Legend of Lunaria
In the late afternoon of Lunaria's Imperial City, the sun painted the
sky a burning orange as dusk began to set in. At the top of the hill, a
woman sat beneath the sacred cherry tree with her guzheng; Hua-An,
one of the Generals of the Legion, would often play for families passing
by. This day, she took her usual seat as a crowd began to gather. The
children smiled eagerly, waiting to hear her stories and music. She had
regaled them with tales of fantastic creatures and brave heroics every
afternoon for many years, and it was a habitual treat for the people of
the neighborhood..
But Hua-An's lovely features were not smiling, as they usually were.
She gazed out at the crowd with a neutral expression, her eyes cold
and unmoving as her fingers began to skillfully strum the strings of her
instrument. And as she began to sing, the words of her song told an
unusual story... for the children, they smiled and clapped as they alw-
-ays did. It was strange, but beautiful! They had never heard Hua-An
sing a song like this!
Had they looked away and up at the faces of their parents however,
they would have surely been confused. For upon the faces of the adults
present, there was nothing but fear. A trembling hand... a bead of
sweat... the song was no child's story, but a warning. One by one, the
parents began to take their children away hurriedly. Hua-An continued
playing, even after they were all gone and she sat alone underneath
the sacred tree.
Lunaria would finally see war, after centuries of peace. It was all either
side could do, but to warn those uninvolved to stay in their homes and
to keep their loved ones close. By day, life would proceed as normal.
But when night fell, there would be blood in the streets. The Legions of
the Emperor and the Revolutionists of the Noble Families would settle
their differences with the edge of a blade.
Hua-An stood up slowly and walked away as the sun began to dip below
the horizon... her guzheng left behind, leaning against the cherry tree.
sky a burning orange as dusk began to set in. At the top of the hill, a
woman sat beneath the sacred cherry tree with her guzheng; Hua-An,
one of the Generals of the Legion, would often play for families passing
by. This day, she took her usual seat as a crowd began to gather. The
children smiled eagerly, waiting to hear her stories and music. She had
regaled them with tales of fantastic creatures and brave heroics every
afternoon for many years, and it was a habitual treat for the people of
the neighborhood..
But Hua-An's lovely features were not smiling, as they usually were.
She gazed out at the crowd with a neutral expression, her eyes cold
and unmoving as her fingers began to skillfully strum the strings of her
instrument. And as she began to sing, the words of her song told an
unusual story... for the children, they smiled and clapped as they alw-
-ays did. It was strange, but beautiful! They had never heard Hua-An
sing a song like this!
Had they looked away and up at the faces of their parents however,
they would have surely been confused. For upon the faces of the adults
present, there was nothing but fear. A trembling hand... a bead of
sweat... the song was no child's story, but a warning. One by one, the
parents began to take their children away hurriedly. Hua-An continued
playing, even after they were all gone and she sat alone underneath
the sacred tree.
Lunaria would finally see war, after centuries of peace. It was all either
side could do, but to warn those uninvolved to stay in their homes and
to keep their loved ones close. By day, life would proceed as normal.
But when night fell, there would be blood in the streets. The Legions of
the Emperor and the Revolutionists of the Noble Families would settle
their differences with the edge of a blade.
Hua-An stood up slowly and walked away as the sun began to dip below
the horizon... her guzheng left behind, leaning against the cherry tree.
