A Promise Under the Starlight
"Na'er, we're here," Yao Xuan said softly, his voice barely a whisper against the rhythmic crash of the waves.
The beach before them was a testament to nature's untamed beauty, untouched by the hand of tourism that favored more prosperous cities. The sand was coarse, littered with smooth, dark pebbles and fragments of iridescent shells that gleamed in the pale light. It was not a picture-perfect postcard scene, but it was raw and real.
The true spectacle was above. In a world free from the industrial smog of his past life, the night sky was a breathtaking canvas. A sharp, silver crescent moon hung amidst a dizzying sprawl of stars, each one a brilliant, piercing point of light against the velvet blackness. The sea air was crisp and clean, carrying the salt-tang of the ocean and the endless, soothing rumble of the surf.
"Mmm, Brother Yao Xuan," Na'er murmured, her head tilted back, her amethyst eyes reflecting the entire galaxy. "The starry sky is so beautiful tonight."
"It is," he agreed, his voice thick with an emotion he couldn't name. He tightened his grip on her small, soft hand. "Na'er, let's make a promise. Let's come back here, to this very spot, to look at the stars on each of our birthdays from now on. Okay?"
"Come together to look at the stars every year?" Na'er fell silent. The sound of the waves seemed to grow louder in the quiet between them. She suddenly turned, her gaze locking with his, serious and deep. "Brother Yao Xuan, if... if one day I have to leave, will you miss me?"
The question, though expected, felt like a physical blow. "Of course I will," he answered, his voice unwavering, pouring every ounce of his sincerity into the words. "You are the most important person to me. If you leave, I will miss you every single day. But why should you leave? Let your brother stay with you, protect you, for the rest of our lives. Is that okay?"
"Protect me for the rest of my life?" A flicker of profound confusion, of a warring identity, passed through her luminous eyes. Her small head, as if seeking solace, gently came to rest on his shoulder, her silver hair brushing against his cheek.
"Yes," he vowed, the word a solemn oath spoken to the sea and the stars. "I will protect you for life." No matter the enemy, no matter the conspiracy woven by a God King, his resolve was an unbreakable diamond.
"Thank you, brother..." Her voice was thick with unshed tears. "If I leave, I will miss you too. Very, very much."
They stayed on the beach for half an hour, talking in hushed tones about everything and nothing, both acutely aware of the unspoken truth hanging between them. It was Na'er who finally suggested returning home, her small hand finding his with a familiarity that made his heart ache.
After their nightly meditation, they bid each other a quiet goodnight and retreated to their separate rooms. The house fell still.
Late that night, long after the sounds of the city had died away, Yao Xuan's door opened without a sound. A silver silhouette, graceful and silent as moonlight, slipped into his room. Na'er stood by his bedside, her expression a heartbreaking mix of unbearable pain and iron resolve.
From her pocket, she withdrew a slip of paper. She placed it on his desk, weighing it down carefully. Then, a soft silver glow emanated from her eyes. On her chest, a patch of skin shimmered, transforming into radiant, pearlescent silver scales. With a touch filled with tenderness, she carefully plucked a single, perfect scale from the cluster. It was cool and smooth, like a polished gem, with edges that caught the faint light. With a whisper of power, she conjured a slender thread of condensed moonlight, weaving it through the scale to form a simple, beautiful necklace.
"Brother Yao Xuan... I'm sorry. But Na'er must go."
Her voice was a ghost of a sound. She leaned over him, her silver hair forming a curtain around their faces, and gently fastened the necklace around his neck. The scale rested cool against his skin. Then, she pressed her lips to his forehead in a final, chaste kiss.
A look of heartbreaking resolve solidified in her eyes. With a twist of her jade-like wrist, the air in front of her rippled and tore, forming a shimmering portal of silver light.
"I'm sorry... goodbye."
She cast one last, long, lingering look at his sleeping form, memorizing every detail. Then, without a backward glance, she stepped into the silver light. Her figure vanished, and the portal collapsed in on itself, leaving the room as silent and still as if she had never been.
In the suburbs, a sleek, black soul-guided sports car, worth a fortune, idled by the roadside. Na'er materialized beside it.
"Miss! Your memories have finally awakened!" A muscular man in a brown leather jacket emerged from the driver's side, bowing deeply. His voice was a mix of relief and ferocity. "For two years, we could not find you. Have you suffered any indignities? If so, every human in this wretched city will pay—"
"No," Na'er cut him off, her voice now cold and distant, devoid of the warmth it held moments ago. It was the voice of Gu Yuena, the Silver Dragon King. "I have been... well. Let's go."
She stepped into the luxurious interior of the car without another word. The door hissed shut, and the vehicle accelerated into the night, leaving Aolai City behind.
Sitting in the silent, speeding car, the regal mask slipped. A single, crystalline tear traced a path down her cheek. "Brother Yao Xuan... I'm sorry. But I can no longer stay by your side. I can no longer look at the stars with you every year... I'm sorry." The images of their two years together played behind her eyes—a precious, painful treasure she would carry forever.
The next morning, a frantic voice pierced through Yao Xuan's sleep.
"Yao Xuan! Yao Xuan!"
He opened his eyes to find Lin Ximeng standing in his doorway, her face pale with worry.
"Mom? What's wrong?" he asked, though he already knew. The cold, smooth scale against his chest was a constant, aching reminder.
"Something terrible has happened! Na'er... Na'er is missing!"
A profound sense of emptiness hollowed out his chest. Despite his preparation, the reality of her absence was a physical wound. Over two years, she had woven herself into the very fabric of his life, his family. She was his sister, his charge, the one he had sworn to protect. The loss was a keen, sharp pain.
But he also knew the truth. Na'er was gone, and soon, he would meet Gu Yuena. The innocent, trusting girl would be replaced by a cold, proud queen. The thought filled him with a deep, weary disappointment.
Yet, he did not allow himself to drown in sorrow. Grief was a luxury he could not afford. His enemies were gods; his path was paved with cosmic strife. Only immense, overwhelming power could rewrite the tragic future he knew awaited them. Only strength could truly protect Gu Yuena and secure the happy ending he vowed to claim.
So, for their future reunion—for the day he could stand beside her as an equal, as her protector, as her partner—he would strive!
The thought was a spark igniting a fire within him. His resolve hardened, crystallizing into an unbreakable core. A burning, relentless desire to grow stronger than he had ever imagined possible filled every fiber of his being. The path ahead was long and dark, but he would walk it. For her.