Eternal Guardians

Once upon a time, in a distant, happy fairy tale kingdom, the summers were lush with forests and babbling brooks, while winters were warm with hearths and blanketed in snow. Everyone lived a prosperous and harmonious life, thanks to the diligent guardianship of the water spirit and the fire spirit. These two spirits would use their magic to summon water or fire at the right times and places, ensuring the smooth functioning of nature. This made daily activities like washing clothes, drinking water, keeping warm, and cooking much easier and safer for the people.

The task of guarding the kingdom was arduous and intricate, yet the kind-hearted water and fire spirits never complained or sought reward. For thousands of years, they had faithfully tended to every corner of the kingdom. They loved seeing the happiness on the faces of the kingdom’s inhabitants and cherished their close, cooperative relationship. In fact, since their creation, the two spirits had been in love. Unfortunately, their natural attributes prevented them from being too close, as the fire spirit could burn the water spirit, and the water spirit could extinguish the fire spirit, resulting in disaster. They had to maintain a careful distance, never able to truly embrace despite loving each other for a thousand years. Yet, their deep love was evident in a caring word or a mutual glance, conveying their feelings. This selfless love was infused into every drop of water and every flame, making the streams clearer and the hearth fires burn brighter, leading to a flourishing and thriving kingdom.

Everything seemed perfect. However, the greedy, aging king, influenced by a scheming black wizard, ordered the capture of the two spirits to create an elixir of immortality. The method involved throwing the spirits into a specially made furnace, where the black wizard would use dark magic to force the fire spirit to melt both himself and the water spirit, until their forms dissipated and their combined essence formed the elixir.

The two spirits struggled and cried out in agony in the furnace, never imagining their first and only embrace would be so tragic. The water spirit soon weakened, shedding sorrowful tears in the fiery embrace of the fire spirit, and finally, she vanished into a wisp of white smoke. The fire spirit, watching his beloved perish, let out a desperate and angry howl. His boundless fury erupted, and the flames of vengeance engulfed the furnace, the palace, the evil king, and the wizard, spreading uncontrollably to ignite every tree and house.

Heartbreak turned the once-kind fire spirit into a terrifying demon, who rampaged through the kingdom. The revenge-fueled fire spread unchecked, with no one able to stop it. For a long time, the flames scorched every inch of the kingdom, destroying everything. The kingdom's inhabitants were displaced, surrounded by burnt ruins, with black smoke blotting out the sun. The once-happy and beautiful life was obliterated by the inferno. The desperate people prayed sincerely to the heavens for help.

Heaven heard their prayers and soon responded. Thick clouds gathered above the fiercest flames, and endless raindrops fell like sharp silver arrows, striking the raging fire demon. The fire demon, enraged by the silver arrows, was about to unleash intense heat to evaporate the clouds, but then he paused, ceasing his attack. The distant people couldn’t understand why, seeing the once-wrathful fire demon suddenly quiet and standing still under the rain, not dodging or avoiding it.

Unbeknownst to them, the fire demon had sensed the familiar presence of his beloved in the rain. To him, the raindrops were not piercing arrows but precious memories, reminiscent of the water spirit’s tears and lingering love. These memories restored his sanity. The fire spirit looked up at the cloud with a serene smile, grateful that his beloved was not truly gone but had returned to his side. How could he bear to harm her with excessive heat?

The former fire spirit had always been a considerate lover. The closest they had ever been was when they touched fingertips, allowing the water spirit, accustomed to the cool touch, to feel the fire spirit’s gentle warmth. The rain fell harder, the silver threads becoming denser, shrouding the world in a misty veil. The distant people could see nothing, only hearing the continuous rain, like intimate whispers between lovers or a melodious song the two spirits hummed while entwined. It was so tender and affectionate.

After an unknown length of time, the smoke from the fire gradually dissipated, revealing the sun and blue sky. The sky brightened again, and the flames slowly diminished with the rain, until the last small flame flickered warmly and beautifully in the wind. It happily embraced the rain, content and joyful.