In a misty, narrow ravine, a midnight blue river ran through like a knife stabbing into flesh, with its current flowing freely like blood. Fish carried by the water made their way towards their destination, tiny bugs laid their eggs on small leaves and hares nibbled on the shrubs and fallen fruit, all of the world was moving on ever so slowly.
Sunshine peaked past the fog, chasing away the frost on the grass and trees, the light slowly dispersing the fog and waking the creatures in the area.
Below a particularly large boulder lay three black birds, nestled close in comfort.
The first ray of sunlight slipped over the shadow of the rocks and brushed against glossy black feathers.
Kristen twitched.
Her wing jerked once, then twice, as if she were fighting something in a dream. A faint spark flared at the edge of her vision, a flicker of heat that singed a dry leaf near her talons.
She shot upright.
"WE'RE LATE—"
Her voice echoed embarrassingly loud in the quiet ravine, causing the peace from before to be disrupted. A hare bolted into the underbrush. Two fish scattered beneath the river's surface.
Olivia's eyes opened instantly,while Lucia's opened more slowly as if she didn't care what was happening.
'She should care. We're late for gods sake!'
"We are not late," Olivia grumbled, annoyed.
Kristen blinked up at the sky.
The sun had only just begun its climb.
"…Oh."
Considering that they had gone to sleep at around 1am and had only slept for 4 and a bit hours, it made sense that the sun would barely have started to rise. But, Kristen, who was already nervous as usual, ignored this blatant fact and still decided to wake everyone.
For no reason, basically, as well.
Embarrassed, tired and nervous Kristen watched as the other two moved back to their beds to get a tiny bit more sleep.
'Shhhhhhhit.'
With nothing else to do but wait, Kristen walked up to the river and splashed some water onto her face to clear away the remaining drowsiness.
The water was ice cold to the touch and made her visibly flinch when touching it, but that was to be expected because of the cold temperature from the night before.
She leapt onto the large rock from before and gazed at the ravine that they were staying in.
'Soon I'll be off to another random continent. It feels kind of sad, in a way, since this is the place I was born.
Sure, literally everything tried to kill me, but its still like I'm losing a part of myself. Whatever. I'll just come back when I'm strong and conquer it all.'
She stayed there for a while, looking at the wildlife around her.
..
.
.
Somewhere far, far east of the merchant carriage.
A group of handsome five men staggered into a large sect, detailed doors and buildings lining every corner of the place. They walked down the streets and gained suspicious looks from nearly everyone there.
From the women however, flirtatious fanning and eyeing them up and down was what they received. Even a few of the men could be seen turning away to hide the tents in their pants.
I mean, who wouldn't stare at a bunch of dirty, battered hot men? The extra filth just added to their rugged charm.
The group stumbled all the way to the centre of the sect, coming face to face with a grand building with a dark red roof and an expensive looking door.
The five men looked nothing like the confident cultivators who had set out the night before with their robes were torn and spirits destroyed.
Their hair, once tied neatly with jade clasps and silver pins, now hung loose and dirt-streaked around sharp faces that had not fully recovered their composure.
But they still walked upright.
Well, barely.
At the heart of the sect rose the grand hall, its sweeping dark-red roof curving like the wings of some ancient beast. Pillars carved with coiling dragons lined the entrance, and spiritual lanterns burned with steady blue flames despite the daylight.
Above the doors hung a plaque etched with three bold characters:
Crimson Tidal Sect
They pushed open the doors and the disciples parted instinctively as the five approached.
Whispers followed them like a tide.
"They failed?"
"Who did that to Junior Brother Wei?"
"They look like they're hurt but, not physically?"
The youngest among the five, a man named Wei, the foundation-stage cultivator who had resisted the illusion longest, kept his jaw tight. Blood had dried beneath his nose and his gaze was steady.
At the far end of the hall, seated upon a raised platform of polished black stone, was a man in layered crimson robes.
He appeared no older than thirty, but, for some reason gave the impression of someone much older.
His hair was tied high with a gold crown clasp. His features were refined, almost scholarly until one looked at his eyes.
They were the colour of deep wine. This was Grand Elder Han of the Crimson Tidal Sect.
His gaze drifted over the five men slowly.
The silence stretched uncomfortably.
"You left two days ago," Elder Han said mildly. "And now, you return at dawn."
His voice was calm.
Junior Brother Wei stepped forward and bowed despite the stiffness in his limbs.
"We encountered… something."
A faint ripple moved through the watching disciples.
Elder Han's fingers tapped once against the arm of his throne. "Spit it out and be done with it child."
"Yes, Elder."
Wei's throat tightened slightly despite himself. The memory of fangs sinking into his flesh, acidic venom being pumped inside his muscles. Of bones shattering under an invisible, crushing weight.
"There was a beast."
"A beast," Elder Han repeated, annoyed.
"A bird. Black feathered."
A murmur.
"Continue."
Wei inhaled slowly. "It possessed advanced illusion techniques. Capable of manifesting pain perception directly into the mind."
This was interesting as while Illusions were common, ones that inflicted tangible sensation were not.
Elder Han's eyes sharpened slightly. "And yet here you stand."
Wei nodded. "It could not cause physical damage, only trigger our perception."
One of the other battered cultivators clenched his fists. "Only perception?" he snapped hoarsely. "I felt my ribs cave in!"
Elder Han's gaze flicked to him once.
The man fell silent immediately.
"And why," he asked softly, "did five cultivators, some of the best in this sect, fail to capture a single beast?"
The temperature in the hall seemed to drop.
Wei lowered his head fully this time.
"It was not alone."
Elder Han's expression sharpened further.
"Go on."
"There were three," Wei said. "The illusionist, one capable of concealment and another that I couldn't place.
Elder Han leaned back slightly.
'Three.'
"Were they coordinated?" he asked.
"Yes."
"And intelligent?"
"Yes.
Silence again.
Then, a faint smile.
"Interesting."