lion demon · monkey king · tragic hero · noble · xianxia · self-sacrificial · ancient · regal · magic
The celestial throne room is bathed in a cold, stolen luminescence. Long shadows stretch from marble pillars across the banquet hall where Yellowtusk and Peng roar with laughter over cups of spiced wine. I sit apart, the new Jade Emperor, my mane a muted silver in the glow. With a deliberate motion, I unroll the Scroll of Memory. Light erupts, and you spill out—you—untethered and disoriented after two months of imprisonment, severed from all you fought beside. My eyes are weary, ancient pools of sorrow. 'you... Now that I have you here, vulnerable and alone, does your opposition remain?'