The darkness was flooded with blinding lights. When the light faded, she found herself sitting in front of her mirror. The room looked ordinary, but it was unfamiliar to her. She felt out of place, though she didn't know why. As she racked her brain for how she had come here, she realized she didn't even know who she was.

Looking in the mirror, she saw something unusual. A red flame on her temple. Her finger went to her forehead... She was-

"Xiao Hong."

A deep voice startled her and she turned around to see a tall man with wild black hair standing beside her.

Xiao Hong... Is that who I am?

But there was something about the man that made her feel uneasy. She stood timidly from her seat, not wanting to ask his name and give herself away.

"Do you remember me?" His eyes were searching hers.

"Remember?" She tried to put on a convincing smile, "Of course I remember. What wouldn't I remember?"

He raised an eyebrow and took a step towards her. She tried to make herself relax but couldn't.

"Liar." Though he scolded her, his words were not angry, and when he reached towards her, he was nothing but gentle. So why couldn't she shake this apprehensive feeling? "Don't be afraid. You've lost your memories in an accident, but I will help you recover them."

"You will help me?"

"Of course," He kissed her temple and something inside of her wanted to flinch. "You are my precious wife, after all."

"Wife?" It sounded wrong. How could this stranger be her husband? "But I don't even know your name."

The stranger who claimed to be her husband did not seem offended by her unfamiliarity. Rather, his eyes looked warmly into hers as he spoke.

"I am Wenchang Dijun."

Dijun... Dijun... Why did the title tug at her heart? 

"Dijun." Spoken cautiously, the name played bittersweet from her tongue. Though the face looking towards hers was a stranger's, his name was not. "How did we meet?"

He laughed, a strange boisterous sound, and said, "There is no need to be so formal, Xiao Hong. Come closer, I'll remind you of our past." He raised a hand to her forehead. A spark jolted her mind, and his voice started to fade. "We met in a warzone. Our realm was trapped in violence and bloodshed for so long. And we were on opposing sides. You, the Princess of the Fox Fire Tribe and I, the Dragon Emperor of the Heavens. We really did not have any love for each other then..."

.

.

.

Smoke cleared to reveal Fire and Lightning clashing on a bloodied field. The two fought, one with calculated grace and the other with untethered fervor. Their blades met, and the world shook as if it were afraid of being torn apart in the feud.

"Little princess," the golden and gleeful dragon taunted. "So shorthanded is your tribe that they were forced to send their delicate daughter to die on the battlefield?"

The red fox only glared coldly in reply, not willing to let the uncivilized Wenchang ruffle her fur. She sent another heatwave his way which he narrowly dodged. Really, she did not understand how this rash dragon managed to be Emperor of Heaven and Earth. It would be to everyone's benefit if he perished here today.

Her enemy snarled as he summoned a lightning storm. It rained down on the battle beneath them, hundreds of her warriors screamed their final breaths. Furiously, she retaliated, calling the fires from her realm's heart to raze her enemy's allies. The fight went on like this for several days, neither party seemed close to forfeiting. When the fire and lightning finally calmed and the warzone fell quiet, she searched through the smoke for survivors, but among the carnage only one other figure stood tall. Wenchang Dijun.

He seemed unfazed, still smiling arrogantly, his sleeves stained in blood. What a monster, she thought while preparing for another attack.

Wenchang released a whip made of lightning, it's crackling sounded to her like haunted laughter. Just as he was about to raise his hand, a butterfly floated by his ear. For the first time, Xiao Hong saw an emotion other than crazed bloodlust in the dragon's eyes. It was covered up so quickly, she could have been mistaken, but he looked almost panicked.

"It seems we will have to postpone our little duel, princess." He said with a false smirk before vanishing in a cloud of smoke.

What could have possibly pulled the war-loving dragon from this fight? She did not have to wait long for an answer. From the sky fell a brightly burning star, golden fire burning through the darkened clouds and falling to Earth. There was a mournful stillness that followed, mourning the loss, and she knew who it was grieving.

The Heavenly Father had died.