The tale of the fox and the dragon egg

Special 1 - Dawn

It pushed an amused laugh from him, one he regretted deep in his hurt muscles. It was worth it though. Something else drew his gaze then – something standing out from that smooth, black hair worn into a simple, but intricate design. Something bright and white, something resembling a -

A white ribbon. A slim and intricate piece of cloth.

It felt like ice running down his back suddenly and his face darkened in an instant.

Shewas a Lan. One of the people that chased him up the mountain. One of thedragons that wanted to see him and his family dead. A person that could simplystab him right here and there, without someone blaming her.

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Wen Haoguang hissed and clutched harder at the horrible looking, bleeding wound on his stomach.

Even his legs wanted to give out under him, but he prevailed. Collapsing now would be his death-sentence. And the voices behind him, the ones screaming and searching for him, made it clear that that slash on his stomach would be deepened if given the chance. The sticky blood running between his fingers wouldn't be the only thing outside then.

A grunt left him as his shoulder caught on the bark of the tree and his long, brown hair stuck to the side of his face. Just when did he get so panicked that he didn't see the obvious object in front of him?! But that gave him the chance to lean on the solid thing and maybe, just maybe, it would be permitted to rest here for a bit-

The warm blood seeping through his right hand perished that foolish thought.

With newfound vigour, the phoenix pushed himself from the tree and continued his goalless search through the forests of Gusu. It would have been a marvellous sight, with the healthy and mighty treetops up and around him; with the promise of a clear sky above his head, one he would love to soar through. But right this moment, it resembled more of a guillotine and chains around his body.

„There's blood on this tree here! He must be around here!"

„Damn it", he cursed under his short breath, then doubled the speed of his legs. They buckled underneath his weight, but the voices in the distance punched him forward.

Everything in front of him blurred together. With a frightening realisation, Wen Haoguang continued to push – push – push -

And then, just like that, the sound of a guqin travelled to his ears. The sound was calming, clear and the purest melody he had the honour to witness.

Maybe I'm already seconds away from death, he thought with a sickening grin on his face, at least I will die with a good song to accompany me.

His friend, Wen Ming, would have sneered at that. He was always the one that punched him out of the bad situations his ideas brought him into. Until today, that is. Maybe he should have listened to him this once. That yes, that resentful ghost on the edge of the mountains from Cloud Recess would be gone before he knew it, because Lan were always diligent in those things. But one look at the children from that home and the not-so-subtle question of that old angry hag was enough to bring him over.

You'll probably kill yourself this time and I won't be the one to pull you out of it, Wen Ming had said after that.

Wait – somebody once said that memories of his life would flash in front of a dying mans eyes. Was it already time?

With the sudden view that allowed to grace his eyes, Wen Haoguang would answer yes.

He always imagined the immortal realm to look like this – a little pond, including flowers surrounding it in the little cave of trees and bushes. And then – a fair maiden, too beautiful to comprehend, just like this. She probably eased everyone's way to finally cross the line between life and death; at least the sound of her guqin eased his mind.