Silent Star sat on the foot of the stairwell that led to the portal that Wild Flower had disappeared into. His face was emotionless as if staring into space, feeling confused and perhaps a little betrayed. What was Wild Flower up to? That question played through his mind over and over again.
Sun Kin and Sky, meanwhile, were making preparations for creating a portal of their own with the artifacts that Master Tong had entrusted Silent Star with. Someone was bound to help them upon arrival as Master Tong had said.
Wei sat beside him, looking on with pity. She placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, Silent Star. I can't imagine how you must feel right now," Wei tried her best to comfort him.
Silent Star slowly shook his head. "First Master Tong, now Wild Flower has left me. The both of them kept secrets from me all this time. I know they haven't told me everything. But why?"
"I don't pretend to know the logic behind the mind of a god, but I'm sure your master means well," Wei pointed out. "And Wild Flower…well, I've known her since before you were born. I trust her."
"BUT MY PARENTS!" Silent Star blurted. Wei withdrew herself in shock. "They said my parents came from Tien's Landing, yet no one from the town claims they know my parents. Then Wild Flower runs off before I can get a word in with her. Why would she deny me the chance to at least know what kind of people my parents were?"
Wei said nothing. She just looked at him cautiously, still a bit frightened by his outburst. Silent Star's gaze softened to a look of apology.
"Sorry…forgive me. I shouldn't have yelled at you," Silent Star avoided her eyes. "It's just that all my life, I never knew my parents. Master Tong and Wild Flower have told bits and pieces about them, but that was not enough. I wanted to at least see their graves and pay my respects."
"It's all right, Silent Star," Wei said. "You have every right to want to know them. Like I said, I don't know what Wild Flower or your master is thinking, but I'm sure we'll find them, and when the time is right, I'm sure everything will be clear."
"How can you be sure?" Silent Star asked indignantly.
"Master Tong and Wild Flower are faithful followers of the Bureaucracy," Wei said. "You were apparently chosen to carry the will of the heavens. I am willing to bet that Wild Flower and your master were instructed to keep you from being distracted with matters of the heart. But when it is over, I'm sure they will explain everything to you."
"Well, I guess…" Silent Star murmured, not entirely convinced but could offer no counterpoint.
"You must learn to trust in the wisdom of the heavens," Sun Kin suddenly said from around the corner. "That is what separates them and us. The minds of man cannot hope to comprehend the complexity of the gods. That is why my brothers Sun Hai and Sun Li were never meant to hold the power of the Water Dragon. Their hearts only knew greed and lust for power. But the duty of a deity surpasses all human desires."
Silent Star sighed in concession. "All right, I see your point. …Do you always annoy others with your convincing logic?"
Kin grinned. "You believe you have seen the worst of me? Imagine how Brother Hai must felt in the years that I served him."
Wei and Silent Star chuckled lightheartedly. Silent Star was glad that there was room for laughter despite trying times. Then his grew serious as he turned to Wei.
"Um…Wei, I have a favor to ask of you," Silent Star said awkwardly.
"What is it?"
"You have the power to see into the dead, right?" Silent Star said. "Well, I was wondering if you could conjure up an image of my parents. I just want to see what they look like."
'Forgive me, Silent Star," Kin jumped in. "But I do not believe that is wise. The heavens may wish for you to remain focused on your task and not be…."
"Yeah, I know," Silent Star interrupted impatiently. "You've made that clear, but I'd go crazy right now if I didn't. Don't worry, I'll be fine; I just want to see their faces, that's all. It isn't asking for too much."
"I…well, I suppose it would not hurt…" Kin trailed off.
"So please, Wei. Will you at least try?" Silent Star pleaded.
"Yes, I will try," Wei replied. "First I need to see into your soul. Family members share a resemblance of some kind within their souls. If I can see yours, it will make it easier for me to trace the spirits of your parents in the Spirit Realm."
"Thanks, Wei. This really means a lot to me."
Wei nodded. She then knelt down on the ground, her hands on her lap. Her eyes closed and she concentrated her mind. She reached out with her senses and touched Silent Star's spirit. It was a spirit of kindness and compassion, yet there was great sadness and confusion in it as well. She reached deeper and felt something strange that made her pull out of her trance.
"Wei! Are you alright?" Kin said as he rushed to her niece's side. "Did you feel something?"
"Yes…It was strange. I…I felt something very familiar about you in your spirit, as if I had felt that presence before…But, I can't quite put my finger on it," Wei said.
"Something familiar about me? But that's impossible. I've never met you before until just recently. Are you sure it wasn't a mistake?" Silent Star asked suspiciously.
"Well, It has been a while since I 've used my power. But I know what I felt and it felt very real."
"What about him was so familiar, Wei?" Sun Kin queried. "Are you certain it was something you felt before?"
Wei thought hard for a minute. She fell into deep thought, going through all her past experiences. "Hmm…I know it wasn't something I felt recently so it must have been sometime when I was bound to Dirge. I was basically living in the Spirit Realm and I felt spirits all the time, but I could have sworn I felt your presence at one point. I don't know how I could have, though, since you are alive."
"That is weird…it doesn't make any sense. How could you have felt my soul in the Spirit Realm if I'm still alive?" Silent Star agreed. "You sure you felt right?"
Wei nodded. "Yes, I am positive."
"You look troubled, Wei," Kin's voice shook with worry. "Perhaps you should rest."
"No, I'm fine," Wei brushed it aside. "I can do this. Now I have a good idea of where to find your parents, Silent Star."
Silent Star knelt down beside her. "Look, Wei. If this is straining you, then you shouldn't push yourself. It's no big deal if you can't find them."
"No, it's all right. I can do this. Besides this is important to you. I will find your parents."
She closed her eyes again and searched further into the world of spirits. Various spirits of the dead flashed all around the three. Silent Star and Kin looked at all the spirits around them in amazement. New spirits appears while others disappear from sight. The haunting sound of moans and cries from the souls echoed through their ears. It was a bit disturbing for Kin and Silent Star, but it was something Wei had gotten used to. All these souls must have died traumatic deaths. Some were missing body parts, while some were just children. But Wei's expression was unchanged. She just knelt still and concentrated hard. The spirits began to filter out.
One by one, souls disappeared as they did not match the similar trait of Silent Star's soul. Then the disappearances stopped. Only twelve spirits were visible.
"Are my parents among this bunch?" Silent Star asked.
"Yes, your mother and father must be in this bunch." Wei said, keeping her eyes and trance unchanged. "I've narrowed it down and these are people of your lineage. First, your earliest ancestors will disappear, then the two remaining will be your parents."
Silent Star nodded and watched as the remaining spirits vanished this time in pairs. One after another, they vanished until one pair was left. One man and one woman were standing in front of Silent Star. The man had a long white beard and was bald and had a sleepy expression while the woman had short, shoulder length gray hair and a smile on her face. Both had clothes of nobles and they looked happy and pleasant together. Silent Star stared at the pair, his eyes full of emotion. It seemed like the moment of his life was at hand. After so many years, he had finally laid eyes on his parents. Silent Star almost felt like crying when the pair began to fade.
"What? No! Wei, bring them back! Those were my parents!" Silent Star bellowed.
Wei opened her eyes. "Hmm…You mean the ones that just faded? They couldn't have been. There was still one pair left after them."
Silent Star looked at her as if she was insane. "But the ones that just faded were the only ones left visible."
"Well, I saw one pair of spirits after the last pair faded. Are you sure you didn't see the last pair?" Wei asked.
"Yes, I'm sure. Only you can see the last pair and they haven't faded?" Silent Star said.
Wei shook her head and closed her eyes for a brief second. "No they haven't, in my eyes I can see one more pair, but you can't?"
"No…maybe only you can see them because you are the one with the power. The last pair that I saw before it faded must have been my grandparents. So what do my parents looked like?"
"You know, that's the strange thing, Silent Star," Wei said. "I don't know."
"What do you mean? You can see them fine, right?"
"Well, not exactly. Something is strange about the last two spirits. I can't really see them, but I can feel them. I can't really explain it, but I know they are there. I just can't see them. I doubt you can feel them though."
Silent Star let a groan in frustration. "Argh! None of this makes sense. All I wanted to do was look at my parents in the face, then this happens. Am I really doomed to not know my own past?"
Wei got up and walked to Silent Star's side. "I'm sorry, I've done all I could."
Silent Star shook his head. "It's not your fault. I appreciate you doing this for me, even if I didn't get the results I wanted. I guess I'll just have to deal with it on my own. But thank you for trying."
The two turned and faced Sun Kin, who looked troubled. Silent Star was the first to notice this.
"What's wrong, Kin? You look like you just saw a ghost or something." Silent Star joked.
"No….that's impossible…" Kin muttered, still dazed.
"Uncle Kin? Is something the matter? What has gotten into you?" Wei wondered.
Sun Kin stumbled a bit before letting himself fall onto the stair steps next to him. He avoided their gaze.
"Uncle Kin?" Wei repeated
"Hey, guys!" A voice from behind them called out. It was Sky. "The portal's ready, we'd better get in soon, before it closes."
Silent Star ran off to meet with Sky, but his thoughts still stayed with his family. He was more determined than ever to find out who they are even if it killed him. Wei stood beside her uncle, who was still looking startled.
"Uncle Kin, please tell me what is bothering you. Is something wrong?" Wei pressed.
"Yes, I did not want to say this in front of Silent Star," Kin began. "But there was something not right about the last two spirits that only he and I could see."
"What?"
"Those two definitely could not be his parents. In fact, they could not possibly be part of his lineage either," Kin said gravely.
"What makes you say that, Uncle Kin?" Wei asked.
"Because, those two," Kin paused for a moment as he looked into Wei's curious eyes. "Those two…were my parents."
Wei's eyes widened. "What?"
Kin nodded, but he wasn't sure he believed it himself. "Yes, those two were my mother and father. They were the rulers of the Jade Empire who preceded my brother. So they would be your grandparents."
Wei placed a hand on her forehead. "This is…unbelievable. But I believe you are right Uncle Kin. Your parents died many years even before the Long Drought. That was about fifty years ago! But Silent Star was born just twenty years ago. Even if this means he is somehow related to you, to me; is impossible."
"Indeed. I do not understand this myself, but please do not mention this to anyone, especially Silent Star. He would be devastated, not to mention he needs to stay focused on his mission for the Bureaucracy."
"But, Uncle Kin…He already has had enough secrets kept from him," Wei countered. "I wouldn't feel right to keep any more from him. He deserves to know about this."
"I understand your concern, Wei. But the both of us do not even fully understand this matter. I think it would be best if we wait until we are certain of what to make of this incident before saying anything. I do not want to spread any unconfirmed rumors."
"Alright, if you insist," Wei sighed, conceding the point. "I won't say anything."
"Hey, you two! Hurry up before the portal closes!" Sky shouted.
Sun Wei and Sun Kin hurried up the stairs and reached the top just as Sky jumped in just as Silent Star had before him. Wei and Kin looked at each other
"Remember, this secret is just between you and me," Kin reminded.
"Alright, I promise." Wei said.
With that, they both proceeded to jump into the glowing white entry to another world. In an instant, everything turned white.
As the white light faded from everyone's sight. The four of them found themselves in an open grass field. Nothing could be seen in the horizon except a thin layer of fog off in the distance. The sky had a light glow of purple. Wei and Sky remembered the first time they had stepped inside the portal they had just jumped through, except that time it led them to the Forest Shadow's heavenly realm. This time, it looked rather gloomy compared to the fox spirit's home. The only thing they saw was a slab of stone that was standing erect on the grass.
The four walked towards the slab. There was an inscription that was written on the piece of stone, but it was barely legible. This was possibly due to the age of the slab.
"So this is where your Master Tong said you should use the artifact, correct?" Kin asked.
Silent Star nodded. "Yeah, he said using it would call upon someone who Master Tong knows and he said this person would be able to help us in our journey."
"Alright, then I guess you should get out that essence gem then," Sky said.
Silent Star reached into his pocket and pulled out a gleaming orange essence gem…the same one that Master Tong had given him. He walked over to the slab of stone and held it in front of the slab. The stone slab began to glow blue. The ground began to shake as the others struggled to maintain their balance. The orange gem levitated off of Silent Star's hand and flew right into the stone slab, shattering both the slab and the gem. A thin strip of light appeared from the ground in front of him and immediately began to grow thicker. It grew thicker until it was about five feet in width.
The four of them shielded their eyes from the blinding light, but they managed to get a glimpse of a figure that outlined by the surround light. In a bright flash, the light disappeared, leaving only the figure that they saw in its place. The four took a long good look to see that it was indeed a person, only that his body was transparent, like a spirit. His entire body glowed green and he had long emerald green hair and wore long hunter green robes. His hands were each had five elongated fingers that resembled claws. His face was stern, but had a slight smile on his face. The smile grew to a wide grin.
"I am…free…" The man in green muttered. "FREE AT LAST!"
His joy was short lived when a grimace on his face left him stumbling to the ground as if he was hurt. He clutched his side and groaned. His eyes reached the four strangers of this place. He still managed to give them a slight smile.
"You. It is you who has released me, are you not?" The man in green asked to no one in particular.
Silent Star stepped up and knelt in front of him. "Yeah, we were the ones who summoned you. My master, Ki Tong told me to come and seek you out because he said you would help me."
The man in green blinked. "There is only one person who knows of me in this, this prison."
"You were imprisoned here?" Wei asked in disbelief.
"Yes, I have been imprisoned here for almost forty years." The man in green said gruffly. "This man you speak of…Ki Tong is what he is calling himself now?"
"You know him?" Silent Star asked.
"Of course, I know him," the man in green said with a hint of resentment in his voice. "As I said, there is only one person who would know where to point you to this realm. This man you call Master Tong is that one person. He was the one who imprisoned me here."
"What?" Silent Star gasped. "Imprisoned you? Why would he do that? Who are you and what do you know about Master Tong?"
The man in green glared at them. "You mean to tell me that all this time, he never told you who he really was? How typical of him."
"Master Tong told me he used to be a member of the Celestial Bureaucracy and that he was banished because of some mishap," Silent Star explained.
The green man just stared. "Oh he told you that, did he? Well, the truth is he's more than that. Saying that he was just another deity for the Bureaucracy wouldn't do him justice"
"You're stalling. Just who are you anyways?"
"Well if you must know, then I will tell you," the man in green said. "I am the Earth Dragon, Guardian of the Living. I was imprisoned here in this damned realm by the supreme creator god, my father."
"Supreme creator god? Y-your father…" Silent Star's voice shuddered. "You mean Master Tong…"
"Yes, your Master Tong, my father imprisoned me here." The Earth Dragon nodded slowly. "You will also come to know him as the Great Dragon…"