Resonance (Part 1)

LUO FAN

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"A-Fan, wake up."

The familiar voice jolted me awake. My eyes snapped open.

"Lord Ruan!" I gasped, frantically searching for him. But he was nowhere in sight. Yet, it had sounded so real, as if he had been standing right before me.

I found myself slumped against the crumbling wall of a dilapidated castle, surrounded by scattered bones—human and animal alike.

The memories returned in a rush. I had been battling the leader of a skeleton army when a powerful attack blasted me away. I barely managed to escape, stumbling through these ruined halls before collapsing here. Then Ruan Yanjun's voice had roused me. I couldn't tell if it was merely a trick of my exhausted mind or if my dark core was still linked to his, alerting him to my plight.

A sharp clatter of bones echoed through the hollow chambers, cutting through my thoughts.

My opponent had found me—a towering skeleton clad in rusted armor, wielding a massive sword. Its aura reeked of decay and malice. Though only a level-three opponent, it had an infuriating advantage. No matter how many times I shattered it, the bones would slither back together, rebuilding its form again and again.

Gritting my teeth, I forced myself upright and parried its incoming strike. My breaths came in ragged gasps, each one more labored than the last. The constant battles had worn me thin, and the White Vulture inside my body gnawed at my insides like a ravenous beast. My strength was ebbing away, and with it, the will to keep fighting.

But I couldn't stop—not here, not now.

I evaded another swing of the skeleton's blade, twisting just in time to avoid the deadly arc. Summoning what little strength remained, I unleashed a blast of wind energy, hurling the creature against the far wall. Bones shattered upon impact, scattering across the floor. Yet, I knew it was futile. In mere seconds, the cursed thing would pull itself together once more.

My limbs trembled, exhaustion sinking its claws deep into my body. A grim thought slithered into my mind—what if this was the end? What if I perished here, trapped in this wretched realm, my body lost to time, never to be found?

The weight of it constricted my chest.

"There has to be a way," I muttered, forcing myself to retreat into a narrow hallway, gasping for breath.

I glanced around the desolate castle, searching for anything that might aid me. My eyes landed on a strange figure lurking in the shadows—a smaller enemy, humanoid but grotesque, carrying a glass vial. It hissed and lunged at me, throwing the vial at my feet. The liquid spilled out, and before I could react, my feet were encased in solid ice.

Panic surged through me as I realized I couldn't move. The creature cackled and advanced, claws gleaming in the dim light. With no other option, I raised my bamboo stick and parried its attacks, using my upper body to defend myself. Each blow sent jolts of pain through my already aching arms, but I held my ground. After what felt like an eternity, the ice finally melted, and I broke free, finishing the creature off with a desperate strike.

Breathing heavily, I knelt down to examine the broken vial. An idea sparked in my mind. If the ice could immobilize me, it could do the same to the skeleton boss. I searched the creature and found another vial hidden in its possession. This was my only chance.

Returning to the grand hall, I confronted the skeleton once more. It charged at me with its relentless determination, but I held my ground. When it was close enough, I hurled the vial at its feet. The liquid spilled, and the ice spread rapidly, locking its feet in place. Without hesitation, I focused all my energy on its frozen legs, striking them repeatedly until they shattered into irreparable shards. The skeleton crumbled, unable to rebuild itself without its foundation. For the first time, it fell silent, its ghastly light extinguished.

I bent down and retrieved a stamp and a key from the remains of the skeleton. I needed the stamp to unseal the gate leading to the next ground. Once inside, I had to locate a hidden chest containing potions and other supplies that could aid me on my journey. Only this key could unlock it. The contents of that chest were invaluable. They were the only things keeping me alive.

Staggering out of the castle, my legs threatened to give out beneath me. Ahead stretched an endless valley, a desolate expanse of jagged rocks and twisted trees. It was the path to the next area, yet the sight of it filled me with dread. I knew the journey ahead would be long, fraught with relentless battles and unforgiving conditions.

My body was failing, every step forward dragging me closer to the brink of death. I wasn't sure if I would survive long enough to face the master of this realm.

Exhausted, I sank to the ground and leaned against a large boulder. The cold stone pressed against my back as I stared up at the overcast sky. My vision blurred, and my breathing slowed. The White Vulture's relentless assault on my body felt worse than any enemy I had faced, and I feared that my strength would give out before I found any answers.

As the edges of my consciousness faded, a name slipped past my lips like a fleeting whisper. "Lord Ruan…"

Even now, after everything he had done, my thoughts drifted to him. Perhaps it was anger, or perhaps it was something far more complicated. Either way, his name lingered in the air as I succumbed to the pull of exhaustion, unsure if I would ever wake again.

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