Empty Crown (Published)

Prologue

In the realms above and below, her name was known far and wide as a great deity, a daughter of heaven whose beauty and strength were unparalleled. Immersed in her divine cultivation, she had ascended to great heights, accumulating immense power that made even the celestial beings envious.

But within the heart of this mighty goddess lay a love that set her apart from her divine brethren—the love for the living beings of the three realms, with humans holding a special place in her heart. She beheld the world with compassion, witnessing both the joys and sufferings of mortal life.

Her benevolent heart called out to them, embracing every living being with unconditional love. To her celestial gaze, the mortals appeared not as insignificant creatures but as beings endowed with intelligence, capable of profound emotions and acts of kindness.

Better than the deities—who were strict and emotionless.

The Goddess who was observing from afar, who no longer can resist the urge; descended from the lofty heavens upon their world, walked among and helped the humans; whether it was easing a farmer's burden by granting them rain or a good harvest, comforting a grieving soul, helping them overcome sickness or granted them wishes of wealth, health, and marriage.

Her divine grace was a saving grace to all those she encountered.

The deity's benevolent deeds echoed through time. In their respect and gratitude, the humans built a grand temple in her name. The temple stood tall and majestic, a testament to the love and adoration the humans held for the benevolent deity yet with her limited power, the deity also encountered limitless greed.

Her eyes only saw the goodness in humans and had forgotten about their ugliness.

They took from her and used her to gain their wishes. Over time the deity slowly grew exhausted. Yet humans never stopped. Their wants continued, endlessly, without a bottom. They were selfish and they begged her for more and more.

"I want to be rich."

"I want to be beautiful."

"I want to be healthy."

"I want to live a long life."

"I want to have a lovely marriage."

The wishes were unending.

Each prayer she answered, her power further diminished.

Slowly she started to lose her divinity.

People's faith wavered and their visits began to dwindle, and they gradually drifted away, seeking solace elsewhere. The once bustling halls echoed with emptiness, and the sacred aura that once pervaded the temple now felt faint and distant.

Nature, sensing the abandonment of the sacred space, began reclaiming what was once hers. Vines started creeping up the walls, trees extended their branches over the temple's roof, and wildflowers adorned the pathways leading towards the shrine. Weeds sprouted between the stone steps, erasing the traces of footsteps that once sought her guidance.

The deity's presence gradually faded from the memory of the people, and she became a forgotten figure, lost in the annals of time. The temple, once a symbol of devotion and grandeur, was now reclaimed by the embrace of nature, becoming one with the wilderness surrounding it.