Volume 20 The beginning of the Great war

Hwan went in search of his son with a basket of food, finally Henry had all the time he needed with Ji Lie. Henry saw his beauty in the kitchen preparing food for supper, even in an apron he looked more dazzling.

Henry sat on a chair and said, "Hasn't your heart changed now that you can see I am much more beautiful than your wife?" Ji Lie held in his laughter, after clearing his thoughts he replied, "It hasn't Henry, I never knew that all this while I was never meant to be blind. Patiently Hwan waited for me…even on my death bed he never abandoned me."

"What do you mean you were never meant to be blind?" Henry with a serious face looked at Ji Lie. Gently placing his apron on the table, he replied, "My core was poisoned with the Fugia dark flower which grows at the bottom of the sea. I lost my visual impairment and my mother lost her life. When Hwan was checking my body and core for damages he managed to uncover the real reason for my mother's death."

"How will you find the culprit, the heavenly realm was utterly destroyed." A hurtful Henry felt pity for Ji Lie who would never uncover justice. Ji Lie looking out the window replied, "The flower's poison comes from the dark sword…" "No fucking way, at her age she killed her own mother!" Henry realised Zetia was far more sinister than the sword itself.

Hwan saw his son sleeping under a peach tree, "Can I join you?" Junta slowly opened his eyes, Hwan placed the basket of food beside him. There was utter silence as Junta stared at the clouds, "I was about to come inside."

Junta opened the basket and took a piece of pie, a smile widened on his face when he took a bite of the juicy meat pie, "This reminds me of Mr Dowan's pies…he always served a piece for me even though I had no money. His words were always…" "The best pie only for my beautiful boy." Hwan looked at Junta as he finished the words.

"Where you him that time?" Junta placed his pie on a plate, Hwan held his hand and replied, "We suffered severe wounds during the attack, it took me time to fully heal my wounds. Your father even with his injuries pushed himself to ensure his son was safe. In different forms he approached you each day"

Junta starring at the sunset from a distance said, "I am happy to have met you in reality, when I saw the visions I envied your love. How did you meet with father?"

Time flew quickly as Hwan told the tale of his first love encounter with Ji Lie, Junta made funny expressions with each emotional encounter his parents suffered. Ji Lie from a distance smiled to the scene of his family.

When they returned to the house it was already midnight, Ji Lie was waiting for them whilst reading a book. Hwan said, "Honey, you didn't have to wait for us." Pouring a cup of tea for the two of them he replied, "I felt like reading a book, have a cup of tea before heading to bed."

Junta with a smile on his face looked at his father and said, "Thank you for the pie Father, have a good night." Hwan winked at his confused husband, "I will head upstairs first, I need a scrub on my back."

Hwan felt soft hands rubbing his back, with a smile on his face he said, "Junta really cares about you, I knew nothing would make me happier than to have a son who looks like you. I love you."

Ji Lie kissed his wife's neck, he whispered, "I love you Hwan, as long as you are both with me nothing else matters."

Zetia standing at the balcony of the palace saw an army of wrath corpses bowing before her. Wrath dragons were roaming the sky, King Qin handed her over a piece of paper. She burnt the paper after she was done reading, "The gold isn't enough, tell them to keep digging and forging weapons."

King Qin clenched his fists and replied, "If we deplete the resources we will have nothing to survive with when the war is over. Land are manifested with…at this rate they will be nothing left for our survival after this war. We are barely surviving with produce from the west and the south."

"If we aren't prepared enough there will be no after war survival for us! I need more weapons! We have to give it our all because right now that's what we need." Zetia's eyes were cold and stained with evil.

"I had your son eloped with that demon…" Zetia was pressing the button's of Qin's anger. King Qin clenched his fists and replied, "I have one son."

Hwan saw Henry standing at the edge of the cliff starring deep at the river below. In his mind the dreadful memory of his kingdom being slaughtered to pieces kept rewinding over and over again, rivers flooded with blood of his innocent people.

"I saw all of them being slaughtered, their screams…their last words haunts each day. I just stood in silence as my people lives were taken from them…beyond this barrier people are suffering Hwan…when will you set them free." Henry's eyes were dripping with blood.

Hwan turning his back to walk away replied, "My family is safe here with me, why risk that all for people who forsake me? Let them kill each other…as long as they do not cross my boundary."

"Innocent people! Little children are being killed each day in preparation of war! How can you turn your back on your responsibility…you were born to protect these people from greater evil." Henry was at a breaking point, he needed to hear Hwan's plans on rescuing people.

Ji Lie deflected Henry's attack on Hwan, holding to his sword he angrily said, "You are being a coward! Locking yourself down here whilst people are dying out there! This is your fault, you created her!" Maria immediately held her husband down.

Hwan with cold eyes looking at Henry said, "I shall pardon your sins given the kindness you have shown my son. Children shall die for the sins of their forefathers, just as my son was set to die for my sins. As you know Henry, I never give second chances…don't hold a grudge against me for choosing to live."

"We have to save the remaining people Maria, they…" Maria knocked out her husband, gently patting his head she said, "I apologise Henry."

Takato hidden in a corner witnessed the whole drama, he was trembling down his feet when he saw the true form of the Vampire king.

Hwan leaning on the shoulder of his husband said, "Do you also blame me for the chaos out there?" Ji Lie tightly hugged his husband and replied, "Anger poisons one's mind, understand Henry lost his kingdom. This is Zetia's doing…don't worry I am here for you even if this world crumbles I will never let go of your hand."

When Henry gained consciousness, he saw Junta standing on his window gazing at the stars. "It is late Junta, you should rest." Henry sat on his bed and took a glass of water on the dressing table. Junta faced him and said, "Lord Hwan didn't deserve the insult you gave him this afternoon, he isn't responsible for that demented bitch's catastrophe."

Henry drank the lukewarm water, he replied, "Stay out of the adult's business. You weren't there when I saw my kingdom being ambushed, he is the chosen protector of this world and he should step up to his duties! If he had married Zetia nothing…"

"Enough! My parents didn't do anything wrong…the same way you cherish mother is the same way Lord Hwan cherishes Emperor Ji! Your people were also his people, the chaos out there is killing him. We have to face it she is much stronger, you are right we can't hide forever."

Standing on the doorway Junta clenched the doorknob and said, "I am grateful you raised me King Henry but don't insult my mother and father. He has a family…remember what you told me a man's world is his family. Don't hold a grudge with my parents for putting their family first. Do you think he is just sitting by and enjoying the show?"

Henry never felt proud for raising a son who stood up for his family, Maria handed him a bowl of porridge, "He has grown Maria, for a moment I felt a shiver down my spine as if he would kill me." "You finish that bowl and rest." Maria went to take a bath.

Hwan placed a jar of ashes on the ground, "Aren't you supposed to be condemning me for doing this? Are you sure you know a god's values?" the two of them busted out in laughter, Hwan placed his hands together and said, "Release!"

As he enchanted the dark spell a dark circle appeared around the ashes, Ji Lie stood in silence as he observed the whole summoning ceremony. Hwan's eyes changed to pitch black, he said, "Awaken! Awaken for your master has summoned you."

The jar broke…ashes began to float in the sky, there was sudden wind and lightning. Hwan's true form was vicious, his soul weapon was a hex attached to a chain. Ji Lie smiled and he changed into his real form, his armour was silver and on his left hand he held a huge sword of light.

A huge dragon rose from the ashes, its roar created a strong wind and echoed across the mountain.

Flame dropped the glass of wine in his hands, Zetia looking around asked, "What was that?"

Flame looking at the east replied, "Impossible! How could he awaken him!"