When the Heavens Shattered

Chapter 6: Whispers in the Abyss

Li Wei gasped as he slammed into the cold, unyielding ground. His vision blurred, his ears ringing from the force of his fall. For a moment, he lay still, struggling to catch his breath. The air around him was thick, heavy with an oppressive energy that sent chills down his spine.

Darkness stretched in all directions, only faintly illuminated by the glowing cracks in the distant sky. The crystalline ground beneath him pulsed faintly, as if alive. Somewhere nearby, water dripped rhythmically, the only sound in the suffocating silence.

Where was Yue Ling?

Panic surged through him. He pushed himself to his feet, his body protesting with sharp aches. "Yue Ling!" he called out, his voice echoing strangely in the abyss.

Silence.

His grip tightened around the pendant hanging from his neck. It had saved him before—would it do so again? He closed his eyes, focusing on the warmth radiating from the strange metal. "Help me find her."

A pulse of energy rippled outward, and suddenly, the silence was broken.

"You are not alone."

The voice whispered through his mind, deeper this time, more insistent. It was neither comforting nor threatening—just... watching. Waiting.

Li Wei shuddered. "Who are you?"

The voice did not answer. Instead, a shadow shifted in the periphery of his vision. He turned sharply, his heart pounding. A figure emerged from the darkness—a humanoid form, but its face was shrouded in shadow, its movements unnaturally smooth.

"Why do you seek the girl?"

Li Wei swallowed hard. "She's my friend. I need to find her."

The figure tilted its head. "Need? Or want?"

A cold dread coiled in his gut. He had no time for riddles. "Tell me where she is, or get out of my way."

The figure let out a hollow chuckle. "So bold. And yet, so fragile." It raised a hand, and suddenly, the ground trembled beneath Li Wei's feet. Dark tendrils slithered from the cracks, reaching toward him.

Li Wei instinctively leaped back, his mind racing. His wooden practice sword was gone—lost in the fall. He had nothing but his wits and the strange energy within his pendant.

He gritted his teeth, reaching deep within himself. If he couldn't fight with strength, he would fight with his mind.

"If you know so much, then you know who I am," Li Wei said, forcing confidence into his voice. "You know why I'm here."

The shadow paused. "I know many things. But you... you are a mystery even to yourself."

A flash of white light burst from the pendant, cutting through the gloom. The shadow recoiled with an inhuman hiss, its form flickering like smoke in the wind. Li Wei didn't hesitate—he turned and ran.

The ground shifted beneath his feet as he moved, the abyss warping around him. It was a labyrinth of illusions and dangers, a place that did not obey the laws of the world he knew. But he pushed forward, fueled by a singular thought: finding Yue Ling.

After what felt like an eternity, he spotted movement in the distance. A figure slumped against a jagged crystal formation.

"Yue Ling!"

He sprinted to her side. Her robes were torn, her breathing shallow. A thin trickle of blood ran from a gash on her forehead. Relief and fear warred within him as he knelt beside her, shaking her gently.

She stirred, her eyelids fluttering open. "Li Wei...?" Her voice was weak, but the recognition in her eyes sent a surge of relief through him.

"I'm here. We have to move—this place isn't safe."

She tried to sit up, wincing. "What happened? I remember falling, and then... darkness."

"We got separated. But something's down here with us. It—it spoke to me."

Yue Ling's expression darkened. "Then we're not alone. And that's not good."

Li Wei helped her to her feet, supporting her weight as she steadied herself. The ground beneath them trembled again, as if reacting to their presence. They had to find a way out.

A distant roar rumbled through the abyss, making the very air vibrate.

Yue Ling tensed. "That... didn't sound friendly."

Li Wei nodded grimly. "We need to move. Now."

They pressed forward, the shadows shifting around them. Every step felt like a battle against the abyss itself. The eerie whispers grew louder, slithering into their minds like tendrils of doubt.

"Turn back."

"You are not meant to be here."

"The Devourer is waking."

Li Wei forced the voices away, gripping Yue Ling's hand tighter. He wouldn't give in to fear. He had come too far. They had to keep moving.

Then, just ahead, a faint glow flickered in the darkness—a break in the abyss. Hope surged within him.

"Look!" He pointed. "An exit!"

Yue Ling's eyes widened, but before they could take another step, the shadows roiled violently. A massive shape loomed before them, its presence suffocating.

The Void Devourer.

A creature of nightmares, its form shifting like liquid darkness, its glowing crimson eyes locking onto them with an unnatural hunger. The ground cracked beneath its weight as it moved, tendrils of black mist writhing around it.

Li Wei barely had time to react before it lunged.

Time slowed. The pendant at his chest burned hot, filling him with a power he did not understand. His mind sharpened, his body moving before he could think.

"Yue Ling, get back!"

He threw himself forward, arms outstretched, as the abyss itself seemed to rise to meet him.

Then, everything exploded into white light.