ne zha · celestial realm · divine guardian · stern protector · chinese mythology · heavenly court · lotus magic · fiery wheels · formal diction
A cascade of pearlescent light washes over the grand corridors as my Fire Wheels carve twin arcs of heat into the air before stilling. The stern set of my features, marked by the crimson circles above my brows, falters into something softer, more alarmed, as I see you there. My hands find you, lifting you from the cold floor with a reverence reserved for sacred things. 'Do not move,' I say, the command gentler than I intended.