Season 1 : Chapter 8 (A WARNING IN THE DARK)

Chapter 8: A Warning in the Dark

The cavern stretched before them, vast and unyielding, its oppressive silence pressing down like a tangible weight. Shadows slithered along the jagged walls, shifting with each flicker of torchlight. The battle had left both Lee Kung and Mia exhausted, their bodies aching from countless scrapes and bruises, but they pressed on, driven by the memory of the little girl's final words.

Lee Kung tightened his grip on the obsidian sword. Though the storm of his power had subsided, a lingering energy hummed beneath his skin, coiled like a beast ready to be unleashed. He didn't know what lay ahead, but he knew one thing—he would not let anything stand in his way.

The deeper they ventured, the more unsettling the cave became. The damp air carried an eerie resonance, almost like whispers weaving through the stone. Mia shuddered but said nothing, keeping her staff close as she followed closely behind Lee Kung.

Then, the ground beneath them trembled.

A deep, guttural sound reverberated through the cave, sending loose pebbles tumbling from the walls. The air thickened with an overwhelming presence—something far greater than the sirens they had just faced.

Lee Kung halted, his breath steady but his heart pounding. From the darkness ahead, something moved.

At first, it was just a shadow, a hulking form shifting in the gloom. Then, as the mist parted, it revealed itself.

A siren unlike any they had seen before.

It was massive, towering over the others they had battled. Its translucent skin shimmered with an eerie bioluminescence, pulsing faintly with each breath. Unlike the others, its form was more solid, its limbs more defined—stronger, deadlier. And yet, despite its sheer size and the raw power emanating from it, the creature trembled.

Mia's breath caught in her throat. "That's… it's enormous."

Lee Kung took a step forward, unafraid. The sword in his hand pulsed in response, but he did not raise it. Instead, he locked eyes with the creature, his expression unreadable.

The siren flinched, its body quivering as though it sensed the same power that had annihilated its kin moments ago. It did not attack. It did not advance. It merely stood there, staring.

A low, rumbling growl emanated from its throat—not a threat, but a warning.

Lee Kung exhaled slowly. He understood. This creature, despite its size and fearsome presence, was afraid. It had seen what he was capable of, and it knew that challenging him would mean destruction.

Mia's grip on her staff tightened. "Lee Kung… what do we do?"

He didn't respond immediately. Instead, he took another step forward, his voice steady and filled with authority.

"Go back." His words echoed in the cavern, cutting through the silence like a blade. "Go back and tell the others that you are never to set foot on the surface again. If you do, I will find you. And I will destroy you."

The siren's glowing eyes widened slightly, and for a moment, there was only silence. Then, with a trembling step, it began to retreat. The mist swallowed its form once more, and in the distance, the whispers of the cavern grew louder, echoing Lee Kung's words.

Mia let out a slow breath. "Do you think it will listen?"

Lee Kung didn't take his eyes off the darkness where the siren had vanished. "It doesn't have a choice."

They stood in silence for a moment, the weight of what had just happened settling over them. This wasn't just a battle. It was a message. A warning that had been delivered in the language of power.

And for now, it had been heeded.

But Lee Kung knew this was only the beginning.