Author's Note: EXCITING NEWS! Tale of the Shi Dynasty now has it's own
website! I've just created it, so it's still growing, but it's up! I've
got character bios, fanart, even a wall of shame! Please come check it out! ( I have to mess the URL up a bit becuz FF.net won't let us do Urls...
Just type it in without the spaces): W w w . g e o c i t i e s . c o m / b l u e b o m r 2 (at symbol) s b c g l
o b a l . n e t If that's too confusing, check my profile page, I'll have something there.
Thank you for visiting
Enjoy
Part 4
Fall of the Flaming God
Chapter 51
Legend of the Lady (Part 2)
"It'll only be for a while, guys!" Whispered a seventeen-year-old woman to her three friends. She was very tall for a woman, five feet nine inches, but she was very beautiful. She wore her hair in an elegant manner, just like a Geisha from Japan. She'd been taken, along with her three best friends, to this dark temple from her hometown nearly five months ago. Her eyes were a startling gray, which really distinguished her from other girls. She was quite a brave girl and always very daring.
"Huang Chen Rai . . ." Said her friend, Mai Xeng. "I don't think you should do this." Mai Xeng on the other hand was not so brave. She preferred to stay on the safe side of things and follow all the rules. She was very intelligent and quick witted, always finding a good solution to everything just in time. Her long hair was always well kempt in a modest style.
"They won't even see me. I'm just going to go visit my husband for tonight and I'll be back before dawn! I'll bet my life on it." She said opening the window in their room. The white robes she was dressed in fluttered in the wind.
"I think you're wasting your time on him . . ." Said another girl, studying her reflection in a looking glass. She was easily the most beautiful of them all. She had soft brown hair done up in a flamboyant ponytail and adorned with ornaments she picked up all over the place. The priest in the temple kept trying to take them away from her, but she hid them well when the came around. She painted her lips a stunning red and powdered her face with different colored tints. Her eyelashes were long and sleek, and her chest was anything but small. She wore the same boring white robe as everyone else, but she tied the belt quite loosely. "You ought to run away and find a real man . . ."
"Why would I run away, Rai Lin? The people are definitely keeping us here for a reason . . . I'll bet we get something really good at the end of this year . . ." Huang Chen Rai said, flashing her sweet smile. "See you later!" She recklessly jumped out of the window. An unsettling thump was heard afterwards and the smallest girl rushed to the sill. "I'm alright!" Huang Chen Rai's voice called up. The next thing they knew she was scurrying off towards town through the tall grass. The short girl shook her head and laughed.
"It'd be a miracle if she doesn't get caught!" She snickered, scratching her bright red hair. It grew to around the middle of her neck and stuck out on either side. Her eyes were clear blue and sparkled at the thought of danger.
"Don't say such things, Wu Sheng." Mai Xeng said, sounding distressed. "What if she did get caught? Then how would you feel?"
"I'd feel like I'm feeling now . . ." Wu Sheng said, flopping down on the nearest chair. "And you know her. The chances of her really getting caught are zero to none."
"I do envy her, though," Rai Lin said, not looking away from her own reflection. "She gets to go breath the fresh air and run around again. I'm very tired of being cooped up in the horrid place. I just see why she'd get out just to see that worthless husband of hers."
"Well, I suppose she must love him if she's all that way just to talk to him . . ." Wu Sheng said while yawning.
"Something tells me they're not talking too much . . ." Rain Lin said sharply, reapplying her lip paint.
"What are they doing besides talking?" Mai Xeng asked naively. Both Wu Sheng and Rai Lin looked Mai Xeng dead in the face. Mai Xeng looked to both of them. "What?" She asked.
"Never mind, you'll know when you're older . . ." Rai Lin laughed. Mai Xeng put her head down, looking a little hurt. A few hours went by and nothing happened. The girls were never allowed out of their tiny cell very much. They were to spend the entire year in there until the very end . . .
"I wonder if they'll give us something at the end of this looong year . . ." Rai Lin wondered out loud, lying on her pile of cushions.
"Does anyone actually have an idea WHAT we're doing here in the first place?" Wu Sheng asked lazily as she sprawled out on the floor and picked at her nails. Mai Xeng shook her head and Rai Lin made no response. Suddenly there was a clattering from outside the window.
"Let me up!" Yelled Huang Chen Rai from below. Wu Sheng lowered her the long sheet and helped pull her up. "Whew." She sighed and lay against the wall. "Almost didn't make it!" She smiled. They all went to sleep for then and woke up not long after. The door opened in the morning and a priest in dark clothing lay down a bowl of stale rice for them each.
"Mmmm, it's my favorite. . ." Joked Wu Sheng as she picked up some grains of rice and pelt them at Huang Chen Rai playfully. "Eat up! You want to grow into a strong girl, now don't you?" Huang Chen Rai laughed and threw the grains right back at Wu Sheng. Soon, a battle broke out and only ceased when a bullet of rice flew in the wrong direction and hit Mai Xeng in the eye.
"Settle down you two . . ." Rai Lin drawled. This was all they could do to amuse themselves. It had been five long months with nothing but a friendly visit from the black-cloaked priest every morning, noon and night. For another two months this boredom and sluggishness continued until Wu Sheng discovered something.
Late one night, when Wu Sheng just couldn't seem to get to sleep she noticed that when the priest had come in to give them dinner, he'd left the door unlocked. Her hear thumped. She was free to search the temple, free to find out what they were doing here . . . She pulled the door towards herself and cringed when a loud creak exploded from the hinges and pierced into the night. She froze and stared into the impenetrable darkness for a few painful seconds. When nothing happened after thirty seconds she decided it was safe to keep going. She stepped into the hall, and then shut the door quickly this time; it would creak if you moved it fast. Then she was off, tiptoeing silently into the dark confines of the eerie temple. She ran her hand along the side of the wall, feeling for an entrance of some sort. Finally she came upon a door, found the knob with her fingers and opened it up. She almost screamed when she saw a priest staring at her from across the room. Then she realized it was only his clothes hanging up and the real priest was sleeping in the bed on the floor. She sighed. It was just a trick of the darkness. She carefully shut the door and scurried down the corridor. Once, she thought she heard footsteps from behind her and she began running as fast and quietly as she could. She turned to see if anything was behind her when-
SMACK!
She had run straight into the wall. She fell onto her rear, her head throbbing. When she looked up she noticed she had knocked a door open. A dim candlelight poured out into the hall from the crack in the door. Feeling mystified, she rose to her feet and pushed on the piece of wood.
Inside was a musty library of sorts. Dusty scrolls and books lined the walls around a small table with a nearly run down candle on it. Feeling this is where the answers must lie, Wu Sheng closed the door behind her for a bit of privacy while she looked through the writings. All the while she felt a sense of uneasy danger in her chest, as if this would only last a second longer before she was caught. There was already a book on the table next to the candle. It looked as though one of the priests were doing a bit of reading before bed. Wu Sheng sat down at the table and picked up the dry paged book. She looked onto the page.
September 24,
She's growing restless. I can hear some sort of sad song coming from the grave at night. Other times I hear a pounding on the walls or a low moan. The ritual will begin in two months. The shrine maidens still know nothing. I listen to them laughing in there from time to time. It makes me sad to have to kill them.
Wu Sheng stopped reading. She put a hand on top of her chest and felt her heart banging up and down. What did this mean? She went back to the page.
But then I think of the consequence. If She got out. . . If She roamed free once again. . . It would be ten times worse than the last. It is worth having to endure four nights of screams to keep Her in.
September 25
I've found the last copy of the song. This song was used by the sister to ward off evil. It's the only defense against Her. If one of the maidens found this they could probably escape from Her. I'll burn it tomorrow night, tonight I must rest. I'm getting so weary.
Wu Sheng stopped again and looked at the bottom of the page. A scrap of paper with some musical notes on it was in the book. 'Kaze no Mori' was written on the top. Wu Sheng was about to pull out her ocarina and try it out when a huge pound echoed on the walls. Wu Sheng stood up immediately, clenching the paper in her had. Some whispers were heard all around her. They seemed to be coming from the walls. Wu Sheng wrenched open the door. And ran into the hall. The bottom fell out of her stomach.
Which way was back? She wasn't paying attention when she came down here the first time. Was it left or right? The harsh whispering was increasing. Wu Sheng flew blindly down the left hall, not stopping to think. She hurried along and her heart leapt when she felt the door that led to the priests' room. This was the right way! She hurried down. Not far now . . . her breath stung her throat as she gasped for more air. This was it this was the door back to the others! She wrenched it open and prepared to run in headfirst, but she was in for a nasty surprise.
This wasn't the room. This was the grave . . . Dirty sacred ropes tied it off and a crude stone stood at the back of it. Decayed offerings of food and other possessions sat around the ropes. Wu Sheng gasped, her eyes wide. She felt a power evil force emanating from the ground. A song was echoing around the walls. It the voice that sang was long and sad and the notes were all in the minor tone.
Wu Sheng did scream this time. She ran the other way without bothering to shut the door back up. She ran right into the warm body of priest and fell back. Suddenly, in a moment of quick thought she shoved the paper between her bosoms.
"What are you doing out!?" The priest roared, grabbing her by the wrist. "What did you see!?"
"J-just that grave!" She stammered, feeling the adrenaline shake her body. The priest dragged her roughly by her wrist through the darkness. When they finally got back the priest tossed her through the open door and locked it sharply behind him. A squall of cries from all four girls followed, as everyone got reoriented.
"ALL RIGHT!" Huang Chen Rai yelled, shutting them all up. "What happened?"
"We're going to die!" Wu Sheng panicked.
"Oh, dear . . ." Sighed Mai Xeng.
"I can't die, I'm too young. There's so much I haven't done, so many places I never visited, so many hearts I haven't broken . . ." Rai Lin wailed.
"Shut up!" Huang Chen Rai interjected. "Please explain why we're going to be killed, Wu Sheng."
So Wu Sheng told them everything that had happened. Everyone's breath had been taken away by the end.
"So, they've taken us here to be sacrificed to some evil Goddess?" Mai Xeng asked, her face very white. Wu Sheng nodded shakily.
"We can just run away." Huang Chen Rai said coolly. First thing in the morning we'll run. We can just slip out the window like I did before." All four of them agreed that this was a perfect plan, and it was until morning actually came around. The priest came in and moved them to a room with no windows at all.
"That's it. We're done for." Huang Chen Rai said hopelessly. "I have no more ideas."
"Oh, dear, oh dear . . ." Mai Xeng said. "I never said goodbye to my mother or that charming man from Qiao . . . You know, the rich one. . ."
"I can't believe this . . ." Rai Lin said. They spent the next month in agony, feeling the day crawling nearer. The mood certainly had dampened since then. They stayed in near silence for about a week. Rai Lin noticed something one long afternoon.
"I guess the lack of exercise has been bad to you, Huang Chen Rai . . ." Rai Lin said dully as she picked at her nails.
"What are you talking about?" Huang Chen Rai retorted, instantly studying herself.
"Look at your belly. You look like the Buddha . . . Have you been getting more food that the rest of us?" She replied calmly. It was true. Huang Chen Rai's abdomen was getting quite round and protruding a bit. She blushed a bit and went back to what she was doing.
"She's right, you know . . ." Wu Sheng added, Crawling over and patting Haung Chen Rai's belly. "Stop that!" Huang Chen Rai yelled. "It's nothing . . . You people are so rude . . ."
"What are YOU trying to hide?" Rai Lin said behind a smile.
"Leave me alone . . ."
The excitement kicked itself up again about a week before the actual day.
The four of them were sitting around, doing nothing, as usual when they heard a disturbance in the hall. Some yells sounded and there was a few strange crashes.
"What do you think is going on?" Wu Sheng asked as she put her ear to the door. They all got up and listened, all leaning up against door. A very loud crash was heard then a man yelling.
"Out of the way!" Yelled a gruff voice. Suddenly, the door fell out behind them, letting all four girls fall down on top of each other. They all looked up to a man in black armor. He was tall and wore a helmet that shaded his eyes. A long, silver katana was in his hand and he was wearing a scowl.
"Z-zhou Tai . . ."Huang Chen Rai said, getting pushed over and Wu Sheng released her self from the pile.
"Hello. It's been a while." Mai Xeng said cheerily.
"What's goin' on?" Wu Sheng asked. Rai Lin simply turned up her nose.
"I came to get Rai Lin out . . ." He growled.
"Hmph. . ." Rai Lin said, closing her eyes snobbishly.
"Oh, that's nice. What about the rest of us?" Wu Sheng asked.
"Come if you want . . ." Zhou Tai said shortly. He made a grab for Rai Lin's wrist, but she slapped his hand away.
"I'm fine here, thank you very much . . ." She said like an impudent child.
"I'm not . . ." Wu Sheng said sweetly "Will you save me, Zhou Tai?" He made a small sound that sounded like 'Ugh'. He stepped forward and abruptly hoisted Rai Lin over his shoulder.
"What are you . . .!?" She shrieked. "Let me go at once! Do you hear me!? LET ME GO!" She beat her hands on his armor and kicked her legs back and forth, but Zhou Tai seemed to hardly notice. He walked steadily down the hall, the three girls trailing behind him like puppies.
"HELP ME!" Make him put me down! Huang Chen Rai!" She fought some more then smacked Zhou Tai on the face. "Aren't you listening? Let me down!" Zhou Tai snarled and dropped her roughly onto the floor. "Owww! You brute!" Wu Sheng braked, making Huang Chen Rai and Mai Xeng crash.
"You spoiled brat." Zhou Tai spat. "Do you know what I risked to come in here and save you? You know what . . ." Zhou Tai slid the sword into the sheath. "You can die for all I care . . . I was wrong about you . . ." Zhou Tai silently walked down the hall, then disappeared from sight. Rai Lin looked stunned.
The next thing they knew, they were back in the room. The next few days went by so quickly, it's as if who ever was controlling time wanted to see how they came to an end. Then the day came. They did not know how they would go. Maybe they didn't want to. As the blood red light from the sunset seeped in through the cracks in the walls, the door slowly open, and this time it was not for a bowl of stale rice.
The four priests filtered in, covered in their dark cloaks and faceless white masks. They picked up Huang Chen Rai by her arms and ushered her towards the door. She shot one helpless look back at the three of them and disappeared.
"S-she's gone . . ." Wu Sheng whispered. They all stared at the door, hoping fruitlessly for her to come back through. They spent the night all huddled together. Sometime around midnight long, pained wails flowed down from the hall.
"What's going on? Are they torturing her?" Rai Lin whispered. Mai Xeng began to shiver. The next day the screams continued. They couldn't do anything except sit motionless and listen. Then, at sunset again, the four priests returned. This time they went and picked up Mai Xeng. She looked so weak and frightened as they pulled her up.
"W-well I suppose t-this is g-goodbye . . ." They saw she was crying. She waved feebly as the led her outside and shut the door with a snap. That night there were even more screams. It probably crossed both of their minds that it was worse not being tortured because of what their mind did to it and the anticipation.
"I wonder which one of us is next. . ." Rai Lin asked emotionlessly.
"I don't even want to think about it . . ." Wu Sheng whined. "If you . . . just would have gone with Zhou Tai . . ."
"Stop talking about that!" Rai Lin screamed. "I hate that beast! He's just a thug . . ."
"Oh, who do you think your fooling, Rai Lin!?" Wu Sheng yelled right back. Rai Lin looked a bit taken aback. "It's not hard to see that you're in love with him! You're just stubborn and spoiled!" Rai Lin suddenly slapped Wu Sheng across the face. There was a moment of silence.
"I-I'm sorry . . ." She breathed. Wu Sheng turned away.
"Fine . . . I see how it is . . ." She said and sat in the corner, not speaking. Rai Lin was taken the next sunset. Wu Sheng was left all alone with the screams. She was about to break down and cry when she finally remembered the song. She searched through all her robes and finally pulled it out. She set it down on the table and got out her little purple ocarina and played the first few notes softly so the priests wouldn't hear. She spent the entire night learning it by heart. She was going to do something. She just didn't know what . . .
When sunset fell a fourth time the priests came back and grabbed Wu Sheng, flanking her on either side. They brought her down the hall, past the library and past the grave. Wu Sheng shuddered as the past that horrible place, it seemed the evil aura had increased since last time.
"She rises again tonight . . ." One of the priest whispered. The swept past three doors, this was where the screams were coming from. Finally, a fourth door was at the end of the hall. The first two priests stepped up and opened the door. Inside was a heap of wood and straw, all drenched in oils. Wu Sheng looked down. One of the priests was carrying a torch.
"No way!" Wu Sheng yelled. She suddenly, without think, punched the priest in the stomach. She didn't have very much power, but the shock of it knocked him down. She kicked him sharply in the head and knocked him out. She took out her ocarina and smacked it sharply on top the shortest priests' head. She beat him with it a couple of times until he was out cold. Before any of the other priests could react, she grabbed the torch from the ground and pushed one back, setting his clothes on fire. While he was panicking, Wu Sheng grabbed the door and shut it on his chest over and over until he too was crumpled on the ground. The last one she pushed back onto the pyre and lit it. She assumed he roasted to death; she didn't stick around long enough to find out.
Wu Sheng was halfway down the hallway when she noticed something was wrong. The door leading to the grave was opened; and so was the first door. Wu Sheng rushed down and blasted inside. Then she saw Her.
The Lady in Black was standing before Huang Chen Rai, who was in no state to fight back. She was tied around her neck, one rope on each ankle and wrist. Each of the ropes was tied to the wall, leaving Huang Chen Rai suspended in air. The Lady went over and touched Huang Chen Rai's enlarged stomach. A wave of black light shook her and she screamed. Wu Sheng put the ocarina to her lips so fast it clicked against her teeth. She belted out the song shakily and some notes were incorrect, but it worked. The Lady screeched horribly and flew out of the window.
"Are you alright?" Asked Wu Sheng as she went to untie Huang Chen Rai. It was a difficult business, but she somehow managed it.
"Oh, Wu Sheng . . . She did something to me . . . I feel strange . . ." Huang Chen Rai squeaked as she lay on the floor.
"I know it hurts to move but we've got to get the others." Wu Sheng reminded her. Supporting Huang Chen Rai on her shoulder, they walked into the next room. It was Mai Xeng. She tied to stone table where knives were lowering onto her. There were already blades and inch deep in her arms and leg, some just piercing her stomach and one dangerously close to her throat.
"Mai Xeng!" Wu Sheng Yelled.
"Please help me . . ." She breathed. "It . . hurts . . ." Wu Sheng got up onto the table and pulled up on the lowering contraption. It raised just enough to get the blades out.
"Untie her!" Wu Sheng grunted, using all her strength the keep up the heavy machine. Huang Chen Rai worked quickly and soon Mai Xeng was free.
"I was almost a goner . . ." She forced out, rubbing her throat.
"Hurry! There's not much time left. I bet that scary ghost lady is going to be back any second. We've got to get out of here." In the next room Rai Lin was in a tank of rising water that was nearly full. Just as the stepped in, the water reached the top and Rai Lin began to drown. All three of them grabbed the torch and with all their might they struck the glass over and over until it broke. Rai Lin was sent flowing out onto the hard wood floors. She got up coughing a sputtering and dripping with cold water. She gasped for air, and then gave them all a tired look.
The raced out of the temple and into the night as fast as they could. They went all the way back to Qiao, their hometown. Huang Chen Rai separated with them at the gates; her home was in a different place. They all promised they talk about this some time, but now seemed bad. Everyone had the feeling something was wrong. Perhaps it would have been better if they gone along with the ritual. They entered their homes, feeling stunned and not talking. Rai Lin was about to go in and greet her mother and brother when she saw a man standing in the alleyway between her house and the neighbors.
"So, you got back on your own, I see . . ." He said bitterly. Rai Lin stopped moving. "They did try to kill you all, didn't they?" He asked. She knew who it was. Her heart was beating quite fast. Zhou Tai stepped out of the alleyway. He was carrying a sack.
"Uh . . ." Rai Lin began, not knowing what to saying. "I . . ."
"Don't waste your breath . . ." He said. "I'm going to live in the country somewhere. I'm tired of this damn city . . ." He looked her sharply in the eye. "And the ones who lives here." He stepped lightly down the street; he boots clicking on the stone ground. Rai Lin stared at him for a moment.
"Wait!" She yelled, running up to him. "I . . ." She faltered again. "I'm sorry . . ." She whispered, looking away. Zhou Tai stopped, but didn't look back. After a few seconds he kept walking.
"See you . . ." He said grimly.
"You're just . . . leaving?" She asked, watching him get smaller.
"Yes . . ."
"T- . . ." She couldn't seem to get the words out. They were stuck in her throat. "Take me with you!" Zhou Tai stopped walking for only a second. He laughed a bit and said nothing.
"Why would I want you?" He spat. She ran up to him again.
"Please . . . I made a mistake . . ." She explained. He glared at her. "I wasn't myself then. Please understand . . . You know how I feel . . . about . . you . . ."
"Don't tease me . . ." He hissed, looking ahead.
"I'm NOT!" She looked like a child who tells a story, which is true, but nobody believes it. "Give me another chance!" He sighed.
"You can come if you want . . ." He exhaled, sounding frustrated. He looked like he was annoyed at first, but when he turned away, he was smiling.
It wasn't until seven years later that they'd known the seriousness of what they'd done. Wu Sheng stood on the grand steps leading to Mai Xeng's home. She rapped on the door a couple of times until some servants came and let her in.
"I'm here to see Mai Xeng. This is terribly important." She said with formality.
"Right this way, ma'am." One of them said, leading Wu Sheng down the hall. The servant opened the door to a small-sized room. Mai Xeng was inside, playing with her four-year-old son. Wu Sheng noticed there were books in the room that she couldn't even read. When Mai Xeng saw who it was she gasped.
"Wu Sheng! What a pleasant surprise!" The little boy, who was wearing a formal hat that was much too big for him, ran and hid behind his mother. Wu Sheng smiled.
"Hello, Mai Xeng." She said. "I see you're living in the lap of luxury now." She laughed.
"Yes, I suppose you could say that . . ." She said with her usually cheeriness. "So what brings you here?"
"I have some grave news . . ." She said, sitting next to Mai Xeng. "Huang Chen Rai and Rai Lin . . . they're dead . . ." Mai Xeng looked as if she might break into tears.
"I was wondering why they didn't come to visit anymore . . ." She sighed, dabbing at her eyes.
"But . . . this is different . . . They died for the same reason . . .that we will . . . We've got the curse of the Shrine Maiden. We're destined to die they way we were meant to. Ropes. Blades. Waters. Flames . . ." Mai Xeng looked startled.
"Maybe . . . We should go somewhere else to discuss this . . ." Wu Sheng said, eyeing the wary look on Mai Xeng's boy' face. She nodded. Wu Sheng felt quite sorry for the child; he looked so lonely and sad as the two of them left.
"That your kid?" Wu Sheng asked as they went down the hall.
"Yes. His name is Sima Yi." She said.
"Looks a bit pale . . . Doesn't get out to play much?" Wu Sheng asked.
"No, no. Sima Fang is . . .well, he's very strict . . ." She said evasively. Wu Sheng thought she'd change the subject a bit.
"I got two kids of my own now, and number three on the way. . ." She patted her stomach.
"That's so wonderful . . . I knew you be one to be a healthy mother. . ." She said as they went into the conference room.
"Maybe we should all get together one time. I'll be my daughter would love your son!" Wu Sheng said. Mai Xeng nodded and smiled. They walked in a sat down.
"Well, I recently learned that you and I are under a curse . . ." Wu Sheng said. "We released a very bad, evil spirit into the world." Wu Sheng told Mai Xeng the story of The Lady in Black. Mai Xeng looked a bit uneasy at the end. "Now, it seems like this Lady in Black is just an evil Spirit, but, it goes deeper than that . . . Zhang Ren is going to reincarnate as one of our sons, I've read it in a prophecy. This is because we were the only ones to escape . . . Now, do you remember who Huang Chen Rai married?" Mai Xeng thought a moment.
"Was it . . . Zhang Fei?" She guessed.
"Exactly." She understood. "He's going to grow up and The Lady will think he's the same. If she comes back to life and finds out it was all Zhang Ren's doing she was killed, it's not going to be pretty. . . But I can bet you anything that She's coming back. That's where we come in. The only force good enough to fight the Lady is her sister and her sacred song . . . I found out where she was sealed and I know the song. We've got to go let her out and we've got to teach our children this song . . . Fate will do the rest . . ."
"Can't we get Huang Chen Rai's son and warn him before it happens?" Mai Xeng asked.
"No. We must never tell them. It would change everything. We can't interfere; all we can do is get the girl out." Wu Sheng said.
"Alright. Let's go."
So they went to the sacred forest and found Sui Ko in her sacred orb. They played the song and released her. She was such a tiny girl. She looked about four years old. Mai Xeng and Wu Sheng led her through that strange and unusual forest until they got to the nearest village. They brought her to the front door of a man's house and knocked on the door. They ran in time for the man only to see the little girl. As they watched the man bring the child in, they thought they'd found a good home for her until it was time. The couple that took the girl in named her Diao Chan.
got character bios, fanart, even a wall of shame! Please come check it out! ( I have to mess the URL up a bit becuz FF.net won't let us do Urls...
Just type it in without the spaces): W w w . g e o c i t i e s . c o m / b l u e b o m r 2 (at symbol) s b c g l
o b a l . n e t If that's too confusing, check my profile page, I'll have something there.
Thank you for visiting
Enjoy
Part 4
Fall of the Flaming God
Chapter 51
Legend of the Lady (Part 2)
"It'll only be for a while, guys!" Whispered a seventeen-year-old woman to her three friends. She was very tall for a woman, five feet nine inches, but she was very beautiful. She wore her hair in an elegant manner, just like a Geisha from Japan. She'd been taken, along with her three best friends, to this dark temple from her hometown nearly five months ago. Her eyes were a startling gray, which really distinguished her from other girls. She was quite a brave girl and always very daring.
"Huang Chen Rai . . ." Said her friend, Mai Xeng. "I don't think you should do this." Mai Xeng on the other hand was not so brave. She preferred to stay on the safe side of things and follow all the rules. She was very intelligent and quick witted, always finding a good solution to everything just in time. Her long hair was always well kempt in a modest style.
"They won't even see me. I'm just going to go visit my husband for tonight and I'll be back before dawn! I'll bet my life on it." She said opening the window in their room. The white robes she was dressed in fluttered in the wind.
"I think you're wasting your time on him . . ." Said another girl, studying her reflection in a looking glass. She was easily the most beautiful of them all. She had soft brown hair done up in a flamboyant ponytail and adorned with ornaments she picked up all over the place. The priest in the temple kept trying to take them away from her, but she hid them well when the came around. She painted her lips a stunning red and powdered her face with different colored tints. Her eyelashes were long and sleek, and her chest was anything but small. She wore the same boring white robe as everyone else, but she tied the belt quite loosely. "You ought to run away and find a real man . . ."
"Why would I run away, Rai Lin? The people are definitely keeping us here for a reason . . . I'll bet we get something really good at the end of this year . . ." Huang Chen Rai said, flashing her sweet smile. "See you later!" She recklessly jumped out of the window. An unsettling thump was heard afterwards and the smallest girl rushed to the sill. "I'm alright!" Huang Chen Rai's voice called up. The next thing they knew she was scurrying off towards town through the tall grass. The short girl shook her head and laughed.
"It'd be a miracle if she doesn't get caught!" She snickered, scratching her bright red hair. It grew to around the middle of her neck and stuck out on either side. Her eyes were clear blue and sparkled at the thought of danger.
"Don't say such things, Wu Sheng." Mai Xeng said, sounding distressed. "What if she did get caught? Then how would you feel?"
"I'd feel like I'm feeling now . . ." Wu Sheng said, flopping down on the nearest chair. "And you know her. The chances of her really getting caught are zero to none."
"I do envy her, though," Rai Lin said, not looking away from her own reflection. "She gets to go breath the fresh air and run around again. I'm very tired of being cooped up in the horrid place. I just see why she'd get out just to see that worthless husband of hers."
"Well, I suppose she must love him if she's all that way just to talk to him . . ." Wu Sheng said while yawning.
"Something tells me they're not talking too much . . ." Rain Lin said sharply, reapplying her lip paint.
"What are they doing besides talking?" Mai Xeng asked naively. Both Wu Sheng and Rai Lin looked Mai Xeng dead in the face. Mai Xeng looked to both of them. "What?" She asked.
"Never mind, you'll know when you're older . . ." Rai Lin laughed. Mai Xeng put her head down, looking a little hurt. A few hours went by and nothing happened. The girls were never allowed out of their tiny cell very much. They were to spend the entire year in there until the very end . . .
"I wonder if they'll give us something at the end of this looong year . . ." Rai Lin wondered out loud, lying on her pile of cushions.
"Does anyone actually have an idea WHAT we're doing here in the first place?" Wu Sheng asked lazily as she sprawled out on the floor and picked at her nails. Mai Xeng shook her head and Rai Lin made no response. Suddenly there was a clattering from outside the window.
"Let me up!" Yelled Huang Chen Rai from below. Wu Sheng lowered her the long sheet and helped pull her up. "Whew." She sighed and lay against the wall. "Almost didn't make it!" She smiled. They all went to sleep for then and woke up not long after. The door opened in the morning and a priest in dark clothing lay down a bowl of stale rice for them each.
"Mmmm, it's my favorite. . ." Joked Wu Sheng as she picked up some grains of rice and pelt them at Huang Chen Rai playfully. "Eat up! You want to grow into a strong girl, now don't you?" Huang Chen Rai laughed and threw the grains right back at Wu Sheng. Soon, a battle broke out and only ceased when a bullet of rice flew in the wrong direction and hit Mai Xeng in the eye.
"Settle down you two . . ." Rai Lin drawled. This was all they could do to amuse themselves. It had been five long months with nothing but a friendly visit from the black-cloaked priest every morning, noon and night. For another two months this boredom and sluggishness continued until Wu Sheng discovered something.
Late one night, when Wu Sheng just couldn't seem to get to sleep she noticed that when the priest had come in to give them dinner, he'd left the door unlocked. Her hear thumped. She was free to search the temple, free to find out what they were doing here . . . She pulled the door towards herself and cringed when a loud creak exploded from the hinges and pierced into the night. She froze and stared into the impenetrable darkness for a few painful seconds. When nothing happened after thirty seconds she decided it was safe to keep going. She stepped into the hall, and then shut the door quickly this time; it would creak if you moved it fast. Then she was off, tiptoeing silently into the dark confines of the eerie temple. She ran her hand along the side of the wall, feeling for an entrance of some sort. Finally she came upon a door, found the knob with her fingers and opened it up. She almost screamed when she saw a priest staring at her from across the room. Then she realized it was only his clothes hanging up and the real priest was sleeping in the bed on the floor. She sighed. It was just a trick of the darkness. She carefully shut the door and scurried down the corridor. Once, she thought she heard footsteps from behind her and she began running as fast and quietly as she could. She turned to see if anything was behind her when-
SMACK!
She had run straight into the wall. She fell onto her rear, her head throbbing. When she looked up she noticed she had knocked a door open. A dim candlelight poured out into the hall from the crack in the door. Feeling mystified, she rose to her feet and pushed on the piece of wood.
Inside was a musty library of sorts. Dusty scrolls and books lined the walls around a small table with a nearly run down candle on it. Feeling this is where the answers must lie, Wu Sheng closed the door behind her for a bit of privacy while she looked through the writings. All the while she felt a sense of uneasy danger in her chest, as if this would only last a second longer before she was caught. There was already a book on the table next to the candle. It looked as though one of the priests were doing a bit of reading before bed. Wu Sheng sat down at the table and picked up the dry paged book. She looked onto the page.
September 24,
She's growing restless. I can hear some sort of sad song coming from the grave at night. Other times I hear a pounding on the walls or a low moan. The ritual will begin in two months. The shrine maidens still know nothing. I listen to them laughing in there from time to time. It makes me sad to have to kill them.
Wu Sheng stopped reading. She put a hand on top of her chest and felt her heart banging up and down. What did this mean? She went back to the page.
But then I think of the consequence. If She got out. . . If She roamed free once again. . . It would be ten times worse than the last. It is worth having to endure four nights of screams to keep Her in.
September 25
I've found the last copy of the song. This song was used by the sister to ward off evil. It's the only defense against Her. If one of the maidens found this they could probably escape from Her. I'll burn it tomorrow night, tonight I must rest. I'm getting so weary.
Wu Sheng stopped again and looked at the bottom of the page. A scrap of paper with some musical notes on it was in the book. 'Kaze no Mori' was written on the top. Wu Sheng was about to pull out her ocarina and try it out when a huge pound echoed on the walls. Wu Sheng stood up immediately, clenching the paper in her had. Some whispers were heard all around her. They seemed to be coming from the walls. Wu Sheng wrenched open the door. And ran into the hall. The bottom fell out of her stomach.
Which way was back? She wasn't paying attention when she came down here the first time. Was it left or right? The harsh whispering was increasing. Wu Sheng flew blindly down the left hall, not stopping to think. She hurried along and her heart leapt when she felt the door that led to the priests' room. This was the right way! She hurried down. Not far now . . . her breath stung her throat as she gasped for more air. This was it this was the door back to the others! She wrenched it open and prepared to run in headfirst, but she was in for a nasty surprise.
This wasn't the room. This was the grave . . . Dirty sacred ropes tied it off and a crude stone stood at the back of it. Decayed offerings of food and other possessions sat around the ropes. Wu Sheng gasped, her eyes wide. She felt a power evil force emanating from the ground. A song was echoing around the walls. It the voice that sang was long and sad and the notes were all in the minor tone.
Wu Sheng did scream this time. She ran the other way without bothering to shut the door back up. She ran right into the warm body of priest and fell back. Suddenly, in a moment of quick thought she shoved the paper between her bosoms.
"What are you doing out!?" The priest roared, grabbing her by the wrist. "What did you see!?"
"J-just that grave!" She stammered, feeling the adrenaline shake her body. The priest dragged her roughly by her wrist through the darkness. When they finally got back the priest tossed her through the open door and locked it sharply behind him. A squall of cries from all four girls followed, as everyone got reoriented.
"ALL RIGHT!" Huang Chen Rai yelled, shutting them all up. "What happened?"
"We're going to die!" Wu Sheng panicked.
"Oh, dear . . ." Sighed Mai Xeng.
"I can't die, I'm too young. There's so much I haven't done, so many places I never visited, so many hearts I haven't broken . . ." Rai Lin wailed.
"Shut up!" Huang Chen Rai interjected. "Please explain why we're going to be killed, Wu Sheng."
So Wu Sheng told them everything that had happened. Everyone's breath had been taken away by the end.
"So, they've taken us here to be sacrificed to some evil Goddess?" Mai Xeng asked, her face very white. Wu Sheng nodded shakily.
"We can just run away." Huang Chen Rai said coolly. First thing in the morning we'll run. We can just slip out the window like I did before." All four of them agreed that this was a perfect plan, and it was until morning actually came around. The priest came in and moved them to a room with no windows at all.
"That's it. We're done for." Huang Chen Rai said hopelessly. "I have no more ideas."
"Oh, dear, oh dear . . ." Mai Xeng said. "I never said goodbye to my mother or that charming man from Qiao . . . You know, the rich one. . ."
"I can't believe this . . ." Rai Lin said. They spent the next month in agony, feeling the day crawling nearer. The mood certainly had dampened since then. They stayed in near silence for about a week. Rai Lin noticed something one long afternoon.
"I guess the lack of exercise has been bad to you, Huang Chen Rai . . ." Rai Lin said dully as she picked at her nails.
"What are you talking about?" Huang Chen Rai retorted, instantly studying herself.
"Look at your belly. You look like the Buddha . . . Have you been getting more food that the rest of us?" She replied calmly. It was true. Huang Chen Rai's abdomen was getting quite round and protruding a bit. She blushed a bit and went back to what she was doing.
"She's right, you know . . ." Wu Sheng added, Crawling over and patting Haung Chen Rai's belly. "Stop that!" Huang Chen Rai yelled. "It's nothing . . . You people are so rude . . ."
"What are YOU trying to hide?" Rai Lin said behind a smile.
"Leave me alone . . ."
The excitement kicked itself up again about a week before the actual day.
The four of them were sitting around, doing nothing, as usual when they heard a disturbance in the hall. Some yells sounded and there was a few strange crashes.
"What do you think is going on?" Wu Sheng asked as she put her ear to the door. They all got up and listened, all leaning up against door. A very loud crash was heard then a man yelling.
"Out of the way!" Yelled a gruff voice. Suddenly, the door fell out behind them, letting all four girls fall down on top of each other. They all looked up to a man in black armor. He was tall and wore a helmet that shaded his eyes. A long, silver katana was in his hand and he was wearing a scowl.
"Z-zhou Tai . . ."Huang Chen Rai said, getting pushed over and Wu Sheng released her self from the pile.
"Hello. It's been a while." Mai Xeng said cheerily.
"What's goin' on?" Wu Sheng asked. Rai Lin simply turned up her nose.
"I came to get Rai Lin out . . ." He growled.
"Hmph. . ." Rai Lin said, closing her eyes snobbishly.
"Oh, that's nice. What about the rest of us?" Wu Sheng asked.
"Come if you want . . ." Zhou Tai said shortly. He made a grab for Rai Lin's wrist, but she slapped his hand away.
"I'm fine here, thank you very much . . ." She said like an impudent child.
"I'm not . . ." Wu Sheng said sweetly "Will you save me, Zhou Tai?" He made a small sound that sounded like 'Ugh'. He stepped forward and abruptly hoisted Rai Lin over his shoulder.
"What are you . . .!?" She shrieked. "Let me go at once! Do you hear me!? LET ME GO!" She beat her hands on his armor and kicked her legs back and forth, but Zhou Tai seemed to hardly notice. He walked steadily down the hall, the three girls trailing behind him like puppies.
"HELP ME!" Make him put me down! Huang Chen Rai!" She fought some more then smacked Zhou Tai on the face. "Aren't you listening? Let me down!" Zhou Tai snarled and dropped her roughly onto the floor. "Owww! You brute!" Wu Sheng braked, making Huang Chen Rai and Mai Xeng crash.
"You spoiled brat." Zhou Tai spat. "Do you know what I risked to come in here and save you? You know what . . ." Zhou Tai slid the sword into the sheath. "You can die for all I care . . . I was wrong about you . . ." Zhou Tai silently walked down the hall, then disappeared from sight. Rai Lin looked stunned.
The next thing they knew, they were back in the room. The next few days went by so quickly, it's as if who ever was controlling time wanted to see how they came to an end. Then the day came. They did not know how they would go. Maybe they didn't want to. As the blood red light from the sunset seeped in through the cracks in the walls, the door slowly open, and this time it was not for a bowl of stale rice.
The four priests filtered in, covered in their dark cloaks and faceless white masks. They picked up Huang Chen Rai by her arms and ushered her towards the door. She shot one helpless look back at the three of them and disappeared.
"S-she's gone . . ." Wu Sheng whispered. They all stared at the door, hoping fruitlessly for her to come back through. They spent the night all huddled together. Sometime around midnight long, pained wails flowed down from the hall.
"What's going on? Are they torturing her?" Rai Lin whispered. Mai Xeng began to shiver. The next day the screams continued. They couldn't do anything except sit motionless and listen. Then, at sunset again, the four priests returned. This time they went and picked up Mai Xeng. She looked so weak and frightened as they pulled her up.
"W-well I suppose t-this is g-goodbye . . ." They saw she was crying. She waved feebly as the led her outside and shut the door with a snap. That night there were even more screams. It probably crossed both of their minds that it was worse not being tortured because of what their mind did to it and the anticipation.
"I wonder which one of us is next. . ." Rai Lin asked emotionlessly.
"I don't even want to think about it . . ." Wu Sheng whined. "If you . . . just would have gone with Zhou Tai . . ."
"Stop talking about that!" Rai Lin screamed. "I hate that beast! He's just a thug . . ."
"Oh, who do you think your fooling, Rai Lin!?" Wu Sheng yelled right back. Rai Lin looked a bit taken aback. "It's not hard to see that you're in love with him! You're just stubborn and spoiled!" Rai Lin suddenly slapped Wu Sheng across the face. There was a moment of silence.
"I-I'm sorry . . ." She breathed. Wu Sheng turned away.
"Fine . . . I see how it is . . ." She said and sat in the corner, not speaking. Rai Lin was taken the next sunset. Wu Sheng was left all alone with the screams. She was about to break down and cry when she finally remembered the song. She searched through all her robes and finally pulled it out. She set it down on the table and got out her little purple ocarina and played the first few notes softly so the priests wouldn't hear. She spent the entire night learning it by heart. She was going to do something. She just didn't know what . . .
When sunset fell a fourth time the priests came back and grabbed Wu Sheng, flanking her on either side. They brought her down the hall, past the library and past the grave. Wu Sheng shuddered as the past that horrible place, it seemed the evil aura had increased since last time.
"She rises again tonight . . ." One of the priest whispered. The swept past three doors, this was where the screams were coming from. Finally, a fourth door was at the end of the hall. The first two priests stepped up and opened the door. Inside was a heap of wood and straw, all drenched in oils. Wu Sheng looked down. One of the priests was carrying a torch.
"No way!" Wu Sheng yelled. She suddenly, without think, punched the priest in the stomach. She didn't have very much power, but the shock of it knocked him down. She kicked him sharply in the head and knocked him out. She took out her ocarina and smacked it sharply on top the shortest priests' head. She beat him with it a couple of times until he was out cold. Before any of the other priests could react, she grabbed the torch from the ground and pushed one back, setting his clothes on fire. While he was panicking, Wu Sheng grabbed the door and shut it on his chest over and over until he too was crumpled on the ground. The last one she pushed back onto the pyre and lit it. She assumed he roasted to death; she didn't stick around long enough to find out.
Wu Sheng was halfway down the hallway when she noticed something was wrong. The door leading to the grave was opened; and so was the first door. Wu Sheng rushed down and blasted inside. Then she saw Her.
The Lady in Black was standing before Huang Chen Rai, who was in no state to fight back. She was tied around her neck, one rope on each ankle and wrist. Each of the ropes was tied to the wall, leaving Huang Chen Rai suspended in air. The Lady went over and touched Huang Chen Rai's enlarged stomach. A wave of black light shook her and she screamed. Wu Sheng put the ocarina to her lips so fast it clicked against her teeth. She belted out the song shakily and some notes were incorrect, but it worked. The Lady screeched horribly and flew out of the window.
"Are you alright?" Asked Wu Sheng as she went to untie Huang Chen Rai. It was a difficult business, but she somehow managed it.
"Oh, Wu Sheng . . . She did something to me . . . I feel strange . . ." Huang Chen Rai squeaked as she lay on the floor.
"I know it hurts to move but we've got to get the others." Wu Sheng reminded her. Supporting Huang Chen Rai on her shoulder, they walked into the next room. It was Mai Xeng. She tied to stone table where knives were lowering onto her. There were already blades and inch deep in her arms and leg, some just piercing her stomach and one dangerously close to her throat.
"Mai Xeng!" Wu Sheng Yelled.
"Please help me . . ." She breathed. "It . . hurts . . ." Wu Sheng got up onto the table and pulled up on the lowering contraption. It raised just enough to get the blades out.
"Untie her!" Wu Sheng grunted, using all her strength the keep up the heavy machine. Huang Chen Rai worked quickly and soon Mai Xeng was free.
"I was almost a goner . . ." She forced out, rubbing her throat.
"Hurry! There's not much time left. I bet that scary ghost lady is going to be back any second. We've got to get out of here." In the next room Rai Lin was in a tank of rising water that was nearly full. Just as the stepped in, the water reached the top and Rai Lin began to drown. All three of them grabbed the torch and with all their might they struck the glass over and over until it broke. Rai Lin was sent flowing out onto the hard wood floors. She got up coughing a sputtering and dripping with cold water. She gasped for air, and then gave them all a tired look.
The raced out of the temple and into the night as fast as they could. They went all the way back to Qiao, their hometown. Huang Chen Rai separated with them at the gates; her home was in a different place. They all promised they talk about this some time, but now seemed bad. Everyone had the feeling something was wrong. Perhaps it would have been better if they gone along with the ritual. They entered their homes, feeling stunned and not talking. Rai Lin was about to go in and greet her mother and brother when she saw a man standing in the alleyway between her house and the neighbors.
"So, you got back on your own, I see . . ." He said bitterly. Rai Lin stopped moving. "They did try to kill you all, didn't they?" He asked. She knew who it was. Her heart was beating quite fast. Zhou Tai stepped out of the alleyway. He was carrying a sack.
"Uh . . ." Rai Lin began, not knowing what to saying. "I . . ."
"Don't waste your breath . . ." He said. "I'm going to live in the country somewhere. I'm tired of this damn city . . ." He looked her sharply in the eye. "And the ones who lives here." He stepped lightly down the street; he boots clicking on the stone ground. Rai Lin stared at him for a moment.
"Wait!" She yelled, running up to him. "I . . ." She faltered again. "I'm sorry . . ." She whispered, looking away. Zhou Tai stopped, but didn't look back. After a few seconds he kept walking.
"See you . . ." He said grimly.
"You're just . . . leaving?" She asked, watching him get smaller.
"Yes . . ."
"T- . . ." She couldn't seem to get the words out. They were stuck in her throat. "Take me with you!" Zhou Tai stopped walking for only a second. He laughed a bit and said nothing.
"Why would I want you?" He spat. She ran up to him again.
"Please . . . I made a mistake . . ." She explained. He glared at her. "I wasn't myself then. Please understand . . . You know how I feel . . . about . . you . . ."
"Don't tease me . . ." He hissed, looking ahead.
"I'm NOT!" She looked like a child who tells a story, which is true, but nobody believes it. "Give me another chance!" He sighed.
"You can come if you want . . ." He exhaled, sounding frustrated. He looked like he was annoyed at first, but when he turned away, he was smiling.
It wasn't until seven years later that they'd known the seriousness of what they'd done. Wu Sheng stood on the grand steps leading to Mai Xeng's home. She rapped on the door a couple of times until some servants came and let her in.
"I'm here to see Mai Xeng. This is terribly important." She said with formality.
"Right this way, ma'am." One of them said, leading Wu Sheng down the hall. The servant opened the door to a small-sized room. Mai Xeng was inside, playing with her four-year-old son. Wu Sheng noticed there were books in the room that she couldn't even read. When Mai Xeng saw who it was she gasped.
"Wu Sheng! What a pleasant surprise!" The little boy, who was wearing a formal hat that was much too big for him, ran and hid behind his mother. Wu Sheng smiled.
"Hello, Mai Xeng." She said. "I see you're living in the lap of luxury now." She laughed.
"Yes, I suppose you could say that . . ." She said with her usually cheeriness. "So what brings you here?"
"I have some grave news . . ." She said, sitting next to Mai Xeng. "Huang Chen Rai and Rai Lin . . . they're dead . . ." Mai Xeng looked as if she might break into tears.
"I was wondering why they didn't come to visit anymore . . ." She sighed, dabbing at her eyes.
"But . . . this is different . . . They died for the same reason . . .that we will . . . We've got the curse of the Shrine Maiden. We're destined to die they way we were meant to. Ropes. Blades. Waters. Flames . . ." Mai Xeng looked startled.
"Maybe . . . We should go somewhere else to discuss this . . ." Wu Sheng said, eyeing the wary look on Mai Xeng's boy' face. She nodded. Wu Sheng felt quite sorry for the child; he looked so lonely and sad as the two of them left.
"That your kid?" Wu Sheng asked as they went down the hall.
"Yes. His name is Sima Yi." She said.
"Looks a bit pale . . . Doesn't get out to play much?" Wu Sheng asked.
"No, no. Sima Fang is . . .well, he's very strict . . ." She said evasively. Wu Sheng thought she'd change the subject a bit.
"I got two kids of my own now, and number three on the way. . ." She patted her stomach.
"That's so wonderful . . . I knew you be one to be a healthy mother. . ." She said as they went into the conference room.
"Maybe we should all get together one time. I'll be my daughter would love your son!" Wu Sheng said. Mai Xeng nodded and smiled. They walked in a sat down.
"Well, I recently learned that you and I are under a curse . . ." Wu Sheng said. "We released a very bad, evil spirit into the world." Wu Sheng told Mai Xeng the story of The Lady in Black. Mai Xeng looked a bit uneasy at the end. "Now, it seems like this Lady in Black is just an evil Spirit, but, it goes deeper than that . . . Zhang Ren is going to reincarnate as one of our sons, I've read it in a prophecy. This is because we were the only ones to escape . . . Now, do you remember who Huang Chen Rai married?" Mai Xeng thought a moment.
"Was it . . . Zhang Fei?" She guessed.
"Exactly." She understood. "He's going to grow up and The Lady will think he's the same. If she comes back to life and finds out it was all Zhang Ren's doing she was killed, it's not going to be pretty. . . But I can bet you anything that She's coming back. That's where we come in. The only force good enough to fight the Lady is her sister and her sacred song . . . I found out where she was sealed and I know the song. We've got to go let her out and we've got to teach our children this song . . . Fate will do the rest . . ."
"Can't we get Huang Chen Rai's son and warn him before it happens?" Mai Xeng asked.
"No. We must never tell them. It would change everything. We can't interfere; all we can do is get the girl out." Wu Sheng said.
"Alright. Let's go."
So they went to the sacred forest and found Sui Ko in her sacred orb. They played the song and released her. She was such a tiny girl. She looked about four years old. Mai Xeng and Wu Sheng led her through that strange and unusual forest until they got to the nearest village. They brought her to the front door of a man's house and knocked on the door. They ran in time for the man only to see the little girl. As they watched the man bring the child in, they thought they'd found a good home for her until it was time. The couple that took the girl in named her Diao Chan.