Born of Water and Flames

Taiwan

The ship sailed northwest across the sea, heading toward the thin stripe of land that was the Asian mainland. Vietnam and China's border was closer than ever before. Even from the distance of two more days at sea, the gleaming towers of Fenzi shine against the dawn sky. Fenzi is not only known for it's worship of Shijie, or it's odd location as being in neither Vietnam nor China, yet not becoming its own country. The architecture of Fenzi is world-renown. The gleaming silver towers, the gorgeous houses, and buildings. The houses in Kongqi, the subcity of air, are large and airy, with lots of windows and skylights, and decent sized yard with tall trees. In Lok, the subcity of earth, the homes are built close to the ground, often only one story, but there were huge expansive yards and gardens. In Huo, the subcity of fire, the houses were often stone, or other fire resistant materials. The yards have brick sidewalks weaving through gardens planted with dahlias, and chrysanthemums, flowers with fiery colors, as well as fire resistant flowers like hedging roses, bush honeysuckle, and rockrose. There are also red monkey flowers and yellow ice plants. And in Nuoc, the water subcity, the homes are large, and so are yards, usually with indoor waterfalls and huge bathing chambers. Oftentimes there are ponds and lakes in the yards as well. For a disciple of Shijie, these homes are a dream.

-Nearly Two Days Later-

I curl up in my bunk, an image hovering in my head, of three girls. A girl with ebony hair and russet eyes, fire swirling around her around her as she makes her way through an obviously Chinese market. A girl with charcoal hair escaping from her hood and smokey black eyes, She is nervously looking at a Wanted poster with her picture and information. Water swirls at her feet. The next girl is racing across a field, with leaves dancing around her, weaving through her jet black hair. Her rich chocolate brown eyes are filled with both anticipation and fear. I call out to them, asking them to be careful, but as I near them, the ship's bell rings. We have arrived at the port on the China-Vietnam border.