The air grew colder with each step, the weight of the collapsing realm pressing down on them. The world behind them, once vibrant, was now a crumbling ruin, its edges vanishing into an endless abyss.
Shui Yi followed close behind Ling Yue, her breath misting in the cold air as her grip on the guardian's tail tightened with every tremor beneath their feet. Long Fei brought up the rear, his gaze fixed on her steps, ensuring she didn't fall.
The dilapidated stairway wound upward like a serpent through jagged remnants of a world on the brink of destruction. There was no turning back now. The collapse was inevitable.
Yet she couldn't shake the feeling that ever since their breathtaking moment under the water, he had grown distant. She thought that moment would bring them closer. Instead, he felt farther away than ever.
The tremors beneath them grew more frequent, their echoes counting down to an unknown end like an incense stick burning low. She couldn't help but feel uneasy; it was more than the realm collapsing. There was a change in Long Fei she couldn't quite grasp. His focus, his demeanor: he was different, distant in a way that felt familiar and terrifying.
A sharp crack split the air, and her foot caught on a loose stone. She stumbled, but before she could fall, his hand shot out, steadying her. His touch was brief, but the way he held her felt different this time, like an obligation. The warmth of his hand didn't linger, and a wave of apprehension washed through her.
"Long Fei?" she murmured, but he quickly withdrew, his eyes averted from hers.
"You're fine," he said curtly, his voice low, detached. He didn't offer the usual reassuring smile. Instead, he tilted his head toward the top, silently urging her forward, as if rushing her.
The stairs stretched on without end. Each hush of crumbling stone made the floor beneath her groan, threatening to give way to the abyss below. Her legs ached with every step. She kept her eyes ahead, but she could sense his quiet presence behind her. The silence between them created another kind of void in the collapsing realm. The way he examined their surroundings made her feel like she was walking with a stranger: someone simply going through the motions.
The distant sound of stone cracking echoed through the air, snapping her from her daze. She faltered again, her legs weak from the constant strain of the climb. He steadied her, but this time his grip tightened a bit longer. The moment lingered too long, and she felt their fragile connection slowly fraying. "Long Fei..."
He didn't respond, his gaze fixed ahead, though she could feel the tension in his hand. "We're almost there. Keep moving."
She didn't move, her hand still resting on his. A sharp dread coiled low in her stomach. She could feel his warm breath on the back of her neck. He withdrew his hands.
"Once we step beyond this point, there's no turning back," he said suddenly, his voice cool and measured, almost as if he were speaking to himself more than anyone else.
She glanced at Ling Yue, who seemed equally puzzled, but neither spoke.
"What do you mean?" Shui Yi asked, her brows furrowed, her eyes searching his. "The realm's collapsing, but we're still moving forward. Isn't that what you meant?"
He didn't answer right away. His eyes flickered to the dark horizon, where the last remnants of the world beyond the stairway were being swallowed into nothingness. Finally, he spoke, though his words carried an unspoken weight. "No. What I mean is… once you step past the exit, you will be in the Mortal Realm."
She felt uneasy with how he worded his response, but he didn't elaborate; he simply turned his gaze back to the path.
As they continued their climb, the weight of his words echoed in her mind. What did Long Fei mean by 'there was no turning back'? What was he planning? And why did it feel like, with every step they took, he was leaving them behind?
***
The staircase ended at the top of a jagged cliff, where an ancient gate loomed—imposing, carved from stone older than time itself. It stood like a sentinel overlooking the collapsing world, its edges glowing faintly with a low, pulsing hum. Beyond it, the exit flickered, barely stable.
Long Fei stood at the brink. He adjusted his wide sleeves, subtly blocking their view. Behind him, an ominous presence stirred, crawling closer.
Shui Yi bent over, gripping her knees, breathless. "We made it..." she said as if to convince herself.
Ling Yue stepped forward, brushing her fingers over the worn inscriptions. "It's... beautiful," she murmured, yet her voice carried unease. The markings were silent witnesses to a forgotten era.
He wasn't looking at the gate. He surreptitiously checked on the deepening fissures below. Tendrils of darkness oozed through the cracks, pulsing like a heartbeat.
He stepped forward, fingers tracing the inscriptions, his expression darkening as he deciphered their meaning. This place was never meant to fall. The collapse wasn't a mere ending—it was an unlocking.
A shadowed voice stirred at the edge of his consciousness: It will not end here. If the gate fully opens, the chaos will spill into every realm.
He exhaled slowly. He already knew. His jaw tightened. There was only one way to stop it. He had to stay behind, sever the connection, sealing the realm from within. His fingers curled into a fist. This burden was his alone to bear. For their future, for the realms beyond, he would be the last line of defense.
He placed a hand on Shui Yi's shoulder and forced a smile to reassure her. "You're almost there. Exit through the portal."
His guardian gazed at him suspiciously. "Master… what's going on?"
His expression remained impassive. "There's no time for explanations. Get through the portal. Now."
Ling Yue hesitated, glancing between him and the portal. "What about you?"
"I need to make sure Shui Yi doesn't drown again before we leave."
"That's right. Wouldn't want a mermaid drowning a third time."
Shui Yi turned red and dashed forward, shoving Ling Yue aside. She fell for the bait.
Long Fei tapped his guardian on the shoulder. She turned and crinkled her nose. He ruffled her hair lightly, his eyes softening. "Remember, I'll always find you."
Her smirk wavered. She briefly hugged him, her eyes glistening. She clenched her fists, trembling for a moment before nodding. A tear streaked down her cheek as she took a deep breath and chased after the embarrassed mermaid.
The air quivered. Beneath them, the ground splintered further, the darkness stirring hungrily. If he told them, they would try to stop him. This realm cannot hold on much longer. They must leave. Now. The portal shimmered just ahead of them. Shui Yi took a tentative step forward and paused, but Ling Yue hurried her along. Together, they crossed the threshold.
Light exploded through the portal as it came alive.
Ling Yue turned back. "Master—"
His qi struck her square in the chest before she could finish, hurling both his companions through the portal.
"NO—!" Shui Yi twisted midair, reaching out—but the portal was already closing.
Long Fei stood unwavering as a tear slid down his face.
"Forgive me."
He bit the tip of his finger, then used his blood to draw a symbol on the portal, sealing his fate along with the realm's destruction.
Ling Yue, don't be too harsh on Shui Yi. She will need you.
The portal's light dimmed to a flicker, then snapped shut like a gallows drop.
He leaned back against the sealed gate as the realm shuddered one last time. A bloodcurdling shriek tore through the collapsing air, reverberating in his bones.
He closed his eyes, recalling the tender moment with Shui Yi beneath the water.
The realm imploded, devouring him.