The Gold Lotus

A.D. Dauphinais

Description

This is an epic tale; a fantasy replete with grand romances and countless avenues leading to divine love. Venture through diverse time perspectives and complex mythologies of the Gods in this multi-dimensional drama, inspired by ancient Asian principles. The Gold Lotus is a dance in written form; a saga with a rhythmic delivery that will transport you through intricate plots, legendary wars, unsettling separations, and passionate love, unbound.
Manifested in a time of darkness and war, the celestial being Kānu prepares for a journey brought on by Muniji, the minstrel saint, to face a destiny that stands between destruction and salvation. Weaving through the ways of love and power, the almighty Kānu will learn to become the saviour of his heavenly kingdom while discovering the deepest desires of the heart and defeating evil – both within and without.
As the heavenly kingdom yearns for its saviour, a formidable and broken God of War comes to battle with an unpredictable foe that has bested the mightiest of warriors before him: finding the lost love capable of fulfilling the void in his heart. What (or who) he finds as the answer proves to be a riddle never before encountered by the revered warrior. Alongside Kānu and a kingdom of mystical beings that oversee the forces of existence, the celestial war for balance is far from won and the stakes grow higher with every heartbeat.

Sujets

• Fantasy (canción de Mariah Carey)
• Action-adventure
• Historical fantasy
• Action-adventure game
• Magic realism
• Ancient history
• Fairy tale
• Historical fiction
• Epic
• High fantasy
• Romance
• Drama
• Fiction
• Fantasy

Informations

• Publié par: ORO Editions
• Date de parution: 12 avril 2021
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9781954081468
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 6 Mo

Extrait

Contents
Prologue
Imperial Heavenly Realm’s Distress
On a Bright Star
Dragon and Demons
In a Bamboo Forest
Fire Sacrifice/Last Chance
Birth of the Creator
No Gain Without Love
Muniji Warns Yaksha
The Jade Flute
Demon-Killing Melodies
Dreaming of a Friend
Capture the Beauty
Kānu in Heaven
Lāda’s Manifestation
Earth Is Saved
Lāda’s Selection of Friends
Kānu Goes to School
Lāda’s Sense Awakening
The Wheel of Time Turns
Kānu as a Young Man
Kānu’s Remorse
Lāda’s Protective Shield
The Messenger
Waterfall Rendezvous
Fairy Realm War
Messenger Confusion
Yonggan Passing By
Kānu Disguised as His Father
Vidhi Helps Haoren
No Lāda
Wedding Announcement
Secret Grove
The Crown Prince’s Desire
Spring Dance
The Empress Summons Lāda
The God of War’s Wedding Preparation
Lāda’s Love Despair
The God of War Visits Quanyin
Havoc from Yaksha’s Hair
Goddess Wedding Preparation
The God of War’s Wedding Day
Fire Realm Battle
Fight Reward
History of the Fire and Water Realms
Megui Returns
Yanmei’s Arrival at the God of War’s Palace
Healing Bath Dance
Art of Deception
History of the Naga Tribe
The Empress’s Grand Plan
Yanmei’s Seven-Day Deadline
Midnight Escape
The Distraction
The Goddesses Visit
The God of Prosperity Receives a Letter
Invitation to Trial
Day Six: An Attempt to Meet the God of War
The Snake Ring
Engagement Trial
Day Seven: Final Deadline
Kānu Won and Lost
The Empress’s Crimes
Lāda’s Mercy
Mangal’s Heroic Attempt
The God of War Fights for the Wrong Side
Cleanup
The Naga Empress’s Judgment
The God of War’s Redemption
Yonggan’s Coronation
Tricky Predictions
A Heart with Thorns
Testing the Waters of Love
Phoenix of Destruction
The Emperor’s Inner Demon
The New Crown Prince
Steaming Hot Bath
Lingering Fears
Fire Attack
Smouldering Investigation
Three-Fanged Cobra
Bed of Roses
Kānu’s Surprise
Brahma’s Meditation Is Broken
Union of Eternal Love
Sleepless Night in the Oasis of Love
The Emperor’s Ghosts
Water and Fire
The God of War’s Boon
Throne Ploy
The Goddess of Medicine’s Story
The Twin Princes’ Twist
Moon and Phoenix Fate
Jail Romance
Soul Contract
The Myriad-Eyed Crow
Love Waters Run Deep
Heavenly Tyranny
Blood Moon Awakening
Moonstone Predictions
Hell Is Coming
The Dark Empress
Lotus in Captivity
The Diamond Swan Goes Home
Crestfallen Emperor
Withering Lotus
Quanyin’s Ascension
Rays of Utopia
The Shores of Reincarnation
The Ink of Your Eyes
The Celestial Worlds’ New Rulers
Kānu’s Ripple
Fleeting Clouds
Colourful Flashes
The Dawn of My Story Glossary About the Author
Published By Goff Books,
An Imprint Of ORO Editions
www.goffbooks.com
[e-mail]
Copyright © A. D. Dauphinais 2021
Text Copyright © A. D. Dauphinais 2021
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying of microfilm, recording, or otherwise (except that copying permitted by Sections 107 and 108 of United States Copyright Law and except by reviewers for the public press) without written permission from the publisher.
eISBN: 978-1-954081-46-8
Executive Publisher: Gordon Goff
Editor: Alejandro Guzman-Avila
Development Editing And Copyediting: Stephanie Marohn
Proofreading: Kirby Anderson
Character Artwork: Marie-Eve Soleil
Book Cover Design: Damian Scott And Sarah Cunard
Map Design and Ebook Conversion: Brooke Biro
Book Layout: Pablo Mandel
Special thanks to my husband for all his support during my author phase —A.D.D.
Library of Congress data available upon request. World Rights: available.
A. D. Dauphinais
The Gold Lotus
Thousands of Cupid’s Arrows on the Battlefield of Love


Prologue
“How long have I been floating in this pool of amniotic fluid? Only darkness lingers around me.” His small hands touched his almost naked body. “Why am I covered in saline waters – are these water drops or tears? I can clearly see memory lines carved deep into this gold pistil, probably pollinated by bees of a preceding era. Where do I come from, who am I?”
Yearning to unearth the truth about his origins, having just recently opened his unique eyes, one of pure, radiant gold and the other a shining sapphire, he figured he was sheltered in an enclosed gold lotus drifting into oblivion. He, who had no name, touched one of the dazzling stigmas.
Then a bright, golden light glided toward the pistil as the gold lotus flower began to fall apart; stamens, petals, sepals dropped into the cosmic sea. The capillary receptacles began to swell as the fertilised ovule at the base of each pistil developed into a seed. The receptacles broadened and slowly began to ripen. The first peduncle to mature manifested the origin of all creation.
A large white dragon with countless coils upon coils floated on the ancient undifferentiated waters. Upon his gigantic coils lay Iswara, the Original One, plunged in yoganidra – the great slumber. All the elements, all creation, all of time were withdrawn into the Blue God and layed dormant like fire slumbering in a piece of wood. The three gunas – virtue, passion, and darkness – were perfectly balanced and nothing stirred anywhere. Perfect equilibrium held all things in immaculate abeyance. The Ocean was infinite, as was the white dragon afloat upon it, and the sleeping Blue God lying on the coils.
Then kaala, the spirit of time, disturbed the balance in the three gunas. Passion thrust out from the Blue God’s navel as a slender stalk, a fine umbilicus. The stalk reached high into the firmament and unfurled in an immense, brilliant crystal lotus that shed its conscious light everywhere.
Iswara, the Source of all creation’s spirit, flashed up through the stalk and entered the refulgent goliath lotus. Then he created another form: Brahma.
Brahma thought he was born of himself. He found himself alone and self-learnt the ancient dharma (Vedas). With wide eyes, he looked around him and found that he gazed in all directions simultaneously, for he had four heads.
All he saw was shimmering, blue water stretching away endlessly. Brahma saw he was seated above a giant crystalline lotus. He peered down the stalk of the flower, white and gleaming, but could not see from where it sprouted. He went down the tubular stalk for what felt like ages but did not find its root. As he was ready to give up, the waters of the infinite sea spoke to him through their waves, saying, “Tapa, Tapa, asceticism, asceticism.”
Brahma shut his eyes and sank into a plumbless meditation. For a hundred cosmic years, Brahma sat immersed in soul-searching. Then he suddenly saw the Creator of all creators, the Blue God, whose eyes stared at him as if the moon and the sun were showering refreshing and brilliant lights. Brahma was instantly enlightened; he knew his life mission was to serve his only Master and manifest an endless sea of possibilities – multiple worlds and multiple beings.
Before the almighty Blue God disappeared, he shared a few words. Upon hearing his Master’s heavenly voice, Brahma’s body trembled with emotion, for the ambrosia of the Almighty’s speech was so sweet he wished he had been created with thousands of auricles.
The Origin of all manifestation shared, “I have imbedded all knowledge into your heart. Listen carefully and manifest all realms according to your mental capacity. When the stage is set and the constellation of divine love perfectly aligns with the lethal star of destruction, I, the Almighty One, will personally dive into this creation to reset the endless play.”
Brahma stretched out like a staff at his Master’s lotus feet. The Blue God vanished. Brahma understood that this universe was only one of an infinite number of subjective realities. With a sincere desire to please his Master, he thought, “I have to manifest a variety of flavours so my God can relish them when he personally visits this creation”. He thus fashioned fourteen realms; the lowest was Patalaloka and the highest above all was his personal dimension, Satyaloka. Only his personal assistant whom he fashioned first – Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge – could reside by his side. To prevent any disturbance, he created an impassable barrier, known as the Vija River, and fashioned two, four-headed Fu dogs as its protectors. Earth was located at satya, the connecting middle belt of this universe.
The created beings’ lives drew shorter as they manifested toward the middle girdle and extended in time and existential years as they expanded from below as above. The lower and the higher sections were equally balanced, creating t