She could still feel the searing empty heat from her skin tear off the flesh as her blurred vision only grew foggier. Continuing so, she remained motionless till she couldn't feel anything anymore. No hatred, no anger. Now, despair barely hung in her chest as she gave up everything and became one with the ashes dancing from the sky like snow.
"Child... Dear child... Can you hear me? Can... you see me?"
It was then that she heard a hesitant voice the warmly vibrated in her ears like the low sound of a harp. She wondered if she should put in the strength to blink her vision clear, or at least try. She could hear the voice at the very least, but, when she finally gave in to the temptation to answer, she could feel her lips no longer dry and cracked from the heat and illness. Yet, the unpreparedness for such a feeling resulted in her accidentally giving out a raspy groan.
It was then that she realized that it wasn't just the absence of her parched lips, but her entire body felt light! Realizing this sudden change, she immediately felt the similar change must've occurred to her vision and quickly wiped away the blurriness from her eyes with her the back of her palm like a toddler wiping away tears.
Finally, she saw it. Before her was a wide open plain with tall mountain peaks in the distant and fields of rice as far as the eyes could see on the hills afar. She knew where she was.
Actually, not exactly.
She already knew that she must be somewhere in China, the land her parents hailed from, but she definitely could tell what that flapping gigantic peacock hovering in midair, as if it was a humming bird, was.
It was beautiful with variant of bright flame colors not found on that of a regular size peacock. The long neck arched gracefully like that of a swan followed by the head and small rooster-like beak. A crown of gold feathers rested on its head and, as it landed before her, the flame color feathers flashed radiantly like gold and ruby. Could this really be-!
A chuckle interrupted her chain of thoughts as she finally looked to the eye level before her and saw that there was a woman of foreign origin, like that of european descent, stand before her dressed in white flowing tunic and white cloak.
She was adorned in silver and gold and her hair that was styled fancifully up was certainly not left out in the wealth of finely fashioned hair decorations. She would've assumed that the woman was an actress had it not been for the current situation and the strange aura coming off of her and the bird. She watched the woman in confusion as the woman contined, "It would seem her soul is perfectly well."
A deep hum confirmed with the woman's comment. The bird's eyes continue to pierce through her much to her confusion as if she was a mannequain behind glass, but she could at least understand this much. She frowned with certainty, "I'm... dead."
The woman nodded solemnly, "That's correct."
"Why..."
"Why are you here?" the woman assumed.
The girl nodded.
"Not who are we, but why..." the bird muttered contemplating her words.
The girl frowned, "Does it matter anymore? I can already see that you are celestial beings. I know that I'm dead too. So, I should be in hell..."
"You should." The woman nodded in agreement but smirked, "But, what does this Feng think of her?"
Her eyes followed the woman's gaze towards the towering majestic bird. It was then that she recalled the books she read for her project back in her chinese class as a high school student.
Before the phoenix came to represent the empress of China, they were originally two different entities. One male, Feng, and one female, Huang. Eventually, that distinction blurred and two supposedly differently entities become one that has been called FengHuang and was the symbol of the Empress's power bestowed by heaven.
Could this be the male phoenix that the woman was referring to? There aren't many other Fengs in the world. But how was that possible?
She was suspicious and so she narrowed her gaze in deeper confusion. The phoenix could easily tell her confusion and gave her a sharp gaze as well with a demanding voice, "Speak."
"I've aided the wrong man, was blinded by my own emotions, and took part in the chaos that was set on the Earth. The gods know I should be in hell regardless of my circumstances." She explained unhesitantly and recklessly knowing it would be her last, "For someone who became a disposible cog, it's unthinkable for them to be in the presence of any other gods, but the Lord of Hell. Yet, this insignificant one is brought before Lord Feng, himself. I can not help but feel confused, sir."
The bird landed on the plain with his long crane legs. He stretched out his long neck towards her with a eyes of a judge that bore the reflection of her figure dressed in white mourning clothing of the dead and her umber hair showing the poor nutrition she had bore during the harsh years prior.
Finally, she understood. He was testing her. Observing her, but for what? The long feather tails behind him softly landed on the ground displaying the five colors: black, white, red, yellow, and green. All of which represents the individual Confuscius teachings. Under his gaze, she hadn't realized that the woman was giving the bird a look of agitation as the woman then spoke to him, "Does she not suit you and your wife's taste?"
The phoenix glared at the woman, who shows disconcern for his gaze burning at her figure. Yet, her words confirmed this child's suspicions. After much silence, the bird spoke, "She could belong to Black Dragon's bloodline."
Black Dragon's bloodline?!
She was frozen upon disbelief.
Why? Because she recalled that the Black Dragon was none other than the one that governs the North direction of China. Polar opposite of the Phoenix that governs the South Direction of China. It was also called the Black Tortoise. At least, that was its Stellar animal, just as the phoenix was the stellar animal of the Red Dragon.
Why would he assume that she, who has both a human mother and father, would be from the linage of a Black Dragon, a god?!
"No good, then?" The woman responded firmly but worriedly, "You understand that you only have one chance to do this. Not even the other stellar animals have been granted the permission to break this taboo, Feng."
"A debt to which I will need to repay." The bird nodded in agreement before turning to the girl again, "If you were given a chance to change the world in one way, what would you do, child?"
Surprised by his words with understanding of its nature, she was stunned in silence just before the first thought came to her. She asked, "Lord Feng, this one has done too many misdeeds to have any wishes granted on her behalf-"
"Speak clearly!"
His impatient shout shook her heart from sheer power. It was hardly a wonder that he was the stellar animal form of the Red dragon. Such power!
Yet, despite the power of his voice, she no longer felt fear of pain or death, not when she had already felt the greatest pain and the most shameful death to someone of her position. Unafraid of further consequences, she frowned, "I'm afraid that there are many of which I wish to achieve, sir. But..."
She contemplated her wishes carefully before responding, "If I could have one thing granted, I want to save the people suffering under the decision that I made for that man's future."
The phoenix stared at her without leaking any emotions for her to detect, but the woman besides him raised a brow, "You don't want his death?"
The child frowned with great dissatisfaction and disappointment, "I don't want the death of a dead man. I want much from him, but he left with a large debt left unpaid to me. Yet, that debt is something a poor man like him can never hope to pay back. Yet, while he has his own debt, I have mine. I owe the people who was pulled in by me to suffer under him and I owe my family an apology too deep for me to repay. Therefore, I want to repay that little by little over a long period of time by protecting them first before I go and find his debt paid off. First, I want to lessen the burden I put on them as their unfilial daughter that brought so much suffering to the people around her. That would be my first step. The death of a dead man will not lessen the guilt I've caused upon my family."
As she spoke, she felt as though she wasn't speaking to the gods before them, but, rather, to herself. What she wanted to do. Wishes of a sinner that could never be granted. Her harsh words brought surprise to the woman's eyes that narrowed in contemplation. Yet, the phoenix suddenly out in laughter that nearly shook the sky in waves, "Haha! Yes. This child will do very well. Very good, very good! My wife will find this child more pleasing than the last."
Shocked, his words brought trepedition and anger in her chest as he spoke. Did he just say more pleasing than the last?! What could've happened to the last child? And, just what did he mean?!
Though his words did bring a frown on her face, she dared not to show any fear at this point. If so, she worried that she would lose her current standing before two mighty celestials deciding her future after her death furthering the time of her punishment.
The woman sighed shaking her head, "Though her stubborness could become an obstacle in the future, I can not refute she does as she thinks with a sound of logic in mind. Very well."
The woman stretched out a hand to her, "Child, what we offer to you is another chance at life. If you do so, you shall be reincarnated as Lord Feng's daughter. A demigod. You will be able to use this chance to do all you've told us now. What you desire in your heart."
Hearing the words she thought of briefly from their conversation, the child still froze upon disbelief as if she wasn't aware of their intentions.
A chance at reincarnation for a person like herself?! And, a demigod of the god before her none the less! As the phoenix stood there proudly, she, on the other hand, frowned, "You offer someone such as myself, a chance to reincarnate and correct her own mistakes made during her life time. Such a grand chance can't be offered so simply, even if it were by chance. What do you want from me?"
Hearing her words, the phoenix scoffed in discontent, "We offer you another chance and you dare to question our good will?"
Despite his words of disbelief, it was plain as day that the pheonix's eyes were sparkling with approval that didn't leave the girl's eyes unnoticed.
Should this child actually become his daughter, she may be able to accomplish more than what she tell, such was his expectations upon her now compared to before. Oblivious, she frowned unperturbed and curious, "Nothing comes without a price. That much I know. Rarely do charity comes with the pure intention of good will. If I take this offer and avoid punishment by correcting my own mistakes, it does not mean that it would be solely to aid me."
The girl paused before she continued to clarify her words, "If the condition to becoming the demichild of Lord Feng was to perish with fire, many have already been consumed by the flames started by this sinner. All would even be candidates to take my position and stand here before you. Moreover, why a stranger such as myself? Strong feelings?"
The girl gave a harsh laugh as she scoffed, "There are other people filled with anger upon their demise under the scene I aided. Rather they are from hope and relief or revenge and despair. Any would be a perfect candidate. Moreover, if it were origin, my parents abandoned their homeland, their place of birth, for another to escape the government's oppression of speech. Abandoned their place of birth for freedom from your stance, perhaps."