The Awakening
1279 Words
Episode 5: The Awakening
The city was burning.
Sirens echoed through Shanghai.
Smoke filled the night sky.
Buildings crumbled.
Monsters roamed the streets.
And at the center of it all stood Lin Yue.
Silver light exploded from her body.
The force shattered every remaining wall of the apartment.
The spirit woman was thrown backward.
Even Mo Chen stopped fighting.
The giant creature created by the Devourer froze.
Everyone felt it.
Everyone.
A power older than demons.
Older than immortals.
Older than the world itself.
Lin Yue floated several feet above the ground.
Her eyes glowed silver and gold.
Ancient symbols appeared across her skin.
The mark on her chest burned brightly.
Thousands of forgotten memories flooded her mind.
And then—
She remembered.
Everything.
“No…”
Her voice trembled.
The truth was impossible.
Yet she knew it was real.
The Final Vessel was never created to imprison the Devourer.
The Final Vessel had created the prison.
The seal.
The barriers.
The ancient defenses.
Everything originated from one being.
A woman.
A woman whose power rivaled gods.
A woman known throughout forgotten history as—
The First Guardian.
Lin Yue.
Or rather…
The soul she carried.
The spirit woman’s face turned pale.
“You remember.”
Lin Yue slowly turned toward her.
The memories continued pouring into her mind.
Thousands of years ago, the First Guardian had sacrificed everything to stop the Devourer.
She sealed the creature away.
But the seal required a price.
Her own soul.
Rather than disappearing, her soul shattered into fragments.
Those fragments were passed down through generations.
Waiting.
Sleeping.
Preparing.
Until the day the Devourer returned.
That day had finally arrived.
Tears rolled down Lin Yue’s cheeks.
“This was always my destiny.”
The spirit lowered her head.
“Yes.”
Outside the ruined building, the giant avatar laughed.
The sound shook the city.
“At last.”
Its thousands of eyes focused on Lin Yue.
“The Guardian has awakened.”
Fear spread through the streets.
People ran.
Screamed.
Prayed.
The end had come.
And everyone could feel it.
Mo Chen appeared beside Lin Yue instantly.
His expression remained calm.
But his eyes betrayed him.
Fear.
Not for himself.
For her.
Lin Yue noticed.
“You knew.”
Mo Chen remained silent.
“You knew from the beginning.”
The Demon King looked away.
“I suspected.”
Anger flashed through her.
“You never told me.”
“If I had—”
His voice stopped.
Lin Yue frowned.
“If you had what?”
Pain crossed his face.
A rare and heartbreaking pain.
“You would have run.”
The words stunned her.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then the giant monster attacked.
Its massive arm swung toward them.
The air exploded.
The city trembled.
Mo Chen reacted instantly.
Dark flames erupted around him.
BOOM!
The collision shook the heavens.
The Demon King held back the attack.
But this time—
He slid backward.
Several meters.
The giant smiled.
“You are weakening.”
Mo Chen’s eyes narrowed.
The creature wasn’t wrong.
For centuries, he had protected the seal.
Maintained barriers.
Fought monsters in secret.
His strength had been slowly draining.
And now the Devourer knew it.
The giant laughed.
“You cannot save her.”
Mo Chen stepped forward.
“Watch me.”
Darkness exploded from his body.
His power surged violently.
The sky turned black.
Thunder roared.
Every monster in the city immediately fell to its knees.
Terrified.
The true power of the Demon King was finally emerging.
Lin Yue stared.
She had never seen him like this.
Never seen such overwhelming strength.
Yet despite his power—
Something felt wrong.
His aura flickered.
Only slightly.
But enough.
The spirit woman noticed too.
Her expression darkened.
“He’s using too much energy.”
Lin Yue turned.
“What happens if he does?”
The spirit looked away.
“He dies.”
Silence.
Lin Yue froze.
“What?”
The spirit sighed.
“Every time he protects you…”
Her voice softened.
“He burns away part of his life.”
The revelation struck like lightning.
Lin Yue stared at Mo Chen.
Fighting alone.
Protecting everyone.
Protecting her.
For centuries.
The giant attacked again.
This time with both arms.
Mo Chen countered.
The impact split clouds across the horizon.
Blood suddenly appeared on his lips.
Lin Yue’s eyes widened.
He was injured.
The impossible had happened.
The Demon King was losing.
The giant noticed too.
Its smile widened.
“You cannot stop fate.”
Mo Chen wiped the blood away.
His expression remained cold.
Yet his breathing had become heavier.
The spirit woman cursed softly.
“He doesn’t have much time.”
Lin Yue’s chest tightened.
“No.”
For reasons she couldn’t explain—
The thought terrified her.
The idea of losing him hurt.
Far more than it should.
Suddenly, Mo Chen looked back at her.
Their eyes met.
Everything became still.
The battle.
The chaos.
The destruction.
All of it faded.
For a brief moment, only the two of them existed.
Then he smiled.
A small smile.
A gentle smile.
The kind she had never seen before.
And somehow—
That frightened her more than anything.
Because it felt like goodbye.
“No.”
Lin Yue took a step forward.
Mo Chen turned away.
Dark flames surrounded him.
The giant laughed.
“Finally giving up?”
“No.”
The Demon King’s voice became calm.
Too calm.
The spirit woman’s face lost all color.
“No…”
She immediately understood.
Lin Yue didn’t.
“What?”
The spirit looked horrified.
“He’s going to use it.”
“What?”
“The Forbidden Flame.”
The words echoed through the ruined building.
Lin Yue frowned.
“What is that?”
The spirit’s hands trembled.
“The attack that killed gods.”
Fear gripped Lin Yue.
“And?”
The woman looked at her.
Tears filled her silver eyes.
“It also kills the user.”
Everything stopped.
“No.”
Outside, dark fire surrounded Mo Chen completely.
The sky cracked.
Reality itself began breaking apart.
The giant’s smile finally vanished.
For the first time—
It looked afraid.
“What have you done?”
The Demon King floated above the city.
Black wings emerged behind him.
Massive wings.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
The entire world seemed to tremble before him.
Mo Chen slowly raised his hand.
A single flame appeared.
Small.
Silent.
Deadly.
The giant took a step backward.
Then another.
The Devourer’s avatar was retreating.
Fear flashed across its countless eyes.
“You’re insane.”
Mo Chen smiled.
“Perhaps.”
The flame grew larger.
And larger.
And larger.
Until it resembled a miniature sun.
The city shook violently.
Mountains in the distance cracked.
Even the ocean began rising.
The spirit woman grabbed Lin Yue’s arm.
“We have to stop him.”
Lin Yue couldn’t move.
Her eyes remained fixed on Mo Chen.
The man she was supposed to fear.
The monster she was supposed to hate.
The demon she was never supposed to love.
Yet watching him prepare to sacrifice himself—
Her heart shattered.
“No.”
Mo Chen looked toward her one final time.
The sadness in his eyes broke something inside her.
Then he spoke.
Three words.
Softly.
Only for her.
“Live, Lin Yue.”
The flame exploded.
And the world disappeared in light.
End of Episode 5
Cliffhanger:
Has Mo Chen sacrificed himself to save Lin Yue and the world? What will happen when the Forbidden Flame collides with the Devourer’s avatar? And why did Lin Yue’s heart break when she thought she was about to lose the Demon King forever?
- Writer
