Fallen Heaven Rise of Faizi
**Episode 38 – Shadows of Betrayal**
The air inside the cavern was thick with tension. Faizi Tian stood still, the glow of the Demon Seal hovering faintly above his palm, pulsating like a living heart. It wasn't fully his yet—its essence resisted him, as if testing his worth. The faint whisper of an ancient, demonic voice echoed in his mind, but the words were too distorted to understand.
Behind him, Elder Ren's calm voice broke the silence.
"You're forcing it too soon, Faizi. The Demon Seal chooses its master… not the other way around."
Faizi's eyes narrowed. He didn't turn to face Elder Ren immediately, but he could feel the man's gaze locked on the seal with an intensity that made his instincts flare. Elder Ren's expression was unreadable, but Faizi couldn't shake the feeling that every word the elder spoke was layered with hidden meaning.
"I don't have time to wait," Faizi replied coldly. "Every day the demons grow stronger. If I can't master this seal now, more lives will be lost."
Elder Ren stepped closer, his hands clasped behind his back. "True. But power gained in haste is often power that consumes you." His eyes glinted in the dim light, almost too sharp for comfort. "Tell me… have you considered that the Demon Seal may be alive?"
Faizi's head turned slightly. "Alive?"
"Yes," Elder Ren said softly. "It has a will, a purpose. Whoever holds it must be prepared not just to wield it… but to negotiate with it."
Faizi didn't answer. He looked back at the seal, and for a brief moment, its glow shifted—showing him flashes of ancient battles, rivers of fire, and a towering figure cloaked in black flames. The image was gone as quickly as it came, leaving his heart pounding.
Suddenly, the cavern trembled. A deep, guttural roar echoed from the depths beyond the sealed stone gate at the far end of the chamber. Faint cracks of crimson light began to spread across the gate's surface.
Faizi instinctively moved into a defensive stance. "What's behind that gate?"
Elder Ren's voice was calm—too calm. "Something you're not ready to face."
Faizi's instincts screamed. He turned sharply toward Elder Ren. "You knew this would happen."
Before Elder Ren could respond, the stone gate shattered, releasing a wave of blistering heat and a monstrous surge of demonic energy. From the darkness emerged a towering creature with molten eyes and claws dripping with black fire—the Flameborn Abyssal Beast, one of the Demon Realm's ancient guardians.
Faizi's blood boiled with both fear and determination. This was no ordinary beast; even at his current strength, the odds were against him. But the Demon Seal in his palm reacted violently, its glow intensifying until the cavern walls vibrated.
"Faizi!" Elder Ren called out, but his tone was strange—part warning, part anticipation.
The beast roared, charging forward. Faizi didn't think. He pushed his energy into the Demon Seal, feeling its power flood into his veins. A surge of burning strength exploded through him, along with a dangerous whisper in his mind:
*"More… give me more, and I will crush your enemies…"*
Faizi's jaw tightened. He didn't know if the seal was helping him… or binding him. But right now, he had no choice. With a fierce battle cry, he launched himself toward the beast, the cavern shaking from the collision of man, monster, and forbidden power.
Far in the shadows, Elder Ren watched with an unreadable smile.
The game had only just begun.