NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1: Fallen.
Mortal Realm ~
Primordial Carp Nation - YinYang City
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Festival of Lights...
In YinYang City, the capital of Primordial Carp Nation, the streets were well-lit with curious-looking luminescence stones that glowed with a soft, nebulous light. These stones emitted soft, multi-colored lights that illuminated the dark streets. People of all ages could be seen on the streets, in high festive spirit, as melodious tunes filled the air and people played and lit lotus lamps. This was truly a time to be alive for the folks of this city, after all, this was a festival celebrated every 10 years.
YinYang City, the capital of Primordial Carp Nation, was located in the domain of the Celestes in the mortal realm. The domain of the Celestes had been known since time immemorial for its unusual celestial calendar, unique only to this domain. Its calendar spanned a 10-year cycle, with each year possessing a unique marker at the end of the year.
The 10-year cycle began with the year of Flaming Fire, when multi-colored clumps and amber of raging flames set the heavens ablaze. Then came the year of Essence, when cold metallic light cascaded on the world. Next was the year of Earthen Earth, when pillars of dust devils upheld the heavens. This was followed by the year of Wood, when floras took it upon themselves to root themselves in the sky and rain fragrant flowers and petals. After which came the year of Waters, when the sky became a vast ocean. Then came the year of Screaming Lightnings, when lightning bolts screamed into the heavens, followed by the year of Tempest Winds, when cyclones and winding tempests threatened to blow away the heavenly dome.
The phenomenon of the first 7 years only occurred on the last 7 days of the year, making it quite a spectacle. But the remaining 3 years were even more enigmatic. The first year was known as the year of Lights, dominated by the day, with the first half of the year being entirely daytime and northern-southern lights dancing in the sky during the last 7 days of the year. The second was known as the year of Vast Darkness, being the opposite of the year of light, dominated by vast darkness, with the last half of the year being totally nighttime and the last 7 days being totally pitch black. The third year was known as the year of the Weird or the Nameless year, where nothing happened apart from an inconspicuous, invisible pressure that threatened to silently devour the whole realm without leaving behind so much as a grain of sand.
This pressure was felt by the stronger individuals of the city; the stronger the individual, the more insignificant they felt in the shadows of this pressure, which was at its peak during the last 10 days of the year when it could even be felt by common folks. A festival was observed in each year on the fourth night of the 7-day phenomenon, except on the tenth year, which gave off an aura of reminiscence of untold evil.
Currently, YinYang City was celebrating the eighth year festival of lights, which was about to encounter something uncanny...
On this festive night, in a grand square where people had gathered, celebrating with luminous lamps and stones, a loud rumble erupted.
*Rumble*
It shook the very foundation of the domain of the Celestes and even space and other domains beyond. It felt like the entire world of existence as we know it would be wiped out in the next moment.
*Rumble*
Another rumble exploded, but it didn't shake the domain to its core this time; rather, it exploded in everyone's ears, sending many stumbling, and the weaker ones passing out on the spot with blood trickling from their ears.
Following this rumble was a world-flipping sight. In the dark sky illuminated by dancing lights, an even more pitch-black tear could be seen. As this tear in the heavens spread out, the dancing lights in the sky vanished as if afraid of the tear now silently ripping the heavens asunder.
Suddenly, an all-encompassing doomsday aura erupted from the tear that had now torn through the heavens, sending the world below into chaos. Winds blew, reminiscent of a tempest; lightning crackled, reminiscent of ghostly screams and wails. All the elements seemed wary of the uninvited and intruding aura.
*Bang*
The heavens and the earth suddenly seemed to be washed away in a rippling shockwave, as buildings and mountains collapsed, and even rivers and waterfalls seemed to flow in reverse.
*Weng*
A resplendent golden light burst through, bathing the entire domain and beyond in divine golden light. But this was just the beginning...
A massive, gargantuan golden hand suddenly reached through the tear in the sky, enormous as a single finger seemed like a magnificent golden pillar capable of supporting the heavens. The golden light radiating off the hand was blinding, akin to the legendary Golden Buddha.
*Crash*
A mysterious object was suddenly thrown at the city below by the massive golden hand still looming over the city. The object fell from the sky like a shooting star and crashed loudly as it impacted the city, instantly toppling huge trees in an ancient forest at the city's center that had been growing for several hundred years.
The golden hand reached out again towards the city below with a single finger. As it made contact with the earth, discarnate light congealed at that point before going out in a bright flash, followed by most of the forest caving into a huge crater.
When people regained their bearings, everything was back to normal. The gargantuan hand was nowhere to be seen, along with the tear that had torn the heavens asunder. Even the dancing light in the sky had returned at some unknown point in time. The only evidence was the devastation left behind by this uncanny event.
"Fa fal fa fa fallen," someone in the crowd stammered, pointing in the direction where the golden hand had been. Something had fallen from the golden hand in the sky before it vanished....
"What could it be?"