One cold summer day a young girl was carried in a palanquin, and she was brought to the shaman house; and when she stepped out the shamans led her inside, she strode with elegance down the hall where servants bowed their heads to her. She was led to a room and there she sat waiting for whomever had summoned her to come. An older lady soon walked in and sat down across from her. Now that old lady had a golden knife with her, which she handed over to the young girl; and the young girl took it, tracing the elaborate engravings on the knife.

The older lady placed a golden bowl in front of the young girl and then open a brown packet, pouring a white powder into the golden bowl. The older lady nodded her head to one of the servants; and that servant quickly pulled back one of the sleeves of the young girl, holding the young girl’s hand high. ‘It is time for you to do as you have come here to do.’ The old lady said.

The young girl looked back at the old lady for a moment before taking the knife and pushing the sharp end into one of her hand, not even wincing as she watched her blood pour into the golden bowl. The droplet of blood fell onto the white powder and the white powder sizzled before turning into a dark blue liquid. The old lady’s eyes widen before she sighed a big sigh and the young girl kept her blood dripping into the bowl until the bowl was full of the blue liquid.

‘It is as they have said,’ the old lady looked into the young girl’s eyes, ‘you are the chosen one.’ The young girl set the knife on the table and then pushed the bowl back to the old lady. The old lady looked at the servants behind the young girl and then motion her head for them to take away the girl. The two servants nodded as each one of them grabbed one of her arms and dragged her away to another room. The old lady watched as the young girl was dragged away and a tear escaped on of her eyes as she muttered, ‘I’m sorry.’

The young girl was taken to a room where there was a huge bath tub and she was stripped of her clothes, and her hairpins were pulled out of her head to let down her long dark hair. The girl did not protest, or resist and entered the bath tub obediently as she was told to do. She breathed in sharply due to the cold water, however submerged herself completely. She stayed in the bath until she was shivering and trembling before the servants allowed her to come out. They then dried her off, and then they dressed her in a golden dress embroidered with elaborate and delicate designs. They braided her long hair and then decorated it with golden flower clips. They put on her golden butterfly earrings, and a huge golden crown.

After they were done dressing her up, they blindfolded her and led her to a huge room where the emperor waited for her. ‘You must remember to do your job properly. You are not to look the emperor in the eyes nor speak to him unless he gives you permission to speak.’ One of the servants sternly said to her before opening the door and leading her inside to sit on a chair. The servant then left the room after taking off her blindfold, and she was left there all alone with the emperor. She bowed her head and kept her eyes on the ground.

The emperor looked at the girl and then approached her, setting his hand on her shoulder. The emperor then asked the girl, ‘What is your name?’

The young girl kept her eyes on the ground as she answered, ‘This loyal subject goes by the name of Choko.’ She bowed her head showing her respect. The emperor eyed her curiously however she kept her expression blank.

‘Let us go.’ The emperor picked the girl up with one hand under her knees and another on her back. He carried her deeper into the room until and stopped in front of the bed. He laid her down, and then blew out all the candles lighting up the room, before laying down next to her.

‘Do your magic.’ He said staring at her face. The girl nodded before looking up to meet his eyes. She then took his hand, laced her fingers in his, and then leaned her head forwards so both their foreheads touched.

‘Close your eyes,’ she whispered, ‘and think of nothing.’ He waited doubting her words, but did as she said when he saw no contempt in her eyes. When she saw that he closed his eyes she quietly mumbled something before leaning in and planting her lips on his. Feeling the sudden softness and pressure, he shot open his eyes however, before him was not the girl but darkness that surrounded him.

‘We are here. The world where humans shall never go.’ The girl said. The emperor turned to see her holding his hand in one hand, and a lantern in the other. ‘Never let go of my hand emperor. If you let go, you may never be able to return to the real world.’ She warned, and then squeezed his hand. The emperor nodded his head and laced his fingers into hers. ‘Who do you wish to speak to emperor?’

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

He responded, ‘I wish to speak to my father, the late emperor.’ She nodded her head understanding, before chanting a spell.

She then said, ‘Close your eyes and think of the last place and time you saw your father, and then slowly open your eyes.’ He did as she said and when he opened his eyes again, he saw his father lying in front of him in a bed. He walked up to him suppressing the tears in his eyes. He grabbed his father’s hand, brought it to his face, and kissed it lightly.

‘Father,’ he said squeezing his father’s hand, ‘what should I do? What did you want me to do?’

‘My son,’ the emperor looked up to see his father smiling at him, ‘what are you doing here in this world?’

‘Father! You… you are speaking to me?’ He couldn’t help himself as tears strolled down his face.

‘My son. My young son that I left behind, I am sorry. This useless father of yours couldn’t leave you anything memorable or helpful for your reign. I can only hope that you forgive my carelessness.’ His father stroke the emperor’s forehead.

‘Father, please don’t say that. You have done more than enough for me.’ His father stroke the son’s tears away.

‘Why are you here anyways?’ His father asked. The emperor stood up and cleared his throat.

‘The scroll has not been found yet father. The scroll that you left behind. I have come here to ask you about it.’ The emperor whispered. The late emperor looked at him shocked.

‘You haven’t found the scroll yet? That’s strange. I am sure that no has moved it from its place. So-’ The late emperor was interrupted by sounds of people banging on the door. The emperor looked at the young girl and the young girl’s eyes widened.

‘It’s dangerous emperor. We must leave.’ She pulled his hand towards a side door.

‘What do you mean it is dangerous?’ He followed behind her. She pushed open the door, which led the two to a dark hall, and she held her lantern up to lead their way forward.

‘Someone from the human realm is restricting us through controlling the dead. Remember never to let go of my hand emperor.’ She said in a stern voice, and kept pulling him forward

‘Where are we going?’ He asked and she replied,

‘Back to the human realm. Our bodies may be in danger.’ She began to run as she felt a malicious intent towards them. They both heard heavy footsteps after them, and she grew alert to keep both of them safe. Soon they reached another door and she quickly pushed it open. They entered the room that they were in before they left the human realm, and the emperor spotted their bodies on the bed. ‘Quickly, run!’ She yelled as they both dashed towards their bodies.

Seeing how the young girl’s dress was restricting her, the emperor picked her up, threw her over his shoulder, and ran as fast as he could. The young girl held onto him tightly and then she looked up. Her eyes widen as she saw who was chasing after them, and gripped tightly onto the emperor’s robe. The emperor reached the bed and he placed her down next to her body, and she pulled him back.

‘Hurry!’ She pulled him towards the bed however hands had gripped his foot as he started to fall. She did not let go of him as she dropped her lantern and grabbed him with both her arms.

‘Wha-’ The emperor began to turn his head, however the girl then shouted,

‘No! Do not look back!’ She said as she continued pulling on him, and he froze keeping his eyes on her. The emperor tried to kick whoever was pulling on to him however he continued to miss. The girl couldn’t hold on to him much longer and then, her jaw dropped as she saw millions of dark shadows enter the room. They all started to pull on the emperor and the young girl couldn’t hold on anymore, as his hand slipped out of hers. She watched as he screamed terrified, the shadows dragging him out the door. The young girl got up and started to chase after the emperor leaving behind her lantern in the hurry.

When the shamans enter the room that night, they found two bodies with their hands held together, and lips pressed together, so still it was as if they were dead, however a slight pulse could be felt from both their wrists. The shamans feared for the worst, and kept the bodies hidden inside a secret chamber. The bodies never aged, never moved, was always cold, however they were alive. Through the generations many of the shamans that had watched over the bodies had brutals death, and overtime due to fear, the location of the bodies were lost. No one knows if they ever woke up, or if they just died in the secret chamber. Our story start 500 years after the lost of the emperor and the chosen one.