CHAPTER 33

“My little princess…”

“Still sulking over his urn?” guessed Christine as Yexi entered the room she was sharing with the Fierell sisters. They were fortunate to have found a new hotel at the quieter parts of the city which offered promotional rates for their customers. Two twin double beds room and one double bed room remained affordable for them. Though the rooms were not of grandeur, they promised enough comfort for the night’s sleep.

“I have never seen him so depressed,” the Daiburno admitted miserably.

Kyoden flopped onto one of the double beds relaxingly and crossed his arms behind his head. “What happened to his urn? I thought it was his second shadow,” he said but was scolded by Sonia for messing up the bed. He stuck out his tongue at her and went to sit on a vacant chair since Christine and Raviex were sitting on the other bed.

“He lost it,” answered the Prince vaguely.

The black-haired one laughed. “You don’t just lose an urn like that. He must have left it somewhere when he was window-shopping earlier on.”

Christine grimaced. “He did.”

“Then, go and get it back. Is it so hard?” he returned, amused at what he treated as a menial problem.

“Okay,” she said sarcastically, “just tell me how I can go to a place which existed for one moment and gone at the next.”

Lorenne’s attention was seized. “What is this about? I want to know from the very beginning of it.” Sonia was of the same opinion. Raviex made no notion to do the storytelling. So, Christine took the role of narrating their mind-boggling adventure. When she ended it at the part where they discovered that the shop had disappeared into thin air, the audience was flabbergasted.

“Poor urn! It must feel so lonely right now, lost in a different dimension!” Kyoden mourned dramatically.

Sonia smacked him on the head with a perfect aimed pillow. “That’s not the point, idiot!” she scowled.

“Sonia’s right,” said Lorenne broodingly. “You are sure you never left the city?” She looked at Christine. The girl nodded in affirmation.

“Yet I could not hear Shenjoon’s heartbeat,” muttered Yexi. “But if you did not leave the city and I cannot pinpoint your location…” She left her sentence hanging.

“Simple, they entered a different realm— or dimension, as Kaneshiro puts it,” concluded Sonia calmly.

The Haikenese scratched his chin. “But I was only joking about that, Sonia.”

“Do you have any other better suggestion?” she snapped. “There’s no other way to explain it. There’re too many riddles in front of us.”

Christine gazed at the Prince who seemed to be in deep thoughts. “What are you thinking about, Your Highness?” she asked softly, slipping a hand into his.

He smiled at her tenderness. “Ryn, do you think it was all an illusion?”

She considered his words but shook her head. “I believe it was not an illusion. Shenjoon’s missing urn is proof, isn’t it? He left it in Mr. Gan-Zhang’s shop but now, it’s nowhere to be found.”

“If we agree that it was real, logically, everything we saw, heard and felt was not a bluff too,” Raviex revised her statement.

Kyoden gaped, “So, Green Dragon exists!”

“Let us suppose it exists,” said Lorenne, “but I must point out that Mr. Gan-Zhang might only be someone who does not want to be identified because there is no Gan-Zhang Wei. His existence is impossible because Gan Yi’s bloodline was wiped out after his enemies slaughtered the last of his grandsons.”

“I should have thought about it! If only I remembered it when he was introducing himself,” Raviex scolded himself for his lack of memory that time.

“Aww… you shouldn’t be too harsh on yourself, Raviex. We all know history is practically the most humdrum subject back in school,” Kyoden consoled him in a cheerful tone. Lorenne coughed, disapproving his lopsided concept but decided to pay no heed to it. He gave a silly laugh and then asked, “Can we determine if Mr Gan-Zhang is for us or against us?”

“We cannot justify that for the meantime. If Mr. Gan-Zhang meant harm, he would have just sealed them Raviex, Christine and Shenjoon away in that dimension when he had the chance. Similarly, if Mr. Gan-Zhang meant no harm, then what was his purpose here?” Sonia laid out her point of view.

“As far as history records, the last person who was known to hold Green Dragon was Gan Yi’s second son, Gan Shing---”

Kyoden unwittingly interrupted Lorenne. “Why didn’t his eldest son inherit it?”

The elder Fierell grunted. “Well, if you had paid attention in class, you would know that Gan Phen, died together with his father in the same war six years after the War of the Tragic Bloodshed.”

“How do they know so much?” he mumbled in Raviex’s direction.

He shrugged. “They studied?”

“Pardon me, as I was saying…,” continued Lorenne. Raviex made an apology. “There was a saying that Gan Shing gave Green Dragon to a friend and the unnamed friend became the broken thread to historians in their efforts of tracking it down. A second but simpler hypothesis was that it was stolen from him.”

“Therefore, how that so-called Mr. Gan-Zhang comes to own Green Dragon is a complete mystery. My bigger concern is his ability to cast dimension spell,” she finished.

“Why? Can’t you? We’ve seen what you’re capable of,” said Kyoden.

Yexi, who was quiet all these while, stood up from the sisters’ bed. “I do not doubt Lorenne but you have overestimated her, Kyoden,” she remarked in her melodic voice.

The girl nodded. “Dimension spell is purportedly a myth to spell-casters. The disappearance of White Ruins is the only evidence in magic history which supports the theory of dimension spell. You must know that dimension spell can only be cast by a being that is as powerful as a god.”

Everyone besides Yexi stared at her, wondering if it was a joke—and if it was not, then, which god had descended to Senadon?

For a heartbeat, she weighed the possibility that Mr. Gan-Zhang was him. However, she dismissed it a second later with a rueful sigh.

It can’t be him. He is a half-god now, no longer a god.

The silence was broken by Yexi’s light footsteps which were headed for the room’s door. “Are you going back to your room?” asked Christine.

She chuckled dryly. “No, Christine. Shenjoon is not in our room now. He sneaked out a minute ago.”

“Are you serious?” Kyoden blurted.

“Yes, I hope he doesn’t wander too far off. I will go and find him.”

“Why not let us all go? Perhaps we could cheer him up by accompanying him,” said Raviex.

Yexi inclined her head and said, “Thank you, Your Highness. Your thoughtfulness is much appreciated.”

“Please, ‘Raviex’ would be enough,” he insisted as the rest moved for the door as well.

Christine laughed at his modesty. “Come on, dear Prince, or you’ll get left behind.”

He groaned at her teasing as she pulled him up by the hand and trailed behind their friends.

Two children giggled and ran on the streets merrily; the girl chasing the boy in a game of tag. People did not care. They were ordinary children, playing an ordinary children’s game. Their laughter was merely a part of the noises of the lively city.

“Chronos, I am tired!” she yelled for him to stop but enjoying herself all the same. She bent over and gasped for breaths. The boy slowed down and turned back for his twin sister, grinning.

“It is not everyday that I hear you complain about being tired, little sister,” he teased.

“For crying out loud, I never agreed that I was younger than you, Chronos. I still believe I was created not a second later than you,” she said tersely, feeling crossed. “And it’s not my fault I tire so easily. This child form of a female human is simply weak.”

The one named Chronos laughed childishly. “Come now, Kairos, I honestly thought you look cute in that form.”

“Oh, stop joking already,” she chided but smiled despite herself. “I’ve had enough of running. I don’t see why children love this meaningless activity.”

In the midst of people on the street, Kairos transformed from a little girl into the figure of a grown woman. Her shoulder-length black hair grew longer, covering her blossomed chests and her bronze eyes matured to match her altered looks. It was as though she aged ahead of time. A plain pale blue dress clothed her body.

Chronos raised an eyebrow at his sister’s action but underwent his own transformation, changing into a grown man. He towered over her and the side of the same black hair he shared with her grew a little past his ears while the front of his hair were matted and ruffled.

“We should not do this too often, Kairos. Strong Lundae may be able to see our changes,” he said quietly in contrast of his former offhand character as they walked on naturally.

“On the contrary, Chronos, it seems that I did not lose my touch in years. None of them could distinguish my Genesis Energy from their own Sacred Energy; not the Prince; not the Yamist; not the Messenger,” she boasted and giggled at the varieties of lanterns sold by a stall. She paid the lady seller a few Kihs and took the butterfly-shaped lantern.

“If they could, then you have no rights to remain as the Guardian of Fate anymore. That’s really nothing to boast about.” He chuckled at her conceit but added, “I presume you have shown that little Messenger Gan Yi’s Green Dragon?”

“Rest assured that I have played my role well,” guaranteed Kairos. “Oh, by the way, the Messenger forgot to take his urn with him when he left! What am I to do with it?”

The man smirked. “It doesn’t matter. When one thing is lost, just replace it with a new one—a far better one! I will present to him a gift. He is a smart boy and he will know what to do with it.”

“Gan Yi was only an excuse from the very beginning, wasn’t it, Chronos?” the sister asked, even though she knew the answer.

He gazed at the starlit sky. “Gan Yi wanted to protect his empire. We gave him Green Dragon for a good purpose. The Light had no reason to oppose our deed and we were true to our words. We reclaimed Green Dragon from his son. But time showed me Letaikno’s birth while fate proved it to be predestined. Wouldn’t you like to know… whose creation is stronger?”

“Are you testing the Light?” Again, it was a question with a known answer. Her face was untouched with any emotions.

“Both the Light and the Darkness,” he rectified. “We are superior beings, ranking beyond the twenty gods, my sister. We were first; they second, remember that.”

Shenjoon stared with dejection at the pottery shop. He fervently tried to recall how he had discovered Mr. Gan-Zhang’s shop but it was of no help. All he did was walked right into the shop without any suspicion. So did Raviex and Christine! He sighed as he acknowledged the fact that he was desperate to get his urn back. He looked to his left, however, noticing a disturbance down the road.

A five-seat vehicle was blasting its hone in a boorish manner at the pedestrians. People scrambled to the two sides of the street although it was a non-vehicle road. The crystal-powered vehicle (CPV) hovered half a metre above the ground and cruised through the path opened for them. Another black vehicle which was more luxurious-looking and longer than the one in front of it followed with an air of arrogance.

“Look at those maggots, standing there, admiring us,” the woman in the second car sniggered. Her husband was about to join in on the comments when their driver suddenly stomped on the brake, almost throwing them off their seats.

Furious, the woman jabbed on the button to wind down the sound-proof window which separated them and the driver. Her companion stuck his fingers into his ears and prepared for what was to come. “What is the meaning of this, Furino!?” she bellowed at the driver at the top of her voice.

The young driver stammered, “I…I’m sorry, ma’am b…but Dashui st…stopped without warning.”

“Well, tell him to get moving!” she screamed.

“Y…yes, ma’am.” He contacted Dashui using his walkie-talkie and reiterated the report to his employers that a small girl had fallen down and was blocking the road, only to be yelled at again to remove her from their way at once.

Dashui poked his head out of the car’s window and glowered at her, heartless to her frightened face. He punched on the hone. It blared and deafened those who were nearby but she remained on the spot, too afraid to move.

“Get outta the way, you stupid girl!” he shouted, annoyed that he was scolded by his employers because of her. When she did not respond besides looking at him in fear, Dashui ordered, “Huwan, make her leave!”

One of the doors of the CPV flung open and a sturdy man hopped out of the vehicle. He appeared to be a professional guard for he wore a uniform of black coat and trousers. He loomed over the girl and sneered.

“What are you going to do to her? She’s only a child!” A woman from the crowd stood forward to defend the poor girl. Huwan turned to refer to his leader for orders.

“Just deal with the girl! If anyone interferes, make them regret they acted brave. And hurry up! You know the mistress is impatient!” Dashui blustered.

Huwan understood. He shoved the woman hard to the side. A few women caught her before she fell and glared at him. The people watched in horror as he stretched out a hand to grab the girl on the neck. She started to cry, wishing for her parents to appear to protect her.

As his fingers were about to clasp her fragile neck, a grey blur was seen. Dashui was confused when Huwan suddenly huddled over and crashed to the ground. His frustration was at the peak when he met a pair of sharp and intense brown eyes.

“Call yourself a man, picking on a girl?” snarled Shenjoon.

“Boys, make him pay for what he did!” spat Dashui. Three more men with the equal build of the first got out of the vehicle, heated that their colleague was taken down by the likes of a teenager.

People were amazed, witnessing Shenjoon’s victory over the men with mere kicks on their upper body. They marvelled and cheered for him. It was Dashui’s turn to tremble. His employers had also come out of their CPV to demand an explanation of delay from him.

“You bunch of useless backbones!” the woman shrieked at her defeated guards. She strode over to Shenjoon, her face distorted with rage. “Who are you to block my way home?!”

“Who are you to bully others, old hag?” Shenjoon retorted, crossing his arms. A pretty woman with a fantastically hideous heart… she is a shame to all oriental beauties.

“How dare you call me an ‘old hag’!? I am only twenty-nine!” She fired at him, her oriental eyes enflamed. “For your information, you rude and pathetic boy, my husband, Koon Thye, and I, Koon Dahn are the wealthiest people in this city.”

“Money doesn’t give you the right to bully people,” he said coolly. “The Kingdom’s laws protect lord and commoner alike. And if I am not mistaken, this road disallows vehicle to enter.”

“Fines are nothing to me. Money, you little maggot, changes everything. It changes what is right to wrong and wrong to right,” she stated, jabbing him with her red purse which matched her red sleeveless and v-cut collar qipao.

“Do you think your money can protect you if I have a go right now at you?” questioned Shenjoon. “I’m pretty much done with your henchmen.” He jerked his head at the men who were either crouching over in pain or retreating from him. He did not think he would tolerate her any longer.

Koon Thye yanked her on the arm urgently, not doubting that Shenjoon meant what he said and told her that they would be taking the CPV road home for the day. She insisted on using the route they were on but let in after he promised to purchase her the diamond necklace she wanted the other day.

“You are lucky, boy. Don’t you ever show up before me again!” threatened Koon Dahn. “Get up. You lousy worms. We’re leaving!” She exclaimed in disgust at the hired guards.

“My grandfather once told me, Mrs. Koon, wealth comes to those who share the warmth it can bring with others; wealth goes away from those who are self-centred.” he cautioned, when she was entering her CPV, “Riches of the world are mere illusion. The wealth my grandfather referred to is true wealth which is stored in Amaea—the blessing of the soul to live eternally in joy.”

She snorted. “Oh please, spare me your grandfather’s lecture. Those are words of denial spoken by the lower-class which is jealous of the upper-class.”

Shenjoon shrugged and shook his head in disgust. I should ask Grandpa if owning one of the world’s largest crystal mines is still considered a poor man. But because there are rich ones like Mrs. Koon, well-off individuals are almost always condemned of being snobbish. The spectators dispersed soon after the two CPVs left but not before they smiled and complimented the Flamese for his good deed, leaving him feeling quite pleased.

Nevertheless, his good mood was temporary. When the distraction was over, he sank into gloominess again. He turned back bleakly, his mind congested as he grieved for his urn. It was with me since… since forever, he sighed.

His thoughts were interrupted shortly by silent weeping. He suddenly remembered the cause of his encounter with the Koons. He wheeled around and knelt down beside the girl but found himself untutored on how to deal with a girl and her tears. Yexi rarely cried. In addition, she was a stranger. What should he say? He wrecked his brain, snapping his fingers when it hit him.

“Are you hurt?” he asked. Sweet Elinas, I feel so stupid.

She lowered her hands from her eyes to see her consoler. A peculiar feeling coursed through Shenjoon when he caught her attractive and familiar pair of evenly-spaced grey eyes. His lips broke into a sub-conscious smile, knowing who he was reminded of. However, she wore silk-made Flamese clothes and her facial features did not belong to a Daiburno’s.

The eleven-year-old girl quieted down as she peered into his eyes. He wondered why she was not answering him but out of the blue experienced pain on his arms and knees. He winced and checked his limbs for injuries but he found none and the pain disappeared.

Then, he understood (not that he knew how it was done) the pain was the girl’s. “You must have injured yourself. Argh… I don’t have any healing skills,” he muttered frantically. He snapped his fingers the second time. “But Lorenne has! Come, I’ll carry you on my back. I’ll take you to Lorenne. She’s a friend of mine who’s a great healer—”

“Why, thank you, Shenjoon.”

“Of course you are, Lorenne—” He paused abruptly, looking up to see his friends. He greeted them with an awkward smile. “I didn’t know you guys were around.”

Lorenne sat on her heels beside the girl, smiling reassuringly at her. She laid a hand on her head and muttered, “By the power bestowed in me by the Light—Heal.” A white light glowed. The girl cringed but realised she was cured. She lifted her long sleeves and saw that there was not even a scar on her arms nor her knees. A look of wonder was expressed on her face.

Shenjoon, however, noticed a strange, knowing smile on Yexi’s face.