Li Mei and Prince Zhao pushed through the heavy iron door at the end of the secret passage. They emerged onto the high stone ramparts of the Northern Gate. The air was cold and sharp. To the east the sky was turning a pale gray color. The stars were fading as the sun prepared to rise over the city of Chang'an. Li Mei used her sense of smell to scan the area. She identified the scent of cold stone and the bitter smell of the Empress Dowager's lavender perfume. The Empress stood near the large bronze signal bell of the gatehouse. She was alone because her guards had been defeated in the gardens.
The Empress Dowager held a small jade dagger in her right hand. Her silk robes were dusty and torn. She looked at Prince Zhao with a gaze that showed her pride. She was a complex antagonist who believed that her actions were necessary for the strength of the empire. She did not show fear even though the protagonist had trapped her.
"The sun will rise and show a city that is no longer the same," the Empress Dowager said. "My lunar warriors have changed the history of the Tang forever."
Prince Zhao walked toward her with slow and steady steps. He was the main character of this story and he represented the justice of the imperial line. He did not unsheath his sword. He looked at the Empress with his obsidian eyes. The gold light in his eyes had faded because the frequency of the bells had stopped. He was fully human again.
"The history of the Tang is built on the people and not on monsters," Zhao said. "Your vision of an invincible army was a dream built on poison."
Li Mei stood beside Zhao. She held the last glass vial of the neutralizing compound. She used her golden finger to detect the final traces of the arsenic trigger in the air. She realized that the looming crisis was almost over. The scent of the werewolf curse was disappearing as the morning breeze blew through the palace.
"It is over, Your Majesty," Mei said. "The physicians in the tunnels are already treating the survivors. Your power system has collapsed."
The Empress Dowager looked at the city below the gate. The 108 wards were quiet. The purple haze had vanished. She realized that her kingdom building project had failed. She raised the jade dagger but Zhao moved with his invincible speed. He grabbed her wrist and disarmed her. This was a moment of victory for the protagonist after a long and difficult journey.
"You will face the tribunal of the imperial court," Zhao said. "You will answer for the deaths of the physicians and the soldiers."
The sun began to crest over the horizon. The first rays of light hit the bronze bell. The metallic scent of the dawn filled Mei's nostrils. She felt a strong emotional connection to Zhao as they stood together on the ramparts. They had survived the apocalypse and the traps set by other humans. The sexual tension between them was now a quiet bond of mutual trust.
"We have saved the city," Mei whispered.
Zhao looked at her and smiled. This was a touching highlight for the readers who had followed their journey. The protagonist had successfully cleared her father's name and the Prince had regained his humanity. They watched the sun rise over the capital of the Tang Dynasty. A new era was beginning for Chang'an.