Beast Taming Star Journey

A chilling wind swept through the cemetery, sending shivers down my spine. Rotting branches stretched like ghostly claws towards the gray sky, the air thick with the nauseating stench of decay. I staggered back, my heart pounding wildly in my chest. This couldn't be real! "Nong Yu…why…did you abandon us…" Su Yao's voice was erratic, chillingly cold. Her face was deathly pale, her empty eyes fixed on me, a sinister smile playing on her lips. I reached out to touch her, but grasped only icy air. "No…I didn't…I didn't abandon you…" I shook my head desperately, my throat parched as if it would burst. I looked around. My parents, my friends—familiar faces twisted and grotesque, their rotting arms outstretched, screaming, cursing, accusing me of my "crimes." "You abandoned us for power!" "You forgot us for becoming stronger!" "You killed us for your ambition!" Their voices pierced my eardrums like sharp knives, my brain buzzed, and the world before my eyes began to blur. Could it be... could they be telling the truth? Did I really neglect them for power, for becoming stronger, ultimately leading to their deaths? No! That's not it! I screamed in my heart again and again, but their accusations clung to me like leeches, impossible to shake off. I clutched my head in anguish and knelt on the ground. My hands trembled, my nails digging deep into my flesh, yet I felt no pain. I began to doubt myself, to doubt everything I had done. Was I truly striving to become stronger to protect them? Or was there a selfish desire hidden deep within me, an ambition to do anything for power? Suddenly, a cold voice rang in my ears: "Give up... give up your beliefs... and you will be free..." I jerked my head up, but saw no one. That voice... was my inner demon! It was tempting me, trying to make me abandon my beliefs, abandon my perseverance. "No! I won't give up!" I gritted my teeth, squeezing out those words. I couldn't give up; I couldn't let them down, I couldn't betray Su Yao's love for me. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I closed my eyes, recalling the scenes of fighting alongside Su Yao, recalling the times I laughed with my parents and friends. These beautiful memories flowed like a warm current through my heart, dispelling the fear and confusion. I suddenly opened my eyes, my gaze filled with determination. I knew it was all an illusion, a trick of my inner demons. My family and friends weren't dead; Su Yao was still waiting for me. I couldn't be deceived by these illusions; I had to break free of these shackles! I slowly stood up, clenching my fists, a powerful force surging from within me. I… I felt it… "Break…!" A deafening crash… a crash, like the sound of shattering glass, and the scene before me crumbled like pieces of a broken mirror. The decaying graveyard vanished, replaced by a hazy white light. The biting chill dissipated, and a warm feeling enveloped me. I took a deep breath, feeling my lungs fill with fresh, pure air. "I...I'm out?" I murmured, a lingering fear in my heart. The illusion had been too real, so real that I almost lost myself. The white light gradually faded, and I found myself standing on a high platform, beneath which lay a magic circle shimmering with starlight. There was still no one around, only the faint roars of beasts echoing in the distance. I realized then that this was only the first layer of the illusion. I looked down at my hands; they were no longer trembling, but filled with strength. The fear and confusion of before had been replaced by a firm belief. I knew I had to continue, for Su Yao, for my family and friends, and for myself. In the distance, Su Yao waited anxiously. She could feel my pain, as if an invisible thread connected our souls. She clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her flesh, yet she was oblivious. Tears welled in her eyes, but she held them back. She believed in me, believed I could overcome the difficulties and break through the illusion. "Nongyu, you must hold on!" she prayed silently, as if transferring her strength to me. I took a deep breath, feeling Su Yao's love and trust, which strengthened my resolve. I knew I couldn't let her down. A portal of light appeared in the center of the platform. I knew it was the entrance to the next level of the illusion. Without hesitation, I stepped forward and entered the portal. Darkness enveloped me again, and then a new illusion appeared before me. This time, I didn't see any terrifying sights, nor did I hear any harsh accusations. I found myself in a sea of ​​flowers, bathed in sunshine, with birds singing and the air filled with fragrance. Su Yao stood beside me, wearing a white dress, her face beaming with happiness. "Nongyu, we can finally be together forever." She reached out and gently stroked my face. A surge of immense joy welled up within me, as if all suffering had vanished, and I had finally found the happiness I had longed for. I reached out to embrace her, but my hand passed right through her body, as if she were merely a phantom. A sudden sense of foreboding washed over me. This…this was another illusion! “No! This isn’t real!” I jerked my hand away and stumbled back. Su Yao’s smile vanished, replaced by a look of anguish. “Nong Yu, why…why did you leave me again?” Her voice trembled, as if she were about to burst into tears. I knew I had to make another choice. To wallow in this false happiness, or to face the harsh reality? I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and recalled the scenes of Su Yao fighting alongside me, her resolute gaze, and her love and trust for me. I snapped my eyes open, my gaze filled with determination. I couldn’t be deceived by this false happiness; I had to find the real Su Yao and face the challenges of the future together! I turned and walked towards the end of the sea of ​​flowers. There, a faintly visible path seemed to lie... I had to keep going, no matter how many layers of illusion lay ahead, I would not give up... "Su Yao, wait for me..."