Volume 9 - CH 8

Chapter 8: The Breaking of the Water Mirror

Atlantis  4:09 AM

My vision suddenly turned black.

This time, I’m very certain that the problem isn’t because of me but that the surroundings really did turn black, as if I’d been thrown into a big black space; contrary to that noisy digging sound from just now, this space is so quiet, it’s extremely strange.

Where is this place?

“It’s really not easy to get a chance to talk to you.”

A voice sounded behind me, and goosebumps surfaced all over my skin, followed by my scalp numbing. I felt like I was completely immersed in cold water.

A face appeared in front of me. I immediately jumped up from the ground and continued to retreat.

“Don’t worry, you’re someone Bishen needs, so I won’t lay a hand on you.” Standing upright, Andellar smiled slightly, raising both of his hands to show that he has no intention of hurting me.

The problem is, dude, regardless of whether or not you want to hurt me, I just feel that you’re very terrifying.

“Where…where did you…bring me…” My words seemed very weird, but I was currently very shaky, not knowing what I should do.

“Relax, this is the third space, so there’s only the two of us here.”

It’s exactly because there’s only the two of us here that I’m afraid!

“Why am I here?”

At the same time that I asked this, a very familiar object appeared in Andellar’s hand, commonly known as an integral crystal. “These little things of yours really helped me a lot. I just needed to modify one of them and let you touch it, and you’ll be automatically sent into my hands.” He turned the green crystal in his hand, exactly the same as the one I picked up.

I instantly threw away the crystal in my hand.

“Alright, let’s not waste any more time, or else your Senior will come and destroy our plans again.” Step by step as he walked towards me, Andellar stretched out his hand. “Come on, let’s go see Ghost King Bishen together.”

I took a step back.

“Didn’t you really want to know what your power is? As long as you go meet Bishen, you can unravel all your confusion.”

My power?

I felt doubtful, not knowing how I should react.

The thing that has always been bothering me is that strange bad luck, but after entering the school, just like a wild horse being bridled, it seemed to have been gradually stabilized. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve been injured everywhere I go like in the past.

Towards the face-changing person’s words, I am a little tempted.

But, that Ghost King Bishen…

Andellar abruptly retracted his hand, his expression suddenly becoming ice-cold. “Seriously, it’s so difficult just to get a moment of peace.”

Something happened nearly a second later. A silver thing drew out in a line between me and Andellar like a shooting star, forcing him back a few steps. After that thing missed its target, it fell on the ground and issued a small noise.

“Yang Yang.”

Someone was standing in front of me; after taking a closer look, it was actually Yido, who had somehow followed me here, “Don’t listen to him talk nonsense.”

“I’m not talking nonsense. The ones who understand this the most should be you guys who are always around him. Isn’t that right, the Water Fairies’ guardian of the Foretelling Mirror, Yido Glendor*.” Curving into a smile, Andellar folded his arms as he coldly said, “Besides, the one who is the most qualified to know about his own matters should be the person himself; so for you guys to constantly hide the truth like this, is that really alright?”

[T/N: Not good at translating names, so I’ll just put Miau Miau Yeen’s translation of his last name, unless some later chapter proves it otherwise]

Hiding the truth?

I puzzledly looked at Yido standing in front of me.

What do they know?

“That’s already a thing of the past. During the elven war, because the Water Fairies were delayed and couldn’t get there in time to provide assistance, our promise was broken. So now we have to make up for that unfulfilled promise.” Yido stretched out his hand, narrowing his brown eyes. “Yǔ wǒmen qiāndìng qìyuē zhī wù, ràng lüèduó zhě tǐhuì nǐ de bīnglěng cánkù.”

[T/N: The one who signed a contract with us, allow the marauder to experience your icy-cold cruelty.]

A speck of light drew out into a line in Yido’s hand. What surfaced wasn’t the shield that he always used for backup. Instead, it was another weapon that I haven’t seen before.

Like a fusion of Yado’s and Leido’s weapons, both ends of the sword were sharp western blades; in the middle was a handle section, and carved on it were the same totems as the ones on Yado’s and Leido’s weapons.

“Member of the Water Fairy Clan, you’re very clear that you are not my opponent.” Completely looking down on his opponent, Andellar still had a relaxed look, “If you want to leave unscathed, then get out of my sight immediately, or else don’t blame me.”

My eyelid suddenly twitched.

As if there’s something bad about to happen.

***

With a huge “qiang” sound, something collided, and golden sparks appeared in front of me.

“Yang Yang, hurry up and get out of this space.” Yido threw something to me, and then he leaped back. A few black needles fell down from the side of his long sword, making “ding ding dang dang” sounds as they landed on the ground.

I caught the object he threw to me.

It was a slightly darker, and a lot smaller green crystal.

This can also be connected to other spaces?

I suddenly understood how Yido was able to get in just now.

“It’s useless. I’ve already set up a huge barrier, so all those who entered won’t be able to leave.” Calm and composed as he pulled out a new batch of black needles, Andellar glanced at me and suddenly moved.

In the dark space, it was almost impossible to see his needles.

His movements just as swift, Yido turned the hilt. A few golden sparks were produced like before, and then came the sound of something falling.

He could actually see them!

But just as Andellar said, Yido was almost not a match for him at all. After advancing and retreating a few times, the white robe on his body was gradually dyed with new bloodstains.

At this time, something that I completely didn’t notice before suddenly appeared in my mind.

Since when did Yido’s form of address for me change from student Chu to Yang Yang?

“Stop, stop it!”

When I saw that Andellar’s black needle about to pierce through the back of Yido’s head, a restraining shout came out of my mouth.

The black needle immediately stopped.

Andellar turned around, “You want me to stop?”

I immediately nodded.

“Then are you going to go with me to meet Ghost King Bishen?”

Uh…Is it possible for me to think about this for a moment?

“Impossible.” Yido directly helped me answer, “He’s just an ordinary student. Don’t get him involved in past grievances.”

At the same time that Andellar was about to say something, Yido suddenly moved sideways and was already standing in front of me, blocking him from me. The huge heavy weapon fell down with a “qiang” sound, stabbing itself straight into the ground. “Wǒ shì jiànzhèng wèilái yùzhī de shǒuhù zhě, bēn léi shì wǒ de shǐyì, jí diàn shì wǒ de pú rén, shuǐ shì wèilái zhī jìng, qū zǒu hēi’àn, zhǐzhèng guāng hu míng.”

[T/N: I am the guardian who witnesses predictions of the future, the thunderbolt is my familiar, electricity is my servant, water is the mirror of the future, drive away the darkness, and correct it to light.]

A silver speck of light emerged from Yido’s hand, and silver-blue water drops gradually floated up in the surroundings, bit by bit, until they were floating around everywhere. The entire dark space slowly brightened up.

“The Foretelling Mirror really is troublesome.” Andellar frowned, “Just making you unable to use it has wasted a lot of my power.”

Hearing that, Yido looked at him, surprised, “So you’re the black shadow that’s been covering the water mirror!”

Andellar shrugged, not denying it. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers, and the surrounding silver-blue water drops immediately burst into an even more dazzling light. “How is it? After I removed my restrictive power, what do you see?”

I kept feeling that he probably didn’t see anything good, if it was based on Yido’s expression, I just had this kind of feeling.

The Foretelling Mirror’s guardian didn’t say anything.

What exactly it was that Yido saw, no one knows.

He slowly turned his head, and looked at me with a very complicated expression, as if he wanted to say something, and also as if he couldn’t say anything. That expression made me feel like it wasn’t something good that could be said.

Unconsciously, I stepped back.

“Yang Yang, I…” Yido swallowed down the words in his mouth.

What does he want to say?

“What future did you see?” Cutting in between us, Andellar curved into a cold smile, “Say it, Water Fairy, what kind of future did you see?”

Yido took a step back.

This is the first time I saw him actually showing weakness.

What exactly is that future?

“The future can be changed.” Narrowing his eyes, Yido opened his palm, and the surrounding silver-blue light spots immediately began to rotate violently; like many meteors passing through the area, they slowly ignited into silver streams of fire. “No matter how hopeless it is, as long as one is willing, anything can be changed.”

His words, seemed to be said for me to hear.

The future can be changed?

Silver flames violently burned, and the surrounding dark space was gradually engulfed

“As long as I kill you here, it can be changed!”

Yido’s words seemed to be a declaration. Immediately sensing that something was wrong, Andellar was a step slower. Just as his words fell, the silver flames wildly burned, and rolled up from the ground. In the blink of an eye, they engulfed Andellar.

“Yang Yang, I’ll send you out of the third space now.”

The silver flames blazed majestically, and Yido seized this chance to push me, and then he took the dark green crystal. A little glow spread out from within the crystal.

“Okay.” I grabbed onto Yido’s arm tightly.

My eyelid has been continuously twitching, and couldn’t calm down no matter what.

If I can pray, then I hope that nothing will happen.

***

Time seemed to have paused.

A black needle pierced the crystal, and the dark green crystal broke into dust.

Then, bit by bit, the color red fell on the white robe, fell on my hand, and finally it fell into the black ground. Soundlessly, as if even the sound was absorbed.

I widened my eyes. Yido’s action stopped, as red blood continuously flowed down from the corner of his lips.

He fell, and I caught him.

A slender black needle was plunged into the back of his neck. Strange dark black lines crawled out on the skin of the back of his neck like spider-silk, gradually expanding without a sound.

“Yido, Yido…” I held Yido and fell down with him, into a sitting position on the ground. He was very heavy, his whole body pressing down on me, not moving at all.

Don’t be like this.

If Yado and Leido see you, they’ll definitely flip out.

At some point, the silver flames in the area had already calmed down. The too-quiet space made me feel suffocated.

Suddenly, the weight on my body disappeared, and within my line of sight, I saw Andellar grabbing Yido’s arm and pulling him up. “The Water Fairies’ Foretelling Mirror will be the biggest problem in Bishen’s plan.” His words were very cold, so cold it was like icy fog was spat out, “Although it’s a pity, he can’t be allowed to remain.”

Everything happened right before my eyes.

Andellar raised his right hand, his fingers revealing sharp black nails. That treacherous color moved down with his action.

I knew what he was going to do.

The surrounding atmosphere was very heavy, pressing down on me until I couldn’t move a step.

The black sharp long nails suddenly pierced through Yido’s back before my eyes. The deep red seemed to be endless as it splattered out. I saw Yido, who was originally already half-unconscious, widen his beautiful eyes, his pupils dilating as he lost focus; I heard a weak whine, so soft it was almost like I’d misheard.

His white robe was dyed a thick, dark red, so coquettish it caused one to be unable to take another look.

All I could do was watch helplessly as he moved.

A very, very long time seemed to have passed, and then Andellar calmly withdrew his hand at a slow speed. His bloodstained hand opened, and floating above it was a small silvery blue sphere.

I know what that is.

“The Foretelling Mirror. Sure enough, if you’re not the chosen guardian, it can’t be activated.” Andellar slightly raised his eyebrow and glanced at Yido, who was already completely unable to resist and powerless. He released his hand, and let Yido fall to the ground. The robe that was dyed red with blood unfolded, incessantly painful to look at. “Letting you live would be quite troublesome, so I should deal with you at once.”

His palm tightened in front of my eyes, and I saw the silvery blue light sphere gradually becoming dimmer. Just as Andellar suddenly gripped it tightly, a tiny breaking sound abruptly drifted out. Silvery blue powder spilled out between his fingers, before disappearing in midair.

On the ground, Yido violently shook once. His wide eyes watched as the silvery blue powder dissipated in front of him.

Andellar crouched down. His large palm was placed on Yido’s head, and his tone was soft as if he was coaxing a child, “You’re currently feeling as if your whole body is being burned, right? Your soul that is linked to the water mirror is being torn apart, and the pain is unbearable, isn’t it?” He gently smiled, but it caused the nearby me to feel completely numb instead. “Don’t worry, very soon you’ll be able to receive salvation.”

I couldn’t do anything, and could only watch. Then, Yido and my eyes met. Was he really looking at me? I wasn’t sure.

But he smiled, a very, very light smile.

Just like the first time we met, that aristocratic elegant smile.

Then, Yido opened his mouth, noiselessly—

“Don’t be afraid, it’ll be alright…”

***

“Minas!”

I’m not sure if I was the one who shouted that. By the time I realized it, a sound had already jumped out.

Mist rose up, and even my vision was covered. Then the sound of something piercing through the air reached my ears, and I saw that the hand that was originally placed on Yido’s head was completely blasted apart.

Didn’t expect to be suddenly attacked, Andellar was stunned as he turned around and looked at me.

Can’t think of anything…

I don’t know what I should do right now?

Is Yido still alive?

Why is Minas in my hand?

I don’t know anything at all.

The silvery blue gun was in my hand; the diffuse mist was floating in the air, and a thick bloody odor continued to linger.

I feel dizzy.

Why did an originally good competition turn out like this?

Why am I standing here?

My hand was trembling, and then the muzzle was aimed at Andellar’s head. “Get away from him, or else I’ll shoot.” For the first time in my life, I really want to kill someone.

He should die.

Everything started because of his arrival. An originally good competition also became distorted because of him. We should have been about to end this competition already!

Afterwards, as long as we return to school, and finish the award ceremony, everyone would be able to go back to their everyday life, isn’t that right?

Isn’t that right?

Andellar stood up and took two steps back.

I slowly walked over there, and then I crouched down beside Yido. He was motionless, just lying in front of me. A pool of blood drew out a large circle on the ground, thick and pungent.

“Yido, Yido.” I stretched out my hand and gently shook Yido’s shoulder.

Yado and Leido have said before, Yido is very important to them, because Yido was the first person to treat them nicely.

So, don’t sleep anymore.

“The Foretelling Mirror is connected to the soul of its guardian, so how can a person who has lost half of his soul live? You don’t need to waste your energy.” Andellar’s voice sounded out above. I raised my head, and saw his icy-cold smile. “For his own good, it’s best if you help him end his life right now. Otherwise, the pain of having his soul torn is far more than you can imagine.”

End his life?

End whose life?

I stretched out my hand, the muzzle pointing at Andellar, “He will not die.”

He narrowed his eyes as he looked at me, “You are very confident, but he will undoubtedly die.”

“I said he won’t die, so he definitely won’t die.” Then, I pulled the trigger. As expected, this shot didn’t hit Andellar. He seemed to be almost carefree as he dodged; not even one of his hair was damaged.

Andellar laughed, the kind of unbridled wild laugh like he’d heard some kind of joke. “Good, very good, you can just insist on what you think. The current you is still not mature enough. I can continue to wait, until the day that you mature comes.” All of a sudden, a smile appeared on his face, and his sharp eyes stared at me. “And then, you will become our support.”

“That day will never come.”

I don’t want to have any dealings with them at all, let alone helping them.

Andellar shrugged, and then he gave a slight bow to me, “Regardless of whether or not you’re willing, that day will come. Then, let’s have a temporary little parting before that day arrives.”

Without giving me the chance to speak again, he turned around, and walked into the darkness.

At the same time that Andellar vanished, I almost collapsed completely, kneeling in the pool of blood.

The mist drifted beside me, and then it slowly condensed into a shape. A huge snake tail elegantly turned in the air, before surrounding me. “Don’t be sad, the final place that Fairies go to has no pain, only a beautiful grassland and cool wind. They will no longer have any responsibilities, and can safely lie in the cradle of the earth.”

I looked up, and saw Minas’ beautiful face, “I don’t want Yido to die.” And also, he’s still breathing.

“No matter if it’s Fairies, Elves, or Humans, until the day it ends, they will all go to the final place. You mourn for him, you feel sad for him, but you are not able to prevent his soul from returning to the origin.” She stretched out her hand, and wiped away my tear with her fingertip made of water. “I am your everything. All that you wish for, I will do my best to accomplish for you.”

Then, the mist dispersed in front of me.

“Don’t worry, everything will be alright.” Minas smiled slightly at me. In the next second, she disappeared in the air, leaving only the black space and the thick heavy smell of blood to accompany me.

I don’t know how much time has passed.

I hugged Yido’s body that was gradually becoming colder, and slowly, I couldn’t hear his breathing anymore.

Silver cracks appeared in the dark space, cracking apart like a broken eggshell. I heard noisy sounds as if they were coming from a place far, far away. There’s a lot of people. I can’t understand what they’re saying.

The overly bright light caused me to be blinded.

A vibration vaguely came from beneath, and then the darkness was suddenly destroyed. The light brightening up everything seemed like it would stab my eyes, so I shut my eyes tightly. There was an incessant pain in my entire head.

The sound of water, the sound of people, interwove into one.

I don’t want to listen.