The Celestial Kingdom, 2000 years ago
The passage of seasons never left its mark in the Celestial Kingdom. Eternal spring embraced the land of the deities and immortals. Emerald shrubs abound with brilliant vermilion, warm topaz, deep blues, and honeyed golds. Trees with trunks wider than a mortal's arm span stood tall and proud, dripping with fruits like glittering jewels, scenting the air with their sweet fragrance. Wispy clouds floated around lazily, dazzling white against a soft dove-grey sky. Towards the east of the Kingdom, over the mountaintops, a pink blush awaited, like an infant's first breath, to be awakened.
Right in the heart of the Kingdom stood the Jade Palace, floating on a blanket of clouds as though teetered to the puffy mass by invisible gossamer strings. The Palace sparkled like an enchanted jewel box as the delicate morning sun beamed on the gold and silver structure, bedecked with precious gems and decorated with intricate carvings of soaring dragons and phoenixes. The air, though humming with guarding spells cast to protect the Palace, was tranquil.
A sudden buzzing soon disturbed the serenity. It started in the western side of the Kingdom, concentrated there for a moment before spreading. Soon the buzzing grew louder, culminating in the total commotion that swept toward the Palace. Heavy running footsteps, the loud clanging of military armor, and curt barks of order tore at the veils of peace, rendering them into nothingness. Instead, panic, incredulity, and rage now reigned.
"Your Majesties! Yu-Hu has escaped from the Celestial Prison!" A prison guard stumbled into the Court Room and knelt before the three imposing figures, trembling from physical exertion and trepidation.
"Yu-Hu has escaped? How did he manage that?" the Jade Emperor*, resplendent in his golden robes embroidered with scarlet and azure dragons, stood abruptly from his throne, his hands clutching so tightly at the handles that his knuckles turned white. The strands of lustrous pearls that cascaded from the jewel-encrusted base of his crown swung violently with his sudden movement. Beside him, the Celestial Goddess* paled. Both looked at each other, their faces etched with shock and disbelief before they turned to the bearded deity sitting on the left side of the dais.
"Lao-Jun, you had assured us that Yu-hu can't break out. How do you explain this now?" the Goddess questioned the deity, who stood to face the incensed Rulers. Tai-shang Lao-Jun* bowed, his outstretched hands cupped into a fist.
"My honorable Jade Emperor and Celestial Goddess. We were all present when Yu-Hu was chained up and locked away. The chains and cage were enhanced with my most potent imprisonment spells that no immortals and deities could break. There was, indeed, no possible way that Fox could have gotten loose."
"Most potent imprisonment spells? No possible way? Obviously, your enchantments aren't as powerful as you think!" the incensed Jade Emperor bellowed. "Or perhaps you have become complacent with your position as my advisor and allowed your powers to deteriorate."
Lao-Jun ignored the Emperor's snide remark. "Your Majesty should know my abilities and powers well enough. But now, it is useless to point accusing fingers and ask how Yu-hu escaped. We should be looking at why he took the risk. And where he might have gone."
The advisor stroked his flowy white beard pensively. "I am sure we know the reason for his breakout. The only reason why he will risk everything for-his powers, his immortality, and his life. And the why leads directly to the where." Lao-Jun paused intentionally. "The Mortal Realm."
"Even after everything? Even when he knows that his life force and spiritual essence will be destroyed by the Essence Sealing Needle embedded in his heart....?" the Celestial Goddess exclaimed.
YOU ARE READING
A Love Beyond Time
Fanfiction"Sagiri." Shion turned to the young lady beside him, a soft smile of quiet bliss and wonderment adorning his handsome face. "Have you ever, ever imagined that things would turn out this way when we embarked on that assignment to Shinsekyo those year...
