A young boy ran down a muddy, rain-slicked road, singing a simple yet inspiring song about the rise and fall of a grand empire, an ancient realm that had once sheltered all living beings as absolute equals under the sky.
The lyrics could easily be dismissed as foolish, idealistic fantasy, yet every soul who heard the boy's clear voice felt a sudden, profound longing to believe in his words.
He skipped along the path, jumping cleanly over potholes filled with murky water. He wore a single piece of coarse brown cloth that functioned as neither proper shirt nor trousers. Eons ago, the fabric might have been pristine white, but the relentless wheel of poverty and decay had stained it beyond recognition.
Still, a wide, radiant grin brightened the boy's face, and his eyes burned with an unyielding zest for life. Wherever he passed, he left behind a morsel of pure joy that infected everyone in his wake.
