《The Stage》


 Chapter 1

    Cai Shengwei, Xin Lumei, Nalan Pong, and Xiang Hai were the best of friends. No matter what difficulties they face, whether it was bullies or homework, they persevered together. Although Cai Shengwei wasn''t the leader of the group, he was the brain. He could wiz through math equations like a cheetah on rocket fuel and could memorize nearly everything he hears in a split second.


    Xin Lumei was the one who would lead them all to victory. She was the only one of them who knew how to focus on everyone''s skills and to strengthen them. Nalan Pong was a quiet dude, but he sure does have some lungs on him. Plus, he was the artist of the group. He could draw anything on his mind and play any instrument you could throw at him. As for Xiang Hai, he was the muscles of the group since his physical capabilities surpassed everyone else.


    A few days before they entered Mystic Mansion, they wanted something to quell their boredom. Since Halloween was coming soon, Xin Lumei had suggested going to a haunted house instead of trick-or-treating. They each felt they had long outgrown the holiday, so they agreed to her proposal. However, they grabbed some candy from the store so they could satisfy their sweet tooth for the next few nights.


    Now, on to the haunted house they went as little children went from house to house to beg for a few pieces of candy. This was actually their first year refusing to go hunt for delicious chocolates, but they found it was much easier (and safer) to just buy some. So, the group of four traveled inside while munching on some Snickers or Milky Ways.


    According to the receptionist, Mystic Mansion was a haunted house where groups of any number can wander around without a guide. She had said that it would add on to the eerie atmosphere of the place, so they gladly paid twenty bucks each to get inside.


    "And you don''t have to worry about getting lost." She had said. "There are cameras everywhere, so when it is time to close up, we can go inside and lead you to an exit. Do you want to set up a specific time so that your parents won''t worry?"


    Cai Shengwei exchanged glances with everyone and knew exactly what they were thinking. "Closing time will be fine."


    "Are you sure? Mystic Mansion closes at 3 am."


    Xin Lumei poked her nose in and confirmed their choice before they were led to the entrance. The receptionist smiled. "Please enjoy your time."If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The children gave her their thanks as they stumbled into the dark tunnel. The ground felt soft beneath their feet and their shoes were starting to become hard to pick up. "What did they place on the floor? I hope it doesn''t ruin my Nikes." Xiang Hai grumbled. Cai Shengwei couldn''t help but smile at his words as he knew he really cared for his shoes more than anything else.


    Their walk in the dark was filled with smacking lips in dissatisfaction and an attempt to devour the candy in their hands. A low murmur of whispers was wailing in the background as the tunnel began to widen and brighten. At the top of an arc were a set of scratchy words: "Room of Souls ahead. BEWARE!!"


    The group members giggled as they passed the checkpoint. Although he would never admit it out loud, Cai Shengwei was a bit scared of ghosts. There was a time when he was home alone when all the cabinets in the house kept opening themselves up, no matter how many times he had closed them. Once, he even saw one of the opening without anyone there to move it. He flat out refused to stay home alone anymore, so he went over to Nalan Pong''s house to play. For nearly a year, he slept with his parent''s bed instead of in his own. Even to this day, he had to use a nightlight if he wanted to sleep. He knew the light wouldn''t be able to ward off a real ghost as when the cabinets moved, it was during the day. It gave him a slight comfort. He also couldn''t sleep without a blanket laying on top of him, for, sometimes, he could swear he could feel someone watching him. Of course, he would never say anything about his sleeping habits to anyone, even his closest friends.


    However, his fear was for naught as it was only a few bodies hanging from their necks, a lot of fog, and the wailing got louder. Despite Cai Shengwei''s queasiness, he couldn''t hold back a small "Pff!" It took all he had to not laugh in relief. The others were in similar states as well.


    "That wasn''t so bad," Nalan Pong mumbled as he fiddled with the wrapping of the Snickers bar he had just eaten.


    "Room of Souls? More like Room of Poles!" Xiang Hai remarked as he pointed at various pole-like structures around the area.


    "I''m not sure if this was worth a hundred dollars..." Xin Lumei whispered before leading the group to a new area.


    As they grew deeper into the night, they passed through many rooms. Some gave them a nice jump scare while others were plain out disappointing. Eventually, Cai Shengwei got bored and asked what time it was. Xin Lumei glanced at her watch. "Two!" She replied.


    "Let''s try a few more rooms before finding our way out," Cai Shengwei said and the others nodded their heads in agreement. If only they would have decided to leave then, they would not have to go through the pain and suffering they were about to experience.

 Chapter 2

    The group found their way through two more rooms before they decided it was time to leave. Xin Lumei grumbled, saying that Mystic Mansion was barely worth their money. Cai Shengwei nodded his head in agreement. As they continued to walk, he studied the surrounding area with a dim interest. The others were caught up in a deep conversation about whether or not they should play Dungeons and Dragons over the weekend when he something caught his eye.


    He flipped his head around to see a pretty young woman smiling and waving them over. "Hey," he called as he tugged at Xiang Hai''s blue-jean jacket. "There is a lady over there." His words made everyone pause and look over to where he was pointing. "Should we go see what she has in store for us?"


    Xin Lumei glanced at her watch. "We still have some time left, but she may be one of the employees who guide the lost back outside. I say we follow." Everyone thought she had a valid point, so she brought them over to the woman. "Hi!"


    The employee giggled. "Hello, children. Would you like to come with me?"


    "Yes. We were on our way to finding the exit, but you saved us the trouble. I have to give you my thanks." She gave a dazzling smile which showed her perfect teeth. ''So beautiful,'' Cai Shengwei thought as he stared at Xin Lumei''s auburn colored hair which twisted into tight swirls. He came back to reality after a few moments and sprinted to catch up to the moving group.


    It was strange, though. Cai Shengwei''s gut was telling him to avoid the woman at all costs, but he didn''t want to be the one to say anything and stayed quiet. The lady had introduced herself, telling the children that her name was Lu Fei.


    Cai Shengwei had to say that Lu Fei took the holiday very seriously. She wore ancient robes, the color of snow, which had large hand markings made of ''blood.'' Her face also had some dried blood resting on its surface and small portions of her hair were matted up with the liquid as well.


    "Nice costume and make-up. Where did you get everything? It''s so realistic." He asked.


    "Costume?" Lu Fei looked back at him in wonder. "Oh, yes. Yes, this is a costume, nothing more and nothing less. I made it myself, so you can''t find it anywhere else in this world." He felt her words were a bit off, but he let it slide. Perhaps it was all a part of her character for the night. "Then, could I have your number so that you may make this costume for my size. I can pay fifty bucks for it."If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "Interesting offer, little boy, but this granny here is not willing. After all," Lu Fei replied as she led the group into a hidden room. Xin Lumei and Xiang Hai followed without any hesitation, but the other two paused. They both had an ominous feeling of the place, not just because it was inside of a haunted house. The way Jane presented herself and the way the room was obscured when all the others were in a plain path. "What are you waiting for? The exit is over here." Lu Fei beckoned.


    Despite her sweet voice, Cai Shengwei took a step back. This place wasn''t right at all. He was able to see something the others couldn''t. A scarlet mask on her face as plain as day and a wicked gleam hidden in her eyes. "No! Everyone, come back." He yelled.


    Xin Lumei and Xiang Hai, however, acted as though they couldn''t hear him. "Xin Lumei? Xiang Hai?" He called their names, but there was no response. In the corner of his eye, he saw Nalan Pong also within the room. "Nalan Pong!"


    Lu Fei laughed as she snapped her fingers. His three friends turned around to face him with anguish in their eyes. "Help me!" They screamed, causing Cai Shengwei''s body to shake in fear.


    "This has got to be a dream. A very, very bad dream. All I need to do..." He pinched himself, slapped himself, banged his head against the wall and purposely fell to the ground but nothing would wipe away his friend''s pleas for help.


    He wanted to get to them, to wake them up, but all of his attempts had failed. He stood huffing and puffing as he gave Lu Fei a hateful glare. "What have you done to them?" His voice was weak and trembling. It was as though he had given up all hope.


    "I see you are finished with your futile attempts to save them," Lu Fei replied as she uncrossed her arms. "You would fit perfectly as a knight in shining armor, trying to save his beautiful princess from the vile dragon and phoenix. In fact, that may be what I will do first..."


    She waved her hand and created some force which picked Cai Shengwei up. His heart was unwilling, but his body would not respond as he tried to resist. How in the world did she have this power? This was no Star Wars movie with Yoda saying, "May the force be with you." This was no fantasy world with magic. It was just plain old earth with guns technology. There was supposed to be no magic here!


    Cai Shengwei''s mind blacked out, just like the others as the young woman opened up a portal into her personal dimension. She set them up in the roles they were to play on her Stage and waited for them to wake up. She was highly anticipating what story they would bring her. After all, she only chooses the roles they play. As a personal rule of hers, she refuses to interfere with how the characters act.


    As for the story she had just set up, she had played it a million times, but she never gets bored. The reason is because of the interesting results she had attained. One time, the knight in shining armor was the villain as he held a grudge against the girl. Some brought about massive wars which destroyed the entire planet while others came together and lived happily.

 Chapter 3

    In a forest and under a brush, Cai Shengwei woke up with a start as though he was struck by lightning. He panted and felt all over his body in order to confirm he was still alive, and he found himself wearing a silver suit of armor with an iron sword near his resting site. He quickly stood up and let his eyes wander around his immediate surroundings, searching for any clues as to where he was.


    In one of the trees, he noticed an envelope, so he strode over and opened it.


    "You have been chosen to be the knight in this play. You are in the middle of the Black Forest and are in urgent need to get to Black Castle. There, you will find your princess in distress. The best of luck, Lu Fei."


    Cai Shengwei crushed the paper in his hand in seething anger. "That beach!" How dare she do this to his friends?! Being unable to quell his hatred by just crumbling the letter, he opened it back up and ripped it to shreds. Luckily, he had noticed a map before he threw his rage out onto it. At least the woman had some sense and gave him something to follow.


    According to the map(specifically the dot which said "you are here"), he was a little over a hundred kilometers away from his destination. Considering the fact that he had to walk, it would take him a few days. "You have to wait for me, Xin Lumei! I will be there soon to save you from whatever horror you are facing."


    And so Cai Shengwei began on his long, tedious journey. After a few kilometers, he was panting for breath as he clung desperately to a tree. It was that darn suit of armor he was wearing. It was too heavy and big, so it restricted his movements and weighed him down. Therefore, he decided to take it off after he caught his breath and hoped there was something underneath in order to keep him from going around in his birthday suit.


    As it turned out, his luck had run dry. There was nothing beneath the suit, not even something to cover up his private parts. He had no choice but to wear the dumb armor and exhaust himself. Now that it has come to this, his journey, it seems, would now take about a week.


    Cai Shengwei continued on like this until his stomach started to grumble around noon. Sadly, he didn''t have any food on him. "I swear that Lu Fei wants to kill us in her own, cruel and weird way." He was worried about the others since he figured that their situation would be no better than his own, except for the princess. "Well, at least Xin Lumei wouldn''t have to worry about fetching her own food."The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    He began to look around for a rabbit, deer, or anything in general to eat. He wouldn''t risk plants as he has no real knowledge of them, so he could end up eating something poisonous without even knowing. His safest bet was to hunt for some meat.


    As a forest is bursting with life, he was able to find a small rabbit fairly quickly. Cai Shengwei tried to step as lightly as he could in order to sneak up behind the creature, but its ears were too sensitive and heard him before he could get a few meters away from it. "Tsk. If only I had a bow, then I could hunt without having to worry about things like this."


    He decided to take off his armor for now and go naked until he had caught his lunch. As the shoes were also of heavy metal, he had to put them aside as well. He had no protection at all save for the sword provided. He felt very uncomfortable and squirmish in his state. Even though nobody was around, he felt someone watching him so anxiety began to build up.


    He wanted to get the hunting over with as soon as possible. After many fails, he decided he should probably set up some type of trap. Therefore, he found some vines, tied them together, and set the snare up.


    Once he finished, he hid under some brush and waited. It was only around nightfall when some unfortunate creature triggered the trap. It happened to be a deer.


    Cai Shengwei smiled as he knew that its meat should last him for at most three days if he kept all of it, but its weight would really be too much as he still had to wear that stinking armor. Maybe he could make its pelt into clothes...But, he had nothing to bring the ends together, so he quickly ruled the option away.


    He was reluctant to kill it, yet he had to because it had fallen prey to his trap. He was extremely hungry too. He brought out his sword and placed it on its neck. He glanced over to its eyes, a mistake on his part as the fear held within them melted his heart. He let his sword fall to the ground. He couldn''t do the deed.


    "I-I''m so sorry, little deer. Please forgive me. I''ll just stick with plants and take my chances." Cai Shengwei choaked out as he scrambled to untie the vines with shaky hands. Once the deer was out of custody, it ran like the wind. It jumped over roots and fallen trees.


    Whiz!


    Suddenly, an arrow came flying true through the air and landed its target with ease. The deer fell to the ground with a loud thump. Then, a man holding a bow and arrow exited from his hiding place behind the trees. He walked to the deer and finished it off with a small dagger.


    After, he looked over at Cai Shengwei. "First time hunting, little man?"

 Chapter 4

    Jin Shao, the man who had killed the deer, cooked the meat and split it evenly between the two. Cai Shengwei ate without the slightest bit of hesitation as he was starving by this point. He wolfed down all the meat given to him in a matter of a few minutes and drank some of the water offered to him.


    "Hey, little man, how long have you been hungry for?" The old hunter asked as he stared at Cai Shengwei''s manner of eating.


    He cleared his throat. "I''ve been out here since...dawn I believe. I went hungry around noon and have been trying to get some meat ever since. However...the deer''s eyes...at the last moment...I just couldn''t do it." His eyes became blurry, but he shook them away before they had the chance to fall.


    The old man smiled knowingly. "I know the feeling. I was the same during my first hunt as well, when I was just your average farmer. My Pa made me kill it, a jack. I ended up having nightmares for a week before I was able to recover. However, it is strange seeing a knight like you having this type of problem. You must be some type of runt in the litter, huh."


    "Y-yeah." Cai Shengwei agreed to his words while wondering what to do next. "I need to get going now. I still have a long journey ahead of me." He stood up and was about to walk away when Jin Shao grabbed a hold onto his arm.


    "Hold it! Doesn''t the school teach you kids properly these days? Never travel a forest in the dark. That is when the real predators come out to hunt. Plus, you end up getting lost because you can''t see a thing. It is much better to set a camp up." He lectured as he, too, stood up. "Come now, boy. We need to find ourselves a nice brush to lay in."


    Cai Shengwei laid in the brush, hidden away from the rest of the world. His thought led his in every direction. Back to before he went to the dumb haunted house when he was happy and worry-free. To the future, wondering how he would be able to get to his friends and to escape Lu Fei together, arm in arm.


    ''What is one of us dies?'' His thoughts began to become dark and dreary, but he couldn''t sleep. He had too many things on his mind. When his consciousness had finally drifted, it felt like only a few minutes had passed when he was woken by Jin Shao.


    He found it strange that someone would help him out so much, but he didn''t place it to heart. As long as the guy didn''t do anything suspicious, Cai Shangwei would not make a move against him.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    For breakfast, the old man caught a rabbit. He had brought it over to Cai Shengwei for him to kill it but didn''t have the strength. "Your problem is that you look into their eyes before you go in for the kill. Next time, try to just focus on what you need, not what it needs." The kid nodded his head. He knew the old man was right.


    "I''m heading to the Black Castle. It''s dangerous there so I suggest you should head to where you need to go." Jin Shao had said.


    "How is it dangerous?"


    "The Dragon Emperor and the Phoenix Queen are fighting each other over the princess, have been for many, many years now. The poor princess has no chance to escape..."


    "I have to head over there!" Cai Shengwei interrupted him. The other two would have to be over there as well, he thought as he remembered Lu Fei''s words. At Jin Shao''s questioning gaze, he said, "I have family there and I want to bring them to safety."


    "It is your choice, little man, your choice." And so, their journey together began. Cai Shengwei had no real need to worry about food anymore as the old hunter would catch something for each meal. As they continued on the same path, Jin Shao taught him some essential survival skills like animal tracking and deciphering between poisonous and good plants.


    On their fourth day together, Jin Shao had smiled as though he was the happiest man alive. "We are almost to the castle, Cai Shengwei!" He pointed over to a small mountain and said that the castle lays on its peak. As he studied it, he noticed large, black clouds hovering over it ominously as streaks of red lightning fell.


    "What was that?!" Cai Shengwei asked in horror. He couldn''t believe what he saw.


    "Tribulation." Jin Shao replied. "The heavens have come to show their hatred for the battle between the two creatures and have sent its wrath upon the battlefield. It has been raining down for nearly twenty years now."


    "Wow." Cai Shengwei had no further words as he followed the man down the small hill they were currently on. By the sixth day, he had overcome his weakness and had killed a rabbit. He was finally successful in his attempt at not looking into his prey''s eyes, but he felt no real joy. Instead, he silently said ''thank you'' as Jin Shao taught him how to dissect animals.


    By the time the two go to within a few kilometers of the mountains, it was nightfall. That night, they had some deer meat. The chatted happily together until it was nearly time for them to find a shelter. "So," Jin Shao began a new topic. "That sword of yours, you know how to use it? I mean, I never really saw you use it, nor have I seen you practice with it."


    "There was no need to use it so far, so why should I want to unsheath my weapon?" Cai Shengwei avoided answering the question directly as he felt something was off with the man''s sudden interest in his sword.


    "Ah, I see. Well, we should get to sleep before the wolves come out tonight." He said as he went searching for some brush.

 Chapter 5

    Cai Shengwei tossed and turned as quietly as he possibly could, trying to find a position comfortable enough to sleep on. When he had settled down for a few moments, his limbs started to itch and tingle, so he moved to get the uncomfortable feeling away. He had already started to miss his bed. It was much softer than some brush. In fact, he was missing many things he had available to him in his previous home.


    His sweet tooth was begging him for some candy, but he had none to feed it. His whole world has gone upside down, but he was willing to adapt to this new environment in order to reunite with his friends. "Just wait," He thought. "I''m coming."


    Thinking about being together with Xin Lumei, Xiang Hai and Nalan Pong brought a certain peace to his mind, allowing him to drift into a light slumber. Though, his body was unwilling to fall completely to sleep, so he could hear the leaves rustling in the gentle breeze.


    Without any warning, the brush Cai Shengwei was sleeping in started to shake more than the wind had forced. His eyes snapped open and he saw a dirty leather shoe. He quickly shut his eyes and continued to act asleep. Perhaps the old man was just checking up on him.


    However, his thoughts to prove Jin Shao''s innocence was dismissed when he heard the words the old man murmured in a barely audible voice. "Stupid boy." He chuckled with malice. "Lu Fei will be pleased with me for completing this side quest..."


    Cai Shengwei''s heart began to pound as he heard the sound of Jin Shao''s knife leaving its protective case. ''Oh no! He actually plans to kill me.'' His back broke out with a cold sweat. He needed to move away before the weapon could take his life.


    Thinking along those lines, his body moved on its own and rolled over to his sword was. His hands clasped the hilt as he tried his best to get on his feet without stumbling, but failed miserably. "You were awake?" Jin Shao croaked out. "Well, that makes it all the more fun." The pause taken to speak to the boy was taken advantage on by Cai Shengwei as he was able to get up and unsheath his sword.


    "You are trapped here, just as I am, Cai Shengwei! Lu Fei will never let us go, even when death itself comes to claim you. She will bring you back, over and over again until you bore her. When that happens, she will shatter your soul!" Jin Shao laughed madly as he advanced to Cai Shengwei with his knife outstretched.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Cai Shengwei had no time to think. All he could do was stretch the blade out in front of him and hope for the best. He closed his eyes and waited for something to happen, some sort of impact, but Jin Shao had dodged his blade with an easy sidestep and came in to stab him in the stomach.


    His body doubled over and fell to the ground. Jin Shao frowned and kicked the boy as hard as he could. "Come on, little boy. I thought you had more fight in you than that." He kicked Cai Shengwei''s body a few more times before crouching down to turn him over.


    As Cai Shengwei felt himself being turned over, he firmed his grasp on his sword''s hilt. When he got half way turned, he lashed out and stabbed at the man. Jin Shao was shocked and was too slow to dodge. The blade went through his neck, a swift kill.


    The boy''s hands shook in fright and let go of the sword. What had he done? Horror filled his eyes as he watched Jin Shao''s corpse collapse to the ground. He looked at his hands, but there was nothing to say it was his fault aside from his sword being implanted into the old man''s neck. He felt disgusting and mortified by what he had just done.


    He scrambled up from the ground and backed away. Cai Shengwei wanted nothing to do with the corpse. He turned around and was about to leave when he paused. "Jin Shao did teach me some basic survival skills..." He murmured. He didn''t feel so great. "I should at least bury him, even if he did everything in spite."


    He stumbled over to Jin Shao while clutching his wound on his stomach. He reached down to turn the man onto his side so that he could get his sword out. If it weren''t for the fact that he had killed rabbits and gutted them, he would have thrown up by now.


    He took the man''s clothes off of him and traded them with his own armor. He was much more comfortable with a lighter weight on his back and his movements were made with ease. This had caused a small smile to appear on Cai Shengwei''s face.


    He started to dig a hole in the ground as a burial site, but his fingers couldn''t handle the pressure placed on them so he quit. He stood there and gazed at Jin Shao''s corpse, thinking that it wasn''t as bad as he had originally thought. He decided that since he could not dig, the least he could do is gather some foliage or rocks and place it on top of his body. When he was finished, he said a silent prayer and left.


    Cai Shengwei had a bow(originally Jin Shao''s) strapped across his back along with the arrows which went with it. The sword he originally had was placed at his waist along with a medium-sized bag opposite of it. The bag and sword were about even in weight, thankfully, so he had no problems with keeping his balance. The only thing was that he was very uncomfortable with all the things weighing down on him, but it wasn''t as bad as when he had the suit of armor on.

 Chapter 6

    When Xiang Hai woke up, he was in a dungeon, dressed up like a girl. He started to panic as it was an unfamiliar place with the weirdest clothes on. He had no idea whether or not if he were actually a man or not so he frantically checked his groin and heaved a sigh of relief. He was still a ''him.''


    The dress he had on thrown him off track. Now that he had confirmed his gender, he began to wonder why he was wearing girl clothes. He spent many hours pondering over this question before giving up with no answer in sight. It was only when he was out of his own thoughts when he noticed a small paper within one of the pockets on his dress.


    "You of royal blood must wait for your prince to save you. In a dungeon, you wait with fools. Beware of the guards as they are not fair. The best of luck, Lu Fei."


    "Lu Fei..." He murmured as an image of her beautiful face appeared in his head. Xiang Hai had remembered following her to the exit, but after he had turned a corner, he blacked out. "Why a riddle of all things?!" He hated mind games as they had always confused him. A magician''s trick was fun to watch, but it wasn''t a toy to play with. There were much dangerous magic tricks, such as sawing a person into three. One bad move would lead to the death of the volunteer.


    He knows this because he once tried it with his dog. He didn''t know that he needed special materials in order to ensure the life of the creature within the box, so he asked his father to create a magic box which would allow a person to fit inside. When the box was finished, he placed his german shepherd inside and began to saw away at the wood. He continued on until he heard a yelp from his dog and saw a red liquid flow out. He dropped his saw and quickly opened the box only to find his pet dead.


    A stray tear fell from one of his grey eyes. He stood up and placed the note back where he had found it, thinking it might be of use later. "Although it says to wait, I refuse to follow the magician''s magic. I''m gonna find my own way out of this place. This ''prince'' will only come to save some air." He snickered. "I''m a boy after all. Why would I want a dumb prince to save me when I can do it myself?"This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    He scanned the room to see if there was any way out aside from the barred wall, but there was none. He had no choice but to wait until someone with keys comes close enough for him to knock them out and set himself free.


    Xiang Hai ended up humming to pass time by. He wouldn''t say he had the greatest voice as his friend, Nalan Pong, was much better than him, but it was still quite good. At the very least, he wasn''t tone deaf like Xin Lumei. She couldn''t sing to save her life. And Cai Shengwei, the poor guy, has a crush on her and she knows it. She doesn''t say anything about it, though, because she was going out with another guy, a jerk who goes by Mai Long.


    The worst part about their relationship is the fact that Cai Shengwei has no idea those two are together. Xiang Hai thought he should tell him, but Nalan Pong had advised otherwise. It still surprises him that the quietest kid you could think of would have such a tongue on him and very helpful advise when he gives it, even better than Cai Shengwei''s.


    After what seemed to be forever, Xiang Hai heard the sound of footsteps heading his way. During the time he had waited, he sat down to rest his body as the soles of his feet were starting to hurt him. "Dumb heels," he muttered as he took them off. He was going to throw them out, but he remembered how much damage a heel can do, so he kept them to the side. Now, he stood back up and stretched as he made his way to the bars with the heels in his hands.


    A scrawny man with a long face came into his view. He was wearing some leather armor with a sword at his side, along with a small pouch and a large ring of keys. The man looked at Xiang Hai with contentment and was about to continue on when he was called for. "Please, sir, I think you had got the wrong person. I''m not a girl, but a boy. A boy, I say!"


    The guard sneered as he drew his sword and pointed at Xiang Hai with it. "If you don''t quieten down, you will be tortured, princess heir."


    "What princess is in here? Can''t you tell that I''m a boy by the sound of my voice? If I have to, I will take this dress off right now and let you see for yourself that I am a boy." Xiang Hai made a move to unfasten his dress when the guard banged on the bars with impatience.


    "Enough, princess!" He yelled in anger and frustration. "If you don''t stop this, I will seriously get in there and stab you with my sword."


    Xiang Hai smirked. "Come get me," He said as he undid the last button and let the dress fall to the ground. "I am a boy, you dummy! Can''t you see that now?" He paused. Was this what the letter meant by him waiting with fools?

 Chapter 7

    The guard couldn''t stand it anymore, so he opened up the cell. Xiang Hai dodged the sword swinging to him and grabbed one of the heels he had hidden in the corner. He lashed the heel out and struck home on the guard''s head, who fell into unconsciousness. He focused on the heel and felt sorrow for the men who were once struck by such weapons. It would be very embarrassing.


    It was a good thing the guard didn''t expect him to know any martial arts, or else he would have to actually fight in order to survive. He wondered what was up with the princess title he had as he exchanged clothes with the guard. Xiang Hai even put the guy on the bail of hay he was on when he woke up and placed the heels on his feet. If only he had some make-up...


    Xiang Hai shook his head to clear his straying mind. He needed to get out of the dungeon. He walked through the cobblestone halls as quietly and quickly as he could. It was very dark and dreary with the dim lighting, ringing of chains, and the laughter of madness. Even the torches which lit the way seemed cold.


    After walking around in the dungeon, he had found a set of stairs. Just as he had placed a foot down upon the first step, a voice had stopped him cold. "Halt, soldier!" The male''s voice was distant but echoed loudly in his ears. He turned around to see a man with a torch held in his hand walking towards him with a confident stride. What was he supposed to do? Salute?


    His thoughts ran in every direction, but he could not come up with a solution. If he ran, the soldier would run after him while calling for help from his comrades. This, in turn, would lead to his ultimate capture and possible death. If he stayed, he risked the chance of the soldier recognizing their princess''s handsome face and bring him back to his cell and increase the security. However, there was also a chance that the soldier wouldn''t recognize his face.


    In the end, Xiang Hai decided to salute the soldier. The man gazed at him with a queer expression. "What, in the name of the dragon, are you doing?"


    Xiang Hai swallowed before he answered, "I am saluting, sir!"


    The man''s brown eyes narrowed. "That is no salute, you buffoon!" He came closer and corrected his posture and hand position until he was satisfied. "This is. You are lucky I wasn''t a general, or else your head would be on the ground right now. You must be a new recruit. Looking at how young you are, an apprentice soldier. If that''s the case, it is no wonder why you messed up so horribly." He saw the boy was still in salute and helped him up.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Xiang Hai felt very relieved when he saw that the man was unfazed by his face. It seems like he doesn''t know how the ''princess'' looks like. "I am surprised, though, that the captain would send an apprentice soldier like you down into the royal dungeons for a training ground. Something must be off with his head." The man muttered so low that Xiang Hai could barely understand him. "My name is Song Lie, an adept. Although the captain outranks me, I''ll send you off to the training barracks. Follow me!"


    He ordered someone to take over his shift and began to lead Xiang Hai to the aforementioned place. As they walked, Song Lie had taught him of the war between a dragon and a phoenix. A battle over the princess heir for her hand in marriage. Little did everyone know, this ''princess'' they keep mentioning was a guy.


    Once they got to the barracks, the sound of young children training in the smoldering heat resounded. Song Lie went to go tell of the new apprentice who had got ''lost.'' The person was a middle-aged woman with a long, ugly scar resting on the top of her forehead. When the woman looked over to see Xiang Hai staring at her scar, she pointed at him and motioned him to come closer.


    Xiang Hai instinctively lowered his head and shuffled over to her. "What is your name, boy?" She asked.


    "Xiang Hai." He muttered.


    "I am an old woman, so please speak more clearly than that."


    He shifted his gaze up and met hers. "My name is Xiang Hai!" He yelled. Her lips curled into a smirk.


    "Good. Now, I want you to run until sundown."


    His eyes widened in shock as he saw that the sun was still rising in the sky. "How could I?!" He asked, panicked. "I would end up passing out in this heat with no breaks within an hour. This task is impossible!"


    The woman''s smile broadened. "Alright, I admit it is a bit much for a rookie like you. So, I have a different proposal. Get on the ground and kiss my foot...three times. You have to do one or the other. Make your choice, Xiang Hai!"


    His fist clenched by his side. It was a tough decision. Both of them would result in him losing some face. He pondered before making his eyes firm. "I''ll run, you psychotic beach!" It was the only option which would let him go with his pride. If he were to submit, the other children would most likely push him around and bully him. He didn''t want anything like that happening to him again any time soon, so he decided to run. By running, it means defying submission. By defying submission, it means less bullying. By less bullying, it means he has more time to figure out what exactly was going on in the world around him.

 Chapter 8

    Nalan Pong woke up in a tent with the sound of cannons blasting the ground and metal clashing against metal. He noticed he was wearing a full suit of cloth armor with metal plates protecting his vitals. His gaze traveled around until they rested upon a person in black armor standing outside.


    He rose up from the bed and saw a plate of fruit and a glass of water, but ignored them as he walked over to the man. As soon as the guy had noticed him, he bowed down in respect. "Dragon Lord."


    Nalan Pong blinked. "Arise." The person obeyed. "Tell me where we are?"


    "We are near the castle, Dragon Lord. The Phoenix Troops are gaining land with each passing day, so you have decided to personally come to crush their leader." The man replied with a respectful tone.


    Nalan Pong hummed a small tune, causing the subordinate to shiver in fear. When the Dragon Lord began his music, it had always lead to the destruction of something, friend or foe didn''t matter. "Gather my horse! I will go see the battlefield personally."


    When he had first awoken to this lifestyle, he was very confused and couldn''t stop asking questions in a desperate attempt to figure out what was going on. Luckily, his subordinates thought his cluelessness was due to a case of amnesia, but he clearly knew something else was afloat. Due to the movies and books he read, he had a general knowledge of military tactics used in warfare. Although there are no guns in this place, the stealth attacks he had planned on the enemy forces have dwindled their numbers significantly.


    To him, it seemed as though he were stuck in ancient times where knights and frontal attacks were the ways for warfare. He decided that since he was the Dragon Lord, whatever that may be, he could take advantage of his modern knowledge. He helped them create a few cannons for the frontlines and some makeshift guns. They weren''t as great as modern weaponry, but they should be able to win this war he was fighting in.


    It has been over a week since he had come to this place, and he felt quite comfortable despite the many deaths surrounding him. Well, he would admit he wasn''t like this at first, but his natural detachment from most of his feelings allowed him to adapt within a single day. The only few things which could make him feel was music and his friends. As for his parents, they had tried to kill him, which is the cause of his unfeeling state. Then again, they allowed him to experience anger and sadness each time he thought of them.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    "Dragon Lord, the new recruits are here, " said a commander as he walked beside the black stallion.


    "Bring them to the frontline with me," Nalan Pong growled as he continued. Soon, there were nearly a hundred young men walking behind him. He gave them no encouraging words, and he didn''t even turn his head around to see their faces. They were all soldiers of the Dragon Army, and that is all that counts. Their names, their faces, their background is nothing more and nothing less. Even the generals and commanders have no name, face, nor background. Only him, as the Dragon Lord, has these things.


    He was sure they knew the names of each other and encouraged one another. He has seen it many times. Friends dying to protect each other, only to be killed in the end. What was the point of all this? Nalan Pong didn''t understand it, but he knew the feeling. If any of his friends got hurt, he would make sure to kill the offender, no matter how light the damage. Damage will still hurt, nothing could change this simple fact.


    Nalan Pong kept an easy pace so that his new soldiers would have enough energy to defend themselves in the upcoming battle, even then, it only took about thirty minutes to reach their destination.


    He got off his horse and slapped it towards the camp. He wouldn''t need it. Nalan Pong drew his sword from its scabbard and leveled it horizontally in front of him. He turned around and saw the recruits, fresh from the training barracks, doing the same.


    "I am not a man of many words!" He yelled. "But, I will not sit down on my ass and watch as my people get killed in this war. Therefore, your Dragon Lord will personally join in this fight!" The crowd cheered and banged their swords on their shields if they had one. Those with guns held it higher into the air. Their spirits were soaring. Seeing this left Nalan Pong satisfied, so he turned around and pointed his sword out. "Charge!"


    With a loud roar, they all ran to join in the chaos below. As they started to enter the battlefield, many of the soldiers who were fighting before began to fall back and treat their wounds. Reinforcements had come, so they could spare a few resting periods to eat, nap, or whatever they see fit.


    Nalan Pong fought with many and killed them with steady hands. By the time his first break was here, his black clothing had a thick smell of blood on it, and he didn''t take his break. He continued to fight with ferocity. That is until a horn sounded and the Phoenix Troops began to retreat and forge a path which was already dyed by blood.


    "The Phoenix is coming!" They chanted. "You are all dead! Haha. Her flames will crush every one of you!"


    Nalan Pong raised his hand to stop his people''s advance as he wanted to see who this enemy of his was. For the first time, the battlefield was silent as each person waited for the Phoenix''s arrival. Slowly, a figure, dressed in red armor, made its way through the path. Eventually, he was able to see her face.


    "Xin Lumei!"

 Chapter 9

    Xin Lumei also couldn''t believe her eyes. "Nalan Pong!" She dropped the dagger in her hand and ran to him with her arms outstretched. However, just as she was about to exit the perimeter of her soldiers, a bullet came screaming through the air towards her.


    Her pupils constricted as her body instinctively began to transform into a Phoenix. By the time the bullet had gotten close to her, it had begun to melt under the extreme temperature her flames produced.


    Before she had come to this strange land, she was never able to transform into the creature she was now. If she had to place any guesses, she would place her money down for Lu Fei due to the letter she had found. In the note, it had said something about her being a Phoenix who was fighting the Dragon in order to have some princess. She didn''t really care about the princess, for she was a girl herself, and had tried to stop the war. Her first attempt had failed when she tried to convince the Phoenix Troops to stop fighting, so she had decided to go to the battlefront and make a truce with the Dragon Lord. Little did she know, the Dragon Lord was Nalan Pong.


    As for Nalan Pong, when he had realized that the attack was from his side, his fury caused his body to shift into a massive dragon with black scales and long, sharp talons. He roared at the heavens as he swooped his tail to kill all gun wielders with no exception. After unleashing his anger, he morphed back to his normal self, but his eyes were extremely cold. "Anyone who dares to lay so much as a finger on Xin Lumei will die where they stand!"If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    His words shook all the hearts in the crowd, even Xin Lumei. ''This place had changed him a great deal,'' she thought. ''Just as it had changed me as well.'' She ordered her troops to lower their weapons as well before she continued to advance closer to Nalan Pong. They stared at each other with watery eyes as they finally had someone they knew with them.


    They hugged each other with tears streaming down their cheeks for a long while before letting go. Nalan Pong wiped the tears from his cheeks as he blushed. "Ah, well, this is embarrassing. Crying like a girl..."


    Xin Lumei punched him playfully, causing him to giggle. ''Yeah. My friends are the best!'' Nalan Pong thought as he ordered for a scribe to come over with some paper and ink. This place had no pens or pencils, which made him quite frustrated when he was trying to figure out a way to hold a long feather more comfortably in his hands. He instructed the scribe on what to write. He and Xin Lumei, as well as all the generals of both sides, sign their signatures. Like this, the Flaming Dragon Treaty was forged.

 Chapter 10

    Now back to the castle, where Cai Shengwei was searching through the dungeon. He had no idea where they would place the princess, but he decided to try this place first as it was more easy to access than most other areas in the castle. Before he entered, he was caught by one of the patrolling guards and was nearly killed by the guy as he thought Cai Shengwei was a part of the enemy forces or a spy disguised as a refugee.


    Cai Shengwei ended up knocking the guy out by whacking him upside the head with a stick. Blood was oozing out of his head, and he hoped that he didn''t kill him. He surveyed his surroundings to see if it was safe before he began to exchange clothes with him. As the guard had no bow and arrow, he had decided to leave it alone as it had already served its purpose in the wild.


    In his disguise, he was able to get through the gates of the castle without a hassle, so he secretly thanked the poor fellow whom he had knocked out for his service. He asked around for where they held criminals and a nice servant led him to the entrance of the dungeon. Placing on the wear of a soldier was really beneficial, he mused.


    The dungeons were dark and dreary, so he picked up on of the torches on the walls and searched every face. Hours had passed like this, and he began to feel down as no soul in here was that of his friend''s. With a distraught expression, he left the place and began his search outside for any clues. Near noon, he found himself standing before an open courtyard which was filled with young men training their fighting skills with each other through sparing.


    He entered the barracks despite knowing he would probably not find any clue, but he would hate himself if he were to accidentally miss something important. Earlier, he had even checked the gardens.


    There was a middle-aged woman weaving her way in between the fights while taking note of what they were doing. Sometimes, she would purposely pause the spar to fix one of the children''s stances or stop the spar altogether due to broken bones and nasty wounds.


    "So many people..." Cai Shengwei murmured. There were nearly a thousand children here doing these ''punishing'' spars. He couldn''t believe that the old lady was able to watch over so many at one time. He scanned the people''s faces as he, too, watched them fight with each other.


    "Can I help you?" A voice asked, startling him. He turned around to see the middle-aged woman staring down at him with indifferent eyes.


    "I...I was sent to help you..." Cai Shengwei stuttered as he inwardly kicked himself.


    The woman raised up a questioning eyebrow as if to say "really?" "Well, there are quite a lot of recruits here, so I could use the help...Alright! I need you to go to the kitchen and help the cooks serve the grub to these monsters."


    Cai Shengwei lightly coughed but accepted the task. The lady had one of the children lead him to the area he needed to go. He had introduced himself, but the name went into one ear and out the other as his mind wasn''t paying any attention to the kid. The chefs made him grab the large pots and take them over to his station where he would be handing the food out. It seemed to him that if the children at the end of the line would be getting cold food for lunch.


    By the time he had finished, he waited a few minutes before the new recruits started to run towards him as fast as they possibly could. They were pulling at each other''s clothes and hair, wanting to make sure they had a good spot in line. The scene overall was quite comical in Cai Shengwei''s eyes. That is until they began to fight.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    He gave nervous glances around the large room to see if anyone else was there to help him serve the food, but there was none. Just what he needed. He chuckled bitterly and uncovered the lid. The aroma of the grub wasn''t pleasant, but the smell of it made every head turn over to his direction. Each and every single pair of eyes revealed a deep hunger which made Cai Shengwei break out in a cold sweat.


    However, he tried his best to keep his cool as he spoke in a threatening tone. "I am your food server, and I will not accept fighting over this food! If anyone of you starts to fight with each other again, I will tump over a pot of gruel for every thirty seconds the fight continues. Am I clear?"


    He was very pleased as he felt his words were like that of an adult, powerful and demanding for obedience. The children snickered after a while and continued their brawl. Their actions had enticed Cai Shengwei''s anger, so he instantly pushed the pot right beside him onto the ground. The loud sound had attracted the recruits attention, and they widened their eyes to see a pot of grub was laying on the floor, its contents spilling out rapidly and soaked the floor. They also saw Cai Shengwei place a hand on another pot and apply pressure to it...


    "We''ll stop!" Someone cried out.


    Cai Shengwei paused. "What?"


    "We will stop fighting. So, please don''t throw any more food onto the ground."


    He smiled, revealing his beautiful set of white teeth. "Why didn''t you say so before? Come, come get your grub!" The children formed a long line and obediently ceased their fights. As Cai Shengwei served the food out, he made sure to check each and every face. That was, after all, his goal in coming here.


    When the line dwindled down by half, the food he was giving out was already cold. When there was only a single pot of food left, there was still a quarter left. The ones to the back were frightened that they may not be able to get any food and turned their hatred towards those who always fought over who gets in line first.


    The last bowl was haded out and there was no more grub left. The children who were unable to get any food cried their hearts out as they begged Cai Shengwei for something. He felt bad for them, but if he wasn''t strict with his own rules, they would never stop fighting each other. All he could do was shake his head and say sorry.


    At the very end of the line was Xiang Hai. He was so hungry that he couldn''t see straight. Despite the line dispersing, he trudged on to the new person who handed out food with blurry eyes. He felt that the person''s voice was familiar, but he couldn''t think properly enough to place a name to it.


    "Xiang Hai?" Cai Shengwei asked in amazement as he saw his friend slowly heading to his direction with vacant eyes. Worry entered his heart as he walked over to him ad called for him again, but there was no reply. He tapped his shoulder, only to find the guy falling to the ground. His eyes widened as he yelled his name and shook him with all his might.


    "Come on. You have to wake up! Xiang Hai!" He yelled as he slapped his friend''s face. He truly had no idea what to do in this situation. Was he dying? The thought of it brought tears to his eyes as he continued to slap his friend in attempt to wake him up.


    "Boy! Stop that this instant!" Yelled a voice, but Cai Shengwei disreguarded it. He needed to see his friend awake. He didn''t want him to die. He didn''t. He refused to let that happen. He was about to slap Xiang Hai again when a cold had grabbed a hold of his wrist. "You will kill him if you don''t stop."


    Cai Shengwei bawled his eyes out as he stared at his unconscious friend. Xiang Hai''s face was red and swollen from the numerous slaps he had given him, and a small trail of blood exited his nose and mouth. He knew it was his fault that his friend was in this state. "I-I''m so sorry, Xiang Hai!" He sobbed. "I-I just didn''t want you to d-die!"


    The middle-aged lady chuckled a bit. "He only passed out due to exhaustion and hunger, silly boy. He wasn''t going to die."


    Cia Shengwei sniffed and he made an effort to calm himself. "Really?"


    She smiled. "Yes, really."

 Chapter 11

    Three days had passed since Cai Shengwei''s embarrassing moment. He ended up having a case of hysteria as he was shocked to see Xiang Hai here. He wasn''t able to use his brain to figure out that he had only fainted, so he ended up almost slapping his friend to death. When he woke up a day after, he made sure to apologize. As he retold the story of what had happened, he laughed until his sides hurt.


    After, Cai Shengwei and Xiang Hai exchanged stories with each other. On the third day, the old lady made both of them get back to their duties. Cai Shengwei had no problems with the children acting up again after what he did a few days ago, but they also gave him queer expressions as if they had no idea what to make of him. He seemed to be a pretty threatening guy, but he had a soft heart. Many thought they could take advantage of this and asked for second helpings, but he refused everyone except for Xiang Hai.


    Yeah, yeah. He was choosing favorites, but so what? Xiang Hai was the only friend he had here at the moment. He really wanted to leave the castle t go find Xin Lumei and Nalan Pong as soon as his friend had woken up, but was refused with the excuse of waiting for them to come to the castle for the princess. Cai Shengwei didn''t want to stay inside the castle much longer as he had no idea what the circumstances were for his friends.


    That being said, he decided to give them a week before they left. This time was to be used for preparation for their upcoming exploration and for Xiang Hai to finish his recovery. Just four more days...


    A loud horn bellowed, shaking his heart and mind as he had no idea where it had came from. All he knew was that it sounded like those horns from movies to announce the arrival so someone important.


    "Every recruit, come out! The Dragon Lord and the Majestic Phoenix has come to a truce. The war is over and they have entered the castle for all to see." A shrill voice yelled before the horn rang again and the voice had repeated what he had said. Upon his words, Cai Shengwei''s breath was caught in his chest. Could it be...?


    He ran out of the kitchen and followed the crowd of recruits to the large field where they train. They made a wide path to the wooden platform on the dormitories and separated themselves into two groups of no particular order. The children whispered amongst themselves with excitement and anticipation. The horn continued to blow until the group of two, the horn blower and the speaker, had reached the stage. On it, the horn blower blew it for as long as he could while making a small tune the best he could. The next thing Cai Shengwei knows, everyone was kneeling low to the ground in respect.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    "On your knees!" A soldier yelled as he roughly forced him down to the ground. ''Well, excuse me for living!'' Cai Shengwei kept his eyes on the rude soldier as he fixed the children''s postures before he went back the way he had come. A moment had passed before he could see a beautiful black horse side by side a chestnut colored horse. He couldn''t see their rider''s faces clearly as they were still a large distance away, but he had a distinct feeling he had an idea of who they were.


    As the horses became more clear, so did their riders. Cai Shengwei stood up with a wide smile on his face and saw, from the corner of his eye, Xiang Hai doing the same. "Xin Lumei! Nalan Pong!" He called their names with excitement as he waved and made his way to them. He watched as they paused in shock before smiling as well.


    However, before they reunited, a soldier with a whip came out from behind them with fury written all over his face. "Get back, peasants! Do not..." Before he could finish what he was saying, his weapon started to smoke and catch a fire. He quickly threw the whip to the ground and kneeled before Xin Lumei. "Please spare me, your grace!" He pleaded. "I didn''t know they were the ones you were looking for..."


    "Throw him to the dungeons!" Nalan Pong ordered with a chilling tone. Without a second to waste, two soldiers appeared from behind them and dragged the offender away.


    As for Xin Lumei, she had a mysterious expression on her face which made Cai Shengwei''s heart flutter for a few seconds. "Why does this always happen?" She giggled as she thought back to when she and Nalan Pong had reunited. She waved her hand and extinguished the flaming whip before having someone go fetch it and having another person bring two horses.


    As they waited for the horses, the group of four walked side-by-side as Xin Lumei and Nalan Pong had dismounted. They hugged each other for a few moments before continuing on their way to the wooden stage. All of them were joyful as they had finally been reunited. Together, they knew they would be able to conquer any force that tries to oppose them.


    Nalan Pong and Xin Lumei had a grand speech prepared. They spoke of how they wished the war had never happened to begin with, but they couldn''t change what their ancestors had done. "Although there is no more war, we still need to be ready for anything. I understand if any of you who were drafted wishes to go back to their families, so I am allowing a month for you to make up your minds about staying or going back home..."


    Cai Shengwei had never heard so many words coming from Nalan Pong''s mouth before aside from when he is singing. He felt very happy for his friend and gave him a thumbs up as a form of encouragement when he glanced at him. The guy smiled and allowed Xin Lumei to take over.


    Nalan Pong walked over to Cai Shengwei and Xiang Hai. "I can''t believe I have my own country now."


    Xiang Hai laughed as he slapped his friend''s back. "You better believe it, Dragon Lord."


    "Cut it out!" Nalan Pong complained. He didn''t like his title being said by his friends.

 Chapter 12

    Lu Fei was sipping on a cup of spirit tea when the group of four reunited. Although the kids had brought her some entertainment, it wasn''t much. She knew they had a strong bond from the moment she had met them, but she was hoping for some rivalry amongst them. She continued to watch them as they built a new ruling system which allows for four rulers. They faced much opposition, but they held on tight despite the assassins, bandits, mini-wars, and disputes amongst themselves.


    Their lives, overall, were very close and supportive of each other. Four years have flown by and their new empire had grown stable. Of course, they sometimes fell for some political schemes as they were only children, but they made it through. Seeing all of this made Lu Fei furious. She wanted to see them fight each other, or, at the very least, have a few of them die. Therefore, she broke her own rule and handed another letter out to a neighboring country.


    She gave her word that she would set the king, the person who she sent the letter to, free from the Stage as long as he could kill all four children. Thus, a major war between the two countries began. One side had fewer people with advanced technology while the other had far too many people and even a few dragons. Nalan Pong fought with all his might in the battlefield and had gained many scars. Xin Lumei was working on keeping a hold on their country''s resources and managed trade and many other things. Cai Shengwei helped in the advancement of technology and education while Xiang Hai was in charge of training the new recruits.


    ***


    "There are just too many, Dragon Lord!" One of the generals around the table shouted. "We don''t have the resources to keep up. I say that we need to start drafting people into the army whether they like it or not." Mumbles of agreement resounded around the table from everyone except for the Dragon Lord.


    Nalan Pong''s eyes narrowed with a murderous gleam in them. "Who is the leader?" He asked in a quiet voice which evoked a deep fear inside of all the general''s hearts.


    "You are, of course." Laughed the man who suggested the draft.


    He rested his eyes on the shaggy man and raised a clawed hand. "You wish to defy my orders?" He asked as he allowed his hand to shift into a dragon''s talon. Having this ability for over four years has allowed him the time to practice with it. If he wanted to, he could even breath out a massive fire.


    The general broke out in a cold sweat and revealed an expression full of horror. "N-no, Dragon Lord. It was...only a suggestion. Yes, a suggestion."If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "Hmph." He retracted his talon and let his hand return to its original state. "Cai Shengwei has been working on producing a weapon of mass destruction. It will be finished sometime this week, and a hundred of these weapons will be handed out to my most skilled and trusted personnel. All we have to do is wait..."


    His words were interrupted by the sound of bullets raining and screaming. Nalan Pong clicked his tongue as he rose. "Meeting dismissed! Now, go kill those bast*rds who attacked our camp." He ordered as he jogged out of the tent. A deep growl bellowed in his chest as he felt his shoulder blades making way for his draconic wings which ripped his shirt apart. The massive black wings flapped, summoning a strong wind which threw many tents away, and propelled him off the ground.


    They dared to attack his camp. His rage fueled his power as he felt his hands and feet shifting into their draconic form. He roared at the sky before swooping in to begin his killing spree. Blood sprayed everywhere he went and created a crimson river. His soldiers thanked him and rejoiced his coming while his enemies feared him.


    Arrows flew, trying their best to kill Nalan Pong, but he dodged them and went after the ones who had a bow in their hands. All of his troops have been upgraded to a gun and a long knife for melee combat, so he didn''t have to fear killing his own men. Unknowingly, he had morphed into full dragon mode and blew his flames where there was an abundance of enemies and no allies, killing many in one fell swoop.


    Despite his killing rate, however, the enemy troops were not decreasing in the slightest. In fact, they seemed to continue to climb to a very shocking amount. Even Nalan Pong''s heart couldn''t help but waver in shock. His army was caught by a surprise attack made by the entire opposing army, or that was what it seemed like. Due to the element of surprise, his troops were falling like fainting goats, only permanently.


    Fires cloaked the land under the full moon, making it as bright as day. Nalan Pong could see his army falling deeper into despair as its generals fell. Their numbers dropped dramatically despite their efforts to keep a hold on their territory. Some had fled while other just gave up. The sight of it made his heart sting and his chest heavy. They were all willing to help their country, to die for their homes. They all knew exactly what they would be entering, but they still wanted to join. They were all brave, even the ones who fled.


    Nalan Pong roared with all his might before creating a wall of fire. "Run!" He yelled. "Retreat to the castle!" Seeing that their Dragon Lord had commanded it, they followed his instructions and fled to the castle. They knew he would protect their backs, and he did. He continued to rain fireballs down, killing thousands with each.


    Many arrows had flown towards him. He was able to dodge the majority of them while some landed. His rock-hard scales protected him for the most part, but a few had managed to draw blood. Just when dawn was about to come bless the land with its beautiful light, a couple of roars echoed from the distance.


    Nalan Pong''s heart dropped when he heard them. "Hurry! Move faster!" He yelled frantically. The dragons were coming.

 Chapter 13

    Cai Shengwei, Xin Lumei, and Xiang Hai were enjoying a wonderful grilled steak when a soldier ran into the dining hall with a frantic expression. He was in such a hurry that he had forgotten to kneel. "Your Majesties, t-the Dragon Lord...H-he''s come back!"


    All of them revealed excited expressions. "Well, where is he?" Xin Lumei asked.


    "Injured! Just crashed in the courtyard, Your Majesties." Their faces dropped. Xin Lumei held her mouth open in shock. Cai Chengwei spits the delicious steak out of his mouth and Xiang Hai slammed his fists onto the table. Each action made the soldier tremble.


    "Bring us to him immediately! Inform the guard that we need the best medics in the country here now!" Xiang Hai and Cai Shengwei ordered at the same time. They would have jinxed each other if it weren''t for the severity of the problem at hand. The soldier practically ran to the said place, allowing the rulers of this country to see their friend''s draconic form.


    Arrows were lodged in his scales, making him look like a porcupine. His wings had tears, claw marks to be specific, as well did his limbs and main body. There were even some high degree burn marks covering nearly every scale on him. His breaths, from what they could hear, were laborious and shallow.


    Tears filled everyone''s eyes as they stared at Nalan Pong''s injuries, unsure of what to do. When they saw the doctors come, they felt a bit relieved. They watched as many more doctors came and studied the injuries. They whispered amongst themselves until they finally came to a conclusion. A brave, female medic stepped up to them. "Your Majesties, the Dragon Lord''s injuries are very severe. After a long discussion, we have come to an agreement that your friend will live no longer than a week, even if we treat all of his wounds. He has lost too much blood, and he has an unknown poison in his system which we cannot find the antidote within the short amount of time we have. Even if he were to miraculously survive this event, he would be a cripple..." Her voice trailed off.


    Cai Shengwei wiped the tears away from his eyes. "Create an antidote as soon as possible. We don''t know if the enemy would use it again, so it is best to be prepared. As for Nalan Pong..." His voice cracked. "Treat him and ensure that he really does survive for a week. If he dies beforehand, his blood will be on all of your hands." After saying that, he took one last look at his friend before taking his leave.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Xiang Hai had his teeth and palms clenched in anger and regret. He might have been able to help him if he was on the battlefield with him. Instead, he took refuge and comfort inside of the castle, training new recruits and having laughs with his other friends while one was risking his life. He was so selfish! "The last stand will be at this castle. We must be ready." He departed, leaving Xin Lumei with all the doctors.


    Being a ruler has made her heart turn cold, she realized. Although tears were streaming down her eyes, her heart was tranquil and frozen. Despite her good friend laying on death''s table, she felt nothing. Xin Lumei walked closer to the dragon and gently touched his bloodied snout. A faint pain prickled at her heartstrings, so far away that she could barely notice it. Why had she become this way? The passage of time has brought much change to all of them. Considering this, four years is a very long time despite it flying away like a plane.


    "I will find a way..." She whispered before taking her leave as well.


    As the doctors busied themselves with finding an antidote and preserving Nalan Pong''s life, the other three were just a busy.


    Cai Shengwei locked himself up in the lab and did a variety of experiments. He wanted to recreate a bomb from his previous lifestyle. The life he had five years ago where he was worry free, aside from homework and bullies. When he thought he was successful, he would go out to a field and test it, but none of them would explode. Even if they did, the combustion wasn''t large enough to kill over a thousand people at the same time. However, each experiment would be more successful than the last.


    Xiang Hai readied the troops and prepared the castle for an all-out attack. He placed as many cannons as he could along the walls and towers. He had men go set traps up in the forest surrounding them. He made sure the production of weapons and rations were increased significantly. He forged a massive battle plan and set up scouts to watch for the enemy''s coming. He also made it to where no soul could enter the castle without his personal consent.


    Xin Lumei had many scholars bring her all the books which had so much as a mention of a phoenix. She researched everything she could and forced herself to stay awake until she passed out due to exhaustion.


    On the fifth day, the battle for survival began. The enemy troops fell for most of the traps, leading to their decrease in population by a third. The canons helped fend the swarm off until they retreated with the sun. That night, Cai Shengwei was finally successful in creating his bomb, so he sent the formula to some producers and had them to make them as soon as possible. Xin Lumei, despite her efforts, had found nothing useful aside from one phrase being constantly repeated.

 Chapter 14

    When dawn came, Xiang Hai was staring out to the fields surrounding their castle. The beautiful grass which covered the small hills were destroyed by the flames created by warfare. He really liked those fields. He and his friends would sometime head out and play in them when they had the time. It held a few fond memories, which was rare in this new world. He couldn''t believe it has already been over four years since he had eaten a Snickers bar...


    He barked some orders to the generals and made sure to emphasize a few important roles they were to have. The cannons were to be shot at dragons first and foremost if they are to come. They were to not waste the cannonballs unless the enemy was within a certain radius of the castle. The frontmen were to keep the opposing forces back using their guns to kill as many as they possibly could. They had a navy, but there was no reason for them as there was no water. Therefore, they either joined the frontmen or the cannons.


    There was also a regiment in which they still use the old-fashioned weapons. Those who used bows would be on the walls with the cannons to bring a ranged support to the frontmen. They would be continuously using their bows to kill the opposing army. Of course, their support could only go so far, so they are only needed when the enemies get within a certain radius. When these people join, it could be said to be a desperate attempt.


    There are hardly any who use swords anymore. This class was only for those who have never gotten used to guns. They merged together with the frontmen. There were also horsemen, those who use horses as mounts and spears as weapons. They had small pistols as well so that their combat efficiency was high.


    Their army was very strong. The only downside to all of this was that bullets were in high demand. Most blacksmiths were spending their time for military purposes. The group couldn''t figure out how to create a factory for these weapons fast enough due to them never reading about it before. They were lucky that Nalan Pong read a bit on warfare for school projects, so he was able to ''invent'' cannons and guns into this world. Cai Shengwei was the one who would read anything anywhere, but he no longer had the same resources as he had before. Therefore, he ended up becoming


    a mad scientist who was always experimenting on how to create many things.


    The sound of hurried steps came from behind him. "Sir, Master Cai Shengwei has finished his new experiment successfully. I was ordered to tell you that there is a supply of these new weapons on their way here."Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Xiang Hai turned around and thanked the messenger with a couple pieces of gold. The man revealed an expression of excitement as he placed the coin into his pouch. "You may leave now."


    "Yes." The man left without causing a hassle as he was worried Xiang Hai would take his gold back.


    He chuckled at the guy''s behavior. He has seen many people with this mindset. Everyone had a side of greed to them. In the previous world, people would be jealous of those who have things they want but can''t have. There was a time where he had wanted the new iPhone because all the other children had one. His parents only gave him an old flip-phone and he was laughed at by the other kids because his family was poorer than theirs was. He ended up hating his life until he met his friends. He looked back at what he had done and felt it was very childish of him, but nobody can help it. It was just a part of human nature. It is funny yet sad at the same time. Even when he has nearly everything in this new world, he was jealous of those who were in his previous because they had so much more opportunities than in this one.


    Being a leader has changed him so much, he realized as his old memories came to him. As he indulged in them, strong men had brought a few large crates filled to the brim with bombs. A young servant told him what they were and Xiang Hai dismissed him as he called for the footmen and horsemen generals.


    "Alright, boys!" Xiang Hai tapped on one of the four creates. "Here is the new weapon. It is called a bomb as it would create a massive explosion as soon as it touches something hard enough. We don''t have the technology to add a delay timer yet, so please do be very careful. You could set traps up and create a minefield, or you could throw them at the enemy via a sling. Does anyone have any questions?"


    The two men nervously glanced at each other before shaking their heads. Xiang Hai nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Have a few strong men to carry these to your stations. I have a feeling they will be very useful from now on."


    Xiang Hai looked back over to the fields with melancholy. He watched as his men dug small holes within the range of shooting arrows. It would be another last defense. Then, the enemy came with a loud cry. A large hoard of people came from out of the woods. The horsemen met with them before the footmen. A few of them, especially horsemen, held bombs in their hands and crazily threw them everywhere they could. Many people accidentally killed themselves as they didn''t gage the distance correctly. Some didn''t use them at all but was blown up by another, causing a massive chain of explosions. It was absolute chaos. Too many of his men had died my simple mistakes, but the enemy troops were dropping very quickly.


    Eventually, the leader of the opposing side let his dragons loose. The cannons tried their best to kill the creatures, but their wings were too fast. However, no dragon could survive a blow when it connected. Despite Xiang Hai''s army''s power, they were quickly disposed of. A few hours after noon, the enemy forces had reached the castle''s final defense.