The once-endless ocean was vanishing, pulled into a yawning abyss that cracked the very land apart. Roaring tides collapsed into the void, exposing jagged rocks and ancient remnants that had never before been seen by the light. A cacophony of destruction drowned out even the howling wind. The acrid scent of burning salt and sulfur seared Shui Yi's throat as she struggled to breathe, her eyes stinging from the smoke.
Ling Yue's whale form surged forward, her tail cutting through the water as she carried them desperately toward the cliffs. The blistering heat pressed down on them like burning shackles. Shui Yi clung to Long Fei, her heart hammering as his strong arms anchored her to him.
As they neared the cliff, Ling Yue's tail, caught by stray flames, smoldered with embers. She hissed in pain as smoke trailed from her singed scales. The heat seared through her skin, but urgency drove her forward. With a powerful flick of her whale head, she propelled Shui Yi and Long Fei onto the cliff's edge, where they landed safely. With a sudden shift, Ling Yue transformed back into her humanoid form, her cloak snapping violently in the wind. The motion threw off her balance, and she stumbled backward toward the chasm below, feet scrambling.
Long Fei immediately shot out his hand, fingers curling firmly around her wrist, yanking her back just before she could fall. Her breath hitched, relief flashing across her face. "Thank you, Master, I would have been toast."
With both women, one in each arm, Long Fei's qi surged, forcing them forward against the suffocating air. His muscles strained under their weight, his breath labored with each step, but his grip remained unyielding. Shui Yi dared to glance back and gasped. The world around them was collapsing; the very foundation of the sea crumbled beneath them.
The ocean was no more. All that remained were fractured coral ruins and massive trenches splitting open like the jaws of a beast, devouring anything in their path. Schools of fish floundered in dwindling pools, their scales flickering with the last light of life. Mighty leviathans bellowed in agony as they were dragged into the abyss, their roars swallowed by the void. The air reeked of salt, blood, and decay—the stench of a world dying.
Then, amid the destruction, a glimmer of light appeared ahead. A portal flickered like a fragile flame, its edges sparking violently with unstable energy. Within its glow, a familiar figure emerged.
Shui Yi's heart skipped a beat. Her father.
At the threshold of the portal, his regal form stood against the chaos, a beacon of strength among the catastrophe. His posture was still noble, but blood stained the corner of his lips, and his hands trembled as he strained to hold the portal open, battling an unseen force that clawed to shut it.
As her gaze locked with his, her mind flooded with nostalgia, despite everything he had done—the King raising her, his gentle laughter echoing through the halls of their home. Her small hand in his as they swam together, exploring the corals; her childish giggle as he tickled her tail in the sun. She had always felt safe in his presence. His love had been constant. Unwavering. Until everything changed.
Her throat tightened. "Father?" The word broke through her disbelief, a wave of longing she hadn't realized she was carrying. She had thought she would never see him again.
The King's eyes softened, the hardened edge of his gaze melting into the eyes of a doting father. Time seemed to pause—the chaos around them quietened, for a heartbeat. A silent understanding passed between them.
Shui Yi reached out tentatively, heart full of hope and fear. But the ground beneath her cracked, splintered, and collapsed into the abyss. Long Fei pressed on, tightening his hold and keeping her from falling into the chasm below. He steadied her with a calm, practiced grace, but even as he did, the portal trembled violently. The surge of power in the air crackled, and with a final, devastating collapse, the portal snapped shut, the image of her father swallowed by darkness.
Her scream was lost in the howling winds as the sky tore apart. The land beneath their feet crumbled, the ocean's remains failing to reclaim itself. Tears welled in Shui Yi's eyes, only to evaporate before they could fall. Her fingers reached out toward the darkness, grasping at the void where her father had been. Her heart shattered, and for a brief, unspoken moment, she wished she could've stayed in that quiet connection with him just a little longer.
"No..." she whimpered, her voice a fragile whisper against the storm.
Ling Yue exhaled sharply. She gently took Shui Yi's outstretched hand and wrapped it around Long Fei's neck. "I'm sorry for your loss," she murmured, her voice thick with respect. Her eyes glistened. She turned away, a tear streaking through the air.
***
The chaos howled around them, but Long Fei fought to steady his mind. His instincts recoiled, yet he refused to give in to the fear creeping inside him. His steps briefly faltered as the world shuddered with an ancient, familiar power. A sharp ache pulsed through his chest, a flicker of recognition that gnawed at him. A memory surfaced—a crimson fireball, a spark that ignited everything. His grip tightened around both companions as the world continued to shatter. It wasn't supposed to happen like this.
But there was no time to dwell on such thoughts. He drew them both closer, forcing his body to move against the pull of the crumbling world. His steps were heavy, burdened by their lives, yet he pressed on. It had already been set in motion. The storm raged and the land fractured, but he quickened his pace. He must get them to the exit.
With his gaze fixed ahead, his grip tightened protectively around both companions, feeling the pressure of the realm bearing down on him. Every step was a battle against the inevitable, carrying them toward the only safe ground left—the cliff, still standing, a frail refuge amid utter devastation.