Ziyi's Pov
Age: 16
Snow drifted over the imperial capital, swirling like pale ashes carried by the zephyr.
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I walked through the winter garden, like a phantom wrapped in white silks. A thin golden veil hid my face. It was meant to conceal me.
Tonight, nothing could conceal my identity.
A cold wind swept past, brushing against my sleeves. The palace lanterns flickered violently. Somewhere beyond the walls, the earth gave a dull, shuddering tremor.
He has arrived.
I paused beneath the ancient winter plum tree. Pink petals drifted like slow rain. Tonight, the blossoms will fall over blood. I lifted a branch gently, feeling the cold petals brush my fingertips. For a moment, I almost fooled myself into believing I was calm. That everything was going to be okay. That it was only a morbid nightmare or a sinister figment of my imagination.
But my heartbeat betrayed me.
For weeks, the army of demons has been circling the palace. And now they had destroyed our shields and were attacking us with full force. My father was leading our army...protecting me while I was locked in the garden. I wanted to help him, but he refused my assistance. In his eyes, I was still young and weak. Something delicate that needs to be hidden. He treated me as if I were a jewel or a rare flower.
But I was none of those things. This was my fight, and only I could defeat our foe.
A low, simmering hum filled the air, like a spark catching flame. Shadows tightened at the boundary of the courtyard. From them stepped a tall man clad in black and silver, his robe embroidered with what looked like coiled dragons.
Silver armour.
Red cape trailing along the snow-covered ground.
A portion of his hair was tied back, the rest flowing like ink. His sword dripped blood onto the untainted snow, leaving a crimson trail behind every step. A red infernal aura burned around him, twisting in the air like living flame. His face was covered by an onyx mask, its intricate details creating a beautiful yet demonic design.
It was him.
Xander Meilin.
The Demon Emperor.
The villain of my story.
His gaze landed on me, and the entire garden seemed to fall into silence. I had imagined a monster, but the man before me… he was terrifying in a different way.
"So it's you. The one the heavens hide from me." His voice was deep and hypnotic. Every word sent shivers down my spine.
I met his stare through the falling snow, urging myself to be calm and steady. I refused to be seen as weak. He had come to kill me. The prophecy said only I could destroy him, so he had come here to kill me first, to execute his weakness. My heart pounded with fear. I wanted to run, truly, but something inside me refused.
I summoned my sword. The blade answered me, soft light blooming along its edge. I tightened my grip on the hilt and stepped towards my executioner.
His lips curled behind the mask. "Are you trying to fight me, boy?"
"I'm not afraid of you," I said.
He raised his sword.
"Then prepare to meet your end."
I lifted my sword to match him.
Something inside me snapped. A strange and stubborn boldness. I didn't want to hide anymore. I didn't want to show any signs of fear. So I reached up and unclasped the bindings of my veil. I tore off the silk golden cloth, letting it fall beneath my feet. I faced my enemy bravely and was determined to fight him with everything I had.
The cold breeze brushed against my face, tossing stubborn hair strands across my cheeks...
What happened next left me utterly speechless.
Meilin stood motionless. So still.
For the first time since stepping into the garden, he hesitated.
He stared at me as if he had never seen a mortal before. His scarlet eyes darkened with something raw, unguarded, and dangerous. The blade slid from his fingers, sinking into the frost-covered ground. It felt as if the world had paused around us. Snowflakes and winter blossoms drifted between us.
He took a step closer. Then another.
I raised my sword, ready to strike, but he didn't even try to pick up his fallen sword.
Why wasn't he attacking?
And why did he look at me like that...
Maybe he was too shocked...upon finding out that I was weak and small. Not the strong opponent he had anticipated.
"Fight me," I whispered.
I swung the blade, aiming for his chest.
He caught it. With his bare hand.
The sword's light scorched his palm, and crimson welled between his fingers. Blood slid along the blade's silver edge, falling onto the snow in quiet, blooming drops. With his uninjured hand, he reached for my face. Fingertips brushed the line of my cheek with a startling gentleness. Then his fingers swept along the bridge of my nose and lingered at the curve of my lips.
In that moment, I felt fragile. Like I could break or fade away, but his touch made me feel protected in a way that frightened me.
I stepped back, panic rising in my chest. I activated the talisman father had given me and crushed it in my palm. Light surged around me-soft, warm, growing brighter until it swallowed me whole.
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Meilin reached out blindly as Ziyi vanished, fingers grasping at empty air.
His chest rose and fell in unsteady breaths.
Footsteps approached. The demon general Xie Wuyin rushed to his side.
"My lord, did you kill the boy? What happened?"
Meilin didn't answer.
He simply stared at the empty space where Ziyi had stood. Eyes unfocused, frozen, as though something inside him had shattered.