Introduction: Shelong took up his darklight and attacked, slashing deep into the enemiy ranks. Hiran Temple’s walls were crumbling. From the scabbard at his side Shelong pulled out his double-edged dragon sword. At the edge of the forest surrounding Hiran Temple, he met up with five other Hiran monks. Their names were He, Gou, Yue, She, and Long. Long held a chain whip, Yue, moon spears, She, a snake-headed spear, He, elbow swords, and Gou, war hammers. Shelong checked the ji slung across his back diagonally and asked, “Where should we go?”. The other five monks shrugged. Shelong frowned and said, “Meet me in the Fengxiao Restaurant and Inn on the third of June.”
3 MONTHS LATER, Shelong entered Fengxiao Restaurant and Inn on June 3. His temple-brothers and hewere now 13 to 14 years old.He found Long and He already seated. Turning around he saw She and Gou enter. “Have you heard of the new emperor?”, asked Shelong.
“Yes, he claims to have an older brother who disappeared when he was only 4 years old and says that his brother was last seen heading in the direction of Hiran Temple.”
“I wonder how he came to be emperor, he is so young.”
“It is because his father died in a battle against the Akanto.”
“Shelong, I wanted to ask you something,” Long began, “The new emperor says that his elder brother took his father’s darklight with him as inheritance. All the Hiran monks know that you are the only one on Askima with a darklight.”
Shelong frowned. “Just because I have a darklight does not necessarily mean that I inherited it from my father.” Shelong realized that it was his younger brother on the throne for he had taken his father’s darklight and disappeared to Hiran Temple when he was only five. But he didn’t want to let other people know that he was the rightful heir to the throne.
“So you think that the emperor’s older brother is dead?”
“As far as I know, he is not dead.”
“Then it is you, Shelong.”
“You have interesting and ominous ways to make me uncover my secrets.”
“All through snake-style kung fu.”
“I wonder if anyone besides us knows this information.”
“If they do, we must get Shelong to the capital.”
“I am sorry to reveal this, but my brother knows my true name and knows only I know it.”
“What is it?”
“Sao Wei Keshelong.”
“You’re from the Royal Imperial House of Sao?”, He asked in a shocked voice. Sao Wei Keshelong just nodded and said, “He knows your true names as well,”
“How?”
“Through Grandmaster.”
“What are our names, then?” inquired She.
“She is Gong Yuenyi, He is Ka Zhelou, Yue is the same, Grandmaster could not change your name, (“How rude!”, Yue said.) Long is Lou Ke Ma, and Gou is Li Jiao.”, replied Sao Wei Keshelong. The other five monks all asked what his brother’s name was. Sao Wei Keshelong said it was Sao WeiYong Jia. After their dinner, they paid for 1 night’s lodging and dinner then settled down to bed. Sao Wei Keshelong fell asleep right away, dreaming…
12 YEARS LATER, “Brother Sao Wei Keshelong!”, cried Sao Wei Keshelong’s brother. But then he clasped a hand over his mouth. All Hiran Temple monks were to be sentenced to death by the Akanto and now everyone knew his brother was a Hiran monk. The few Akanto in the square turned toward Sao Wei Keshelong with rocket launchers in their hands. Sao Wei Keshelong smirked and spun his hand around in a circle and pushed the air. A whirlwind blew up and turned into a tornado that raced towards the Akanto. More reinforcements arrived and Sao Wei Keshelong grimaced. He sent energy balls, fireballs, and dragonballs heading towards the soldiers. Then, stamping his foot on the ground, created an earthquake. It was only when he and his friends were totally surrounded did they pull out weapons. Citizens screamed as the battle began. Buildings were torn down, streets exploded, and the plaza was bloodied. Sao Wei Yong Jia watched horrified at his brother and his wounds, fighting off platoon after platoon of armed Akanto soldiers. Suddenly a flaming arrow struck his ship and he fell off. He swam towards the opposite shore of the fighting, now as intense as war between fire and water. By the end of the day all Akanto squadrons in the city had been defeated but the monks were sorely wounded. The whole city was burning. Sao Wei Keshelong was being treated by his brother.
The Akanto king that day attacked the Chen empire. Sao Wei Keshelong and the other Hiran monks fought bravely and the Akanto army was turned away at docking. But Sao Wei Yong Jia was killed in the fighting. Now Sao Wei Keshelong was emperor of the Chen empire. He felt the eyes of his subjects watching him as he climbed the steps of the imperial palace. Little did he know that he would be the Great High Emperor of Chen.
TO BE CONTINUED
