The Awakening Chapter 1

### **Arc 1: The Awakening**

#### **Chapter 1: The Tremor**

Li Wei woke to the usual sounds of the bustling city of New Dawn. His modest apartment, tucked in the corner of the eastern district, was small but enough for him and his younger sister, Li Mei. Sunlight filtered through the cracked blinds, casting long shadows over the worn-out furniture. The world outside had long since lost the normalcy of peace, and yet this morning felt like any other.

His body ached from the previous day's labor at the market, hauling crates to earn enough for their next meal. Life wasn't easy, but Li Wei had grown used to the struggle. As long as he could take care of Li Mei, that was all that mattered. She was all he had left in this world—a world scarred by the Great Catastrophe a century ago.

Li Mei, only a few years younger than him, sat at the small wooden table, eating breakfast quietly. Her eyes flicked up as he entered the room, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Morning, brother," she said, her voice soft but bright, a rare spark of light in their often bleak world.

"Morning, Mei," Li Wei replied, ruffling her hair as he passed by. "You eat yet?"

"Just started. I left some for you."

He nodded, grabbing the remaining bread and soup before sitting across from her. The bread was stale, the soup thin, but they both ate in comfortable silence, the bond between them stronger than any hardship.

Just as he was about to ask how her studies were going, the ground beneath them trembled. A faint, low rumble shook the foundation of their apartment, rattling the dishes in the cupboard. Li Wei frowned, his hand gripping the edge of the table.

"Did you feel that?" he asked, his senses immediately sharpening. Earthquakes weren't exactly uncommon, but something about this one felt different.

Li Mei's eyes were wide, her hands gripping her bowl tightly. "Yes. What's going on?"

Before he could respond, another tremor hit, this one stronger. The entire building creaked under the pressure, and a sharp crack rang out as one of the windows shattered. Li Wei jumped to his feet, pulling Li Mei with him.

"We need to get outside," he said, his heart pounding in his chest. Something was wrong—terribly wrong.

They rushed out the door, joining the growing crowd of people spilling into the streets. The sky overhead was clouded, and the air seemed thick, as if charged with an unseen energy. All around them, the residents of New Dawn looked confused and frightened, whispering among themselves. Some pointed toward the horizon, where a dark plume of smoke rose from the outskirts of the city.

"What's happening?" Li Mei whispered, clinging to his side.

Li Wei scanned the area, trying to make sense of the chaos. The tremors were getting worse, but it wasn't just the earthquakes that had him on edge. There was something else in the air—an unfamiliar, oppressive feeling, as though the very atmosphere had shifted.

Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed through the city, a sound that made Li Wei's blood run cold. He turned toward the source of the noise, his eyes widening in horror as a massive creature emerged from the distance. It stood taller than any building in the city, its body twisted and grotesque, like something out of a nightmare. Its skin was dark and leathery, with glowing red eyes that seemed to burn with malevolent energy.

"Is that... from the Abyss?" someone in the crowd gasped.

Li Wei's heart raced. The Abyss. The very name sent shivers down his spine. The catastrophic event that had torn open the gates between Earth and that infernal underworld had unleashed horrors on their world—a realm of darkness, filled with monsters and spiritual energies beyond comprehension. The creatures from the Abyss were rare but deadly, and seeing one now, this close to the city, was a bad sign.

Panic erupted. People screamed and ran in every direction, desperate to escape the impending danger. Li Wei grabbed Li Mei's hand, pulling her through the chaos.

"We have to go!" he shouted, though the words felt hollow. Where could they run? The city's walls could barely keep out smaller beasts, let alone something this massive.

They sprinted down the street, the ground shaking beneath their feet as the creature advanced. Buildings crumbled in its path, debris raining down from above. Li Wei's mind raced, trying to find a way to safety. But everywhere he looked, there was destruction.

As they rounded a corner, they nearly collided with a group of martial artists, their glowing weapons drawn. Leading them was an older man, his robes billowing in the wind, his eyes sharp and focused. He exuded an aura of power that made the air hum around him. This was a **Master Zhao**, one of the few high-level martial artists left in New Dawn.

"Get back!" Master Zhao ordered, his voice cutting through the panic. His gaze locked onto the approaching beast. "We'll handle this."

Li Wei stopped, pulling Li Mei behind him as they watched in awe. The martial artists charged forward, their movements swift and precise. They attacked the creature with coordinated strikes, their blades gleaming with spiritual energy. But despite their best efforts, the beast roared again, its massive tail sweeping through the air and sending several fighters crashing into the buildings around them.

Master Zhao moved with incredible speed, launching himself at the creature's head. He struck with a glowing fist, landing a blow that sent a shockwave through the street. The beast stumbled, but it wasn't enough to stop it.

Li Wei's fists clenched at his sides. Watching the martial artists fight, he felt a mix of awe and frustration. They were powerful, capable of feats he could only dream of. And yet, even with all their strength, they were struggling.

As the battle raged on, Li Mei tugged at his sleeve. "Wei… what do we do?"

He looked down at her, feeling the weight of his responsibility more than ever. "We stay out of the way," he said, his voice tight. "And we survive."

But deep down, as he watched Master Zhao fight to protect the city, something stirred within Li Wei. A desire. A need to be stronger. To protect his sister, to protect his home. To fight back against the horrors of the Abyss.

The tremor was only the beginning. And Li Wei's journey had just begun.

Chapter End