The vines disintegrated around Shui Yi.
Her body dropped like a broken sail, spilling to the deck.
Her eyes fluttered, her pale face slowly lifting from the stone beneath her.
She barely had the strength to push herself up.
Her gaze flickered with confusion, still clouded by poison and exhaustion.
Her hand, trembling from the effort, reached for them, but her vision blurred.
Her breath hitched as her fingers brushed against something warm and slick. She brought them closer to her face. Blood. A trail of it led to the still bodies of her two courageous companions. They must have fought to protect her.
She crawled to her companions, then knelt beside them amidst the fallen leaves and shattered vines.
She clasped a hand over her mouth, gasping. Her heart ached for the bond they had shared—the battles, the sacrifices, the pain, the comfort, and the joy.
They were her closest companions: the cheeky Ling Yue and Long Fei with his calming presence. She could sense their life force dimming.
A sharp ache coiled in her chest, suffocating her like a tide pulling her under.
The silence around her was broken only by the ragged breaths of her fallen companions. This couldn't be how it ended.
She clenched her fists, nails biting into her palms as she swallowed the sob rising in her throat.
Her mind reeled, searching for a way to help them.
Then the bitter truth crashed over her.
She could do little but offer an elegy to honor them in their final moments.
She wished with all her might, every fiber of her being, that they could live. By the Oceans, if only she could give her life to save theirs.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Then, with solemn reverence, she closed her eyes, grieving tears flowed as she began to sing.
A melody slipped from her lips; an ancient lullaby, one her parents used to sing to her when she was just a babe.
Though she barely remembered their voices, the song had lingered in the depths of her heart, waiting to be awakened.
As her voice wove through the air, a warmth stirred deep within her, not just from the song but from something she couldn't quite name.
It pulsed through her veins, steady and strong, like a hidden ember flaring to life.
The fallen leaves trembled, their brittle edges curling as new life pulsed through the blood-stained floor.
Shattered vines glowed faintly, their torn strands weaving themselves whole again.
A soft luminescence swirled around her, golden specks of energy drifting like fireflies, drawn to her song.
The air hummed in harmony with her, a symphony of healing.
For a fleeting moment, she swore she felt a presence; not a memory nor a dream.
A profound treasure, buried within her very soul, began to stir.
The light around her brightened, cradling her.
And though she could not understand why, she felt that her father was embracing her.
The melody rippled outward as the ocean inside her soul responded, waves of warmth coursing through her veins.
Each note carried echoes of a lineage she barely understood.
The ground trembled beneath her, as the earth bowed to this ancient power.
The shadows of death slowly began to lift as she continued to sing.
She had never been capable of this before.
The bond forged through their trials rippled outward, connecting their souls and awakening a power long buried within her, washing away the poison in her blood.
Long Fei's complexion regained its color as the poison dissipated from his body, and his wounds healed swiftly.
It took longer to heal Ling Yue, as her wounds were severe. The gash in her side sealed, her bleeding stopped, and the poison was purged from her body.
Their breaths became stronger as her voice soared, like a bird breaking free from a cage.
***
Long Fei's vision slowly cleared, the world around him humming with a soft, resonant melody.
Strength stirred within his weakened body.
The cold stone beneath him no longer felt lifeless; instead, it pulsed with warmth, as if some unseen force had breathed vitality into it.
Beside him, his guardian's breathing softened.
A quiet, comforting energy wrapped around them both, steadying their breaths and pulling them back from the brink of death.
It was neither his qi nor her will to fight.
This power was something far more tender, something woven with a radiance that reached beyond the physical realm.
He stirred, his gaze lifting to meet Shui Yi's eyes. Her expression was tender, the moment their eyes locked, something deep and unspoken passed between them. A surge of emotion tightened in his chest, raw and unfamiliar.
The sound of her voice was delicate yet powerful, a lullaby that seemed to carry the weight of both sea and sky.
Her voice wove through the air like threads of silk, embracing them.
The song resonated through his very bones, sinking into his qi, soothing the lingering pain in his chest.
Long Fei watched in quiet awe as the air shimmered, the melody drawing life back into his guardian's pale features.
He felt the mermaid's energy intertwining with his, binding them in a way that he could not comprehend. This power… It was unlike any healing technique he had ever encountered.
It was not simple qi restoration, nor divine intervention.
It was raw, untainted life force — something far more ancient and rare.
The song had touched his very essence; she had reached beyond the physical world and pulled his soul back from the claws of the Underworld. Was this the power that the King of the Merfolk had bestowed upon her?
Ling Yue stirred in his arms, her breath steadying as the melody revitalized her. When the final note crescendoed, silence settled between them, one filled with unspoken understanding.
Long Fei admired Shui Yi, seeing her for who she truly was. The depth of her power, the quiet strength beneath her gentle demeanor, was undeniable. He gave her an appreciative nod.
"You saved us."
She shook her head with a gentle smile, eyes wearied, breath shallow.
"We saved each other."
Ling Yue's eyes fluttered open, a slow, devilish grin spreading across her face as she glanced at them.
"Resurrected from the dead," she murmured, her voice laced with dry humor despite her exhaustion.
"Ling Yue—one, Underworld—zero."
He exhaled, tension easing from his shoulders.
He swept his guardian in a crushing hug. She's back!
"Master, this is the first time you've hugged me of your own free will. Maybe I should die more often."
A gentle stir as Shui Yi swayed, her eyes rolled back, the color draining from her face.
She opened her mouth, but no words came.
Then, she crumpled into a heap.
He reached to catch her with his free arm but was too late.