*Third Person's P.O.V.*
X marks the spot. That's what most treasure maps would say. However, for the two dark figures that can be seen looking out their humble abode's window, overlooking the huge farm land, X marks the army that would lead them to the real treasure. Not just treasure that would bring them wealth but also, power and immortality. This is what they've been thirsting on for over a century now, it seems like feeding on the blood and flesh of pure, virgin young men and women ain't enough anymore. They want a one take pill to immortality but the odds weren't exactly on their favor for the past 100 years.
"Xian." The woman with a very long, bone-straight black hair, dressed in a Hanfu kind of clothing muttered when she spotted yet another group of archeologists from the Western culture, probably America, making their way into the far east side of the farm land where excavations are going on to somehow unearth a massive archeological site here in Xian, China, it's not even a coincidence that it's named after her companion here. It has been almost five decades since they started the excavation just because of broken clay shards that a mere farmer found, it was later revealed that thousands of life-sized statues made out of terracotta were concealed by the farmland's soil for a long time now. For these curious new generation professionals, the discovery of the terracotta warriors would give way to understanding history even more but, for the couple who are observing their actions throughout the years from a distance, these statues would let them write a new legacy.
"The more they dig out, the easier it is for us to gain access on the main chamber." Her male companion said. Then, he peeled his eyes away from the professionals and turned it to the lady on the window adjacent to wear he stood, a lady whose beauty was not worn out by time mainly because of the dark magic and acts that they possess and practice. "Wu Jie, be patient." He added.
"I've been patient for a century now! The hunger for that treasure is getting stronger every minute. Why is it taking so long?" The woman, Wu Jie, impatiently ranted, turning away from the window as well.
"And whose fault is that? If your son didn't poison our daughter's mind and helped her escape, we would have that glory in our hands right now!" Quin Xian retorted.
"But two decades ago, you happily reported that you found her! What did she do to you? Why were you not able to drag her back home? What was the use of the power that I gave you?" She fired back. Her eyes turning darker as her tone rose up.
"Are you blaming me? Have you forgotten that she ought to be more powerful than we are? That's why you shouldn't have let your son tell her things!"
"Silence!" Quin Xian was thrown to the other side of the room when his witch of a companion stomped her feet and encompassed her hand eliciting a purple energy that hit him hard.
He gritted his teeth, holding his aching back, and just looked at her retreating figure with a glare as sharp as his own sword. If it wasn't for the fact that she is literally his source of life, he would've already beheaded that witch a long time ago. She had committed so many crimes already, from her deceiving him that she's a man so that she can join the army, to her killing innocent people toexpand her life span. If only he didn't benefit from all of those too, he would've retained his honor even if he's probably dead by now. But because he does, he is instead reduced from being an emperor to a witch's personal assistant, how dare she! Very daring if he do say so himself. However, he dismissed all of that because he only wants one thing, the treasure that the healer clan of the engkantos possess.
He had known about this treasure a long time ago. He wasn't an emperor at that time just yet when he heard stories about it from his father's consorts. Even if they said that it was just a myth, he refused to believe them. He wanted to prove them wrong and maybe he already did, centuries ago. He found the archipelago that they described in their stories, hell he found the tribe that has possession of the treasure but he failed to get it at a large cost. Yes. Quin Xian, gave up his position, lost almost all of his men during the expedition, and was cursed to not be able to get a hold of the treasure that he desires. Luckily for him, the pretentious witch, Wu Jie stood beside him althrough out his dilemma and now, he owes her a lot. A lot includes their daughter, Wu Xia whose blood was blessed by the astral spirits, promising a great power surpassing that of her mother's and every other witch in the planet. Yes. That's how powerful she is. However, she ran away from them. And that is all because of Wu Jie's son to her original husband, Wu Dong.
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"Now, breathe in and summon the energy that's within you." Quin Xian heard Wu Dong teaching his 10 years old daughter how to use her powers and he can only smile. Perhaps having this 20 year old son of Wu Jie isn't at all bad. At least, they have someone who can teach Xia of the basics before they delve into her real abilities.
A bright light appeared on the little girl's hand and he smiled at her expression of awe. "Now chant darling.," It was him he spoke now and Wu Dong agreed.
"Let your light reach far, explode up above like a star." Wu Xia said and the darkening twilight skies exploded in bright white fireworks when the little girl released the energy that she drew out, up above her.
"Very well done!" The three turned to the direction of the terrace where Wu Jie stood, clapping her hands. She's been watching over them from the second floor and she's pleased at what she saw.
"Perhaps we should continue the lessons tomorrow." Quin Xian said as he went upstairs. They had a peaceful dinner and when the Wu kids are surely asleep, he got up from his bed and made his way downstairs where Wu Jie is. She's cooking yet another person's heart and Quin Xian immediately spotted the lifeless body of yet another innocent young female who must've wondered deep into the woods, to be trapped by the witch.
"Here you go. It's time to replenish our ages." She said, offering him half of the half-cooked heart. It tastes disgusting but he needs it to live a longer life. Then she served him a cup of fresh blood and he drank it too. Gross! But then again it is mandatory. If only he have a hold of that treasure, he wouldn't have to do these gruesome things to live forever! "Are you still not used to its taste? Jie asked, simply sipping on the blood as if it's swine.
"Just so you know, I'm not born as a witch." He complained.
"But then again, from your flesh, the strongest witch is born." She smiled.
"Indeed. Just you wait Lumayan, when the time is right, my Xia would avenge my failure."
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But it's as if fate never really wanted Quin Xian to get what he wants. His teeth is gritted and his palms are tightened into a fist as he watched how his daughter conversed with a redheaded American explorer in a way that he doesn't approve of. He doesn't want her to be distracted at all cost! Especially now that she's turning 20 and her powers would be at its full wake.
"Scared she'd find a reason to leave you, selfish beings behind?" He turned and gave Wu Dong a square punch on the face when he heard him speak. For some reason, he found out about Xia's true abilities and despised their idea of using her blood to get what they want. And this alone irritated him.
"Silence! She will never leave her family for that man!" Xian said angrily.
"But she would leave if she'd find out that you ought to drain her blood out to cause a bloody battle between mythical creatures just so you can get that immortality treasure that you want!" The younger man answered in a loud voice. Xian was about to say something but...
"Really father?" Wu Xia's voice stopped him. "Is that why you taught me so much? Only to kill me because of your own desires!?" He was going to say otherwise, looking for a better way to explain things but he wasn't able to speak, literally because she used her magic to freeze his whole body when he attempted to step closer to her. "No! Don't you dare touch me! Isn't it enough that you asked me to do a lot of crimes for your own benefit? I have had enough!"
"What's going on?" Her mother suddenly appeared between the both of them but Xia drew her sword out and attacked her as well. "What is the meaning of this?" Jie asked but she was too stunned to act upon Xia's and Dong's simultaneous attacks and soon, she and Xian lost their consciousness as well as the key to their long dreamt treasure.
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He found her though, Xian found his daughter in a far away land after years and years of searching but, she's not the same little girl he was quite fond of. She grew up, alongside the red-headed moron that managed to steal her heart and he was furious! So furious that he didn't hesitate to attack her even when he saw that her belly was protruding, meaning she's carrying a child. But she fought back!
And she was stronger than she was the last time. And again, defeated him. Sent his soul far, far away that it took him years to return to Wu Jie, who thought he was long dead.
"I'm alive! Clearly. And I found her, along with her family in Tennessee." He reported.
"She has a family now?" The witch asked.
"Yes. Do you think that would affect the power that she possessed?"
"It really will! Portions of it would be passed down to her offsprings and to be able to do the ritual, we won't only need her! We need all of them!" She thundered.
Now that is quite infuriating! It sure did add up to their problem. "What do we do?" He can only ask.
"We wait until they are all grown up."
As simple as that statement is, he can't help but feel a strong surge to throw a tantrum because they've been waiting for almost a century and now, they have to wait even more? The only good thing that's ever happening to them is the discovery of the tomb of the first emperor which contains the amount of undead that they can raise up to be an army so that they will be able to penetrate the dwelling of the healer engkantos. But even so...
"One more thing... Are you sure you did not kill my daughter?" He was shocked when Jie asked that.
"Even if I want to, do you think I can?" He provided.
"It's just that I can't feel our connection anymore."
"To hell with you! If you can feel your connection, why weren't you the one who went out and look for her?"
"Are you ordering me around?" She said, stepping close to him with an intimidating look that didn't really faze him.
"I am still your emperor."
"Who would've been long dead if it wasn't for me." She satated which silenced him. "Besides, I can only feel my children's energy, I won't know where they are and I can't feel Xia's now!"
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Quin Xian's mind went back to the present when he heard a scream from Wu Jie's room. Even if they're not in the best of terms, he's still worried about her because between the both of them, she's the one who has a connection with the astral spirits even if she's a dark witch, and something has been bothering her lately.
"What's wrong? Zenmeliao?" He urgently asked as he barged in her sleeping quarters.
She looked at him with mixed emotions written on her face. "Quinglong..."
"The azure dragon? What about him?" I asked, now sitting on her bed. This is what I meant with her connection to the astral spirits, the same one that blessed our daughter Xia.
"I saw him."
"Where?"
"I don't know where that is. But I saw him with a young woman with red curls."
Could it be? One of Xia's daughters? She did say, her offsprings would get some of her abilities and as far as he knows, there are four of them, including the one she's carrying during their last encounter.
"Xian, I don't understand. First, those beings from that archipelago haunted my dreams, now..."
"Maybe it would mean something good for us." I stated, calming her down.
"Perhaps." She said, thinking. "Bring me my books!"
Xian only obliged and pulled out all the heavy, almost decaying books out of her shelves and laid them on the bed infront of her. She skimmed through one, probably looking for the meaning of her dream and its connection to Xia. Until she gasped at something she read.
"What is it?" He asked.
"Read it." She offered me the book. Written there in an older version of the Chinese characters is an inscription under the dragon's drawing that say's...
"The one whose blood is connected to thy holder can only dream of long when the holder succeeded in unleashing his powers."
"I told you this would mean something good for us!" Xian said with an evil laugh which she joined in later on. "But, who among them?"
"That's for you to find out. Why don't you round them up while I prepare the awaiting army in here?" She offered.
"Sounds like a plan..." The letter X is starting to make its mark.