Chapter 15
“We are facing the greatest crisis for mortals and gods alike in centuries.”
The Diviner exhaled a slow breath, her many-layered robes shifting as if caught in an invisible current. Lotus blossoms scented the air. She lifted one long, delicate hand, her fingers adorned with rings that gleamed like captured stars.
“Today is the spring equinox, when night and day are in perfect balance. Even as We are here, We are there as well. Even as We speak to you, We speak to the rulers of the other dominions at this very moment.”
My chest tightened as my heart hammered, trembling on the cusp of fear and awe. I could imagine her voice echoing in the hearts of the other dominions at once, each hearing her in their own tongue.
Above, the dome of the ceiling darkened, becoming an endless black void. Then light. A swirling mass of gold and silver churned within the darkness.
“In the beginning, there was only the infinite void,” she continued, her words weaving into the vision unfolding above. “Within this chaos, the opposing forces of flexible yin and forceful yang began to churn, creating balance and, at last, giving birth to the cosmic egg.”
A massive, glowing egg coalesced in the darkness. It pulsed, fissures creeping across its surface like veins of molten gold. With a final, shattering crack, it split apart, and from within, radiant figures emerged.
“The first gods were born, alongside the Three Kingdoms. Each kingdom is divided into two realms. Your Earth Kingdom consists of the Mortal Realm, where humans dwell, and the Spirit Realm, home to minor spirits.”
The fragments reshaped into a great land, where shadowy figures of humans and beasts flickered in and out of sight.
“The Sky Kingdom, ruled by the Jade Emperor, contains the Heavenly Realm, rising above all, where the great gods reside,” she continued, her voice swelling like the wind before a storm, “and the Immortal Realm, where smaller gods and worthy ancestors reside. We, the Diviner, hail from the Immortal Realm. We are therefore divine but not all-powerful.”
She raised her arms, and the great throne room shuddered. Shadows slithered across the marble floors. A deep rumbling filled the space, and outside, the sky darkened, then split open with lightning, casting jagged illumination over her expressionless mask.
“But balance must always be maintained,” she said, her voice lowering to a warning. “For the third is the Kingdom of the Netherworld.”
A fissure cracked across the cosmic vision. From the depths, a churning sea of black mist rose, writhing and shifting into jagged peaks, burning rivers, and endless tunnels that spiraled downward into darkness.
“The Netherworld is divided into the Underworld Realm, ruled by Yama, where souls are judged and purified,” she continued, and for a fleeting moment, I swore I heard the distant wails of spirits, caught between their past and future.
“And beyond that, the Demon Realm. A place of malevolence and unrest, home to demons, spirits of corruption, and those who defy the forces of order and virtue, ruled by the Serpent Lord.”
Something moved within the shadows of the vision—a massive, sinuous form, coiling and uncoiling.
I gasped. A serpent so vast its body spanned entire landscapes, coiling over rivers, mountains, and plains as if the whole world were nothing more than a nest for it to uncoil in.
Its skin shimmered like wet stone, slick and dark, shifting between water and mist. Nine heads sprouted from the thick coils, each one distinct and terrible.
One head dripped black rain that stained the earth below.
Another breathed out storms that twisted the clouds into violent spirals.
Another shed shards of ice that cut the wind into pieces.
Each head moved independently, snapping and hissing, searching with gleaming eyes filled with cold, boundless hunger.
They devoured everything they saw.
Light, color, even hope seemed to wilt under their gaze.
“The Serpent Lord, god of water and ruler of the Demon Realm,” the Diviner whispered.
“The remnants of the cosmic egg became the Four Anchors, each ruled by one element, connecting the realms and keeping them separate. For the ambition of the Serpent Lord is great, and his deepest desire is to unleash his demons upon all realms, making him ruler of all.”
The Diviner’s voice turned grave. “To maintain cosmic balance, four Celestial Guardians were summoned to stand watch over these Anchors, each with a human and a beast form. Born of divine chi, the Celestial Guardians were a bridge between the Three Kingdoms of Sky, Earth, and the Netherworld.”
She flicked her wrist, and four brilliant figures emerged in a circle, each radiating a different elemental energy.
“The Onyx Tortoise, born of water chi, the essence of endurance and death, Celestial Guardian of the Onyx Dominion.” A massive, armored creature emerged, its shell etched with ancient markings, waves lapping at its feet.
“The Azure Dragon, born from wood chi, reigning over growth and vitality, Celestial Guardian of the Azure Dominion.” A serpent-like dragon coiled in the sky, emerald scales flashing like sunlight through leaves.
“The Red Phoenix, forged from fire chi, a symbol of grace and rebirth, Celestial Guardian of the Red Dominion.” Flames erupted into the shape of a bird, its wings spreading in a brilliant cascade of red and gold.
“And the Silver Tyger,” she said last, her gaze falling on those of us in the throne room, “manifested from metal chi, the embodiment of fierce strength and protection, Celestial Guardian of the Silver Dominion.”
A great silver beast stepped forward from the vision, its striped fur gleaming like tempered steel, its eyes burning.
The crowd erupted in a thunderous cheer at the sight of the Silver Tyger. Some shouted in triumph, others bowed their heads in reverence, and a few wept. The great beast’s silver-striped form shimmered in the firelight, its eyes surveying the gathered assembly with a knowing gaze.
The Diviner waited, impassive, until the cheers ebbed into breathless silence.
Then she continued, her voice smooth. “The four Celestial Guardians became the foundation of your Four Dominions, with the Godless Lands in the center,” she intoned.
“From their unions with mortals, your people and your magic were engendered. But of all, only the Silver Tyger took both a human and a tyger Mate, and from his bloodline, your great tygers were born.”
Outside, the tygers roared as one.
The Diviner’s voice grew low and ominous. She lifted a single finger, and the shadows at the edges of the room flickered, twisting into serpentine coils. The torches dimmed.
“Still, relationships between mortals and gods caused too much unrest. The Jade Emperor forbade all such unions, under pain of severe punishment. And then came the day of reckoning, millennia ago.”
The vision rose again, this time painted in shades of fire and water and darkness.
“The Serpent Lord and his demons sought to claim power over all creation. A great battle shook the realms when he fought against Zhurong, the god of fire, and the four Celestial Guardians themselves.”
A deafening roar echoed in the chamber as the scene unfolded: flames clashing with water; a vast, coiling water serpent with nine heads striking against a golden-armored god wreathed in fire. Around them, four mighty beasts joined the fray, their bodies blurred by the sheer force of their power.
“Zhurong and the Guardians rose victorious and sealed the Serpent Lord within the Demon Realm,” the Diviner said, her voice reverent.
“And to ensure the strength of the Anchors, the four Celestial Guardians made the ultimate sacrifice. They surrendered their human forms forever and bound their own animal essences to the Anchors to complete the seal.”
The image shifted, showing the Guardians standing at the four corners of the dominions, their glowing forms merging with the great celestial Anchors. The energy between them pulsed, weaving into an impenetrable barrier.
With a flick of her wrist, the swirling vision above shifted once more. The Four Anchors stood gleaming in the vastness of the dominions.
“The Four Anchors held the seal firm for millennia, keeping the Demon Realm contained. But balance is always in motion.” Cracks formed in the Anchor to the east, the great Soulbearing Tree in the Azure Dragon Dominion.
A sickly black mist curled from its roots, spreading like ink through water.
The Azure Dragon’s Anchor trembled, its glow flickering.
“The Serpent Lord is on the move once more—regaining his strength, rekindling his ambition, amassing his forces. He cannot yet take physical form beyond his own realm, but he has infiltrated your Earth Kingdom with his demons.”
A whisper of unease rippled through the chamber.
The vision twisted, revealing again that monstrous shadow coiled deep within the Demon Realm: the Serpent Lord, his gleaming eyes filled with cold, boundless hunger.
“The first to suffer the consequences was the Azure Dragon Dominion. Its Anchor fell, the first breach of the seal since its creation.”
The vision darkened. The great Soulbearing Tree Anchor shriveled as demons swarmed from it.
Azure lands, once lush and vibrant, burned with unholy black flames.
Towers crumbled. The rivers ran red. Silhouettes of warriors and shapeshifters fought desperately, their attacks swallowed by an endless tide of demons.
The Annihilation.
I glanced up to the dais again, finding Blake. He stared into the vision, his face haunted.
The air in the throne room grew suffocating. The Diviner’s gaze swept over the silent assembly.
“Now,” she said, voice filled with power and prophecy, “the three remaining Anchors teeter on the edge of the same fate. Phantom Falls in the Onyx Tortoise Dominion, the Shattered Mountain in the Red Phoenix Dominion, and the Starborn Peak in the Silver Tyger Dominion are in danger, yet they are all that protect your lands. Some demons are already able to cross. The Starborn Peak threatens to fail next. If all four Anchors are not repaired before the solstice in the twelfth month—”
One by one, we saw the great Silver mountain tumble and fall, then the Red Phoenix volcano erupted, spewing ash and lava, and finally, the giant Onyx waterfall flooded the surrounding lands, drowning all in its path.
With all four Anchors fallen, demons overran the dominions as people were slaughtered and consumed.
She snapped her fingers. The world plunged into darkness. My heart pounded.
The chamber fell into a stunned silence, the weight of the Diviner’s words settling over us like an executioner’s blade.
Then the frantic murmurs began. “The solstice in the twelfth month—” someone echoed in disbelief.
“But it’s already the third month now! And our Anchor will fall next!” another voice cut in, sharp with panic.
When the Diviner finally spoke again, her voice sliced through the noise.
“This task is beyond any one dominion. You must repair the seal together. You must do this, to keep your lands and children safe.
“Each dominion will assemble a team of five of their most powerful mages and warriors. Together, they will travel to each of the Four Dominions, facing the demons that have already begun to bleed into the mortal world in order to reach the heart of each Anchor and repair the seal. A combination of all four dominions’ magic is required to heal the Anchors. ”
A chill rippled through the room.
“The task is dangerous,” the Diviner continued. “Many will not return. But each surviving warrior shall be granted a personal boon, a wish of extraordinary magnitude.”