The long stretching land rolled under her steps, in each unfaltering, unceasing echo she heard a deep, unsatiated recoil. There were cobwebs like silvered hair, lingering over the blackened moss, and the stench of a long-standing past that could be seen manifested in solid, hardened stench that filled up the nose. Somewhere, an echo of the same steps resounded as if calling out its presence in the mind of the rolling fog, or the unravelling figure of a stranger in its midst, continuously advancing forth unbarred. Small height, short stature of a child – a child indeed.
Holding a small dangling bell like light in her hands, which dangled over a wooden stick gripped in both, Wei Zhiruo parried along the erased, almost vanquished and forgotten land of the Inheritance. Just a while ago, she had bidden her farewell to the long, shriveled faces of her old aged friends after great pain of separation. Perhaps, not intense on her part, but the gloomy air almost stuck to the heavy shoulders of the three old people.
But the inheritance palace only allowed the inheritor to enter its awe-inspiring auspices. She had to go alone. Not that anyone could help if they came along with her, she believed.
In fact, it was good that she had kept the meeting with the Space Guardian - that curious little kitty cat, from falling into the ears of her friend. But who can say they didn't have a hint already? The invasion of the Palace Temple over the Inheritance Land was not just a matter of one day or two, how could those old eyes not get a gist of it? But if they did, they didn't let on. Perhaps, to them it was not something grave at this point, she wondered.
What she was facing now wasn't the Inheritance of Grandfather Treasure Mouse's treasured young master. It didn't have anything to do with Runes or Rune deciphering Arts and Techniques of the Ancients.
‘A lot of trouble.’
Wei Zhiruo whispered under her breath, her eyes lingering over the walls and floors as each step left an easily recognizable trace on the dust filled ground. Under the high ceilings of the long and dark corridors, which led from the opening front halls – her eyes looked over, over the engravings of runes which she could make out with her eyes, but of which many stones have long ago chipped off into undecipherable shapes. She was passive here, if not altogether forced against a pressing wall. She was in the end of the only corridor that had brought her from the entrance hall.
Wei Zhiruo halted her feet just in-front of a ghastly looking chipped, and out of shape mural made of white stones. The shape felt like that of a plant, or vine. And the only place that could be viewed intact showcased a delicately carved white stone butterfly, unfolding her wings in almost a realistic moment of pre-flight. The light from her lamp, cast shadows and almost gave the butterfly a mysterious halo.
With her feet halted, mesmerized in appreciation, her ears were perked up in anticipation of any other sounds while her hand increasingly pressed over the wooden pole she held, perhaps, even the clink of the small trinkets over her head, dangling down her silver headdress aroused her mind in a state of increased focus; she was all tout and tensed.
Although all of this looked very simple, and pervaded in a mortal likeness to a ruin, smelling nothing less of putrefaction veiled over the ages; she wouldn't believe that there was nothing wrong or magical going on. Magical something that could easily harvest her soul, if she stepped over that trigger.
This too was a strange thing she had noticed after she entered the space of the Mouse clan. They seldom showed to use spiritual energy. If she didn't get introduced to their ethnic differences from a regular human, she could have easily taken them as a mortals living the most leisurely of isolated lives. But even the youngest of the clan had cultivated to a level that she couldn't look through with her eyes - and her current eyes were blessed enough to easily gauge the cultivation of a Jindan monk or if circumstances allowed, a Nascent Monk. That was some strength they held!
But she wasn't to perplexed with this question. She had a guess, and mostly she had certainty that her guess was not that much in the wrong. With the simplistic, idyllic life she had spent here in the fortnights time, she was quite well acquainted with the strange harmonious attitudes of these people. For a monk to be this harmonious, it was asking to be dealt with the most cruel of hands. Maybe at first, it was an incentive to make the lives more worthy by touching the waters and the soil, tilling the earth and meditating with the barren sky - as they were long lived people with nothing to do but to cultivate in a never-ending isolation.
But perhaps, they might have realized the charm of the easily fed life with the back aching with fulfillment of a tired day at work in the fields. The berries she helped harvest in the field, the tedious movements of bending and carefully picking the tender, delicate red fruits that could easily burst open with a slight pressure had her put the whole soul to the act. And yes, wasn't it the most slow, grueling movements she had went through? She had taken care of herself in her palace, when the maids were scarce and abandoned her. She had been punished to wash dirty linens of unknown strangers, because she had refused to agree to one of the tantrums of her step-brother. She wasn't particularly unaware of these mortal jobs.
But even then she had only seen the act as a trial, a very tedious cruel trial that will help her awaken her anger and heighten her jealous spirits. It wasn't like the silent, floating and withdrawn sense of detachment from the rest, falling into a hazy state of nothingness - the sense of unity with her senses. She was only doing some menial work, but it affected more than sitting in meditation.
Suddenly, somewhere far away, as Wei Zhiruo pondered over random things, she heard the sound of wheels clogging over one another, a sound of clock hand ticking as well as a strange hum of a mechanical movement – she looked up over her head raising the pole over. The sound seemed to come from the floor above the ceiling. And there was no leading steps or ladder, a simple mural at the end of a long stretching corridor, at this point there was no way forward but a small gap only big enough for a paper to slide through toward the east – she wasn’t thin as a rice paper, unfortunately.
She could imagine the perplexing emotions of a person taking the test for the first time.
Looking out, but getting no way to reach that imaginative door that should exist to lead her past this smelling corridor into an open hall or a chamber, because in the end that was the role it usually played in the mortal realms, didn't it? A door led to something. A corridor was the way through. And she must reach somewhere. She hadn't and she was suspended in inaction.
With a glaring look above her head, Wei Zhiruo placed the wooden pole with the wooden lantern hanging at its end over the floor, then started groping for any trace of opening or crack in the eternal corridor. She hadn’t left a pace forward since she heard the voice coming from above her head. The slight ticking of a clock pervaded through stone ceilings, with each stroke as if pressing her neck over a sharpened knife constantly reminding of the passage of that precious moment. With each lingering moment she was closer to her death, she was closer to her end and being erased from existence.
Without any perspiration, or even a frown over her face, Wei Zhiruo kept patiently at her search for the crack. Losing head at these moments was never a judicious plan.
And she wasn't all that clueless about it. In the times when she could easily access the 'Common Land' of her clan, she had found many interesting works related to Inheritance. There was even a whole section that spoke of the best angles of tests, how to judge the level of inheritors or to design the tomb like inheritance palace. Pretty detailed. It might have been a miscellaneous section, but owing to that she could form the gap in the information in her hands.
Wei Zhiruo recalled the passage, meditating her mind on that specific section she had read. 'Not here, not here, yes, this and this.' As millions of words jumbled in her mind forming a huge sea of characters, she touched the most appropriate point of knowledge in her mind and brought it in to the fore of her mind. The black sea of jumbled words receded into a ordered sentences floating clearly and distinct.
" In the Ages of Altaur Kingdoms strife with the Blood-clan, a feud owning to a certain marriage, there were countless casualties all around the world. The white magicians of Altaur died in large numbers, and following their death, their murderer would suffer a pertinent sort of hex, which spoiled the blood and caused unrevivable damages to Blood kins of the Ahzenn family clan. Seeing no easy way out through the hex in short time, the Seventh Elder of the clan issued the most well known clan members, renowned for their wisdom and knowledge to begin keeping a record of the knowledge for the later inheritors. This imitative was in fear of a sudden cleansing of the whole clan once the White wizards notice the affect of this charm and hex over the Blood-kins, which was in a word, lethal.
With this foresight, the elders organized a chamber and issued a task holder to create seven inheritance halls for seven auspicious inheritors. But after looking for a while in the 'Common Land' of the blood-kin they couldn't find the most scientific, most elaborate and perfectly practical style of inheritance or the questions that judged the characters of the inheritor. The gap was posted in the Golden Hall for the rest of the Blood-kin clans. For a whole year, the council of the elders in the Ahzenn clan as well as the rest of the compilers in the 'Common Land' worked to fill this knowledge gap.
The Tests of Inheritance were bunched in Four sections. The test by the teacher, the test for grooming skills, the Test for inheritance of skills and treasures, and finally the test to pass down lineage and school of thought. It was an extensive program, compiling and bringing out all the tests that any Blood-kin had ever went through and classifying them for easy understanding. Though it was never taken as an orthodox art of study for a Blood-clan member, or even taught in the classes - it usually served as the encyclopedia for the later generations to organize the patterns of Inheritance tests in various realms.
Now the section holds, seven thousand varieties of sections, each dealing with a different section of issues originating in the Inheritance. Though the eminent destruction of the Ahzenn clan couldn't be stopped in time, and the specific, 'Seven Day Trial Hex' that caused their death, successfully forewarned the blood-kin of a type of magic, specifically engineered charms and magics to deal with blood itself. See for further reference 'The unusual case of Bluebird' a disease that swept away the last family of Blood-kin clan, Five hundred years later from the erasure of Ahzenn family clan, in the Kingdom of Altaur.
From here, lets take an overlook at the reason for the division of the tests into these four...
The test of Passing down Inheritance and Lineage are the most difficult class of inheritances. People usually desire the best characters, the best moral scales, the best of skills and aptitude in the future torch bearers of their life's work. In strange lands of Spiritual Monks, there was a long standing rules of passing down inheritance and skills in the most extensive rituals. But often, the skills could be brought to fore with more skills and level of advancement in the cultivation, rather than the moral of the said monk. This has taken several years to ponder through and resulted in the book entitled "Morals and the Duty to Lineage", pertinently questioning whether a line of inheritance should be cut for good if it wasn't going to bring any benefit to the people after falling in hands of dubious characters...
One of the most popular methodology to confuse the minds of a mortal inheritor is the 'illusion' of falling into dead-end. At times, it was called the 'Fate method' which heavily relied on the cultivators belief that a certain destiny aligns the skill and the inheritor, creating a cause and successive effects. If the fate wasn't there the skills couldn't be fought for. And for the this the most blatant and most childish forms of illusory dead end was used. If the person happened to be a 'Chosen one' he could easily fall down the floor and accidently place his hands over the small ant hole that held the traces of consciousness of that monk, initiating the trial. But if the person had no fate, he might even step over the traps that could lead him to death.
Fate and Inheritance were so extensively tied, that morality lost its initial velour and became just an appendage to the whole act."
"Really long winded, as ever. Cough!"
Wei Zhiruo, confirmed her suspicions as she went through the words, and started tracing each stone brick, the cracks and holes.
There was dust and only more dust. Soon her tender skin burned with the irritation of biting dust. Her knees ached as she continuously arched herself taut, trying to reach above herself – her height was posing a very tough sort of obstruction.
Soon, even in the slightly lightened corridor, skipping the obvious black shadows that she judged were traps through her consciousness; Wei Zhiruo found the small crack with a small stone. Wei Zhiruo took out the sand and rocks, and separated the smooth stone from the rest over the floor. Under the light, it was just a pile of random things.
There was sand, yes, rocks of unique and ugly cuts, yes again, and then there was a single smooth stone giving off an interesting emerald-ish glow, even in the dark it could be spotted glowing weirdly. Wei Zhiruo picked it up and bringing it further closer to the lantern, took a deep look at the stone to find any kind of etching over it. Yes, there was a map. Very simplistic approach indeed!
‘Interesting style as ever.’
This was the first trial Wei Zhiruo had underwent which was through a proper channel. Usually she was always on the lose end of the sticks. Either she was too weak for the inheritance or too volatile in her mind. This was the first time, she had found a easy resolution. With all the leads and strangely coherent incentives splayed all over the corridor as if asking the visitor to hearken to its ever-present existence – Wei Zhiruo couldn’t help but finding all the elusive yet pervasive presence as strange and amusing hint by someone to go and get it.
It was really enjoyable being the 'Chosen One' for once.
Someone was now, without doubt leading her towards the inheritance. And it wasn't that metal cat spirit. She was being led through the noose, and she didn't feel any sense of disassociation or uneasiness. Again someone had planned all her steps, as if she was an open book. 'Or a very close friend.'
Raising over her feet with a slight sigh humming through her parched lips, Wei Zhiruo took a tentative glance at her surrounding and found it aligning with the strange crawling lines over the stones in the Murals. There was a deep hollow in between the two spreading wings of the butterfly.
'Yes, a very unpretentious trick'.
Wei Zhiruo placed the emerald like stone over the mural. It shifted, rolled and turned into a small map.
A sharp turn to the left where she had previously taken a right turn in the corridor, and a left when she was in hall, backtracking all her steps until she had reached the main door, and then heeding to the directions of the map, she guided her tired steps towards the unimaginatively placed small torch-holder without any beacon. She pressed a black stone brick – the press, initiated the mechanism and soon with the gurgling of dust ridden stones and slight cough inducing cloud of misty blow, Wei Zhiruo found the staircase tucked so irreverently in this corner, with no visible sight of wear or tear.
From the moment she stepped over that pristinely shining cobblestone paved stairway, she was really stepping over her claim to a trial; there wouldn’t be a return.
Wei Zhiruo felt her heart pounding in the closed chambers – this feeling of being recognized and not chased away for an inheritance was quite unique, quite legitimate and a very first for her. In the memories of her past life, she had always stepped over some dark corners that were not welcoming or become strapped with an obligation to lead another person towards what she deserved but what her weakness wouldn’t allow her to claim. Many a times, she had lost chances and her deserved right because she was weak – she was weak to hold the treasure in her hand. And now, even though her body was a mortal holding a immortal soul, she was similarly full of weaknesses. But the starnge affinity flowed through her, as if she wasn't being led to something unknown. But something that was originally hers and -
Wei Zhiruo took a step forward.
'Here, here, yes here. There was something in these bounds. There was something hers.'
Finally, something she could invest her hot and burning blood over –
***
The change of epochs echoed in each drop of the autumnal showers. The misty rain rolling down the peaks, the silent fluttering of leaves and laughter's of forest sprites and melancholic sighs of grumbling stones, mixed in the most irreverent of the noon's.
The garden of Spring Goddess was bursting with a hum of cheer and mirth over the newly spawning spirits, now each of them bathing under the light rain.
The Domain of the Spring Goddess was bursting with preparation for the annual event. Beautiful saplings, that had bloomed to their choiciest shapes and fullness to a rot; all those who have successfully awakened a keen sense of their being or fully been enlightened will be soon able to cultivate and gain a blessing from the Spring Goddesses only heir.
The blessing will heal them to their best state and then they can morph into their humanoid forms.
The ceremony of each year was full of merriment and songs of the heartiest cheers, and dancing's and rolling over the ground. Even though this year the Goddess of Spring was not in her pavilion and had been away with her husband for quite a while – like the past years, the daughter of the Goddess will preside over the event, her highness the most graceful of Princesses in the Heavenly Realm, Princess Jingwei.
But if you searched for Princess Jingwei now, you might find her bending over a newly born spiritual plant in her garden.
Engrossed in tracing its shape with her eyes, peering into the smallest of details – its veins spread over leaf, petals of its purplish azure flowers, or the knots on its stalks and shoots. Princess felt it frame under the soil, tracing its roots and each of the long small hairs were measured with minute detail, as precise as possible. When her closed eyes opened once again, she took out a paper scroll from her Inherited Space, bound to her soul, and set on detailing the shape of the newly grown wild-flower with honey of the Queen been of Golden Mountains.
After making out the last of the whiskers of the roots, flashing in the golden ink, the image shone brightly for a while then fading burned into the same likeness as of the plant. With a flick of a forefinger, it rose over the flat surface of the paper – turning into a well crafted three-dimensional image of the plant, floating around showing each and every detail. After inspecting her creation for a while, Princess Jingwei flicked her finger – the scroll folded itself once more, soon became a small chip ready to be stored in her library.
Mistress Nu, the Rose spirit, looked worriedly at her little mistress busy in her usual perusal. She couldn’t make herself speak aloud her displeasure, or the displeasure of master and mistress anymore – she had tired repeating the same statement each morning to no use. The little Goddess really liked to see all kinds of weeds and what-nots. And by now, she was quite aware that no measure could stop this little hobby of her darlings.
“Little Mistress, if you will, we should be gone by now.” But since this wasn't any usual day, Mistress Nu distressed, broke into her reminder.
“Okay, I am almost done here.”
Jingwei took a last glance at the small weed, rose upon her feet and started grooming her appearance. The folds of her huge sleeves had found themselves entangled with other layers of the fabric, while the small belt tying her lapels was coming out loose from bending. Her hair had detangled and become free from her headdress. She made a very pretty but quite inappropriate picture for an exalted Goddesses offspring.
And not quite ready for the evening’s merrymaking or blessings.
But soon, with a wave of her hand she had straightened her appearance and wore on her precious jewels over her forehead, the large azure gem – encased in the emblem of the Spring Pavilion dangled over her temples, the token that bespoke of her noble heritage and pride was placed in the most conspicuous of the places on her body.
“Hopefully we might wrap it in a night. Say, how many spirits do you think will be born this year?”
“Little Mistress, I heard the guardians of the garden were quite happy with this year’s average. Almost every one of the key plants have given birth to consciousness. You might not be able to come back before the next night, if you ask me.” There was a big smile over Mistress Nu’s wrinkled old face. Her hair covered in Ivy and thorn wreathes wiggled with her happiness. Tiring over a duty was by far more appropriate than rolling in the mud, observing some bugs and nestling plants.
Princess Jingwei looked at her caregiver with a slight smile, as if she understood the grievances she had caused.
But with no time to waste, with a wave of her hand both the figures could be seen fading away with a gust of wind, the petals of begonia swirled in the aftermath leaving a lingering scent of meadows and blooming wildflowers in the air, the scent of the pure divinity and opulent virulence.
*
At this moment when the color's of 'Seven colored haze' and the still rainbows faded from the Golden Peaks waterfall point, cueing the evening, the large assembly of Spring Goddesses loyal retinue had already formed considerably. Colorful apparels shimmered in the pale purple light, as several beauties gathered together to watch the newborns. The festival was a great point for many of them catching up the newest events in the Heavenly Realms. Or what new gossip was released by the Mockingbird Pavilion. There was many of juicy gossips that could not wait the main event to be spilled!
Many faces, in all shapes and colors with hairs floating freely or some bound in wraiths intricately woven in a remarkable craftmanship, showcasing the emblems of their clan and alliance, dangling to the forehead – all kinds of Artifacts floating by their sides made a very vibrant spectacle.
Some could already be seen feasting on the spiritual fruits specially placed over the buffet, many wine jars were constantly being refilled by the monkey clan members, who merrily jumped from one branch to other serving the guests to the best of their abilities. The peach blossoms and begonia spirits took special care and had specially hastened the blooming of the trees – the petals fluttering down the narrow river that fell down the mountain, bursting into the peculiar music that froths off a waterfall. Many water spirits were also taking leisurely peek at the merriment from the downstream. perched over water lily leaves or stones.
Often a very drunkard looking flower spirit or vine would float down with a great shriek, down the rushing waterfall headfirst into the deep pool down. The water spirits of Golden Peaks were famous for being a fun-loving creature – and often at the expense of the poor residents of the Spring Domain. As such, even before the fall was properly finished, they took great pleasure in putting the heaviest and the most ruthlessly solid piece of rocks over the expected place of fall.
“Btoomb!” The splattering of head, or the bouncing of the vines followed a peal of delighted laughter.
The most delightful was the moment when these wood sprites or flower spirits came down in their human forms. They often went back with a head or two broken off their shoulders.
“Yes, they looking pretty fine!” The head of the Wine monkey clan took a look, down the waterfall, at the just recently fallen victim, with his head bouncing off in one direction and his body afloat in the other while the naughty water spirits laughed with their hands over their stomachs. Few mermaids rose up from their abodes downstream, joining in the merrymaking. “And you would think, they would learn for the better. Tch! Failures.”
“Come, come now Head Hu. Don’t spoil the fun of these children. This has been a tradition of the water clan as much as it is the Wood clan’s ceremony. You won’t expect them to not join – however awfully unspeakable the manner they join maybe – would you?” The Old man Peach Tree called out his friend, his face beaming into a scrunched smiled, eyes invisible in the folds of his under eyes. They were now headed for the center of the platform on which the Goddess will perform the ceremony.
“What do you say, this much wine should do right?” Head Monkey looked a little concerned over the container of the spiritual wine. Filled with several gallons of peach blossom wines saturated over a period of hundred years, when the lid came off it gave off the mellow sweet and alluring smell. Peering down the small head of the container, the Old Man Peach Tree took a good sniff and huffed.
“Yes, pretty good work, this batch. But since there might be more people joining later, you might call someone to take out the rest of the flower wines too. Leave this as sacrificial wine.”
“Good, I will tell my eldest to do it as soon as he can.” With that off his head, Master Hu took out a jade pendant and inscribed a rune. The rune shone for a while then settled until a responding rune burned over it. “He is on his way. We should also hurry. Mistress might be coming soon.”
Suddenly a hush settled over the place. The whispers died down and several people looked over the platform. In the middle of the huge white stone platform carved with intricate symbols on its floor, two figures apparated. The maiden was joined by her servant who gave her a deep bow then took her steps backward, with graceful steps, to which the lady simply gestured her to raise her head.
Princess Jingwei took a deep look at the colorful pavilion set for the celebration. The gushing and frolicking river jumped playfully in the northern side of the stone platform while a huge meadow filled with wild yellow, and blue blooms stretched over the sides, splattered with blooming trees of pinks, whites and reds – the moon peeked through the heavily laden boughs of Cherry blossoms, and purple haze floated in its mystical and awe-inspiring grace.
“You have taken great pains with this, I can see. Quite well done, I can see this years celebration coming to end successfully. Everyone please raise your heads.” With this the heads of the several plant spirits and other spirits bowing in a gesture of respect, rose one by one. “Rise. Please take no notice of my presence over here. I like to see you being as free and spirited as you usually are. We might take some time before the Blessing ceremony, to get acquainted as usual. I can see many young faces here after a long time– yes, have the past years younglings grown up too fast? It appears to be so, right Mama Nu?”
There was a great murmur of ‘how are you doing princess and how much much more inches she had grown this year,’ all around the place, while Mistress Nu once again fell back to her original position in the close shadow of her mistress.
Each of those voice was eager to ask of the little princess with great vigor, and quite the zeal to triumph over other voices surrounding themselves. Like usual, they were creating quite a din with all the cheering. The Wine Monkey Hu couldn’t help twitching his brow in consternation over this bemusing spectacle of idiots.
But the good-hearted laughter of Princess Jingwei and her 'as usual, as hearty as ever' assured many, and soon many young people came over the platform to look at the Princess. The kind princess took a seat over the stately looking throne, especially placed for her for that auspicious occasion, and welcomed the newly morphed younglings with a wave of her hand-screen. Her eyes took in the smallest of them, the weirdest of their morphing’s and the ugliest or the most beautiful of them with the same kind of compassionate look. The most haunch-backed Cacti wouldn't feel ashamed under her eyes, as she took his arms and asked of his health.
Many of these younglings didn’t have a name and were eagerly waiting to be awarded one by the princess.
In the times of Spring Goddess’s overseeing the Blessing Ceremony there was no such precedent. But since the five hundred years, when Princess Jingwei took her place over the Pavilion, a strange incident created this ceremony. A young sapling, particularly hard-headed, and obtuse, a part of very slow growing plant spirits too, and quite unsure about his own state was asked by the princess of his name. He didn’t have one. The poor youngling spoke in such low voice that the Princess Jingwei couldn’t help taking the pain in giving it a kind name on his behalf. After that, year by year, the young saplings didn’t like to choose their names, but prided in getting one awarded.
As such, even before the Blessing ceremony, there was now an event called the Naming Ceremony – very popular amongst the Wood spirits.
“The last Blessing ended in quite a success. The princess might get tired naming them, though.” Master Hu took off his round hat and blew the stray blossom over it. He didn’t place the hat over his head again, but took it under his arms and squatted down beside a sturdy looking peach tree besides the platform.
The old man peach tree was also standing besides him, with his hands folded behind him.
“Yes, but now no one wants to give themselves a name. Its just the Princesses kindness over them.”
Monkey Hu hummed in ascent while looking at the blooming maiden over the platform. There was the same kind of deep blush and sparkle over his eyes as the rest of the spirits who watched over this event. Many old and leaning sprites were already sitting down with flasks of wines opened on their sheet-spreads. The dumplings of rice and frothing wine, the billowing wind with the petals of pink blossoms – this was the time when many opened their hearts and spoke quietly of stories and tales of past lives and past days, and past memories. If an interesting story came out to interest a large group, the story-teller might even get a chance to come up to the throne of her highness and speak from there. Sometimes when the princess liked, she would even take out her lyre and string it together with the words of the story for the ambience.
There weren’t many good storytellers amongst the young ones but the old people had several 'word-tellers' who took great pride in telling magnificent tales. Of the Heavenly realms battle with the Demonic realm, of the battles of the battle Gods of the first generation, of the birth mother and the origin of the world, and the slightly less popular amongst the younglings but very popular amongst the old aged retinues - the tale of the Goddess of Death and her spouse the Silver Grass Spirit.
There was even this one old Wisteria vine spirit, who took out the tale of the Old Sea Princess of the East and her Personal Speaking Whiplash. Strange, and peculiar. Sitting besides the Princess, the Old man Wisteria broke into a sing-song like storytelling and soon many heads were rolling around the ground in laughter. Even the water spirits downstream, hearing the voice joined in. Princess Jingwei took in all this and laughed along with the others, though not many could be sure she was amused by the story or the rolling cubs.
She leaned her head over her arm, taking in slight sips of the mellow wine. The purple haze had stolen its way past the meadows and was now daringly teasing the Princess with itself.
This was, but just the beginning.
After the naming ceremony, the story-telling, many young bloods would come forward to show their sword dances prepared for this enchanting gathering.
“Amazing, as usual Chuntao.” Princess Jingwei clapped her hands at the end of a spectacularly good-looking sword dance by a peach blossom fairy. “Here, takes this charm with you. I would recommend you to my fathers’ advisor, if you want. If you would like to go into the Western Battlefields, keep it safe with you, alright?” Jingwei took out a jade carved with the insignia of the God of the War, with a special protective rune engraved in its surface.
“Thankyou your highness- great thanks to the princess! I will try hard to live-up to your expectations!” The spirited looking girl bowed down with her hands on her bosom, saluting the princess. She looked a little breathless, blushing and almost close to fainting with all the attention. Taking in the amusing appearance of the young spirit, Princess Jingwei laughed out aloud and dismissed the shy girl.
“Good, take some breaths before you actually faint. Grandmama Nu, this child is really promising. Here, will you give her additional six hundred high grade Immortal stones? With this, you can make up your cultivation soon and try to join in the frontier as early as you can. Good, I will take you up on your words.”
These kinds of bestowment were a matter of pride for these spirits. With this, without doubt, if one didn’t want the safe and stagnant life of Spring Domain, they could easily break into the territories of the other Gods and Goddesses. This paving of the way had earned the little goddess the goodwill of many young and capable talents.
Monkey Hu looked at the engrossed princess, surrounded with many young people all around her, taking great care to never leave anyone unattended, showering the same kind of care and intent on all around her – genuinely happy to be where she was. Whenever he saw this young Goddess, he forgot the distance between the two beings and what that title entitled - because without doubt she was a Goddess not just their princess!
She wasn’t an enlightened beast or plant, or ascended human, but a rightfully born divine being with two Natural Gods as her parents. Her divine blood was as thick as the most celebrated of in the Heavenly clans, his highness the Crown Prince of the heavenly Realms. Only he alone had two Natural Gods as his parent apart her her highness, Princess Jingwei. Even then, his highnesses mother belonged to a lower deity who only managed the human fate, she was a Goddess of Good birth born from the God of Low Wtaers.
Unlike the domain of her highness the spring Goddess who saw all the four seasons as well as the plants and water clans of both Heavenly Realm and the Mortal and Immortal realm, there was no comparison in turns of power and influence. There couldn’t be a standing comparison between a High Divinity of the Natural Gods and the consecutive Lower Divinity.
And with the father as the God of War, himself once the Heavenly king of the Seven Realms of Heaven...her highness... she was too humble. Monkey Hu took a dig at his jar and emptied it completely, jerking a few times to see if any drop would fall.
“Her Highness is as easy going as ever, I see. Sometimes I wonder, would it have been different if her Highness Spring Goddess was present to take care of Princess through her long childhood?” He spoke aloud his ponderings gazing deeply at the cheerful gathering. His head tipped over his breast, heaving deeply with the strong stinging – the wine was getting to his head, thankfully he was quite away from the contact of water or no one could save his head tonight.
“Yes, there might have been for sure. But since that wasn’t the case, we have her highness as she is with us.” The old man Peach Blossom tree took a slight glance at the wasted Monkey and then moved on to observe the great conundrum. “You look concerned.”
“Yes, I heard his highness, the Head of nine-tailed Foxes was called over to the Western Frontiers to aide. Who do you think will be the next recommendation from the court, you might ask? Who? Of course, the only heir to the 'Spring Domain. 'And of course, her highness will pridefully see herself off as well!” Perhaps the wine had animated the Head monkey a little bit, he voiced his deepest concerns he had been pondering greatly for over a week. The old man sighed a little bit, and then remained silent for a while before speaking. He looked like, he had found the words with great difficulty, or the courage to say them aloud.
“And the problem with that is? Her highness is as much a High Goddess as any ascended Goddess on that claim. She has the duty to defend her homelands and she will take great pride in seeing her duties –
“You know quite well what I meant, Master Tao. Her highness is only five hundred years old, and she hasn't even succeeded in awakening her Godly inheritance. Do you expect her to lose her life –"
“Easy, easy my child! Keep your voice down. She is looking at you.” The old man bent down on his feet, and patted the shoulder the young monkey with great care. Monkey Hu had been the playmate of Goddess Jingwei, now he was a father of three children happily wedded, yet his playmate hasn’t grown up in all these years. He was rightfully worried, for the sake of the only child of the Spring Goddess. And the only heir of the most abundant territory in the whole of the Heavenly realm the 'Spring Domain'.
This was the gap between the immortals and Gods, the still fretted over rights and wrongs for their loved ones, unlike the free floating deities detached from the world except for their responsibilities. The nature itself was different, as was the essence. “And you forget. Her Highness Spring Goddess and Master husband have only this daughter. Even the Heavenly Emperor will save some face when asking a newly grown child to head over the battlefield.”
“But if it was suggested in the court, then her highness is sure to give her assent. Who will stop her then?”
“Who can stop her now? Your worries are pointless, my lad. She has her fate, her duties. You cannot change some things even if you wanted to change. And the nature of her Highness is one such thing. Her going to join her parents in the Northern Frontiers is a matter of time – or by the time she goes the Deep Trench closes off, which in itself is an impossibility.”
“How could anyone hate her highness so much?” Another offhanded question came along as soon as the Old man closed his remarks. This new statement was even new to the Old man, he looked questioningly at the drunk man. “You know who, that Dragon Princess.”
“Ah! She has always seen her highness as her competitor. Wasn’t it her who spread the words about the late awakening of her highness, calling her a shame to her family?”
“Yes, I also heard this from the young lad of Phoenixes clan who came for the wine. The Dragon Princess was the one who spoke about Princess in front of the full court. If she didn’t intend to kill her – (by the way you have put the eavesdropping enchantment, right? You did, good.) then why would she call out the name of such a young Goddess when her own mother, the Empress hasn’t yet joined the forces in North? The times are so dire that a child deity can be sent to battlefield where Gods and Demons fall each second, and it isn’t dire enough for the one in the Harem to step out? I say, all hogwash!”
“You are still thinking too simply, my lad. Ever thought that Her highness the Dragon Princess dare not raise her voice if the Heavenly Emperor didn’t want her to say something? He has the power to stop this “hogwash” from becoming an absurd reality by just a single word of silence. Alas! How the times have changes.”
“You mean –
“Hush. Its enough for the night. You’re drunk. Take some more nectar, you will be called soon to pour the wine for the blessing. Look at your state! Don’t be embarrassed later if you topple before the princess.”
Both of them rose on their feet, heading towards the place where a huge fountain of nectar boiled invitingly in a golden shimmer. The walking figure didn’t notice the strange buzz of a small mayfly, floating around the tree which settled down over a half-eaten spiritual fruit as soon as the figure were at a safe distance. Or the slight tilt of her highness Jingwei's lips betraying her good mood.
*
With a great cheer, and showering of claps and nods, Princess Jingwei stood up from her seat, which was soon taken off from the platform and many heavily built Monkey clan members hurried to raise the huge fountain of nectar of the Golden flower, a specialty of the Golden Peak, over the pedestal into the open platform.
With the right amount of cheering, it was justly done soon enough, and many maiden young fairies brought in the saplings of the newly enlightened plant spirits, tucked over their bosoms. There were even a few monkey cubs amongst the myriads of vines and stalks. A few bird hatchlings were also amongst the cubs. All of them, the next generation of the most loyal retinues of the Spring Goddess.
Princess Jingwei first inspected each cub with great detail.
A hush settled over the witnessing members. When the last sapling of the three hundred new cubs were inspected – she gestured for the wine to be brought. With heavy steps and regal air, the Head of the Wine Monkey Clan brought the earthen jar with the mellowest of the peach wines.
After placing the wine with great care at the feet of her highness, he gave her a deep and gracious bow before taking a step back and receding into the shadows. Even the mist had cleared out, lingering around the periphery but never straying into the platform. The moon had come out as a huge shadowy plate beaming brightly over the faces of the crowd.
“With the grace of her majesty Spring Goddess, the sixth daughter of High Goddess of Nature, herself the esteemed fifth daughter of the High Goddess of Youth and Maidenhood, herself the Fourth daughter of High Goddess of Death and Life, herself the Third daughter of her highness the great Goddess of Darkness, herself the only daughter of her highness the Regal Goddess of Just and Honest, herself the only daughter of the Great Deity of Chaos. Evoking all the past names, evoking all the present ties, with the blood passed down to the only daughter of the Spring Goddess, I, Jingwei evoke the Blessings of the past deities and the present deities to oversee this blessed night. Cast thy Blessings, oh the great ones, the gentle ones and the kind ones, for thy children of the yore!”
With the somber chant, Princess Jingwei picked up the gold goblet placed at her foot, dropping a single drop of her golden blood she tumbled it down over into the fountain of the Golden Nectar. With this the young saplings could awaken their inheritance they had in their blood, and start to morph into humanoid shapes. With the soothing melody being blown into the air by the several grass spirits, and the several colored clouds now sensibly floating in a slow rhythmic dance – the rest of the audience too settled down in their places. Even the naughty heads of water spirits were bubbling with a slight care to not make too much commotion.
This was the peculiar practice that was handed down to each passing Goddess of Nature to oversee. With her mother, the Spring Goddess having taken the domain of her mother the responsibility had shifted over to her and now to Jingwei who didn’t even have a title. A legitimate name of her domain, or her relation to the inheritance.
Princess Jingwei looked at the bubbling golden water, and the slumbering young saplings. The coos of wonder were let from the surrounding, and many hushed whispers could be heard. A few young mermaids and small water spirits had climbed the waterfall and were now peering through the water into the golden light.
The wind blew ever so gently and the mist also danced in a harmonic rhythm, Princess Jingwei looked at the bubbling water and the frolicking water, the sultry wind over her face and the chirpings of countless live being all around her – she took out her small lyre and sat down on a small wooden seat. Now there was only deeper silence and many anticipating gazes over her head, as if taking in the slightest of her actions and awaiting the upcoming event.
The moon was fine, the water bubbled as gently as powerfully as ever. And many old and young people stilled in meditation. The melody that burst forth of her Highnesses lyre was something only the few destined could enjoy, in the destined nights which weren't many. Who said her highness hadn’t awakened her talent? What proof was there that she herself wasn't the very manifestation of Music, and pulse running in the veins of the world? She had the power which enlightened her listeners simply by running her fingers through the strings of her lyre.
Did the Dragon Princess dare to attempt such feat in her early years? She wouldn’t dare imagine it even in her dreams!
Monkey Hu pondered as he sat besides his wife and three sons, all meditating and keenly feeling her highnesses music which melted with the soothing melody of other grass spirits. Some slender, long tailed golden birds of the Golden peak also found their way over and perched up upon the several sycamore trees sparsely growing in between the peach and almond trees.
This was a collective secret of the whole Spring Goddesses Domain. No one spoke of it to outsiders, no one let another soul get a hint of it. Because the alternative was nothing good. A high Goddess who hadn’t even gained her inheritance was able to influence others to such an extent? Imagine how exponentially her power would grow in the future– anyone, even those with bad intentions, could imagine the level of her highnesses power!
And so, when the Heavenly realm kept making fun of her Highness, they kept bearing it for the better. That one day, they dare not call her names; one day when her highness becomes and adult and gains her inheritance...No one will look down then! This was the strange conviction running through Monkey Hu’s veins as he fell down into deeper state of meditation losing any state of his being. One day…
*
In the bubbling, frothing golden liquid many strange little vines and saplings, and several monkey and bird cubs stretched their limbs as if rising up from a long, tiresome sleep.
They tumbled in the liquid, or groped their way gently, curiously, or nervously to find out their surroundings. Watching this, many elders cooed, while many plant guardians lined up along the huge tub for the initiative of the newly born spirits. It was well known tradition that only when the spirit stepped out from the golden nectar would the night come to a consummation.
Today was a little tiresome. The last and third night since the initiation of the ceremony, many heads were too heady with the past merrymaking and eager to go out and consolidate the benefits from her highness Jingwei's assisted enlightenment.
In several batches the spirits were blessed and then soaked in the Golden nectar. And this was the last batch. There was one particularly slovenly, lazy looking cacti spirit who took a whole night long to come out. He had been meditating over the corner as several batches of his companions found their way out through the step. Some cacti spirits had even left tired from their encouraging chants – but the young spirit showed no intention to come out.
Watching all this, Jingwei took a deep look at the droopy eyed cactus with his green head and thorns bent down, she called out to him. “Come, come my lad – you have already grown up so much. Come out and join your friends. They are waiting for you, will you not, my good child?”
Responding to her was a long voice of hmmm, a sleepy indolent yawn and then finally a little shake of the two sparse leaves on his head. He took a long look at the gentle princess who was once again seated over her wooden chair, with a porcelain cup full of tea in her hands, steam wafting over her face.
“Yes, yes, little darling. Let’s go home now, don’t tarry.”
His guardian bent over her tired knees and pleadingly spoke with tears in her eyes. Her voice felt a little parched, she had been urging the child to come out the whole night long!
Looking at the slowly moving spirit, who reached tentatively at the edge and then parried a whole quarter of an hour doling about the steps, she couldn't help finally shedding two drops of tear of relief. When he finally did step out there were several boisterous cheers and full-hearted laughter, which really startled the indolent spirit in opening his eyes jerkily and finding the new place he was brought into with surprise and consternation, he was taken up by his tired looking guardian on her bosom and carried home with no delay.
He looked with great curiosity at each face and took in the people with long while of scrutiny as he peeked through the gaps of the embrace while being carried away.
“He looks like a trouble-maker for sure.” Old man peach tree remarked softly. Master Hu hummed and nodded with certainty.
“As if those idiots were not enough – ha!”
“Now, now, my master Hu lets be on our way on a cheery note! They always grow up one day. It was a long three days; her highness might want some space to wear out the tiredness, herself.”
“Right, let me call out to my family. We can bid her highness a visit tomorrow. She looks pretty tired today for the last salutations.”
“Come, before that lets go visit my garden together. I have stored a few separate batches of newly fermented peach wines for this very day. We can drink the three days tiredness with it. Come come, call your mistress and lads as well, let’s go!”
*
Princess Jingwei took in the last bit of blessings in her hands and absorbed the light.
She took a deep sigh. Her mother and father had been absent without any news for quite a while. The last time she heard about them was also through a third person. She didn’t trust that person too much to go into details, as of now the North was off limits of Gods. And her own instincts were raging with the enclosing peril over her head, urging her to make a move soon. The recent unrest in the court could only show the tip of the iceberg, there were many plots in the dark waiting for her to step into.
“Mistress what should I do with the leftover Golden Nectar? Should it be thrown down inside the Golden lake as past? Or do you have something planned for it?”
Jingwei raised her head and took in the busybody bent over the tub still bubbling and frothing with golden bubbles.
“Let it be a gift to the water spirits.”
“I am sure, they will be very thankful to your highness. And yes, before I forget to remind, your highness there was a messenger fairy who relied that your presence was desired in tomorrow’s morning court. Should I begin the preparation for the departure?”
“Did something happen?”
“It is about her highnesses Queen of Southern Realms upcoming departure to the Northern frontiers. His highness the Emperor wants every fairy to be present over his concubines supposed departure. It appears that they are bent in sending you, your highness into the battle. Even if it cost them their faces, and a title of companion fairy to Queen – what do you think we should do your highness?”
“Nothing. I had been prepared for this day even if they didn’t allow me to go, I must go. I am just worried, there hadn’t been any successful heirs for this domain; but then what else could be expected. Is the oracle called for the court tomorrow?”
“Yes, your highness.” There was a slight nervousness in the wrinkled face of Mistress Nu. “But I still cannot get over this fact. They recalled the old gentlemen from the Recluse Mountains of Heavenly Secret keepers just for a ceremony?”
Princess Jingwei rose up upon her feet, and taking in her companion’s hand she waved and teleported their selves back to the private realms, the Spring Pavilion of her mother. The last thing that could be done was shelved for the year, the next ceremony was to be shelved for the near future – when, only the god of time could tell. She wasn’t going to be here soon, it seems.
“There is going to be some troubles in these muddy waters. Her highness the crown princess hadn’t left any trace unshown of her displeasure with me, nor the Dragon Princess as a matter of fact. Both the northern and southern factions are hell bent on securing the Second prince to the throne. And his highness Mingwei’s Crown Princes proposal to me had only alerted them of my presence here. Mother and Lord father are still not responding to any of my calls. The attack on the northern frontier is by no means a simple invasion from the demon realms. It has stretched too long for that. And the heavenly court is dead bent on keeping it all hushed up - it appears not to be something they can deal with. Yes, they wouldn’t be so hell-bent on settling all the scores so soon if they didn’t know there was enough time for them to play their mind games at leisure right now, with all the High Gods and Elder Gods away.”
“Filthy worms! Leeches! They are hell bent on destroying the Heaven Realm! I don't think it is anything short of that.” Mistress Nu placed the cushions of golden goose feathers for the princess to lean on, as they both settled under the Magnolia Tree. Several cakes and platters full of freshly prepared fruit slices were spread on the kerchief.
“Southern Queen has some ties with the Eastern Sea domain. If she is being forced to go on this expedition it means Concubine Meng has already succeeded in securing her place in his Highness the Emperors heart. Second Prince will have to rely on his sister, the Dragon Princess in the coming future with no mother to guide him. The Emperor had always been a hidden supporter of his Highness Mingwei, or else he wouldn’t allow such outrageous event to unfold if he didn’t intend it. But it is still unsure how much the other factions want her highness to concede her territory and sacred seal. It might as well not be designed for me – I might have been but an afterthought in their considerations.”
“Should we move the Western army in this situation your highness?”
“No, they want me to panic and move. They want that very move to unfold the next things. They are waiting for the Western army to come out and place a legitimate reason to take a dig at our Spring Goddesses Domain.”
“But his highness your father, left behind the seal? How is that illegitimate?”
“Internal ghosts, or else what? I know, you know and Lord father, and mother dear knows the genuine seal. And none of us are legitimate witnesses. Lord father hasn’t responded for three decades now. The time is too long even for the Northern frontier, if he had received the message. Another reason of the delay can only be, a very difficult battle that doesn't allow them to take breath for even a moment. The delay is nothing short of an alarm, mama Nu. It is only a very solid proof of something more grievous to have taken place in the Trenches of Norther Frontier Many people have already made their moves here, but no one speaks clearly. Everything is way to hushed up. Did something new happen? No one is ready to tell. They wouldn’t jump out so hurriedly this soon in front of Dowager Queen to play at the throne. There might be a chance that both the Emperor and Empress will go to battle." Princess Jingwei made a seal with her hand and soon several bugs appeared in her hands.
Her eyes softened as she saw the small creatures crawling over her jade like white hands. She carefully touched each of them, feeding them with the remnant blessings and then listened to their chirps.
Mistress Nu looked puzzled as usual as her highness delighted herself with tiny bugs. Even the panic inducing current situation couldn’t avert her highnesses habits. She took a long wistful sigh and started sorting out the rest of the letters and invitations to the Spring Domain over her personal desk. There were other sprites who took care of official works but Mistress Nu was the sole in-charge of her highness Princess Jingwei’s schedules and plans.
“No, it wasn’t Queen Dowager who moved, it seems. The Eastern Sea has given up on their eldest daughter – the current Queen of South will be deposed in tomorrow’s assembly. Her upcoming expedition makes it pretty legitimate – how can the heavenly kingdom of South not have any Queen overseeing the heavenly domain?”
“What? How could it be? Did her highness Queen Dowager agree?” Mistress Nu lifted her head over and seriously looked at the leaning figure of the princess.
“The new candidate for the Southern Throne is the Current Princess Yong`an of Mermaid tribe, the youngest daughter of King of the Eastern Sea. How could Mother Dowager not agree when the choice is only between one or the other of her own tribe? She is the current Queens step-sister.”
“Princess Yong`an? But wasn’t she already betrothed to the youngest son of Bai clan? Those White tigers didn’t wreak havoc upon this news? What a strange era to live in!” There was genuine wonder over Mistress Nu’s face as she even forgot to put down the scroll she had been manually rolling.
“The young Bai was found already in companionship with a human of the Mortal realm. The young princess broke the engagement and there was a whole lot of drama over it, it seems.”
Princess Jingwei listened keenly to the buzzing chirps of the beetles and took out the news. This Princess Yong`an – she herself knew of her straightforward temper and easy-going nature. To betray her for a human, Jingwei couldn’t understand how that white tigers brain worked.
Now there was going to be a deadly feud between the two sisters, both in the Heavenly Court, and who knows how many more tragic fates would come out of this action? But interestingly enough, the White Tiger clan didn’t beat their own for his mistakes this time. She had known the youngest son was the most promising and most blessed of the White Tigers with almost the potential of even reaching back to ancestor, but she didn’t expect them to bow their heads in the face of power! How interesting. Who would take the blame when the current situation snow-balled and became out of control?
They could have easily averted the feud with a simple marriage but made it all so complicated.
“The Queen of South has been forced to cut of her familial ties with the Second prince and he is going to be adopted by the Empress. And…concubine Meng has been forced to fall down the abyssal tower by her maid it seems.”
“Now that is what you call karma. She had been raging over her head for a while, and anyone would have seen this coming! The emperor really is ruthless. Says to bestow you with favor, he favors you to the sky and its highest reaches and when he is done, it comes short nothing but to a fall -”
“You forgot Empress Dowager, Mama Nu. She wouldn’t leave any assenting voice in the court, when actually there is fair chance of Concubine Meng being promoted and Third Prince becoming another power house. With his name under Empresses lineage, even Second Prince will have to assist his highness Mingwei for the throne, however unwilling he might be. Remember it was last year, when Concubine Meng had successfully cultivated to the Earth Immortal Realm, on par with even the Empress. Only the murky blood of the deer clan was a drawback holding her from reaching to higher realms, or she would have already replaced the Eastern Sea faction of the Southern Kingdom. But what happened? She is dead.”
“Ah, yes…how come she was so easily betrayed?”
“The maid happened to be her own blood related sister.”
“What kind of drama are these royal family members playing everyday? Everything is so full of – don’t tell me she was in love with the Emperor now?”
“Obviously the motive cannot be anything else.” Jingwei giggled slightly and leaned against the flower wreathed cushioned seat in the garden.
The Freesias fragrance melted with a slight tangy bittersweetness of blooming orange blossoms, the looming Magnolia blooms shaded her eyes from flickering, mottled sunlight. Those heavily leaden boughs fell just over her head and danced in the wind. And the slight breeze blew slightly, teasingly a-floating the boats of white petals wanderingly down.
“Reality, I guess, was the new changes in the Eastern Territories. The king of East domain just recently lost his son and wife to a sudden attack from the demon realm. Pretty doubtful if you ask me, and with right scrutiny anyone can easily guess his reasons too. Ah! A romantic God is still a romantic at heart, how could you expect him to leave behind his habit of changing partners as dresses. The newly established Queen would have been the very maid-in-waiting that was awarded on the king by Concubine Meng. It so happened that by the grace of a passing rouge monk, the sister was saved but the tragic news of the death of her son and new marriage of her husband drove her insane. Even you might have heard this bit of news five years ago – and five years later she succeeded in her revenge, albeit she herself died in the end.”
“These dogs should keep biting each other. Who cares what they do with their own lives! But no, they wouldn’t leave you, your highness out of all these muddy waters!” Mistress Nu exclaimed with heightened emotions. Her face had already gone read with the bottling anger imagining the current situation of the Spring Domain and the leisurely mind games that those few courtiers and court ladies played with each other. “It’s not all in vain though. With this they are pretty busy to even care about whether the Frontiers are secure or not – leave that to level headed Gods and Goddesses. These noble people should simply keep tearing at themselves inside the safe boundaries of four walls. Who knows how much chaos they may add if they were allowed into the battles.”
“Hmm.” Princess Jingwei raised her hands and the small bugs flew away one by one into the open sky. “Perhaps.”
There were these moments when she didn’t know whether the differences of thoughts pervaded even the concept of moral boundaries. Was her existence so heinous that these immortal beings wanted her to cease to be? Just for a piece of land which they knew nothing off, and which they have only the knowledge left through imaginations of the past Gods, who themselves were never allowed to venture here?
To not exist would have been better – but in a world so embroiled in strife and the heavenly realm so unwittingly indifferent to these changes – her existence was something no one could deny. Even she could easily find her place in the chaos and greed. There was a reason for it all, eventually.
When she was born to the two of the most highly dignified deities with rolling territories on par with the imperial clan, she was taken as the obvious threat to everyone’s monopoly. In a peaceful realm, her parents would have seen her grow up safely then anointed her a small territory to keep away from the courtly strife, themselves looking after their own parts of lands. But in a world which is so embroiled in civil strife, with the demons from the demon realms and even newer unknown threats that even her Lord father had to take seriously, she was akin to an orphan left to survive on her own.
So, the less obvious her qualities were, the less talented she was the safer she felt. But it has all changed.
“Jingwei, mother apologizes for putting you through this. My child, but the blood that runs through you has already put a heavy duty over your shoulder, and some people don’t want you to grow up to do just that.” Her mother had explained slightly pensive, but mostly distraught at her being so unabashedly used inside the fairy court.
“I know, mother. I will never give them any chance to get at me.”
And she hadn’t given them any chance to prove her wrong. She had almost reached her time of adulthood, and soon in just five years she will be inheriting her talent and her title. Maybe, her parents wouldn’t be there anymore by then and would have already entered eternal sleep, if her fears were correct.
Perhaps, she will have to abandon this peaceful realm and look for another place to take abode. Or maybe, she might as well spend the rest of her life spinning vines and creating the arrows of Desolation in the Northern Frontier in lament. Or, she might be accompanying them in that sleep.
But either way, she will have to leave for the battleground a little earlier than expected. Before tomorrow’s court time.
Since she already has all the information about what tomorrow was going to bring her, she wasn’t going to give them a chance to dictate her life. A maid of honour to erstwhile Queen, not even the Empress of the Heavenly Court and only a mere Concubine? If it wasn’t all done to simply spite the Spring Domain and her noble heritage, she didn’t know what else it was.
It was time for her to flee.
Even if she wasn’t an adult, what does it matter – she will kill as many demons as she can. And perhaps, in that dark gruesome land filled with death and pain and unspoken anguish and shrieked lament – she might get a glimpse of her Lord father and mother before they fall. Give them a proper burial. And protect their remains from any unwanted greed.
And follow them.
