人
***
You look around in bewilderment. The dancing flames have become frozen, like red, motionless flowers. The air is deathly still. Shun is not moving – a look of determination still remains in his eyes. A single sphere of blood is suspended in mid-air, on its way to the floor after dripping off his chin.
You remember, in your desperation, making a heartfelt appeal to Heaven. Whether or not this was a situation of their doing, only divine intervention possessed the power to change the destiny of the Empire now. To save Shun, your loved ones, and yourself, this was the only path you could have taken.
“Do not be surprised, Xu Jing.” A dark shadow slithers behind the pillars, circling you. “Time in the mortal realm does not bind us in this single moment.” The gentle whisper is now coming from behind you – suddenly, a pair of slim, fair arms wrap themselves over your shoulders, and you feel something comfortable and soft push up against your back. Your instincts have not sensed her approach at all… and for some reason, you find yourself unable to push her away.
Like a rat paralyzed by the stare of a snake.
“Are you… a goddess?” you ask, trying to move your head away from her soft, ticklish breath. With a light giggle, the presence behind you departs, leaving behind cold emptiness where she had once been. You turn your head to try and catch a glimpse of her, but the voice now comes from your front.
“I am Nuwa, creator of man.” A beautiful woman garbed in celestial attire is now standing before you, her skin glowing softly with a gentle radiance. She walks towards you demurely, her hands clasped in front of her. “I am a goddess, yes, and I have been watching over you since your birth. In the heavens, there is no god that cares more about you than I do, and I have waited a long, long time for you to seek my assistance.” Nuwa smiles kindly, her eyes twinkling with benevolence… and passion.
You try to stifle a sudden surge of unease, and nod. “That is quite flattering! Then, you should already know what I ask for, Lady Nuwa.”
“Yes, I do.” Nuwa casts a glance at the frozen Shun, and then turns her eyes back to you. “Why do you care so much for a dynasty that is lived long past its due fate?”
You shrug. “My friend’s the Emperor, and he’s been doing a pretty good job thus far. If you omit a few weird decisions that he has made lately, that is.”
“Ah. That in itself won’t be enough, I think.” Sighing, Nuwa gives you a sad smile. “The truth is, fate has been stretched quite far enough. If the Tang continue to distort their rightful destiny, a cataclysm of unimaginable proportions will strike both Heaven and Earth alike. You must understand, the gods have their hands tied in this matter.”
“You mean that Heaven is helpless? I am terribly sorry to bother you then,” you say flatly, your eyebrows arched.
“No!” Perhaps you are imagining it, but a dark, terrible void passes behind Nuwa’s eyes for an instant. The goddess shakes her pretty head. “I mean, no, not at all,” she says, her eyes now shining with even more compassion for your predicament. “Heaven has its ways. The rise of a new dynasty, with the favour of Heaven… that is a way of averting a catastrophe. In fact, I do believe that you are the best candidate for the job.”
“You mean… that I become the new Emperor.”
Nuwa nods happily. “Yes, Jing. If you would seek to rule, I can grant you Heaven’s blessing. All I ask is that you whole-heartedly acknowledge me as your one and only goddess, in gratitude for this favour.” After pausing for a while, she frowns, “Of course, the blood of the previous dynasty must be expunged for their crimes against the order of Heaven. You would have to end your friend’s life with your own hands to show that you deserve the right to rule. I am sorry, but that is the way it works.”
You glance at Shun. Your fists tighten reflexively. “Is that the only way?”
“Well…” Nuwa steps closer to you, close enough that you can smell her enthralling fragrance. “There is one other way. If you are willing to join me in Heaven, I might be able to help the Tang Emperor maintain his domain for a few more generations yet.”
“Do you mean that you want me to become your ally?” you ask, slightly suspicious.
Nuwa fidgets a little, and you swear that you can see a faint blush on her cheeks. “No, not exactly. I… I need a consort to work with. I think you are a very interesting and talented mortal, Jing. As a deity, you would be very capable in assisting me to reshape the world into a better one. And of course… we could…” Her voice trails off and she looks away shyly.
You breath in deeply. This is all too new to you. “Are these the only options I have?”
“Yes. These are the only two choices that you have.” There seems to be a slight flicker of annoyance in her voice, though you cannot be sure.
***
A. You will acknowledge Nuwa as your only goddess, and swear your fealty, worship and adoration to her for the rest of your life. In return, you will become the new Emperor, supplanting the Tang dynasty, thus bringing prosperity and averting calamity.
B. You will become Nuwa’s consort, and work with her to make the world a better place. A chance at not just immortality, but becoming a deity, is too good to pass up. It will mean leaving behind all you care about, but you will ensure it is left in good hands from your perch in the heavens.
C. You cannot accept either of these two options. You try to propose a third one, although you sense that it may not be wise to anger the goddess or to push your luck too far… (make your own proposal)
D. Somehow, you are getting a vague feeling that Nuwa cannot be fully trusted regardless of what you try to say to her. You reject the goddess's offer of divine intervention. Appealing to Heaven was a mistake and a waste of time in the first place.