Jian Zhung watched the moon approaching the sun. Citizens across Zhongdi feared the day of the “feixing huo xi”… the flying fire lizards.

Jian Zhung guided his cattle far from his barn and wheat fields. Eighteen months ago, his neighbour lost his livestock to a collapsing, flaming barn roof.

The moon began covering the sun. Darkness spread across his land, and within seconds, it was covered in shadow as far as eyes could see.

Flickers of flame came to life in the bordering woods. Small salamanders sprouted wings, their bodies sheathed in flame, and they took off in a frenzied swarm. When they came together, they looked like a dragon’s fiery breathe.

As long as feixing huo xi remained airborne, all was well. Catastrophes only happened if they landed.

The event lasted five minutes. Jian Zhung was lucky.

Far off in the distance, a pillar of black smoke rose into the sky, just as the darkness lifted off the countryside, and the sun shone once more.

“Someone was unlucky,” Jian Zhung muttered to himself.