Miraculous

PART ONE - Rebirth

152 BCE
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There was a sorceress once, she lived a reclusive life in the mountains outside the outskirts of a small Tibetan village.

Every year, in the autumn, she'd come down to the village to collect a few valuable goods. Whether it was silk or multiple jewels. She would always stop by the same shop.

This continued for a few years. When the shopkeeper noticed the trend, he asked the fair sorceress, "Why do you always come the same time of year to collect the same type of items?"

The sorceress tilted her head and offered a small smile before responding, "Do you offer these items during other times of the year?" The surprised shopkeeper nodded his head. He opened his mouth to speak, but she interrupted him.

"No, not these, these only come once every autumn. These are from all over the world, specifically brought on the Silk Roads from the various different places on the globe. I come to collect these global stones, and not just the ones you bring from Han court." The shopkeeper seemed confused.

"Global stones?" He asked, he nearly laughed, "My lady, these jewels are brought by the same caravan every few months."

"I've been here during other seasons to buy these jewels, but maybe you did not recognize me." And with that she vanished. The shopkeeper watched her fading shadow out the shop and down the street. She returned once more to her home, up in the mountains, away from the villagers.

What did she mean by 'global stones'? He wondered, it left him perplexed for days. Eventually he went looking for her for an answer. He went by most of the homes, asking if she lived there, if she was by chance anyone's daughter. Most villagers looked at him confused.

"Give us features, what does she wear?" One lady asked, "She's tall for a woman, always in red garments, and her hair is very long, braided all the way down. Her skin is a pasty pale color, she looks very foreign, like she's from the Steppe lands."

"I've seen her before! She comes by the market near the outskirts of the town every two weeks to buy food. Perhaps you'll see her." A small girl told the man.

So everyday, the man would go to the market near the outskirts of the village. But he could not find her.

He asked around if anyone knew the woman. But nobody did. When the man gave up looking, that was when he found her at the market.

"Miss... miss..." He called out, eventually she turned around.

"It's improper for you to be hounding a lady." She spoke in calm tone, her back ever so turned against him.

"I need to know who you are, and I need to know the real reason you come by my store every autumn."

"I already told you the reason." He took in a deep breath, "No, you have not. There is more to it."

"If I can trust you, if you are willing to learn my ways, that is when I can tell you the reason." With that she walked away.

"Where do you live!" She looked back and pointed at the mountain in the background, "I live up there."

So he went up the mountain the next day after he closed the store.

And he discovered the jewels the sorceress was collecting were like no other.

They were powerful.