CONTENT WARNING: Note, this chapter is rated mature due to physical violence and gore.

Zheng Zixin

There once was a time when I was free from violence. The air smelled clean, the scent of blossoming flowers, the refreshing dew drops on the plants in the morning, and the soft petrichor after a delicate rain shower enveloped me, reminding me what it felt like to be alive.

The day my father sent me to the battlefield, I was only twelve years old. As much as I pleaded to stay, he refused to budge. He kept insisting it was essential to my character building. To be a good emperor meant being a ruthless warrior in war. No one would dare question my rule if I cemented myself in the role of the bloodthirsty prince of Wuzhen.

Now twenty-five, I’d forgotten what it was like to smell anything other than blood and nightshade. It was easy to become used to when pixie corpses piled high on every side.

I walked past the recent mound of corpses, their black eyes gazing up at the sky, unseeing. Mounds of limbs and torn wings were scattered around and I reveled in the destruction. If it were thirteen years ago, I would have thrown up from the grotesque sight. However, in order to maintain my sanity, I had to shut off my feelings and perform the duties of Wuzhen’s bloodthirsty, cold-hearted Crown Prince.

The Dark Court of Iniguthia was a formidable force, using the goal of retribution against their counterpart, the Light Court, as their motivation. It was the duty of Wuzhen to ensure peace would remain between the different factions. Father considered the Dark Court a threat because if they gained too much power, they had the chance to overtake Wuzhen. Today’s battle was simply a warning to Iniguthia: remember your place.

“P-pardon me, Taizi Zixin,” someone said behind me. I slashed at another pixie that lunged for me before turning to meet the gaze of Sun Fang, a timid water dragon. His black hair was pinned up in a neat bun, even his armor looked freshly shined. If he was a fraction of a fighter like my men, he would have been covered in the sanguine fluid of our enemies.

“What is it? Can’t you see I’m busy here?” I replied, annoyed.

“I don’t think the Emperor wanted us to kill all the pixies,” he said. “Shouldn’t we spare the children? They have done nothing wrong.”

“He wanted us to neutralize the Dark Court. This is the quickest way to do it. Remember, Sun Fang, the best way to control your enemies is to instill fear. You must strike them down before they find an opportunity to attack. If we were to spare every child, what would happen when it grows to adulthood?”

“I can’t say that I know, Taizi.”

“They’ll seek their parents’ killer and want revenge. We will leave no remnants of the villages we’ve visited. Although they posed no real threat to me, I don’t have time to waste on someone’s quest for vengeance.”

“But they’re still children.”

I towered over Sun Fang, narrowing my eyes. His worried, troubled gaze reminded me of the innocence I once had. “They’re pixies, Sun Fang,” I said coldly. “Their age is of no concern to me, nor should it be to you. Do you favor these pixie children over your country?”

He shrunk back, intimidated. “Of course not, Taizi. I didn’t mean to question your intentions. I live to serve Wuzhen.”

“Good. It would be a shame to have you executed for treason. You’re a good subordinate, Sun Fang. Don’t forget you are a Wuzhean. Your duty is to the Imperial Family.”

“Yes, Taizi…”

The whispers of something horrendous floated on the wind, and I scrunched my nose in disgust. Nightshade. Someone was casting an incantation. Charging towards the shrubbery towards the entrance of the Dark Forests of Terror, I reached over and plucked a female pixie from a black dahlia by its wings. 

The pixie was as small as a bee in my hands, flailing about in the air. Its cries of displeasure came out no louder than squeaks. “What kind of leader hides in the shadows and watches their underlings fight their battles?”

Within my grasp, she grew larger until it was just a few inches shy of my height. A smile flashed across her grayish face, revealing a full set of sharp teeth and a pair of fangs. My hand never wavered from her neck, knowing it wasn’t over until her heart was pierced. If I didn’t shatter her heart, she could easily resurrect herself with a simple spell. 

“Everyone knows the capabilities of a Wuzhean, especially the Crown Prince. Do you fear the unknown, Taizi Zixin?” she answered, her voice raspy.

My eyes wandered to the stripes on the female’s right sleeve, noting there were six. She was formerly one of the five pixie Generals, serving Pixie Queen Saoirse. If this was one of the strongest members of the pixie faction, the following battles would be over quicker than the previous. “Little fly, I am incapable of feeling fear. I create it.”

My grip around the pixie’s neck tightened until her wings and her limbs finally went limp. I tossed her body, and it landed in front of Sun Fang and said, “Take care of this. Based on her appearance, she has a resurrection spell in place. I don’t wish to fight her a second time. My father had strict instructions for me to return to the Imperial Palace on time.”

Without waiting for his response, I began walking away, ignoring Sun Fang’s stuttering behind me. Normally I would have been glad to finish off an enemy, but a part of me wanted to watch Sun Fang lose his innocence. Would he become like me and shut himself off to the world? Or would he give up his duty just to escape the harsh reality and the sorrow that came with it?

* * *


Standing in front of the main gates of the Imperial Palace, I let out a deep sigh. It had been years since I’d last seen my father. Over the years, he sent me from battlefield to battlefield, solving whatever problems he needed gone. While I didn’t expect him to welcome me with open arms, I also didn’t anticipate the bigger problem waiting for me inside.

“Back so soon from the battlefield, Taizi? I take it that negotiations were unsuccessful?” Xinyi, the palace sentry hollered from the top of the tower. He was dressed in his usual garb, prepared for battle should an enemy appear on the horizon.

I raised a hand up to block the sun out as I laid eyes on Xinyi. “Have I ever been one for negotiations, Xinyi?”

“No, but I enjoy amusing myself with the very thought.” A pregnant pause filled the air before he continued, presumably from communicating with my parents within the telepathic bond. “The Emperor and Empress Consort are in the throne room waiting for you.”

Of course they are. ‘Meihui forbid that I wash the blood out of my clothes before I respond to the summons,’ I thought. “Do we have a guest?”

“Yes, a female angel arrived a few hours before you, my Lord.”

“Alone?”

Xinyi nodded. “She’s been visiting frequently during your absence.”

“And?”

Xinyi rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “I think the rest should be heard from the Emperor and Empress Consort.”

His response confirmed my greatest fear. I cursed to myself, knowing all of this was a trap. They had planned to lure me here in the hopes of forcing me to agree to marriage with the winged creature. Angels were known for their pacifism and strong healing powers. However, a dragon’s love for war was not compatible with their ideals. It would be a match not made in the Heavenly Realm.

Thinking back to the pixies and how I tore the wings from their backs, I debated on whether I should have returned for a second round.

Zixin, did I raise you to be a coward? You are the son of the Emperor, act like one, Fùqīn grumbled in my mind, intruding on my thoughts. He was the only person who was able to invade my thoughts, regardless of whether I erected a mental barrier.

I am no coward, Fùqīn.

Prove it.

My dragon growled low, he didn’t appreciate the challenge in my father’s words. It fought for dominance but I was not yet strong enough to defeat my father in combat.

Without another thought, I stomped my way into the palace. With every heavy step, the ground shook beneath me, rustling the cobblestones. The sentries returned to their duty, scouring the horizon.

The palace walls were lined with portraits of the Imperial Family, in order of their reign, each lacking a glimmer of happiness. My father and mother were the furthest from the front door. Mine followed immediately after as I stared at the red-haired man.

I had inherited most of Fùqīn’s features—scarlet irises, a sharp jawline, and a glare so strong it could slice tension in a room and bend the strongest men to its will. Although, the only thing I inherited from Mǔqīn was her Celestial blood and black hair, I longed to have her kind hazel gaze. I'd have given anything to be more like her and not the man who treated me like a stranger in the place we both called home.

I slashed at the portrait, unable to look at it any longer. My dragon huffed with fury as a ball of fire rested in the back of my throat. A loud tear resounded through the corridor, but no one came in to investigate the sound. Seeing Fùqīn’s disfigured portrait brought a coy grin to my face as I continued on my path into the throne room. How I eagerly waited to see his reaction when his favorite portrait had been destroyed.

‘You wanted a monster, you got one, Fùqīn,’ I thought.

As usual, there were two golden seats for my mother and father and another spot prepared for me off to the right of my father’s throne. Tapestries of dragons embroidered on golden thread covered the walls of the room. Leading up to the throne was a lush, red carpet where visitors would kneel and present themselves to the Imperial Family. 

A full family portrait hung above their thrones. It was a dated image, as it depicted me when I was ten years old. My hair was much shorter than it was currently, but I was far happier. My father’s distasteful scorn radiated from through the oil painting, making me wonder if there was ever a time he was happy.

While I expected servants to be on the side, waiting for a command, there was no one else in the room other than my parents and the damn moth. She had dark blonde locks cascading down her shoulders and an innocent grin I would have loved to destroy. Her very presence was a nuisance as it emanated peace and tranquility. Worst of all, she was dressed in a decorative white dress. I had heard most foreigners wore white on their wedding day, and Aeyaviel wasn’t spared from that fact. If only she knew what white truly meant in Wuzhen, as wearing white was a blatant show of disrespect since it was reserved for mourning our fallen.

But did she know this? She managed to pique my interest momentarily. I wanted to know whether she was aware of our customs and treated her friendship with Wuzhen as her own funeral. Or maybe she was just that stupid.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Taizi Zixin,” she greeted me with a curtsy. “My name is Lindie.”

“I didn’t ask for your name,” I replied curtly. My dragon gave her a sniff, and I fought the urge to curl my lip back in disgust. She smelled strongly of lavender and chamomile. I refuse to marry this vermin.

“Zixin,” Mǔqīn said. I tore my gaze away from Lindie and met my Mǔqīn’s frosty glare that said it all: behave. “Lindie came here because she received approval from the Aeyavielan Queen on your betrothal. Seeing as you’ve returned today, it is the perfect day to sign the agreement.”

I scoffed. “If this agreement concerns the future of Wuzhen, wouldn’t it make sense for the decision to be made by me, the future of Wuzhen?”

“When you are Emperor, you may do so, Zixin. However, you are not. Your father’s edict has summoned you today. It is not because you are no longer needed on the battlefield. It is because he has another purpose for you to serve your country. Your birth was a promise to your father that you would live to serve him.”

And a man never goes back on his promises. Or are you a coward, Zixin? Which will it be? My son, the Emperor or my son, the disowned? Fùqīn goaded me. I will not have you traipsing around without an heir to carry on the family name. You have a duty to this family.

The talks of an heir plagued my mind once more. My parents knew well that females didn’t interest me in the slightest, but to be with a man was a fate worse than death in their eyes. In their traditional mindset, being attracted to the same sex meant no prospects or future because we could not produce offspring. However, that didn’t matter to me because I despised children almost as much as I despised angels.

They wanted me to marry this woman, not because it would unite our countries, but because it would strengthen our people. Race mixing was frowned upon. They believed one should be with the same species or die alone. It prevented wars between countries and the tainting of important noble bloodlines. There was also the concept of finding a mated pair, but I didn’t believe in that soulmate rubbish. Being alone was better than any other option.

I enjoyed the power that came with my position, so I was not ready to give it up just yet. Taking the hand of the angel, I placed a chaste kiss on the back of her hand politely, knowing there was no point provoking my parents further in the presence of a guest. We would continue our discussion privately and Fùqīn would learn I was no longer the weak, helpless little boy I once was.

My dragon bristled at the intimate contact, and bile shot up in the back of my mouth. The angel didn’t seem to notice, her ridiculous smile was still plastered on her face.

“Thank you for coming here, Lindie. We will review the agreement and have Zixin sign it by nightfall. In the meantime, perhaps we can go over the wedding details. Have you decided on what flowers you would like for the ceremony?” Mǔqīn inquired, taking the angel’s hand and directing her towards the garden.

Taking that as my cue to follow them, I walked towards the dark doorway, but Fùqīn stopped me by gripping my arm tightly. “Don’t embarrass us. I will not stand for insolence.”

“And I will not stand for your orders, old man. Remove your hand or I shall remove it for you.”

“If not for Lindie, I would teach you a lesson right now.”

I pried his hand off me. “Lindie is simply an excuse. Are you sure it’s not because of me? Perhaps you’re afraid you will lose. You don’t know the things I’m capable of, Fùqīn.”

With a dark chuckle, he replied, “If only your bite was as fierce as your roar, boy.” To my dragon’s displeasure, he lightly smacked me on my face and added, “Let’s not keep the women waiting. We’ve got a wedding to plan, after all. And don’t forget your report on Luxuria and your battle in Xianyang. It is one year late. I expect it on my desk before dinner.”