Shadow Over the Heavenly Throne

The mist thickened with every passing second. The air was heavy, saturated with something that sent chills down Deymos’ spine. It was Qi, but… altered. Corrupted. Unlike any energy he had ever known. It was chaotic, pulsing, as if something—or someone—had interfered with its very nature.

The monster stood motionless, as if analyzing their movements. Its body continued to shift—regrowing limbs, pulsing muscles, eyes stretching and shifting beneath its skin. It wasn’t an organism in the traditional sense—it was something still taking shape.

Kaelrith struck first. His sword flared with pale light as it sliced through the air, aiming for the beast’s neck. The blade connected—the sound of flesh being cut was brief—but before he could follow up with a second strike, the monster let out a guttural roar and swung wildly, forcing Kaelrith to retreat.

Monster lunged forward, its arms suddenly extending unnaturally, claws slashing through the space where Kaelrith had been a second earlier. He barely had time to block. His sword gleamed again as it deflected one of the strikes, but the force behind the blow sent him stumbling back a few steps.

"This thing is stronger than it looks!" he hissed, dodging to the side.

Maelthorn seized the opportunity to attack. He raised his hand and sent a wave of dark energy crashing into the beast’s side. But instead of weakening, the creature morphed part of its body into a flexible, black substance that absorbed a portion of the magic.

"It’s not working as it should!" Maelthorn shouted, stepping back.

Deymos moved swiftly along the perimeter of the battle, carefully observing the monster’s movements. His eyes traced the flow of Qi, watching how the energy pulsed through the creature, altering its shape.

"We’re not fighting a single body," he growled, noticing repeated patterns in the beast’s shifts. "This thing keeps rebuilding itself!"

Kaelrith didn’t hesitate. He dashed forward, striking again—this time at its leg. The cut was deep, but the creature showed no signs of pain. Instead, its body convulsed, and the wound sealed itself at an unnatural speed.

"Maelthorn, stop its regeneration!" Kaelrith barked, barely dodging as the monster lashed out with a newly formed limb.

Maelthorn was already moving. He traced quick sigils in the air, dark wisps of energy swirling around him. A weakening spell.

"If it’s using Qi to regenerate, I can slow it down—but I can’t stop it completely!" he shouted, launching a crimson arc of energy at the creature.

The spell struck its mark. The monster trembled violently, and the rate of its healing noticeably slowed. Its skin cracked instead of mending smoothly.

"Deymos! Find its weak point!" Kaelrith called out, sidestepping another attack.

Deymos was already scanning. His eyes saw beyond the physical—tracing the Qi’s movement. There was something… unusual. The energy inside the creature was in constant flux, being torn apart and rebuilt. Chaotic, shifting.

But amidst the chaos, one spot remained stable.

"The center of its chest!" he yelled. "Its Qi isn’t shifting there as fast!"

Kaelrith needed no further instruction. He weaved past the beast’s attacks with fluid agility and drove his sword straight into the marked point. The blade pierced through flesh and bone effortlessly.

The monster let out a prolonged, ear-splitting shriek. Its body trembled violently, its form becoming unstable—as if everything holding it together was anchored in that single point.

"Maelthorn, one more time!" Kaelrith shouted.

Maelthorn lifted his hand, unleashing one final surge of energy. Black magic engulfed the creature, disrupting the Qi that sustained it.

For several seconds, the beast stood motionless. And then… it collapsed into pieces.

Silence fell over the battlefield.

"That was… different," Deymos muttered, watching the remnants of the creature, faint traces of Qi still lingering in the air.

Kaelrith wiped his sword against his sleeve.

"We’re pulling back," he said, glancing at his companions and wiping sweat from his brow. "One of these things forced the three of us to work together. If there’s an entire horde of them in this labyrinth, we don’t stand a chance."

Maelthorn and Deymos exchanged glances, realizing Kaelrith was right. Their mission had been reconnaissance, not the elimination of an unknown threat.

"We’ve gathered enough intel. It’s time to return to the palace and report to the King," Kaelrith added firmly.

Deymos took one last look at the monster’s dissolving remains, the wisps of Qi still rising from its shattered form. This thing wasn’t just a beast.

***

Sylphia combed through her damp silver hair, glancing at Shion, who stood beside her in a simple, clean dress. After the bath, she looked different—calmer, yet still visibly tense.

"I don’t know if I should wear something like this…" Shion murmured, running her fingers over the fabric. "This belongs to you, Princess."

Sylphia rolled her eyes and waved dismissively.

"Stop saying nonsense. It’s just a dress. Besides, it looks good on you." She gave Shion a mildly irritated smile. "And stop calling me Princess."

"Alright, time for cultivation," Sylphia announced after a moment, settling comfortably onto a cushion on the floor.

Shion lifted her head as if unsure whether she had heard correctly.

"Cultivation?" she asked softly.

"Yes. Come, sit next to me."

Shion hesitated, then took a step back instead.

"I can’t…" she whispered, gripping her hands tightly on her lap. "I’m not allowed to."

Sylphia frowned. "Not allowed? Why?"

"Someone like me… isn’t worthy of cultivating." Her voice was quiet, as if she were repeating something that had been drilled into her for years. "Only those who are special, those with talent, can do it. Not someone like me."

Sylphia stared at her for a moment before letting out an irritated sigh.

"What idiots!" she growled, clenching her fists. "If someone told you that, I want to find them and set them on fire."

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she stepped forward and crouched in front of Shion, gently taking her hands.

"Shion… Listen to me carefully. Cultivation isn’t just for those who’ve been labeled as ‘special.’ There’s no such thing as being ‘worthy’ of cultivation. Anyone who breathes and feels Qi can do it. That includes you."

She met Shion’s gaze, making sure her words truly reached her.

"I won’t let you believe those lies. You have every right to become stronger. If no one ever taught you, then I will."

Shion looked at her uncertainly, as if still struggling to believe it could be true.

"But… how?" she whispered.

Sylphia smiled gently and sat down, patting the space beside her.

"First, you need to understand what Qi is." She placed her hands on her lap and closed her eyes. "It’s energy that exists all around us. In the air, the earth, the water… within us. Cultivation is about absorbing it and guiding it through your body, strengthening yourself and allowing growth."

Shion hesitantly sat beside her, still full of doubt.

"And how do I do that?"

"I’ll show you." Sylphia opened one eye and gave her a reassuring smile. "First, close your eyes and focus inward. Try to feel the Qi around you."

Shion remained silent for a moment but obediently shut her eyes. Sylphia watched as her breathing gradually steadied.

"Don’t force it. It’s like breathing—natural and fluid. Qi isn’t something you grab with strength. You have to let it flow into you."

Shion furrowed her brows, concentrating on Sylphia’s words. After a few moments, something stirred within her—a faint, almost imperceptible warmth brushing against her skin.

"I feel… something," she whispered hesitantly.

"Good. Now let it enter you, guide it as you would air into your lungs. Slowly, calmly."

Shion followed the instructions, inhaling deeply. Sylphia observed her with quiet satisfaction.

"This is just the beginning, but you’ve taken your first step." Sylphia smiled. "Now, you need to keep practicing until you’re so exhausted you can’t stand up, and all you’ll think about is sleep."

With that, she closed her eyes and focused on absorbing Qi herself, breathing deeply and steadily. The air around them seemed to hum, as if the energy was beginning to synchronize in rhythm with their presence.