The Heavens Gift

What I Was Born For

Jiang Han

"Sir, the troops are ready."

Wars fought over blood and land made my head seer with headaches. Feared the same as death I was named the grim reaper, the god who would steal your essence. Earning the name because of my peculiar absence of a soul that rested inside my heart, not being able to comprehend life itself as it seemingly passed by like blurs of color. Born the son of the moon I possessed a dragon's heart and stone mind. It wasn't as if I didn't have a soul. My soul was weak and blackened with neglect while holding the texture of rocky gravel, carved craters in it mimicking the grooves of the moon. 

"Send them to the East trenches, they are the weakest; we can overbear them easily." I demanded with no hesitation.

The general nodded and pushed the thick curtain material of the tent to the side so he could leave. It was winter and the weather couldn't be more miserable as frost would cut skin like a thin blade.

Taking my sword out of its holster, it shimmered with light I didn't have. It reflected my image back to me, giving me the perfect picture of what I looked like. My skin was nowhere near alive and had a gray hue to it like a dead person. Hair that reached almost to my ears was painted black and gave no structure which made it lay flat. I had a high bridged nose that was long and curved down at the tip creating a sharp image to me.

Getting up from my high chair in the yurt, I sauntered to the curtains and shoved them aside angerly to face the coldness from outside. Pulling my fur coat closer to me, my hair froze and tickled the tips of my ears that were decorated with silver cuffs. An eagle sounded from above with a loud and powerful squawk. Letting my head tilt backwards so I could stare into the sky that was bright enough to hurt my eyes, the Eagle swooped down to perch upon my extended arm covered with engraved metal armor. It held its head high with power, feathers of white and brown mixed in a pattern were adorned beautifully on it with a pointed sharp beak.

With the heart of a dragon my eyes were an abnormal color of golden yellow. Some found it hard to look me in the eyes as it creeped them out. The eagle squealed loudly and ascended into the air once again with help of my lifting my arm higher into the air searching for its prey. Although it was cold, it didn't have an affect on me as much as it had on other people. Unlike them, when their breath would show in the cold air, mine would not. This was because I am not warm-blooded, my blood ran cold and people rumored I did not breathe or have any blood coursing through my veins at all.

Snow crunched under my heavy steel boots as I tread across the campsite. Tents were placed in a small area with many fires placed around every tent trying to keep warmth. Soldiers talked amongst themselves and played card games to pass time while we waited peacefully for the raging war ahead of us. Normal soldiers wore white insulated shirts and brown pants paired with regular fighting boots. They wore helmets that fit enough and kept them warm with leather holsters for their iron swords. Higher ups such as I wore full body armor and my helmet was crafted with metal horns attached which represented my dragon. The sword I carried was something no one else could have. It was crafted with the stone materials from the moon, processed and pressed so much that it was cleaner than a mirror and could cut a hair if you just let it float down upon the blade.

"Sir," someone called from behind me, "a messenger says that the opposing side is getting aid from a near standing kingdom."

I hummed a low tune of annoyance.

"Which kingdom might that be?"

"They call themselves Adelaide, sir. The kingdom of Adelaide."

"And how much more powerful does that create the opposing side?"