From the Ashes of Love

Chapter 1

The Heavenly Emperor Runyu, Dragon Spirit, sat alone in his vast throne room, brooding in the empty silence, his white pearlescent scales faintly luminous in the dim light.

"I have everything and nothing" he thought to himself. His eyes wandered over the cavernous hall, taking in the numerous tables along the sides, all empty. He called to mind the days of his youth, before he became the Heavenly Emperor, when the Empyrean Cloud Palace was filled with light and life. Dozens of courtiers would sit at those tables, gossiping and scheming, flirting and favoring, bullying and toadying. The juxtaposition of the present situation, alongside his memory, caused his heart to compress.

A sudden sound echoes in the stillness, startling him. Reflexively, he changed back to human form, his long serpentine tail slithering up into his robes. He never liked people to see him in dragon form.

His attention is drawn to the source of the sound, the light footsteps of his faithful servant Kuanglu, who was followed by the Yan Beast, a small, white, blue-eyed deer who only grows horns when feasting upon your dreams.

The servant Kuanglu spoke aloud, "Your Majesty, I don't think anyone is coming for an audience tonight. Perhaps it would be better for you to rest."

The Heavenly Emperor sighed. Then he spoke, "Kuanglu" he said. "It is long overdue that you be recognized for your faithful service and exemplary work. To what position shall I promote you?"

At these words Kuanglu dropped to her knees, bowing her head to the floor.

"Your Majesty, my only desire is to serve you! Please do not send me away from your side" she begged.

She did this every time he suggested a promotion. It was just as well. She was the only soul willing to brave his company. Without her he would be completely alone.

"Get up" he ordered her. "I will honor your request for now."

With that, he stood up and and walked in a dignified manner down the steps of the dias, through the long hall, past his kneeling servant, and out of the massive doors into the night.

He took a deep breath of the clear night air and exhaled slowly. Tonight he felt like drinking. As he walked from the great hall to his own Xuanji Palace he admired the stars in the night sky.

"Kuanglu has done an excellent job in ordering them" he mused. "I really ought to promote her to the title of Night Immortal." That position had been left vacant since his ascension to the throne, and Kuanglu had taken over those duties that he himself had trained her to do.

Kuanglu discreetly followed the Emperor at a respectful distance. She knew he would need her to wait upon him once they reached home. The lower level servants were all asleep, having done their work during the day. She alone was used to the nocturnal hours her liege preferred to keep, a behavior developed during his long tenure as the Night Immortal. Her heart grieved for him to be so isolated, but at the same time she was also secretly pleased to have his company all to herself.

"One day he will realize my love for him" she thought. That thought both thrilled and terrified her. She knew he wasn't ready to know it yet. He was still remorseful of his loss of the Water Immortal. It has been several years since her death in the Demon Realm and subsequent resurrection in the Mortal Realm, and she knew that he still thought only of her.

"Jinmi!" Kuanglu thought angrily. "She has treated my Lord so disgracefully, and yet she and the Fire Immortal blame HIM for the war. He blames himself for the war because of them. Betrayed by the two people whom he loved most."

Kuanglu knew that she could never voice these thoughts aloud because it would enrage her Emperor. Impotently she clenched her fist tightly. This was a habit she had picked up from him, during the days when he was without power, and unable to express his indignation at hurtful words and unjust accusations. Silently she followed him, watching, waiting, anticipating. The Yan Beast pranced next to her, then nuzzled her hand to get her attention. The Beast gestured with his head that he was going to go off on his own. Kuanglu waved him away and he bounded off in the distance to go feed on the dreams of the sleeping servants.

The Heavenly Emperor Runyu sat at a small table in his garden overlooking the twisted trunk and feathery branches of a white pine tree. At the base of the tree used to grow a patch of flowers called Night Epiphyllum, but that was gone now. It had disappeared when the Water Immortal Jinmi had died. In his mind's eye he could see the large, white spidery blossoms. The hole in his garden reflected the hole in his heart.

He took another small sip of the fragrant Osmanthus wine from a delicate porcelain cup. The wine reminded him of Jinmi. She used to make this type of wine for him and his brother, the Fire Immortal Xu Feng, the last Phoenix in the Six Realms. This was his last bottle and so he drank slowly, savoring every drop.

"I should send someone to collect more Osmanthus" he thought. No flowers grew in the Heavenly Realm anymore. The Flower Realm was estranged from the Heavenly Realm and free passage was not allowed. Someone would have to go to the Mortal Realm. The Mortal Realm, where Jinmi lived with Xu Feng and their son Tangyue.

His heart skipped a beat as he entertained the thought of going down there himself. What if he happened to run into her at the Osmanthus groves? Then, with a pang in his heart, he remembered her face the last time he had seen her. So cold, but what can you expect from a Frost Flower?

As the last of the wine kicked in, his head sank slowly down to the table, pillowed by his arm. His bleary eyes closed as he drifted off to sleep.