CHINA
The Gifts of Luna
Stage 1
Story by Wilson Ye
Edit by the CLA Editing Team
Illustrated by Farren Febiola Darmawi
Shun was the princess of Ming. Her father loved her, but he never let her leave the city. One morning, as Shun woke, she heard voices. The king was talking to Tan, his trusted advisor. While she slept, Tan had told the king that Shun had the disease. “What’s happening?” Shun asked.
Tan gave her some tea. “Shun, a disease has come to our kingdom. I am afraid that you have caught the bug that makes people get sick and become strange creatures on the full moon. You need to come to Yuan with me to get medicine.”
Shun was worried about the sickness but was mostly excited to travel. She was glad to go with Tan. They traveled for weeks. One day, Shun opened some bags on the horses. There were many weapons. Shun became angry. “Why do we have so many weapons when we are looking for medicine?” Shun asked.
“Keep going!” Tan shouted angrily. Tan didn’t listen at all. At that moment, Shun’s body moved forward under Tan’s mind control. She realized it was Tan.
“STOP IT!” Shun said. Her anger at Tan became a fire. Her chest was hot. Then her legs became strong, and her eyes red. Suddenly, Shun grew into a giant creature and turned against Tan.
Then, she ran up the mountain. The heavy snow trapped Tan’s men for the winter.
❊
Shun woke to see an old man named Ze. His men had found Shun half-frozen. Shun said she was from Ming. Ze asked if she knew Tan. Tan was from Yuan. “He stole moonstones from Yuan, and he used magic tea to control people. The leaders of Yuan made Tan leave,” Ze said. “Tan used Luna’s stones the wrong way. It makes people sick,” said Ze.
“Luna?” Shun asked.
“Luna is the Moon God. If you trust Luna and practice fighting, you can cure the disease. Do you want to try?” Ze asked. Shun smiled.
Master Ze taught Shun kung fu every day. Shun practiced hard.
Ze also took her fishing and taught her about life.
“Control yourself. Be calm. Use your power not for what is bad but for what is good.”
Finally, spring came. Tan and his men attacked the village.
Shun was ready. Tan turned into a snake-like creature.
_edited.jpg)
Shun turned into a lion-like creature.
The two fought hard but Shun was stronger and overpowered Tan. She could have killed him but stopped.
❊
“Go! And don’t come back again! If you come back, I will kill you.” Shun said.
“I will come back!” Tan said loudly and fled from Yuan with his men.
Ze said, “It is time for you to go back to your country, Shun”
“Yes, I must save my father, my people.”
Ze and Shun gazed at the full moon rising in the sky.
THE END