The Dragon Prince's Warrior

Back home

With a rather acrobatic leap, Jin descended on the other side and approached to see what the man wanted at this hour.

"But what could this man want? It definitely can't be about my brother. He's not one of the palace ninjas," he thought as his curiosity grew.

It was a middle-aged man who had left a carriage a little behind him; he was wearing dirty clothes, as if he had suffered an accident or something of the sort.

"Good morning, how can I help you? What are these good news for the Emperor?" Jin inquired seriously, keeping his distance.

"I'm sorry, but I need to speak with the Emperor in person, or at least with someone from the Council who can convey the message. If you let me in as soon as possible, it would be better; it's very urgent," the man replied, with a hint of distress in his voice.

Jin rubbed his chin and narrowed his eyes slightly, scrutinizing the man once more, a bit incredulous about what he was hearing. It was also clear that he did not recognize him as one of the princes, of course, likely because he was not dressed in fine and luxurious clothes, and Jin didn't blame him at all.

"You can speak with me. I am very close to the Emperor, believe me," Jin replied, to see how the strange man would respond.

"Well... could you please tell him to come and see with his own eyes the surprise that has arrived? It's very urgent, and I have wounded," the man pleaded with concern.

"Wounded?!" Jin exclaimed, startled by such news. "Let me see now. I'm... sort of a healer at the palace, I know what I'm saying," Jin demanded, regardless of anything else, and headed toward the carriage.

"Wait!" the man shouted, but Jin was already making his way to the carriage.

"Sir, I don't understand why so much secrecy. What could be so serious or dangerous that I can't know about it?" he asked, pulling back the carriage's curtain.

In an instant, Jin was left speechless by the sight before him because he would recognize that bruised, emaciated, and thinner-than-usual face anywhere, even if it tried to hide under plebeian attire.

"Yun... for heaven's sake," he muttered with a mixture of joy and concern, but more than that, he was perplexed to see how Yun was peacefully asleep, hugging a young woman who seemed to have suffered the same fate as him.

"Who could the girl be?" Jin thought. "Whoever she is, I doubt father will allow her to stay under any circumstances. Yun should know that."

The man behind the worried Jin was caught in an internal conflict, as he was convinced that no one should see Yun except the Emperor or the princes.

"Happy now? Now, if you are a healer as you claim, you will know the severity of the matter. We need to take the prince to his family; don't obstruct us any longer."

"I am his family," Jin replied, turning to him with conviction.

"What? First, he says he's a healer, and now he turns out to be one of the princes, sure... We're not here to play games. The life of His Highness Qing Yun is in danger, and so is that of his companion. Let me through, please!

Jin looked at him seriously, a gaze that intimidated the carriage driver a bit.

"Doors!" Jin shouted, and automatically the large entrance opened both doors for the carriage to enter.

The gatekeepers waited in silence as the vehicle moved forward. The man looked at it in consternation, and it seemed that doubts were attacking him, but he didn't stop to analyze the matter further. Urgency prevailed over any misunderstanding or confusion. He quickly boarded the carriage and headed inside the Palace.

Jin climbed to the back of the vehicle, found a place to plant his feet, and held on tightly to enter with his brother. As soon as they arrived at the reception hall, where the Emperor's throne was located, Jin jumped down and took another look at his injured brother. Without a trace of doubt, he separated Yun from the compromising embrace with the stranger, nodding to himself because he knew his father well. Ignoring the bewildered look from the driver, he began to walk into the palace, but not before turning to address the man.

"Wait here; I will summon the Emperor," Jin said, rushing off.

Not a minute passed before the Emperor made his entrance, preceded by Jin. The man bowed, but before he could utter a word, the ruler was already rushing towards the carriage.

"Yun! My dear son has returned!" he exclaimed with joy and tears in his eyes, extending his arms. Then he drew back the curtain to see his son, and distress settled in his heart. "Healers, quickly, take him to the quarters next to Shun! This is very serious!"

When he turned his gaze back and took a closer look, Heng finally noticed that his now unconscious son had come with a companion.

He raised an eyebrow and furrowed his brow, but refrained from questioning and composed his expression to address the man who had brought them, who prostrated himself under the Emperor's demanding gaze.

"Today is a glorious day for all of China! My son Jin has told me of the valiant feat you accomplished on this journey."

The man looked at Jin, who waved to him with a smile from where he stood. Embarrassment washed over him, as he had never imagined this.

"Forgive me, Your Highness. I had no idea," he said, repentance oozing from every pore.

"There's nothing to forgive. I always go incognito," Jin laughed and let his father continue.

"You've brought my son back. It's a true blessing what you've done for this old ruler. Please, sit and tell us... How did it all happen? Apparently, an unknown girl is with him. We need to hear what you have to say."

The man nodded, settled into a chair, and didn't hesitate to recount everything he knew. He had no idea how he and the girl had ended up at the hospital, but all he understood was that both of them were gravely injured.

He also added that he had become enraged in that place and that the prince himself, upon revealing who he was, had asked to be escorted to the palace. And finally, he recounted the terrifying episode that he had witnessed. It was something I could never forget.While the man related to the Emperor the events that had occurred on the journey to the Forbidden City, Jin sneaked towards the carriage to once again check on his brother who was not regaining consciousness.In fact, he was still in the same position in which he had placed him, but when he looked up he couldn't help but notice that crimson armor so familiar to his eyes. Without further ado, he returned to his father's side, while he analyzed and connected the facts.

"Dark dragons..." Heng said with concern and turned to look at his son, since they both knew all the bizarre things that had been happening. I think that after millennia they are waking up, but we still need to investigate why they attack the population. I appreciate your boldness and reward you for bringing my son and for telling what you know.A couple of servants presented the man with a bag full of gold and jewels. He could not fit into his happiness and prostrated himself again."Your Highness, it has been a joy for me to serve you," he responded with a bow and both Heng and Jin gave him their blessing, to say goodbye to him and head towards the chambers where Shun and Yun lay.

—Father... Do you still refuse to talk about the events of the dragons?Heng sighed and turned to his son as the two walked down the long hallways."Until life tells me if it will let my two sons live after so much tragedy," he answered bluntly.Jin frowned and remained silent. Soon he began to debate: Who could be that girl that his brother hugged so much? He had never had that gesture with any girl he had ever met; Even though they were both unconscious, the way they surrounded each other was so...intimate? He didn't know how to describe it in his head, but, without a doubt, that event caught him off guard.

He woke up, because all he had were assumptions and nothing concrete, and it was obvious that his father would not sit idly by and find out everything about her if necessary, and of course, if that idea got in his way.Finally they both arrived at the bed where Yun was. The look of concern on both of them was present and they slowly knelt down to get a closer look."Oh, my son... I should never have let you go that day," Heng lamented and caressed his youngest son's bruised face.

"I hope with all my heart that you make it, brother," Jin muttered, while he saw that characteristic dragon-shaped tattoo on his left arm.The prince opened his eyes in surprise. It was evident that all three of them had it and he couldn't ignore that fact. There was no doubt that something supernatural was stalking them and wanted to put an end to the Qing Dynasty."Father, do you see what I have in Yun's arm?" Jin asked, while Heng nodded with a frown "Why just us? This is driving me crazy!"

"I know, Jin... I, I don't know what to do to get it out of my head that something even more terrifying is going to happen." Heng put his hand to his forehead in concern."What do you mean, father?" he questioned, making a face of disgust as he watched his brother's breathing."I didn't say it before, because I have always hated superstitions and myths," his father responded, "but before your mother got sick, I dreamed of her in a forest, talking to some colorful birds that fled as soon as some shadows came to scare them away." , leaving An alone in the dark. I refused to believe that they were Fenghuans much less Dragons, you know I have never paid attention to my dreams.

"What a coincidence that that old man mentioned them at the most critical moment of his illness," Jin responded while scratching his head with a hint of anxiety and uncertainty.Heng nodded heavily as his forehead beaded with sweat, due to the discomfort it caused him to talk about his fears with his son."The dream I had now involves you and there was nothing good in it. “There was a tree, a river and a woman,” he said while squeezing both his hands with the helplessness he felt.

Heng immediately stood up to analyze the woman who was accompanying her son back to the palace. Jin followed him and stopping his eyes on the girl who was lying unconscious, in a white coat, he couldn't help but add a comment about her.

"Poor..." Jin said as he squatted down to look at her closely. She has fatal injuries. Are you suggesting that she is the woman you saw in your dreams?"I'm almost sure, it is identical to what I remember from my dream. Fragile, thin, with a light brown complexion and with... extraordinary beauty. The woman in front of us may not survive and we don't know what she looks like in her healthy state. If it's her, I don't know what I'm capable of, because the woman I saw with your brother treacherously ended her life right under my nose and if I have to prevent it, I swear I will," Heng finished with trembling hands clasped.

Jin's heart skipped a beat and he brought a fisted hand to his lips. He did not want to make any comments and it was not proven that the woman from his father's dreams was real; The only thing he knew was that he could not conceive that a tragedy would be unleashed by a poorly made decision by his father in a fit of paranoia and much less did he want that dream to come true.