The Echo of Ancestral Flames
Your Author
Ok let's start
The orb sat on the pedestal, pulsing faintly with fiery light, casting long shadows across the sanctum’s chamber. Lan Yi stared at it, his expression a mix of fascination and unease.
Lan Yi (MC)
This is the key.
(he muttered, more to himself than to the others.)
Ruo Chen (ML)
(Ruo Chen stood beside him, sword still drawn, his icy demeanor unchanged.)
And possibly a trap. Be careful.
Xiao Rui
(Xiao Rui approached cautiously, clutching his talismans.)
We should take it back to the sect and study it. Whatever it is, it’s tied to the sanctum’s magic. Maybe Elder Qiu will know how to unlock its secrets.
Lan Yi nodded, though his instincts told him the answers lay deeper within the sanctum, not outside it. Still, he reached for the orb. The moment his fingers brushed its surface, a surge of energy shot through him, and the world around them shifted.
Lan Yi blinked, his surroundings replaced by a vivid, otherworldly landscape. Flames danced in the air like living beings, their heat somehow comforting rather than overwhelming.
Echo
Lan Yi.
( a deep, resonant voice echoed, making him whirl around.)
Standing before him was a figure cloaked in flames, their features shifting between human and phoenix. They radiated power, their fiery wings spreading wide.
Lan Yi (MC)
Who are you?
( Lan Yi demanded, though his voice faltered under the weight of the being’s presence.)
Echo
I am the Echo of the First Phoenix.
( the figure replied, their voice carrying a mix of pride and sorrow.)
And you are my descendant, the bearer of our legacy.
Lan Yi (MC)
(Lan Yi’s eyes narrowed.)
If you’re so powerful, why can’t you stop the cult from desecrating our sanctum?
Echo
(The Echo’s gaze softened.)
My power is bound to the sanctum and its guardians. I cannot act without your will. But the Black Phoenix rises once more, and its shadow threatens to consume everything.
Lan Yi (MC)
(Lan Yi’s flames flickered around him.)
Then tell me how to stop it.
The Echo stepped closer, placing a hand on Lan Yi’s chest. A surge of warmth flooded him, and visions filled his mind—of battles fought long ago, of a fiery phoenix locking a blackened counterpart in eternal combat.
Echo
The Black Phoenix feeds on doubt and despair.
( the Echo said.)
Its power will grow if the sanctum falls. You must strengthen your bond with the flames and awaken the true Phoenix Spirit within you. Only then can you seal the shadow forever.
Before Lan Yi could respond, the vision faded, and he was back in the sanctum.
Lan Yi staggered, his body trembling as he held the orb. Ruo Chen caught him, concern flashing briefly in his cold eyes.
Ruo Chen (ML)
what happened?
Lan Yi (MC)
The Phoenix Spirit.
( Lan Yi murmured, his voice hoarse.)
It spoke to me. The Black Phoenix… it’s more than a legend. It’s coming, and I’m the only one who can stop it.
Xiao Rui
(Xiao Rui looked alarmed.)
The Black Phoenix? But that’s supposed to be sealed away!
Lan Yi (MC)
(Lan Yi shook his head.)
The seal is weakening. That’s why the cult is after the sanctum. If they awaken the Black Phoenix, we’re all doomed.
Ruo Chen (ML)
(Ruo Chen tightened his grip on his sword.)
Then we need to stop them before they get another chance.
Back at the sect, Elder Qiu listened intently as Lan Yi recounted his vision. The elder’s expression grew darker with every word.
Elder Qiu
The Echo of the First Phoenix… it hasn’t appeared to a descendant in centuries.
( Elder Qiu said, stroking his beard.)
If it spoke to you, Lan Yi, it means the threat is greater than we feared.
Lan Yi (MC)
(Lan Yi placed the orb on the table.)
It said I need to strengthen my bond with the flames. What does that mean?
Elder Qiu
(Elder Qiu’s gaze lingered on the orb.)
The Phoenix Flame is not just a weapon; it’s a reflection of your spirit. To awaken its full power, you must confront your deepest fears and doubts. Only then will the flame reveal its true potential.
Ruo Chen (ML)
(Ruo Chen crossed his arms.)
And how does he do that? We don’t have time for soul-searching when the cult is already making their next move.
Elder Qiu
(Elder Qiu’s expression was grim.)
The Orb of Ancestral Flames can guide him. But the process is dangerous. It will force Lan Yi to face the shadows within himself. If he fails, the flames will consume him.
Lan Yi (MC)
(Lan Yi straightened, determination blazing in his eyes.)
Then I won’t fail.
The Cult’s Preparations:
In their hidden lair, the shadowy figure stood before a massive, blackened phoenix statue. The remnants of the shattered staff floated in the air, surrounded by swirling dark energy.
Shadow
The descendant has made contact with the Echo.
( the figure murmured.)
Good. The stronger his connection to the flames, the more powerful the awakening will be.
someone
(One of the cultists stepped forward, bowing low.)
Shall we proceed with the next phase?
Shadow
(The figure smirked, their crimson eyes gleaming.)
Yes. While the descendant is occupied, we’ll strike at the sect directly. Let them burn in their own flames.
Lan Yi sat in the center of the sect’s inner sanctum, the Orb of Ancestral Flames glowing before him. Elder Qiu and the other elders formed a protective circle around him, their chants filling the air with ancient magic.
Ruo Chen and Xiao Rui stood outside the circle, watching anxiously.
Xiao Rui
This feels… risky.
( Xiao Rui whispered.)
Ruo Chen (ML)
(Ruo Chen’s hand rested on the hilt of his sword.)
It is. But Lan Yi doesn’t back down from a fight, even if it’s with himself.
As the elders’ chanting reached a crescendo, the orb flared with light, and flames engulfed Lan Yi. His body went rigid, his mind plunging into darkness.
Inside the Trial:
Lan Yi found himself in a void of fire and shadow. The flames flickered weakly, barely keeping the encroaching darkness at bay.
Dark side of Lan Yi
(A voice echoed from the shadows, low and mocking.)
You think you can control the Phoenix Flame? You’re nothing but a reckless fool, unworthy of its power.
The shadows coalesced into a figure—an exact replica of Lan Yi, but with eyes as black as coal and flames that burned cold.
Lan Yi (MC)
Who are you?
(Lan Yi demanded.)
Dark side of Lan Yi
(The doppelgänger smirked.)
I’m you. The part you’ve been running from. The doubt, the anger, the fear. Face me, or be consumed by the flames you claim to command.
Lan Yi (MC)
(Lan Yi clenched his fists, his flames flickering weakly.)
I’m not afraid of you.
The shadow laughed, lunging toward him.
Outside the trial, the Orb of Ancestral Flames pulsed violently, cracks forming on its surface.
Elder Qiu
(Elder Qiu’s voice rose in alarm.)
The trial is unstable! If Lan Yi doesn’t succeed soon—
Before he could finish, a deafening explosion rocked the sect as cultists launched their attack, their dark magic tearing through the outer defenses.
Ruo Chen (ML)
(Ruo Chen drew his sword, his icy glare sharp.)
Looks like we’re out of time.
Your Author
Plz read my other stories too pokkies.
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