Zui Tian awoke with a start, his mind cutting through the remnants of sleep like a blade through mist. The room was dimly lit by the morning light seeping through the cracks in the wooden shutters, casting faint rays across the simple furnishings. The bed creaked as he sat up, rubbing his temples to chase away the lingering echoes of dreams—fragments of cosmic battles and ancient horrors that refused to stay buried even in sleep.
He glanced around the small, sparsely decorated room he had rented in The Mortal Tavern. It was plain, functional, and utterly devoid of any luxury, just the way he preferred it. The only thing that stood out was his wineskin, half-empty, resting on the bedside table. He reached for it instinctively, but then hesitated, remembering that the night’s buzz had worn off completely. His mind was clear now, dangerously so.
The sounds of the bustling city outside filtered through the thick stone walls—a mix of voices, cartwheels clattering over cobblestones, and the occasional bark of a vendor hawking their wares. Zui Tian sighed, knowing he couldn’t stay cooped up in this room much longer. When his thoughts were this sharp, this potent, he needed distractions. Anything to keep the overwhelming weight of his power and memories at bay.
He pushed himself off the bed, his movements deliberate, almost sluggish, as if fighting against the pull of his own mind. The wooden floor was cool under his bare feet as he crossed the room to the washbasin, splashing his face with water. The cold shock helped clear the last vestiges of sleep from his eyes, but it did nothing to dull the razor edge of his thoughts.
Zui Tian stared at his reflection in the cracked mirror above the basin. The man staring back at him was both familiar and foreign. His face, lined with the passage of countless eons, held a deep weariness, but there was also a flicker of something else—something ancient and terrible. His eyes, once clear and bright, now held the depth of a thousand lifetimes, a burden he carried alone.
With a deep breath, he dressed himself in the tattered robes that had become his signature look—loose, unkempt, and worn by time. He grabbed the wineskin, securing it to his belt. Even though the wine inside would only take the edge off his thoughts, it was a comfort he couldn’t afford to be without.
Zui Tian stepped out of his room and descended the creaking stairs into the main hall of the tavern. The morning light filtered through the windows, casting long shadows across the wooden floor. The tavern was quieter now, with only a few patrons scattered at the tables, nursing their hangovers or enjoying a quiet breakfast. The barkeep gave him a nod as he passed, recognizing the familiar figure but asking no questions.
The moment he stepped outside, the sights and sounds of the city engulfed him. The streets were already alive with activity—merchants setting up their stalls, children running through the crowds, and the ever-present hum of conversation. The city was built in a grand circle, its stone walls towering above, designed to protect the inhabitants from whatever dangers lurked beyond. The streets radiated out from the central market like spokes on a wheel, leading to the various districts that made up this bustling metropolis.
Zui Tian breathed in the crisp morning air, feeling the vibrations of life all around him. The city was a living, breathing entity, full of energy and purpose. It was easy to lose himself in the sensory overload—the sights, the smells, the sounds. He welcomed it. This was the kind of distraction he needed.
As he walked through the crowded streets, he let his thoughts wander, but not too deeply. He focused on the mundane, the everyday—the aroma of fresh bread wafting from a nearby bakery, the clamor of a blacksmith hammering metal in his forge, the bright colors of fabrics displayed at a tailor’s stall. These small, insignificant details were his anchor, keeping him grounded in the present, preventing his mind from slipping into more dangerous territories.
But even as he tried to focus on the here and now, flashes of his past intruded. He remembered a time when he had walked among the stars, shaping worlds with a mere thought, his every whim altering the fabric of reality. Those were the days when he and his siblings, the Eternals, had played with the cosmos like children with toys. But that was before the Devourer, before the war that had shattered everything.
He clenched his fists, pushing those thoughts away. He couldn’t afford to dwell on them, not now. Not when he was so close to losing control.
He turned a corner and found himself in a quieter part of the city, away from the main market. Here, the streets were narrower, lined with tall, old buildings that leaned in towards each other, creating a canopy of shadows. The noise of the crowd faded, replaced by the soft rustle of leaves from the few trees that dotted the area. Zui Tian paused for a moment, appreciating the peace this part of the city offered.
As he walked, he noticed a small alleyway to his left, almost hidden between two tall buildings. On a whim, he decided to explore it, curious to see where it led. The alley was narrow, barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side, and it twisted and turned like a labyrinth, eventually opening up into a small courtyard.
The courtyard was a hidden gem, a quiet oasis in the middle of the bustling city. It was overgrown with ivy and small flowers, with a single, ancient tree standing tall in the center. A stone bench sat beneath the tree, inviting him to sit. Zui Tian walked over and sat down, letting out a long, weary sigh as he leaned back against the rough bark of the tree.
For a moment, he allowed himself to relax, to let go of the tight control he always kept on his thoughts. He closed his eyes, listening to the soft rustle of the leaves, feeling the warmth of the sun on his face. It was peaceful here, almost serene. The kind of place where one could forget, if only for a little while, the burdens they carried.
But even in this tranquility, the weight of his thoughts pressed down on him. The memory of that day—the day he had lost control—flashed in his mind. He had been in a place much like this, in another mortal realm, trying to forget, trying to drown his sorrows in wine. But the sadness, the despair, had been too much. In a single moment of weakness, his thoughts had spiraled out of control, and before he could stop it, the entire realm had been obliterated. Gone, in an instant. The lives lost, the destruction he had caused—it haunted him still.
But he had rewound time, restored the realm, erased the memory from those who had lived through it. Only he remembered what had happened. Only he bore the guilt.
Zui Tian shook his head, trying to clear his mind. He couldn’t afford to think about that now. He had to stay in control. He had to focus on the present, on the simple pleasures of life. He pulled out his wineskin, taking a long, slow drink, feeling the warmth of the wine spread through his body, dulling the edges of his thoughts.
As he sat there, savoring the moment, he felt a presence nearby—faint, but unmistakable. He opened his eyes and looked around, scanning the courtyard. There was no one in sight, but he could sense it—someone was watching him, hidden from view.
Zui Tian’s hand tightened around the wineskin as he stood up, his senses sharpening. He wasn’t in the mood for trouble, but he wouldn’t shy away from it either if it came to him. He took a step forward, his gaze sweeping the courtyard, his mind ready to react.
The presence seemed to retreat, pulling back into the shadows, as if aware that it had been noticed. Zui Tian relaxed slightly, but kept his guard up. Whoever it was, they weren’t a threat—at least, not yet. Still, it was a reminder that he was never truly alone, not even in a place as seemingly isolated as this.
With one last look around, Zui Tian decided to leave the courtyard and continue his walk. The city was full of distractions, and he intended to make the most of them. He didn’t know who or what had been watching him, but he knew better than to ignore such things. For now, though, he would let it be. There were other things on his mind, other burdens to bear.
As he made his way back through the alley and into the busy streets, Zui Tian couldn’t shake the feeling that something was stirring in the background, something that might soon draw him back into a world he had long tried to leave behind. But for now, he walked on, blending into the crowd, just another face in the sea of humanity.
And as the city continued its relentless march through the day, Zui Tian carried on his path, searching for distractions, seeking solace in the small, fleeting pleasures that kept his mind from drifting too far into the abyss.