Anno's Black Goat

An Nuo was the beautiful, gentle, devout Divine Son of the Holy Court.

He followed the Holy Court's teachings.

He was kind and patient, and empathized with everyone.

Then he died.

His respected and trusted mentor pushed him forward to take the blame. The Holy Knight, an orphan from the slums whom he had personally treated, shoved him into the Holy Court's Tribunal. The people of Feilengcui, whom he had tried so hard to save, spat on his name.

In a world where everyone was consumed by power, desire, and ambition,

the golden-haired, green-eyed Divine Son rotted in a cellar,

like a golden apple rotting in a serpent's venom.

When An Nuo opened his eyes again, he had returned to the days before the Divine Son ceremony.

·

The Holy Court's new Divine Son was gentle and quiet, with brilliant golden hair and emerald eyes. His smile was wistful and distant, like the first ray of sunlight to pass through flowers and leaves on a Feilengcui morning.

From the Pope and priests above to the wandering orphans of the slums below,

everyone pursued him with the most adoring gaze.

And yet,

whether trapped in a dim, suggestive golden chamber or raised high upon a sacred altar,

those beautiful green eyes remained wistful and quiet.

Even when they brimmed with tears, they could not stir a ripple in his heart.

Later, people finally understood:

- Feilengcui had gone mad for its Divine Son,

but Feilengcui could never truly possess its golden bird.

# A diversion from going crazy while writing

# It's only a diversion, so what are you expecting, friend!

Archived 2023.6.19

Theme: Be kind.