Chapter 21: Liu's Path 2

As they sat there in silence, a sudden gust of wind blew through the room, extinguishing the candles and plunging them into darkness.

And in the darkness, a low, ominous voice whispered, "You shouldn't be trying to remember, Liu. You shouldn't be trying to uncover the truth."

As the voice faded away, the candles flickered back to life, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Liu's eyes were wide with fear, and Vic's face was set in a determined expression.

"What was that?" Liu whispered, his voice trembling.

Vic's eyes scanned the room, his hand on the hilt of his sword. "I don't know, but we need to be careful. We're getting close to something, and someone doesn't want us to remember."

Liu's eyes locked onto Vic's, his mind racing with questions. "What do we do now?"

Vic's expression was grim. "We keep searching for answers. We have to uncover the truth about your past and the sword."

As they sat there, the air thick with tension, a faint noise echoed from outside the room. It sounded like footsteps, heavy and deliberate.

"What's that?" Liu whispered, his heart racing.

Vic's eyes narrowed. "I don't know, but I think we're about to find out."

Vic and Liu cautiously approached the source of the noise, their senses on high alert. As they entered the next room, they were surprised to see Vic's next-door neighbor, Mrs. Jenkins, standing in the doorway, looking curious.

"Oh, hello there, Vic! I was just wondering what all the commotion was about," she said, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Vic and Liu exchanged a relieved glance. "Just a little...uh...research project, Mrs. Jenkins," Vic said, trying to downplay the situation.

Mrs. Jenkins' eyes widened. "Research project? Oh, how fascinating! I love a good mystery. But I won't keep you two from your work. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay."

Vic smiled politely. "Yeah, everything's fine. Thanks for checking in, Mrs. Jenkins."

Mrs. Jenkins nodded and turned to leave. "Alright, dear. But if you two need anything, don't hesitate to ask. I'm always here to help."

As Mrs. Jenkins left, Vic and Liu let out a sigh of relief. "Well, that was close," Vic said, chuckling.

Liu nodded in agreement. "Definitely. Let's keep a low profile from now on."

But as they turned to leave, Liu noticed something strange. A small piece of paper on the floor, near where Mrs. Jenkins had been standing. He picked it up, and his eyes widened as he read the message scrawled on it.

"Ah, let's get out of here," Vic said, gesturing towards the door.

"Wait, what's that?" Liu asked, bending down to pick up the piece of paper.

"Just leave it, Liu. It's probably just trash," Vic said, trying to brush it off.

"But what if it's important?" Liu asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Important? What could Mrs. Jenkins possibly leave behind that's important?" Vic asked skeptically.

Liu hesitated, then tucked the paper into his pocket. "I'll look at it later. Let's go."

Vic raised an eyebrow. "You're not going to read it now?"

Liu shook his head. "No, I don't think that's a good idea. Let's just focus on getting out of here for now."

Vic shrugged. "Suit yourself. But if it's something weird, I'm blaming you."

As they left the room, Liu couldn't help but wonder what the paper said. Was it a message from Mrs. Jenkins? Or something more sinister? He pushed the thoughts aside and followed Vic out into the hallway.

Vic then suggested that they go to the library for information. He and Liu entered his car and then drove off.

"Ah, the library! My favorite place to get lost in," Vic said, his eyes sparkling with excitement as they pushed open the doors.

Liu nodded, his mind racing with possibilities. "Me too. I've always found solace in books."

As they made their way through the stacks, Vic pulled out a few tomes on magic and the occult. "These should give us a good starting point."

Liu nodded, his eyes scanning the shelves. "I think I saw something over there that might be useful."

He pulled out a dusty old book, its cover worn and faded. "What's this one?"

Vic's eyes widened as he took the book from Liu. "Where did you find this? This is an ancient text on shadow magic!"

Liu's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Shadow magic? What's that?"

Vic opened the book, revealing yellowed pages filled with strange symbols. "It's a type of magic that manipulates darkness and shadows. Legend has it that only a select few can wield it."

Liu leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper. "Do you think that's what we're dealing with here?"

Vic nodded, his eyes scanning the pages intently. "I think it's definitely possible. This symbol here" – he pointed to a strange marking – "is a sigil of shadow magic."

As they delved deeper into the book, Liu couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. He glanced around, but the library was quiet, the only sound the soft hum of fluorescent lights.

Suddenly, Vic slammed the book shut, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "I think we're onto something big here, Liu."

Liu's heart raced as Vic pulled out a piece of paper and began to scribble notes furiously.

"What is it?" Liu asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Vic looked up, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "I think I've figured out the connection between the sword and the shadow magic."

Liu leaned in, his heart pounding in his chest. "What is it?"

Vic's voice dropped to a whisper. "I think the sword is the key to unlocking the secrets of shadow magic."

Liu's eyes widened in awe. "That's incredible!"

As they continued to research, the air grew thick with tension. Liu couldn't shake the feeling that they were getting close to something big, something that could change everything.

"I can't believe it," Liu said, his eyes wide with excitement. "The sword is the key to unlocking the secrets of shadow magic."

Vic nodded, his expression serious. "I know. It's a game-changer. But we need to be careful. We don't know what we're dealing with here."

"Agreed," Liu said, his mind racing with possibilities. "But think about it. If we can master shadow magic, we could use it to help people. To protect them from harm."

Vic's eyes narrowed. "You're thinking about using it for good. But what if it's not that simple? What if the power is too great for us to handle?"

Liu hesitated, unsure of the answer. "I don't know. But I think it's worth the risk. Don't you?"

Vic sighed, his expression thoughtful. "I don't know, Liu. I really don't know."

As they continued to discuss the implications of their discovery, a soft voice interrupted them.

"Excuse me, gentlemen. I couldn't help but overhear your conversation."

Liu and Vic turned to see a bespectacled librarian standing behind them, a book clutched in her hand.

"Yes?" Liu asked, his curiosity piqued.

The librarian smiled nervously. "I think I might have some information that could help you. About shadow magic."

Vic's eyes lit up with interest. "Really? What do you know?"

The librarian hesitated, glancing around nervously. "Let's just say I've done some research on the subject. And I think I can help you understand what you're dealing with."

"Ah, wonderful!" Vic exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with excitement. "We would love to see more books on shadow magic. Do you have any rare or ancient texts that might help us understand the subject better?"

The librarian nodded, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "Actually, I think I might have just the thing. Follow me, gentlemen."

She led them to a hidden corner of the library, where a small, dusty shelf held several ancient-looking tomes.

"This one, for example," she said, pulling out a book bound in black leather, "is a rare text on shadow magic from the 15th century. It's written in Latin, but I think you'll find it fascinating."

Liu's eyes widened as he took the book from her. "This is incredible. Thank you so much for showing us this."

The librarian smiled. "I'm glad I could help. But be warned, gentlemen, shadow magic is not to be trifled with. It's a powerful and dangerous art."

Vic nodded seriously. "We understand. We're just trying to learn more about it."

The librarian nodded, her expression thoughtful. "I understand. Well, if you have any more questions, feel free to ask. I'll be here, studying."

As they left the library, Liu couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and trepidation. What secrets would they uncover in the ancient texts? And what dangers lay ahead?

"I can't believe we finally have these books," Liu said, his eyes shining with excitement as they sat at Vic's kitchen table, surrounded by stacks of ancient tomes.

Vic grinned. "I know, right? It's like a treasure trove of knowledge."

Liu nodded, his fingers tracing the intricate symbols etched into the cover of one of the books. "I feel like we're on the verge of something big here."

Vic's expression turned serious. "We need to be careful, Liu. Shadow magic is powerful and dangerous. We don't know what we're dealing with."

Liu nodded, his eyes locked on Vic's. "I know. But I think we can handle it. We've come too far to turn back now."

Vic sighed, his shoulders sagging in defeat. "You're right. Let's do this."

As they began to study the books, the air grew thick with tension. Liu could feel the weight of their discovery bearing down on them.

"Vic, look at this," Liu said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Vic leaned in, his eyes scanning the page. "What is it?"

Liu's finger traced the symbol on the page. "This is the sigil of shadow magic. I think we're supposed to use it to unlock the secrets of the art."

Vic's eyes widened. "Are you sure?"

Liu nodded. "Yes. I can feel it."

As they continued to study, the room grew darker, the shadows deepening and twisting around them.

"Vic, I think we're getting close," Liu said, his voice trembling with excitement.

Vic's eyes locked on Liu's. "Let's do it."

With trembling hands, Liu drew the sigil on the page. The air seemed to vibrate with energy as they spoke the words of the incantation.

As they spoke the final words of the incantation, the air seemed to thicken and the shadows deepened. Liu felt a strange sensation wash over him, like his very essence was being pulled apart and put back together again.

And then, everything went black.

Liu's consciousness flickered back to life, his mind groggy and disoriented. He was lying on the floor, his head throbbing with a dull ache. Vic was shaking him, his eyes wide with concern.

"Liu, wake up! What happened?"

Liu struggled to sit up, his mind racing with fragmented memories. "I...I don't know. What did we do?"

Vic's expression was grim. "We unleashed something, Liu. Something big."

As Liu stumbled to his feet, he saw it. A dark, swirling portal had opened in the center of the room, its edges churning with an otherworldly energy.

"Oh no," Liu whispered, his heart racing with fear. "What have we done?"

Vic's eyes locked on the portal, his voice barely above a whisper. "I think we've opened a doorway to the Shadow Realm."

Liu's eyes widened in horror as a dark figure began to take shape within the portal.

"And I think we're not alone," Vic finished, his voice dripping with dread.

As the figure stepped forward, its eyes glowing with an eerie light, Liu knew they were in grave danger. And then, everything went black once more...