Ashiqui

“Taking place in an alternative universe during the 18th century, Ashiqui is a tale about love, self-discovery, and hardships. This story begins with Raiszadah, the Goddess of Fire, as she tearfully mourns the death of her loved ones. In despair, she attempts suicide by drowning herself in the sea of Zo’ar. Alas, her immortal blood binds her to the living realm preventing her death. Sinking to the bottom of the sea, Raiszadah goes into a deep slumber, where she stays isolated from the mortal world for several years.

In an act of defiance, Jahei, the God of Water, convinces her to continue living and revives her from her catatonic state. Once revived, Raiszadah begins to have strange dreams of a young boy whom she has never met before. Plagued by nightmares, she begins to question if this is just a dream or a prophecy. Meanwhile, Zhou Bai is sold to a gang of slave traders by his abusive grandfather shortly after his mother dies. At the mercy of evildoers, Zhou Bai is forced to work at a brothel where he suffers from constant sexual abuse, and violence at the hands of local thugs. The result of this traumatic experience leads a young Zhou Bai to become a shell of his former self.

As time passes, Zhou Bai is tired of his life as a prostitute and seeks comfort in suicidal thoughts. Desperate for a solution, the boy ends up praying to the Goddess of Fire, begging her to have mercy upon him and end his miserable life. After hearing his pitiful pleas and having reoccurring dreams of Zhou Bai, the Goddess decides to embark on a journey to find him and save him. Unbeknownst to Zhou Bai, Raiszadah devises a plan with the help of Jahei, to uncover her connection to this young boy and rescue him before it’s too late.”

~Riri-sensei