[Ensemble cast (the character cards shown are all protagonists) / episodic locations and stories / multiple canon pairings]
They raised their swords against fate, only to discover that fate itself was gazing up at a higher sky.
It grants supernatural powers and lives like plays, kindling the brightest humanity in the depths of despair, then offering the remaining embers up as the "Way of Heaven."
A group of people who should have lived out their lives according to their own paths are suddenly chosen by the Way of Heaven. They receive the powers of the Zodiac and learn that by experiencing the mortal world, they can cultivate into True Lords of the Celestial Cycle.
So they make a pact and set out together, witnessing the myriad faces of the world, both bitter and sweet.
This is a tragic epic that challenges fate, and a despairing parable about what it means for something to be real.
Open The River of the Ashen World and witness how the rules are kindled by those who follow them, then washed into quiet ash by the surging flood.
Author's note: The diverse sexual orientations are included only for the "Minister of Fate" character card and to avoid misleading readers into thinking this is a plot-driven web novel with no romance at all (no pairings), or only two characters in a romance-focused story.
1. This work is for entertainment only and does not promote any harmful influence. The story and characters are fictional and unrelated to the real world. Please do not imitate or scrutinize them as reality.
2. This work contains no plotlines that violate morality, ethics, public order, or good customs. Do not use the social behaviors mentioned above to judge the characters. Please follow the creator's stated relationships between characters and do not make your own pairings.
Theme: Fate is unpredictable, and the Way of Heaven is merciless. Human destinies drift like fallen leaves in a raging flood.
