Fiction Academy: CAS' Never Ending Story 2022

|97|* Mystical Lanterns

Mystical Lanterns
by Julia Ara Bella Saguinsuin

In ancient China, where the boundary between the realm of mankind and the abode of the gods was once a mere ascent or descent of a hundred steps, people could directly make wishes to God, who would graciously grant them. Yet, among them was Cheng Yi, a man consumed by greed and egotism, yearning to steal the divine trident that bestowed the power to fulfill wishes upon its possessor. This treacherous pursuit gained the support of many, including his wife Cheng Yifei and their two sons, Cheng Libo and Cheng Lun, fueled by the assistance of Xiao Zhan, the leader of Cheng Yi's devoted followers.

The clandestine plan aimed to unlawfully enter the room where the trident was guarded by Luo Yunxi, a formidable divine entity devoted to protecting it. Cheng Yi and his group, aware of Luo Yunxi's vigilant watch, instructed Zhao Liying, responsible for God's sustenance, to use a powder that could lull even divine beings into a deep sleep.

The fateful night arrived. Cheng Yi and Xiao Zhan ascended the stairs in silence, accompanied by Zhao Liying. The plan unfolded as Zhao Liying mixed the powder with water, offering it to Luo Yunxi in a seemingly benevolent gesture. As Luo Yunxi succumbed to the slumber-inducing concoction, Cheng Yi and Xiao Zhan swiftly incapacitated him, dragging him closer to the kitchen to avoid detection.

Upon reaching the room, they found the trident illuminated, unaware that God had awakened. In the critical moment before Cheng Yi could seize the trident, God intervened, pushing him away. Realizing God was now awake, Xiao Zhan was unable to prevent Cheng Yi from obtaining the coveted trident.

God, wielding the trident, lifted Cheng Yi and Xiao Zhan into the air and transported them back to the land. Observing the people eagerly awaiting Cheng Yi and the trident, God felt deeply wounded by their betrayal. In a fit of rage, God declared a separation between the sky and land, making wishes no longer instantly granted. He mandated that to seek his blessings, wishes must ascend skyward only once a year.

As God spoke, the entire place shook, enveloped in smoke. When the haze lifted, the sky and land were irrevocably separated, and the staircase connecting them vanished from sight. Cheng Yifei suggested using lanterns as a means to send wishes to the sky, thus beginning the tradition. Each year, people diligently crafted lanterns, inscribed with their wishes, and lit them on fire in hopes of God's acceptance and blessings. Remorseful for their rebellion, they passed down the teachings of kindness and warned against greed to the next generation. Thus, the belief that celestial beings could grant wishes through sky lanterns endured through the ages.

The End