Aspiration to the Heavens: Becoming the Supreme Mage Vol 2- Descent of Darkness

Episode 29: Return to Mina

*Iah*

I stared at the soaring mountains all around me. A thin mist descended from them, covering the city in a white blanket. Even the multi-story palace which laid beyond a polished three-meter tall jasper wall at the center of town. Or at least a material which resembled jasper. It by far had more strength than the usual stone did.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed open a pair of golden gates. Only members of the royal family were allowed to enter and leave the place at will without requiring the guards to open them.

Beyond the wall rested a complex made up of five buildings. The first one I came across was vermilion and had a reddish-golden bird perched on top of a red tiled rooftop. Around it was a garden of flowers. They say that the building was the original building in the town and even that it served as the original palace. If so then the old center part of the building far surpassed the age of the Wudi clan itself. It was a Xianian constructed building.

"Prince Iah," several servants said as I walked through the porch of the vermilion building. They were all girls wearing identical red robes fastened by pink sashes around their tiny frames. The three instantly dropped what they were doing and bowed. "Welcome back o honorable future sovereign."

Future sovereign... 

I wasn't even sure about accepting the throne yet...

I raised my right hand up and down to indicate to them to rise. 

The two maiden instant walked over to me and summoned some golden robes which they draped over me. I took the sash from them and fasted the robes over my casual clothes. Meanwhile, I did that, a third maiden untied my samurai bun and combed my hair back before placing a tiny golden crown on top of my head. The prince's crown they called it.

I sighed. It felt weird to be treated this way after so long. 

"Thanks," I said, smiling at the three girls.

"No need, Prince Iah," the three said, bowing once more. "The three of us are but your humble servants. We are to serve the royal family until our dying breathes, that is our fate."

I sighed and glanced up at the red-gold bird high above where I stood.

"I understand that you're thankful for what my family has done for you, but don't you have any dreams?" I asked, reaching a hand out for the heavens.

"No, sire," said one of the three. She had short red hair which reached up to her neck. "Well, none either than to serve His Higheness and all of his family. You are the reason we still draw breath."

That's not what I wanted to hear...

"It's as Ling says," said a second. This one had the same red hair but hers reached as far as the bottom of her spine.

The third one simply nodded.

"I... I see," I said, smiling. "Well, I'll be on my way now."

I ran off.

Those three were so royal to the crown. It was kind of eerie. At the same time, it was kind of soothing; knowing that there were people who depended on my family and trusted on them with all their hearts. That they trusted us meant that we were doing a good job as sovereigns of the land given to us by our gods.