The Sisterly Vow: The Bishan Lake's Eternal Promise

In the heart of ancient China, where the whispering winds carried tales of yore, there lay a serene lake known as Bishan. The waters of this lake were said to hold the power of the stars, reflecting the celestial bodies in a dance that spoke of time's eternal cycle. Among the people who lived in the neighboring village, there was a legend that had been passed down through generations: The Sisterly Vow, the Bishan Lake's Eternal Promise.

The tale began with two sisters, Ling and Mei, whose bond was as unbreakable as the mountains that surrounded their home. They were as different as the sun and the moon, with Ling being the fiery, ambitious one, and Mei the gentle, contemplative soul. Both were beautiful, with Ling's hair like a cascade of crimson silk and Mei's eyes like the deep, still waters of Bishan Lake.

One evening, as the moon rose over the lake, the sisters stood together on the shore. The air was cool, and the stars twinkled above them like a thousand tiny lanterns. It was then that they made their vow, a vow that would echo through the ages.

"We will protect Bishan Lake," they said, "and its promise shall be eternal. If either of us breaks this vow, the lake will exact its revenge."

As they spoke, the lake seemed to shiver, and a voice, deep and resonant, echoed through the night. "Your vow is heard, sisters. You shall be bound to this lake for all eternity."

The sisters nodded, their resolve unshaken. But little did they know that their lives were about to intertwine in ways they could never have imagined.

Years passed, and the village flourished under the watchful eye of the lake. However, as the world changed, so too did the sisters. Ling, driven by ambition, sought power and wealth, her heart growing cold and distant from Mei. Mei, ever the guardian of their vow, remained steadfast, her love for the lake and her sister unwavering.

One day, a young stranger named Tian came to the village. He was a wanderer, with a mysterious past and a destiny that seemed to be inextricably linked to Bishan Lake. He fell in love with Mei, and she with him, but their love was forbidden. Tian was from a rival village, and the bond between the two communities was strained.

Ling, seeing an opportunity to regain her power, conspired with a cunning sorcerer to break the sisters' vow. She convinced the sorcerer to cast a spell that would make the lake forget its promise, thereby freeing her from her obligations. In exchange, Ling offered the sorcerer a portion of her newfound power.

The night of the full moon, as the stars peered down upon them, Ling and the sorcerer performed the ritual. The lake's waters roiled, and the air grew thick with malevolence. As the spell was cast, the lake seemed to sigh, and the stars began to fade.

Mei, who had overheard the plot, rushed to the lake. She knew the consequences of breaking their vow, but she could not stand by and watch her sister and the lake be destroyed. With tears in her eyes and her heart breaking, she made a final plea to the stars.

"The lake has always protected us, and we have loved it as our own," she cried. "Please, stars, do not let this happen."

The stars, moved by Mei's sincerity, shone with renewed brightness. The spell faltered, and the sorcerer's dark magic was pushed back. But the damage was done. The lake, which had once reflected the eternal promise, now held a darkness that could not be erased.

As dawn broke, the village awoke to find that the lake had changed. The water was no longer clear and reflecting, but dark and swirling, as if it held the secrets of the past and the future. The stars that had once shone so brightly above Bishan Lake were now hidden behind a veil of mist.

Ling, consumed by guilt and the knowledge that she had betrayed her sister and the lake, retreated to the shadows. Mei, though her heart was broken, remained by the lake, her eyes forever fixed on the stars. She vowed to protect the lake and its promise, even if it meant living out her days in solitude.

The legend of The Sisterly Vow, the Bishan Lake's Eternal Promise, was born. It spoke of love and betrayal, of the power of promises and the wrath of nature. And so, the lake continued to hold its secrets, its waters a mirror to the heavens, and a reminder to all who saw its depths of the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood and the eternal nature of vows.