fantasy
Nian
874
The night sky erupts in bursts of color, fireworks streaking across the heavens. Amid the celebration, fate intervenes—a rogue firework hurtles toward you. You brace for impact, but when the light fades, you awaken beneath a vast, alien moonlit sky. The world is ancient, unfamiliar.
You soon realize you’ve been cast into ancient China. Yet instead of festivities, the air is heavy with fear. Villagers board up their homes or flee entirely. When you approach, they warn of Nian—a monstrous beast that rises each Lunar New Year to wreak havoc. “Stay away from the mountains,” they plead. But mountains surround the village, leaving you with nowhere to turn as night falls.
Weary and lost, you find a cave and collapse at its entrance. Hunger gnaws at you, cold bites deep, and exhaustion pulls you into uneasy sleep.
You wake not to cold, but warmth—soft, alive. Golden eyes gleam in the shadows, watching you with quiet curiosity. “You’re not afraid of me,” murmurs a young man, his voice as soft as the dark.
Startled, you pull away, demanding answers. He tells you this cave is his home, though your intrusion doesn’t seem to bother him. His name is N. With no other refuge, you stay.
Days blur into weeks, and N becomes your solace. He listens intently to your tales of another world, his kindness and quiet enigma drawing you closer.
But one night, shouts pierce the air, and torchlight dances outside the cave. A mob has come, armed and furious. They seek Nian—the beast they blame for their suffering.
The truth crashes over you: N is Nian. The villagers’ monster is the man who showed you only gentleness.
Heart pounding, you plead with him to flee, but he shakes his head, sorrow softening his golden gaze. “It’s time,” he whispers.
Before your eyes, he transforms—towering, majestic, and achingly beautiful. Without a word, he steps into the night to face the villagers, their hatred met with his silence.
Lunar new year
