The Devouring

James stirred awake, feeling the stiffness in his muscles as he shifted slightly on the rough cave floor. The soft glow of the fire flickered against the stone walls, casting long shadows that danced with the dim light. He blinked a few times, adjusting to the dim cave as his mind slowly pulled itself from the haze of sleep.

A rustling sound caught James attention, turning his head he was surprised, as he saw Lianhua standing up. She looked different, much better than she was before. Her long, straight black hair draped over her shoulders, no longer matted with sweat. Her dark black eyes, once dulled with pain, now held a calm intensity. She stretched her limbs, her movements smooth and controlled. It was hard to believe that just hours ago, she had been on the verge of collapse. 

James found his gaze lingering for a moment on Lianhua as her movements were smooth for someone who had been on the brink of collapse just hours ago. Her clothing remained intact, except for the area around her wound, where the fabric had been cut away to treat her injury. The exposed skin had a marked, where the wound was.

His eyes drifted lower before he caught himself, the way her clothes fit around her full, well-shaped chest made it hard not to notice. Each steady breath she took caused the fabric to shift slightly, emphasizing her curves in a way that felt both distracting and frustrating.

James quickly rubbed the sleep from his face, forcing himself to focus "Come on, James. Get it together."

"You're awake." James muttered, rubbing the sleep from his eyes "How are you feeling?"

Lianhua smiled faintly, her fingers brushing against where the wound was on her side. "Better than I expected. Thanks to you."

James shook his head. "I didn't do much. Just patched you up and carried you here."

She tilted her head slightly, studying him with a strange expression. "That was more than enough."

James exhaled and leaned back against the cave wall, glancing toward the cave entrance. The sky outside had shifted to a deep orange, signaling that dusk was settling in. He knew they couldn't stay here forever.

As if reading his thoughts, Lianhua spoke. "There's a city nearby, just head East it's a few hours walk from here."

James raised a brow. "A city? Why didn't you mention this earlier?"

"You were more focused on saving my life," she said with a teasing smirk. "I didn't want to distract you."

James scoffed but let it go. "And how do you know about this city?"

Lianhua hesitated, then reached into the folds of her tattered clothing. She pulled out a small, metallic badge and held it out to him. It was circular, with intricate carvings etched into its surface. The metal gleamed faintly in the firelight, and James could feel something strange about it—like it carried an unseen weight.

"What's this?" he asked, taking it carefully.

"A sect badge," Lianhua said simply. "It's used for selecting disciples."

James turned it over in his fingers, examining the details. "A sect…? And you just happen to have one?"

Lianhua's lips curled into a mysterious smile. "Yes."

James frowned, feeling like she was holding something back. "Who exactly are you in this sect?"

Instead of answering, her movements was smooth as James barely had time to react before she began to fade before his eyes, her body turning into mist.

His eyes widened as he pushed himself upright. "Wait! You never answered....."

A soft whisper drifted through the air, carrying the faintest hint of amusement.

"You will find out soon."

And just like that, she was gone.

James stared at the empty space where she had stood, his mind reeling. His fingers tightened around the sect badge, its cool surface pressing against his palm.

Who was she? And what had he just gotten himself into?

James stood still for a moment, gripping the sect badge as he tried to make sense of everything. Lianhua was gone, leaving him with more questions than answers. But standing around wouldn't help. He let out a breath, tucking the badge into his pocket before turning toward the cave entrance.

The fire had burned low, only a few glowing embers remained. He kicked dirt over them, making sure they were out before stepping outside. The cool evening air hit him, and he looked up at the sky. The sun was setting, casting everything in deep orange and purple hues.

"East, huh?" James muttered to himself, recalling Lianhua's words about a nearby city.

He scanned the area and spotted a narrow dirt path leading into the forest. It wasn't much, but it was a start. With a final glance back at the empty cave, he adjusted his bag and set off.

The ground crunched beneath his shoes as he walked. The forest around him was quiet, except for the occasional rustling of leaves and distant bird calls. The fading sunlight stretched long shadows across the path.

James's mind kept drifting back to Lianhua. Just hours ago, she had been weak, barely conscious. Now she moved like nothing had happened. And the way she vanished—was that some kind of technique? Or something else?

He reached into his pocket, fingers brushing against the cool metal of the badge. "A sect badge…" he murmured. "If this is really important, I probably shouldn't be flashing it around. Who knows who might try to take it?"

The thought made him uneasy. He didn't know much about sects, but if they were powerful enough to need badges like this, then there were bound to be people who'd do anything to get their hands on one.

With that in mind, he pulled his bag forward and tucked the badge deep inside, making sure it was well hidden beneath his spare clothes. "Better safe than sorry."

A sudden rustling in the bushes ahead made him stop. His muscles tensed, and his breath caught in his throat. He had no weapon, nothing to defend himself with. His hands clenched at his sides as he took a slow step back, eyes scanning the undergrowth.

For a moment, everything was still. Then, a rabbit burst from the bushes, darting across the path before vanishing into the undergrowth.

James let out a shaky breath, forcing himself to relax. "Damn it," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "I need to stop jumping at every little sound."

Still, the encounter left him uneasy. If something bigger had been lurking in the bushes, he would have had no way to fight back.

With a sigh, he picked up his pace. If the city was still hours away, he needed to get there before nightfall. Sleeping outside again wasn't a good idea who knew what else was out here?

As he continued down the path, he glanced up at the darkening sky. Whatever he had stumbled into with Lianhua, he had a feeling this was only the beginning.