luminous eyes scanning the shadows for threats.

“We can’t keep running forever,” Lian Mei said, breaking the silence. Her voice was calm, but Sui Xuanchi could hear the tension beneath it. “The Shadow Fang Sect won’t stop until they have you. And now that they’ve seen the Ebon Shard…”

She trailed off, but the unspoken words hung heavily between them. The Ebon Shard’s power was too great, too dangerous, to be left in the hands of anyone—especially a sect as ruthless as the Shadow Fang.

“I know,” Sui Xuanchi said, his voice low. “But I can’t let them have it. The shard… it’s not just a weapon. It’s something more. Something… alive.”

Lian Mei glanced back at him, her brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

Before Sui Xuanchi could answer, a low growl echoed through the trees. The Silver Moon Lynx froze, its ears twitching as it turned toward the sound. Sui Xuanchi and Lian Mei exchanged a glance, their bodies tensing as they prepared for another fight.

From the shadows emerged a massive beast—a wolf, its fur as black as midnight, its eyes glowing with a sinister light. It was the same wolf that had attacked them in the village square, but now it was alone, its movements slow and deliberate. Blood dripped from a deep gash along its side, the wound inflicted by the Ebon Shard’s abyssal energy.

“It followed us,” Lian Mei whispered, her voice barely audible.

The wolf bared its teeth, a low growl rumbling in its throat. Sui Xuanchi stepped forward, the Fire Fang Snake uncoiling from his arm, its flames flaring to life. But before he could attack, the wolf lunged.

The battle was swift and brutal. The wolf’s movements were erratic, its injuries slowing it down, but its strength was undeniable. The Fire Fang Snake struck with blazing fury, its molten fangs sinking into the wolf’s flank, but the beast barely seemed to notice. It swiped at Sui Xuanchi with its massive claws, forcing him to dodge and roll to avoid being struck.

Lian Mei joined the fray, her Silver Moon Lynx darting in and out of the shadows, its claws slashing at the wolf’s legs. But even with their combined efforts, the wolf refused to fall.

Sui Xuanchi gritted his teeth, his mind racing. He knew he couldn’t rely on the Fire Fang Snake alone. The Ebon Shard’s whispers grew louder, urging him to draw the blade, to unleash its power. But he hesitated. The shard’s energy was unpredictable, and he wasn’t sure he could control it.

The wolf lunged again, its jaws snapping inches from Sui Xuanchi’s face. This time, he didn’t hesitate. He drew the Ebon Shard.

The moment the blade left its sheath, the forest seemed to hold its breath. The air grew cold, and the shadows twisted unnaturally, stretching toward the shard as if drawn to its power. Sui Xuanchi swung the blade, and a wave of abyssal energy surged forward, striking the wolf with a force that sent it crashing into a tree.

The beast howled in pain, its body convulsing as the shard’s energy consumed it. For a moment, it seemed as though the wolf would rise again, but then its glowing eyes dimmed, and it collapsed, lifeless.

Sui Xuanchi stood frozen, the Ebon Shard trembling in his hand. The whispers in his mind grew louder, more insistent, and he could feel the shard’s cold energy seeping into his veins. It was intoxicating, but also terrifying.

“Xuanchi,” Lian Mei said, her voice cutting through the haze. She stepped closer, her eyes filled with concern. “Are you okay?”

He nodded, though he wasn’t sure if it was true. He sheathed the Ebon Shard, its energy receding but not disappearing. The Fire Fang Snake coiled around his arm, its flames flickering uneasily.

“We need to keep moving,” he said, his voice steady despite the turmoil within him. “The Shadow Fang Sect won’t be far behind.”

Lian Mei nodded, though her gaze lingered on the Ebon Shard. She didn’t press him further, but Sui Xuanchi could see the questions in her eyes. Questions he wasn’t ready to answer.

As they continued deeper into the forest, the shadows seemed to grow thicker, the air colder. Sui Xuanchi couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched, that something—or someone—was following them. The Ebon Shard’s whispers grew louder, more urgent, and he knew that their journey was far from over.

The cosmos had shifted, and the balance of power was changing. Sui Xuanchi’s awakening of the Ebon Shard had set events into motion that neither he nor Lian Mei could fully comprehend. But one thing was certain—the path ahead would be fraught with danger, and the choices they made would shape the fate of the cosmos itself.

---