The abyss stretched before them, a yawning chasm that seemed to pull at their souls. The wind howled through the darkness, cold and unrelenting, whipping their robes around them as they jumped into the void.
Ling Yue's heart raced, frustrated that she hadn't caught the princess in time before some random monster had snatched her away. The battle with her clone had drained more from her than she wanted to admit — it would've drained anyone. And she knew her master hadn't fully recovered either. She could sense his concern as he blasted his qi to propel himself forward, pushing beyond his limit. She followed close behind, her eyes sharp, scanning the dark expanse below for any sign of the mermaid.
The world around them was a dark blur. Rushing air screamed past their ears as they plummeted into the unknown. They landed with a heavy thud, the stones beneath their feet cracking on impact. Their eyes locked onto the scene ahead, and both froze.
Suspended in mid-air by monstrous tendrils that oozed a sickly green liquid, Shui Yi was barely conscious. The poison ivy vines twisted around her, tightening with every passing moment. Her once-glowing complexion was ghostly pale, her breath shallow as she slowly suffocated in the grip of the abomination guarding her.
A low growl reverberated from the creature, its twisted form rising from the shadows. The tendrils flared, and their grotesque movements were terrifying.
Ling Yue's hand instinctively went to her sword, her eyes hardening.
"Master, do you think... this could be a clone?"
"No," he muttered, voice taut with emotion.
"That's her. No clone would suffer like that."
The monster guarding the mermaid turned its horrendous face toward them, its eyes glowing. With a guttural roar, its tendrils slashed through the air like vicious serpents.
With quick reflexes, the guardian dodged a vine that snapped toward them. The battle was a blur of motion — blades flashing, vines writhing, poison spraying the air like an insidious fog.
Her eyes locked onto the monstrous tendrils as they writhed and lashed at them, each one inching closer. Long Fei pushed forward, but the monster's relentless attacks made it clear they were facing something beyond their current power. She intercepted a tendril, slashing through it. She watched in horror as the wound instantly healed itself. In the chaos of their fight, she caught sight of her companion, dangerously close to the thickest cluster of vines. He was momentarily distracted, his focus shifting toward the mermaid suspended in the air. That one second was all it took.
One of the tendrils surged forward, coiling with deadly speed toward him. She moved with lightning speed, but the tendril was faster.
"No!" she shouted, as the tendril wrapped around her waist with unyielding force.
She slammed into his side, pushing him out of the way just as the thorns of the tendril pierced through her. Pain exploded through her body, but she swiftly sliced the creature's vine off. The vine writhed on the ground. She gripped the weapon tighter and shook her head to refocus her blurred vision.
Long Fei staggered back. "Ling Yue!" he cried, but she barely flinched as the venom coursed through her.
"Save the princess," she gasped, her voice strained but resolute.
Her legs wavered beneath her, and another tendril wrapped itself around her torso, squeezing tighter, pulling her toward the monstrous body. Her hand faltered, slipping from her sword, her own strength crumbling under the pressure.
With each passing moment, her strength waned, the poison spreading like wildfire. Her heart twisted in agony as she fought against the inevitable. She wiped the blood dripping from her mouth. Over her dead body — if she was going down, she would drag this beast to the underworld with her. She spun like a whirlwind, slicing through the tendril.
The monster roared again, its tendrils converging on them, wrapping around their bodies with unyielding force. Long Fei sharpened his qi around his hands and hacked at the vines, but they regrew almost instantly, thicker and stronger.
Ling Yue faltered, her body trembling as the poison ravaged her. Her breathing ragged, her movements sluggish. But still, she raised her sword, determination flashing in her eyes.
"I'll hold it off," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"I'm fine... just... go!"
But he wouldn't leave her side.
"No... don't do this. I won't let you die."
Against her will, her hands trembled. Her sword slipped from her grasp with a clatter, her legs giving way beneath her. She collapsed to the ground, blood pooling beneath her as her breathing grew labored.
Memories of her life flooded in. The time spent with her master. The way he always cooked her favorite air-cooked krill. How he had raised her from a tiny whale into the person she had become.
She glanced at him, her favorite person in all the realms, as her vision blurred. His eyes brimmed with worry. She didn't know how much longer she could hold on.
***
The creature's roar reverberated through the cavern. With a final, furious cry, Long Fei unleashed a burst of qi that sliced through the monster. He threw everything he had at the foul beast, not allowing it to regenerate. The creature was torn apart in an explosion of light and energy, but the poison remained, lingering in the air with the scent of death.
He dashed to Ling Yue, cradling his lifelong companion, his creation. There will be no one like her.
"Master..." she gasped, her voice barely audible.
"Promise me... you'll find happiness... even if... I'm not around."
A jagged pain pierced his heart as her final words echoed. His gaze softened, lips pressed tight. Tears burned at the edges of his eyes, but he refused to let them fall.
"No," he said, his voice breaking. "You're not going anywhere. Not yet. We'll get through this."
The words were more for himself than for her — she was all he had left. Once she was gone, he would never be the same again.
But her eyes fluttered, her grip on him weakening. Her breathing grew shallow as the life drained from her. He clutched her close, desperation gripping his chest as he pressed against the wound, his trembling hands failing to staunch the flow of blood. "I'm not losing you. Please... don't go."
Her hand, pale and trembling, reached up to touch his cheek. She smiled weakly, her voice barely a whisper.
"I've always... cherished you... Master." Her hand fell limp, and her eyes slid closed.
His fingers reached for her face, but her limp form sent a crushing grief through him. He had cherished her from the moment she was born, wiping her tiny whale form and holding her in his arms. His breaths became ragged, his heart shattering as he cradled her lifeless body. A grieving tear fell onto her face, but she didn't move.
His vision blurred as the poison seeped into his heart. His qi flickered weakly, and he staggered, barely able to keep himself upright as the last remnants of his strength drained away. He collapsed beside Ling Yue, his body sinking into the cold stone.