Flashback
278 BC
Somewhere in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province,
Qin Dynasty,
a day after the death of Minister Qu Yuan.
A pretty barefooted girl could be seen jogging through the market with a dark purple purse slung over her shoulder. The market seemed busier than usual, as everyone seemed eager to find out the juicy motive behind Minister Qu Yuan's death.
Shi grunted in frustration as she gripped the hem of her lilac dress to avoid getting soiled in mud, dodging the hawkers who were parading gossip more than their wares.
"Father would definitely roast me alive if I don't get back before he notices I've sneaked out," she thought, quickening her pace towards the Pearl River.
On getting to the river's tributaries, she looked around till she was sure she wasn't being followed before diving into the ocean. She had no time to enjoy the coolness of the water, as she was already late. She swam for miles underwater, resurfacing at intervals to gulp in air. She took a deep breath before diving deeper to the bottom of the ocean.
There was no time to enjoy the coolness of the water; her eyes adjusted to the darkness as she effortlessly slid into a crack in the cliff's bedrock. The crazy corals lit a secret passage, which led her upwards, causing her to surface in a cozy underwater cave with a few pieces of furniture and a large nest in the middle.
Shi sighed in relief on seeing her five little angels snuggled against one another.
"I'm home!" she announced, completely coming out of the water.
"Mama!" the five dragons squealed, excitedly flying towards her.
"Hey, darlings!" she chuckled, dropping her purse so she could hug them. "Oh, you're all getting heavy!" she groaned playfully, causing them to laugh.
"So, what have you all been up to while I was away?" she asked.
"Mum, Ao Quin bit me!"
"No, I didn't!"
"We're hungry!"
"What took you so long?"
"I'm starving!"
"I'm sorry I came late, my dears," she said briskly, bringing out five plates from the old cupboard, each according to their colors: yellow, red, black, white, and azure.
"But you were late."
"The she-devil you were fighting must have been really tough!" the black dragon grinned.
"Maybe..."
"Whoa!"
"How many times did you slice their throats?" the black dragon asked in glee.
"Did you break their bones?" the white dragon inquired, eagerly.
"I couldn't really tell," she said, tipping out the last remnants from her purse onto its plate.
"But I did break a couple of bones for you, sweetie."
"Save some for me next time!" it muttered, in between a mouthful.
Wen Shi beamed in pride as she watched her babies eat to their fill. She then placed the white one on her lap, combing its hair as it couldn't sleep while the others were snoring in the nest.
"Mum?"
"Yes, dear?"
"Can we go out with you tomorrow?"
"No!"
"Why?"
"I meant no... not yet!" she said, correcting herself on seeing his chest-fallen face and drew him closer to her bosom.
"Outside is too dangerous for you and your brothers to fly freely. Not with those bad hunters still roaming around..."
"Why do they want to catch us? Why do they want to kill us?"
"Because you are special, and they don't understand why," she explained, stroking its spine.
"Don't worry, darling. When you're in need, I'll protect you..."
"Promise?"
"I promise... Baidi."
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
***
Back in the church,
Sunday, February 13,
10:26 AM.
Mr. Cheng
I stifled a yawn as the reverend continued to drone on about the rewards for giving wholeheartedly.
"Will this sermon ever end?" I thought, burrowing deeply into my chair, and I began to slowly drift into sleepy town.
Just then, a soft groan on my left jolted me back to reality.
"Master Long?" I gasped, quite alarmed, as he clutched his chest.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"Of course, he isn't?" berated Young Master Damien, who was on his other side.
He had been alerted by my gasp as my master's face contorted in pain, while Young Master Kai, unperturbed about the crisis on the ground, busied himself on social media with his tablet due to the ear pods blocking his olfactory system.
"Should I call the doctor?" I asked.
"No, I'm fine!" my master croaked.
"Grand Master, are you sensing someone again?" Young Master Damien asked, leaning closer to him, and he painfully nodded in affirmation.
"Who is it?"
"Her! I need to see her!" he gasped, trying to stand up.
"No, my lord!" I said, detaining him. "You can't leave; you're not well!"
"It's not a mortal thing that ails me, man! Get off me!" he snapped.
"Huh?" I said, taken aback by his anger.
Master has never snapped at me before; this was so unlike him. He hardly frowns, even when he's ticked off or offended.
"Great father, you are going to cause a scene!" Damien hissed.
"Who is the 'she' he is referring to?" I asked, trying my best not to make a scene.
"Saying her name will only upset him even more..." Damien grunted.
"I can feel her again! She's back! She's finally back!" he cried, excitedly bouncing in his chair.
That's when I realized who he had been talking about...
Wen Shi!
"Oh no!" I groaned as we again pinned him to his chair.
We were lucky that so far, none of the members of the congregation had noticed us.
"She's here!" he began to whine. "I need to see her!"
"Not again!" Damien muttered, darkly eyeing Young Master Kai, who had been chuckling over our fray.
"My lord!" I cooed. "We haven't sensed my gentle mistress's soul for over a decade, right?"
"Yes, true... that's true," he slowly admitted.
"We also have no proof the brave priestess succeeded in giving her a new body..."
"My point being?" Damien prompted, noticing how Grand Master had calmed down.
"My point is: if my lady had been given a body, why haven't you sensed her rebirth all these years, and why hasn't Mother Nature confirmed it yet?"
The look of gratitude was priceless on Young Master Damien's face as my words dissolved into my master's heart.
"Yeah... you're probably right," he muttered, awkwardly adjusting himself in his chair.
I was just about to reply when we were interrupted by a deafening roar.
Everyone panicked and scampered for support as the hall was vibrated to its core while the young masters and I steadied my lord.
"What was that?" Young Master Kai gasped, after the earthquake subsided.
"That?" Grand Master scoffed, like he was nettled that we deliberately didn't understand what was going on.
Master Long then threw our arms off him before turning to gaze at the window.
"That was just Mother Earth announcing her return," he smirked, as his eyes beheld her.
We followed his gaze just in time to catch a glimpse of a large purple reptile hurtling towards the gate.
***
Fast forward,
Still in the church,
Inside the DAWN van,
Omniscient
Nathair cursed as Agent XXV and XLVII carried the disoriented Agent X into the van, followed by some other agents before Agent VI took the wheel.
"Mission failed!" he muttered, as the other agents piled into the van.
"The masters won't be happy!"
"Bleep that dragon!" Agent X muttered, as Agent XIV applied first aid on him.
"Why do you need the children?" Dr. Lu mumbled in pain, now wrapped in chains, his face tattooed with bruises.
"None of your business, Henry!"
"What happened to the roomie I used to know?"
"Oh, that Nathair? He died a long time ago. Too bad you missed the funeral," he retorted sarcastically, rolling his eyes.
"How do you sleep at night?"
Nathair exhaled in relief when his shrill ringtone interrupted the already awkward silence.
"Talk to me!" he muttered, picking the call.
"Boss, we have a problem..."
He glanced at Dr. Lu before replying, "Spill!"
"The other vans aren't working."
"Why?"
"That's the problem. They were fine this morning. It looks like something tampered with the wires."
"Everyone get to the meeting point. Agent III is in charge till I pick you all up."
With that, he roared to the driver, who gave a swift drift back as he sped back to the church.
