Shortlisted
The New Tales of the Great Wall
Jett Li, Group
hapter 1: The Beginning of the end
as a
last
father had told
2:
Fiction, Harrow International School Hong Kong
This was it. The end of the world was really happening. For hundreds of years, it was thought of
joke, but time-space corruption already obliterated countless countries and lives. George was the
one standing. He took shelter on the Great Wall of China, only a chunk was left standing. His
him that his mission was the only chance that humanity had to survive the corruption. He took
one final breath of fresh air and jumped into the portal that would take him to the past.
C
George’s head was spinning. The portal had taken him years back in the past. It was supposed to take him to
145
BC but it looked like any ordinary modern city, just like home before the corruption started. Then it hit
him… “I’m back in 2012” he realised. This caused him to start feeling depressed. Not only was he in the wrong
place at the wrong time, but he noticed that during the period of 1000 years, not much new technology was
created. He was about to use his emergency “back to the future” gadget when an explosion knocked him
senseless onto the ground. His last vision was of a man that looked a lot like him facing a hooded creature.
When his senses finally came around, he saw that the man was holding a knife. George immediately
recognised the man, he was his ancestor James. George asked “who is that hooded creature?” James replied “a
demon named Vata.” “A demon?” asked George. “It’s only threat to us all is the fact that it wants to devour the
world with its powers. It can slow time, burn things at will, turn the warmest place to an icy wasteland,
electrocute the most powerful and tactical men on earth and even control earthquakes. However, even with all
those powers, I find it a bit farfetched to be able to destroy a planet. Before he tried to blow me up, he told me
that he found a key sealed underneath the Great Wall that could open a death portal in the sky…then he said
something about it being able to cause dimensional destruction. Luckily enough, I was able to knock him out so
that I could corrupt the key. Now it is too small to fit in the portal lock until the lock shrinks in 1000 years” said
James. “Who are you anyways?” asked James. “I am…” suddenly, George was whisked back in time again and
this time, he reached his destination.
Chapter 2: Destruction or Survival
As George awoke, he felt a cold rush of wind flow through him. He opened his eyes and drew his sword, a
weapon that would make him blend in with the other ancient men. His role was to travel back in time and warn
one of his ancestors of the future. His mission was to get to his ancestor Sol. As soon as George found him,
George pulled out a Taser and electrocuted him.
After Sol recovered consciousness, he noticed that he was in a cave shrouded by ghosts. As Sol drew his
sword, it was knocked out of his hand by someone. The shadow of a man loomed over him, “Relax, my name is
George. I am an ally”. Sol sheathed his dropped sword. From birth, he had read minds of men to tell if they were
truthful.” I am here to work with you on an important mission, will you listen?” asked George.
The news was alarming to Sol. He never would have thought that there is a time space corruption. He was
surprised by the information on what he had to do to defeat Vata and destroy the key of world corruption. In
time, he had learnt to wield a sword and fight with his bare hands; he also met the great Generals Yin and Yang
to discuss all the possible ways to defeat Vata. Eventually, they came to a realisation that only the greatest
power of Yin and Yang combined can defeat Vata. Sol named the power of Ying and Yang combined…Unity.
Chapter 3: Vata vs. Unity
The battle between Vata and Unity had begun.
The allies set up defences at the Great Wall. The enemy demons and orcs were equipped with countless
weapons, from swords to spears and from bows to bats; Vata’s generals were still making the struggle even
more difficult to win. General Yin had sent messengers to the Terracotta Kingdom trying to get the army there
to help. General Yang on the other hand, was engaging battles with Vata’s generals, Asmodai (the demon of
thunder), Uberflare (the demon of fire) and Zefrost (the demon of ice). He had used a blinding flash of light to
stun Zefrost and turned him in Uberflare’s direction. In no time, fire and ice met and the two generals
evaporated. Asmodai quickly jumped in and pushed Yang back with waves of thunders. Suddenly, a burst of
light blinded the enemy, and army of clay soldiers emerged from the mountains. The Terracotta warriors arrived.
The fight from there was chaotic; the Terracotta warriors formed a circle around Asmodai and reflected his