Ren barely registered the motion, only the blurry figures of the masked men and a glint of cold steel.
The first attacker lunged towards him with terrifying speed, faster than anything he encountered before. The world around him narrowed, his body screamed to run, but he stood frozen before the blade swung wide.....
.... before meeting with a burst of wind.
The figure got thrown back during his attack, crashing onto a nearby cary filled with wood. The second figure staggered to stop, startled.
A silhouette stood between Ren and the cloaked men, arms spread wide protectively.
Mei Lin.
Her clothes were scorched, her cheeks were stained with blood and ash, but her eyes, her eyes were burning brighter than the fire around them.
"I told you to stop wandering off, idiot" she snapped at him, not looking back "get behind me!"
Ren opened his mouth, trying to speak, but nothing came, he just moved, his legs trembling before falling into step behind her.
The two remaining figures hesitated, one taking a defensive stance, the other raised his hand.
A screesh echoed through the burning village, not human this time.
Something huge moved through the shadows. A beast, not one born in the forest. Covered in black jagged scales, it's mouth twisted abnormally as it tore through what remained of a cottage. It's eyes locked on them.
Mei swore under her breath.
"What's that?" Ren asked, his heart thundering.
"No idea" Mei shrugged "but my best guess is that it's not here to have tea."
The beast let out a roar as the air trembled and the ground shook.
"Run?" Ren offered.
"Yeah" Mei replied before grabbing his hand "Run!"
They bolted.
Through the ruins and ashed, while ducking falling beams and dodging debris. The smoke around them thickened as the screams faded into the background as the beast started chasing with heavy steps and lound breath.
Behind them the figures regrouped, not all were pursuing them as some stayed behind to continue the slaughter of the remaining villagers.
Atop a ridge above, two figures stood watching in contemplation.
Mu Qinglan's hand tightened at her sides, her husband closed his eyes, not in meditation, but in acceptance and pain.
"It's begun" he whispered.
"Yes" she replied with a hollow voice.
----------
------
The forest around the village blazed with orange light as the beastly howl tore through the smoke behind them. Each step it took shook the very ground they're running on.
Ren ran, stumbling over the debris, Mei gripping his hand tightly as they navigated through the smoke. The world was a blur, fire, screams, collapsing buildings and the sour scent of blood filled the air.
"Left!" Mei shouted before yanking him to the side.
A burning branch crashed down where they had been a second ago.
"Where are we going?" Ren asked.
"Anywhere it's not!" Mei replied, shooting a glance over her shoulder.
The beast had not slowed. It's grotesque body moving with unnatural speed and strength, tearing through what's left of the village or trees alike. It's breath hissed, it's eyes formed from burning crimson pits, locked onto them.
A glimmer of cold metal flickered through the smoke, and a masked figure stepped in their path with a drawn blade.
Mei let go of his hand.
"Keep going, RUN!" she growled before stepping in front of Ren once more.
He faltered "But---"
"JUST GO!"
The time to argue wasn't there. Ren turned and ran, his chest burning and thumping even more, his lungs were screaming for air, his eyes were stinging from the smoke and ash all around.
From behind, he heard the clash of steel and shouting, Mei's sharp voice. Then the beast's roar was heard again, closer.
Ren ducked into a treeline, the branches whipping at his face. The forest was dark, lit only by the blazing village behind him.
He stumbled down a slope, tumbling into the underbrush. For a moment, everything was silent.
Then,
*Crack*
Heavy footsteps from above.
Ren held his breath, his body, pressed onto the dirt, was trembling, and his heat pounding.
The threads, those elusive whispers, were in chaos. They spiraled and thrashed, screaming in their silence. But one, one thread was steady.
His hand reached instinctively toward it, the ring on his finger pulsed faintly.
And he heard it, in the distance, a voice, his mother's? A whisper.
"Live."
He didn't understand, but he moved, something in him moved him, propelling him forward.
He ran again, deeper into the woods.
Behind him, a road split the air, this one was sharp, not of the beast's, but someone else. A powerful surge of energy rippled around him through the valley, lifting the dust and leaves. It passed over him like a wave, and for that moment he felt.....weightless. The threads stilled, just for a moment, and he could feel them watching.
Not guiding.
Just, watching, observing.
Then they recoiled again.
The beast was closing in.....