THE FIGHTER OF DESTINY

EPISODE 15: THE HOLLOW THRONE

EPISODE 15: THE HOLLOW THRONE

---

The weeks following Chen Chang Sheng's return were filled with celebration.

The people of the empire rejoiced. Their Dragon King had returned from the dead, had defeated the Chaos Beast, had proven that hope could triumph over despair. The streets were filled with music and laughter, the temples with prayers of gratitude.

But in the palace, things were different.

Chen Chang Sheng sat on his throne, his face pale, his eyes hollow. He had been back for three weeks, but he still felt weak—his body recovering, his powers slowly returning. And there was something else. Something he couldn't quite identify.

A feeling of emptiness. Of loss.

"Your Highness," a servant announced, bowing low. "The delegation from the Northern Alliance has arrived."

Chen Chang Sheng straightened, forcing himself to focus. The Northern Alliance was a coalition of independent states that had once been part of the empire. They had broken away during the chaos of the demon lord's rise, and now they were seeking to rejoin.

"Send them in," he said.

The delegation entered—a group of five, their robes rich with the colors of their respective states. The leader was a tall, imposing man with a scar across his cheek and eyes that held no warmth.

"Your Highness," the man said, bowing with barely concealed disdain. "I am General Zhao. I speak on behalf of the Northern Alliance."

"Welcome, General Zhao." Chen Chang Sheng's voice was steady. "What brings you to the capital?"

"We wish to discuss the terms of our re-entry into the empire." General Zhao's voice was cold. "We have conditions."

"Conditions?"

"Yes. We will not be subjugated. We will not be ruled by a king who was dead and brought back by... questionable means." His eyes flickered to Xu You Rong, who stood at Chen Chang Sheng's side. "We have heard rumors of dark magic. Of f*******n rituals. We wish to ensure that our people will be safe."

Chen Chang Sheng felt a flash of anger, but he suppressed it. "The ritual that brought me back was not dark magic. It was a sacrifice—a sacrifice made by someone who loves me. There is nothing f*******n about love."

"Love is a weapon, Your Highness. And weapons can be turned against us." General Zhao stepped forward. "We will rejoin the empire, but only under our terms. We want autonomy. We want our own laws, our own leaders, our own army. And we want guarantees that the Dragon King's power will not be used against us."

"Are you threatening me, General?"

"I'm negotiating, Your Highness. There's a difference."

The air in the throne room grew tense. Chen Chang Sheng could feel his powers surging, his anger rising. But he forced himself to remain calm.

"I will consider your terms," he said. "You will be provided with guest quarters while I deliberate."

General Zhao bowed, a mocking smile on his face. "Of course, Your Highness. Take all the time you need."

---

The delegation left, and Chen Chang Sheng slumped back on his throne.

"He's testing you," Xu You Rong said, her voice low. "He wants to see how you react. Whether you're strong enough to lead."

"I know." Chen Chang Sheng rubbed his temples. "But I don't know how to respond. I feel... hollow. Empty. Like there's something missing."

"The ritual. You're still recovering."

"Maybe." He looked up at her. "But I think it's more than that. I think... I think a part of me is gone. Something I can't get back."

Xu You Rong knelt beside him, her hand on his knee. "I know how you feel. I feel it too. Like there's a hole inside me. A piece of myself that I gave away and can't remember."

"What if we never get it back? What if we're both broken forever?"

"Then we're broken together." She squeezed his hand. "And we'll find a way to heal. Together."

---

That night, Chen Chang Sheng couldn't sleep.

He wandered the halls of the palace, his footsteps echoing in the silence. The building felt empty, hollow—a reflection of his own state of mind.

He found himself in the armory, standing before the Dragon Sword. It pulsed faintly, its light dimmer than it had been before the ritual.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm sorry for everything."

The sword pulsed warmly, almost as if it was trying to comfort him.

And then he heard a voice.

*Chang Sheng.*

He spun around. No one was there.

*Chang Sheng, it's me.*

"Thirty-Six?" His heart raced. "Thirty-Six, is that you?"

*It's me. I've been trying to reach you for weeks. You're finally strong enough to hear me.*

"Where are you? How are you—"

*I'm in the space between worlds. The place where souls go when they're not ready to move on.* Tang Thirty-Six's voice was faint, distant. *I've been watching you. I've been waiting for you to be strong enough to talk.*

"Are you... are you stuck there? Can I help you?"

*No. I'm not stuck. I chose to stay. There's still work to do, and I couldn't leave without making sure you knew.*

"Knew what?"

*The sacrifice. What Xu You Rong gave up. I know what it was.*

Chen Chang Sheng felt his blood run cold. "What? What did she give up?"

*A piece of her connection to you. The bond that made her love you so deeply. It's gone now, replaced by something... thinner. Weaker.*

"What does that mean? Does she not love me anymore?"

*She loves you. She'll always love you. But it's not the same. The intensity, the depth—it's faded. That's what the ritual took from her. That's what she gave up to save you.*

Chen Chang Sheng sank to his knees, his heart breaking.

"She gave up her love for me? To save me?"

*Not all of it. But a significant part. She doesn't know it—she can't remember what she gave up. But she feels it. That emptiness, that hollow feeling—that's the loss of the bond between you.*

"How do I fix it? How do I bring it back?"

*I don't know. But there's someone who might.* Tang Thirty-Six's voice grew fainter. *The Oracle of the Western Mountain. She holds the secrets of the ancient world. She might know how to restore what was lost.*

"The Oracle? How do I find her?"

*She'll find you. When you're ready. When you've proven yourself worthy.*

"Thirty-Six—"

*I have to go now. But remember: I'm always with you. Always watching. Always proud.*

"Thirty-Six!"

But the voice was gone.

---

Chen Chang Sheng sat in the armory for hours, his mind racing.

He thought about Xu You Rong—about the way she looked at him, the way she touched him, the way she spoke to him. He had thought it was the same as before. But now, looking back, he could see the difference. The missing intensity. The faded passion.

She still loved him. He knew that. But it wasn't the same.

And it was his fault.

"She gave up her love for me," he whispered. "And I didn't even know."

He rose from his knees, a new determination burning in his heart.

He would fix this. He would find the Oracle. He would restore what was lost. Whatever it took.

---

The next morning, Chen Chang Sheng announced his plan to the council.

"I'm going to the Western Mountain," he said. "To find the Oracle. To find a way to restore what Xu You Rong sacrificed."

"Absolutely not," Wu Feng said. "You just got back from the dead. You're still weak. You can't just leave again."

"I have to. She gave up something precious to save me. I owe it to her to get it back."

"And what about the empire? What about the Northern Alliance? General Zhao is waiting for your answer."

"I'll give him his answer before I leave." Chen Chang Sheng's voice was firm. "He wants autonomy? He can have it. I'm not interested in ruling through fear. I want to rule through trust. If the Northern Alliance wants to be part of the empire, they can. But they have to contribute. They have to be part of the solution, not just the problem."

Wu Feng stared at him. "You're really going to give them what they want?"

"I'm going to give them what they need. There's a difference."

---

General Zhao received the news with a mixture of surprise and grudging respect.

"Autonomy?" he repeated. "You're really giving us autonomy?"

"Yes. But with conditions." Chen Chang Sheng met his eyes. "You will have your own laws, your own leaders, your own army. But you will also contribute to the empire's defense. You will pay taxes. You will send representatives to the capital. And you will swear allegiance to the Dragon King."

"Allegiance?"

"Symbolic. But important." Chen Chang Sheng stepped closer. "I'm not trying to control you, General. I'm trying to build a partnership. If you're not interested in that, you're free to leave."

General Zhao was silent for a long moment. Then he nodded slowly.

"Very well, Your Highness. You have a deal."

---

Chen Chang Sheng left the capital that afternoon.

Xu You Rong was at his side, her expression troubled. "You don't have to do this," she said. "I made my peace with the sacrifice. I don't need it back."

"But I do." He took her hand. "I can see it in your eyes. Something's different. Something's missing. And I want to fix it."

"Chang Sheng—"

"Please. Let me do this. For you."

She was silent for a moment. Then she nodded.

"Alright. Let's find the Oracle."

---

The journey to the Western Mountain was long and dangerous.

They traveled through forests and deserts, across rivers and mountains. The terrain was harsh, the weather unpredictable. But they pushed forward, their determination unwavering.

"We're almost there," Su Mei said, pointing to a peak in the distance. "The Western Mountain."

The mountain was massive, its peak shrouded in clouds. The path up was steep and treacherous, but they climbed it anyway.

And at the top, they found the Oracle.

She was old—ancient, really—her face lined with the wisdom of centuries. Her eyes were pale, almost white, and they seemed to see right through them.

"I've been expecting you," she said. "The Dragon King's heir. And the Phoenix Empress."

"Please," Chen Chang Sheng said. "We need your help."

"I know what you need." The Oracle smiled. "You want to restore what was lost. The bond between you. The love that was sacrificed."

"Yes. Can you help us?"

"I can. But it won't be easy." The Oracle's eyes grew serious. "The ritual required a sacrifice. To restore it, you'll need to make another sacrifice. An equal one."

"What kind of sacrifice?"

"A piece of yourself. Something precious. Something you can't get back." The Oracle looked at him. "Are you willing to pay that price, Dragon King's heir?"

"Yes." Chen Chang Sheng didn't hesitate. "I'll give anything."

"Anything? Even your crown? Even your power?"

He was silent for a moment. Then he nodded.

"Yes. Even that."