Azure Echoes.

Chapter 25: The Dark Ascension

The leader stepped forward, holding the now-completed Azure relic in his gloved hand, its glow turned ominously dark. With a sinister smirk hidden behind his silver mask, he positioned the relic in front of Lian, placing it carefully on a pedestal in the center of the hall. Its dark light cast an eerie shadow over the Black Veil members who gathered around, their faces filled with awe—and fear.

As Lian struggled against his restraints, he felt a surge of dread ripple through him. He glanced at Zeng, who stood nearby, his fists clenched, eyes narrowed, and filled with fury and helplessness. Neither of them could act as the relic began to pulse, sending out waves of energy that filled the room with an intense, unnatural pressure. It was as if the air itself had thickened, humming with a power that neither of them could fully comprehend.

Then, the relic began to glow darker, almost as if it were feeding.

One by one, the lower-ranked Black Veil assassins closest to the relic began to gasp, their bodies stiffening as their life force was slowly drawn toward the dark artifact. Their eyes widened in terror as they realized what was happening, but they couldn't escape its pull. The relic continued to feed, draining them of every ounce of their strength. They fell to the floor, lifeless, their energy absorbed into the relic's core.

Lian's eyes widened in horror. "No... stop!" he yelled, thrashing against his bindings. But it was too late. The relic's hunger was unrelenting, merciless.

Even the high-ranking member who stood at a distance began to feel its pull. He, too, grew desperate, struggling to escape, but there was nowhere to hide from the relic's power. Their faces twisted in agony as they fell, one after another, each contributing to the dark relic's strength. The room was filled with the faint echoes of their last breaths as their energy dissipated into the artifact, the light of their lives vanishing into its void.

The leader merely laughed, the sound cold and delighted, his gaze shifting to Lian and Zeng with cruel satisfaction. "You see, this relic does more than amplify power—it cleanses weakness. What remains will be the strongest essence of the Azure. And it will be mine."

Lian's heart sank as he looked to Zeng, who watched in growing horror, his fists trembling. They were witnessing a nightmare, the depths of the Black Veil's twisted ambition. As the relic pulsed again, absorbing the final energies of the assassins, its glow transformed completely, turning an inky black.

The leader reached out, basking in its dark glow, clearly thrilled with his creation. "This, Venom, is the future you tried to escape from. Your poisons, your knowledge, it was all for this moment. You could never escape your place here." He gave a mocking tilt of his head. "Neither of you can."

Zeng's voice was filled with a raw, desperate anger. "You'll pay for this. You think this power will protect you? It'll destroy you."

The leader chuckled. "Perhaps it will, but not before it fulfills my purpose." He fixed his gaze on Zeng, and with a dismissive wave of his hand, gestured toward the relic. "It's time, Zeng, to accept your place within the Azure legacy, as the relic intended."

But Zeng stood firm, his powers simmering beneath his skin, ready to burst. His eyes met Lian's, a silent promise shared between them.

They wouldn't surrender.

<3

- Lian: A name meaning "lotus" in Chinese, The lotus flower symbolizes purity, beauty, and resilience, as it grows in muddy waters but blooms pristinely.

- Zeng: The name generally means "to have been" or "once." It can carry connotations of history and legacy.