Dancing on the golden ashes

My aura surged with raw anger, an uncontrollable urge to tear everything apart consuming me. Darkness seeped from my body like a living entity, twisting and writhing around me, while fire raged in tandem, casting an eerie, flickering glow.

"Whoa! Please, calm down!" the guards shouted, their voices trembling. Their expressions were a mix of shock and fear, as though they had never witnessed anything so terrifying before.

"Where's their headquarters?" I asked calmly—or at least, I thought I did. The expressions on the guards' faces made it clear my voice was anything but calm.

"South of here. You'll find a massive white palace. Their sect is located there," one of the guards replied. His tone was unnervingly casual, as if my aura didn't faze him in the slightest. "But if you go and make a scene, you'll be dead."

He didn't even look at me as he spoke, leaning back in his chair with an air of complete indifference, as though the situation were beneath his notice.

"Gaon!"

"Big sister Gaon!"

Eun-Woo and Jieun finally caught up, their auras flaring wildly from the effort of rushing at full speed.

"Follow me. We need to save our group's idiot from the White Tiger Sect," I said firmly, turning to the guard lounging in his chair. The straw hat he wore completely obscured his face. "Thank you, Senior. We'll handle it from here." Without waiting for a response, I launched forward.

"Wait! What do you mean? Why is it the White Tiger Sect again? Damn it!" Eun-Woo yelled, quickly picking up speed to follow. Jieun, right on his heels, kept pace without a word, her determination palpable.

Your next chapter awaits on empire

The two of them quickly caught up, their determined strides matching mine.

Eun-Woo ran beside me, his towering frame moving like an unstoppable force, the ground trembling with every step. "Gaon, we can't just rush in blindly. We'll di—"

"I know," I cut him off, my voice tight with barely contained frustration. "I just need to let off some steam... Once we're there, we'll find a way to infiltrate. I promise—we'll get him out."

Every fiber of my being wanted to scream, to charge in recklessly, to annihilate anyone who dared stand in my way. But deep down, I knew the truth—I wasn't much in this world. Even so, I couldn't sit back and do nothing. I had to act, no matter the risk.

"Big sister Gaon, maybe we could infiltrate by pretending to be disciples," Jieun suggested, her voice surprisingly composed. "We just need to find three unlucky ones and steal their identities. I saw that once in a game my dad was playing... though I never understood why he liked that bald uncle."

I glanced at her, barely suppressing a smirk at the odd detail. "I hope it's that easy," I replied, my tone serious. "Otherwise, we'll have to sneak in at night, and who knows how tightly that place is guarded."

The smartest approach would probably be to apply as disciples ourselves, but how long would that take? Weeks? Months? Damn it! If only I knew someone who could help me bypass all the red tape.

We ran for what felt like half a day, pushing ourselves without pause until we reached the edge of the barrier. The shimmering field stretched endlessly before us, an invisible wall that marked the limits of where we could tread.

In the distance, the looming silhouette of a grand palace came into view, its pristine white walls glowing faintly under the sun. Despite its beauty, it was clear—we weren't allowed anywhere near it.

"How is that even possible?" Eun-Woo roared, his voice echoing through the stillness as he slammed his fist against the translucent barrier with all his might. The barrier shimmered but remained unyielding.

"Does that mean he wasn't taken there? Or... does this only apply to the three of us?!" His voice cracked with frustration, anger giving way to despair. "Why does it have to be like this?! Why am I so powerless to craft my own fate?!"

His trembling forehead rested against the invisible wall as his strength faded. Tears slid silently down his face, pooling at the base of the barrier that refused to bend to his will.

"Calm down," I said, my tone as reassuring as I could manage. "They probably haven't taken him there yet. We still have a chance."

Eun-Woo didn't respond immediately, but his trembling shoulders began to steady. I pressed on. "We should surround the area and prepare for battle. If they bring him—or his body—we'll ambush them from the trees. We can't afford to lose focus now."

My words were firm, but deep down, the weight of uncertainty gnawed at me. I had to believe we could save him, even if the odds were stacked against us.

"Don't say it like that! There's no way he's dead..." Jieun's voice trembled as she spoke, her celestial aura flaring wildly, crackling with a rage that burned like hellfire.

"Calm down," I said firmly. "Hide yourselves... we must be patient."

The words were harsh but necessary. Time dragged on, minutes stretching into what felt like hours.

From the shadows, we watched silently as figures in pristine white robes moved about, their steps measured and deliberate. They came and went with practiced ease, their routine unsettling in its precision.

With each passing figure, the tension grew heavier, coiling tighter around us like an invisible chain. The air felt thick, every sound amplified in the oppressive silence as we waited for the moment to act.

But there was no sign of Kim Seong-Hoon.

Are they not bringing him here?

What am I even supposed to think? I wondered bitterly. I've never cared that much about him, so why now? Why is this frustration clawing at me like a living thing?

Another two hours crawled by, the day gradually surrendering to the deep hues of night. The darkened sky above seemed to echo the despair settling over us. We were losing hope, each passing moment forcing us to confront the possibility that the worst had already happened.

But then, movement caught our eyes—a group of about ten people emerged from the distance. Relief flickered within me, fragile and hesitant.

Trailing behind them was a man—bloodied and bruised, his body marked with the unmistakable signs of days of relentless torment. My heart clenched. It was him.

"Those bastards!" Eun-Woo growled, his muscles tensing as he prepared to charge out from the shadow of the tree.

I grabbed his arm, holding him back. "Wait," I whispered sharply, my voice low but firm. "We have to act swiftly, or we'll end up just like him."

The group was too close to their headquarters. One wrong move, and we'd be swarmed. My mind raced, formulating a plan. "Jieun," I said, my eyes flicking toward her, "send a massive blast in front of them. It'll blind them for a few seconds—long enough for us to make our move."

I tightened my grip on my weapon. "I'll handle grabbing Kim Seong-Hoon. The moment I have him, we run. No hesitation."

Both of them nodded in unison. In the next moment, a powerful, blinding celestial attack struck the ground in front of the group of ten, exploding with an ear-splitting roar.

"We're being ambushed!"

"Prepare for a fight!"

"I can't see anything! What the hell is going on!?"

Now's my chance!

Wrapping myself in darkness, I melted into the shadows, becoming nothing more than a flicker in the chaos. My scythe materialized in my hand, its sharp edge gleaming with corrosive black soul energy that pulsed hungrily.

My eyes locked onto the golden chains shackling him. They radiated a suppressive aura, dense and unyielding as if they embodied the void itself. I tightened my grip, channeling all my power into the blade, and swung with precision.

The chains fell away as if sliced through butter. I didn't hesitate, grabbing the disoriented Kim Seong-Hoon and vanishing into the distance.

Eun-Woo followed close behind, pausing only to release a massive moonlight blast from his shield. The energy surged forward, harmless but forceful, sending the group sprawling twenty meters away. It bought us precious seconds as we pushed our bodies to the limit, speeding away with all the strength we could muster.

"Chase them!" a rough, furious voice roared from the group behind us. "If even one escapes, I'll end all of your lives!"

His threats faded as we gained distance, but the malice in his tone sent shivers down my spine.

"Big sis?" Kim Seong-Hoon's weak voice broke through my focus, trembling as he spoke. "You shouldn't have come. I had it under control... I— I don't want the three of you to die because of my foolishness." He began struggling on my shoulder, his weakened body squirming as if to throw himself off.

"Eun-Woo, hold this idiot tight! We can't let him do anything stupid!"

"Yes!" Eun-Woo grabbed Seong-Hoon firmly, perhaps too firmly. I cringed as I heard the faint crack of bones. That's not what I meant by 'tight,' Eun-Woo...

"Let me go! Save yourselves!" Seong-Hoon cried, desperation seeping into his voice. "There's someone in their group—he's incredibly powerful! Even you, big sis, can't beat him!"

"I will not abandon you!" My voice cut through his protests, resolute and unwavering. "You're my friend, Seong-Hoon. Even if it costs me my life, I will save you!"

"Big sis..." His struggles ceased, his eyes widening in surprise. He didn't know what to say, and I had no time to wait for his reply.

"Take him far away!" I ordered, my tone leaving no room for argument. "I'll stand my ground here."

"No! We fight together!" Jieun's voice rang out, her celestial aura flaring brighter with every word.

"Listen to me," I said sharply, turning to meet her gaze. "Both of you are too flashy. You'll draw attention, and Seong-Hoon is in no condition to fight. If I don't return within a day, find the Goddess of Fire. Tell her I won't be able to carry her legacy if she doesn't act."

Before they could argue further, I turned away, wrapping myself in the shadows. My eyes scanned the surroundings, heart pounding as the sound of pursuit grew closer.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Reluctantly, I heard my friends retreat, taking Seong-Hoon toward the safety of the city.

This would be my fight now.

Today, I will either die or live. There will be no other outcome—no imprisonment, no surrender.

I tightened my grip on my scythe. I will be victorious.