The Poppy War, #3
The Burning God
by R. F. Kuang
Contents
Chapter 29
Overview
Rin launches her Arlong assault, using decoy columns while she infiltrates the Dragon’s grotto. Pipaji’s poison fails against Nezha, Dulin dies, and the Dragon devastates Rin’s force. The Phoenix cannot overcome it. Nezha shields Rin and bargains himself to halt the catastrophe, until a Hesperian lightning craft attacks; Rin destroys it and the Dragon withdraws. Rin rescues Pipaji, and she and Nezha separate without resolution.
Summary
Rin reaches Arlong’s Red Cliffs as her decoy columns encircle the city with loud bombardments to distract Nezha. Leaving Kitay observing from above, she descends to find the Dragon’s grotto, following a trail of jeweled offerings into a cave lined with macabre trophies.
Nezha arrives alone by sampan. While Rin stalls, Pipaji sends poison tendrils across the water. The venom briefly courses through Nezha but his god-given resilience repels it. Nezha crushes the counterattack, drowning Pipaji and casting Dulin into the depths.
Rin closes to grapple, then ignites underwater to break free. The commotion rouses the Dragon, which erupts from the grotto and instantly annihilates Rin’s remaining troops. At the Phoenix’s urging, Rin relinquishes control; a cataclysmic clash of fire and water follows, but when her flames subside the Dragon is unharmed and the Phoenix recoils.
As the Dragon turns toward Arlong, Nezha shields Rin with water and then attempts to pacify the god by invoking his dead brother, Mingzha. The waters begin to recede as the Dragon yields to Nezha’s offer—until a Hesperian lightning craft swoops in, projecting bolts that first sever Rin’s link to the Pantheon, then torture Nezha through his conductor circlets. Forced to choose, Rin incinerates the dirigible, ending the strike.
The Dragon retreats to its grotto. Rin staggers ashore, revives the barely living Pipaji, and confronts a shattered Nezha. Realizing his circlets were built to channel Hesperian experiments on a shaman, she grasps the cost he has borne. They exchange few words—duty versus desire—and, unable to strike a killing blow, Rin turns away as Nezha also withdraws.
Who Appears
- Rin (Fang Runin)Leads the Arlong assault, awakens the Dragon, fails to burn it, destroys a Hesperian craft, rescues Pipaji, and spares Nezha.
- Nezha (Yin Nezha)Confronts Rin at the grotto, survives Pipaji’s poison, kills Dulin, shields Rin, offers himself to the Dragon, suffers Hesperian lightning.
- PipajiPoison shaman; attempts to corrupt Nezha but is overpowered and nearly drowned; later revived by Rin.
- DulinEarth shaman; fails to collapse the grotto and is killed by Nezha during the confrontation.
- KitayRin’s tethered strategist; remains on the cliffs to observe the assault’s progress.
- Dragon of ArlongAncient river god; rises, massacres Rin’s troops, resists the Phoenix, and retreats after the Hesperian attack ends.
- Hesperian pilot/weaponSmall lightning craft attacks, briefly severing Rin’s divinity and torturing Nezha; shot down by Rin.