Dragon Raja, Chapter 2: Prologue White Emperor City

Dragon Raja

“Brother.” In the darkness, someone softly called.

How annoying! Whose child has gotten lost and come to disturb my nap?

“Brother… wake up.” The child called again.

So annoying, so annoying! Your brother is not here! If he is lost, go find a policeman!

“Brother… then I’ll go.” The child’s voice gradually faded.

There was a hint of loneliness in that voice, like a little hound that had been abandoned. He suddenly felt a pang of compassion and sat up:

“Okay, okay, okay! Which street and number and house do you live on? What’s the name of your unreliable brother’? I’ll take you home!”

Children of the world, how lonely you are;

How much further do you have to walk alone across the wasteland?

An ethereal song floated in from somewhere. What? Does he have a neighbor who sings opera? But anyone who can hit such beautiful high notes must be a big lady with a waistline of a meter, right?

In the warm, soft sunlight, he sat on the ground, dressed in white, while a single white camellia bloomed leisurely in a coarse porcelain vase.

“Hey, you didn’t leave? Are you kidding me?” he wanted to say, but didn’t.

The child leaned over the table, dressed in white robes, carving something with a chisel.

This environment looked very unfamiliar; he had never been here before, but he naturally did something: there was a plate of glistening green grapes on the table, he picked a small bunch from it and handed it across the table to the child.

The child raised his head, with panic flashing in his eyes, like a vigilant toddler, “Brother, there are a lot of people outside.”

Bullshit, isn’t it? It’s so quiet, he thought.

Outside was actually very quiet, so quiet that even the cicadas seemed to be asleep, with only the opera-singing woman occasionally being heard.

But he held the child’s hand and said something nonsensical: “Maybe we’ll die? But I’m with you, so don’t be afraid.”

I’m with my brother. I’m not afraid…but why…don’t eat me? If you eats me, no one will stop you.” The child said seriously.

Eat…you? Although you look very fair and tender, it doesn’t mean you are better than a hamburger. I just had a hamburger at noon and I’m not hungry at all. He thought.

“You’d be very nurturing food, but that would be too lonely. After all these years, it’s only you and me together.” Once again, he said something that was not what he meant.

“But death is really sad. It’s like being sealed in a black box, forever and ever, in pitch black… It’s like groping in the dark, but you can never touch anything with your outstretched hand…”

“The so-called fate of the abandoned tribe is to cross the wilderness, raise the battle flag again, and return to their hometown. Death is not terrible, it is just a long sleep. Before I can devour this world, it is better to sleep peacefully than to trek alone. We will still wake up.” He couldn’t believe these poetic words were coming out of his mouth.

He and the child sounded like actors who had rehearsed countless times, flowing naturally.

“On the day when you raise the battle flag, and devour the world will you eat me, brother?” The child looked at him, anticipation sparkling in his clear eyes.

Damn it! Is this some kind of “we are a loving cannibal family” drama plot? But your family ethics are really weird!

“Of course, then you will be with me, ruling the world!” He nodded slightly, proud and dignified.

The child poured a glass of water from the kettle and handed it to him, and he drank it dazedly.

“It’s time; I must go. Brother, see you next time when you wake up.” The child stood up.

He wanted to say that I am not your brother and you recognized the wrong person, but he just said casually, “Goodbye, be careful, humans, you can’t trust them.”

Another strange line, disconnected and nonsensical, but he spoke it naturally.

The child left, closing the door behind him. He listened as the footsteps grew fainter until they completely disappeared.

He suddenly felt a little scared. He thought he was really crazy. If he let such a small child walk on the street by himself, what if someone kidnapped him? He didn’t know how far he would have to walk to find his brother. He became restless and finally got up and ran to the door.

He pushed open the door, and a blazing light shone on his white clothes. It was not the sunlight, but the firelight. In the blazing flames, the city was crying, charred figures were running in the fire, thousands of arrows fell from the sky, and a huge plaque was burning and falling, with the words “White Emperor” on it. It was simply hell.

In the center of the square, there was a tall pole. The child was hung on the top of the pole with his eyes closed. The flames of the entire city were burning him.

It was like a grand sacrifice.

Suddenly, his heart ached, as if a knife were cutting him. The child had his eyes closed, his expression peaceful, and the firelight even added a blush to his pale little face, but he could feel every bit of the burning pain.

…But…”

He suddenly remembered something, it was true, he was the child’s brother.

he shouted the child’s name.

He sat up abruptly, gasping for breath, drenched in cold sweat, with the noise of the light rail train passing outside.

He was merely in the ordinary human world, the burned ancient city and that child were just dreams. Perhaps it was the scorching summer afternoon sun that burned his skin, which is why he dreamed of fire.

He got up and poured a large cup of water, hurriedly gulping it down, feeling as if the burning sensation from the dream lingered in his dry throat.

The opera-singing woman was still singing loudly, drowning out the noise of the light rail and the cicadas, shaking the windows ever so slightly.

This time he heard the complete lyrics:

Children of the world, how lonely you are;

How much further do you have to walk alone across the wasteland?

Yet the kiss of the divine is stamped on your forehead, the steel compass has charted your journey,

Places that cannot be reached will ultimately remain unreachable, where you go must surely shine with brilliance.

Series Navigation

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