SKY OF PAPER: AN ASIAN STEAMPUNK FANTASY

CHAPTER 42

Far west of the humble islands of Ruin Nan, stood the mighty continent of Kin Ju. And along its eastern coast, lay the Eastern Kingdom, one of the few remaining nations in the world still ruled by a monarchy. Within the palace walls resided one of the most ambitious members of the Royal Family. Her name was Princess Xiangfeng.

Historians would depict her as the warrior queen, a woman whose fierce spirit and love of the military would herald the coming of a new dynasty, one which would see the nation's borders expand three fold and ferry the nation into becoming one of the most powerful in the world. 

Later, Queen Xiangfeng would die after only ten years in power. All her efforts in overthrowing the true successor to the throne, her uncle's son, would bring her many enemies. One of which, would bring about an assassin that would eventually end her life. 

Within the span of her short existence, she would marry and divorce four times. Many believed she felt threatened at having a king at her side, sharing her power. But as prolific as she was, few remembered the time when she almost married a young would-be exiled Rui Nan Emperor.

She was a child, just as I was when she watched me that evening, from across the way in one of the palace's many shrine rooms. Kassashimei sat behind me, awaiting the steady, commanding motions of my body, while Jiro, the Young Emperor was on the opposite side of the room, with a look of eager anticipation strewn across his face. 

I was to perform privately for the future warrior queen, who was then, a selfish, greedy girl. The precious tamma she had stolen from me would be mine again, only after I had satisfied her request. 

In the center of the room, lying upon the floor, there was a small cup made of paper, which held a tiny, fragile flame, the same object used by the bride in the kingdom's marriage ceremonies. 

Surrounding it were hundreds of candles. Row upon row they stood, lined up upon stepped shelves which were braced against the walls. Lighting such candles in that delicate manner I had seen earlier would have taken her all night, perhaps well into the next day. So this was just as much a favor to her as it was an exhibition of my skills.

I had seen the way those strange wings of fire had been manipulated that day when our airship arrived at the Eastern Kingdom. I even remember watching with muted excitement as Lai lashed about the fire tail like a long banner upon the breeze. I wanted to do the same, and I would show Princess Xiangfeng as well as myself that I could master it. 

Moving the ether around and into the paper cup, I made the tiny flame grow. Like a cobra hovering over its vase-like cage, the flame petered lazily about as it steadily grew taller. I balanced it as best as I could, being careful not to catch the cup on fire. 

Xiangfeng gasped as she stepped around the room while she observed the fire's timid dance. 

It was then that I snapped my arm to the side. 

Kassashimei responded in kind, and like an arrow, the flame shot in the direction of my arm. It spiraled and dove, then bounded from candle to candle, setting ablaze one candlewick after another. 

Intwined and mystically connected, both the flame and my upper body whirled in a frenzy of dramatic choreography. Kassashimei's lucky beads clacked loudly from my wrist as I whipped my arms to and fro, transforming it into a jet of blazing rope that stretched the length of the room. 

The Young Emperor seemed hardly impressed. . . or at least he pretended. Still, I suppose he was used to seeing this sort of thing. 

"You're like a tamer of snakes," Xiangfeng said, amused. "The sort that burns of course."

Xiangfeng's attendants also watched on, a look of awe glazed upon their eyes. I too was impressed with myself, so much so, that I was blind to my own folly. The stream of fire grew with every candle lit. Hundreds fed their light to a creature that wriggled like a tenacious beast, growing weary of its master. Focused on the motions of the ether that controlled the flame, I paid hardly any attention to the writhing fury that grew steadily around me. Then like a great, twisting vine, there was a sudden howl, then a blaze that lit the room with such a horrendous glow, that everyone teetered backwards shielding their eyes from the burst of searing light. 

The serpent flame had shaped itself into the form of a blazing, leafless tree, it's roots stretching into the myriad candles that surrounded it. The branches reached for the ceiling and like nails of iron, pierced the wood and stone, cracking their foundations. 

Xiangfeng screamed, as did the servants, who fled for the door. The Young Emperor bounded for his betrothed and lead her away. Kassasshimei looked on just as I did, captivated by the thing we had created. She must have seen it too; an enormous tower of flame shaped to our will, and casting upon us, a grim spell of admiration that at first, kept our fears at bay. 

"Terr, kill it, put it out," the Young Emperor commanded.

Amidst the heat and the stinging smell of charred wood, I waved my arms about, wrapping the flame against the ether's embrace. Still, the fiery beast was too large, and as if mocking my vain efforts, it burst forth from its cage and grew larger still. 

It reached out to me with a long, writhing arm, seeking out its creator. Fear finally came to me and I looked back at Kassashimei as she tugged hurriedly at my arm. 

Ren Tzu's sword swung downwards, severing the fiery limb. He swung again, cutting away at the flame and waving me away, but his blade was not enough. Slowly, the fire reached for him too, seeking another victim to consume. 

The ether moved suddenly like a great wave upon the shore, and crashed through the doors and upon the fire. The creature howled in protest. 

It was Ai. 

With a graceful twirling motion, she spun into the room, letting loose another ethereal wave. Then, with a downward wisp of her arms, she brought down a mighty cascade upon the flame's shoulders, causing it to bow towards the ground, then whimper away, leaving behind a few faintly glowing embers. 

 Amidst the scattered puddles of melted candle wax, charred stone works and cindered wood, Princess Xiangfeng came to me with a look upon her face that seemed both shocked and disappointed. My own feelings were not far from hers, as just a moment before I had seen the very face of death reaching for my life. But after the fierce destruction I had caused, the only selfish thought that remained was whether or not there was any chance of getting my tamma back. 

"He did what you asked, now give it to him," Kassashimei demanded, ignorant to the recent carnage. "He's lit all your candles. That was the deal wasn't it?"

"And he tried to kill me," she uttered in a shaky, but determined tone, all the while glaring and huffing fiercely.

"Give it to him," The Young Emperor said calmly.

She faced the young man whom she was to marry, opening her mouth as if she were about to blame him for my misdeed. But after a short, silent moment, she reached into a small velvet purse that hung from the belt of her robe, then pitched the crystalline object in my direction. 

I caught it just as it struck my chest. Finally, the tamma I'd lost was back in my possession, but as I held it, I realized the horrifying truth of its condition. In my hand, was only a jagged, misshapen piece of what was once a complete sphere.

"Where's the rest of it," I asked.

"My sister has it," she said. "The thing was already cracked, so we broke it in half and shared it. She won't give it to you though. She's not as generous as I am."  

The half, orb-like shard leaped from my hand and arced high into the air where it levitated teasingly from my reach. It was Ai who approached from behind, using the soft, supple motions of her hand to spin the ether around my tamma, causing it to bob and weave as if it were a petal caught in some swirling breeze. 

        Her hand then clenched into a fierce-looking fist. 

Suddenly, and without mercy, what remained of my tamma was crushed under the ether's force, then shattered with a sickening crack. With a flourish of her arm the pieces floated as a single stream of glass and crystal back down to the earth, where upon the ground, they settled in a single, perfect pile.