The heavens roared and lightning struck, accompanied by threatening thunder. The earth, drenched with the blood of the innocent, trembled and cried for mercy, but the echoes of war shielded its plight. The air was thick with the stench of dirt, sweat, and blood. Swords clashed, bodies fell, and more blood flowed.
"Protect our motherland!" Prince Liang Chen of Yunzhou roared. Corpses of warriors and the bodies of dead warhorses lay around him like scattered offerings, but his sword never ceased, slicing through the wind like a mad blade. His hair and black armor were drenched in blood. But then—he could see the outcome long before it came... or so he thought.
His army was in ruins; the enemy was winning. But he dared not retreat—not from duty, but pride. He stood ontop the bloody battlefield, his eyes staring vengefully at his opposition.
Seven years of schemes, battles, bloodshed… seven years of glances that burned and lingered longer than they should.
Now he stood before him, adorned in a black-gold embroidered robe, his smile gentle despite the chaos. Prince Ji Mingyan of Yelan.
They'd been at each other's necks—two powerful kingdoms not ready to submit to the other. They all craved the wealth and luxury of the unclaimed land. They dared not think of sharing... everyone wanted a greater part.
Liang Chen sneered and rushed forward, his blade aimed toward the heart of Ji Mingyan. He was ready to kill him or die trying. There was no in-between.
Their gazes locked. The tension blanketed the air. Their swords clashed. Their eyes lingered on each other... longer than they should. Their swords sought dominance, but their eyes spoke a language understood by none.
"I've long yearned for this day," Liang Chen snarled.
But Ji Mingyan's lips curled, and he said nothing.
Their blades crossed yet again. But then the sky roared like it had a war of its own, and before anyone could notice, it released its wrath. Lightning intensified. Thunderbolts became rampant. The rain poured harder—too much to fight.
The earth beneath their feet cracked. Screams rippled. The war stopped without an announcement, with both flags still raised. Liang Chen raised his head to the sky and dared not open his eyes as the drops felt more bitter than ever. It was like the heavens were punishing them.
"How does disobedient feel… my prince?" Ji Mingyan sneered.
Liang Chen turned. Their eyes met. He could see the disappointment in his—the pain Mingyan was struggling to hide.
"Enjoy the war you so desperately clung to," Ji Mingyan hissed, then turned his back.
Soon, a roaring noise came from nearby, and a wave of flood followed. He knew what was happening… He had read about it in the history books, but never had he thought it would happen in his time.
They called it the "Heavenly Wrath."
The rain poured, but from a distance, the echoes of something louder inched closer. Liang Chen turned—and so did everyone. A flood, taller than palace towers, surged from the northern side, breaking and uprooting everything in its way.
The priests had warned of a punishment for bloodlust that defied the mandates of the gods. But Liang Chen had not listened.
Panic erupted. Horses screamed. Soldiers scrambled as fast as their legs could carry them. The soldiers screamed and begged, but the drowning flood was no match—not even their sharp blades could cut through it.
Liang Chen turned to the man before him, his dazzling green eyes staring back as they stood still, waiting and ready for death. The water was too heavy—it broke and carried everything in its way. Horses sank. Soldiers drowned. Liang Chen could hear their painful screams, their pleas for forgiveness and desperate calls for help.
But it was too late.
Liang Chen turned—but Ji Mingyan was gone. He tried to run, to shout orders, to find Mingyan, but it was too late, and the flood swallowed him.
It covered Yunzhou and Yelan, devouring both friend and foe alike.
He felt himself sway with unimaginable speed. His body came in contact with objects—sharp and soft. His breath caught, and cold water filled his lungs. He was giving up. There was no hope.
But his heart raced with regret.
His mind flashed through the last seven years of war and one night long ago… when he could've kissed Ji Mingyan—but didn't.
His heart broke. But not from the pains of war or losing his throne, nor was it from his life slowly seeping away. It was the realization that settled within him.
He didn't want to die like this—not with so much hate. Not knowing what could have been… if he had kissed Ji Mingyan.
He could feel his body descend into the abyss, and deep down, he could feel more water sink into his mouth.
It was over.
A silent tear dropped from his eyes, mixed with water, as he thought of nothing but Mingyan's lips.
As he felt himself fall into the wrath of the heavens, he heard an echo with a tempting offer:
"Do you want to try again?"
Liang Chen's eyes snapped open, but he quickly shut them again as dirt and water filled them within seconds. He opened his mouth to say yes, but water drowned him. He couldn't breathe. His body descended fast.
But deep in his heart, he whispered,
"Yes."
And everything went dark.