When the Heavens Shattered

Li Wei's breath came in short, shallow bursts as he stared at the colossal entity looming in the distance. The Void Devourer—a monstrous shadow stretching across the fractured sky—watched him, its form rippling like liquid darkness.

A shiver crawled down his spine. This place, with its crystalline ground and sky riddled with glowing cracks, felt entirely outside the realm of the ordinary. It was as if he had stepped into the remnants of a shattered world.

Where am I?

The pendant around his neck pulsed with warmth, its light faint but steady. The same voice that had guided him before echoed in his mind, its tone eerily calm.

"You have crossed the threshold of the Ethereal Abyss. This place does not abide by mortal laws. Here, time twists, space bends, and fear takes form. Survive, or be consumed."

Li Wei clenched his fists. His body felt heavier here, as if an invisible force pressed down on him. He turned his head, scanning the crystalline terrain for any sign of Yue Ling. The last thing he remembered was the ground crumbling beneath them. Had she fallen into a different part of this abyss?

"Yue Ling!" he called, his voice swallowed by the unnatural silence.

No answer.

A growl rumbled in the distance. The Void Devourer shifted, its massive, shifting form dispersing and reforming as if it were made of living shadows. The air around Li Wei turned frigid, and he felt something clawing at the edges of his consciousness.

"Your fear nourishes it."

Li Wei forced himself to take a deep breath. The pendant's glow brightened, its warmth spreading through his chest. He exhaled slowly. Fear wouldn't save him here.

Gritting his teeth, he moved forward, his boots crunching against the crystalline ground.

Every step sent small, shimmering fragments scattering into the air, dissolving like mist. The landscape ahead twisted with strange formations—floating rocks, jagged pillars of translucent stone, and pools of inky black liquid that seemed to absorb all light.

A sharp whisper sliced through the silence.

"...Wei…"

Li Wei's head snapped up. That voice—he recognized it.

"Yue Ling?"

He turned, scanning his surroundings. Shadows flickered in the corner of his vision.

Movement. Something shifted within the darkness beyond the crystalline pillars.

A figure emerged.

Li Wei's breath caught in his throat.

It was Yue Ling.

Or at least, it looked like her.

She stood motionless, her form slightly translucent, as if she weren't entirely solid. Her dark hair flowed unnaturally, and her eyes—those intelligent, sharp eyes—were vacant, a dull silver glow replacing their usual vibrance.

"Yue Ling?" Li Wei took a cautious step forward.

She tilted her head, her lips parting. "...Wei…" Her voice was distant, echoing, as though carried on a breeze that didn't exist.

Something was wrong.

The pendant flared, heat searing against his skin. The voice in his head spoke once more, urgent.

"She is not what she appears to be."

Li Wei's heart pounded. He tightened his grip on his wooden sword, his knuckles turning white. "Who are you?" he demanded.

The not-Yue Ling let out a soft, unnatural laugh. "Come closer and find out."

Li Wei didn't move.

Then she lunged.

A blur of motion—too fast. He barely had time to react before she was upon him. Her fingers, now elongated and claw-like, slashed at his chest. He twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the attack, but the wind from her strike sent a searing chill through his skin.

Too fast.

He staggered backward, raising his sword instinctively. The creature wearing Yue Ling's face grinned, her features distorting for a split second before snapping back into place.

"Are you afraid?" she whispered.

Li Wei swallowed hard, his mind racing. If this wasn't Yue Ling, then where was the real one?

The entity attacked again. This time, Li Wei was ready.

He ducked low, pivoting on his heel, and swung his sword with all his might. The moment his blade connected, the pendant flared again—this time, unleashing a pulse of golden light.

The creature shrieked as the energy engulfed her, her form flickering and distorting. Shadows peeled away, revealing a ghastly, featureless humanoid figure beneath. It let out a final, wailing cry before shattering into fragments of darkness that quickly dissipated.

Li Wei's chest heaved as he steadied himself. The warmth from the pendant lingered, its glow fading slightly.

That wasn't Yue Ling. But was it something trying to become her?

The realization sent a shudder down his spine. The Ethereal Abyss wasn't just a test of physical strength—it was probing his mind, his fears, his emotions.

If it can create illusions… can it create lies?

A low growl echoed from the horizon. The Void Devourer had begun to move.

Li Wei turned, his eyes narrowing. He had wasted enough time. Yue Ling was here somewhere, and he wasn't leaving without her.

He exhaled sharply, forcing his fear aside.

"Let's see how deep this abyss goes."

With that, he ran toward the unknown, stepping deeper into the realm where reality itself seemed to unravel.