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Chapter 47 - In the Wake of Sacrifice

Ling Yue and Shui Yi were hurled through the fading light, crashing onto the desolate earth beyond the portal. The portal snapped shut behind them, severing the last thread that connected them to Long Fei.

The air was dry, suffocating, and oppressive. The world around them was unlike anything they had imagined. The once vibrant Mortal Realm was now withered and broken. The skies above were hazy, the sun a pale and unrelenting orb burning down on the cracked earth below. No lush forests or rivers remained; only barren fields and shriveled crops stretched endlessly in every direction. In the distance, the desperate cries of villagers carried across the wind, their voices raw with suffering.

Shui Yi struggled to her feet, heart hammering. She turned around, searching the air, but the portal was gone, the world they had just left, Long Fei, was gone.

"No... no, no," she whispered, reaching toward the space where the portal had been, her hand trembling as if trying to hold onto his final breath.

Ling Yue remained on the ground, kicking at the earth, causing it to crack further. A strangled cry escaped her lips. "Master..."

Shui Yi's breath hitched as she shook her head. "He can't be gone. He… He wouldn't leave us," she murmured, her chest tightening with an unbearable ache.

She scanned the desolate horizon, nothing but death and suffering stretched before them. The villagers, gaunt and hollow-eyed, stumbled along parched roads, their skin cracked and dry from the relentless drought.

Ling Yue slowly rose, her expression hardening as the reality of their surroundings settled in. "I can't even be angry at him for pushing me out. He stayed behind to seal the portal… to stop the chaos from spreading. He sacrificed himself for all of us."

The mermaid grabbed her companion by the shoulders, shaking her as she demanded, "What do you mean? Why didn't he tell us? Why didn't he—?"

The guardian flicked the mermaid's hands off her shoulders. "It is his duty to maintain the balance across the realms." Her gaze softened as she gently placed a hand on the mermaid's shoulder. "If he hadn't sealed the portal, neither of us would be alive."

The mermaid slumped her shoulders, tears streaking down as she sniffled. "I don't understand... Why didn't he let us stay with him? We could have helped. He didn't even say goodbye."

"For the love of the Seas! He saved our lives—and the lives across realms. Not a single soul will thank him for it. And here you are, knowing what he did, still sulking over a goodbye." Ling Yue kicked at the earth, heaving.

The outburst jolted Shui Yi. She pursed her lips, knowing her companion had a point. Memories of Long Fei's quiet presence flooded her mind—the kiss they'd shared, the bond forged in sacrifice. It had been a farewell, even though he hadn't spoken the words she longed to hear. The realization stung deeper than any wound. She should have known. She should have realized that tender moment was his goodbye.

Ling Yue placed a gentle hand on her back, offering what comfort she could. The land around them was dead, yet in the distance, the desperate cries of the villagers pierced the heavy silence, echoing the sorrow she felt inside.

"We can't stay here. Master did what he had to do. We owe it to him to honor his sacrifice and carry on."

Shui Yi's heart clenched as the words sank in. How could she carry on? Her eyes cast downward, fighting back sobs. "I don't even know where we're supposed to go…" Her voice was small, lost in the barren land.

"You're here to get stronger. For the future. And for the Ocean Realm. You'll need that strength if you want to reunite with your father, His Majesty."

"Do you think my father will take me back?"

"Of course he will. Well, he better. Almost got me killed, remember? Especially after my master..." Ling Yue bit her lower lip, her face twitched.

Shui Yi forced a faint, broken smile but didn't argue with the truth. With a shaky breath, she straightened her back, forcing herself to stand tall. Ling Yue joined her, fists clenched, expression grim but determined. The air felt thick with the stench of suffering and faint whispers of despair. Yet they had no choice but to move forward.

They walked side by side. Ling Yue glanced sideways at Shui Yi. "This land may be dead now, but with us here, it will thrive again. We're a blessing to this forsaken realm."

Shui Yi nodded, her heart heavy, but resolute. Together, they would protect this realm that Long Fei sacrificed his life for. As they walked, the wind carried the sounds of the drought's devastation: the cracking earth, the groan of dry trees, the faint wails of the people whose hopes had been stripped away along with the land. The absence of the Dragon of Air was felt in every cracked stone, every withered plant, every parched throat. It was a legacy of sacrifice, and now the burden fell to them.

***

Ling Yue's jaw tightened as they roamed the Mortal Realm. Her fallen master's last words haunted her: he would find her. Somehow, he always did. She carried the full weight of that secret. Years of training and survival lay ahead before Long Fei could even begin to find them again. It would take eighteen mortal years before any hope of reunion. She hoped Shui Yi could endure that long stretch before he returned—but she couldn't tell her that he might find them in this realm. He might not even remember the time he spent with the mermaid, or he might return as a different mortal incarnation.

The tear that streaked his face as the portal closed was proof he had changed. In all her life, she had never seen him show such intense emotion. Not once. That single tear haunted her more than his absence. She dared not let the mermaid know, fearing false hope would only break her.

"Well," Ling Yue muttered, glancing at the vast, empty horizon before letting out a low whistle. "At least you won't be drowning in all this."

She remembered Long Fei saving the mermaid from drowning twice in the previous realm. The urge to make another snarky remark rose, but she shook her head and bit her tongue. He would want her to be kind in his absence.

She glanced at Shui Yi and noticed the faintest trace of a smile tugging at her lips. There wasn't much to go on, but she was tasked with protecting the mermaid princess, a mission entrusted to her by both her master and the King of Merfolk.

This realm would be even more dangerous. Both the Phoenix Empress and Long Yan could enter it. They were more powerful than she was. She clasped her hands behind her back, fists clenched tight.

Would she be enough to protect the mermaid princess?

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