Chapter 10: The Tale of the Four Gods

Content Warning: Violence

[Starting here is a throwback.]

"—we beg for your grace!"

Jian Li snapped his eyes open, his heart thumping rapidly.

'What was that just now..' He sighed heavily and calmed his disrupted system. 'A dream?'

He rubbed his eyes, realizing he was inside his chambers with books laid in front of him. Then he nodded. 'Right, i was in the middle of checking these books.' Jian Li moaned softly, the back of his neck suffering from sleeping on his study table in such a straining position. The seventeen year old Prince stood up, thinking quietly.

'What was that voice though?' He clearly heard it as a woman's voice, recalling that it was almost a whisper or a quiet mutter.

He looked around his room and rubbed his ear. Confused and cautious at the same time at the thought of someone breaking in inside his chambers.

Jian Li massaged his head, pushing the door and walking outside. He turned around his heels, facing one of the unmoving guards beside his chamber's doors, asking;

"Did anyone enter my chambers?"

"Your Highness." The soldier at the right bowed. "No one had entered your chambers besides you Your Highness."

He raises his brow. "Not even Aren?"

"Sir Aren also did not enter tonight." Replied the guard.

"I see.. good work, Taka, Raku." Even though he was assured by his guards, he still can't help but feel suspicious.

The two soldiers bent down their backs, their imaginary tail wagging, happy to be praised by the quiet Prince. "Sir!"

Jian Li walked back in, 'Strange. I thought someone might be inside my chambers, was i too tired?'

"Ah~ temples you say?" Anwir snatched the scroll from Jian Li's hand, then eyeing the illustration of the temple drawn with black ink.

"Hm! Well, as you know, temples are built by the townsfolk for worshipping the four famed gods. There are also several temples built inside the kingdom and there are still many devotees praying for those gods. But mostly, around seventeen to twenty years ago, the number of water god temples being built doubled, saying that worshipping the water god blesses this land more, and in consistency of their prayers thus came the said "miraculous" or "holy" water that our kingdom is rich with."

"With the arrival of the miraculous water, more devotees prayed and prayed, and the water god rose to be the most powerful of the four. He became pleased with our kingdom that he blessed our seas and rivers." Explained Anwir with both her arms folded, Morfran groaned uninterested while Jian Li checked other scrolls.

Jian Li looked at a scroll and blindly asks, "Lady Anwir, do you perhaps believe—"

"Anwir." A voice of a man thundered across the big classroom hall.

"Y-Your Highness sir." Anwir immediately lowered her head for the King has come. Jian Li and Morfran bowed their heads.

"Glory to the King. Father." The brothers said in unison. The King raised his hand slightly as an exchange of greeting and then turned around again.

"I have to talk to you for a while. Please come with me." The King marched out, his heavy footsteps echoing around the classroom.

"Yes, Your Highness!" Anwir quickly then turned to the two seated Princes. "Class dismissed. You both are free to resume our lesson today. If not please head back to your respective chambers and do not cause trouble." She emphasized the last word to Morfran and ran to follow the King outside.

Morfran stood, his temper acting up. "Tch. Dont tell me what to do." He mutters, walking out of the boring class, Morfran's attendants followed their master away from the royal classroom.

Jian Li removed the seal of a thick scroll and laid the it across the table, reading; "The Four King Stars?" Mumbled him under his breath.

"Huh? It's empty?" Jian Li got confused ehy the scroll only had title but no contents.

With Morfran and and Anwir leaving the library, Jian Li rolled up the scroll and tied the seal around it again. Jian Li left the royal classroom holding the scroll and made a detour to the library, carrying several books each cabinet he passes by.

"Haha! You really are a book worm, Little Li!" Aren beside him giggled amusingly and transferred the heavy books out of the Prince's hold for him to help carry.

"All of these papers store the most genuine thoughts a person writes as well as important informations. It'll be such a shame to let knowledge like these sit around here unread, catching dust." Jian Li said, then suddenly sneezing. Aren laughed loudly and handed him a handkerchief from his mysterious deep pockets.

"This Prince is grateful." Jian Li recieves the cloth and covered his nose to block out anymore dusts for him to inhale. "Aren, would you please carry these books to my chambers?" Without avail, he obeyed and divided the books to the other servant to carry, then they turned back to exit the library.

He stared down at the empty scroll for a long moment and nodded. His feet heading to the private library exclusive only for the King's use. For an hour of scanning he found a small, silver lined scroll with a matching name on his hand. Even though the use of these books are forbidden, he cannot help his curiosity and broke another law, keeping the scroll and running off to his chamber with the empty Four King Stars scroll on his hand.

The Prince was pacing hurriedly along the passageway when he overheard the attendants of him talking, "The Prince is working hard as usual, while second Prince Morfran only brings problems—" Jian Li stopped, turning around to the new employees.

"Please don't talk badly about my brother." The veiled attendants flinched at the familiar voice and gasped, immediately bowing in fear as soon as they saw the Crown Prince.

"Y-your Highness! We're very sorry! Forgive us!"

"Get back to your posts, avoid chitchat."

"Yes sir!"

Leaning at one of the walls, Morfran who was hiding also overheard their conversation. "Tch. Always playing nice.."

As the female attendants run for their lives, Jian Li was left alone walking, then he suddenly made a face Morfran found amusing; His face looked slightly contorted because of the smoke coming from one of the rooms, then he mumbled "Such bitter smell.. it hurts the back of my nose mmh.."

Jian Li in uncomfort went away hurriedly, tying the handkerchief at the lower half of his face to cover his sensitive nose. Starting then, Morfran had began smoking which left the Prince having lots of hard time to huff a breath with Morfran beside him, Morfran having fun with how miserable he can make Jian Li be.

The night inside his chambers was cold. And the breeze acted strange inside his room when the scroll from the private library was laid open. Admiring the borders first, Jian Li read after;

"Four stars burned at the nightly heavens,

The four gods assembled and blessed the land.

So bright as it is, the temples arised from the earth,

Pray and sacrifice whats yours and your desires will come true.

Oh star as bright as day, you brought the breeze and clouds.

Oh star as golden as the sun, you brought life to living things.

Oh star burning red, you gave precious wisdom to humanity.

Oh blue oceanic star, the tide and rain worships you,

Yet the moon of the night binds the dead.

Gods, stars combusted and crumbled down,

Spreadt forth before humanity.

Scattered to north, south, east, and west.

Blue moon brightens, the nature celebrates

And when the crimson moon arrives, the skies fills the clouds with blood.

Cursed as you fell from grace, the skies wept,

Why the stars disappeared from the heavens.

The earth shook and the bright lights dispersed,

The nights were no longer bright, but were pitch dark and cold.

Hidden treasure as they were, four selected lived.

Different lives beside tradgedy.

Bound by misfortunes, they will meet.

Four bright colored stars

Faces the moon.

Ripe as time,

"—son?"

They will eventually weep.

"Son!"

If you are one with the four,

—"

"Jian Li!" The called boy flinched and snapped back his head, shocked to see his father inside his chambers.

"Father!" Jian Li bowed. "May i ask how i might help you?" Then the King sighed. "I noticed you've been skipping dinner. I came all the way here to persuade you. What if your body grows weak?"

"Forgive me father. I was too fascinated reading."

Hongwu stared down at the scroll for a long moment. "A poem?.."

"Your Highness! Its time to come down for dinner!" Called out Aren from outside.

"Go on." The King nodded to him and watch Jian Li exit the chamber talking to Aren while being dragged away.

The King stared and stared. He held up the scroll above the candle's fire and the heated ink slowly disappeared from the paper. Its contents erased, like it wasn't written. Hongwu kept the scroll and hid it inside his robes.

[Four years ago]

"You're finally back." A voice of a man echoed.

A black haired boy knelt to the ground with one knee, bowing to the man seated in front of him.

The boy's flaring red eyes went up to the man as he talked. "Lord Svarozich."

"Did you get the treasure?" Asked the seated Lord with a menacing face. "Forgive me, sir. I cannot find the Crown Princes' ruby treasure." Lowly spoke the black hooded boy.

The Lord trembled with anger and stomped on the boy's head with full force, his forehead slamming on the ground.

"You fool! Such a disappointment!!" Roared the man, kicking the boy at the abdomen. "I entrusted you to steal it! All those arrangements for nothing! I thought you were special!" The boy spat blood, pulling a shining box out of his clothes. "Sir, i managed to rob one of these instead. It came from one of the noble families at the capital as gift for the Prince, the luxury inside should cost high. I will make it up to you. Please accept this." The boy managed to say, blood dripping down his lips.

The boy slowly tried to get on both his feet and the man, Svarozich snatched the shining box away from the boy's hold. Opening it, the jewels from the bracelet twinkled brightly, speaking thousands of money in return. The man smiled and caressed the boy's face. "This will do for now. Go on, your duty is waiting for you." Then he slapped the boy's face, chuckling as he took his seat again gazing at the jewels while laughing.

"Ah one more thing," The thief looked to his master. "Gather more children for me, Lev." Spoke the man to the young thief named Lev.

The boy's red eyes meets with his master's. Lev nodded and left the dark hall quietly, limping as he walked, he took out another box from his pocket, this time, a black ring emerged out the box.

The boy wore the ring that was customized to fit in to anyone's finger, remembering the Prince he met from the past night giving him this box as another payment. Under the hood, he caressed the ring on his finger and his lips curved into a soft smile despite how painful his cut lips bled. He laughed unbelievingly for smiling for someone he never ever thought he would be sharing a special bond with.

His cut lips touches the black gem in a soft manner. "I thank the heavens above." He mumbles as he heads out.