Blades of Fate

The ruins trembled beneath the weight of their battle. The clang of metal against metal echoed through the temple grounds, each strike more desperate than the last. The air was thick with dust, stirred by the force of their movements, and the scent of old incense mixed with the sharp tang of blood.

Yue Rin's muscles burned, her arms numb from the relentless assault of her sister's blade. Ao Ling fought like a tempest—fierce, fluid, and utterly merciless. Yet even as Yue Rin countered her strikes, she saw it in her eyes: hesitation, pain, something unspoken.

She's testing me.

"Is this all you've got, Yue Rin?" Ao Ling taunted, their blades locked in a deadly embrace. Her breath came in short bursts, her golden eyes flashing in the dim moonlight.

Yue Rin pushed forward, breaking the deadlock. She pivoted, twisting her blade in a precise arc, aiming for Ao Ling's exposed side.

A sharp clash. Sparks flew.

Ao Ling spun away, barely avoiding the strike, but Yue Rin was already moving again, pressing the advantage.

"You think I don't know what this is?" Yue Rin's voice was low, steady. "You're trying to make me prove something to you. But why? If you truly wanted me dead, I'd already be lying in the dirt."

Ao Ling's expression darkened. "You think too much."

She lunged, a blur of silver and shadow. Yue Rin barely had time to react as the blade sliced toward her throat.

At the last second, she ducked.

Ao Ling's sword carved through the stone pillar behind her, sending shards flying. Yue Rin rolled backward, coming to a stop a few feet away, breathing heavily.

She's stronger than before. Faster. Someone has been training her.

Yue Rin rose to her feet, gripping her sword tightly. "Who did this to you, Ao Ling?"

Her sister remained silent.

"Tell me!" Yue Rin demanded, stepping forward.

A flicker of emotion passed through Ao Ling's gaze—pain, regret, something more. But it vanished in an instant.

"The Emperor's Shadow," she said at last. "They saved me. They showed me the truth."

Yue Rin's blood ran cold.

The Emperor's Shadow…

The name alone was enough to strike fear into the hearts of even the bravest warriors. A secret faction that served directly under the Emperor, they were his enforcers, assassins, spies—the hand that guided the empire from the shadows.

And now, they had taken Ao Ling.

"You call this the truth?" Yue Rin's voice shook with anger. "You've become their puppet."

Ao Ling's jaw tightened. "You don't understand—"

"Then make me understand."

For the first time, Ao Ling hesitated. Her grip on her sword loosened, and in that brief moment, Yue Rin saw it—doubt.

But before she could press further, a sharp whistle cut through the air.

Both sisters turned.

Figures emerged from the darkness, cloaked in black, their movements silent as death. Yue Rin recognized them immediately—Imperial assassins.

Ao Ling cursed under her breath.

"They followed you," Yue Rin realized.

"No." Ao Ling's eyes burned with fury. "They followed you."

And just like that, the fragile moment between them shattered.

A dozen assassins descended upon them like wraiths, their curved blades gleaming under the moonlight.

Yue Rin didn't hesitate. She spun, sword flashing, parrying the first strike before driving her knee into her attacker's ribs. A sickening crack followed as the assassin crumpled to the ground.

Ao Ling was already in motion, cutting down her enemies with ruthless efficiency. Despite everything, despite the betrayal and the secrets, they fought side by side—just like they once had.

The assassins were fast, but Yue Rin was faster. She ducked beneath a sweeping blade, countering with a precise slash across her enemy's throat. Another came at her from the side, but before she could react, Ao Ling's dagger buried itself in his chest.

For a fleeting moment, their eyes met.

Then, the next wave attacked.

A whirlwind of steel.

A dance of death.

The battle raged on, but Yue Rin's mind was elsewhere.

She knew now.

Ao Ling wasn't lost.

Not yet.

And Yue Rin would do whatever it took to bring her back.

Even if it meant going against the empire itself.