[ATTENTION!

THIS IS A SECTION OF THE PROLOGUE. EVENTS THAT OCCUR IN THIS CHAPTER GIVE CONTEXT TO SOME FUTURE EVENTS IN THE STORY, BUT IT IS NOT IMPORTANT TO START READING WITH THIS CHAPTER. ALL THE EVENTS THAT UNFOLD IN THIS CHAPTER ARE LEGENDS IN THE MAIN STORY.]

"My love, was it truly necessary to..." Ea began, but he was swiftly cut off by Ninmah's interjection.

"I said Ninmah, or Mountain Queen, would suffice. That's twice now; please do not make me repeat myself for a third time, darling. You know how I hate repeating myself. Now, if you have such capability, then I will verify it. Only then will I allow you to travel through the Nether. Are we clear?"

"I cannot show you," Ea admitted his voice barely above a whisper. "I barely have the strength to stand, let alone call upon such power."

"Then you will stay with me until you have the strength to summon this oh-so-impressive power," Ninmah replied firmly, her tone carrying a finality that suggested the conversation had concluded.

Ea shook his head sullenly, his voice heavy with regret. "I cannot allow that either. The ichor must not linger here any longer. Its presence prolongs Gaea's recovery, adding years to the time it will take for this world to heal."

Ninmah crossed her legs and retorted in a sharp, authoritative tone, "I don't believe you heard me correctly, dear. That wasn't a suggestion."

Ea's eye twitched in annoyance at his wife's gesture. "I don't think you're hearing me either, darling. I don't give a damn if this is your suggestion or order," he said with a mixture of frustration and concern. "I love you, Ninmah, but can you please stop acting like a petulant child and see the situation around you? This realm, Saha, is your domain! It's your home! It's our children's home! What is happening to this land is more important than you, me, or us! I am doing this for you; I am doing this for our children; I am doing this for everyone! How many lives would you sacrifice to have me for a few extra days? Are you truly so selfish? We're Thrones; our duties do not stop because of added danger. You know this as well as I do. I will not be delayed!"

Ninmah's face turned colder than the depths of winter, but her eyes leaked tears like summer rain. "I see..." she sniffled slightly. "Very well, then I will stop you."

Ea's heart felt as though it had melted from his chest, leaving behind a gaping void that oozed an icy chill. Trembling with revulsion, he steeled himself to utter the words that would eternally haunt him and irreparably damage his relationship with the person he loved most. They were the only words he knew would convince her to let him continue on this suicidal voyage. However, to his immense relief, fate intervened, sparing him at least one burden in this nightmare.

"Let him go, Ninmah. You know that neither of us can hold on against this flood for even a day longer than necessary. Especially not while we have people to protect. And you know better than to believe you can stop him if he has my help, even if he is little more than an arrow at the end of its flight." A domineering and regal voice came from the sky above.

Ea's gaze shifted toward the kingly figure adorned in flowing crimson dragon robes, hovering majestically in the sky above his raft. Overwhelmed with gratitude, his expression softened, and he offered a very slight but deeply appreciative bow to the man whose timing was impeccable. Meanwhile, Ao Jun bowed with profound reverence towards the figure, his head pressed humbly against the raft's surface.

Ninmah's face contorted with a mix of helplessness and fury. "You side with him in this madness, Longwang?" Her voice was filled with frustration and desperation. "Why does everyone think it's acceptable for my husband to throw his life away? Am I the only one who cares about the mightiest empyrean in all six realms? Who will console me? Who will explain things to our children? Am I not a Throne? Can my feelings be trampled like grass beneath your boots?"

She turned her frustration on Ea. "You have proven nothing to me! How can a man, barely able to stand, protect his life through the Nether? I won't allow it. I won't—" Ea interrupted her by sealing her lips with a kiss. She pounded his chest with her fist, but there was no strength behind the blow. Tears flowed from her closed eyes, wetting his cheeks, a painful reminder that even righteousness would always cause someone suffering. She was always his victim. How he tormented her.

He tried to pull away, but she enveloped him in a tight embrace, refusing to release his lips. He quietly surrendered, allowing himself to be drawn into her warmth, the scent of carnations filling his senses. For a moment, he indulged in her softness, in the fleeting escape from his troubles. At that moment, his pain was forgotten, his worries faded, and he felt a sense of freedom.

Her lips quivered as she knew she couldn't hold him forever, and her brow furrowed into a miserable frown. But with quiet resolution, she finally let him go. He gazed at her with such tender affection that her heart trembled like a hummingbird in flight. It was hard to breathe. He was a vicious thief; he stole everything from her, even her breath.

"Why are you so stubborn?" she lamented. "Can no one else make this journey? Why must it always be you?"

He cradled her face tenderly in his hands, gently wiping away the tears that glistened in her eyes like woeful jewels. Her concern brought a soft, lonesome smile to his lips. "You know why it must be me," he whispered patiently.

"You always treat your life as if it's worth nothing?"She muttered in misery.

He shrugged with morbid humor. "I look forward to the peace of death's final release."

She flicked his forehead gently. "Don't even joke about it."

He smiled at her, trying to muster confidence he didn't truly possess. "Trust me. I have never failed to return to your side. It'll take more than a cold abyss to keep me from you."

She poked his chest gently, her eyes pleading. "Promise me. Promise me on my life that you will return."

He tenderly stroked her hair, a pained expression crossing his face. "I can't make that promise, my love," he murmured. "Your life is too precious to wager on a promise. But trust me, I always have a plan. I'm not walking into certain doom. My life is yours; it's not something that I can cheaply throw away, right? Just wait for me; I will return to your side."

He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, a silent promise lingering in the touch. She nodded in understanding, a final acceptance settling over her. Standing up, she turned her back to him, her small form trembling with neglect and woe. "Go then," she whispered, her voice barely steady. "I expect you back in a few years, at most." Her words quivered with unspoken fear. "Just a few years, at most."

With a resolute nod, Ea exchanged a glance with El and Ao Jun, a silent pact forming between them. "I'll protect them until your return," she vowed, her voice barely audible amidst the sound of her qi activating. A ruddy brown aura enveloped the remaining companions aboard his solitary vessel. "Hurry back. Who knows, I may be forced to ascend soon," she added, her words carrying a sense of urgency. With that, she floated towards Longwang, her silhouette a poignant portrayal of both loneliness and longing.

Ea's eyes welled with sorrow. "Only a few years," he repeated her words, but they sounded hollow even as they left his lips, "at most."