Abyssal Crucible: Voyage into the Ember Core

"What's wrong?" Liu waved his hand before Helen's entranced gaze. Her eyes remained glassy, transfixed.

"Exquisite!" Helen seized his palm, pressing against his chest. "Though incomprehensible linguistically, the Hymnforce surging through your melody conveyed vivid imagery—a valiant knight awaiting his beloved, their passion blazing eternally."

Realization dawned—he'd performed in native dialect.

"This is Spiritual Hymn's true power!" Helen's voice trembled with excitement. "You've grasped anthem essence instinctively! Channeling such focused emotion could summon apex beasts effortlessly!"

"Truly?" Liu scratched his head. "Does vernacular song hold equivalent efficacy? Let me attempt Behemoth tongue."

Converting lyrics through mental lexicon, he unleashed gravel-throated rendition.

Helen's brow furrowed. "Now comprehending lyrics, I sense no ambient Hymnforce resonance. Why this disparity?"

"Damned if I know," Liu snorted, flaring nostrils inhaling crisp air—the enhanced nasal passages improving vocal projection.

"Miracles accompany natural Soulcrooners," Helen remarked, envy tingeing her tone.

"Bullspit!" Liu retorted, reveling in respiratory ease.

"Helen's admonishment pierced his bravado. "Esteemed Li Cha!" Her complexion paled. "Nobility demands refined speech!"

"My precious!" Liu contorted features into exaggerated remorse. "This lowly one errs! Not human—mere beast!"

Helen's laughter erupted despite herself.

"Among Behemoth insults," she chided through giggles, "'beast' proves ineffective—our kindred are animals. 'Despicable goblin' carries greater sting."

"Then I am goblin! Base goblin!" Liu proclaimed theatrically.

"Garden-variety guinea fowl!" Helen countered, mirth crinkling her eyes.

"Guinea fowl, indeed!" Liu's tragicomic delivery concealed inner mockery—aristocratic invective seemed laughably tame.

Helen's mirth intensified, foxen allure radiating through端庄 composure. Liu's pulse quickened, primal urges surging.

"Cease this gaze!" Helen recoiled from his intensity. "Courtly decorum forbids such... such..."

Self-reproach flooded Liu. "Apologies! My base instincts..."

"The fault lies partly with me." Helen adjusted sacerdotal robes, crystalline tears clinging to lashes. "Foxen beauty carries curse—human depravity conflates our grace with wantonness. Yet know this: Vixens prize loyalty above all."

Cold sweat drenched Liu's back—his momentary lapse mirrored human vileness.

"Blame not your visage," Liu vowed solemnly. "By Campos, I swear eternal guardianship. My tainted thoughts dishonor your purity."

Helen's renewed sobs shook her frame.

Internally, Liu strategized marital vigilance—such allure demanded constant protection.

Practicality resurfaced through tears. "How descend this precipice?" Helen gestured at twenty-meter sheer drop, moss-slicked walls denying footholds.

"Child's play." Liu gathered vines into makeshift rappel line, securing it to coconut palm. Hand-wrapping fabric scraps provided friction control.

"Caution!" Helen's grip whitened on his sleeve.

"Coconut logs prove too cumbersome." Liu peeled her fingers gently. "Prepare thirty vines—lower them posthaste. I'll secure bamboo bundles for hauling."

"Should mishap occur..."

"Then leap after me?" Liu chuckled nervously. "Vine-tested durability reassures."

From socks remnants—sole surviving Earthly relic—Liu fashioned crimson hairband for Helen. "My worldly essence binds to yours."

Tearful acceptance preceded similar offering to Guo Guo—the creature preened with sock-collar pride.

"Departure imminent!" Liu deposited Guo Guo groundward, only for the furball to scale his cranium, talons embedding in scalp.

"Farewell!" With showman's flourish, Liu vaulted cliffside, vine-rope whipping through air. Helen's scream echoed as pendulum descents alternated between heart-stopping drops and friction-halts against stone.

From precipice edge, Helen witnessed death-defying ballet—each gravity-cheating rebound leveraging centrifugal force. Campo's Hymn spilled from her lips instinctively, ethereal melody amplifying Liu's vigor.

Crimson ribbon flamed against azure skies—beacon of devotion amidst peril.