Sand as white as the millions scattered at an uncharted coast never once touched by humans. Grey rocks of all shapes and sizes formed a small cliff where one could sit and relax. Below this cliff, there was a large body of saltwater with considerable depth, clear like a mirror, and at the bottom were corals of various colors. Lantern-like lights sat in multiple corners; some were placed at the base of the cliff, some sat in irregular distance from one another on the white sand, while some others floated on the clear water like shining lotus. It was a bizarrely beautiful sight, a bit like nature but at the same time obviously created by human beings. If someone had this interior built somewhere in their house, surely they must be someone of great wealth and possessed a good sense for the aesthetic.
Yet perhaps no one would expect that such a beautiful place was actually built to serve as a prison.
Inside this man-made "coast", Xie Lian was sitting on the white sand; his body on the dry land while his tail in the water. There were no more objects of nobility worn on his person, a plain half human-half fish whose silver tail had almost dimmed in color. Only a small flower hairpin he still kept on the bun of his black hair, and a lone red pearl on his left ear.
Amidst the silence with not even the slightest sound around him, Xie Lian looked up to the tall ceilings far above him. It was made in such a way that the painting would resemble the sky, the man-made lighting would be lit up sometimes, then put out some other times, resembling the changes between day and night. But whether they truly change on sunrise and sunset, the mermaid prince had no way to know. The walls were high, even taller than the biggest ship he had encountered at the sea. As for an access, there was only one door made of thick iron that remained locked for most of the day, heavily guarded on the other side.
How long ago did he last see the sky? How long ago did he last taste seawater in his mouth? How many days, months, years had passed? Back then, he was caught from the sea and was hauled back onto the pirate's ship. Despite the fight they put up, in the end they still could not defeat those ruthless men because he himself had been wounded in his attempt to save that young boy. Thus, he had no choice but to offer his service to these humans in exchange for his people's freedom.
...Ah, that young boy... Back then, Mu Qing once asked him if that youth was worth it. Back then, he answered that it was a redemption of some sort, for dragging that boy into such a fate because of his impulsiveness. Now that he was locked in this place with no one he could talk to, Xie Lian had more than enough time to look back on the years bygone.
True enough, if he did not cover for that boy, he would not be so seriously injured and would still have a chance to defeat those pirates with Feng Xin and Mu Qing by his side. True enough, if he did not arrange the mirage that night for that boy's sake, none of his people would suffer the capture and abuse they experienced that night. True enough, if he did not listen to the pearl's call and found that boy drowning during the storm, if he did not give his earring to that youth a long time ago, he and his people would not be involved in whatever conflict the humans caused to themselves because of their own greed.
If he hadn't tangled himself with that boy since the beginning, the merfolks of the Immortal Sea would still all be living peacefully in the depth of the ocean, free to travel both water and land without having to fear the capture of humans who wanted to exploit them for their silk and pearl.
But Xie Lian also thought if he were to do the opposite. That night, should he have left that boy to be stabbed and beaten to death by those scoundrels? That night, should he have not cast the mirage, and let those covetous men deemed the boy a deceiver? During that thunderstorm, should he have not heeded the boy's call through their pair of pearls, and left him to drown to his death?
Back then, should he have ignored that little tramp who bumped against his legs, who had nothing but two dirty, inedible buns for a meal, and was being beaten in broad daylight by the adults simply because he was hungry?
No matter how many times he thought about it, Xie Lian always arrived at the same conclusion. Even if he were to go back in time and was faced with the same situation, he still could not choose to abandon that boy.
One really should not attempt to save everyone. Because by doing so, he would only end up losing everything.
"So despite what I've said and thought about those humans, apparently I am also quite a greedy one."
The merman sighed and curled himself, resting his face on the bent of his tail. Every single day, he must weave layers after layers of Dragon Silk for those mortals to sell. Other times, they would force him to shed tears, so that they could collect the pearls falling from his eyes, pawning them off to gain more wealth. He was fed well, he was given this pretty place to live in. But still he was nothing more than a prisoner, a slave to those people in this city. How much longer must he remain in this place, all by himself with no hope to ever see the light of the sun ever again?
Perhaps, he should just smash his head against these rocks and die. That way, at least he would finally be freed from this ill fate.
The thought had just crossed his mind when all of a sudden, the red coral pearl on his left ear sent a faint vibe throughout his body. Xie Lian was startled, but before he could think about it any further, his fin-like ears caught noises coming from outside. By outside, he meant anywhere outside this captivity. All this time he never had any idea where exactly he was being kept, in which part of the city or in which building. Though, the commotion he heard just now sounded a bit too far, perhaps it was outside the main structure of the place where his prison was built. Xie Lian grew curious. It wasn't like he had never heard voices beyond this vicinity, but it was nothing more than the guards keeping watch outside talking to each other. What sort of scene was taking place there, for the noise to reach all the way inside here?
And why did this sensation feel familiar?
"Hey, who are you?!"
"What are these things?! How did you-- Stop!! I said, sto-- AAAAAHHH!!!"
He heard the guards outside scream in terror. With a loud blast, the metal door was blown open, along with the walls where it was attached to. Rocks and debris flew through the air. Surprised, Xie Lian instinctively jumped into the water to avoid the rubble from hitting him. He only poked half of his head above the surface once the rumbling noise had receded. Amidst the dust and smoke gathering at the man-made coast, something shimmering appeared from within, not just one but a lot of them.
Butterflies. They were small butterflies gleaming in silvery glows. In his entire life, Xie Lian could count the times he encountered a butterfly with the fingers on one hand for these delicate creatures only exist in the land of men where flowers and greeneries were well taken care of. Yet now there were so many of them, maybe millions in number, and they were all bursting into his prison, spreading everywhere all the way to the ceiling. It was such a strange sight. The mermaid prince had never once seen anything like this before.
In the midst of his confusion, one butterfly flapped its tiny wings and glided to the saltwater lake where he was hiding. Slowly, it landed atop his head, resting on the flower hairpin he was wearing.
"What are you?" Xie Lian mumbled to himself, inadvertently holding his hand up. Unexpectedly, instead of flying away, the butterfly moved to perch on his finger; the soft light emitting from its body looked as though it was gazing at his face.
His attention was soon drawn to the demolished door once more. From the hall outside that he could not see, the sound of clattering chains was drawing closer, then there was the sound of footsteps. Xie Lian saw a man's figure begin to take form in the thick of the flying dust and debris, surrounded by the swarm of butterflies that hadn't stopped flooding into the chamber.
Tall and firm, the first thing he saw was the color red dressing the man's appearance. A sabre hung on his waist, a pair of silver vambraces on both of his arms, and a pair of black boots. There were chains attached to his boots, the source of faint jingles and clatters with every step he took. From this distance, Xie Lian could not very well see the face of this man, but to his surprise, this person calmly walked in his direction, straight towards the saltwater lake.
Xie Lian was not afraid. To be more precise, despite the scale of damage that man caused upon his forceful entrance, for some reason he could not feel any threat coming from this person. At least towards him, there did not seem to be any malicious intention. But still he did not let his guard down. Because it was then that Xie Lian realized, the familiar vibe resonating throughout his body from the pearl earring he was wearing, it was calling towards this foreign person.
Small plops and splashes rippled the water surface as the man in red stepped into the water. It was just as if someone was walking at a beach; from the dry land covered in white sand, his feet and legs gradually sank deeper, but that person did not stop. On the other hand, the silver-tailed merman remained in place, half of his face still hidden underwater, but his eyes were staring curiously at the visitor.
It was when the water had reached his waist that the stranger in red finally stopped. The distance between him and Xie Lian now was no further than the length of a fully brandished sword; his face now clear enough for the mermaid prince to see. An extremely handsome man, he was; sharp and striking. His ink black hair was a stark contrast with his pale complexion, and his right eye appeared to be masked with an eyepatch, leaving only his black left eye to meet with Xie Lian's.
In that pitch black sphere, the merman could see his own visage reflected gently.
"Dianxia."
The man in red greeted him politely and bowed; the tone of his voice soft and carried utmost respect in it. Xie Lian was surprised by this unexpected scene. Save for the humans who came to take the result of his labor on a regular basis, he hadn't heard another's voice for so long, much less hearing others address him as such, that he almost thought his ears were playing tricks on him. But this person was not an illusion, and the voice he heard just now was real. At that moment, the little butterfly that had been resting on Xie Lian's finger flapped its wings, glided over and landed on the man's shoulder. Then, that person extended his hand towards Xie Lian.
"I apologize for my tardiness. Dianxia, I come to take you out of this place," he said.
By now, Xie Lian had no longer been hiding himself in the water, having exposed his appearance until the chest for he was unconsciously drawn by curiosity. He stared at the unknown man, then to the hand extended towards him, then back to the man's face again. Albeit there was no fear, there was still some doubt left in his heart. Hesitantly, he looked at that person and asked.
"Who...might you be?"
The man blinked once. A gentle smile appeared on his stunning face.
"I go by the name Hua Cheng," he said, "But if Dianxia is willing, I would be very happy if you could call me San Lang."
"San...Lang...?"
He had never encountered anyone with either one of these names before, but from the way this man spoke, it seemed as though they were acquainted with each other. Still, since this person truly did not appear to harbor any bad intentions, Xie Lian felt it would be rude to keep him hanging. Cautiously, the mermaid prince extended his hand, reaching towards the stranger's palm. When their skin touched, Xie Lian shivered slightly for an unknown reason. Hua Cheng held his hand tenderly, pulling him out of the water.
As the distance between them became closer, the silver-tailed merman suddenly noticed something that he didn't see before. On the right side of that person's face, one lock of his hair was braided. And at the end of this braid, a red coral pearl identical to the one he was wearing on his left ear was shimmering faintly.
"That's--?!!"
In his shock, Xie Lian jumped towards the man named Hua Cheng to grab this particular lock of hair. His unannounced movement caused the other party to lose his balance, toppling into the water as the merman quite literally pounced at him. The two drown into the clear saltwater lake. Having just realized what he had done, Xie Lian immediately caught that person and pulled him straight to the artificial white sand coast.
"W-Where did you get this?" leaping onto Hua Cheng's body, Xie Lian snatched his braided hair and stared at the pearl wide-eyed. Drenched from head to toe, forced to lie down on his back with a half human-half fish creature lying on top of him, the man in red maple robe could only raise his head and looked at Xie Lian.
"Dianxia..."
"How did you get this?!" Xie Lian interrogated, "This... This jewel... No one should have it anymore because..."
Because he gave it to that boy, and that boy...had long been buried in the depth of the mother sea. Unless...
"......Hong-er...?"
Following his mumble, Xie Lian grabbed Hua Cheng's face with both hands, staring straight into his black left eye.
"Hong-er?! Is it you?! Is it really you?!"
Hua Cheng had been drowned in the lake, dragged back to land, pinned to the ground, then having his head and face seized out of the blue. For a few seconds, it looked as though he had no idea what to do. Yet upon hearing those strings of desperate questions, a gentle smile once again was drawn one his lips. He looked back at Xie Lian and called him, this time in a different manner than before.
"Gege..."
That single word struck into the deepest part of his heart. Xie Lian felt his chest clenching tight, unsure whether he was about to laugh or cry. He could not believe what he was seeing in front of his eyes, but this person was real, and he was touching him with his own hands. In a burst of impulse, he hugged the man in red robe with all his might, almost as if he was crushing him between his arms.
"It's you!" he buried his face on Hua Cheng's shoulder, "It's really, really you!"
"Yes, Gege. It's me," near his ear, Xie Lian heard the other's soft chuckle.
To see that little boy coming back to him like this, even though he was immensely happy, at the same time there was an immense amount of guilt and sadness, as well. No matter how much time had passed, Xie Lian could still recall everything that happened that night, what he did to that boy the very last time they saw each other. In his defense, he only did so because he had no other way to save that young soul from the brink of death. But the consequence of his action... He wasn't sure if he were to be in the boy's shoes, would he prefer to die instead of ending up in this state?
The Hong-er that came back to him today, Xie Lian knew he was no longer human.
"I'm sorry..." he whispered, "I'm truly sorry... Because of me, you've become like this..."
"Gege has nothing to apologize for," Hua Cheng replied at once, "It's because gege gave me a second chance, I can finally become strong enough to find gege and take you away from those greedy humans."
He cast his gaze down and lowered his voice.
"Though, I must apologize because it took such a long time. I wish I could've come sooner."
"No, don't be," Xie Lian let him go and sat straight, "It all begins from me. You were dragged into such a fate because I didn't think my actions through. For you to come to my rescue like this, I am the one who's in your debt."
For a moment, Hua Cheng seemed a bit surprised. His smile soon returned, nevertheless, as he held Xie Lian's hands and gazed into his eyes.
"Gege is very kind," he said, "For me, you have always been my savior."
Xie Lian had no idea how he was supposed to respond to such a sudden remark. However, it did not look like Hua Cheng was expecting any answer from him. The man in red slowly rose to his feet, dusting off the sand sticking to his clothes. Then once again, he extended his hand towards Xie Lian.
"Gege, let's go?"
"Go where?"
"Outside. Where this human's prison can no longer detain you."
Xie Lian reciprocated by giving him a smile, and reaching out to the hand held out in front of him. His silver tail transformed into a pair of legs, and with a single pull from the other man, the two of them stood side by side.
"Excuse me for a bit, Gege," Hua Cheng said. Carefully, he circled his arms around Xie Lian waist as though trying to hold him in an embrace. As soon as they were locked together, the millions of silver butterflies flew towards them, surrounding their bodies like a storm of light. Who knows what kind of magical power they possess? Gradually, wind began to gather in the air around them, and the two were lifted from the ground, straight towards the high ceiling above.
"H-How are we getting out of there?" Xie Lian asked.
"It's okay, Gege. Trust me," replied Hua Cheng, "The butterflies will make a way for us."
As he said that, the tiny, silvery creatures surged ahead of them towards the painting of the sky. There was a rumble, and then Xie Lian thought he could see bricks and rocks falling before they were engulfed by the bright light. The noise was becoming louder, and just as they were about to fly straight into the blinding glow, there was a blast and then the two of them burst out of the prison.
For the first time after he was captured, Xie Lian could finally see the sky again, fresh air filling his lungs.
"Gege."
Yet hearing Hua Cheng's voice close to him, his astonishment for the taste of freedom was cut short. The merman turned around to find the other's face already very close before him. Startled, the tip of his ears were flushed in red as he stuttered.
"W-What is it?" he asked.
"I would like to bring Gege home as soon as possible, but..." Hua Cheng fell silent for a short while, "There is...something that I need Gege's help with. Is that alright?"
"Of course. What do you need my help with?"
Hua Cheng's black left eye looked into the distance. When Xie Lian followed his gaze, what he saw was the dark sea illuminated by the pale light of the full moon in the sky. Below them, fire and smoke were rising from what seemed to be a city, but he could not get a clear look of it for the swarm of butterflies soon covered the air beneath their feet like a tapestry. He could only see the coast at the end of the city. And there, a huge black ship with red sails was berthed.
"...There is someone I would like you to meet. An old friend of some sort," said Hua Cheng, "Gege, I don't know if you still remember her, the Fair Lady of the Pirate Haven?"
***
A room blanketed in darkness with not a single candle in sight. It seemed to be quite spacious in size, but exactly how large, what objects were kept to decorate the interior, nobody could clearly see for visibility was barely naught. It was not until a few little butterflies flew in that there was finally some illumination, their shimmering wings lighting the way from the door towards what looked like a bed at the furthest end of the room.
On this bed, the figure of a person could be seen to be lying there, unmoving.
With Hua Cheng by his side, Xie Lian was escorted to enter this room, the captain's personal quarters on the massive black ship. The vessel slightly swayed to the sight every once in a while, following the movement of the sea tides as they had begun sailing to the open sea, leaving the land where he had been kept imprisoned for what turned out to be a decade long. Except for their footsteps, no other sound could be heard within the room sealed in silence.
"...Gege, it's her," Hua Cheng told him in a quiet voice, "It's Qingxuan-jie."
"Mm, I remember her," Xie Lian nodded, "It has been a very long time since I last saw her. I would never have expected...that the next time we meet, she would be..."
"The Governor of Xian Jing locked you in as soon as he had gotten a hold of his target. I understand that no one was allowed to see you without his permission?"
"That is true."
"Then, it's true that his brother had been unable to seek your aid in curing Qingxuan-jie's illness."
"That's true..." replied Xie Lian. He turned his gaze towards the man beside him, "Hong- I mean, San Lang... About her brother..."
"...He is no longer in this world," the man in red said, "Unfortunately, Qingxuan-jie...is the only one left in her family."
"I see..." Xie Lian averted his eyes, returning his attention to the beautiful, yet pitiful woman lying unconscious on the bed, "San Lang, may I ask you something?"
"Of course, Gege."
"About this good sister... Are you sure?"
Hua Cheng did not answer immediately. He looked at Shi Qingxuan, then his gaze fell to the floor.
"...Does Gege think...it would be better to let her pass?" in the end, he returned the question to Xie Lian.
"I don't know. Such a thing, only she knows the answer, don't you think so?" the merman replied, "San Lang, have you asked her what she truly wants?"
"I haven't," Hua Cheng shook his head, "Qingxuan-jie has been unconscious ever since I found her."
"Then, maybe I could lend a bit of help," Xie Lian smiled, "You'll have to tell her the truth. And then, whatever she decides to do, let's respect it, shall we?"
The man in red robe showed him his agreement. They approached the bed, and a butterfly flew over the sleeping Shi Qingxuan. Her face was pale and her breathing was weak. If they let her be just like this, perhaps...it would not take long for her to follow her brother's steps into the afterworld.
Xie Lian sat down at the bedside. He looked at Shi Qingxuan for a bit while. Just as he was about to take her hand, his attention was drawn to Hua Cheng once more. It was quite sudden. Without his realization, the tall and handsome man had somehow transformed himself into a different appearance.
Right now, the one standing before him was that young child from the slums of Xian Jing, the little vagrant dressed in rags with half of his face covered in dirty bandages.
"San La-- Eh? Hong-er?!" Xie Lian was surprised.
"...Gege, it's San Lang..." the child hung his head, seemingly pouting.
"But this appearance..."
"I... I don't like this look..." Hua Cheng, now bearing the visage of his past, young self, answered in a small voice, biting down on his lips. Even his voice had changed into that of a child that hadn't reached adolescence. "I want to look better in front of Gege. But I figured that Qingxuan-jie would not recognize me if I were to see her as I was before."
"Hmm, indeed I suppose it would be easier for you to talk to her like this," replied Xie Lian. He stroked the boy's head. "But you don't have to feel bad about yourself either. You don't look too bad."
"Gege is too kind."
"I'm telling the truth," the merman smiled, "This bandage, and the eyepatch from before... Actually you don't have to wear them in front of me. Haven't I already told you that your other eye is pretty?"
"About that..." for some reason, Hua Cheng averted his gaze, covering his right eye with his hand, "I'm sorry, Gege... This eye that Gege likes, I... I was unable to keep it..."
Xie Lian fell quiet. Hua Cheng did not elaborate any further on what he meant by being unable to keep that one special eye of his, but asking him to explain did not feel right either. Eventually, the mermaid prince decided to brush it off with another smile, giving a gentle pat on the other's shoulder.
"You don't need to apologize to me," he said, "There must be a reason for that, and I'm in no position to judge you."
He shifted his gaze to Shi Qingxuan.
"Well, shall we get started?"
Hua Cheng, in the body of his young self, gave him a silent nod. Having obtained the other's confirmation, Xie Lian carefully picked up Shi Qingxuan's hand, placing it into his own.
"Please excuse me..." he whispered. Yet just as he touched her wrist, his eyes widened slightly and his movement paused.
"Gege, what's the matter?" asked Hua Cheng.
"This..." unsure of how to explain his discovery, Xie Lian could only switch his stare between the hand he was holding and the boy standing in front of him, "I... I would never have thought..."
"Is something wrong with Qingxuan-jie?" Hua Cheng approached them, his expression looked both curious and concerned.
"This good sister... No, I mean, I shouldn't call him a sister... This person...is a man..."
"What?"
If even Hua Cheng, who had spent many years of his life with him, did not know about it, then Xie Lian could only wonder how few people exactly in this world were aware of this fact. He could still recall his meeting with Shi Qingxuan back then, and even he did not suspect anything out of the ordinary, thinking that it really was a kind, friendly young lady.
"...He must have a reason why he has been hiding his true identity all this time," Xie Lian muttered, "Since the act he put up is able to smoothly convince everyone, I can only assume that he's been doing it for a long time, perhaps in his entire life."
"I have a few guesses," replied Hua Cheng, "But for now, I'll speak to him as if I don't know about it. After all, at this moment I... I am 'Hong-er'."
"Mn. That would be for the best," the merman agreed with him, "He...may not want too many people to know about it either."
From Xie Lian's index and middle fingers that were placed on Shi Qingxuan's wrist, a soft glow of light appeared. The effect did not appear instantly, however, after a few moments passed, the pale complexion on the ill man's face began to look just a tad bit brighter. Shi Qingxuan stirred in his sleep. Although his eyes were still closed, it seemed that he did regain a little bit of consciousness. Hua Cheng and Xie Lian stared at each other. When the mermaid prince gave him a small nod, finally the man in the body of his youth stood at the side of the bed, peering into his benefactor's face like a curious child would to their parents.
"...Qingxuan-jie," he called him. There was no immediate answer, but the two of them kept waiting. Then, after some time, Shi Qingxuan's eyelids began to tremble before they were opened ever so slightly. A pair of exhausted dark eyes peeked from within.
"......Hong-er...?" the "Lady of the Haven" muttered his name, his voice weak and barely audible, "Hong-er... Is that you...?"
"It's me, Qingxuan-jie," Hua Cheng replied to him.
"Is it really you? But I was told that you're..." Shi Qingxuan's gaze shifted towards Xie Lian, "Why... If it isn't that good brother from back then?"
"Good evening," Xie Lian smiled at him.
"Ah, I see... I must be dreaming..." the ill young man chuckled to himself, seemingly delirious, "This must be a dream... Before this, I felt like I saw Ming-xiong forcing some strange medicine on me. That must be a dream, as well..."
Though he was still smiling, the dark spheres in Shi Qingxuan's eyes were wistful as he looked at the two figures by the side of his bed. He couldn't move his hand that was being held by Xie Lian, but by chance, he might have long lost his sense of touch and he didn't even notice someone was holding him by the wrist.
All of a sudden, he started to apologize.
"I'm sorry, Hong-er..." Shi Qingxuan stared at the boy, his brows knitted despite his apparent effort to hide his emotions, "I shouldn't... I shouldn't have let my brother take you away on his sail. If only I have resisted more... You wouldn't...at such a young age..."
He looked at Xie Lian.
"This good brother... I promised you to take good care of him, but I've... I've failed horribly. I'm sorry..."
"...! No, my lady, you don't have to--"
The mermaid prince immediately reacted but as he was speaking, he had to stop midway because he realized he didn't know what he should best say in this situation. Hua Cheng, on the other hand, seemed to notice what he was thinking. He tugged lightly at Shi Qingxuan's sleeve, drawing his attention.
"Qingxuan-jie..." he said, "About your brother, he..."
"...? What is it, Hong-er? What happened to my brother?"
"He is...no longer in this world. I'm sorry..."
The young man's smile was frozen on his face. It was too dark in that room; the glow from the butterfly's wings was not bright enough to provide sufficient illumination. Under these circumstances, the expression on Shi Qingxuan was rather difficult to be seen clearly. Yet when he opened his mouth then, despite still wearing that kind smile on his lips, his voice trembled greatly.
"What... What do you mean?" he stared at the little boy, "What do you mean...my brother is no longer in this world?"
"...It means exactly as you think, Qingxuan-jie..." replied Hua Cheng quietly, "His life, his crew, his ship... It's been taken away."
"W-What-? But why?! Why did--?!"
It was easy to guess what question Shi Qingxuan was about to ask before he stopped himself. Such a thing would be a ridiculous inquiry, no matter how one thought about it. At the end of the day, Shi Wudu was a notorious pirate who had wronged and offended so many people. If his life was taken from him one day, was there even a need to ask for the reason?
Eventually, Shi Qingxuan could only swallow down his grief and closed his eyes.
"...Who... was it...? Who did it?"
"......It's that... That Ming Yi-gege..."
"Ming...xiong...?"
Shi Qingxuan once said people told him that he had a weak heart. Upon this revelation, it was a miracle that he did not suffer from a heart attack and died immediately. He only stared, stared at the boy standing by his bedside, whom he thought had long passed ahead of him, as though hoping that the youth would tell him that it was a lie.
Unfortunately, it was the truth.
"Qingxuan-jie..." Hua Cheng, not wanting to let the other person drown any deeper into misery, placed his hands on the bed and stared at him, "If I say there are choices you can make at this point, would you...would you like to hear it?"
"Hong-er?"
"Back then, your...brother did certain things because he wanted to look for a way to heal you. If I say that there is a way to heal you completely, would Qingxuan-jie take it?"
He glanced at Xie Lian, then back to his former benefactor again.
"But your brother is no longer here, only the person who... The person who took him away from you."
If only words could describe the complexity of a person's emotions. Was it confusion? Was it frustration? Was it disappointment? Or was it surrender? The hope he and his brother had been seeking for so long, to the point that his brother's innocence and the time they had together were sacrificed, was now right before his very eyes. But his brother was no longer with him upon this discovery, because retribution had finally found its way to him, leaving the younger brother whose lifespan had been said to be shorter than the older sibling. And the only one left for him was the person whom he had always thought as someone dear, yet in fact had been holding an unspeakable grudge towards his family. Which option would be the best? Would it be better to continue living as his brother had always wanted him to, but without any family left by his side, only the murderer who took it away from him? Or would it be better to let it go, and allow death to consume him so that he could follow his sibling to the other world?
"...Hong-er...and...this good brother..." after a long pause, Shi Qingxuan finally found his voice again, "If I choose to be rid of this illness, can you tell me...what will happen then?"
"Your brother wants to start a new life in a foreign land, far from the grasp of those who had always been controlling him," this time, Xie Lian was the one who answered, "So that is where we will bring you."
"And... And Ming-xiong...?"
"...He will be there, as well."
Shi Qingxuan's eyes dilated slightly before despondence took over them once more, wandering to stare at the dark, unseen ceiling of the room. He shut his eyes tight, his hands trembling as he bit his lips. Xie Lian and Hua Cheng could only look at each other, waiting for the young man's decision.
In the end, although his voice shook and he could barely contain a sob from breaking out, Shi Qingxuan gave them his resolve.
"...I...want to live..." he said with much difficulty, "I want to see him...and ask him a lot of things... If...he isn't willing to talk to me then... At that time, I will...end it all with my own hands..."
He pleaded with the two of them.
"Will you... Will you please...grant me this wish...?"
"...Very well," Xie Lian nodded his head, then shifting his gaze to the man wearing his childhood appearance beside him, "If that has been decided that way..."
"Thank you, Gege," Hua Cheng told him in a child's voice.
The mermaid prince only smiled. He removed his fingers from Shi Qingxuan's wrist. The soft glow that had been emanating from their point of contact disappeared. Leaning towards the ill young man, he talked to him softly.
"Then, my lady, would you please close your eyes?"
Shi Qingxuan stared at him for a moment, then to the little boy by the side of his bed. Only after that did he eventually complied, and Xie Lian gently placed his hands over the lids of his eyes.
"May the mother ocean bestows her blessing upon you and protects your soul."
The sight he saw that night, the words he spoke and heard, the people whom he met, everything felt like a fleeting dream. Time marched on forward and so did everything around him. When Shi Qingxuan opened his eyes again, he found himself in a completely foreign place.
A small room in an unknown building, made of clay and bricks. There were ornaments and tapestry, curtains and decorations with patterns and shapes he had never seen before. The air felt dry and hot, though at the same time the chamber he was in provided a very much needed comfortable shade.
How many days, how many weeks had passed since then? He could not remember, let alone counting the progressing time during the period he was trapped in deep slumber. The memory of that night was a blur in his memory. Whether it was something he truly saw or a hallucination he conjured up in his own head, he could not tell.
But if there was one thing he could tell, it was that the pain in his body, all the discomfort, every single sign of illnesses he had been coping with in his entire life, they were all gone. For the first time, when he woke up his body felt light and most importantly, normal.
"...Was it...real...?" unconsciously, Shi Qingxuan muttered to himself. Then he looked to his left and right, scanning the unknown chamber, "Where is this...?"
"The capital city of Ban Yue."
To the unexpected answer from another person, the young man nearly jumped from the bed; his heart almost dropping from his ribs. There, at the side of the room, sitting on an embroidered tapestry while leaning against the brick wall was a figure so familiar to him that Shi Qingxuan could not help but blurt out a name at once.
"M-Ming-xiong...?"
"...You're calling the wrong person."
An answer so cold it could freeze the dry air surrounding them. Shi Qingxuan fell silent, realization had only dawned on him now.
That's right... This was the person who killed his brother. All this time, he remained close to them, staying within the crew in order to find a chance to exact his plot. "Ming Yi" might not be his real name. In fact, since the beginning the person named "Ming Yi" might never have existed at all.
"...He Xuan."
"W-What?"
"It's my name. I can at least tell you this."
Shi Qingxuan did not know what he was supposed to say. That person, He Xuan, whom he had always called "Ming-xiong" affectionately did not speak anymore either; that pair of pitch black eyes not even willing to spare him a glance. The young man bit his lips and looked down. Squeezing his hands in a nervous tremor, eventually he braced himself to break the ice.
"Ming- I mean, H-He Xuan..." he stuttered, "About my...brother... May I ask why...?"
"He robbed me off my family and destroyed my life," that person cut him off and answered him curtly, "I planned to take his only family away so he would feel the same torment I did, but some things happened so I killed him off before I lost my only chance for revenge."
He stared at Shi Qingxuan; a pair of bottomless abyss staring at the young man.
"It's only fair that I do that, don't you think so?"
Shi Qingxuan was unable to respond. For a moment, he could only remain seated on his bed, listening to words after words, filled with bone-chilling hatred, from someone he thought was closest to him after his brother. Was it fair? An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. His brother killed the beloved of another person, now this person came to settle the blood debt with him.
When he thought about it this way, Shi Qingxuan felt that he could not blame him.
"...I...understand..."
Loose black hair falling over his shoulders, the long black strands slightly waved when he rose from the bed. Barefooted, Shi Qingxuan walked over to where He Xuan was, sitting on his knees on the floor covered in an exotic rug. Though their eyes met briefly, he could not bear looking at that person for long. His fingers shook as they were clenched on the fabric of his clothes. Then, he took He Xuan's hands, placing them around his own neck.
He Xuan raised his brow and glared at him.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"...I...I am more or less aware of my brother's deeds. I always have," Shi Qingxuan said, casting his gaze down, "But everything he did, it was all for me. Every person he robbed, every life he took... He did it all for my sake."
He lifted his head, swallowing a snivel from blubbering out of his voice.
"I am also guilty of the same crimes. Even if... Even if it could not bring your family back, if it could make you feel a bit better, please... Please take my life."
With that said, Shi Qingxuan shut his eyes tight. The fingers wrapped around his neck twitched slightly. He did not know what face He Xuan was making. The only thing he knew was that in the next second, he was pushed down to the floor, both of the other man's hands clenching on his throat.
"You--!" He Xuan growled under his breath," Do you think by doing this, I will forgive you?!"
Shi Qingxuan gasped as the flow of air into his lungs was blocked.
"Twenty years... Twenty years I spent with the two of you. Your brother made my father drown in the middle of the ocean. He made my mother go mad with grief and took her own life. The men who worked for my father, they all went to the bottom of the sea along with his ship, leaving their wives and children behind. And he kept doing that, over and over again. One word from his mouth, that was all it takes to command the scoundrels on his ship to devastate others. And you..."
He gritted his teeth, glaring at the young man beneath him.
"You always greeted that filthy scum with a smile on your face. You, whose life is sustained by the blood and corpses of your brother's victims. You are not less sinful than your murderer of a brother. I should've tied the two of you facing one another, and made you both bleed, so that you can watch each other dying before your very eyes. I should've done that a long time ago. I could've watched your smile crumble upon realizing you've been betrayed by your trusted and beloved 'Ming Yi'. And yet..."
At that moment, He Xuan's grip on his throat loosened. Shi Qingxuan coughed several times, wheezing painfully as he struggled to open his eyes. Before he could properly gather his thoughts, however, he saw the other man suddenly curled above him, bending down and pressing his head on Shi Qingxuan's chest.
"...Why..." in frustration, he clutched at the other's robe, almost tearing it off, "Why can't I make myself kill you? You were right in front of me all the time... Why? Why can't I finish you off...?"
No words of comfort could ever soothe him. No amount of apology could redeem what he and his brother had done to this person. He wanted to be by this man's side, but felt unworthy of it. He wanted to go back to the time when he could freely talk and drink together with him, but he realized all those happy moments were nothing but one-sided.
There were simply too many mistakes scattered between them that their connection was far from corrigible. Still, to see this man swallowed in grief right before his eyes, Shi Qingxuan felt his heart being sliced open with a thousand knives. He didn't care anymore. If this person would end up rejecting him after this, then so be it.
"...?!!"
And so Shi Qingxuan wrapped his arms around him, holding him tightly. He Xuan gave neither acceptance nor refusal. There was not a single word, not a single response coming from the man who confessed that he held a deep grudge towards him and his older sibling.
In this distant place away from their hometown, in this foreign land where they knew no one else but one another, whether they could mend this broken bond separating their hearts, only time could tell.
***
The crescent shape of the moon perched on the sky tonight. Its pale glow was neither too dark nor too bright. Across the pitch black darkness above, stars near and far twinkled all the way to the distant horizon, like a shining river hung upside down to guide the mortals in the world below in their voyage across the boundless ocean.
Slow and steady, the Immortal Sea was calm and the tides gentle for all ships to pass. Though, at this moment there was but one vessel sailing across the dark water, a massive black ship with vibrant red sails spread on the tall masts. On the deck, not a single crew was present in sight, only a pair of men, one in maple red robe and the other in white, standing side by side while gazing towards the quiet sea.
"...San Lang," Xie Lian called the man accompanying him.
"Yes, Gege?"
"Do you think leaving those two in Ban Yue is the right decision?"
"What does Gege mean by that?"
"You see... You told me that it was supposed to serve as a punishment for that man named He Xuan. But the way I see it, won't the young master Shi Qingxuan be the one who suffers the most, to live with the person who murders his brother?"
"It is a punishment for He Xuan," Hua Cheng replied, "From today onwards until the end of his life, he will have to care for the younger brother of his nemesis."
"How are you so sure he will not kill young master Shi Qingxuan and flee instead?"
"He won't," the man in red maple robes answered in full confidence, "Or rather, I should say 'he cannot'."
"If you say so... You spent years living with them. I trust that you know them more than I do," Xie Lian nodded and smiled, "Speaking of which, San Lang, where are we heading to?"
"Where? To Gege's home, of course."
"My home? But why?"
"Why? Gege is no longer prisoner of those greedy humans. It is only natural that I take Gege back to where you belong, is it not?" Hua Cheng gave him a strange look.
"I... I don't think they'll be happy to see me..." the mermaid prince sighed, "After all, I've caused them too many troubles and sufferings. If only I had been wiser, perhaps I could've...thought things through and made better decisions."
"Gege was only trying to do the right things. There is no shame in that," replied Hua Cheng, "The humans were the ones who abused your generosity and betrayed the trust you've given them. You were not the one in the wrong, and you never are."
"You think too highly of me..." a regretful smile pulled the corners of Xie Lian's lips as he shook his head, "At this moment, if they don't throw rocks at me when seeing my face, it would already be a great fortune."
Xie Lian had just said that when he heard splashes from the calm water. Curious, he ran over to the other side of the ship where the noises came from, scanning their surroundings.
"San Lang, did you hear that just now?" he asked.
"Hear what, Gege?" replied Hua Cheng as he followed after him.
"I think there are sounds in the water. As if something's approaching us. What could it be...?"
The splashes that he first heard were faint and far, but the more he listened, the louder and closer it sounded. In this darkness, it was hard to detect movements in the water, much less calculate if it was a threat or a harmless object, how big or how small.
But then, Xie Lian saw a pair of tails emerging and submerging, swimming in the direction of Hua Cheng's ship. He squinted his eyes. Though to distinguish colors during the night was nigh impossible, he could've sworn that one tail was brown and the other was black.
A familiar feeling began to bloom inside of him, giving birth to a tiny hope. Xie Lian kept staring and staring at the rising and falling waves. At last, after the tails he noticed something else poking out on the surface.
They were a pair of heads, each bearing a face he could never mistake for anyone else's.
"Y-You guys---?!" he gasped. Upon hearing his voice, the two figures in the water also seemed surprised as they shouted at the same time.
"Dianxia!!"
Xie Lian could not believe his own eyes. A handsome face, a well-built physique with wheat-colored skin, and in opposite to this, the other was a fair and delicate person, his long black hair tied into a high ponytail. The last time he saw them, the two were beaten and bruised, bound by those ruthless pirates and taken as hostages along with the rest of his captured people. Xie Lian at that time, having been shot through the shoulder and stripped of his means of fighting, was not left with much choice. Had he not surrendered himself back then, perhaps these two would have had their heads separated from their necks, or their hearts crushed with the sharp metal of a blade.
"Feng Xin! Mu Qing!" he shouted at the two.
"Dianxia, it's you!" Feng Xin swam closer towards the ship, looking as if he was barely suppressing a scream from bursting out of his voice, "It's really you!"
"It's... It's me!" unable to think of anything else to say, Xie Lian could only repeat the other's words, "Y-You guys... How have you been? After that time, what happened to you? How was your injury? How is everybody else?"
"You're asking so many questions at once. How do you expect us to answer that?" the one who responded to him was Mu Qing. His tone sounded slightly annoyed at first, but then his voice softened as a rare show of smile appeared on his fair countenance. "We are doing well, Dianxia. Everyone was released then and has been recovering."
"I-I see... I'm glad..." hearing that, Xie Lian almost lost strength in his legs, "I'm sorry... I'm glad to hear that you are all safe. I'm so sorry..."
"Gege, I told you that you have nothing to apologize for," standing by his side, Hua Cheng interrupted them, "These two have been waiting for your return for so long. Why is apology the only thing you say to them?"
The mermaid prince stared at the man in red robe, bewildered. He returned his gaze to his two friends in the water then, sending to them the same question in silence. Feng Xin and Mu Qing did not answer him. Instead, they both looked at each other, looking like they had reached an agreement before looking back to the sea spreading behind them where nothing seemed to exist except the wind and tides.
From the calm, dark water, all of a sudden ripples began to take form. Slowly, faint glows began to appear from beneath the sea. There were only a few in the beginning, but with every passing second, more and more rose and became so radiant the closer they reached the surface. From above, it seemed like many little moons were rising from the depth of the abyss, except their lights were more vivid, beautiful, and colorful. The ocean was brightened from the inside. Soon, emerging to reveal themselves for the mermaid prince on the black ship to see were lanterns of various hues floating along with the waves.
After the lanterns, bigger, more intense bubbles and ripples disturbed the water. As they split, wooden sampans suddenly rose with great splashes. They were adorned with a pair of lanterns hung on each end with a pole, patterns of corals and various sea creatures were engraved on the body. And then almost immediately, as soon as the boats found balance above the tides, dozens of merfolks — half humans, half fish — leapt from the water and climbed onto the small vessels. There were males, and there were also females. They were all beautiful and graceful; their long hair adorned with pretty ornaments, jewels that only the mother sea could've given.
Like a dream, the dark gloomy sea in the blink of an eye was turned into a mirage that no humans could ever recreate in their lifetime.
"Gege..." towards the dumbstruck Xie Lian, Hua Cheng smiled and addressed him gently, "Do you still wish to ask why I'm bringing you back here?"
"But... But..." at loss for words, the merman dressed in white could barely make his words coherent, "Why...? Everyone, you're..."
"Dianxia, we've been expecting your return," Feng Xin told him, "Day and night, for ten years, never once did we not think of you and pray that you will come back to us."
Xie Lian did not know what he was supposed to feel. Should he laugh in happiness? Should he cry? Should he laugh until tears were streaming down his eyes and once again became pearls dropping to the ground?
At that moment, he saw Hua Cheng extending his hand towards him. Behind that person, the glowing, colorful lanterns and the boats carrying his people all looked like a merry, joyful parade that was prepared to receive his arrival.
"Gege," Hua Cheng said, "Welcome home."