The wind was heavy with smoke and dust as Lin Dong awoke. His eyelids flickered open to a dimly lit room, the scent of herbs sharp in the air. Sunlight pierced through a small wooden window, falling across a floor covered in faded tatami mats.
Li Yan was crouched nearby, bandages in hand, muttering under her breath. She looked up as he stirred.
"Finally awake," she said, relief flooding her voice. "You were out cold. That fight… it nearly killed you."
Lin Dong tried to sit up. Pain flared across his shoulder and chest. The mark on his chest — the Heavenly Seal — throbbed weakly, its golden glow flickering like a dying ember.
"We need to move," he whispered, voice hoarse. "Lei Tian… he's hunting the Seal. They won't stop."
Li Yan gave him a pointed look. "And you think dragging yourself straight into Yan City is the answer? You can barely stand."
"I have to know what I'm up against," Lin Dong said quietly, his eyes fixed on the faint glow in his palm — the spirit core from the Plains Wyrm. It pulsed softly, in rhythm with the Seal.
The healer who had brought them here stepped into view — an old man with robes streaked in ash and silver. His gaze fell on the mark.
"The Seal… it's unstable. You've awakened only part of its power. If you push it too soon, it may consume you entirely."
Lin Dong clenched his fists. "I don't have the luxury of waiting. Lei Tian's forces are already in the plains. The Seal chose me — I must bear it, fully."
The healer shook his head slowly. "Power is a reflection of the soul. If your heart is not ready, the Seal will punish you. Many have died this way, even with strength."
Lin Dong's jaw tightened. "Then I'll be ready."
Outside, the air was filled with the distant roar of the city. Smoke rose along the horizon, curling into the clouds like black ribbons. Yan City loomed — a sprawling maze of rooftops, towers, and lantern-lit streets. It was alive with whispers, secrets, and danger.
Li Yan helped Lin Dong to his feet. His shoulder still throbbed, but he ignored it, drawing his sword with one hand. The golden runes along its edge shimmered faintly — a response from the Seal, acknowledging its host.
"We have to reach the northern gate," Li Yan said. "It's the only route the scouts haven't sealed yet."
They stepped outside into a narrow alley behind the healer's hut. The streets were quiet, eerily so. Occasionally, a shadow moved — just a flicker — but the sense of being watched pressed against them like a tangible weight.
Lin Dong paused. The Seal's pulse grew stronger, its rhythm wild. His vision blurred, and for a moment, he saw not the alley — but fragments of the future: a crimson battlefield, flashes of golden energy, and Lei Tian himself, grinning atop a mountain of corpses.
"It's warning me," he murmured. "The Seal… it's trying to tell me something."
Li Yan frowned. "Then we better listen. But not here. The city streets will swallow us whole if we stay exposed."
A sudden gust of wind carried a faint metallic click. Lin Dong froze, muscles tensing.
"Traps," Li Yan hissed.
From the shadows, a spear clanged against the wall — faint, deliberate. The whisper of steel was barely audible over the wind, but their instincts screamed danger.
Lin Dong gripped his sword tightly. The Seal's glow flared, the golden light spreading up his arm, painting his silhouette against the gray brick. Energy coiled like a living thing, pulsating with a rhythm that matched his heartbeat — and something else: a hunger for confrontation.
The figure emerged — tall, armored in black and scarlet, eyes glinting amber under a steel mask. One hand rested on a sheathed blade; the other flicked a small talisman in the air, which burst into flames that licked the walls.
"The Seal stirs," the man said, voice echoing in the narrow alley. "Lin Dong, bearer of the Heavenly Talisman — your choice ends here."
Li Yan moved in front of Lin Dong instinctively, bow drawn. "Stay back."
"You don't understand," Lin Dong said, stepping forward. The Seal pulsed violently, reacting to the presence of the man. "I don't have a choice."
The man laughed, low and cold. "So be it." He drew his sword. Flames licked its edges, casting dancing shadows across the alley.
Lin Dong's chest burned as the Seal surged — energy spiraling outward, lifting dust and loose stones into a miniature storm. The golden aura wrapped his body, coiling around his sword, intertwining with his own vitality.
"This fight… will tell us everything," Lin Dong whispered.
The man lunged. The clash of steel rang out, echoing through the empty streets. Sparks flew, casting jagged shadows on the walls.
The Seal pulsed brighter, and the ground beneath Lin Dong trembled. The city seemed to hold its breath — even the wind paused, waiting.
The battle had begun.