In a dimly lit corridor, a man rushes to a large ornate door guarded by two armed men. The guards look at him and confirm his identity. The large door opens to a grand throne room colored crimson red. Servants and guards line the path. Kneeling before the throne veiled with a screen. The man said,
"Lord Ciel, it's just as you said. The mist that clouded the seas has lifted."
The figure on the throne smiled. "So, it's finally time. Send word to the council, we start preparations. We will take it all, everything in this world will belong to me!"
Meanwhile, the sun rises on a large island to the east. A village of brightly colored tents rests by the river. In a blue tent, I wake to the sound of children’s laughter.
It's been a week since I arrived in this world. The island I'm on has no name but is part of Tsuki. Currently, I'm staying in Niji village a place made up of three clans, the Zheng clan, the Chai clan, and the Lin clan.
I was able to sell them a false story about me being swept away in a storm and waking up on the island. Honestly, my story had plot holes big enough to drive a semi-truck through, but it somehow worked. I thought that they would realize the moment I walked in that I was some sort of snake thing, with me having white scales and all. However, they never said anything to me. Only that I could stay for the time being.
It was only later that I realized that all my scales had disappeared.
The girl in blue walks in. Daylight makes it easy to see her light peach hair, pale gray eyes, and a scar that runs across her face.
"Good morning, Mulan, did you sleep well?" She asked.
"Yay, thanks for asking, how about you Fei Hong?" I replied.
"I slept ok I guess…." Her voice trailed off. I haven't known her very long but I could tell that something was wrong.
It all started a few days ago when late at night an arrow with a red cloth tied to it landed in front of the tent she lives in with her father, the head of the Zheng clan. I was eating dinner with them when it happened. The joyful looks they had faded to ghostly pale faces.
Her father Zheng He looked at her in anger and despair then walked out. She looked as if she was about to burst into tears but held them back and smiled at me. She told me she was sorry that I had to see that, and she would walk me back to my tent. She was shaking, I doubt she would have been able to get up. I told her it was fine and that I could take myself back. I left that day with a bad feeling that only grew with each passing day.
I've gotten used to living here. There isn't any electricity or any modern conveniences. It's like I've gone back in time to ancient Asia. You don't realize how great indoor plumbing is till it's gone.
In exchange for living here, I help with the village chorus, but mostly I just watch the kids. I'd do more but they just don't need me. Dividing the work between the clans based on their specialties. The Zheng clan are expert sailors, who take care of the fishing and gathering. The Chai clan are warriors, who protect the village from demons and hunt large game. The Lin clans are craftsmen and researchers, so they handle farming and crafting. I lack the skills to do any of it, so I've been left to watch the children.
On the bright side, I can use the random dancing skill I have. I wasn't very good at first falling more times than I could count. The children helped me learn a fan dance. That I can now do in my sleep.
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As much trouble as it's been, it quickly became worth it as they began to teach me about this world. How'd they done that you ask? Stories. Every day we sit with the clan elders, and they pass on their wisdom through stories and myths.
"Today we will tell you about the War of the Gods." One elder said, clearing her throat.
"What's the War of the Gods?", A little boy asked.
"If you give me a moment you'd know." The elder replied.
"Now then where was I… Oh yes, the War of the Gods." The elder continued.
Once long ago, before the land was split in two. The world was a very different place, no demons were roaming the lands, seas, and skies like there are today. No, back then it was peaceful. The world was ruled by the Creator's sons. One shined gold like the sun and the other shined silver like the moon. Aiding them were twelve beasts gifted to them by the great Creator.
Together they brought prosperity to Zoo with the help of their divine beasts. Until one day a star fell from the sky. The star was darker than night, yet more beautiful than any jewel. The sons both wanted the star, but neither could agree on who it would belong to. The divine beasts thought the star was dangerous, telling the brothers to get rid of it. But alas they did not listen and decided to keep the star. So, both brothers decided that the gold one would keep it during the day and the silver one at night. Peace continued for some time after but sadly wasn't meant to last.
Neither brother could have foretold the disaster that the black star would bring. After some time, the black star started to talk to the brothers. Whispering lies about how one brother plans to betray the other. The golden brother and the divine beasts didn't believe the black star; however, the silver brother believed its words. Becoming afraid of his brother he began to lash out. The golden brother decided to destroy the black star for it was too dangerous, little did he know that's just what it wanted.
The black star had told the silver brother that the golden one planned to destroy it. So that it could no longer warn him of his brother's dastardly plans. A fight ensued between the brothers that lasted a hundred days and nights. Causing the land to be split into two and the seas to be ripped apart. The people and animals found themselves running for their lives with nowhere to go. Watching as their loved ones fell one after another. The spirits wept as the world around them was stained red. The divine beasts did all they could to stop the brothers but were too weak to stop them and their cries fell on deaf ears.
On the hundredth day, the silver brother was struck down and the black star finally broke. The golden one, who was on the edge of death, believed that he had finally won. The divine beasts rallied in hopes of helping him. But then they heard the black star's voice,
"Foolish Gods! Everything has played out just as I planned." An eerie black mist poured out of the broken pieces, taking the form of a black monster.
"I must thank you. If you and your brother were not so foolish, I'd never have been freed from my eternal prison. Now then it's time to take this world." Turning to the sliver brother the black monster takes his body, turning him into the first demon.
The golden brother looks at the monster in disbelief. In an attempt to stop the monster, the beast attacks, but gets blown away. The divine beasts now wounded were filled with sorrow. He couldn't save his brother, destroyed land he'd sworn to protect, and brought sadness to even those closest to him. On the edge of death, he decided he wouldn't let the monster win anymore. Barely able to stand he faced the monster and it laughed at him,
"What do you plan to do? You're barely clinging to life!" The demon laughed.
"I will stop you! For my brother, and the sake of this world!" The golden brother proclaimed.
Then his broken sword glowed and became whole again. With it and the last of his strength, he stabbed the monster through the heart!
"HOW DARE YOU! YOU FILTHY GOD!" The monster cried!
As it started to break into pieces once again, but not just a few pieces like before. No more like millions of pieces that shot out and scattered across the land. Infecting the bodies of the dead like a plague, creating demons left and right that terrorized the people and animals alike.
The golden brother knew he had to stop them but was too weak to move having used almost all his strength. The divine beasts gathered around him, cursing themselves for being too weak to help, too weak to do anything. The golden brother tells them,
"It's not your fault. We were the ones who ignored your warnings."
It is then he knew what he had to do.