Prophecy: For one moment, the story of Da-Xia

Sixteenth century, during the Ming dynasty. A girl, Da-Xia, is walking through the countryside of Jiangsu. The sun is out, but, but it is a rather cold day. She is enjoying nature. Out of the blue, she hears the chime of bells from the nearby village, and takes this as a sign that she needs to get back. Young women shouldn't be out in the wild on their own, after all. They should be helping their mothers make silk.

Da-Xia makes her way back to the village, the pathway surrounded by lychee trees. What beautiful fruits, she remarks in her head, admiring them as she walks along. But all of a sudden, something off catches Da-Xia's eye. A piece of...

"Paper?" she asks out loud. And it is hanging on the branch, dancing in the breeze. A low branch, at that. Who could resist?

Checking that nobody is watching her - for she, let us not forget, is a girl getting herself into many misadventures - the curious Da-Xia stands on her tiptoes, and lifts her hands up. She is quite surprised to find that the piece of paper was well within her reach. Not three seconds later was it firmly clasped in her warm hand. She opens up the little piece of paper - it had been folded into quarters. And on it were some strange-looking characters.

Da-Xia cannot read.

This meant she would need to ask her older brother, Bohai.

Back at the family home, after dinner, she took him to one side. "Hey, I need to ask you a favour."

"Anything, little sister."

"Could you tell me what this says?"
Bohai's face went blank. "Where did you get this from?"

"To tell you the truth... I found it."
"It could belong to somebody important, you know, and we will get in trouble if we get found out."

"Just don't tell Father, and we'll be fine." Da-Xia sighed. Not for the first time ever, she reflected upon the fact that her brother was intelligent - but often overly cautious.

"Very well." Bohai took a deep breath. "After the delicious consumption of this cookie, a fortune awaits. Depending on the beholder's actions, though. the consequences of this fate could be disastrous. At any given time, a boy of the name William will be born. True; many boys of the name William will be born. But this one is a rather different story. After it is realised that he is the William you have waited for, it will be far, far too late."

Both Da-Xia and Bohai had been so mesmerised by the words of this prophecy, that they had not even noticed that the pleasant spring day was now greying.

The sounds of all chirping birds had also disappeared.

All that was left was the shadow of a crow - which then landed at the feet of the siblings - looking up at them with a certain sense of the sinister.