The world was quiet that night, save for the faint whisper of the wind against the old, worn windows of Li Yun's small apartment. The moon hung heavy in the sky, casting its pale light over the modest furnishings. Li Yun sat on his rickety bed, staring at the ceiling. He hadn't slept properly in weeks, not since the dreams began.

They always started the same. He'd find himself in a boundless void, where stars shimmered like fireflies caught in the fabric of eternity. Then, slowly, the void would part, revealing a world unlike anything he'd ever seen. Towering mountains wreathed in mist, rivers that glowed with a faint, ethereal light, and cities built into the clouds themselves. He'd wander through these places, feeling as if he belonged yet unable to understand why.

But the most vivid part of the dreams was the voices—distant, ancient whispers that seemed to come from the very air. They spoke in a language he didn't know, yet the meaning always reached him: The heavens weep for the fallen. The stars mourn for the lost.

Li Yun had no idea what it meant, but every morning he'd wake up drenched in sweat, his heart racing as though he'd run a marathon. Tonight was no different.

As the clock ticked past midnight, exhaustion finally claimed him, and he drifted into uneasy sleep.

The dream began almost instantly. This time, it was different. Instead of the usual serene landscapes, he found himself standing in a desolate field under a starless sky. The air was heavy, oppressive, and a faint, acrid smell lingered. He turned in place, trying to make sense of his surroundings, but all he could see was darkness stretching endlessly in every direction.

"Li Yun..."

The voice was a whisper, soft and mournful, yet it cut through the silence like a blade. He spun around, trying to find the source, but there was no one there.

"The stars have chosen. You cannot run."

"What? Who's there?" Li Yun called out, his voice trembling.

The ground beneath him began to tremble. The air grew colder, and suddenly, a streak of light tore across the sky. A shooting star, brighter and larger than any he'd ever seen, hurtled toward him. He tried to move, to run, but his body was frozen in place.

As the star descended, it wasn't just light it carried. He could feel its weight, its immense power, pressing down on him. The whispers grew louder, a cacophony of ancient voices overlapping and echoing in his mind.

"Embrace your fate."

The star struck him.

Pain. Blinding, searing pain. It was as if his entire body had been torn apart and put back together in an instant. For a moment, there was nothing but agony, and then... darkness.

Li Yun's eyes fluttered open, but there was no light to greet him. He was surrounded by pitch-blackness, a void so complete it felt suffocating. He tried to move, but his limbs felt heavy, unresponsive. Panic set in.

"Where am I?" he whispered, his voice echoing faintly.

A faint, cold glow appeared in the distance, illuminating the darkness just enough for him to see the faint outline of his hands. Or at least, he thought they were his hands. They looked different, larger, with calloused fingers and faint scars he didn't recognize.

"System activation in progress," a cold, mechanical voice suddenly announced, startling him.

"What? Who's there?" he demanded, his voice echoing in the emptiness.

The voice didn't respond. Instead, a translucent panel appeared before him, its surface filled with cryptic symbols and lines of text that shifted and changed before he could fully process them. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen, both alien and familiar at the same time.

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"System initialization complete. Welcome, User."

"System? What system? What's going on?" Li Yun asked, his voice trembling.

"User identity verification failed. Adjusting parameters. Synchronization with host's current vessel in progress..."

"Vessel? What vessel?" Li Yun's panic grew as he tried to make sense of the cryptic statements.

The panel flickered, and new text appeared:

Status: Shrouded. Access Level: Restricted.

"Further access requires awakening of the host's latent potential. Mission objectives will be revealed upon completion of initial trials."

"Trials? What trials? Can you just explain what's happening to me?" he shouted, but the panel faded, leaving him alone once more.

The glow in the distance grew brighter, and with it came a low rumble, like the sound of a distant storm. The ground beneath him shifted, and suddenly, he was falling. Wind roared past him as he plummeted into the unknown.

When he finally landed, it was with a force that should have shattered every bone in his body. Yet, he felt nothing but a dull ache. The darkness was gone, replaced by dim light filtering through a thick canopy of ancient trees. The air smelled fresh, tinged with the faint scent of herbs and flowers.

He pushed himself to his feet, his movements sluggish and unfamiliar. Looking down, he finally got a clear view of himself. The body wasn't his. It was taller, broader, and clothed in rough, simple robes. His hands were scarred, and a faint, glowing mark in the shape of a crescent moon adorned the back of his left hand.

Before he could process any of this, a rustling sound drew his attention. He turned to see a pair of glowing eyes watching him from the shadows. They belonged to a creature unlike anything he'd ever seen—a massive wolf with fur that shimmered like silver under the faint light.

The wolf growled, and Li Yun instinctively stepped back. But as he did, the mark on his hand began to glow brighter, and the system's voice returned.

"Trial One: Survive."

The wolf lunged.

Li Yun scrambled backward, heart pounding as the beast's claws slashed through the air inches from his face. Adrenaline surged through his veins, and he rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding another swipe. He had no weapon, no plan, and no idea how to fight.

The wolf's glowing eyes tracked his every movement, its growl vibrating in the air like thunder. Li Yun's back hit a tree, and he felt a surge of despair. Was this it? Was he going to die here, without even understanding what had happened to him?

"Focus," the system's voice chimed in, calm and detached. "The mark will guide you."

"Guide me? How?" Li Yun shouted, his voice raw with fear.

As if in response, the crescent moon mark on his hand flared to life, emitting a brilliant silver light. The wolf hesitated, its growl faltering as the light grew brighter. Li Yun felt a strange warmth spread through his body, and for a moment, the fear ebbed away, replaced by an instinct he couldn't explain.

He raised his hand, and the light from the mark coalesced into a shimmering blade, its edges sharp and ethereal. The weight felt natural in his grasp, as if it had always been a part of him.

The wolf snarled and lunged again, but this time, Li Yun didn't retreat. He stepped forward, swinging the blade in a wide arc. The weapon sliced through the air with a hum, striking the wolf's side. The creature let out a pained howl, silver blood spraying onto the forest floor.

Li Yun's breath came in ragged gasps as he stared at the wounded beast. The blade in his hand flickered, its light dimming slightly. The wolf's glowing eyes burned with fury, but it didn't attack again. Instead, it circled him, watching, waiting for an opening.

"You must finish it," the system's voice urged. "Hesitation will lead to death."

Li Yun tightened his grip on the blade, his mind racing. He didn't want to kill, but the wolf's intent was clear. It wouldn't stop until one of them was dead.

With a deep breath, he steadied himself. The warmth from the mark surged again, and the blade's light grew brighter. The wolf lunged one final time, and Li Yun met it head-on, his blade finding its mark. The creature collapsed with a final, mournful howl, its body dissolving into motes of silver light that drifted upward and disappeared.

Li Yun stood there, trembling, the blade in his hand fading into nothingness. The forest was silent once more, save for the sound of his heavy breathing.

"Trial One complete," the system announced. "Further instructions will follow."

Before Li Yun could respond, the ground beneath him began to shift again. Roots twisted and turned, forming a staircase that descended into the earth. The mark on his hand pulsed faintly, urging him forward.

"What now?" he muttered, his voice barely audible.

Author Notes:

Hello! For whoever still reads my silly stories thank you sincerely and I'm not back permanently but just for now with the introduction into one of my main stories, Celestial Descent which I have been working on this whole time locked in my room so far I've got a couple chapters stored so I'm looking forward to everyone reading them right now though I'm sorry for the short chapter one I know I haven't delved into Li Yuns character much and haven't explained most things about him but in due time I wrote this chapter with mystery in mind and I hope I conveyed it properly.

Thank you for reading!

-Beachbear