Under The Lake

1. In Which Wangji Has A Life Changing Encounter.

Wangji was on a night hunt, just outside Caiyi Town. The cold November air filled his lungs as he gracefully glided through the trees on his trusty sword, Bichen.

He weaved his way through the tall and fragrant bamboo stalks, as a vast snowy lake came into view. The moonlight gently shone over the surroundings, as a few birds flew overhead, their feathery silhouettes mirrored on the water's surface, with only the slightest of ripples caused by an icy breeze from the north.

Wangji always loved the serenity of BiLing lake, especially the outskirts. Hardly anyone lived there except for a few local fishermen and their families. It was the kind of place Wangji adored. Quiet, and peaceful.

As he came to a slow descent, he jumped from his sword and landed on the ground with a soft thud.

The snow crunched under his feet as he walked along the edge of the lake. As he took a deep breath in, he identified each and every smell.

Sweet plum blossoms, dead leaves hidden under the snow, and...

The smell of blood.

Now picking up his pace, he searched for the source. As he went further in, the smell intensified. It was fresh, he could tell. After a minute of searching, the smell became almost unbearable as the coppery tinge invaded his nose.

Coming to a small dip in the grass filled with water, he identified the source at last.

A young woman was sprawled out on the grass, half submerged in water and covered in blood and cuts. She looked deathly pale and was shivering, her yellow hanfu was stained with red and brown.

Not wasting a second, Wangji instantly rushed over to the woman's side. Crouching down on the slushy snow and dirt, he checked her for injuries. It wasn't good. She had numerous cuts along her arms, most likely caused by a sword, and a large hole in her abdomen in which an arrow was half sticking out.

Anyone else would automatically see that she wasn't going to make it. But Wangji was a bit stubborn.

Ripping off a piece of fabric from his robes, he bundled it up and pressed down on the wound.

Without any warning, the woman grabbed his wrist, and look at him with a face full of fear and anger.

Wangji flinched, and his breath caught in his throat. Not because of the sudden movement, but because the eyes staring at him were bright neon pink and seemed to be glowing.

At that moment, the glistening full moon appeared, illuminating the surroundings like a floodlight.

Wangji found himself rather dumbstruck at the fact that he hadn't noticed it before, but where the woman's legs should have been, there was a bright red and orange tail.

Her scales glowed in the moonlight, and now that Wangji looked closer, she had green patterns of little ribbons along her arms and cheekbones.

But he could process this information later, right now this woman, fish, whatever she was, was bleeding out profusely.

Prising his wrist out of her vice-like grip, he continued to press on the wound, ignoring the girl's shocked and confused expression.

But instead, the woman simply stared right into his eyes and spoke in a barely audible whisper.

"T-Thank you."

Her skin went icy and her whole body seemed to glow, as her hand went limp in his.

But her body continued to glow brighter and brighter in a fierce pale white glow that momentarily blinded Wangji.