The Night of Chaos

The rumbling had long since grown deafening. It reverberated all over the small village, vibrating in the air, unable to be dodged. Hei An's heart pounded as if the earth was heaving under him. There was something unnatural in the night as if a storm had no intention of dispersing itself. The villagers were fully awake now and moved about anxiously. Some ran home, others to the streets, faces white with confusion and fear.

Hei An caught his breath. As he gaze out of his window, his eyes wide, staring at a scary mixture of fear and disbelief at what is happening right before his eyes.

'This can't be. Not here. Not now.'

He could hear his father's smooth voice in his head when he was just a boy: "Strength attracts danger. Power is a burden." But what kind of danger could cause this?

Earth shook again this time, furiously than ever before. A tremendous crash came crashing through the air. Then a shrill cry came screaming out — the scream of terror from the middle of the village. Without thinking Hei An ran out the door, his feet pounding out on cobblestone streets. His father's warning barely registered in his mind.

He saw Ling'er immediately, her black hair whipping around her face as she ran toward him. Her face was contorted with worry.

"Hei An! What's happening? What is this?" Ling' er cried out, her voice tight with fear.

"I don't know," Hei An said, trying to keep his own panic in check. "But we need to get somewhere safe."

As he spoke, something monstrous swooped across the sky, casting a shadow across the village. A boulder the size of any they had ever seen before hurtled through the sky, falling with terrifying speed toward the village. Hei An sucked in his breath as he realized the path of destruction it was going to leave behind.

"Out of the way!" Hei An shouted, but it was too late.

The stone crashed into a house opposite, tearing it to pieces on the spot. The earth shook beneath them, as dust and debris choked out the stars. The cries of the villagers converged in a scream, as more rocks began to fall from the sky, killing and devastating each one.

Hei An's body became immobile. He was unable to utter a single word, not even move from his place. Standing there in one spot, his eyes were blind to the chaos which was razing the village to ashes. There, people ran about in all directions, but nothing could outpace the storm of destruction from heavens.

But in the chaos, there was a figure whom Hei An recognized. It was Hei Xing, standing upright despite his clothes being rags and his left arm missing; with his father drenched in blood.

"Father!" he shouted for his father, his voice hoarse with panic. "What's happening? What happened to you?"

Hei Xing grabbed him by the elbow, his strength actually impressive despite all the injuries he sustained. "Strong cultivators are fighting near to the village. Their conflict is spreading to us. Scattered energy is tearing everything apart."

"But…". His voice trailed off as Hei An's eyes scoured the street. He could see Ling'er from a distance, standing still amidst the chaos.

Before Hei An could take another step toward her, a massive boulder, even bigger than the first one, crashed down from the sky. This time, it was too close. Hei An watched in horror as the boulder plummeted toward Ling'er. Her wide eyes locked with his, packed with terror and confusion, as the world seemed to slow down.

The boulder pressed her into the ground instantly, the ground beneath her disappearing as the stone broke the earth asunder. Hei An's heart writhed in his chest as he saw the fear that resided in her eyes. Hei An would never forget the expression of her final moment.

"NO!" Hei An screamed, but the sound was consumed by the cacophony of destruction around him.

Hei An shuddered in every limb, his chest feeling ready to cave in on itself. He wanted to fight, to do something, but his legs wouldn't move. The sight of Ling'er—and all those innocent villagers—was a weight he couldn't escape.

His father, bloody and bruised, turned to him, his face contorted with raw urgency. "You have to get out of here, Hei An. Go into the forest. Don't stop. Mount the tiger."

"What? The tiger?" Hei An asked, bewildered. "Father, please, we can't just—"

The next moment, Hei Xing summoned a real, fleshly tiger out of nowhere-its body was enormous and vibrated raw strength. The beast growled in its throat, and its golden eyes were unwavering on Hei An. Hei Xing pushed Hei An toward the tiger with no other words.

"You have to do it," Hei Xing's voice is fierce. "Keep this pendant with you, don't look back, whatever happens. It'll guide you when the time comes."

Hei An looked down, at the little, silver pendant which his father has given to him earlier. The intricate markings were glowing faintly under the moonlight. Hei An felt an energy coming from it, as if it were alive. "But Father what about you?"

"Go! Now!" His father's voice cut through Hei An's numbness.

Tears flowed down Hei An's face as he mounted the back of the tiger and held on to its thick fur as that animal sprang into movement.

But in time to catch a final glimpse of his father, Hei An turned and ran. Amidst the tumult this sparked, Hei Xing stood, blood dripping from deep wounds, with a grim-lipped face but determination stern within. There were growls of tigers in the air as Hei Xing let loose a roaring growl, letting rip a wave of devastating energy as it tore through the village.

But it was not enough. His outlines faded away into nothingness as his energy drained from him in his final stand.

Hei An's heart broke him as he turned around for a final look; now, under the burning night, his father could hardly be seen as a silhouette.

The tiger roared in grief as it launched forward, running deep in the forest. Hei An gripped the pendant tightly in his hand, feeling for its pulse-beating silently in his heart. Tonight was unbearable to bear, but Hei An could not have turned back now. The night of chaos claimed everything. Now alone, he did not understand the world at all.

The tiger dashed into the forest, and Hei An clung tightly to it, having no idea what lay ahead for him in future