"The sea calls me, San. It always will."
"Then I'll follow, even if it takes me to the depths."
Prince San finds solace by the sea, where he encounters Wooyoung, a cursed siren bound to the ocean's depths. But as their bond deepens, the ocean's wra...
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Wooyoung's form shimmered, the glow of his tears dissipating into the ocean around him. His body grew faint, like a wisp of light caught in the tides. San stumbled into the arena just in time to see Wooyoung kneeling before Yeosang, his hands trembling as he cradled the potion.
"Wooyoung!" San cried, his voice hoarse and desperate.
Wooyoung turned, his eyes soft and filled with sorrow. "I'm sorry, San," he whispered. The potion slipped from his fingers, drifting downward.
"Wooyoung, no!" San lunged forward, but he was too late. Wooyoung's figure dissolved completely, fading into the water like a dying ember.
San fell to his knees, his heart breaking. Tears spilled from his eyes as he screamed, the pain in his voice reverberating through the ocean. "Why? Why did you do this?"
Yeosang staggered, clutching his chest as if something vital had been torn from him. His golden eyes dimmed, and he collapsed to the ground.
Hongjoong stepped forward, his expression grim but composed. He looked down at Yeosang with a mix of pity and exasperation. "And that," he said, his voice tinged with weary wisdom, "is why you don't play with too much magic, little brother."
Seonghwa's eyes widened in shock. "Brother?"
Hongjoong nodded slightly, his gaze never leaving Yeosang. "Magic has its price. He knew that better than anyone, yet he chose to challenge it anyway."
San looked up, his tear-streaked face filled with confusion and pain. "What about Wooyoung? What about me? None of this is fair!"
Seonghwa moved to San's side, helping him stand as Hongjoong knelt by Yeosang. He placed a hand on his fallen brother's shoulder, his voice quieter now. "You're a fool, but you always were a dreamer."
Yeosang stirred, his form flickering like a fading star. His voice was faint but steady. "I'll make it right... in another world, another time. A universe not as cruel as this one."
Hongjoong's eyes widened, understanding dawning in their depths. "You can't mean—"
Yeosang smiled faintly, a shadow of his former self. "It's the least I can do."
The ocean around them began to shimmer, the water glowing with an otherworldly light. San's scales, which had marked his transformation, began to fade, dissolving into the water like mist. Seonghwa noticed, his voice catching in awe. "San... your scales. They're disappearing."
Hongjoong stood slowly, turning to face Seonghwa. "Love," he said softly, "is greater than the ocean. Greater than any magic."
Seonghwa blinked, confused but touched by the sincerity in Hongjoong's voice. "What are you saying?"
Hongjoong smiled faintly, a rare moment of vulnerability crossing his face. "Thank you, Seonghwa. For everything."
Before Seonghwa could respond, the light grew blinding, enveloping everyone in the arena. The ocean's currents stilled, and the world seemed to hold its breath.
When the light faded, there was nothing but silence and darkness. The ocean seemed to whisper softly, as if mourning and celebrating all at once.
