Fated | Fangs Of Fortune [ZhuYi]

Chapter 9 : Beneath the Crimson Moon

Yi Chen stirred awake, roused by the sudden noise filling the Demon Hunting Bureau. He rubbed his eyes, trying to wipe away the sleepiness, but the world around him seemed to shimmer crimson. Slowly, he pushed the blanket aside and stood up. As his senses cleared, the sounds of chaos became unmistakable. There was a fight breaking out in the Bureau.

Frantic, Yi Chen searched his quarters for a weapon. There was nothing except the sword he had been practicing with during his training. Without hesitation, he grabbed it and dashed toward the main chamber, his heart pounding with dread.

As he drew closer, the sounds of fighting began to fade, replaced by an eerie silence. His footsteps faltered as he noticed bodies strewn along the path. Every one of them wore the uniform of the Bureau's guards, and some of the faces he recognized.

Blood was everywhere. It stained the floor and splattered the walls, mingling with the red glow of the moonlight pouring in through the windows. The sight was overwhelming. Yi Chen fought to keep himself from breaking down, forcing his legs to move forward despite his trembling.

His robes and shoes were soaked in the crimson trail as he approached the folding walls that separated the main chamber. Just as he was about to step closer, the panels shifted open, and someone emerged.

Yi Chen froze. The figure glowed with a scarlet aura, its presence overwhelming and otherworldly. The sword slipped from Yi Chen's grip, landing with a wet thud on the blood-streaked ground.

"...Ah-Yuan?" The name escaped Yi Chen's lips before he could think. The name he had wanted to call so many times, yet had been too afraid to voice aloud.

The figure did not respond. The glowing red eyes, the black tattoos spreading across his face, the twisted, hateful smile, none of it matched the Zhu Yan he had known.

"What... what are you doing here, Yuan Zhou?" Yi Chen stammered, his voice stumbling over the words. His gaze flicked toward the main chamber, and what he saw froze his blood.

There, lying motionless on the ground, were his father and his brother.

"Gege! Father!" Yi Chen screamed, his voice raw with panic as he ran to them. Their bodies crumpled together near the center of the chamber.

His brother's arms were wrapped tightly around the Cloud Light Sword, its glow pulsing faintly in blue before dimming entirely.

"Gege..." Kneeling beside him, Yi Chen reached for his brother's face, his fingers trembling. His heart skipped a beat when his cold skin met his palm, and the truth hit him with crushing force.

"No... No, this can't be real" Yi Chen whispered, his voice breaking.

"Gege! Please!" He screamed, his voice raw with desperation. He shook Yi Xuan, pleading for him to open his eyes. But it was too late. His brother didn't respond.

Tears welled in Yi Chen's eyes, spilling freely as his body shook. The agony of it was too much. He tried to deny what he saw, but reality had already set in. His brother was gone. As well as his father.

In that moment, a dark and heavy realization gripped his heart. His despair morphed into something darker. His tear-filled eyes sharpened, glowing faintly with despair and hatred as they turned toward the figure standing behind him.

With trembling hands, he pried the Cloud Light Sword from his brother's grip. It was the first time he had ever held it. The sword felt heavy in his hands, heavy with grief and resolve, but lightened by the sheer force of his will.

He turned to face the scarlet-tinged figure, who still bore that haunting, demonic smile. The aura around Zhu Yan was suffocating, as unrecognizable as the man himself. Yi Chen's voice, choked with fury, rang out.

"Why!"

With a cry that carried all his anguish, Yi Chen charged forward, swinging the sword with all his might. "AHHHH!"

Zhu Yan didn't flinch. With a single motion, he knocked the sword from Yi Chen's hands, sending it clattering to the ground with the sound of stone against stone. In the same moment, Zhu Yan's other hand wrapped around Yi Chen's throat.

Yi Chen struggled against the iron grip, clawing at Zhu Yan's hand, but it was no use. The strength that had once felt so familiar now seemed monstrous.

"Why?" Yi Chen choked out, tears streaming down his face. "Wh..y?" His voice cracked, filled with despair and betrayal.

Zhu Yan's scarlet eyes gleamed with interest but no recognition. His grip on Yi Chen's throat tightened as if savoring his pain.

Yi Chen's tears fell freely now, landing on Zhu Yan's hand as it choked his throat. "Zhu Yan" he whispered through gritted teeth. His voice trembled with rage and heartbreak. "Kill me."

His red, tear-filled eyes locked onto Zhu Yan's, burning with hatred. "Do it! Kill me!"

Zhu Yan narrowed his eyes, meeting Yi Chen's gaze.

The snow continued to fall, its soft flakes drifting down from the open roof of the chamber. They landed on their hair, their shoulders, unnoticed amidst the violence.

The crimson moon, high above in the sky, released a malevolent aura that seemed to weigh down on Yi Chen's very soul. Its blood-red light bathed everything in its dark glow, painting the scene with a sinister hue.

Under the crimson moon, without a word, Zhu Yan tightened his grip around Yi Chen's neck.

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Honestly, writing this chapter was tough. I really wanted to make sure you could feel YiChen's change of emotions. Hope it worked!