The Chains of Fate

The monstrous entity fully emerged, towering over them with an aura of unfathomable power. The ground trembled beneath its presence, and even the air seemed heavier. Its golden eyes fixed on Yan Xi and Ling Yue, a deep, echoing voice vibrating through the battlefield.

"You are the ones who defy destiny. But tell me… can you break the chains that bind you?"

Yan Xi's flames roared in defiance. "I don't care what you are. I will burn through fate itself if I have to."

The entity extended its massive hand, and in an instant, chains of black and crimson energy erupted from the ground, latching onto Yan Xi and Ling Yue.

Ling Yue gasped as the chains coiled around her limbs, draining her strength. A sharp pain shot through her body, and for the first time, she felt something foreign—memories that were not her own. Visions of a past life flashed before her eyes:

A battlefield drowned in fire. A pair of hands reaching for hers. A promise whispered in the wind.

"Yan Xi…" Her voice was weak. "This isn't the first time."

Yan Xi struggled against the chains, his flames flickering wildly. "What are you talking about?"

The entity chuckled, tightening its grip. "She remembers. Soon, you will too."

Then, without warning, a blinding light erupted from Ling Yue's chest—a hidden power, long sealed away. The chains cracked, the air trembled, and the entity's expression shifted for the first time.

"Impossible…" it hissed.

And then—darkness.