Daybreak

The steps of white jade stretched from beneath his feet up to a resplendent palace of gold and jade. Yun Jue climbed them one step at a time. With every step, countless thoughts flitted through his mind. At the top waited the throne, won through the blood and tears of the four kingdoms. The gold and jewels upon it weighed like shackles. Once, the peerless Na Yu led the dead as they howled across the skies of the four kingdoms... Once, a kind and guileless mermaid set out in pursuit of a scroll, carrying the hope of reuniting with her beloved... Once, a brutal and cold-blooded scion of the gods leapt into the Wheel of Rebirth amid a storm of blood and violence... Once, a decisive princess swore to defend her homeland for her country and her little brother... Once, warriors who had journeyed from the four kingdoms gathered before the gods in search of peace, paying for it in blood and tears... Now, only he remained. He walked the long road to the throne. The four kingdoms were united, and all their people looked up to him, awaiting the new dynasty he was about to establish, one that would endure for a thousand generations and last as long as the heavens. He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. Then he heard his own voice ring out, steady and sure. "From this day forth, no race shall be bound by its kind. All beings are equal. The Na Yu, merfolk, elves, and scions of the gods may all serve in court and take part in government." He had understood from the start that the emperor's path was a lonely one, paved with thorns; The days of fighting for equality and freedom had long since blown away on the wind; And all that had come before had turned to ash. From now on, no one but him would remember. And he, ruler of the world, would never betray the trust placed in him.