A middle aged Asian man sits in a luxurious limosine, sipping on a cup of tea. He ponders the golden glowing cup. A secret brew of which only he knew the ingredients. It was 'Immortal-i-tea'. A smile graced his lips; he laughed inwardly at the quaint pun he'd coined when first learning English.
He is simply known as "The Dragon" and his minions say it with great respect. Those that stand against him say it with fear. He is an ancient Chinese mage who seeks "The Box of Ten Thousand Wonders". Long ago his name had been Xian Ti, but only he remembered it now. The name others used for him now was chosen to embue him with the power of the Dragon and make him the rightful ruler of Heaven.
He was the second grandson of Emperor Yao; his elder brother was to be emperor and Xian knew this from the time he was old enough to understand what being the Emperor meant. His elder brother continued in the foolish policies of his father and banished Xian for merely suggesting that the sacred box be used to their benefit. Instead, his brother locked and hid away the box and Xian never saw it again.
Emperor Yao had been first to touch the magically activated box and was changed into the Jade Dragon. The Jade Dragon who had ascended to Heaven; there to rule the Celestial Realm as a just and mighty God. Just! Had his grandfather ever granted him any of his wishes? Had he ever accepted any of his offerings? Just indeed!
The Dragon's father had been a frightened fool; he had forbidden access to the artifact after his father, Emperor Yao, had received the most wonderful of gifts. Surely he, the immortal grandson of God, was noble enough, intelligent enough and powerful enough to use the box as he pleased. He would take the box and use it to ascend to Heaven as his grandfather had and challenge his grandfather's right to rule.
He knew his grandfather would be strong, but he also knew that he had vast knowledge on his side, he had spent centuries in study of the Celestial palace and centuries in study of tactics and magic. He also had a well equipped army to storm the gates of Heaven. His army, Buried deep in the Gobi desert and undisturbed for thousands of years, were a million or more clay warriors that would be his to command when he reached the Celestial city of the Dragon Emperor. The Dragon had taken great pains to insure that those clay warriors remained intact, hidden from all magics and spying, and undiscovered by science.
The dragon pondered as he poured another cup of the golden tea. Was he not worthy of beig a God? Had he not proven his worth to rule as the Dragon Emperor of Heaven? Had he not discovered, through his own magics and keen insight the elixir of immortality so many had failed to find? It kept him forever young, forever in his prime. Had he not been the one to create science and had it not served him as well as it's twin, magic? He remembered how a great great great grand nephew of his was foolish enough to drink mercury in the vain attempt to secure immortality for himself and died horribly, driven mad by the toxin. Of course, the Dragon knew better. He knew the real secret... and he would keep it to himself.
The Dragon had feelers out everywhere and one or two had triggered. The box WAS here, on this plane, but now it was gone. He needed information and his unwitting underlings in the FBM were just that. They had absolutely no idea who really pulled the strings. The Dragon was one of maybe a handful of powerful people who could pull such strings and one of only four who were attempting to ascend using the box.
The Dragon wanted to be first. He did not want the other three mages to get the box. He would use it and destroy it and then he would ascend to Heaven for a family reunion... one the Jade Dragon, Ruler of Heaven would not be expecting!
It was unfortunate that the Celestial Emperor also had operatives here on this plane. He knew the Monkey; Yaun Xu was prancing around in the form of a man known as Felix Tal... He would be a problem if the Jade Dragon were to aid him.