The spiral bridge was not a path; it was a test in motion. Each step of solidified starlight hummed underfoot, its rhythmic pulse a hair faster than the halls above. The moment Li Tian's footfall mistimed the cadence, the tread would shift sideways or tilt, threatening to spill him into the glowing abyss below. He focused, implementing the Vein Step with razor precision—weight only on the lull, lift on the glow—and syncing his breath with the Star Lung. It was a demanding dance, leaving no room for error.
Ahead, the bridge's inner curve rippled. A Starlight Hound, a construct of woven light and sharp-edged runes, coalesced into a low, quadrupedal form. It didn't growl; it hummed with a lethal frequency. It lunged, moving with the bridge's flow, using the curve to gain speed.
Li Tian didn't try to outrun it. He used the terrain. He feinted toward the outer rail, then cut sharply inward, forcing the hound to correct its trajectory toward a seam where two bridge sections met. As it committed to the pounce, he had no choice. He met its biting strike with a pinpoint devour along his forearm.
The backlash was a jolt of frozen electricity. Pins and needles exploded up his arm, and the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. But he'd stolen enough of the force to unbalance the creature. He didn't stop to finish it. Spiral-bleeding on the move, he flowed past its stumbling form and delivered a short, sharp palm strike to a flickering rune cluster on its flank. The hound shattered into dissipating motes. He didn't look back.
"Adept," a polite voice drifted from the bridge's origin point. The robed intruder stood calmly, observing. A blade talisman flicked from their fingers. It didn't aim for Li Tian, but for the outer railing ten paces behind him.
The railing sizzled and vanished. The entire section of the bridge lurched, tilting violently toward the new void. Li Tian was forced into a desperate, long leap across a suddenly gaping chasm. He landed hard on a dimming tread further down, the impact jolting his knee and locking his breath. For a terrifying second, he wobbled on the edge. Then discipline took over. He spiral-bled the shock, exhaling sharply, and regained his balance. The intruder was not just following; they were sculpting the course of the hunt.
Two more hounds formed ahead, smarter than the first. One harried him from the front, while the other positioned itself on a higher coil, ready to drop. Li Tian feigned a stumble, his foot skidding on a deliberately mistimed step. The higher hound took the bait, pouncing early. He rolled under the attack, came up inside the lower hound's guard, and shoulder-checked it hard toward the edge. The creature's paws scrambled on a glyph that flared bright in wrong rhythm. It lost purchase and slid silently off the curve into the void below. He refused to devour, conserving his strength, accepting the strain of pure physical exertion.
As he rounded a tight coil, a glint caught his eye. Set into the railing was a small, thumb-tip-sized shard of dark material etched with a tiny, precise constellation—a star-map shard. The ring on his finger warmed as he palmed it. It felt inert, but resonated with a familiar, ancient frequency. A key for a lock he hadn't found yet. He pocketed it and moved on.
A heavier, deeper pulse rolled through the bridge, making the entire structure buzz. The rails shimmered, and the steps became momentarily unstable.
"Down suits you," the intruder's voice called, closer now. They were following with infuriating ease.
The spiral bridge ended abruptly, depositing him on a small, circular platform. Before him yawned the Star Well—a vertical shaft so deep its bottom was invisible, breathing out a wave of frigid air. The pressure in the cavern shifted. The exhale stopped. For a heartbeat, there was perfect stillness.
Then, the Well inhaled.
The air reversed into a powerful, sudden suction, pulling at his robes, his hair, threatening to drag him off his feet. Behind him, he heard the light footfall of the intruder landing on the platform, committing to the pursuit.
The well took my breath—and then it took me.