ROAR OF THE JADE DRAGON

BEGINNING

"Come," said Liu Chang leaping up into the air. Chen Jun quickly followed suit. Liu Chang and Che Jun hovered in the night sky above the forest.

"What are we doing here?" Chen Jun asked I thought you said we should not do anything to rouse the mortals suspicions. So why are we hovering in the sky like this," asked Chen Jun.

"It is necessary that at times we throw away caution to attain knowledge.

"There you go again speaking in riddles," said Chen Jun "For once in you life speak plainly, what are you talking about?"

Liu Chang who was gazing at the forest below with interest as though looking for something quietly pointed out.

Chen Jun followed Liu Chang's outstretched hand to three figures below who were walking through the forest.

"Could it be crown prince Wang Wei?" Chen Jun exclaimed excitedly.

"I figured out, he and the two girls must have left the village just before we arrived. I had a feeling they could not have gone far and must still be making their way through the forest."

"We must go down to him at once," exclaimed Chen Jun excitedly about to descend to the forest.

"Wait", said Liu Chang grabbing Chen Jun's by the wrist.

"Shouldn't we at least go down to take a closer look and confirm that it is Wang Wei?" asked Chen Jun.

"There is no need, it is the crown prince," replied calmly Liu Chang.

"As we have succeeded in finding him, we must go down to him at once," insisted Chen Jun.

"Yes we have found him," confirmed Liu Chang in his usual calm manner. "Yet we must not go down to meet him immediately. We must act wisely otherwise we may lead Li Yan to him."

"She may also have located him as just as we have," Chen Jun pointed out.

"That is also a possibility but we do not know that," Liu Chang calmly replied. "Another possibility is that Li Yan may be watching us and might not have seen the crown prince.

"We can not afford to lose the opportunity to meet with Wang Wei,"insisted.

"We also can not afford to act recklessly," said Liu Chang calmly. "Our primary concern must be for Wang Wei's security." Wang Wei, needs time to manifest the roar of the jade dragon."

"Roar of the jade dragon?", reiterated Zhang Mei as she, Wang Li and Zhang Zhao set around a table, in Zhangs house. "You keep mentioning it but how does it come about to be in your bloodline? I don't understand this."

"Zhang Mei!?"chided Zhang Zhao.

"It's okay, Mr Zhang Zhao," said Wang Wei. She deserves to know the truth. I owe her that much. I mean she has done a lot for me. I can do this much for her."

"Very well," said Zhang Zhao.

A silence fell upon the room as they all turned their attention to Wang Wei.

"It all began with the thousand years war, many, many centuries ago," Crown prince Wang Wei began.

How many centuries exactly, fifty, sixty?" Wang Li asked innocently.

"Thousands of centuries ago," said Wang Wei. The celestial realm enjoyed great prosperity. Everything about it reflected affluence, from the gold dust on the ground itself. The celestial people lived a life of ease. Then war broke out."

"Why does it seem as though the celestial realm constantly at war?" asked Wang Li.

"It is not like that, the wars that have broken out have been are few and far between. The celestial realm is mostly at peace most of the time."

"What were the celestial people fighting over?" Wang Li asked.

"The war was not between the celestial people," said Wang Wei.

"Oh," remarked Zhang Zhao.

"It was against the realm of dragons," said Wang Wei. "It lasted for a very long time. It seemed as though it would never end. The prosperity of the celestial realm began to decline the longer the war dragged on."

"Then one day a lone dragon approached the encampment of two celestial nobles leading the celestial armies. Their names were Wang Yi and Li Keng. Initially the the two nobles had been suspicious when the dragon landed outside their tents.

They approached the calm looking beast cautiously with drawn swords held before them at the ready.

"Is this how you welcome guests," the dragon challenged in a disarmingly pleasant voice while it crouched on the ground. It's wings were folded against it's back. It's reassuringy calm disposition not not betraying any hostility.

"Your kind never come as guests," spat Li Keng spat out fiercely, holding his sword with both hands threateningly before him.

"I come in peace," said the dragon. "My name is Wang Feng. I have been sent to you by my master Xuanwu..."

"So you admit it! You have been sent to assassinate us!" Li Keng charged tightening the grip on the hilt of his sword.

The dragon watched him calmly.

"Wait!" shouted Wang Yi laying his free hand on Li Keng's shoulder while he held his own sword with the other hand.

"Are you saying you an envoy?" Wang Yi asked.

"Yes, that is what I am trying to tell you. I have been sent with an important message. My master wants there to be an end to this war. He feels it has dragged long enough and it's continuance does not benefit either side," said Wang Feng.

"You only talk of peace because you are losing the war," charged Li Keng sarcastically.

"It is true that our realm is in decline but to underestimate us would is a fatal mistake. I urge you not to do this," Wang Feng warned Li Keng.

"Let us give him the benefit of the doubt and hear him out. In a thousand years of war, no dragon has previously ever approached before with us such an offer," Wang Yi urged Li Keng.

"This is a trick," Li Keng replied.

"Listen to your friend," Wang Feng calmly urged Li Keng. "He is wise."