Chapter 1: Realm Tree

On this fateful day, on a quaint little cliff a couple hundred feet from the sea level was a gargantuan tree. The huge green tree created a beautiful and peaceful image with the blue ocean behind it. A large number of creatures, big and small, gathered in front of the tree. Some creatures looked at the tree solemnly, while other looks at it mourningly but even more looked at it in despair.

"Why the long faces?" asked an ancient voice which seems to resound from the tree itself. A beautiful woman in green with pupils the colour of jade and waist length hair the colour of the darkest night looked at the tree and asked softly, "Do you have to do this?".

"Yes", for once there was a grave undertone to the voice. "You know that we need help to deal with the disaster."

"But you do not have to sacrifice yourself for that!"

"There is no other choice, speak no more.", declared the voice with finality. Then it seemed to turn its attention to all the creatures gathered there. "It is goodbye, my friends."

"Let this world be a witness to the birth of the Sacred Saviour.

Let me sacrifice myself, the Realm tree to summon a Protector.

Let life be born from my death!"

The tree seemed to wither as if experiencing thousands of years in an instant. It shrank in on itself, as if it was growing in reverse. The tree became a small one, then a sapling and finally a seed.

The gathered creatures all shed tears and dipped their heads in respect. A small cradle sized cocoon grew from the place where the tree used to be. After the day passed, till the dawn no creature moved even an inch. The wait seemed to be eternity itself for those that gathered there, especially for the girl in green.

Finally, the top of the cocoon slowly receded as if it was introducing the new life inside it to the lands, the skies and the stars. A human baby revealed itself.

A gasp ran through the crowd," A human baby?" "How can it be?"

"Silence!", said the girl in green. She seemed to command a lot of respect as the crowd immediately quieted down. The girl looked at the baby and the baby looked at the girl.

She took the baby in her arms and wrapped a silk blanket around him so gently as if the she was afraid the baby would melt away in her arms.

"The Saviour is born! ", the cocoon slowly melted away as if waiting for those very words.

The woman took the baby and went away from the place without looking back. She stopped outside a quaint little village a couple of hours journey away from the cliff on foot. The woman looked at the child and said," I am sorry, but you remind me too much of my father. This village will be your home and family."

She kissed the forehead of the baby," But my blessings will always be with you."

An imprint of a tree revealed itself on the forehead and disappeared soon after.

She placed the bundle near the base of a tree and left.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

A group of humans wearing coarse cotton clothes with leather armor on top carrying bows and arrows were passing near the tree. They saw the bundle and were surprised to find a baby inside.

The baby had eyes so black they seemed to devour light itself yet so lively they seemed to emit light too. A mop of black hair grew, which contrasted with his fair skin nicely.

They took the baby back to the village and the village head gathered a meeting.

An old man with white hair but a strong body walked to the village square and sat the at roots of the tree which acted as a small raised stage. Some 50 people gathered in the square. After looking at the baby, he asked," Who will take care of this little one?"

The villagers all looked among themselves, the village had a good harvest this time. All the villagers had surplus enough to feed an extra child but nearly all the villagers had their own children to take care of.

A woman around 20 years old came out. She looked at the baby," Let me take care of him", and took the little bundle in her arms.

"Are you sure Liu Mei ?", asked the village head and she nodded.

Black eyes looked back at her sea blue ones. She smiled at him and took him to her house after seeing that no one protested.

- - - - - -

1 month later

"Long'er!" shouted a woman at a child hanging off the tail of a cow.

"Why are you hanging off the poor cow's tail?"

"Bad cow! Bad cow! Not let me get on!", complained the child in broken sentences. He only recently seemed to have started speaking.

The woman tried to contain her smile but failed then took the child in her arms and went inside. She fed the child some sliced fruits mixed with milk and put him to bed for his afternoon nap.

She looked at the sleeping child and was reminded of the year after she took him in. She had named him Long'er because he had the energy of a dragon. In a couple of months after starting to walk, he had annoyed the animals in the village enough that after seeing him they ran in the other direction. Even the village head's hunting dog, which had a fierce reputation, couldn't not run after seeing him.

The woman was a seamstress and worked in her own house. All the clothes of the village were made by her.

Long'er was seeing frolicking around with the other kids all day long except in the afternoon when all the mothers came with exasperated expressions on their faces to take them home.

- - - - -

Like this, 4 more years passed. His intellect seemed to surpass every five year old.

When people spoke to him, they felt he was a teenager and not a five year old child.

On this day, Long'er celebrated his 5th birthday. All the villagers came and gave him presents, but for the first time in 5 years his attention was not on the gifts.

Liu Mei noticed this and after everyone one took their sleave, she took him into her arms and asked," Does my little dragon not like my gift?"

She had given him a small jade pendant this year.

"No sister Mei, I love the pendant."

She rolled her eyes and asked," Then what is wrong? And I told you to call me Mom."

"If I call you Mom who's going to marry you? But if I call you sister, they would think that you are young and maybe show some interest", Long'er replied cheekily and jumped out of her arms.

"You brat, what do you mean by that, I am still young!"

"Sure, wrinkled old lady", he replied and ran out.

"I do not have wrinkles! It seems that you need to be taught a lesson!"

"I will be back in the evening, sister Mei!"

She rolled her eyes and went back to work.

Long'er had been feeling a call from the cliff where the ocean met the rocks from the morning of the day. He went to horizon cliffs. After he went up the slope he arrived at the place where he had been born.

There he saw a sight that would change destiny of the whole world.