The Poppy War, #3
The Burning God
by R. F. Kuang
Contents
Chapter 21
Overview
Rin, Jiang, and Daji reach the Heavenly Temple and revive Yin Riga with a blood ritual. Riga immediately asserts brutal control, exposing that he delivered Speer’s children, including Altan, to the Federation. When alliance proves impossible, Rin signals Nezha’s fleet, triggering a catastrophic battle that obliterates both the Hesperians and the Trifecta. Rin narrowly escapes, believing herself the lone survivor.
Summary
Seven days after reaching Dog, Rin ascends Mount Tianshan with Jiang and Daji while Kitay remains below. Dirigibles shadow the climb but hold distance in the mountain’s blinding mists. At the Heavenly Temple, Daji and Jiang sacrifice a fawn to break the Seal and awaken Yin Riga.
Riga rises, instantly dominating the chamber. He humiliates Daji, paralyzes Rin, and probes her mind, then reveals a memory: he personally took Altan and other Speer children to Dr. Shiro and the Federation. Realizing Riga will never treat her as human, Rin tries to burn him, but the Phoenix is suppressed. In the ensuing fight Riga overpowers Rin until Jiang intervenes and is wounded.
At Jiang’s urging, Rin flees outside and unleashes a towering beacon of fire to draw Nezha’s fleet. The airships converge and open fire as Jiang’s unleashed beasts surge from the temple, and a cataclysmic exchange engulfs mountain and sky. Rin leaps onto a dirigible to escape, bails to the rock face before it crashes, and survives the bombardment.
When the explosions cease, smoke and silence blanket Tianshan. Rin laughs at the ruin, convinced the Trifecta and the Hesperian fleet are destroyed. She limps downslope through wreckage and a final failing airship’s fire, vowing survival and believing herself alone.
Who Appears
- Rin (Fang Runin)Protagonist; climbs Tianshan, witnesses Riga’s cruelty and confession, fails to ally, lures Nezha’s fleet, survives the annihilation.
- Yin RigaDragon Emperor; revived by blood ritual, terrorizes Daji and Rin, reveals delivering Speerlies to Shiro, battles before presumed destruction.
- Jiang (Ziya)Gatekeeper; helps break the Seal, is cowed by Riga but ultimately shields Rin and urges her to summon the fleet, wounded in the clash.
- Daji (Su Daji)Vipress; conducts the ritual, is abused and humiliated by Riga, linked to his past crimes, likely perishes in the bombardment.
- Nezha (Yin Nezha)Commands the Hesperian-backed dirigible fleet; encircles Tianshan and bombards the temple after Rin’s beacon.
- Altan TrengsinAppears in Rin’s memory and Riga’s vision; revealed as among Speer’s children Riga delivered to the Federation.
- PhoenixRin’s god; initially suppressed by Riga’s power, later unleashed to signal the fleet; exults in the devastation.
- Dr. Eyimchi ShiroFederation surgeon; seen in Riga’s memory receiving Speer’s children, including Altan.
- Kitay (Yang Kitay)Rin’s tether; stays below with troops, faintly shares the Phoenix’s laughter through their link.