Published at 27th of September 2024 8:54 am

Chapter 26: Echoes of Darkness

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Wei Long stood over the bodies of Lei Feng and Gao Ren, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The blood on his sword glistened in the fading light of the day, the forest eerily silent. The weight of his actions pressed on him, but so did something else—something far more sinister. The orb, still pulsing with its dark energy, whispered to him, its presence now almost inseparable from his own thoughts.

For a moment, he stared down at the corpses, his hand trembling on the hilt of his sword. He had won, but at what cost? Lei Feng and Gao Ren had been traitors, yes, but they had been part of his team, people he had once trusted. He had taken their lives with a frightening ease, and it chilled him to the core.

The orb’s whispers grew louder.

“More will betray you… none are worthy…”

Wei Long clenched his teeth, struggling to push the dark thoughts from his mind. He couldn't let the orb control him, no matter how powerful it made him feel. He had to stay focused, had to keep his mind clear. There were still battles to be fought, and enemies to face.

But even as he tried to calm himself, the darkness inside him seemed to spread, creeping through his veins like a poison. He could feel the pull of the orb, its desire for more blood, more power. It wanted him to give in completely, to let it take over.

But Wei Long wasn’t ready to surrender his soul—not yet.

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Back at the camp, Lin Mei and the others had successfully fended off the ambush. The group was battered but alive, though the atmosphere was grim. Lin Mei looked around, noticing Wei Long’s absence. Her heart sank. She had seen him break away from the group in the chaos of the fight, and now he was nowhere to be found.

“He went after them,” she realized, her eyes narrowing. “He went after Lei Feng and Gao Ren.”

The others shared uneasy glances. They had all sensed the tension between Wei Long and the two men, but no one had expected it to come to this. Lin Mei grabbed her weapons and motioned for the others to follow. “We need to find him. Now.”

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As Lin Mei led the group through the forest, tracking Wei Long’s path, her mind raced with possibilities. She had always known Wei Long to be strong, but something had changed in him recently. His power had grown exponentially, but so had his unpredictability. The darkness she had sensed in him was growing, and it terrified her.

After what felt like hours, they came upon the clearing. The sight that greeted them was nothing short of horrifying.

Lei Feng and Gao Ren lay dead at Wei Long’s feet, their bodies twisted and broken. Wei Long stood over them, his back to the group, his sword still in hand. The air around him seemed to hum with dark energy, and even from a distance, Lin Mei could feel the oppressive weight of the orb’s power.

“Wei Long…” Lin Mei’s voice was barely a whisper, but it carried through the clearing.

He turned slowly, his face unreadable, his eyes shadowed by exhaustion and something else—something far more dangerous. The group halted in their tracks, unsure of what to do or say. The tension in the air was palpable, and for a brief moment, no one moved.

Lin Mei stepped forward, her heart pounding in her chest. “What happened?”

Wei Long didn’t answer at first. He glanced down at the bodies, his expression hardening. “They were planning to betray us,” he said finally, his voice flat. “I took care of it.”

The others exchanged uneasy glances. The calmness in his voice was unnerving, as if killing two of his comrades had been nothing more than a necessary chore. Lin Mei could see the change in him—the way his posture had shifted, the way the orb pulsed at his side, feeding off his emotions.

“You didn’t have to kill them,” Lin Mei said carefully, her voice soft but firm. “We could have handled it together.”

“They would have killed us all,” Wei Long replied, his voice cold. “I couldn’t risk it.”

Lin Mei felt a surge of frustration, but more than that, fear. She could see the darkness creeping into Wei Long, could feel the pull of the orb in every word he spoke. He had always been strong, but now… now he was something else. Something dangerous.

She stepped closer, her eyes locked on his. “This isn’t you, Wei Long. This is the orb talking. It’s controlling you.”

Wei Long’s grip on his sword tightened. “I’m in control,” he said, though his voice wavered slightly.

“No, you’re not,” Lin Mei said, her voice urgent. “You’ve changed. We all see it. You can’t let this thing consume you. We need you—your real self.”

For a moment, Wei Long hesitated. The orb’s whispers grew louder, urging him to push her away, to sever the ties of trust and loyalty that bound him to the group. But there was a flicker of something else in him—something deeper, more human. He had known Lin Mei for so long, had fought beside her, trusted her with his life.

But the orb’s power was intoxicating. It made him feel invincible, beyond mortal concerns like friendship or loyalty. It promised him more power, more control, if only he would let go of the last remnants of his humanity.

“I can’t,” Wei Long said finally, his voice barely audible.

Lin Mei’s heart broke at the words. She could see the struggle in his eyes, the war he was fighting within himself. But she couldn’t reach him—not like this.

“Wei Long,” she said, stepping even closer, her voice soft but insistent. “We can help you. You don’t have to do this alone. Let us in.”

The others watched in tense silence, unsure of what would happen next. Wei Long stood frozen, his eyes locked on Lin Mei’s, the orb’s whispers pounding in his skull. For a moment, he thought he might give in, might let them help him.

But then, in the blink of an eye, the orb surged with dark energy, and Wei Long felt his resolve harden.

“No,” he said, his voice cold and final. “I don’t need help. I don’t need any of you.”

Before Lin Mei could react, Wei Long turned and disappeared into the forest, his figure swallowed by the shadows.

_______________________________________________________________

The group was left standing in stunned silence, the weight of what had just happened pressing down on them like a suffocating blanket. Lin Mei stood frozen, her mind reeling. She had tried to reach him, but the darkness had already taken hold.

“He’s gone,” one of the others said quietly, the words heavy with resignation.

Lin Mei clenched her fists, her jaw set in determination. “No. He’s not gone. Not yet. We’re going to get him back.”

The others looked at her with a mix of doubt and hope, but none of them questioned her resolve.

“He’s strong, but he’s not lost,” Lin Mei continued, her voice filled with conviction. “We’re going to find him, and we’re going to bring him back. No matter what it takes.”

As the group prepared to move, Lin Mei cast one last glance at the spot where Wei Long had stood. She could still feel the weight of the orb’s dark energy lingering in the air, a reminder of the battle they were about to face—not just against the Jade Serpent Sect, but against the darkness that had claimed their leader.

The storm was coming, and Lin Mei knew that when it broke, it would either destroy them or forge them into something stronger.

Either way, they had no choice but to face it head-on.

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