The ground trembled beneath their feet as a low, guttural growl rumbled through the clearing. The air thickened, humming with a dangerous energy that prickled against their skin. From the shadowed depths of the tunnel emerged a monstrous two-headed beast, serpentine bodies coiling around each other, its fangs bared and eyes burning blue.
Ling Yue's eyes narrowed. "I told you, it wasn't me."
Without hesitation, she ripped a blade from her mystical satchel, tore the bag off her shoulder, and tossed it toward Shui Yi.
"Make yourself useful!" she snapped.
The princess caught the satchel, surprised by its deceptive weightlessness. A glance inside revealed a portal to a storage room filled with strange, glimmering artifacts. Before she could process it, her companions had already surged forward.
The creature struck first. One massive head lunged at the guardian, fangs snapping through the air. The other head whipped toward the master, venom dripping from its elongated fangs.
She watched the guardian move with unnerving grace, and pivoted on her heel, dodging the strike. Her blade slashed through the air — a blur of silver in the chaos — as she carved a deep gash into the beast's side.
A burst of white flames lit up the battlefield. She flinched as the master lunged straight into the beast's attack, his fist crashing into its jaw with terrifying force. A shockwave rippled outward from the impact, scorching the air and sending the beast skidding backward. Dust flew into her face, and she stumbled back.
It recovered faster than expected. The beast coiled, its two heads weaving in opposite directions. Separate minds controlled a single, monstrous body.
The guardian rolled to the side, slashing at its exposed underbelly. The blade struck true, but instead of recoiling in pain, the creature twisted unnaturally, using the force of her strike to launch itself at the master.
Long Fei spun mid-air, his sleeve snapping as a burst of qi flared around him, shifting the battlefield's energy. A crescent-shaped arc of energy blasted forward, colliding with the beast and forcing it back.
The monster hissed. The blue fire in its eyes flared brighter.
The princess gripped the satchel more tightly, watching the battle unfold like a deadly dance. Each attack was countered, and every opening was quickly exploited. But despite their combined strength, the creature refused to retreat. It was adapting, predicting their movements.
A sudden burst of light flashed, followed by a sickening shriek. The creature reared back, its two heads locking onto its prey. Then, with a reverberating crack, its body split in two, peeling apart like a shedding illusion. It didn't die. Its remains pulsed, a gelatinous mess writhing on the ground. A low hum vibrated through the air as the glowing substance twisted and stretched. Limbs emerged — half-formed, dripping with viscous liquid — before molding into revolting shapes. The mass refined itself into replications so uncanny, that they were terrifying.
Before them stood a mirror image of Long Fei, his regal posture, the smoldering qi clinging to his fingertips, his expression sharp as a blade. Beside him, a second Ling Yue, her grip tight on her sword, her cold, calculating gaze reflecting the real one's intensity.
Steel met steel in a clash that sent sparks flying. Both Ling Yues stepped toward each other, their lips pressed into a thin line. "Well… this is new," they both said.
The master and his clone stood motionless, each studying the other. Then, in perfect sync, they surged forward — mirror images down to the smallest movement.
Shui Yi's eyes darted to Long Fei. He stepped forward, muscles coiled, and his clone matched him exactly — lifting an arm at the same angle, fingers curling in identical motion. Smoldering qi shimmered at their fingertips, flickering in unison.
Not far from them, Ling Yue's clone raised her sword. A breath passed. Then both women lunged, blades colliding in a burst of sparks. They blurred across the battlefield, a whirlwind of steel. Shui Yi couldn't tell which was real. Every feint was countered, every strike met with ruthless precision.
Her fingers clenched the satchel strap, nails biting into the fabric. Impossible. These weren't just copies. The clones didn't just look like them; they fought like them. Reacting as if they already knew what was coming.
If she attacked the wrong one…
She rubbed her eyes and looked again.
For a brief second, she thought she saw a faint delay, a momentary slip in synchronization. It was barely noticeable, like a shadow half a step too slow.
Both Long Feis turned toward her. Their identical expressions sent a chill down her spine. "Shui Yi. Stay where you are. Don't interfere."
"Watch and learn, former princess." Both Ling Yues sneered in unison — a perfect echo of her companion's favorite jab. How did it know that?
Shui Yi's grip on the satchel tightened. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. What if she was wrong? What if she struck the real ones? Could she live with that?
She peered at the clones, her mind racing. They were too perfect. Every detail, every movement matched. There it was again. A split-second delay. The faintest hesitation before a counterattack. It wasn't much. But it was enough.
Her fingers brushed against the lip of the satchel. Something inside pulsed against her palm, humming with stored energy. She didn't know what half these artifacts did but right now, she needed something, anything, to tip the scales. Her breath came in shallow gasps. There had to be a difference. Something small. Something she missed.
Then, she saw it.
A flicker. A single, infinitesimal delay in the movements. It wasn't synchronized. What if the delays were from the real ones?
Her grip on the satchel tightened. If she was right, she had one chance. If she was wrong, this would be the end for them. Her fingers trembled as she rifled through the mystical satchel, its endless depths filled with unfamiliar artifacts. Scrolls hummed with faint energy, glass vials swirled with unknown liquids, and peculiar trinkets glowed with an inner light. None of it looked like something she could use in a fight.
Then, her fingers brushed against cold metal.
From the satchel, she drew a sleek, compact crossbow unlike any she'd seen before. The wood was a dark, almost black hue, it had swirling runes that pulsed with an eerie, dormant energy. Its mechanisms clicked softly as if responding to her touch, and the string seemed to hum with a quiet power of its own. A quiver of bolts rested beside it, their tips shimmering with a mysterious green sheen.
She fiddled with the weapon; it was light and seemed easy to use. It hummed in her grip, encouraging her to use it. She took a deep breath. This crossbow would have to do. She didn't have time to hesitate.
Lifting the crossbow, she aimed at the battling figures. The real Ling Yue and Long Fei were still locked in combat against their perfect clones, their movements a seamless exchange of attack and defense. The clones were relentless, mirroring them down to the minute detail, countering every strike, every dodge.
But the mermaid had noticed a slight difference in their devilish grin.
Her heart raced, her fingers slightly trembling as she held the crossbow steady. She hesitated. What if she's wrong? It was now or never. Taking a steadying breath, she aimed and fired at the guardian first.
The arrow shot through the air, whistling as it flew. The first Ling Yue reacted instantly, twisting at the last second to dodge, allowing the other to get scraped by the arrow. That was it!
The guardian didn't need an explanation. The moment the princess fired, she was already moving. With a flicker of steel, her sword struck true, slicing through the false version of herself. The clone dissolved into a mist of dark energy.
Without missing a beat, Shui Yi swung the crossbow toward the Long Feis, aiming at one without a second thought. This time, she fired lower, aiming for his leg. One flinched when she shot the first arrow, moving slightly — the other remained still. Got him! She fired at the one that flinched.
The master stepped forward, qi flaring around his palm, and delivered a devastating strike to his copy's chest. The clone barely had time to react before its body erupted in a burst of fiery embers, ashes scattering, leaving nothing but the scent of sulfur.
A tense silence filled the air, broken only by the faint hum of lingering energy as both warriors stood, momentarily catching their breath. The master's face remained impassive where as the guardian wiped the sweat off her brow.
The princess let out a breath.
Ling Yue turned to her, arms crossed.
"Not bad," she said, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Didn't think you had it in you. How could you tell?"
Shui Yi grinned. "I was aiming at you, but you managed to dodge."
"Well, will you look at that... former princess is finally growing a backbone."
"How did you know which one was me?" asked Long Fei.
Ling Yue scoffed. "Yeah, even I had trouble telling them apart. But tell me, how did you know which one was my real master?"
The princess hesitated for a moment, then smiled. "Because the real Long Fei didn't flinch when I aimed at you. He trusted your skills."
Ling Yue's smirk deepened, clearly impressed. "Hah. Can't fault you there. You've passed lesson number two in survival skills — trust your instincts."
Shui Yi beamed, and glanced at the crossbow in her hands. "Though… I figured my shot would only distract them. I didn't expect it to be so…" She paused. "Lethal."
The guardian tilted her head. "What, you didn't realize the bolts were laced with poison?"
The mermaid's eyes widened. "What?!"
The trickster raised an eyebrow. "Everybody laces their arrows with poison unless you're hunting. Then, that would just be silly."
With a yelp, the mermaid dropped the crossbow like it had burned her, stumbling back.
Long Fei shook his head in mild amusement. "At least you used it well."
The princess scowled. "Next time, someone should label these things!"
The trickster snorted. "Where's the fun in that?"
Snap!
The sharp crack echoed like a whip, and before Shui Yi could even register the sound, something coiled around her ankle — tight, unyielding. Immediately, she felt the cold, rough edges of thorns sinking into her skin. A searing pain shot up her leg, a burning sting that sent a shock through her entire body. Her breath caught in her throat as the sharp, jagged thorns dug deeper, ripping at her flesh.
A violent jerk pulled her, and her body lurched backward. She barely had time to gasp before her feet were yanked off the ground, her body flung like a ragdoll.
Her hands grasped desperately at the air, clawing at nothing. There was no time to scream or to think. Her heart pounded, but all she could do was grab onto anything in her reach to fight against the relentless pull. There was nothing but gravel that charred her skin. The world blurred around her, the ground slipping further and further away. The pain in her ankle was a searing reminder that she was at the mercy of a monster that had ensnared her.
Then, through the haze of panic, she saw it — Ling Yue's eyes wide with shock, her mouth moving as if to shout, to warn her, arms reaching out to catch her. But it was too late.
Shui Yi has been swallowed into an abyss. The world disappeared into darkness, and everything went silent.