don’t want to end up like your great-grandpa”. My great-grandfather died when the entire roof fell
on him. He slipped and bumped into a structural support beam.
When I fell off my horse, he would say, “You don’t want to end up like your great-grandma”.
My great-grandmother died, when she was riding her horse to the market. She had not slept the
night before and she fell asleep on the horse, falling off into the mighty Yangtze River, which
washed her away as if she was a grain of sand.
One day, like any other day, when I was herding the sheep, my uncle came up to me in a
serious voice. Uncle did not sound serious unless he was really so. He looked dead into my eyes,
“My boy, you have grown up to be a fine kid, but there is one thing I have never told you about. It
is the lost jewel of Emperor Uhtan. I might have thought it was a lie but your father told me that
unless you enter the Genbaku Temple, there will be no future for your tribe.” I thought about the
Genbaku Temple, a creepy and ghastly spectacle in the middle of the Gobi. Just by thinking of it,
gooseflesh appeared all around my body. Part of me wished what my uncle said was not true, but
somehow I always thought that returning to my tribe was not that easy. I was given the luxurious
and peaceful life in Peking, now it was my time to return the favour. I decided to head into the
temple at nightfall. My uncle knew I was heading into grave danger, probably, my death. He gifted
me the sword of the family, the “Shirokuma”. Crafted from the hottest lava pits in the world, it had
been with my family for three centuries. It was light and easy to handle, but strong like titanium.
Uncle was shedding tears, but forced out a smile, “Just promise me one thing. Don’t end up
like your great-grandpa and great-grandma.”
I pushed open the old wooden doors of the temple. I took one step inside and then darkness
engulfed me. The door slammed shut behind me, leaving me trapped. It was impossible to see a
thing, or hear a sound. The house was as silent as death. A voice of a man spoke, which sounded
so terrifying that it chilled my heart. He boomed, “Welcome, my dear, welcome to the game of
death. I am Emperor Uhtan.” His voice echoed around the walls. I desperately looked around to see
where the voice was coming from.
“Don’t worry dear, you will see me soon enough. Oh yes, my face will be the last thing you’ll
see.” I drew my sword, ready to strike. It was pretty stupid, considering the fact that I was blind in
the dark.
“Lights!” A dozen lanterns were lit above me. I discovered I was in a small room. In front of
me was the Emperor.
He was a horrifying sight; dark ghouls covered his body, attempting to escape. He face was a
wreck. He had neither eyes nor mouth. He wore heavy armour and embedded on the chest plate
was a dragon symbol. His entire armour was so dark that it blacked out the light around.
“Oh dear, you look terrified. I’m not surprised; everyone looks terrified when they are about to
die. And you my friend are just another honored guest. To reward you for your courage to enter
the temple, I give you death!” He charged towards me in lightning speed. I was caught off guard
and he sliced across my chest.
“Is that what you’ve got?” He sneered. He followed up his slice with a stab in my thigh. I was
hit by a wave of nausea. It seemed to me that his sword was poisonous. I struggled for breath. I
thought about my parents and my uncle. Was this how I was going to die? So helpless, so weak.
No. I said to myself. No, I would not let his darkness overcome my consciousness. I would not let
him do this to me. I summoned all my strength and battered him with two-dozen blows, ranging
from his head to his legs. I stabbed, jabbed, over-head cut, sliced and impaled. By the time I
