Azure Echoes.

Chapter 22: A Fiery Reckoning

Zeng prowled through the halls, the dim, flickering candlelight casting long shadows across the dark stone walls. Every step he took was measured, senses sharpened and coiled, ready to strike. Black Veil Headquarters exuded a suffocating atmosphere, a labyrinthine stronghold of secrecy and cruelty. He clenched his fists as he pushed forward, ignoring the gnawing worry in his chest.

Ahead of him, a figure emerged from the darkness: the trainer. Masked as always, his stance exuded a calm, detached menace that Zeng recognized instantly. This was no stranger; the cold precision, the silence, all reminded him of the merciless force that had haunted his every step since his arrival. The trainer moved with a deadly grace, blocking Zeng's path as if he had been waiting for him.

"So," the trainer's voice cut through the silence, chilling and taunting, "you've come to throw your life away for him. Do you think you're ready to face me, boy?"

Zeng steadied his breathing, meeting the trainer's stare. "For Lian, I'll face anything."

The trainer's laughter was cold and dismissive, an unsettling echo that filled the hallway. Without another word, he lunged forward, swift and precise, forcing Zeng to react. Their fight began as a deadly dance, a blur of parries, blocks, and strikes that left Zeng struggling to keep up. Every swing of the trainer's weapon was precise, every movement calculated to exploit any weakness in Zeng's defense.

The trainer dodged Zeng's strikes effortlessly, leaving him off-balance and frustrated. Zeng fought to focus, drawing on his training, the strength of his newly harnessed Azure powers. But his strikes seemed clumsy against the trainer's skilled maneuvers, and with each misstep, Zeng's frustration mounted.

After one particularly powerful blow from the trainer, Zeng stumbled back, a tremor of pain rippling through him. The trainer's mask tilted, as if amused. "Your powers may have awakened, but you're still nothing more than a child," he sneered, circling Zeng like a predator toying with its prey.

Zeng pushed himself upright, forcing his breathing to steady. He had faced worse—he could endure this. But the trainer's next words hit him harder than any physical strike.

"Have you seen your Ve-Lian yet?" the trainer taunted, his voice sharp with malice. "You should see him. I marked him. Burned our crest onto his skin, branded him like a stray dog so he'd never forget where he belongs."

Zeng froze, his heart thundering as the image formed in his mind—of Lian bound, helpless, subjected to unimaginable pain. Fury ignited within him, like a smoldering ember suddenly catching fire.

"You did what?" Zeng's voice was low, barely more than a growl, but the intensity in his eyes was unmistakable.

The trainer chuckled, a dark sound that only stoked the fury blazing within Zeng. "Branded him, right over his shoulder blade. A reminder that he's ours, body and soul." He took a step forward, sneering. "That's all he ever was, a tool to be used and discarded. And that's all you'll be, Azure powers or not."

Something snapped within Zeng. Every fiber of his being burned with rage, his Azure powers surging, filling his veins with an almost overwhelming heat. He could feel it—feel the power strengthening him, sharpening his senses and quickening his movements. The trainer came at him again, but this time, Zeng met his strikes with a fierce, unyielding strength, countering each blow with a new force. His mind focused on one thing alone: avenging Lian.

The trainer's expression faltered as Zeng's attacks grew faster, fiercer. Zeng forced him back with each strike, his movements no longer hesitant but filled with a raw, unrestrained energy. The trainer's confidence faded as he struggled to keep up, his footing growing less stable under Zeng's relentless assault.

"Where is he?" Zeng roared, his voice reverberating through the dark hall. "Where is Lian?!"

The trainer swung his weapon in a wide arc, but Zeng ducked under it, using the opening to strike with a powerful blow that sent the trainer crashing against the stone wall. Dazed, the trainer tried to rise, but Zeng was upon him, pinning him down with an iron grip.

"You've tortured him enough," Zeng snarled, his voice laced with venom. "You won't hurt him again." And with a final, fierce strike, Zeng unleashed his power, a burst of energy that shattered the trainer's defenses, his form going limp beneath Zeng's unyielding grip.

Zeng staggered back, breathing heavily, his gaze locked on the trainer's still form. He'd done it. He'd avenged Lian's suffering, but the victory was bittersweet, and his heart still hammered with worry.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

The sound of slow, echoing footsteps made Zeng turn, his gaze landing on a tall, elegant figure approaching through the shadows. This man, clad in the rich, dark robes of the Black Veil, moved with a grace that was both mesmerizing and chilling. His expression held an unreadable calm, his eyes fixated on Zeng with a hint of intrigue.

"Impressive," the man murmured, voice smooth and composed. "You handled the trainer well. I wasn't sure you had it in you."

Zeng took a cautious step back, his instincts screaming at him to be on guard. This man radiated authority—he had to be high-ranking within the Black Veil.

The man gestured down the hallway. "Come," he said with an inviting, almost mocking smile. "The leader wishes to see you... and your dear friend Lian is waiting."