With the Dumpling still trembling beneath me, I slid off its broad back and landed at the base of the tower. Its cold stone walls seemed to scrape the sky, disappearing into the clouds above. Vines and moss clung to the ancient structure like a stubborn disease, and the narrow windows glinted ominously, reflecting no light from within.

I steeled myself. "Stay here," I whispered to the Dumpling. It snorted in response, one of its reptilian eyes flicking toward me as though it didn't trust my decision. To be fair, I didn't either. But I had no choice.

The tower door was unlocked—a detail that felt more like a trap than a stroke of luck. It groaned loudly as I pushed it open, the sound reverberating through the empty space inside. I entered cautiously, sword drawn, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on edge.

The air was heavy and damp, the scent of old stone and something faintly metallic filling my nose. My footsteps echoed faintly as I climbed the spiraling staircase that wrapped tightly around the inner walls of the tower. With every step, I felt the pressure building, as though the tower itself was alive and aware of my presence.

Then I heard something. Muffled screams. My stomach dropped. I quickened my pace, the sound growing louder with each step.

When I reached the source, I found myself in a wide, dimly lit chamber. At its center was a large, ornate bed with vermillion silk sheets that had long since faded and frayed. On it was Hong Shao, his wrists and ankles bound tightly to the bedposts, and his mouth gagged with a strip of red fabric. His eyes were wide with panic as he screamed at me, his voice muffled but desperate.

"Hong Shao?" I whispered, stepping closer. "What the—"

His head jerked toward something beside him. I stepped aside just in time to hide from the figure that appeared in the doorframe, the monster that I was ready to fight.

But when the figure came into view, my stomach dropped.

Princess Mooncake.

I knew it was her instantly, not from any description I'd heard, but from the countless paintings and illustrations I'd pored over before embarking on this journey. Her beauty was breathtaking and otherworldly—hair like spun red silk, blue eyes that shimmered like the summer sky, and a presence that seemed to fill the entire room.

But there was something wrong.

She was standing over Hong Shao, her hands hovering above him, releasing what looked like glittering dust into the air. It sparkled as it descended onto him, and I saw his body convulse, his muscles straining against the bonds. His eyes screamed for help.

"Stop!" I shouted, rushing forward.

She turned to face me, and her angelic expression shifted from surprise to anger in an instant. Her hands moved, and the sparkling dust transformed into sharp, glowing shards that she hurled at me. I barely managed to dodge, the shards embedding themselves into the stone wall behind me.

"Stay out of this!" she snarled, her voice sharp and commanding.

"You're supposed to be the princess we're here to save!" I yelled, my voice trembling as I drew my sword.

Her laughter was cold and sharp. "Save me? Oh, dear, you have no idea what's happening here."

Before I could respond, she lunged at me, her movements unnaturally fast. I tried to parry her blows, but she moved like liquid, evading every swing of my sword. Her hands glowed with a strange light, and each strike left trails of Congee energy in the air.

As I stumbled backward, trying to keep my footing, her form began to shift. Her radiant beauty melted away, her hair growing gray and almost fully dissipating, her skin sagging and cracking like old parchment. Within moments, she was no longer the Princess Mooncake I'd recognized but the witch from the cottage.

"Ma Po Tofu," I whispered, horrified.

"Surprise," she said with a sneer.

I tried to fight back, but it was no use. Her magic was overwhelming, and I was no match for her. With a flick of her wrist, she sent a wave of energy crashing into me, knocking the sword from my hand and slamming me against the wall.

The next thing I knew, I was being dragged down a narrow staircase into the dark, damp cellar of the tower. She tossed me onto the cold stone floor, shackling my wrists and ankles before slamming the heavy iron door shut behind her.

I groaned, blinking against the dim light filtering through a small window. I immediately noticed that I wasn't alone.

A figure sat in the corner, illuminated by the faint glow of a single candle. She looked up at me, her face pale but serene. Her hair was fiery and glossy, cascading down her back like a waterfall, and her eyes held a heavenly quietness.

"Princess Mooncake," I breathed, hardly believing it.

She nodded, offering me a small smile. "You're the first one to make it this far in a long time," she said softly.

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Yeah, well, I'm not sure how much longer I'll last," I muttered, tugging uselessly at the shackles.

She tilted her head, studying me. "You're different from the others."

"Let me guess," I said bitterly. "Less impressive."

Her smile faltered. "Not at all," she said. "The others... they were remarkable, yes, but they all fell into the same trap. They thought they could do this alone. That's why none of them survived. You are here together, that was smart."

I shifted uncomfortably against the cold floor, her words replaying in my mind. You're here together. That was smart. My first instinct was to dismiss it, but the longer I thought about it, the more I realized she wasn't talking about me—she was complimenting Hong Shao.

Despite everything, despite his arrogance and the constant tension between us, it had been his idea to bring me along. He'd been the one to recognize that this journey couldn't be done alone. Smarter than all the other heroes who came before us, apparently.

Princess Mooncake's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. "Your friend is still alive." She was gazing out the small window, her fiery hair catching the faint light like a halo. "I can sense his Congee floating through the tower. It's strong."

I wanted to roll my eyes at yet another mention of Hong Shao's so-called strength, but I couldn't muster the energy. Instead, I said, "He's not my friend. He betrayed me."

Whether she didn't want to impose on my private matters or she just didn't know what to say, Mooncake was silent for a moment.

Next time she spoke, it was with a quiet, serene voice. "They always arrive at dawn, after a good night's rest and with full strength, not knowing what's waiting for them. Ma Po never loses. She catches them, keeps them alive during the day, but she weakens them so they can never escape. Then, at night, with her Congee fueled by the moon and stars..." She closed her heavenly blue eyes, shaking her head. "It's always the same."

"She's going to kill him?" I asked, still testing the strength of the shackles.

Her diamond eyes faced me again, tragically beautiful. "She'll take his Congee. All of it. Which, yeah... basically the same, I guess."

I swallowed hard, the image of Hong Shao tied to that bed flashing in my mind. For all his lies and betrayal, he didn't deserve that. I tried to imagine listening to his cries of agony all night long. I quickly shook the depressing thought out of my head. I needed to focus on something else. Maybe something to get out of here. Some more information about this messed up situation might do the trick.

"How did you end up here?" I asked, desperately needing some things to be cleared up.

Mooncake's expression turned even darker than it already was. "I was taken when I was a child. I don't even remember much of my life before Ma Po brought me here. She... she wanted a way to lure heroes to the island, and what better bait than a helpless princess?"

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. "She's been keeping you here—just to trap people?"

She nodded, her eyes heavy with sadness. "She sends letters and paintings of me back to my parents and to other royals and noblemen. Beautiful, lifelike works that show me as the perfect damsel in distress. It's all a lie, of course. She knows exactly what she's doing. The heroes come, drawn by their ideals and their desperation to save me, and one by one..." Her voice faltered. "They never leave."

I swallowed hard, the weight of her words settling over me like a lead blanket.

Mooncake's gaze drifted to a small table against the far wall, cluttered with stacks of paper, ink pots, and colored pencils. "But I didn't want to forget them," she said softly. She walked over to a table across the room, and picked up a worn sketchbook.

I watched her with a mix of curiosity and confusion as she returned to me, kneeling by my side and holding out the book. "Here," she said. "I've made sure they're not forgotten."

I hesitated before taking the sketchbook, its leather cover soft and warm from her hands. Flipping it open, I found pages filled with intricate drawings. Each page told a story—a knight with a gleaming sword, a mage casting powerful spells, an archer with a bow drawn taut. Little comic strips played out across the pages, their bravery and sacrifices immortalized in her careful lines.

"You drew all of this?" I asked, stunned.

She nodded, a faint smile gracing her lips. "It's the least I could do. They came here for me, gave everything to try and save me. I wanted to honor them. Even if they failed."

I didn't know what to say. The sheer amount of detail, the emotion in every panel—it was more than just a tribute. It was a testament to their humanity, their courage, their flaws.

I wondered if all the heroes were as physically beautiful as Mooncake had drawn them, or if that was just a way for her to over-romanticize her tragic time down here. I wouldn't blame her if she had. Hong Shao was handsome enough, or at least according to my friends. I'd never understood the appeal. Apparently, Princess Mooncake had.

As I flipped through the pages, one thing became clear. These weren't just faceless warriors or nameless heroes. She'd captured their personalities, their quirks, their fears. She'd cared about them, even when the island hadn't.

I glanced up at her, unsure of what to say. "This... this is incredible."

She shrugged, though her eyes shimmered with gratitude. "I have to put my Congee to some use."

Of course, she used Congee to make her art even more expressive. One drawing caught my eye, a figure with slightly pointed ears and an elegant, otherworldly beauty.

"This one," she said, her voice softening. "They were one of my favorites. A half-nymph, determined to prove their people weren't just about beauty and song. They had a voice that could bring tears to your eyes, but they used it for more than just singing. They fought with a courage I've never seen before."

"What happened to them?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.

She sighed, her gaze dropping to the floor. "They figured Ma Po out faster than anyone else. Fought her bravely. But in the end..." Her voice broke.

It's always the same.

"I heard their cries for hours until dawn. Then they were silent."

A heavy silence hung between us.

"When she sings," Mooncake continued, her voice barely above a whisper, "Ma Po uses their voice. She stole it, along with their Congee."

I shuddered at the thought, my stomach twisting. I hadn't even thought about how close I had been with Ma Po Tofu only two days ago. She had been so friendly, so kind, and I had completely trusted her goodness like an utter fool. Hong Shao might have betrayed me in the Spring Roll pit, but at least he had some survival instinct. With my wit—or lack of it—I almost deserved to die on this island.

"What about me?" I asked. "Why didn't Ma Po steal my Congee?"

Mooncake studied me for a moment before answering. "You have Congee, but it's faint. Not enough for her to bother with. She doesn't waste her time on those she deems insignificant."

Great. Insignificant. That was a new low.

My mind drifted from the comic book, to Hong Shao, to my own uncertain future.

I only faintly registered Mooncake explaining Ma Po Tofu's motives—how she had once failed to protect someone she loved and had vowed never to be weak again. How she'd discovered a way to steal Congee, powered under the unlimited force of the moon and the stars, and how she had been luring heroes to the island ever since, feeding off their strength to make herself more powerful.

"It's tragic, really," Mooncake said, "but it doesn't excuse what she's done."

As she spoke, pieces of a puzzle began to click into place in my mind.

With her Congee fueled by the moon and stars.

A monster haunts this island. It's violent, relentless, and it has hurt my dear children—plants and creatures alike.

I have to put my Congee to some use.

I sat up straighter, my heart racing. "She's not invincible," I said, a spark of determination igniting within me.

Mooncake's eyes widened slightly. "What do you mean?"

I looked at her, a small, fierce smile spreading across my face. "I know her weakness. And I know how we can defeat her."