***
Ji let the cloaked figure pull him along the rocky terrain. They finally stopped and Ji looked behind him at the flaming remains of his home. He could still hear the screams of his mother and father. He could still see the bodies of his brother and sister, and his brother's family. Ji swallowed a lump in his throat. His niece, Ae-Eha was only three, and his sister, Xin hadn't even gone through the Burning.
The cloaked figure touched his shoulder. "I am sorry, Ji."
Ji sniffled. "You could not help them, Dewei."
"Come," the Shinobi said. "You can hide in my village."
They traveled several more miles before reaching a small house tucked against a hillside.
"Lien!" The man called.
A young woman of seventeen exited the house. "Father? What has happened? I did not expect you back from your audience with the emperor until tomorrow."
Dewei entered the house, with Ji following behind him. Lien brought them food and drink, as it was obvious that they had traveled a great distance. They all sat at the kitchen table and Dewei told his daughter of the dragon's rebellion.
***
Akasuki ran her hands over the cool, smooth bed linens. "Oh, Li', this is more than I ever dreamed. And now it's ours."
Li-Liang held the emperor's crown in his hands. "What have I done?"
Akasuki took the crown and placed it on his head. "You have begun your destiny as the king of all dragons, just as the Oracle said." She pulled his arms around her. "And I am your queen."
***
Ji stood by the house as Lien worked in the garden. Dewei had gone away for the week to get supplies and catch up on news of Li-Liang, or Dragon Lord, as he was calling himself now.
Lien stood up with her basket and walked towards the house. She gave Ji a warm smile as she took the vegetables inside.
He had been living with them for over three years now, and he was just now beginning to get over the massacre of his family, with the help of the Shinobi. He was grateful to them for hiding him away from Dragon Lord, and he had come to feel at home here. If not for Dewei and the others, he would not be alive today.
He went inside and sat at the kitchen table. He placed his elbow on the table and rested his chin on his hand, watching Lien chop vegetables. Personally, he wished they had a little more meat in their diet, but he didn't mind much.
Lien was quite striking for a human. Her dark hair was always pulled back in a bun at the base of her neck and she wore simple dresses. She seemed so frail, but if one looked hard enough they could see that she held much strength.
She turned to him with a small smile. "You are going to stare a hole right through me."
Ji chuckled at her subtle warning and looked away. "What news do you think your father will bring?"
"If I knew that he wouldn't have needed to go."
Ji watched a large fly buzz through the kitchen. "You have a point there." His gaze followed the insect of few more seconds before speaking again. "I think your father is becoming suspicious of us."
Lien stopped chopping. "You are the one being too open."
"Maybe we should tell him of our feelings."
Lien thought it over for a moment. "Yes, when he gets back. Perhaps he'll even allow us to be married."
Ji swiped at the fly as it circled him. "Married? Ah, yes, it's one of those human customs."
Lien dropped the vegetables into a large pot. "And I am human."
"But I am not." Ji was paying more attention to the annoying pest than his conversation with Lien, or else he would have seen the distressed look on her face.
***
Dragon Lord glared down at the alchemist with disgust. If there was another dragon who could do the work as well as Wick, Dragon Lord would not hesitate to throw the little pest out the nearest window. But as much as he hated to admit it, Wick was the best.
Dragon Lord clenched his teeth. "Can you, or can you not make an antidote?"
"Not in time, my Lord."
Dragon Lord left the alchemist's workroom in a foul mood. It lightened a bit upon seeing his son, Hitoshi, stabbing at the air with a wooden sword. The light faded as his beloved Akasuki walked into the room. A poison had stolen her radiant beauty. Her bright eyes were dull and she was much too thin for his liking.
Hitoshi dropped his sword. "Mama, you need to be in bed." He took her hand and led her back into the bedroom. It pained Dragon Lord deeply that she had no strength to refuse, even against her six-year-old son.
"Hitoshi, go look after your brother," he said softly.
The young dragon kissed his mother's cheek and went into the adjoining room where he and his brother Jiro slept.
Akasuki did not need to ask the question, she could see it in his eyes. "I'm dead."
Dragon Lord took her in her arms. "Not if I can help it. The human who did this to you is in our dungeon."
Akasuki pressed her head against his shoulder. "He had no antidote."
"But Wick can create one. He's annoying, but he's capable." He began rubbing her back as she started coughing. He felt the warm liquid on his arm, but refused to look.
"Not before I die," she whispered.
"'Suki…"
"I can hear it in your voice, Li', don't lie to me."
***
Dragon Lord turned to his army as the fire burned behind him. "Six years ago I took it upon myself to do what needed to be done, for the good of all dragons. The Oracle said I would rule all dragons, and humans would fear my name."
He turned and watched the flames of the funeral pyre. He saw Hitoshi holding his baby brother, Jiro. His sons. His sons who would grow up without their mother.
"It is time to fulfill the rest of the prophecy."