Burn the shell of a tortoise and stare into its fissures, there you shall see the will of Heaven. Fallen monarchs built the Northern walls with oracle bones and glimmering glyphs, daring those to read and remember. Remember the past is best unwanted.

A lone raven recited the celestial epics and obtained the shape of a human within one hundred days. Wearing only but three black feathers, she reached out to a boy, sleeping in the stables. With a message simple, powerful, because.

"One day, you will be king."

The boy woke excitedly, straws glued to his face, memorizing the dream better forgotten. He ran towards his master and boasted his glorious findings. "I shall be king!"

The master gazed upon his servant. Lower lips lowered, upper eyebrows uppered.

"You must learn responsibility with a touch of politics."

"Yes sir!"

"Go feed the horses at the Northern River."

"The one far away and oh so dangerous?"

"Yes. The further and riskier the better."

"Thank you master!" The boy scuttled away, thrilled by the patronage of his lord.

"Guards." The master summoned his guards and whispered in their ears. "When the boy reaches his destination, kill him."

The boy traveled, through harsh rains and cold nights. He has finally reached the Northern River. From a distance, the two guards aimed their crossbows at the boy waiting for just the right moment.

"This isn't the right moment." The boy mumbled to himself. "I must grow big, and I must grow strong. For a king is a crown and a crown is heavy." The boy started to lift pebbles.

"Dogi." The guard asked his partner. "Why aren't we shooting the boy?"

"Well Gogi, he has to reach his destination first."

"He's at the Northern River."

"That doesn't seem to be his destination now, does it?"

"Obviously, the implication was the boy reaching the river."

"Respectfully disagreed. The logic is, if the boy were ever to be a political threat, then we kill him."

Gogi shook his head with a grunt. "I'm taking him down now."

"Why?"

"Because your selfish that's why. You've always been selfish."

"Snappy turtle lost his shell."

"That's what happens when you're one of the good guys. To be good is to be... well snappy I guess."

"And to be evil is to be scrappy."

"Because you're tragedy and I'm comedy."

"The boy dies now he's a cheap laugh. If the boy lives long."

"Profound sorrow. That's why I'm ending it here." The guard aimed directly towards the boy's chest. "I hate suffering."

"Have you ever considered your methods might be a tad bit extreme or I don't know, completely deranged?"

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Gogi pressed the trigger. The sharp beak of the iron bolt stampedes through the chest of the boy, as he fell into the riverbed.

"I'm always right." Gogi hissed at Dogi. He opened his mouth, a white serpent emerged and scurried off east.

"And I'm always left." Dogi sneered at the riverbed as a black serpent crawled out of his and creeped towards the west. Later the two guards woke up unknowing where they were, and what they'd done.

"Wake up boy."

The boy woke up in a yurt sprayed with warm snow, near a cold fire. A young lady who had good reasons for interest and disinterest sat by his side.

"I had a dream." The boy said. "The strangest dream."

"Was it a good dream?" The lady asked.

"I don't know."

"Then it's better to say the dream was good."

"Okay." The boy replied. "I had a good dream. I shall be king."

"Why do you want to be king?"

"I think. It's because." The boy thought. But only for a little while. "I don't want anything else."

The boy stood naked, unbothered by his shame. The lady, disappointed by her expectations, looked away from the giant hole that tunneled through his heart.

CHAPTER 1 – HAEMOSU

"How did your majesty become king, young princess?" Red silk with yellow glyphs. Deliberately sized larger by a man who tells others to size smaller.

"A Red Dragon soared through the sky and told everyone you were special." Her answer sighed the king, laughed the courtsmen.

"It was a White Tiger, my king." The younger prince answered in confidence and pride, whereas the older sister drowned in contempt and prejudice. "The Red Dragon supported the barbarian you conquered."

"Great answer my proudful son. As for my ... daughter. May everyone please give us a moment?"

"He always omits my adjectives." The princess moaned silently. "He thinks I owe gratitude for that."

"Ena, this was a great opportunity to prove your wisdom to the court." The king started as princess Ena lowered her chin. "Why did you sabotage your own answer?"

'Prove.' Ena thought. 'They want me to lead with proof, when acceptance won't follow.'

"Do not ignore your father, Ena. That is extremely rude."

'High-kick, knee-kick, chop those sticks' Enga imagined. "I'm sorry. I think I was nervous." Ena replied, bowing her head down to her knees. For even turkeys harm their chicks when they don't chirp.

'My generosity has betrayed me.' The king thought, which Ena heard loudly. 'I didn't pick up the bamboo stick. Now, only sick baboons would pick her up.'

A crystal tear hid behind her eyelids, warning its kin that it's too dangerous to go outside.

Ena left the imperial tower, standing on a bridge, reading the thoughts of strangers bumbling about the marketplace, whose fortunes were innocently worse.

"That farmer is filled with regret. Her husband sold their children to pay less taxes during a poor harvest." She described, desperately searching for solace under shared circumstances. "The swordsman is a sadist. He cares not of silver but scares." She gazed away, for evil see depression do. Then she looked under the bridge. "That musician is hiding from military service." With a few giggles. "But he found his life happier here. So he is learning singing skills to attract a girlfriend, like a cricket." She bursts into laughter, wrapping her embarrassed cheeks with two warm hands.

"I wonder if anyone knows what this feels like. Hearing everyone else's thoughts but your own."

As she dozed into the sky, a tall man with silky hair accidentally bumped into the princess. "Grah!" Ena screamed as she nearly fell down the bridgy abyss. The man wrapped his arms around her to keep her steady.

"Apologies." Firm grip, strong gaze, forced smile. "Call me Mosu."

'Wha, you could've killed me!' Ena wished to say as the thrill contaminated her body. Instead, she took a more passive-aggressive approach. "A low merchant." Ena growled, avoiding his eyes, grasping her jade necklace. "With merchant wants." Her reaction was met with a kiss on her hand. Her heart stopped with a gasp, immediately realizing merchants want what men need. Then it started beating again slowly, after she noticed it was a simple bow.

As Mosu left, Ena stared at his shoulders wondering. "Why can't I hear his thoughts?"

Mosu bumped into an elder lady. Repeating the exact gesture. "Oh." The fog clears. "A village idiot wanting physical contact. The previous one hugged every girl in town. I guess holding hands with a gesture would be less imprisonable." Then she thought to herself. "Does that mean he's the evolved version of a village idiot?"

Then Mosu bumped into a shouting shaman, a juggling jester, a dining diviner, and a brittle old man who could barely stand.

"... Nope. Is he doing that to every person in town?" Mosu approaches the swordsman, deliberately pushing his arms. The swordsman started barking with hustling bravado. He drew his blade and pressed it's cold back onto Mosu's neck. A droplet of red spills at it's tips. Then the swordsman moved two steps backward. Running away with a terrified scream.

No one could understand what he was screaming. Except for the girl who could hear thoughts. "H-he..." Ena stuttered, "Is going to kill everyone..." as death concentrated her mind.

An armed soldier walked towards Mosu. Mosu grabbed his hands with a crushing grip, and then leered into his eyes.

"Hi. Call me Mosu."