When Yue-Liang slowly regained consciousness, he found himself half-submerged in the water. His torso was resting on the wet ground, while his legs, up to his ass, were left in what was left of the steadily refiling pond, due to the presence of the waterfall, which produced a lot of noise. His body was wracked with twitching muscles and shivers, and a persistent dull pain coursed through him. Even his ears rang with a disorienting sound. It was enough to even overpower the sound of the falling water.
He struggled for a moment to pick himself up, but his hands gave out, showing his lack of strength by this betrayal. Determined not to wait and recover, he tried to roll over, and with great effort, he succeeded. Gazing up at the tree crowns with sun rays filtering through the green canopy, he began to take in the surrounding forest.
The faint sounds of birds singing and the loud roar of the waterfall finally started to reach his ears. ‘I need to stand up,’ he thought, repeating the mantra to himself, but the mere thoughts didn't propel him into action. He remained in the same spot, focusing on catching his breath and mustering the strength to rise.
After several deep breaths and pushing his back off the ground with his trembling hands, he managed to sit up, though the pain made him grit his teeth. Slowly, he turned around once again and forced himself to crawl out of the water. The more he moved, the easier it became, as if his muscles were shaking off their stasis. Though they still cramped and trembled, he was no longer trapped in the embrace of the water, which attempted to swallow him whole, as he gave enough time to the waterfall to refill more of the pond.
"The stone," he muttered, now standing properly on solid ground. Turning back to look at the mostly empty body of water, he finally noticed that the waterfall remained, but the rest significantly diminished. Wet ground surrounded him - one of the proofs that the whole area was once submerged, with the dead fish and underwater plants being the second and third ones.
Unfortunately, there was no sign of the precious gem. Contemplating his situation, he decided to return home for now and search for the elusive stone later, when his strength had fully returned. The pond was still deep enough that he would have to dive to explore the bottom to find the precious jewel.
As he made his way through the nearby bushes, he searched for his bow and quiver, finding them a few moments later. Armed with his equipment, he began the trek back to the village, his determination unwavering even after facing such a harrowing experience.
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Amidst the outskirts of the forest, a peasant girl with long, black, braided hair confronted Yue-Liang who emerged from the bushes. Her delicate face exuded a mix of worry and frustration. Her small nose and pointy chin enhanced her beauty, though her clothes, akin to Yue-Liang's, were tattered remnants of an old sail, patched with thick thread in multiple places.
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"Where have you been?!" she shouted, her voice filled with concern. This was enough for a few birds to rapidly evacuate from the canopy above them, flapping their wings and making some noise. "You haven't returned for the night! Your mother was going insane worrying about you!"
Yue-Liang, struggling to hide the true extent of his injuries, lied and replied, "I was on my way to look for you. I... I fell off a rock and hit myself."
Unconvinced, the girl, Yura, refused to let his explanation slide. She moved closer, gently inspecting his head for any signs of harm. Finding none, she persisted, her grip unwavering, while Yue-Liang attempted to evade her touch.
"I'm fine," he insisted, but Yura was relentless. "I'm fine, Yura!"
Not backing down, the girl hissed at him and continued her examination, only giving up when she couldn't find any injuries. Frustrated but relieved, she grabbed his hand and pulled him back toward the village.
"Let's go!" she ordered, leading the way.
Knowing there was no use arguing with her, Yue-Liang complied, trying his best to hide the pain that still coursed through his body. Together, they returned to Yue-Liang's family's old house, where his weak and frail mother awaited their return, unable to work due to her condition.
With dark, straight hair peppered with silver strands, the older woman’s aging appearance spoke of the hardships she endured. She was just skin and bones, her eyes deeply sunken. She wore clothes made from the same old ship sail, now a faded gray, that had once been nearly white. The weight of Yue-Liang's absence had taken its toll on her, further highlighting the struggles of her humble existence.
Despite appearing fragile enough to be broken by a gust of wind, Yue-Liang's mother stood at the open door of their small house, a smile gracing her face as she noticed her son's return.
"Mother, please go inside. You shouldn't be leaving your bed," Yue-Liang said upon getting closer, his voice full of concern.
"Where have you been, my son?" his mother inquired.
"I've been hunting, mother. I tried hard to bring something, but couldn't catch anything," he lied, a quick exchange of glances with Yura confirming that she would support his story.
"My poor child... Come home," his mother replied, finally stepping inside. Yue-Liang immediately rushed forward, gently supporting her as he guided her to the bed.
The interior of the humble dwelling was bathed in the soft glow of sunlight streaming through the windows on both sides. In one corner, lay his mother's resting spot, while a bit away from hers, Yue-Liang's bedding was placed on the ground. On the left stood a stone and clay stove, providing warmth during the colder days. Occupying the center of the room was a low-standing table with two small stools.
Yura followed the family inside but chose to stand a few steps behind, quietly observing.
Yue-Liang carefully helped his mother lie down. It was a slow and tender process. Just as she settled into bed, she reached out and gently twisted his left hand, revealing a silver mark obscured by dirt, shaped like a star.
"What is this?" she asked curiously.
Yue-Liang pulled his hand away quickly, trying to dismiss her concern. "It's nothing, just dirt. Get some rest, Mother."
Before waiting for a response, he rushed outside, passing by Yura, and examined his palm under the full sunlight. To his surprise, the silver mark was indeed there. It was not dirt; his skin seemed to have transformed, with the mark feeling warm to the touch, mimicking the surface of a piece of heated metal.
"What's going on?" Yura questioned, standing behind him.
"N-nothing," he stammered, clenching his hand into a fist. "It's nothing." He assured again, turning to face his friend, before he gave her a wide smile.
Yura only raised her eyebrows in response.