The Sacrifice of the Innocent
Celeste Wu,
he dark torrent of unforgiving wind swept through the barren forests of the Qin Dynasty, covering the
bright round moon with waves of clouds. A man in a royal cloak shook and shivered in the
unsympathetic cold, looking around anxiously.
the
Group 3: Fiction, German Swiss International School
“
Hello, Mr. Zhang. I see why you’ve chosen this place as our meeting spot. A few years later,
Great Wall shall rise to its full glory, correct?”
T
“
Mr. Zhang” clutched his head as he felt another presence pressing against his brain, sending him
vibrations of unheard voices, clearly audible to him even above the din of sniffs and snivels.
“
Right, but get out of my head!” he snapped.
“
Well, I can’t exactly help that either. I don’t have a proper mouth, excuse me. Anyways, we’re getting
off topic. Mr. Zhang, do you wish to proceed with our bargain?”
“
Of course, Xing Tian!” Zhang’s red face of fury quickly morphed into greed as he stared into
nothingness with his slated shiny black eyes. “I wish to proceed.”
“
Very well.”
Unsettling wisps of mist trailed up, forming a shady shape of a man—without a head. Its revolting
features came into focus as the smoke gradually settled. It had quite normal limbs, yet the most gruesome part
was its chest. Its nipples were shaped like eyes and its navel a mouth, which soon twisted into a wicked, sly grin.
Zhang wisely stepped back, immobilized by fear.
“
Very well,” Xing Tian repeated, though its mouth never moved. “Now I can have my revenge on
these people… I can finally reign, once you have fully awakened me…servant Zhang…”
Grief shadowed the land where the past souls rested soundly.
Fang stood, eyes closed as waves of emotion crashed against her, threatening to wipe her existence off
the face of the earth forever.
Forever.
The dark-haired girl’s eyes snapped open, revealing a pair of lovely black eyes that layered with
different shades, reflecting the surroundings as if they were mirrors. She let out a rattled sigh of relief as she
looked around.
“
Mother…why have you abandoned me?” She broke down abruptly as the sturdy wall finally gave way
to the surging waves of feelings. This was the first time she’d cried since her sick mother had died.
She felt her hopes for some sort of response being extinguished as the minutes ticked by, filled with
only loneliness. She turned, sleek black hair flowing smoothly behind her like elegant ribbons of shadows. It
was then when a voice whispered.
“
My sweetheart, do not fear. For a great destiny awaits my dear. Your pride rests on the northeastern
desert, yet so does your death. I pray for you, daughter, that you shall keep your breath.”
“
Mother?”
Nothing sounded but the dark torrent of unforgiving wind, brushing her tears away and carrying them
like diamonds in the air. Uncomfortable tension lingered in the form of a faint cackle that gradually diminished
and left the world in silence once again.
Fang sprinted away, her heart pounded as she devised a plan to reach the northeastern boundary of
Ningxia.
Soon enough, she was collecting her belongings in her hut. Clearing everything out of the shelves, a
sparkling object caught her attention in the corner of the top shelf. Fang grasped it in her hand as tightly as she
could.
Carefully, Fang examined the retrieved item. It was a necklace, and hanging from it was a ruby-
encrusted locket. She had never seen such a thing before, so delicate and…new. She flipped it open easily and
studied it with newborn curiosity. On the left side of it was a…drawing of a man who had tousled dark hair. On
the right side faded inscription read, “M…an…”
Giving up the futile attempt to read the letters, Fang slipped the pendant into her pocket. Instantly,
drowsiness hit her and she fell to her knees, crying softly before giving way to unconsciousness.
"
I want to be the one who people admire. I want to be the one who will bring pride to the country. I
want to be immortal."