Chapter 8: A Glimpse into the Past

The words of Lady Mu crushed Ye Wushang. Suffocating, that was the weight of a foreboding nesting in the pit of his stomach. That ancient pact from before he was born was now a shackle that could not be escaped; he was bound to a fate that he would yet have to find out. He glanced at the elders, seeking guidance and reassurance, but their faces were seamed with a merge of fear and dismal understanding; he knew that whatever this pact was, it meant something far, far deeper than he could ever have imaged.

"Lady Mu," he started, his voice strong despite the shiver coursing through his body, "You speak of legacy, of responsibility. But I know so little about the history of my family, of the persecutions their ancestors had to endure. How am I supposed to feel, understand, and fulfill an agreement made in generations past?"

Indeed, a knowing curve spread on the lips of Lady Mu, along with a faint touch of sorrow in her green eyes. "Your thirst for knowledge, young master, is wonderful, but some truths are left best buried. The past is an ill water, and stirring up these secrets can unearth storms that shatter even the foundations of the strongest rocks.".

"But I need to understand," Ye Wushang pressed, his voice rising in frustration. "I can't just blindly follow a path lain out for me by others, burdened by an agreement I don't even understand myself!"

A low growl rumbled from the Azure Fox by his side, its eyes narrowed, but Lady Mu stilled it with a gentle touch.

"Your frustration is understandable," she admitted, her voice softer now, laced with a hint of empathy. "And perhaps, with the darkness gathering, some light must be shed on the past to illuminate the path ahead."

She nodded towards the elders, her eyes focusing on Elder Zhao. "Elder Zhao, if you would be so kind…

Elder Zhao stood forth from his chair with a face deeply lined as if by countless years under his eyes. Taking a deep breath, like he was almost drawing energy from the shadows to forge through some pained memory, he began:.

Generations ago," he started, his voice a low rumble that echoed through silent hall, "this land we call home was a battleground. Creatures of unimaginable darkness, fueled by chaos and destruction, tore through the realms, leaving devastation in their wake.

He stumbled, his eyes vacant, lost in the misty swirls of time. "The ancestors-our bloodline's founders and one of the most important cultural dynasties-fought bravely against the encroaching darkness. But even their combined might could not halt the tide.".

"It was during those dark days," Elder Lin murmured, his voice full of awe as he spoke, "that the famous pact was sealed. A union of power, not just between humans but with the ancient beings of this world."

"The lineage of the Azure Fox," Elder Zhao continued, nodding toward the creature lying beside Lady Mu, "pledged their allegiance, lending wisdom and that unique connection to the natural world to aid our ancestors."

He turned to Ye Wushang, grave. "The treaty is not nothing if not a promise. It forms in blood and sacrifice - promised on our heads, to stand as one against those dark forces that would seek to devour all who cross their path.".

He fell silent, his voice now dropping down to a whisper. "The darkness is rising again, Ye Wushang. And the ancient pact… it might be all that is keeping our world from oblivion.".