An Empty Victory

**An Empty Victory** is a tale about Wen Li that takes place in Season Two of *The Demon's Light*.

## Narrative

Li shuffled down the dark, empty hallway, his gnarled hands gripping tightly to his cane. The only sound around was the faint echo of his labored breathing as he made his way deeper into the dimly lit corridor.

He stopped in front of a door at the end of the hallway, without looking in. He called out in a raspy voice, "Gabriel... are you in there? It's me, Wen. I've come to talk to you."

There was no response, only the sound of silence.

Li's face twisted into a scowl. "I know you're in there, Gabriel. I can feel it. I did what you never could. You or your father. How's this, Gabriel? I may be old and past my prime, but I am still better than you ever will be."

He reached out and pushed open the door, revealing a small room with a single lightbulb hanging from the ceiling. The room was empty, with nothing but dust and cobwebs filling the space.

Li let out a bitter laugh. "You see, Gabriel? I was always one step ahead of you. I won the battle. I won the *war*. I'm still the master of this game."

With one last look around the empty room, Li turned and walked away, his laughter echoing down the hall as he disappeared into the shadows.

But as Li turned the corner, he felt a chill run down his spine. Suddenly, the laughter that had filled the hallway just moments before was now replaced by a faint whisper.

"You may have won the war, old friend, but the game is far from over."

Li spun around, trying to find the source of the voice, but the hall was empty. He felt a cold sweat break out on his brow and his heart pounding in his chest. "Who's there?" he called out, his voice trembling.

There was no response, but the feeling of being watched was palpable. Li clutched his cane tightly, his eyes darting back and forth as he made his way back down the hallway, his footsteps quickening with each step.

As he emerged into the night, he took a deep breath and tried to steady his nerves. But he couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching him, waiting for him to make a mistake.

Li looked back at the building, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. He didn't know what was waiting for him in the shadows, but he was determined to find out. He was a petty and broken old man, but he was also a survivor.

He made his way back home, Plant Empire, locking the door behind him and drawing the curtains closed. He tried to tell himself that it was just his imagination playing tricks on him, but he couldn't shake the feeling of unease.

As he settled into his armchair, gently closing his eyes, he heard a faint whisper.

"You may have won the war, old friend, but the game is far from over."

Li's eyes shot open and he sprang from his chair, his heart pounding in his chest once more. He looked around the room, but he was still alone.

He tried to calm himself, but the whispers continued, getting louder and more insistent. They seemed to be coming from every direction, surrounding him, closing in on him.

"Stop it!" Li cried out, his voice breaking with fear. "Gabriel! What do you want from me?!"

The whispers stopped suddenly, and in the silence that followed, Li heard a single voice, cold and menacing, "You will pay for your sins, old friend. The reckoning is coming."

Li screamed, but his voice had become lost in the darkness. He felt himself being pulled into the shadows, into a world where he was no longer the master of the game, but a pawn in someone else's. The last thing he heard was a sinister laughter, echoing in the darkness.