Guilin pulled out a dagger from his side coat, his heart racing as he stood in the dark passageway, waiting for the pounding footsteps to get closer. The two Mer guards came charging up, and when they saw him, their eyes filled with contempt.
"You really think you can stop us? Pathetic human," one of them sneered, a smug grin on his face.
"Master!" his personal servant burst out from behind, breathless and panicked. "Please, it's not what you think! The Mer are getting away! We have to go after them!"
Guilin's heart sank. "Not without going through me!" he shouted, anger boiling over. "And you! You traitor! I trusted you like a brother! You were supposed to have my back!"
Memories flooded back—growing up together, the way they laughed and chased each other around the courtyard, how the servant had always been there when Guilin needed someone. In his darkest times, this was the guy who stood beside him, offering comfort when no one else would.
But now? Now it felt like all of that was a lie.
The servant fell to his knees, looking up at Guilin with desperation. "Master, I had no choice! They were messing with your head! I was trying to save you!"
Guilin kicked him away, fury and heartbreak mixing inside him. "Don't you dare come near me! You think you can do whatever you want in my house? This is my mansion! My city! We were supposed to be in this together! And you just throw it all away? You think you can take me down? Let's see what you really have!"
The two Mer guards lunged at him, swords drawn, their blades glimmering with an otherworldly sheen—crafted from some strange material that shimmered like mother-of-pearl. He barely had time to react, but years of training kicked in.
Guilin sidestepped the first guard's attack, his own dagger slicing through the air as he parried the incoming blow. The clash of metal rang out, sending vibrations up his arm. He could feel the heat of the moment, adrenaline surging through him as he spun to face the second guard.
The first Mer came at him again, sword aimed for his throat. Guilin ducked just in time, feeling the blade graze his skin. A trickle of blood dripped down his neck, a harsh reminder of how close he was to losing it all. He countered with a thrust of his dagger, aiming for the guard's midsection, but the Mer danced back, evading his strike with a practiced ease.
The fight became a blur of movement, each of them moving with fierce determination. Guilin's heart raced as he deflected another blow, then another. His dagger met the guards' swords with harsh clashes, each encounter echoing in the narrow passageway. He was trained, but the Mer fought with a wild desperation that made them unpredictable.
Just when he thought he had the upper hand, he caught sight of his servant trying to intervene. "Stay back!" Guilin shouted, panic rising in his chest, but it was too late. One of the Mer soldiers turned, sensing the distraction, and slashed his sword across the servant's throat.
"No!" Guilin screamed, his heart dropping at the sight. The servant fell to the ground, clutching his neck, eyes wide in shock.
That split-second distraction cost Guilin dearly. The second Mer lunged, and before Guilin could react, the sword pierced through his chest, right through his heart. Pain exploded in his chest, and he gasped, blood spilling from his lips as warmth flooded down his body.
He stumbled back, reeling as the Mer pulled the sword out. Blood soaked through his shirt, and the world started to blur. But he fought to stay focused. "Get… get out!" he managed to croak, pushing himself against the wall to steady himself.
"Let's go!" one of the Mer shouted, urgency lacing his voice. They rushed past him, darting through the maze of underground passageways, leaving him behind, heart racing in both fear and rage.
Guilin leaned against the cool stone wall, breath coming in sharp, shallow pants.
Guilin pressed his hand against the wound, feeling the warmth of his blood seeping through his fingers. Dazed, he gazed at the retreating figures of the Mer guards, his heart sinking with despair. "Let them not find Kui… God… I've never asked you for anything before, please… heed my prayers. Save him. Protect him. Don't let any harm come his way…" The words tumbled from his lips in a whisper, each breath harder than the last, as he mumbled under his dying breath.
He lost his life trying to protect his beloved Kui. The thought brought a strange sense of pride even amidst the pain, knowing he had fought for someone he cared about so deeply.
But as his vision faded and darkness closed in, his hand went limp, his body falling still and lifeless.
Suddenly, a warm blue glow began to emit from his lifeless form, filling the dim passageway with a soft light. It surrounded his wound, and in that moment, his heart started to beat again. The wound began to close, the pain evaporating as if the light was washing away his suffering.
Gasping, Guilin woke up, his hand clutching his chest. He was sure he'd been dead just a moment ago. How am I alive? Panic surged through him as he touched his chest, his fingers brushing against something sharp inside. To his surprise, it was that small blue mer shell the little Mer had handed him.
But to his surprise, the shell had lost its brilliant blue luster, now appearing dull and gray. It crumbled beneath his touch, disintegrating into shimmering bubbles that floated away, vanishing into the air.
"This saved me…" he murmured, still in shock, glancing at the path Kui and the little Mer had taken.
A bittersweet smile crossed his lips. "That means he really doesn't owe me anything…" The realization settled in, mingling with his pain. "That tricky little fellow… he really wanted Kui to cut ties with me."
Guilin sat up slowly.
The fight wasn't over yet.