Embroidering in the Wind

Blazing flames raged and churned through the narrow valley, billowing smoke illuminating half the pitch-black sky.

Within the howling gale was a strange mass of black fog, like a flood from the deepest hell, surging and rampaging through the burning valley.

Wherever it passed, all life withered. Even the stone walls of the gorge groaned in agony.

"Loose the arrows! Hurry, loose the arrows!" A voice came from the wind, hoarse with desperation, only to be drowned out by shrill screams.

"Run! That thing isn't human!"

"Heavens... I want to go home..."

Amid the shrill cries, the black fog hurtling through the air suddenly accelerated, sweeping toward them like a monstrous tidal wave.

Dozens, then hundreds, of black-clad guards had not even managed to release one final howl before the black fog swallowed them whole.

The fleeing black-clad men could no longer see the white-robed youth. Only one thought remained in their minds: escape this ten-li domain of ghosts alive.

Someone thought in despair, Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. Why did we have to leave the city today?

"Ah..."

Half of a guard's body had already become stark white bones, yet he still struggled in agony, letting out a heart-rending wail.

"Save me! Somebody save me!"

More guards fled while crying out, the scene before them having exceeded the limits of their understanding.

The warhorses let out their final long neighs before collapsing to the ground with their masters. In the blink of an eye, flesh and blood vanished, leaving behind only heaps of bones.

Across the ten-li gorge, the crisp sound of cracking bones rose one after another, like hell on earth.

The guard commander hastily wheeled his horse around, but the black fog followed like a shadow. A wisp of black smoke coiled upward, corroding the fine-steel armor