Born of Water and Flames

Wandering Water

•Vietnam•

The ocean was cold and clear, the beach a mirror image of the one that I grew up with. The water became solid at my touch, the four of us hurrying so that the water did not give way under our feet. The island we sought appeared in the distance. It was so close. Soon we were flat out sprinting for it, the island seeming like a dream, until I stumbled onto the sand. I glanced around for the others. Akemi was on her knees at the edge of the water, looking slightly sick. Yuke and Apinya were looking around. I went over to Akemi, wondering if maybe she was seasick, and I saw exactly why she looked so terrible. Just under the surface was a woman, a chain running from her ankle to the sand. Her hair was a pale shade of blue-green, her eyes the same blue as the sea. A water nymph, chained to land. A punishment for one who had gone against Raja, the God-King. Then a silvery voice whispered in my head.

Will you liberate me?

Of course, I thought. My friend Yuke has several hairpins, maybe we could unlock the chain.

That is not what I meant, the nymph spoke. The chain was forged by the blacksmith god, Duanzao. It is unbreakable, and I cannot be freed from the chain. Now I understood what she needed. Yuke had given us each a hairpin, in case we needed it. The edges and tip were razor-sharp. I handed the pin to the nymph. I was aware of Akemi looking sadly at her. The nymph took the pin, raised it to her neck, and cut her throat. I could see the life fading from her eyes. Unlike a human, her body dissolved into the water, the nymph forever a part of the South China Sea. The same silvery voice spoke in my head.

Do not mourn me, Lien. I am not completely gone, but I shall never have a physical form again. The gods punished me, because I was a water nymph who dared to continue to use my powers. Have no pity for the court of Heaven, Lien. They will stop at nothing to kill you, and the only way you will be safe is if you make it to the Great Hall where the gods have their council. But you are not alone, No elemental nymph will help the gods, but all of them will assist you. I will assist you. But Lien, I have one last gift for you. Did you know your name means lotus? The lotus flower represents honor, and you have that. For centuries, I have give no one my name. But because you have free me, I shall give it to you. I am Rotasu, flower of the South China Sea.

•China•

Lien and Akemi were kneeling at the edge of the water, probably doing something useful. Apinya was gathering plants to use for medicinal purposes. And me? I was up a tree. I have no idea why I decided to climb the tree. It was an interesting tree though. The tree has lychee-like fruits, the only notable difference being that this fruit had purple skin. Now that I see the fruit, I remember. This is a Kuangzao tree. I remember Apinya lecturing us on this tree's fruit. It was notable in some way. I called Apinya over, asking her what the fruit was. Her eyes went very big.

"Yuke, those fruits are Hijoshiki fruits. They cause a mental illness. They're famous in Vietnam because of an incident when a nobleman from Vietnam used it to unseat the emperor, and put his nephew on the throne. That's how the current emperor's grandfather came into power."

I barely registered the rest of what she said. Used it to unseat the emperor...

•Taiwan•

I couldn't tell the others what else I had seen in the vision. For three to live, one must stay behind in Heaven. For only a year, yes, but during that year she will be among gods, and she will become godlike herself. When she returns to Earth, she will retain the immortality she had, making her a nymph. Her perspective of the world, and of her friends, may change, for her mind has been changed by life in Heaven. The others couldn't stay in Heaven. They all had dreams, they had hopes. I knew that Apinya wished to go to the Thai court, and take up a position as a royal advisor. To teach her people the joys of peace, after the war with Cambodia. Yuke wanted to replace her mother with her sister, and stay in the court with them. Lien wanted to repair her relationship with her siblings, and possibly insult her mother in front of them. She wanted to go and ask her sisters to go to Fenzi with her, and it would be an even bigger blow to her mother if her brothers came as well. When the time comes, it will have to be me.