The Being Forgotten by Time

Chapter 1 – The Story of the Mysterious Sky

The room was small but cozy. The walls were adorned with delicate paintings of plum blossoms, and the dim light of a lantern swayed gently, casting soft shadows across the space. The air carried the mild aroma of herbs and freshly brewed tea, creating a sense of warmth and protection.

On the bed, a little girl with marvelous features rested beneath soft blankets. Lan Yue, only ten years old, had large, bright eyes, like the very moon that inspired her name. Her straight, black hair fell gently over her shoulders, her small cherry-colored lips and fair skin reflecting the lantern’s faint glow, giving her an almost ethereal aura.

Sitting at the bedside, her mother, Mei Lian, was flipping through an old book with a worn cover. Her gentle face radiated tenderness, with deep eyes that held the wisdom of many generations. Her long hair was tied in a simple bun, adorned with a wooden peach hairpin featuring a lotus flower, and her voice was serene and captivating, like the spring breeze.

Lan Yue snuggled beneath the blankets, her eyes shining with anticipation.

“Mother, tell me once more… the story of the Mysterious Sky.”

Mei Lian smiled softly, running her fingers over the aged pages.

“Very well, my little moon. Close your eyes and listen carefully…” Mei Lian said in a gentle tone to her daughter. She took a deep breath before beginning, her voice sounding like a distant echo of forgotten eras.

“In the beginning, before time had a name, before even magic took shape… there was only Tian Xuan.”

“He was not a god, for gods do not exist. He was not a man, for men had not yet been born. He was something beyond comprehension, a being that existed before the world, before existence itself took form…”

Lan Yue blinked, fascinated, as her mother continued to narrate the story of a being who was born alongside the universe itself, one as ancient as time, as powerful as creation itself.

And so, in the tranquil dimness of that cozy room, the story of one forgotten by time was once again whispered into the world…

The lantern flickered softly, casting dancing shadows on the small room’s walls. The silence was filled only by the sound of pages turning and Mei Lian’s melodious voice, reading with patience and care.

“Before the world had form, there was only the void… and within it, a being that existed without beginning or end. Tian Xuan… a name that no one ever gave him, for he came before any word was spoken. He was not born, nor was he created. He simply… was.”

On the bed, Lan Yue curled up under the blankets, her wide eyes filled with curiosity.

“But if he was alone… what did he do, Mother?” Lan Yue asked in a questioning tone, showing no signs of sleepiness. Mei Lian smiled gently and ran a hand through her daughter’s hair, a comforting gesture.

“He watched. For countless eras, Tian Xuan wandered through the void, feeling the flow of something he could not yet understand. Then, one day… he saw something new. A faint glow, a spark. The void was no longer just emptiness. Something was being born.”

She turned the page, and the lantern’s dim light illuminated the ancient characters, drawn with precise calligraphy.

“The world began as a burning ember, growing and shaping itself little by little. Fire became earth, the earth met the sky, and the sky called upon water to cool it. Thus, the four primordial elements took form: Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. Tian Xuan, the only being that existed before all else, watched creation with fascination. He did not interfere. He only observed.”

Lan Yue furrowed her brow, biting her lip.

“So he was alone for a long time?”

Mei Lian nodded slowly.

“Yes… but not forever. For, over time, the world’s primordial energies began to transform. The earth gave rise to mountains and forests. The air gave birth to the sky, which in turn filled with clouds and thunder. The water gave birth to the seas, which were populated by grand creatures, and the winds breathed life into the empty lands. Thus, mystical beings were born…”

“Magical creatures!” Lan Yue whispered, enchanted.

“Yes, my little moon. Majestic dragons, blazing phoenixes, ancient serpents, and beasts of great wisdom. They were the world’s primordial guardians, each representing a force of nature and wielding dominion over their power. But Tian Xuan was not like them. He was something… different.”

Mei Lian observed her daughter’s fascinated expression and continued.

“For a long time, these creatures were the only inhabitants of this vast world. They shaped the land into their habitats, protected the mountains, and danced in the skies. But then… something new emerged. Amid a world of powerful primordial beasts, something fragile, small, yet full of potential came into being. The first humans.”

Lan Yue’s eyes widened.

“The first humans? What were they like?” she asked, her eyes gleaming with interest and curiosity. Mei Lian, seeing the child’s eager expression, smiled.

“They were simple. Wild, without knowledge of magic, without weapons to hunt, without homes for shelter. They did not have the strength of the mystical beasts, nor the power of the elements. But they had something unique… something Tian Xuan had never seen before. They were determined. They dreamed.”

Lan Yue leaned forward, absorbing every word.

“And Tian Xuan… what did he do?” she asked her mother.

Mei Lian took a deep breath, her voice becoming a whisper filled with mystery.

“For the first time, he did not just observe. He felt curiosity. And because of that curiosity, he decided to descend among them.”

The little girl pulled the blankets tightly around her body.

The world outside seemed distant, as if the story her mother told was transporting her to ancient and forgotten times.

Mei Lian gently closed the book and placed her hand on her daughter’s head.

“But that is a story for another night, my little moon. Now, it is time to sleep.”

Lan Yue pouted slightly but soon relented, closing her eyes slowly.

“Good night, Mother…”

Mei Lian smiled, leaning down to place a soft kiss on her daughter’s forehead.

“Good night, my sweet Lan Yue.”

And as the lantern’s light dimmed, the little girl’s world of dreams filled with images of fierce, forgotten mystical beasts and a being who had existed before time itself…