Fallen Heaven Rise of Faizi Tian
**Episode 39 – The Demon Seal's Price**
The collision shook the cavern like a thunderclap. Faizi Tian's blade carved through the Flameborn Abyssal Beast's first strike, but the force sent him sliding back across the stone floor, leaving deep cracks in his wake. The heat rolling off the creature was suffocating, its every breath spilling black fire that hissed against the cavern walls.
The Demon Seal in Faizi's palm pulsed violently, its glow searing against his skin. A voice—clearer now—echoed in his mind.
*"Let me take control. I will end this in a single blow."*
Faizi gritted his teeth. "And what will you take in return?" he hissed under his breath.
*"Only what you offer willingly… or what you cannot protect."*
The beast lunged again, claws slashing in a blur. Faizi dodged, the shockwave of the strike tearing a chunk from the cavern wall. He countered with a slash infused with his soul force, the blade meeting the beast's arm in a burst of sparks. But the cut barely pierced its hardened scales.
Elder Ren's voice rang out from behind. "You can't kill it with brute force! The Demon Seal must be awakened fully!"
Faizi shot him a cold glance. "And you just happened to know that?"
Elder Ren smiled faintly, not answering.
The beast reared back, flames gathering in its throat. Faizi felt the oppressive energy closing in. If that blast landed, there would be nothing left of him but ash. His grip tightened on the seal.
*"Say the words,"* the voice urged. *"Bind your will to mine, and this fight will end."*
Faizi's breath was ragged. He didn't trust the seal. He didn't trust Elder Ren. But he knew hesitation meant death.
"Fine," he growled. "But my will remains mine."
The moment he spoke, the Demon Seal flared like a newborn star, releasing a surge of black-gold light that wrapped around Faizi's arm. Ancient runes burned into his skin, and his blade transformed—its edge now coated with living flames that roared hungrily for blood.
The beast unleashed its fiery breath, but Faizi moved faster than thought, his body a blur of heat and shadow. One strike. Just one—clean, merciless, and final.
The cavern fell silent.
The Flameborn Abyssal Beast collapsed, its molten eyes dimming as it dissolved into ash. The Demon Seal's glow faded slightly, though its heat still burned against Faizi's palm. He exhaled, but the victory felt… heavy.
Elder Ren approached slowly, his expression unreadable. "You did well. But now the seal has marked you. There's no turning back."
Faizi looked at his palm—the runes were gone, but he could still feel them under his skin. "What exactly did I agree to?"
Elder Ren's faint smile deepened. "You didn't agree to anything, Faizi. You *bound yourself.* And soon, you'll learn what that means."
Before Faizi could reply, the ground beneath them trembled again—this time, not from the beast. Faint, echoing laughter rolled through the cavern, a sound so ancient and filled with malice that the air itself felt colder.
The Demon Seal pulsed once more, and the voice whispered in his mind:
*"Now they know you're mine."*