Fallen Heaven Rise of Faizi Tian
Episode 37 – The Whisper in the Darkness
The air inside the abyssal cave was thick and oppressive, each breath Faizi Tian took carrying the faint taste of iron and something far more sinister — the lingering aura of ancient demonic energy. His steps echoed faintly against the black stone walls, the sound devoured quickly by the darkness that surrounded him. This was no ordinary cave. This was a place built upon the very memories of the continent's wars, a place where countless lives had been extinguished.
He could feel it… a pulse. A deep, rhythmic beat, almost like a heart buried within the earth. The further he walked, the stronger it became, resonating faintly with his own bloodline power. His fingers twitched unconsciously, sensing that whatever was ahead was calling to him.
The Demon Seal.
Faizi Tian had heard the stories — a relic forged in the flames of the Abyss Flame Monarch's rage, said to hold the power to suppress even the most ferocious demon kings. But it was also dangerous. Legends whispered that those unworthy to wield it would be consumed, their soul chained forever in the realm of darkness. Yet… Faizi knew he needed it. If he was to protect his people, if he was to destroy the demonic threat once and for all, the Demon Seal might be his only chance.
The passage widened abruptly, leading into a massive chamber. Dim, eerie red light radiated from strange runes carved into the stone floor, their shapes shifting subtly as if alive. And there, at the very center, upon a jagged obsidian pedestal, floated a small, pitch-black orb — the Demon Seal. It looked deceptively harmless, but its aura was suffocating, like an endless ocean pressing down upon him.
A voice broke the silence. "You came."
Faizi Tian turned sharply. Elder Ren stepped out from the shadows, his expression unreadable, the flickering red light casting long, sharp shadows across his face.
"You knew I would," Faizi replied coldly. "You've been leading me here since the beginning."
Elder Ren gave a faint, almost bitter smile. "Perhaps. Or perhaps you've been walking this path long before you met me."
There was something strange in Ren's tone, something almost… tired. But Faizi didn't lower his guard. For too long, Ren's actions had been clouded in mystery — saving him at crucial moments, guiding him toward strange opportunities, yet hiding truths at every turn.
"Why are you here, Elder Ren?" Faizi demanded. "Is this Seal yours?"
Ren's eyes moved to the floating orb. "No. This Seal belongs to no one… not truly. It is a curse and a gift, bound to the will of its creator. I… was once chosen to protect it."
"Protect it from who?" Faizi pressed.
Ren's gaze hardened. "From everyone."
Before Faizi could respond, the ground shook violently. Cracks split across the chamber floor, releasing bursts of dark, smoky energy. Out from those fissures emerged shadow-like creatures — half-formed demons, their bodies writhing and twisting unnaturally.
"They are drawn to the Seal," Ren said quickly, drawing his weapon. "If they touch it, the Seal will be corrupted beyond redemption."
Faizi's eyes narrowed. "Then we stop them."
The two moved in perfect synchronization, blades flashing, spirit energy exploding in bursts of light against the creatures' shadowy forms. But for every one they cut down, two more emerged from the cracks. The chamber's temperature dropped sharply, and Faizi felt an unnatural pressure clawing at his mind, whispering in a voice that was not his own.
"Take me… Claim me… I will make you more than human…"
It was the Seal. Its voice was cold, yet strangely intoxicating, promising strength beyond imagination.
"Don't listen to it!" Ren barked, his tone urgent. "It will twist your heart!"
But Faizi's bloodline reacted violently to the Seal's presence, his vision sharpening, his energy surging. Every instinct screamed at him to reach out and take it.
The shadows closed in faster, the runes on the floor flickering erratically as if about to collapse. Ren fought desperately, but Faizi could see he was holding something back, his movements deliberately avoiding the center of the room.
"You're afraid of it," Faizi realized aloud.
Ren froze for a fraction of a second — just long enough for a shadow beast to slash across his arm. He grimaced but didn't deny it.
"Afraid of what it will do to you?" Faizi continued, his voice low. "Or afraid of what it will do to me?"
Ren's silence was answer enough.
With a sudden burst of speed, Faizi cut through the last wave of shadows between him and the pedestal. The Seal's dark aura swirled around him, tendrils of energy brushing against his skin like icy fingers. His heart pounded, his breath heavy, every muscle tense.
"Faizi, don't!" Ren's voice echoed behind him, tinged with something that almost sounded like desperation.
But Faizi didn't stop. He reached out, his fingers closing around the black orb.
The moment his skin touched it, the world exploded into darkness.
His body was no longer in the chamber. Instead, he stood in an endless void, surrounded by faint, ghostly lights. A figure emerged from the darkness — tall, wreathed in flames that burned black instead of red.
"You are not the one I chose," the figure's voice boomed.
Faizi stared, unflinching. "Then choose again."
The figure's laugh was deep and unsettling. "You carry the blood of those who defied me… yet you seek my power. Tell me, mortal… what will you give in exchange?"
The darkness around him thickened, pressing in from all sides. He could feel the Seal testing him, probing every corner of his soul for weakness.
And then, it stopped.
"Very well," the voice said. "I will lend you my strength… but you will pay the price."
The darkness shattered. Faizi's vision snapped back to the chamber. The Seal was in his hands, its energy coursing through his veins like molten fire. The shadow creatures froze, then shrieked as if in terror before dissolving into nothing.
Ren stood at the edge of the room, breathing hard, his weapon lowered. His eyes were fixed on Faizi — and the Seal.
"You've made a dangerous choice," Ren said quietly.
Faizi tightened his grip on the Seal. "I didn't come this far to be afraid of danger."
But deep inside, he knew the voice had not lied. A price would be paid.
And when the time came, he wasn't sure if he'd be ready.