The Awakening of the Moon

A deafening silence followed the explosion of light. The battlefield had vanished—no more blood, no more corpses, only an endless void where time itself seemed to have ceased. Yan Xi struggled to move, but his body felt weightless, as if suspended between existence and nothingness.

And then, he saw her.

Ling Yue floated amidst the emptiness, her form bathed in an ethereal glow. The chains that had bound her were gone, replaced by a shimmering silver aura that pulsed like the light of the full moon. Her eyes, once cold and distant, now held a depth that sent a shiver down his spine.

"Yan Xi," she murmured, her voice echoing unnaturally. "I remember everything."

A wave of dizziness struck him as a flood of visions assaulted his mind—scenes of battles fought centuries ago, a love that defied the heavens, and a tragedy that repeated itself over and over again. He saw himself reaching for her, only to lose her each time, their fates twisted by forces beyond their control.

"You were always there," Ling Yue whispered, stepping closer. "But we were never meant to exist together."

Yan Xi clenched his fists, his flames igniting instinctively. "I don't care about destiny. I'll burn down anything that stands between us."

A shadow loomed above them. The monstrous entity had returned, but something had changed. It no longer radiated overwhelming power. Instead, it observed them with a strange, unreadable gaze.

"You have awakened something that should have remained buried," it intoned. "Do you truly wish to remember it all?"

Ling Yue exhaled slowly, the silver light around her intensifying. "I will not run from the truth anymore."

The entity extended its hand once more, but this time, the chains did not emerge. Instead, the void itself rippled, revealing a colossal gate adorned with ancient carvings. The air around it twisted with an oppressive force.

Yan Xi instinctively stepped in front of Ling Yue. "What is that?"

"A door that was never meant to be opened," the entity replied. "But now that you remember… it will seek you out."

Before they could react, the gate trembled violently. Cracks spread across its surface, and from within, a single crimson eye opened—watching.

And then, a whisper.

"Welcome back, lost ones."