"Promise me!"

"Rania, what are you-"

"Just do it!"

"..."

Riana was still trying to recover from her shock.

The Undine Clan was being invaded by a big guild in Tartarus, with acclaimed fame and notorious deeds. They simply demanded that the merfolk submit to them under the pretense of getting support to avoid the race's extinction.

Naturally, just like most of the merfolk, Riana didn't know what to do in that kind of situation. She only had one instinct that practically screamed not to submit.

That is why she was trusting her sister, Rania, and the leader of the Undine Clan.

After all, there was little she could do, Riana wasn't even sixteen yet.

Even so, her sister was asking the impossible from her.

"Promise me you'll keep her safe no matter what happens! That you will keep everyone in this clan safe!" The fierce siren leader stepped closer to her sister and put both hands on her shoulders. "You're the only one who can do it, Riana. Please, I can't do what I have to do if you don't promise me."

"..." Without realizing it, Riana's face had twisted into a frown as she lowered her head.

Behind the two in the other room, the two-year old Sana was sleeping peacefully without knowing anything.

After a moment of deliberation, Riana gave in, "I promise, but do you really have to stand up to them…? Can't we just go somewhere else or find help?"

"Those aren't options for us, Riana. We have to fight back, we have to show them that we aren't a weak race they can take advantage of! If we don't fight, we'll be enslaved for the rest of our lives!"

"!"

"I'll gladly take extinction over that!" Rania narrowed her eyes as she stepped away from her sister and towards the other room.

"You won't be a martyr, Rania! Just run away!"

"I told you that's not an option. Even if the worst happens… I'm sure it would at least inspire the right people in the future to fight back… The day we gain our freedom and prosperity will come, I'm sure of it…"

"..."

Silence overtook the room for a moment, before getting broken once more.

"Rania… just don't die… please…" the fifteen-year old Riana held on the hem of her dress as her light crimson eyes began to tear up.

"... remember Riana, you swore an oath on the great Nimue! Keep her safe, keep them all safe…" Rania trailed off as she grabbed her spear on her way to Sana's sleeping figure on the wide net.

"That's not…" That's all Riana could muster before realizing the real weight behind her promise. She squinted her eyes and clenched her teeth. If only… If only I was strong enough to fight too…

She simply watched as Rania kissed her daughter one last time, smiled softly at them, then left the house without looking back.

The next time Riana would see her face would be as it was turning to pure gold.

She had smiled softly at them once more, "Remember, I'm counting on you… Keep them all safe… I love you both…"

Those were the last words of Rania Undine, the leader of the merfolk, before she turned back and held a fierce pose and a stern expression.

If she was going to be turned to gold, she was going to make sure she would be remembered as she lived.

All so one day when people see it, they would be inspired to follow her example, to not give in.

However, the opposite happened as her very golden statue became the embodiment of fear for the merfolk, and the source of their control.

The executive that showed up after the Coin Masters left made a generous proposal, according to him.

"We have noticed you aren't willing to submit at this time, so we will give you a chance. If you pay us enough, we will stay here and offer protection. However, when the day comes that you can't fend for yourselves anymore, you will submit to us peacefully! The doors to the Eversun Goddess' cathedral will be open to any who are willing to seek redemption!"

Even the young Riana could notice the contradiction in their statements. Why would a guild with so much gold need money? They were clearly looking for something else.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

To monopolize and sell sirens and mermaids? To save a reputation by putting up a front?

Riana couldn't figure it out exactly, but she knew something for sure.

She made a promise, an oath, and she needed to keep it no matter what.

And yet part of her just knew, she wouldn't be able to hold out for long.

**👑**

Currently, Nast, Riana and Ashya were standing closely, unable to move.

While Riana had stabbed Nast, Ashya had stabbed Riana. A careless move could kill both the wounded, and Ashya was too inexperienced to do much else in this situation.

Even so, Riana wanted to try once more, to hold on to a part of her promise.

"Ashya, you would betray your own people for these-"

"No! I'm… I'm doing this to get my son back!" Ashya cut her off.

Riana remembered what Lamia had told her about this siren and why she had been helping Zoran. In fact, everyone had known the truth and told her many times, but she had never listened.

"He's already dead, damn you…" Riana tried once more.

"No! The Eversun Goddess will bring him back to me! I will gain her love, her embrace!"

"Shut up and kill the bitch already!" Nast regretted shouting the moment he spoke, he felt his life beginning to flash before his eyes.

"Auntieee!" The little girl shouted after her knees dropped to the ground, her hands covering her mouth. She had been too shocked to speak.

"..." Riana closed her eyes for a second, then looked towards Sana. Both her turquoise emblem and her scales quickly disappeared. "You're too far gone, Ashya…"

"?!"

"I'm done trying to sympathize with you… You've gone too far…" Riana spoke despite the pain she felt with every word.

I chose to break a part of my promise to you, Rania… and now your spear will… I'm sorry…

It seems I'll have to break my other promise too… This wound will probably…

What will happen to Sana? Would Lamia take good care of her…?

Or would he take her away from here and become an actual father to her…? At the very least, he seems adamant to protect her…

I don't know… The only thing I do know is as long as her enemies live, Sana won't be safe…

So, at the very least…

Even if I have to kill one of my own…

I'll ensure Sana makes it out alive right here and now…

That is all I can do for now…

"Auntie, no! Don't!" Sana got up and ran towards her aunt, fearing what was about to happen.

"Both of you… die here… with me!" The turquoise-haired siren smiled through bloodied teeth, then suddenly clenched with all her might, calling on whatever strength was left in her body.

"?!"

In an instant, Riana severed Nast's upper torso by swinging her spear out of it, and continuing its trajectory to cut off the head of her fellow siren in front of her.

However, pulling such an action…

"Blerghhh!"

THUD!

Riana fell to the ground on her back, a big chunk of her stomach gone as the spear that was inside was forcibly yanked out to the side.

"Auntie!! No! Pleasee!" Sana reached her aunt and tried to pick up her head.

"Sana… I'm glad… you are safe…"

"Please…" the little girl's tears flowed without restraint. She had tried to hold onto them so far, but the dam was finally broken.

"..." Riana didn't know how to relieve her niece's pain. What could she say?

"Please… hick… don't die… auntie… please… not you too…"

Poor thing… this life has been too unfair to you, Sana…

If only you were born in a different clan… to an aunt that could protect you better…

"I'm… sorry-"

CRASH!!

Not far from them, a figure crashed into the stairs of the altar.

"Dammit… that annoying-?!"

Just as he got up, Lawkey noticed the scene in front of him.

His heart sank to the bottom of his stomach as a cold sweat ran down his spine.

He saw it, the scene exactly as he was shown. It was a perfect one to one.

The implanted memory the little Hyking creature had warned him about.

In the end, it came to fruition despite everything they tried to avoid it

"Hahaha! That's what you get!!" Zoran laughed as he showed up out of the rubble and shadows.

"!!"

His entire figure was still shining and emitting lights in all directions. Since he hadn't used his Sign much before, having relied mostly on the glowing orb's light, the priest was going all out now to end this charade.

"Too bad about Nast, but I don't care about those sirens either way."

"Dammit!"

"Stop right there!"

BOOOM!!

"?!"

Just as Lawkey tried to jump to help the girls, Zoran shot a beam of light that exploded not far from Sana.

"Move, and they die."

It made Lawkey stand in place. "Let her go…"

"Shut up. I'll be the one talking here." Zoran ordered. "Little girl, your auntie is dying, and I'll kill this guy and everyone on this island too…"

"N-no… I don't want them… to die… hick…" Sana tried to brush her tears away but they wouldn't stop.

"Sana… don't listen to him…" Riana muttered, then looked towards Lawkey, "Please… help… her…"

"!"

Lawkey's pupils suddenly constricted as he saw Riana lose consciousness before she could even finish her plea. The sudden tightness in his chest was close to choking him.

"Auntiee! Wake up… please!"

"Listen, little girl! You can help her, use your power! Do it or everyone dies!" Zoran kept egging her on.

"No…! No!!"

"What the hell are you trying to do?!" Lawkey snapped as new shadows erupted from beneath him.

If Riana was dead, and Zoran wasn't going to kill Sana, then he no longer had to hold himself back.

Two Shadow Sword Style - Second Stance!

Evening Autumn Moonbow - Times Twice!

He swung his swords and sent two long shadow slashes at his opponent, partly to damage him, but mostly to block his vision.

"Sana!"

Lawkey made it to the little girl and put a hand on her shoulder. However…

"!"

The little girl was beginning to float up. A blanket of emerald shined from her body.

"Don't hold back, little girl!" Behind the failed shadows slashes, Zoran emerged with crazed eyes.

"No…! I won't accept it… I don't want auntie to die!! I don't want anyone to die!"

Sana snapped as her neck suddenly cracked to the side and glared at Zoran directly with vacant, but bloodshot eyes.

"!" The priest immediately felt the shivers run down his spine, locking him in place.

"?!" Lawkey recognized those eyes as he tried to keep Sana on the ground in front of him.

He had seen those eyes long ago, in the reflection of his own sword.

He couldn't allow Sana to go down that route.

To break the chains, to unleash the beast within.

"Don't do it, Sana!"

"You die instead, mister!"

"?!"

Suddenly, her eyes glowed completely emerald, and a moment later, a bubble of the same color began to expand from her body at great speed.

BOOM!!

Distracted, Lawkey couldn't block the light beam that came his way and sent him flying away from the little girl.

"No!!" He shouted as he tried to reach a hand out to Sana mid-flight.

All this time, the power with her was being held back, but no more.

It was getting out with the chains broken.

And this time, there was no one who could interfere.

This time, there was no stopping it.

To the side, the priest grinned from ear to ear as he watched her lose control.

"That's it! Bring back the original light of this world!!"

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