Chapter 11When Stars First Meet

I rub my eyes.

For a moment, I’m not sure which world I’m in. My memory of what I dreamt is fading to just scattered feelings—someone brave, then someone sinister, and then someone sad… the sobbing girl with the white hair!

I was sitting in a hospital bed… The dreams cling to me like a second skin, but now my fingers are touching something rough. I curl my fingers and I can feel the rough hay beneath me. I stretch my legs and I can feel the stiffness of sleeping on a rough surface. Ow… so this is what Dad complains about all the time.

I can smell wood smoke. I look around again—stone walls, not white paint. Warm firelight, not fluorescent tubes. I’m in a cave. From the entrance, a cool breeze blows in, where I can faintly see dark grey clouds, and a tall, graceful silhouette walking towards me from the firelight—Zobito! Her movements are precise and calculated, but mixed with an almost dance-like motion. Her surface is smooth and metallic, and the warm glow from her body creates a soft halo in the cavern.

She pauses a metre or two before me. I can see her alloy skin in the firelight, revealing subtle patterns that are both geometric and floral. Motifs that look like chrysanthemum petals etched into her skin begin to catch the light, breathing gently. I look up at her face, I can see two large round scopes, and within them warm amber light glows and moves like tiny constellations. She doesn’t have a mouth or nose, giving her an innocent and funny childlike appearance.

“Heh—pffft,” I press my lips together, my shoulders shaking as I try to swallow my laugh.

Zobito tilts her head, her scope expanded larger, looking at me with a confused look.

“Pffhahaha!!” My laugh bursts out from my stomach! I can’t hold it in. I can hear my barking laughter echoing across the cave. “Your eyes! Hahaha! What’s that look? You look like a very fancy robot who got stuck with a baby face.”

“My eyes?” Zobito’s soft voice hums, not from her head, but emitting around her glow. She points at her eyes with one hand. “I assume you are referring to my ‘Jade Scopes of Ten Corners’? If I may elaborate, these are multispectral orbs that allow me to sense the world. The aesthetic design was inspired by Celestial anatomy”; however, my sensors are actually integrated all throughout my corpus. Furthermore…”

“Hehhe… they look like eyes to me.” I wipe a tear from my eyes as my laughter simmers down. “Do you always talk like this, like a dictionary?”

“I do not understand. I am not a dictionary. My words are not definitions, but echoes of the cosmic songs that birthed your language.” Zobito’s eyes glow again, the stars in them move and line up into the shape of smiling eyes. “I am pleased that you are in good health. Laughter and joy are signals of positive physiological and psychological state. Please, drink this.”

She slowly walks closer and politely hands me some hot water in an old, slightly cracked ceramic bowl.

I reach out. At a closer look, I see Zobito’s glow emitting from tiny stardust orbiting around her, and their shimmer bounces off hot rising steam from the bowl.

I don’t have time for some water! I’m burning with curiosity about this… Zobito. So, naturally, I blurt. “I. Have. So many questions! Tell me everything! Who are you? You’re not just a robot, right? You’re supposed to help me, right? What’s your purpose?”

Then, complete silence. Zobito just stood there, and the stardust moves around her like she’s… loading?

Zobito’s eyes suddenly light up, the stardust jitters, and she starts speaking like a poet. “I am not familiar with the term ‘robot’. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Zobito, one among tens of thousands of millions, I come before you as a single petal from an ocean of chrysanthemums. I am the Celestial King’s relic, the first divine instrument of the Celestials, born from cosmic breath, awakened once again to aid the Celestial Princesses to restore balance to the surface world. It brings me joy to serve you.”

Zobito bows gracefully. She sounds so cool.

“Okay, I’m sorry, you’re not a robot. You’re like one of those terracotta warriors but made of magical flowers and stardust.” I try my best to describe her in a way I understand.

“I am unfamiliar with ‘terracotta warriors’. It seems you are comfortable with this description. Let’s go with that.”

“Neat!” Now I’m curious about how she’ll help me with the mission, I continue. “So, Grandfather Moon told me you’ll help me… the world… to find the Celestial Princesses, where do we start?”

Zobito holds a pause, the stardust drifts for a moment, and then she speaks. “Of course! The world’s elemental balance has been disturbed. For aeons, and when the world cried out for help, the Celestial Princesses reincarnate into their mortal forms. I am then awakened to seek them. We must first find the Earth Princess—she awaits us somewhere in the Heartland Empire. We will then travel to each respective continent to find the remaining Princesses.”

Her scopes brighten as she continues. “The world teeters on the edge of chaos, its natural harmony fractured by forces that seek to tear apart the delicate web connecting all realms. The Five Elements no longer dance in perfect synchrony.”

“Great, so the world has terrible rhythm now?” I mutter. “Let me guess, it needs the Celestial Princesses to bring back its former groove?”

“I do not understand what you mean by ‘groove’, but I can sense what you’re trying to convey.” Zobito continues. “Yes, without the Princesses to restore elemental balance—Wood, Fire, Earth, Gold and Water, the world will crumble into calamity.”

I feel a chill run down my spine. Zobito continues quietly, her eyes dimming. “Without them, the forests will wither, the sun will freeze, the land will crumble, the stars will dim, and even the great rivers will run dry.”

“So… this world could end, and everybody here dies?”

“Or worse, if mortals live on to suffer.” Zobito shakes her head, her eyes dim with her quiet hum. “We were there, aeons ago in the previous epoch, that was why we built the Tower.”

I listen quietly. Zobito’s voice carries something sad, like, astronomically sad. I take a deep breath, and the stillness in the air holds for that moment.

Then, Zobito turns to me. Her eyes slowly glow warmer, and she speaks to me with a warm tone that’s almost musical. “I sense you have travelled far from beyond the cosmos. Yes, it can only mean Grandfather Moon has sent you here for a divine purpose. I will honour the Primordial’s wish and accompany you in seeking the reincarnated Celestial Princesses.”

I feel the weight of the mission like the mountain above us. As I try to wrap my head around to make sense of the question, I ask. “So, reincarnation eh? Does that mean the Celestial Princesses are still like… babies?”

“Yes, that is correct.” She nods, the stardust follows. “We must seek them out, ensure they are safe, nurtured, and nourished until they reach adulthood. Then they will ascend the Celestial Tower to regain their memories and powers.”

“Wait… what? Adulthood? Do I need to stay here for, like, eighteen years?” I blurt, my echoes breaking the silence. “So not only do I need to travel around this strange world, I’ll also need to babysit five babies until they’re adults? I’ll be an aunty by then!”

“Oh no, it won’t take that long, it’s only sixteen years.” Zobito replies with a smile in her eyes, as if it’s not a big deal. “I promise I will accompany you throughout the entire journey. I have done this thousands of times in the past. I cannot thank you enough for entrusting me.”

“That’s easy for you to say.” I slump back into the hay. “You sleep for hundreds of years. I’m just a teenager with a long list of video games waiting for me to play.”

“I hope the quest will be more exciting than these ‘games’ of ‘video’ you speak of. The scribes shall etch your bravery into the tapestry of history.” She smiles and gestures gracefully toward the cavern entrance, where I can see the storm has begun to clear. “We shall journey from here to the great cities and hidden sanctuaries where the Celestial Princesses await. Some noble families may already know their destiny, whilst others slumber unaware of their true nature. But the time has come for all of them to awaken to their purpose.”

I get up reluctantly. I thought this would be an epic adventure of action and magic. Sigh, looks like I’ve signed up to a long, boring ancient family soap series. I mutter. “Fine… let’s go and get this over with… in sixteen years.”

“That’s the spirit!” Zobito beams. I don’t think she registers sarcasm.

The storm has finally passed, and we step out of the cavern into a world… that takes my breath away. The sky is painted in shades of lavender and gold, with wisps of cloud that look like they’ve been brushed by an artist’s hand. Even in the morning, faint glimmers of stars still linger high up. In the distance, I can see rolling hills covered in what looks like silver grass that catches the light and shimmers like water.

“Wow…” I rub my eyes. Echoes of deep bird songs catch my attention, I look up to see a few giant yellow birds, being followed by several flocks of varying hues, gliding across the now peaceful sky.

“The Shen Continent stretches far beyond what your eyes can see. Those hills lead to the Heartland Empire, where our journey begins. The Earth Princess awaits us there.” Zobito stands beside me, her stardust catching the light and creating tiny rainbows around her. “Ahead of us is the town of Yulan Corner, let’s head there to gather supplies and information.”

She points toward a cluster of buildings in the distance—simple wooden structures with curved roofs that remind me of traditional Chinese buildings I read in history books, but somehow more elegant, more alive. Smoke rises from chimneys, and I can almost hear the sounds of smiths’ clangs carrying on the wind.

“This place is starting to feel like my family roadtrips.” I say, surprising myself with how true it feels.

We begin walking toward the village, and I notice how Zobito moves with such grace that she almost seems to float above the ground. Her metallic surface catches the light in ways that make her look like she’s made of liquid starlight.

As we slowly walk down the hill covered in long grass, it’s too quiet, so naturally I want to fill the silence with some chatter.

“Oh hey, I haven’t introduced myself yet. My name’s Peach. Nice to finally properly meet you.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you too, Ms Peach. May I ask which world you are from?”

“I’m from a place called Taipei.” I want to test if Zobito can register humour, so I quip. “I’m a princess there too, y’know.”

Zobito stops beside me, her eyes glow up, and performs a full prostration like I’m being worshipped. “Oh my! It is a great honour to welcome the advent of your royal highness to save our world, Peach Princess.”

“Okay… this is waaaay too much! And that princess title sounds so icky. I quickly pull Zobito off the ground. “Ack! No, no. It’s alright. Just ‘Peach’ will do. I like to stay… low profile.”

The stars in Zobito’s eyes blink a few times, and she slowly stands back up. “Oh, acknowledged. Nice to meet you, Ms Peach.”

I pat Zobito’s back a few times. “Phew… better… well, let’s keep walking then.”

As we get closer, I can see the way the morning light catches the curved rooftops, the intricate patterns carved into wooden doorframes, the colourful banners that read “Heartland” and “the great Yao dynasty” fluttering gently in the breeze. The village seems to breathe with life, and I find myself walking faster, eager to explore.

“I’ve never seen a real vintage town before,” I admit to Zobito. “I mean, I’ve seen pictures and stuff, but this is… it’s like stepping into a fairy tale.”

“I am sorry, I do not know what you mean by ‘vintage’.” Zobito replies, her scopes brightening. “I sense you are delighted by the environment. The people have always had a gift for creating beauty in their settlements. I enjoy studying each establishment’s own character, and their own stories.”

We’re close enough now that I can hear the sounds of daily life—children laughing, the rhythmic clang of metalwork, the soft murmur of conversation. A few people have noticed our approach, and I see them pointing and whispering to each other.

“Should I wave or something?” I ask Zobito, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “I don’t want to seem rude.”

“Perhaps a simple greeting would be appropriate,” she suggests.

“Good morning.” Zobito politely greets the townsfolk with a gentle bow.

I raise my hand in a tentative wave, and that’s when everything changes.

The first person to see Zobito freezes, their eyes widening in shock. They drop whatever they’re carrying—a basket crashes to the ground, sending dates rolling in every direction—and start backing away, pointing and shouting something I can’t quite make out.

“Demon! Yaoguai!” someone screams, their voice cracking with terror.

“Metal spirit from the Underworld!” another voice cries. “It’s come to turn us into the undead!”

“Has Móyuān returned to devour us?” A man clutches his chicken to his chest, his face white with fear.

“Run! Hide the children! Lock the doors!”

The peaceful scene transforms into chaos as villagers scatter in every direction. A cart overturns, spilling grain across the cobblestones and catches on fire. A dog barks frantically, adding to the cacophony. Doors slam shut, windows are barred, and I can hear the sound of locks clicking into place. Wait, why did that cart catch on fire?

I turn to Zobito, who stands completely still, her scopes dimmed as if she’s trying to make herself smaller. “What’s happening? Why are they so scared of you?”

“I… I had not considered this possibility,” she says quietly. Her stardust seems to flicker uncertainly around her, and for a moment, she looks smaller. “In my previous awakenings, the Celestial Princesses were already known to their communities, and the mortals would be expecting my arrival.”

The silence that follows is deafening. Even the birds have stopped singing. The village feels like it’s holding its breath, waiting for something terrible to happen.

Then, from the edge of the square, I hear the sound of marching feet and clinking metal.

“Oh dear,” Zobito whispers, her stardust spiraling downward like falling stars. “It sounds like the Imperial Guards.”

Then, a group of guards gather in the square. They’re wearing forest green uniforms, clad in leather and chainmail armour, and wielding their sais. Their faces are filled with fear and determination.

The guards slowly gather themselves and get into their martial arts stance, their weapons gleaming in the morning light. I realise this soap series might not be boring at all. This might get ugly.