almost a goddess 10 chapters

8/13/2019 Almost a Goddess 10 Chapters

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the

author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Anyresemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual eventsis purely coincidental.

Copyright 2013 by Sandra Martinez. All rightsreserved. No part of this book may be reproduced ortransmitted in any form or by any means, electronic ormechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by anyinfor mation storage and retrieval system, without the authors

permission.


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For my kids, who cope gracefully with a mom whosalways writing.


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Table of contentsChapter 1: Thieves ......................................................... 10 Chapter 2: The Girl In A Pink Dress .............................. 15

Chapter 3: The House With The Peach Tree .................. 17

Chapter 4: Unsettling News ........................................... 22

Chapter 5: Flight Of The Phoenix .................................. 25

Chapter 6: Pearl ............................................................. 28 Chapter 7: The Torch Bearer .......................................... 31

Chapter 8: Bitter Truths ................................................. 33

Chapter 9: Just Holding Up ............................................ 36

Chapter 10: King Huang The Third ................................ 40

Chapter 11: Two Knives And A Promise ....................... 45

Chapter 12: The Public Baths ......................................... 47

Chapter 13: The Dancer ................................................. 52

Chapter 14: The Black Dragon ....................................... 57

Chapter 15: Black Dragon Rider .................................... 60

Chapter 16: Friends And Foes ........................................ 64

Chapter 18: Half truths and lies ...................................... 69

Chapter 19: Jia-Lis Wisdom ......................................... 72

Chapter 20: Echoes from the Past .................................. 75

Chapter 21: Alcn Island ............................................... 82

Chapter 22: Feng-Huang ................................................ 84

Chapter 23: Pelaia sleeping ............................................ 87

Chapter 24: The Valley of the Children .......................... 92


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Chapter 25: Pelaia dancing............................................. 97

Chapter 26: The chupa-cabra ......................................... 99

Chapter 27: Forces of nature ........................................ 101

Chapter 28: The belly of the owl .................................. 106

Chapter 29: The Little Mouse ...................................... 109

Chapter 30: The Lucky Girl and the Golden Forest ofErijam .............................................................................. 113

Chapter 31: The Kid in the Waterfall ........................... 117

Chapter 32: Sir Ruffus ................................................. 119

Chapter 33: Captain Chai-Fu........................................ 122

Chapter 34: Girl Fight .................................................. 127

Chapter 35: Back Home ............................................... 131

Chapter 36: Shi-Rens love .......................................... 134 Chapter 37: The End of the Pit ..................................... 137

Chapter 38: The Kiss ................................................... 140

Chapter 39: The wave of despair .................................. 145

Chapter 40: Xiaos rescue ............................................ 147

Chapter 41: Dried fruit ................................................. 150

Chapter 42: Blood and Water ....................................... 152

Chapter 43: Xiaos Queen ........................................... 155

Chapter 44: The rod machine ....................................... 158

Chapter 45: The Red Ruby ........................................... 160

Chapter 46: With the hands in the dough ...................... 165

Chapter 47: Monique ................................................... 169


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Chapter 48: The Call From The Earth Land ................. 172

Chapter 49: Nihira ....................................................... 175

Chapter 50: Not A Chance ........................................... 178

Chapter 51: A Big Family ............................................ 184

Chapter 52: The Decoy ................................................ 186

Chapter 53: Adis needs ............................................... 190

Chapter 54: Remembrance ........................................... 193

Chapter 55: Patience Pays ............................................ 196

Chapter 56: The trunk man .......................................... 200

Chapter 57: Naag ......................................................... 203

Chapter 58: Amara and Sachi ....................................... 209

Chapter 59: Preparations .............................................. 213

Chapter 60: The First House ........................................ 216

Chapter 61: The Cove .................................................. 220

Chapter 62: Empty House ............................................ 224

Chapter 63: Lauderia ................................................... 226

Chapter 64: The Looking Mirror .................................. 229

Chapter 65: Into the cave ............................................. 233 Chapter 66: The chattel boy ......................................... 237

Chapter 67: Sirens Song ............................................. 240

Chapter 68: Full House ................................................ 243

Chapter 69: The prairie ................................................ 245

Chapter 70: Decisions .................................................. 248 Chapter 71: Fire and Snakes......................................... 250


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Chapter 72: Lessons from the farm .............................. 254

Chapter 73: Fangs and stakes ....................................... 258

Chapter 74: The next day ............................................. 261

Chapter 75: Monkeys ................................................... 264

Chapter 76: Beheaded .................................................. 268

Epilogue ...................................................................... 270

Appendix 1: Meaning of names ................................... 271

Appendix 2: Weird Words That Are Not Names .......... 274


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Chapter 1: ThievesXiao wiped his forehead for the twentieth time. Goddess,

it was hot! Fang looked at him, grinning, and the king gavehis companion a cold stare. Of course he didnt care about theheat, he didnt feel it. Well, he did feel it, but it was not the

same.A noise distracted him from his misery and self-pity. Hiseyes darted, searching the darkness. Maybe this was what hewas waiting for. He heard the pan ting and the moaning No.They were not the thieves, just another couple playing in theshade of the night near the riverbank. He felt heat spreadingthroughout his body and remembered Callie, yet again. That

girl was beautiful as the moon and dangerous as a tiger, andshe didnt love him. He thought that being a king wouldchange something. He was wrong.

She had fallen for Ye-Sheng, that bastard. Granted, Xiaowas as short as a child, and the other was tall and muscular.He had delicate features, while the other had a square strong

jaw and his face seemed carved in stone. He was the tiny king

of a tiny kingdom, and the other was a dragon, a firedragon whose name meant wild . For goodness sake, howcould he compete with something like that?

Another noise distracted him from his thoughts, maybethis time nope, it was a monkey. He was sick and tired ofthe monkeys. They were everywhere.

He looked across the street, toward the small inn. It wasalmost dawn. A woman walked to the door and entered, achild by her side. She was minute and delicate; the weight of


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the basket looked unbearable for such a small frame. Thechild had a stern face, all determination and self-control. He

walked carefully, caring for the woman his mother? never playing or running, never smiling. She was definitelyfrom the fire race, with beautiful brown eyes, and silky blackhair. She must have been stunning. Xiao could see the line ofher jaw, the delicate rosebud mouth, and the water-dropshape of her eyes. One side of her face had a nasty scar, ascar from fire.

Fang called his attention with a whistle, and pointed at atall papaya tree. A monkey was picking up the papayas and

putting them somewhere was it a bag? So that was howthey did it! They were using monkeys! Xiao shook his head,he couldnt believe his eyes.

He got up and went toward Fang. We need to followthose monkeys, he whispered.

Ill do it, Fang answered. Mika will take you home . The man closed his eyes and looked up. The air shimmeredand another man appeared by them, out of the blue. He wasmiddle frame, but looked strong. He had dark hair falling tohis shoulders and piercing blue eyes. A black crystal fanghung from his neck, tied with a leather thong.

The newcomer nodded to the king. Xiao looked at him andsmiled. Fang was nowhere to be found. A monkey was fastclimbing a tree to catch up with the others.

Home? Mika asked.Nah have you had breakfast? Not yet. The blue eyes sparkled.Lets go eat something. Its on me. The king winked.

The other man grinned.


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They got out of the bushes where Xiao had been hiding allnight, waiting to catch the thieves that had been stealing fruits

from the trees. It was not a clever activity for a king, but hedidnt care, this was personal. Apparently someone haddecided that his public food was a good business. Xiao wasvery upset, and determined to get them. He was a kind soul,

but this affront enraged him to limits he never thought possible.

He had planted fruit trees all along the delta of the GreenDragon River. Emerald city the capital of Emerald Island,his newly created kingdom was sitting on the delta rightover the Emerald Sea. Emerald Island used to be a peninsula,

but the geography had been dramatically changed by Pearl,during the last almost war.

He loved the concept of having food for his subjects nomatter how poor they were. Maybe it was because if hehadnt been born a prince, he might had ended his days as a

beggar. He was almost sure about it. His main gifts were to be able to capture beauty, painting it, and ride horses fasterthan the wind. Other than that, he considered himselfcompletely useless.

After brushing off the leaves and grass from his clothes,

they crossed the street. Curiosity had gotten the best of himyet again. He was puzzled about the woman and her cargo.He wanted to know what she brought to the tavern so early.

They entered the inn and the bartender looked at them,surprised. Xiao glared at him admonishingly and shook hishead once, curtly. The man froze for a second, purposelyrelaxed his shoulders, and kept cleaning a vessel as if an

average customer had entered. Good boy . Xiao loved the airthrong in moments like this. They were fast.


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Scanning the counter, he saw what he was looking for.The heavy basket was set on the right border, and it was filled

to the top with fried mantou. Xiao loved mantou. He neverthought he would see them this far south.

It was very early and there were few customers, but soon itwould be a full house. This particular inn served anearthlander breakfast, which was highly appreciated bysailors, its main customers. A table with fruits of all colorsand shapes was set in a corner, together with pastries bothsalty and sweet, cheese and milk. The smell of coffee andcacao filled the air. Small pots with condensed milk andhoney waited at the end of the table, right in front of the juice

jars. On the far end, there were the local dishes: rice porridge,soup, pork on a stick, fried pastries, and even noodles.

Two breakfasts. And I want some of those mantou tocarry after, please, Xiao told the bar owner, sliding a coupleof coins with his own face on them over the counter. The mansmiled while gathering the money, and nodded.

Take any table you want, my lord.

Mikas mouth was watering all the while he was gatheringthe food and sitting at the low table over a bamboo carpet. He

absolutely loved the variety of fruit on Emerald Island. Thesanctuary of the Goddess where he lived now haddelightful food. But it was different. Here the taste wasscrumptious, sensual, a quality difficult to express into words.To see the food, to smell it, made him want to bring Elie hereand He gave a mango a deep bite and pushed the thoughtaway, it would have to wait. She was too busy being a

mother, and he wanted to respect her time.But it was not easy, not easy at all.


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Xiao watched Mika eat with a big grin playing across hisface. The rapture in the blue eyed mans face was priceless.The owner of the inn was not that happy. Mika tried a bit ofeverything, and had a second serving of some. He also tooktwo cups of cacao with water, and added cream.

When they finished, the house was full with customers andkeeping the anonymity was becoming difficult.

The bartender saw them getting up to leave and brought asmall basket to the table. The mantou, my lord.

Thank you , Xiao answered with a nod. He had forgottenabout them.

They went into an empty hallway that lead to the privaterooms and Mika jumped them to the palace. The blue eyedman had the ability of disappearing and appearing in places

he had already been to. The source of his power was thecrystal fang hanging from his neck.Xiao took Mikas arm and patted him on the back with the

other hand. Thanks, my friend. You are the best. Anytime, Mika answered smiling . Better go back,

dont want to keep the ladies waiting. The air shimmered,and he was gone.

Xiao looked at the basket in his hand, took one mantouand gave it a bite. Bliss.


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Chapter 2: The Girl In A Pink DressSavoring the mantous took Xiao to another time, when he

was the youngest of six kids living in his fathers palace, andwas methodically scolded by all his brothers and sisters. Heloved to spend time in the kitchen; it made him feel safe. Thecook used to give him fried mantous with condensed milk.She had taken the challenge of making him grow single-handedly, at least sideways. Of course, it never worked.

She was a lovely lady, and her daughter always dressed in pale pink. The girls name was Mei-Gui. Xiao smiled at thememory s he had been his first love. He used to look at her,mesmerized, while she rolled pastry, imagining he was theone under those delicate and skilled hands.

One day she just vanished. Her mother told him she hadmarried and left town. Why was he remembering her now,after all these years? It was probably the food. He dug intohis drawings and found the one he was looking for, the one ofthe girl who always dressed in pink. He looked at the detailscarefully, remembering.

He took a new piece of silk and slowly drew what he

remembered of the woman he had seen earlier. The eye, theline of the face, the nose, the hair, the cherry mouth then hecompleted the other side of the face without the scar. Lookingat him from the silk was the girl in pink, all grown up. Whathad happened to her?

He tasted another pastry and noticed the distinctive flavorof his old cooks hand. The yeast was very unique. They had

been safekeeping it for generations by cooking the mantouswith the same recipe day after day, and saving mother doughfor the next one.


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Before he could change his mind, Xiao called Zhong-Shi ,the captain of his guard.

Please , go to the inn in front of the riverbank, and findout where the mantou-maker lives. If Im right, her name isMei-Gui. Then go to her house and ask her to come, I want tohave a word with her.

The guard saluted.Ah, the king added, ask her to bring h er son if she

wishes to .He thought it was a good idea to allow her to carry the kid

along. It was a sign that he only wanted to talk with her. Therumors at his fathers palace didnt paint him in a very goodlight among the service maids, and she might have secondthoughts about his intentions if she had heard them.

He remembered the girl that had saved his life when hisfather tried to kill him, and his lips stretched. Maybe theywere not that unhappy with his attentions after all.

Xiao decided to take a bath and change clothes. He wasfilthy from his failed expedition to catch the thieves. So losthe was in his thoughts, that this time he did not pay attentionto his nanmu wood bathtub, always filled with clean water,ready for him day and night. He marveled when he saw it for

the first time, carved right out of a huge trunk, polished untilit shone, and covered in beeswax for extra protection. It was a beautiful piece, fitted for a real king. Maybe it was too muchfor him, like the rest of his life, but he was not about tocomplain about it.

While he was arranging the sash of his hanfu, he reviewedthe expedition to the riverbank and smirked. Monkeys, hum?

It was ingenious, he had to give it to them.


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Chapter 3: The House With The PeacTree

Captain Zhong-Shi gathered a small group and rodetoward the inn. He was thankful about having something todo. He was becoming too complacent. He didnt complainthough, not at all. Emerald Island was a tropical paradise,

very different from the freezing cold of Bian-Jing, where hewas born and lived all his life, serving as captain of the

personal guard of Duke Ming-Zhi. Life was pleasant here, his job was easy, and the young king was a good man, and wise beyond his years. Yet, there was nothing like a healthy doseof trouble to keep the blood pumping and the muscles toned.He didnt expect to get any, but the anticipation was a good

placebo.He entered the inn and the man behind the counter froze.

His eyes darted to his left fast, as if looking for an exit, whilehis hand got hold of his kris knife. The captain knew, rightthere, that something illegal was taking place, but it was notthe right time to take care of it. He had his orders.

He approached the counter. The air was still, except forthe cracking sound of his boots on the bamboo floor, and theswish of his jian sword hanging by his right leg. The heavy

beams that gave support to the thatched sago palm roof werelow, but he was not tall enough to care. For a second, heimagined Jin-Long in this place and the corner of his mouthtwitched. That should be interesting. The golden dragon was

eight feet tall in his man form.Good morning, sir, he acknowledged the man behind thecounter. The bartenders face had a studied, indifferent smile,


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but a small pearl of swept was sliding down the side of hisforehead.

Good morning to you, gentlemen. Are you here forrefreshment? he asked , hopeful.

Not exactly . The captain sighed to make the man moreat ease. We are on duty. We need some information.

The mans face showed relief, fast replaced by the deviousexpression so typical of the air merchants. They had taken the

peninsula by storm during the ten years it belonged to theHawa nation. Zhong-Shi smiled inwardly. The man was airthrough and through.

His Highness, King Xi ao the First requests the address ofMei-Gui, the mantou maker.

The man gulped. The emotions that crossed his face wereunsettling surprise, fear, pain, pity. It was obvious he caredfor this lady, and there was something else. What could it be?

She lives in Jieshu Street, about a mile before the docks.Her house has a peach tree on the front.

Your cooperation is highly appreciated. T he soldiernodded shortly, did a half circle turn on his heels, and headedout. His men had already cleared a corridor. They followed in

perfect order, almost like a dance.

Zhong-Shi found the house easily. A peach tree in latespring, with its pink flowers and artistic shaped canopy, somefruits starting to form, and its dark and rough bark, was aview impossible to miss.

The house was small but tidy, located in high groundcompared to the others. In this part of the delta, some of the

houses were built right on the water. This one should be dry


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most of the time, even in high tide, or the tree wouldnt behere.

It was a long roof palm thatched house, with a steep andnarrow stair leading to a gallery with bamboo floor. Theveranda was also made in bamboo with the low wallskillfully arranged as squares inside squares. The structurewas built in wood, not as strong as the one of the inn, butgood for a river house. The wall was made out of bambooand rattan interwoven, with two windows. The space underthe house was closed to the prying eyes with a bamboo net,and, on the back, it seemed to end right at the water. In thegallery, there was a water jug on the corner, and ceramic potswith flowers. A huge hornbill the size of a swan with a funnyred horn was perched on the veranda by its own volition.

Hidden in the tree, a group of parrots chatted eagerly. The birds were making an incredible amount of noise, as ifwelcoming them, or, more likely, letting everyone know thatintruders had arrived.

He climbed the seven steps of the staircase, ducked just intime to prevent the thatch getting in his eye, and knockedsoftly on the bamboo door. He never got used to these doors.They were too weak. In Bian-Jing, his province, the door

represented the status of the house. Someone with a door likethis would be considered to have no pride, and might even beostracized. Well, they might not need to be ostracized theywould be dead when the cold came and everything froze.

The door cracked softly and opened. Zhong-Shi caughthimself a fraction before gasping. In front of him there was asmall lady with bird-like structure, beautiful raven hair and

delicate hands. But what forced him to use his training was


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not this, or the beauty of half of her face, but the burn that shesported on the right side.

Many emotions crossed him at that point. He wanted to protect her, avenge her, care for her. She was so delicate, sosmall, so fragile. She had been so beautiful.

She looked at him, understanding his distress, and her eyes blurred with threatening tears that never fell.

Good morning, sir. May I help you? She bowedrespectfully.

Zhong- Shi cleared his throat. I am Zh ong-Shi, captain ofthe personal guard of His Highness, King Xiao the First. Imlooking for Ms. Mei-Gui, the mantou maker. King Xiaoneeds to speak with her.

King Xiao She tried to hide a smile, but couldnt. Iam Mei-Gui. It will be an honor to see the King. Shenodded.

The King extends the invitation to your son as well. At this point her spine stiffened, she became alert, and fear

crossed her face. It was just a second, and then she bowedand took that slimy attitude distressed servants show in

presence of their masters. Zhong-Shis own spine recoiled aswell. In other circumstances, this change of attitude could

only mean trouble.Yes, of course. Please, wait while I ready myself and myson . She bowed again, deeper this time, and scurried insideclosing the door behind her.

Zhong-Shi turned his back to the door and looked at hismen. They were waiting under the shadow of the peach tree.The parrots never stopped chatting. The noise was almost

unbearable.


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A long time went by and the lady didnt appear. He wouldnot have worried much except for the fact that the house felt

empty.He knocked again, no sound could be heard.Please , open the door. He imprinted authority in his

words and listened for some reaction. Nothing.He kicked it open. Actually, his foot went through the

rattan piece instead, breaking it free from the frame. He pushed the panel in and peeped inside. The house was indeedempty.

Go around! His men moved fast, while he was enteringthe small space. He crossed the social area and went straightto the back room, the one for the family affairs. He saw thespace for cooking and two small cauldrons placed on a lowframe. Along the wall there was a slim bench, more like ashelf. Pots with flour and rice were placed underneath it, anda basket with eggs and vegetables graced a corner. On theother side, a bamboo bed with a palm woven cover took mostof the space.

He crossed the room and opened the back door, landing ona tiny pier, right on the water.

Zhong-Shi shook his head in dismay. He had lost them.


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Chapter 4: Unsettling NewsThe captain and his crew rode back to the palace and

delivered the bad news.Im sorry, my lord. She escaped us. Ill take any

punishment you see fit. Xiao was so disconcerted that he didnt even roll his eyes

at the mention of punishment. Why did she flee? Please , giveme details.

Zhong-Shi told him the full story.Very strange indeed. Xiao was lost in thought for a

couple of minutes . Please, go to the inn and invite the ownerto come. I need to have a word with him.

Yes, Sire .

The man was uneasy when he sat in the large arm chairXiao directed him to. It was pompous furniture brought fromShou-Do, not usual at all so far south, or anywhere else forthat matter. And to sit in front of a king was utterly unnatural.Most kings expect their subjects to stand, or kneel.

I can see you are nervous, the king said in lieu of

introduction . We are not here to talk about taxes , or anyillegal activity you might run at your inn. You can breathenow. The man allowed himself the shadow of a smile.

Xiao acknowledged him and kept talking. I am lookingfor the lady that sells the mantou to you. Her name is Mei-Gui. What can you tell me about her?

The man looked at Xiao in the eye for a second, then he

remembered his manners and looked down . It is about thatkid, isnt it? She knew this day would come.


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Tell me what you know about the kid, Xiao inquired,trying hard to keep his face and shoulders relaxed so the

surprise did not show.The man sigh ed. He is a fire breather, and he hasnt come

of age yet. Thats impossible. The fire gif t only develops after

adulthood, Xiao muttered startled and unable to hide it.Yes. Some say she was actually impregnated by a

dragon. At least that is what her husband claimed. He left herand the child locked out with only their clothes on when sheneeded him the most. Did you see the scar in her face? The

boy did it to her, in a tantrum, when he was two years of age.The poor dear

Xiao was curling the end of his braid with one finger and pulling it hard. He didn t understand. His father was a fire breather, but all he did was to expel smoke out of his mouthwhen he was upset. From all the pure bred dogs in court ashe called them, he only saw one actually blowing fire. DukeMing-Zhi of Bian-Jing did it during the meeting that changedhis life forever.

Thank you, you can go now. He looked at the captain bythe door. Please, escort the gentleman out and bring Shi-

Ren.

I hope it is really important. Shi -Ren, entered the roomand sat without any ceremony.

I think it is wise one, Xiao kept his voice firm. Thefire dragon sat straight, paying attention. If Xiao called himwise one , it had to be interesting.

Show me, the dragon -man commanded. Xiao relaxed.The man put both hands on the sides of his head and looked


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deep into his eyes, searching for the last conversation andsome more. I see .

Xiao saw surprise fast replaced by an inscrutable face.Whatever the situation was, his intuition had been right, itwas serious.

Can he be one of your kin? Xiao asked. No, he is not. When a fire dragon impregnates a woman,

you get someone like your father. Only spending time in theRed City might make him a dragon, and the city is not lit atthis time as far as I know.

Xiao knew about the Blue City, of course. But he didntknow there was a Red City as well. His mind started to swirlunder the implications, but he forced himself to come back.

So what is this boy?Im not completely sure, but we need to find this woman

before the snakies do, he said with determination , jumpingto his feet.

I know her better than anyone else. Let me go. The immortal looked at Xiao, exasperated.You know we cant risk you. You are a public figure. It

would be complicated to find another king if somethinghappens to you.

Thanks for your concern, Xiao snickered.


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Chapter 5: Flight Of The PhoenixWhere do we go? Fang asked, sitting comfortably in a

beautiful seating bed. It had three sides made out of carvedwood with details of prunes and peonies, and the seat madeout of rattan and bamboo. He had just jumped in and caughtthe last part of the conversation.

To search for a woman and her son, the dragon-mananswered. Fang raised an eyebrow. The intensity in Shi-Rens eyes told him this was important.

What does she look like ?Xiao handed him the silk sheet with the drawing.Like this, but half of the face has a nasty scar from fire. Fang looked up, falcon eyes watching Xiao. I saw this

woman. She was boarding the boat that carries your fruit. Ithas already left toward the Allura Islands.

Shi-Ren strode forcefully to the balcony. Can you takedragon shape? he asked Fang without turning.

I can try. His face lit with excitement. Goddess! Heloved challenges!

Shi-Ren studied the balcony area. There was evidently not

enough space to spread his wings. He jumped out and landedwith a fluid movement on the sand ten feet below. Thesecond man followed with ease, almost levitating.

The wise one changed to dragon form and sprinted towardthe air. Fang transformed into a dragon as well and followedShi-Ren. He was green with aquamarine lines, while the firedragon was red with golden lines. He could have chosen any

color his shapes were mere illusions for the most part, untilhe learnt to have substance. He chose this one because ofPearl.


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They went toward the port and out to the sea, until theysaw the boat. They circled around it, while Shi-Ren studied

the situation. There was not much a fire dragon could do,except burn it.

Any idea? he asked Fang.I can jump in to the boat and talk to her. But it can

backfire. Literally the dragon did a rough turn. Something had

just hit him in one wing. The boy was on the ships deck, legswide apart, gaze centered and hands spread in front of him.He was conjuring a big ball of fire between his hands.

Fang disappeared in mid air and appeared right at the boys back in his man form, grabbing him from behind whilesoothing him. His fangs came out as a natural reaction, andhe restrained the need to use them. The boy stopped for asecond and looked at him from the corner of his eye.

Please, I dont want to hurt you. Just to talk, Fang said ,intensifying the soothing effect. The boy relaxed, caught inhis spell.

Suddenly, a wild cry made him spring: Mei-Gui had blindly charged. She went through him and knocked her sonto the floor. The boy turned around and looked at them,

changed form into a phoenix, grabbed his mother in hisclaws, and flew away.Fang was about to follow him, but Shi-Ren called him,

and they went back to the Palace instead.

The fire dragon was not in good shape. The fire ball hadmade a hole in his wing. The pain was bearable hardly, but

the wind coming through the hole made flying very difficult.He managed to land at the cove by the palace.


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Chapter 6: PearlXiao was at the balcony watching Shi-Ren, when he saw

the magus appearing with a bag in his hands. The king couldhardly recognize him. His clothes were of the finest silk, andhis hair was braided and carefully tightened in a knot. Had hegained weight? It seemed that palace life had finally gotten tohim. But he was here, with a bag, ready to work. Mika was

by his side.

Oh, my friend, Balian gasped looking at the hole in thedragons wing. Mika, please bring me aloe vera, eight bigleaves, h e said while taking his mortar from the bag, a sharpknife and some other pouches with who knows what.

He looked at Fang and grimaced. Fang stared back at theman and stiffed before looking down like a scolded little boy.I will be with Xiao if you need me. The wizard offered him a dirty look before going back to

his chore. Fang jumped to the balcony, where Xiao waswatching with deep interest.

Mika appeared again. He had scratches in his arms and

face. They worked fast, cleaning the leaves from the spinesand cutting them. Balian made a gel with part of the pulp,mixed it up with some other ingredients and applied itdirectly to the wound. Then they wrapped the cut leaves overit with the green part on the outside.

Balian stepped back and looked at his work. Not bad, butnot enough to actually close the hole. Shi-Ren seemedrelieved. His eyes were not on fire anymore.


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Balian felt the well known tickle of energy and knew his baby girl was here. She added her healing power to his,making it come from his hands, and they felt in real time howthe hole closed and healed completely.

What are you doing in this form? t he wizard askedsmiling.

Protecting me from myself, she answered, biting herlower lip.

He looked up to the balcony where Fang was watchingwith Xiao. Good choice, he said, anger hardening his face.

I have to go. Im pushing the clouds toward the desert. She vanished.

Balian sighed, she would create a draft if she pushed theclouds away... he would have to deal with that later, now he

wanted to find out what had made that hole.


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Chapter 7: The Torch BearerBalian climbed the steep stairs toward the terrace with

some effort. It surprised him. When had this small walk become a problem for him? The answer came right away like it always does when asking the right questions and he

pushed it away.He entered the kings study with Mika. The setup was

similar to the one at the North Fortress: a long mahoganytable, probably brought from Huo, and highly decorated armchairs. Very different from King Huangs studio that onlyhad one desk and one chair, everyone except the king had tostand or kneel. King Huang was Xiaos father, but they werelike day and night, both in appearance and personality.

Xiao started with the story of the missing fruit and themantous, he mentioned how the woman had fled, and finallyShi-Ren talked about the confrontation at the boat.

What do you think this boy is? Balian asked Shi-Ren.I think he is the torch bearer, the dragon answered

staring at the wizard. He nodded.There was a silence while the implications sank in.

You mean he is like Elie , but for fire ? Mika commented.Yes. Elearah Elie for short was the Pearl bearer. She was

born with Pearls anchor inside of her body and they wereconnected. Pearl lived her first experiences through her, andthe fact that she actually lived over her five years markallowed Pearl to go in her way of becoming the water

goddess, instead of just the consciousness of the wateramulet.


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Fang had also had a bearer Rashand, one of the snakies.The snakies corrupted the air amulet to bring him into

existence. His powers were dark, but he was a new soul. Hewas the soul eater, the ultimate vampire. Rashand was dead.His anchor a crystal fang hung from Mikas neck now,and allowed him to jump, carrying things or people with him.He actually had full vampire powers, without the limitationon light and food.

Any idea of how to find them? the wizard inquired.He took phoenix form. There is only one place he will

go: the Fire Mountain, the dragon-man answered. Hisattention seemed to be far away.

The bard sighed. Well, it looks like we have a tripahead.

Ill go, Xiao offered anxiously.Shi-Ren was already saying no with his head.I know, I know, Xiao cut him off . Im too impor tant to

spare, right?The dragon-man smirked and nodded.Well, I am not. I am a decorative figur ine, and we all

know it. Dont get me wrong, I am deeply thankful for myluck. But this is personal, and I am the only one she knows .

I can go with him, Mika offered.And me too, Fang added quickly.Balian looked at them knowing there was more to this

eagerness than met the eye.Yes, maybe a trip is the best for you two. Give your

ladies some space .They both looked down, avoiding the piercing gaze of

their father-in-law.


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Chapter 8: Bitter TruthsXiao and Fang were loitering at the terrace while Mika

was busy taking Balian back to Huo the land of the fire people, and Shi-Ren was preparing the trip.

Xiao looked at his companion. The young king really likedFang. He was a free spirit and honest to a T.

What happened with Pear l? he asked.Fangs head sank. It looks like some truths are not to be

told, h e muttered.Care to elaborate? Xiao was very curious . Pearl made

rain every time she was upset, but he had never seen herflooding an area the size of his kingdom before.

It started because Elie is turning her back to Mika atnight. She is too busy being a mother . Fang rolled his eyes.

For how long? the king asked eagerly. He loved togossip, those who said it was a female activity were big fatliars.

Eight months, two months before the delivery and nowEirwen is six months old.

Xiao stared at him. This was bad. He must be climbing

the walls, the king said thoughtfully.He is. It is one thing is to starve in the desert, and anotherto starve inside a palace kitchen. It is maddening.

So Pearl? Xiao brought the subject back to its course. We were talking about this . She said it was only fair that

he respected her needs as a mother, and I told her that it was a big pile of bull crap, that she should take care of her man if

she didnt want him to get a mistress.


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She gave me the look and I told her that to be marriedmeant to agree to bed only the other, not to not bed only the

other.Then she asked the cursed question how long it would

take me to find a mistress if I were him And I told her the truth: one we ek on my own, I would be

very nervous two weeks, I would be climbing the w alls three weeks, I would grab anything that crosses my path andis willing.

Xiao looked at the sky Oh Goddess he muttered. Aye, she was furious never saw her so enraged before.

She looked so unbelievably wild and beautiful! Fang wasgrinning dumbly. The fact that she had flooded many squaremiles of farm land didnt seem to bother him that much.

Well, women are powers of nature. And this one , evenmore . Xiao smiled. Pearl was definitely something special.

You know what puzzles me the most? She said shewanted me always to be honest with her

The young king laughed wholeheartedly . Well, yes. Butsome truths are just too bitter to drink without honey.

Fang shook his head, as if the concept were hard tounderstand for him.

Well, to finish the story. She is not even talking to menow. Worse than that, she is using the little girls forminstead of her womans form. I cant even look at her thatway.

And you dont have so many options, do you ? Xiaofinished the phrase for him. Fang sighed.

You know? To be a god stinks sometimes. I need to learn

how to have substance fast, before I go crazy .


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Well, you could apologize, Xiao said, worried by theimplications of his words.

I did, but she wouldnt listen


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Almost a goddess 36

Chapter 9: Just Holding UpMika jumped Balian right to his studio in Shou-Du palace.

The wizard had been appointed by Jin-Long, the goldendragon, as main advisor of King Huang, King of Huo thefire land. He was running the kingdom in practical terms.

King Huang was not happy about it, not happy at all.Balian was too clever to be fooled, and he had a very hardtime getting bellaflor for his needs under the old mans nose.That was his main concern. The fact that Jin-Long hadstripped him from all real power and transformed him into a

buffoon prickled him in the back of his mind, but it was notthe most pressing issue.

Please stay, the wizard asked Mika. We need to talk.Mika sighed and took his boots out, sitting on an ornatearmchair. Balian was already sat with his legs crossed on thelow furniture that also served as bed, it was skillfully carvedwith the same leaves and flower design of the armchair.

How are you holding up? h e asked with no preamble.Its hard. Mika s voice was low. What makes it harder

is that she is ri ght there, besides me and I cant touch her.

Is she still breastfeeding?Yes. Eirwen is already eating some food, but the breastfeeding is still going, Mika answered not completelyunderstanding where this conversation was going.

Please trust me wh en I tell you it is not lack of love. Shewill come out of the mother phase and be a woman again.

When?

Good question the bard mumbled absently while heserved two vessels of rice wine and gave one to Mika. There


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But Elie needs to be out of that energy to be herself,you need her out of there so she can be herself, and Eirwen

will be better in the Blue City where she could, maybe, become a water dragon.

Mika felt a bittersweet drop of knowledge opening in hisawareness. It was always like this, wasnt it? The hard partwas never to get answers, but to ask the right questions.

He forced himself to come back. It was a very good planindeed. And his daughter being a water dragon it was suchan honor. He was not from the water tribe he was born as ahu-man, but Elie brought enough water energy for both ofthem.

Do you think she will agree?She will love it. Especially now , that you are taking Xiao

to the Fire Mountain. She can be with Yin-Hua and her baby,with Cinnia, and the other ladies...

The young man looked at the magus in dismay. Now thatthere was a solution for his problem, he had to leave

So we are going through with the trip? Yes, Xiao was actually right in his assessment. The

situation is close to desperate. We cannot allow the enemy toget hold of that boy. And we are spread too thin right now,

we actually dont have anyone else who can go.I cant leave Huang one second alone. The fire dragonsare keeping the other nobles at bay by sheer force. The ladieshave the hands full with their babies. Pearl is trying to fix thedisruption she made and Jin -Long is hopping all over the

place backing up everyone else. The bard breathed deeply.Mika looked at the old man. He had changed. He looked

tired, unhappy, he had even gained weight. He held ittogether by inner strength. To be trapped indoors with


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Almost a goddess 39

unhealthy people who didnt want him around was evidentlyvery hard on him.

How are you holding up, my friend? Now it was Mikastime to look into the bards eyes and ask hard questions. Theman sighed.

Well, as soon as I manage to find someone to replace mehere, Im going to make a trip just me and the Green Lady.Something is calling me from the Earth land, it is coming inmy dreams. But, Im stuck here babysitting a king who Goddess forgive me is already lost.


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Chapter 1 : King Huang The ThirdMika left toward the Goddess Sanctuary and Balian

gathered his wits before going to see the king. It was not thefirst time he had been main advisor, but this was certainlydifferent. He looked up, the side of his mouth twitching in asad smile. He had definitely been gifted with manyexperiences in this lifetime, a lifetime to remember.

He came into the kings chamber to find the almightyHuang The Third, King of Huo, having an argument with thealmighty Jin-Long, the golden dragon.

I am a king . My line descends from the gods. My right torule was given to my family by them. You cant come hereand tell me what to do or what not to do! Huang was saying,smoke coming out of his nostrils.

What gods? If I may ask Jin -Long asked with a fakesmile and gritted teeth. His eyes were on fire. If the king hadsome sense of self-preservation, he would shut up right there.But he didnt, bellaflor had killed it long ago.

The gods, the Goddess, the One God those. The kinganswered, his chest high and looking at the dragon-man in theeye.

Really? So the One came out of his silence just to putyour line into power? Yes! the king said , putting up a gamecock front, and

trying to look more certain than he was.Liar! Jin -Long roared, and the sound reverberated on the

walls of the chamber, and beyond . I put your lousy ancestorinto power!

Jing-Long was ready to give the king a piece of his mind,and he did it.


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Let me tell you a little secret about monarchy. The onlymeaning of monarchy is that the king owns the land and

everything on it. So anyone else can only live in the kingdom by paying taxes. To pay taxes to the land is nothing else thana rent in disguise, and it is undividedly connected withmonarchy no matter the name they put to the government.The glamour is a big pile of bull crap to force the public tocomply with this absurd system.

And let me tell you something else about it: to pretendthat you own the land is the most outrageous act a man cando. The Green Lady is the Great Mother, the bearer of theGoddess in this place and time. You are nothing more than a

bug on her skin. You don t own shit.Dont you dare say that She or the One appointed your

family. I did it. And I did it as a test. Different systems wereimplemented in different places in the old days. I figured thatwhat people really liked would develop and what peopledidnt like would die out. Monarchy in particular would havenever survived without the aid of the snake. You are adisgrace.

The dragon-man walked closer to the king as he talked.Huang ended up sitting on a platform with pillows, with the

huge golden eyed mass of man dangerously closing over him.The bard cleared his throat, and Jin-Long turned around.If I may interrupt, my lord. There is something urgent weneed to discuss. He hadnt intended to run into Jin-Longwhen coming to this room, but it was certainly good. Theking could wait.

Lets go then. I wasted too muc h time already with this

parrot. J in-Long moved his hands vigorously.


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And you he faced the king, will have to choose: bellaflor or the kingdom. If you want to keep taking it, you

will have to abdicate in favor of someone clean. If you wantto go on being a king, you will have to let go of the flowerand clean up your act.

Why dont you just kill me? Huangs face was a maskof hate.

Because I will not make a martyr of you, t he dragonanswered, his eyes flickering in rage . You will not transformme into a tyrant. But I can put you in a dungeon to rot until Ineed to show you. Dont challenge me!

He looked at Balian, I need some air. Lets go.

The dragon-man climbed the steep hill to the gazebodedicated to him in the royal garden, and went out to the

balcony. He was these peoples main god, yet they seemed to prefer him in legends and ludicrous paintings, more than inflesh and bones. Goddess, he was pissed! He turned around tosee the bard following him, breathing heavily. Jin-longlooked at him, worried. This assignment was starting tocompromise his health. Six months before, he had done thesame trajectory fast and easy. Nobody would have guessed

the man was almost eighty years of age.Magus, my respect for you is even higher now , if that is

possible. I have no idea how you can be around this stupidson of a one-eyed frog and not crush his skull .

Balian hinted a smile at his compliment.I have important news, h e said without preamble.Do tell.

We found the torch bearer, and we lost him. We think heis going to th e Fire Mountain.


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The golden dragon stared at him, many emotions crossinghis heart. So this is why he heard Simurgh singing. He

thought she was calling him, but this certainly made moresense.

Did he take phoenix form? Jin -Long asked with wideeyes.

Ye s. That explains it I want to see. The bard nodded and

cleared his mind to allow the dragon in.Do you think it will work? Xiao, Mika and Fang? Jin-

Long wasnt sure. I mean Mika has my vote, but the othertwo are well

Can we spare someone else? The bard asked lifting oneeyebrow.

Maybe I should be the one to go The dragon lookedinto the bards eyes hopeful, and found kindness and sadness.He sighed. I guess that settles it.

He would love to find an excuse to go himself. He reallymissed Simurgh. Since he had woken up again, more than ayear ago, he hadnt find time to do the trip.

Simurgh was an ancient phoenix, and since the War, theonly one remaining. The Goddess had blessed her with the

gift of rebirth for taking care of Jin-Long as her ownhatchling when he took form for the first time. She had caredfor him when he hatched from the golden egg as a dragon, theform he chose as his anchor to walk this beautiful corner ofthe Universe called simply Earth.

She and her kin were known by many names in thedifferent nations, and lived in different places along history,

and before history. She was known as Feng-Huang in theHuo land and represented the queen. But she was not only


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legend. She was an intelligent, living breathing, beautiful birdand had her nest in the Fire Mountain, protected by the fierce

Alconians and their particular belief system.

almost a goddess 10 chapters

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