The spectral ninjas immediately pounced upon Li as though Wandering Crane did not exist... and Li responded with terrific ferocity.
A dozen of the beasts gave out eerie-high pitched yelps as they swarmed Li, their spears and swords tracing deadly green patterns through the air. Li's speed surprised even Wandering Crane, and his strikes cut most of them down before their blades had a chance to reach him. Golden light burst from his fists and feet as they pounded into his assailants and utterly vaporized them.
More descended upon him, and their otherworldly weapons broke upon his stout frame. Though Li was without his spear, the malevolent spirits found their ranks being destroyed by farm implements, hurled bricks... and an ox-cart.
Li had vanquished all that had attacked him... but Wandering Crane could see that more of the horrific assasins were pouring out of the town's well.
Crane could see that Li had their attention. So he went to his knees, assumed the lotus position, and began chanting under his breath. Crane cast his senses out to touch the magic of Creation, taking it into himself, molding it with his will and his words.
The Exalt's aura flared at the infusion of sorcerous power, forming into a golden crane. The summoning gave a piercing cry and began flapping its wings. Each sweep dislodged glowing golden feathers and whipped the pinions into a storm. The ethereal feathers flew out like so many arrows and perforated many of the assassins, dispelling their foul forms. A couple avoided the onslaught and dove upon Crane, who had to cease the incantation prematurely to avoid the attack.
More incorporeal assailants burst up through the ground around Li, as though the earth below hid untold numbers of restless graves. By the dozen they emerged from the ground as though they were and endless wave, and Li was buried beneath what Wandering Crane could only estimate to be more than a hundred of them.
Crane stood still a moment... it appeared Li had been overwhelmed. But before he could cry out or invoke another celestial power, flashes of light began to erupt through the swarming mass of biting, stabbing ghost ninjas.
The Spear God emerged, climbing his way to the top of the clawing spirits, knocking them aside with stomps, fists and elbows. Finally he leapt into the air hanged still, supspended for a moment as he reared back one of his thick arms and screamed toward the ground. His descent scattered the hellish minons, sending their rent and disintegrating bodies flying through the air. Li hit the ground and a large boom rang throughout the hills, and all was enveloped in clouds of churning black dust.
As the smoke cleared, Crane could see Li crouched upon the ground with one knee, his right palm pressed upon the earth. He had reduced the land in a near 30-foot radius to a crater of smoking glass. A pale white aura of fire flickered about his massive frame, and his eyes glowed with the same intensity of his caste mark.
Crane whispered to himself. It was true. All of it.
"I know that technique... Vengeful Heaven Palm. I... I can hardly believe it."
Spear God Li stood, a faint smile upon his face as he scanned the village for any further signs of hostility. Finally his eyes fell upon the astonished Wandering Crane. He paused for a beat as they stared at one another.
Crane just stares at Li for a moment longer before a smile crosses his face and he chuckles.
"What? Oh nothing. Nothing at all." Just like old times.
The smile faded as he remembered they weren't done here. "Hmm. Let's look around some more. I didn't like that laughter we heard as the those skeletal beings attacked."
Phoenix took to the streets of Yu-Shan at a leisurely pace. Her home was small, but quite close to the Manse of Forbidding Ivy. No need to use the many modes of faster transportation that were scattered about Yu-Shan.
A faint frown touched her face as she studied the sky. Sol was winning again, which was a shame. Jupiter had been in the lead for almost three days until Luna had dethroned her a few hours ago, and now the Sun once again claimed his usual position. "Damn. I had a few bets on that, too."
After a few minutes, she pushed through the usual crowd in front of the Division of Secrets to find Kung Laoi waiting with the transportation to the tournament. Phoenix bowed deeply, her fans catching the ever-rising sun with the motion, sending a rainbow of color sparkling across the crowd. "I am prepared, master. Shall we proceed to the tournament?"
"Indeed," was all the elder Sidereal said before they entered the elaborate rickshaw.
--
The apparitions vanquished, the village lie still for a few short heartbeats. And then a black wispy ichor began to flood up through the well. Wandering Crane, his mind keenly aware of the different types of geomantic energy, immediately recognized it as necrotic Essence, the fuel of the Underworld.
As the essence of death permeated what was left of the village, the deadly assassins began to partially rematerialize, a faint shadow of their former threat. They sheathed their blasphemous weapons and backed away from the two heroes as the black energy bubbled up from the well.
"heeee coooommessss" the spectres hissed reverentially. They spoke in perfect unison, their voices raspy and grating.
A black gauntlet reached over the lip of the well and pulled, and as the black-robed knight drew itself out of the well, Li's expression soured.
"The Harbinger," he said quietly, dropping into a fighting stance immediately as the Abyssal drew up to his full height. He was no longer clad only in robes--the garment was draped over soulsteel dreadplate, the souls of the unfortunate damned permanently encased in the armor, swirling about its matte black surface, their mouths locked in open, tormented rictus.
And with one final gesture, he lowered his hand back into the well and pulled free a new weapon. It was the blade of the same scythe he had used at Fort White, reforged into a new relic of Abyssal might.
The Harbinger rested the tip of the great sword on the dirt as the red embers burned in place of his eyes. His baleful gaze met Li's own.
Crane shook his head to clear the residue of sensing this most foul Essence. "He stinks of death and the Underworld. His kind is not meant to walk Creation."
Still, Crane was unsure what this being truly was, he did not have the true stench of a deathlord nor the feel of one of the Neverborn's lesser servants. There was something of a corrupted mortality in him. Could this be one of the rumored 'deathknights'?
Whatever his origin, Crane knew the thing needed to be fought. At best, he intended to corrupt the Essence of this valley and create a new shadowland.
After moment of silence another hand reached out of the well and a second black-clad figure pulled itself out of the well.
It was not robes that were discarded, but living shadows; as the miasma fell away it revealed itself to be a comely woman in gossamer. Her face was veiled but there was an equally menacing air about her.
"You shamed me on our last battle, Spear God. No distractions..."
He stabbed his sword into the ground and the world turned gray and lifeless and the black-purple Necrotic essence spilled around Li. Crane yelled out, but before Li could respond the image of he and the strange woman who crawled out of the well after the Harbinger faded away.
It was he and the Harbinger alone in a dark shadowy mirror of the village...
They were in the Underworld.
--
"Li! He's using Necromancy!" Crane yelled as he took a heavy step through the swirling black essence. It stuck to his boots and legs like glue, weighing him down. It was too late, however - the skull-clad deathknight and the Spear God had faded into the black ink, leaving the sorcerer alone with the woman.
"It's been a long time since I've had a meal," she said airily. She raised her hands, which Crane now noticed were wrapped in heavy bandages. The evil essence around them rose up and enveloped her hands and Crane could hear the wrappings dissolving. When the essence bled back into the miasma, he saw that her hands were grotesque and wicked - overly long fingers tipped with unnaturally sharp claws dripping with poison.
She reached up and pulled away her veil revealing a face cold and beautiful. Her eyes contained nothing, simply black pools. And then she smiled. Saliva dripped from shark teeth.
Li, you idiot. You just had to ask him if he wanted to go back to Hell, didn't you? Blast it man, you know better than to say something like that. I hope Crane's okay... attractive women in black who show up at times like this are pretty much guaranteed to be demons.
"Alright... you didn't die when I killed you up there... let's see if it works down here!"
The Spear God's caste mark flared and his skin began to shine like polished bronze. He charged the Harbinger. An ox-cart that just happened to be along the way was swept up by his giant arms, and he heaved it at the Abyssal warrior as he advanced. The Harbinger, though caught off guard, split it with his scythe, the two halves of the cart flying to either side of him.
But he was staggered by the sudden display of might, and his blade flashed in wild arcs. Astonishingly, Li turned aside the impossibly sharp blade with bare hands and forearms... and the next moment found the Harbinger launched into the air by one of Li's powerful fists.
The Spear God leapt, grappling his abominable foe in the air to prevent the scythe from reaching his skin... it seemed as though he would smash the creature upon the ground during their descent, but suddenly the beast seemed to change shape even as he gripped it. Li lost his advantage, and was thrown to the side, his descent smashing a tree and cleaving it nearly to the stump.
The Spear God was up and running almost immediately, his thick hands reaching for the Abyssal even as it floated to the ground... he turned aside another flurry of strikes, deflty positioned himself inside the Harbinger's gaurd. The Spear God stunned the abyssal with a palm strike to the face, and then dropped his hand to grab him by the throat.
The Harbinger struggled as Li's powerful hand choked him, and the Spear God threw him like a javelin into a stone building nearby, demolishing it entirely. His chest heaving from exertion, Li stood at the ready as the smoke began to clear. Unfortunately, the Harbinger stood up from the middle of the rubble, scythe still in hand.
"I'm actually a bit impressed, Demon. You've learned a thing or two since the last time we met."
In the space it took to draw another breath, Li raised his left leg and brought it down like a hammer, letting loose a ground-splitting wave that rippled outwards toward the deathknight. Even in his armor, the Abyssal easily leaped over the tremor. Li was suddenly in his face, a corona of solar fire surrounding him as he drove his elbow forward. It hit the flat of the Harbinger's blade and was turned aside.
The momentum from the parry pushed the two back and Li stretched his feet out to send the Deathknight hurtling toward a tree. He hit the trunk with both feet and flipped forward, thrusting his wicked blade into the ground as he righted himself. With that motion, Li's offense became a frenzied defense as the essence of the Underworld itself formed black tendrils that whipped and spiked toward him with lethal intent. He blocked and parried each cut and thrust with his bronzed arms all the way to the ground.
Can't let him put me on the defensive!
The Spear God rushed forward and his fists exploded with righteous, holy fire. He made contact with the Harbinger and as they passed each other, Li felt the bite of the Abyssal's blade and the necrotic essence beginning to seep into his own Solar essence, dulling his senses.
Still, the sacrifice was worth it - even as the poison sank into his body and tried to sap his strength, he saw that the price he had exacted on the Abyssal was far greater - brackish blood dripped from a stump where the Deathknight's sword-arm had been, the blade now in the exalt's off-hand.
The Harbinger grunted.
"Still so strong, even in the Underworld. Underestimating you is a mistake I won't make again."
Before the Spear God could begin another attack, the Deathknight's blade flashed and a green cut in the ground opened up. He leaped in and the black essence seeped over the gash, filling it in like blood clots in a wound, and the Spear God was left alone in the Underworld's mirror image of the village.
"So this is the Underworld, then. Hm. Must be a nice neighborhood, I was expecting something a lot worse. Ugh... damn that stings."
Hissing shadows creeped and skittered about among the villiage. Li could hear them trying to creep past his peripheral vision. He shouted something to the effect of I've got plenty more than that came from, you little bastards among a litany of other unpleasant things. The poison in his veins was making him somewhat irritable.
He walked through the village, curious about this place from whence so many of his enemies had come. And oddly enough, one of them was there. The hairs on the back of his neck bristled. There was a porcine growl coming from between two of the buildings nearby that was building it its ferocity. He knew the sound... it was the grunting and snarling of No Shadow. It wasn't a noise one could forget easily.
He turned toward the noise and braced himself for the battle... and from between the buildings emerged a small pot-bellied pig with bristled hair black as the night itself. The noise that came from it was a great deal more formidable than itself. Li immediately began laughing.
"Ahahahaha! No Shadow? Cut you down to size, didn't I. Oh, this is completely worth having been tossed into the underworld. If I'd known I'd have brought you some table scraps, little guy!"
Enraged, the small pig charged him with a high pitched war cry (of sorts) brandishing its tusks. It took very little effort on the Spear God's part to punt him several yards away. The pig who once strode the world above as No Shadow, fearsome terror of travelers was now running away squealing in anguish.
"Come back for some more when you've grown a bit, No Shadow! And if I catch you rooting up anyone's vegetables, you'll be bacon!"
Li smirked. He had thought it was a pretty good joke. It might've been the poison getting to his head. He also heard the sounds of what sounded like cheerful voices coming from somewhere in the village. He made his way there, and found that one of the houses was lit, and singing voices came from within.
My Ocean Darling rest thee well
my love the wind an' waves will tell
from your land i sail away
for a sailor cannot stay...
One day with my feet on land
my tracks be seen across the sand
down into the Ocean Deep
there forever for to sleep
Li tensed his muscles opening the door, and was surprised to find that it contained three human men, sharing drink together.
"Hallo there, Lad! Sit down an' have a drink with us, ya look right weary."
"Thanks," answered the Spear God as he grabbed the bottle, "I wouldn't mind it at all."
He exhaled sharply as he took his first swig from the bottle. Baiju. Burns like fire and makes a man shout like thunder. The good stuff.
"What has brought you among us, Li Chiang Shen?"
"How do you know my name?" asked Li, pausing his drinking.
"Oh, you are quite famous around here, young man," answered the second, "All sorts of things talk of you. Shadows, stones, trees, squirrels... apparently you're their least favorite of people: an honorable warrior."
"Yeah, I suppose I am famous. Ha! Have you seen No Shadow?"
"Oh yes, he's quite upset at his physical state here in the underworld."
"Well, he deserves it. That's what you get for strangling old people and pilgrims on the Road. And then, at the end of the road, I get attacked by this undead army, led by this demonic jerk."
"Oh my!"
"I know, right? Anyhow, me and my friend, Deep Torrent Ajoris... say, you heard of him?"
"Nobody's mentioned him."
"Well maybe that's for the best. Anyway, he helped me take them down. And then, that Demon shows up again!"
"No manners at all."
"Yeah! And then he gets me down here and poisons me, then I ripped off one of his arms and he ran away!"
"Unsportsmanlike... downright dishonorable!"
"Tell me about it. Ugh, the wound burns something fierce, too. I usually heal fast - the downside is it's hard to get good and drunk - but anyway, this thing still hasn't closed." Li splashed some Baiju on it... the burn of the alcohol wasn't much compared to the poison itself. "Hm. Well, at least it looks clean. Thanks for the bottle, you guys are all right."
"It's our pleasure, lad."
Suddenly a sound like the clash of steel and stomp of feet briefly sounded outside.
"The hell was that?" exclaimed Li, straightening up in his chair.
"Oh... probably a scuffle up above. Nasty one too, usually we can only hear the big ones, like gods or dragons fighting... that sort of thing."
"Yeah well... I'm going to check it out."
Li went to the window and drew the curtain. Nothing.
"Maybe you guys were right. Do you know how I can get back up --"
Li immediately shut up when he turned. The men who had sat at the table were lifeless skeletons, completely still, their cups frozen in their hands. Within each of their skulls there shone a small light. The Elders used to say that the witches of the worlds beyond would keep a man's soul like a candle in his own skull. It sent a small shiver up his spine.
"Well that's a new one. Thanks for the drinks, guys. It's nice to meet someone friendly for a change. I'm glad you still have your souls, take good care of 'em."
Li, bottle in hand, walked out of the house and in the direction of the noises. He hoped that if he was hearing Crane fight some lady (who had to be a demon, the mysteriously appearing ones with nice curves pretty much always are) that it was going in Crane's favor. Perhaps it was the occasion or the inebriation, but Li felt a song on his lips that he couldn't help but begin to sing softly. An old song from his homeland, in the guttural tongue of the people who live among the deep forests of the east.
Perhaps I'll bid farewell, never to return,
can you understand, do you understand?
Perhaps I'll fall and never rise again,
do you still want to wait, to wait forever?
If it's to be like this: don't cry for me my love,
Black Soil's shadow has our blood-stained glory.
If it's to be like this: don't cry for me my love,
Black Soil's shadow has our blood-stained glory.
Battle was joined simultaneously in the world of the living. Crane and the woman traded blow after blow, both of them striking, blocking, dodging in a perfect dance as the wind rustled through the leaves. It was a silent yet intense affair as beads of sweat trickled down the two Exalt's brows.
The two clashed a final time, the boneclaws of the shark-mouthed woman raking down Crane's golden-hued staff. They broke apart and appraised each other once again. While he wasn't worried, per se, the way she moved was unsettling... and familiar. Indeed, the ease with which they engaged in the beautiful art a moment ago... it unlocked a memory buried and ancient.
The First Age...
Sun trickles into the room through precisely placed slits in the roof, filling the chamber with crisscrossing spears of light. It is an affectation Owl enjoys, and it serves two purposes.
There are only two in the small room.
"Your feet pass through the points where the Sun touches the Earth. You exult in it while our enemies shun it."
The woman next to him begins to mimic Owl's movement and at the same time their caste marks burn to life as they begin infusing essence into their katas. Twilight and Eclipse.
The Present...
Crane blinked away the memory, his mind once again pulled into the present. He opened and closed his mouth.
"I thought our reunion would be a happier one, Cara."
The shark-mouthed woman tittered through her teeth.
And again they clashed, pouring essence into their strikes, their animas flaring and clashing, a swirl of golden feathers dissolving against a black ink cloud filled with tiny shark-filled mouths.
Invisiblecastle is down right now so I'll have rolls up at some point. either way there needs to be some roleplaying in response and not just more punching
Saffron Paths Neverending leaned against an orichalcum pillar just outside the Jade Pleasure Dome. Spirits of all shapes and sizes milled past in the endless shuffle that was Heavenly Bureaucracy. He gave a light shrug as a perfectly calibrated breeze brushed past, ruffling his hair and clothes just so.
"Haha, well, I don't have to tell you it's kind of a punishment."
Phoenix heaved a sigh and slumped next to the pillar, sliding to the ground. "Obviously," she said quietly, her eyes tracking the endless spirit procession in front of her. Saffron knelt and placed an arm around her.
"Hey, come on, it is a vacation. We don't get them often, so you can at least try to enjoy it."
The Present...
She swayed atop the horse as the noonday sun beat down upon her mercilessly. Ignis must have locked a great victory in the dome today for him to be beaming so brightly, Phoenix thought dryly. She had to admit though, it felt good to be back in this familiar place as painful as the memories were.
Thankfully it was trade season in the East, and in under an hour the Sidereal rode through the gates of Fort White alongside many other trade caravans. She was in a familiar place in a familiar skin. Yet the passage of time had changed things in Helz and things had changed in her. The people were wary and there was an air of unquiet filling the place that had not been there a little over a year ago.
Still, she could try and enjoy her vacation... and libraries were relaxing.
Viridian Phoenix quietly slipped through the entrance to the library of Fort White. A veil hung across her face, her features dulled by astrology that had once concealed her as a scholar inside these halls. It seemed a century ago. Had it really been such a short time since Li had interrupted her reading?
Focus on why you're here, Phoenix. It all began here. Deathknights, Li, Dragon-blooded. There is something in this place that calls to destiny. You overlooked it before, the eager scholar seeking new knowledge from her companions, but now...
She murmured a soft apology as she brushed past one of the few scholars who stayed in the library. He barely noticed her, the constellation of The Mask concealing any distinguishing features she held. She smiled to herself. Saturn descends, this time of year. And so Kaila Vesef vanishes, strands of the Loom lost forever.
At his desk in a small corner of the library, the clerk sniffed officiously, looking over a list of books and permissions. He pushed his falling spectacles up his nose three times before noticing the woman standing in front of him, and he started with surprise.
"Oh, I didn't see you there! Can I... help you with anything? Looking for someone?"
Phoenix smiled beneath her veil, answering quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I need access to the deep archives. The key hung underneath the desk. I can pay you in jade."
The clerk's eyes widened. "But... only the Master of Fort White ever goes down there! I guess I could let you in, but... I'd have to put your name down. For the file, you see?" He held up a small piece of parchment, which had the same characters inscribed, over and over, once for each season of the year for the past dozen years.
Phoenix nodded, and gracefully placed a pouch full of clinking jade on the desk, and in the same motion, drew the clerk's pen from between his fingers, signing her name on the paper.
The clerk nodded, and handed a small key over, his hand shaking slightly as he looked at the pouch, his spectacles almost falling off before he remembered to catch them. When he looked up again, the woman was gone.
"Shadowed Orchid... what a strange woman."
Phoenix sighed as she turned the small key. Another archive full of dusty tax records, the same as every other fort in Helz. Or perhaps... something more? Either way, it was her last stop before Sinopochtli, and days spent buried in files were nothing new to the young Sidereal.
The roiling animas, darkness and light intertwined, perfectly reflected Crane’s mind. He continued to block, attack, and counter but his thoughts were racing. Could it be true?
When the two broke contact for a moment, Crane spoke, “Cara… What’s happened to you?”
The demon snickered, “Cara? Oh, Cara’s dead. She would talk to me in dreams. Until I ate her, anyway.”
Crane stared, incredulous, “No… No!” It couldn’t be true.
The women laughed, “She was weak. You are weak.”
“That’s enough!” Crane charged the creature, his anima flaring.
It just laughed and the battle was joined again. This time though, Crane’s rage lent him strength and speed. As angry as he was though, his mind still saw patterns and anticipated counters. The demon lady soon found herself on the defensive. Gathering her own dark anime close, she shouted, “This has gone on long enough. Now let me show you true power!” With one motion and a single dark Word, the teeth-filled shadow cascaded toward Crane. Caught off guard by the intensity of the attack, Crane could not leap out of the way.
His anima protected him from the worst of the attack but the shadow wave threw him across the square as the toothy maws raked at his limbs. The force propelled him through a house before finally dissipating. As the rubble settled in around him, something clicked. Everything was so clear now, how could he have missed it?
The dark lady leaned forward, hoping to see Crane’s broken body or hear a cry of pain. Instead, she heard laughter and saw the Solar Exalt rise from the destroyed building.
Crane, still smiling, spoke to the women, “You say you are not Cara. You say you are not the girl I trained. You say you are not the women I love. You Lie. You are as much Cara as I am Tai-Yun.”
The shark women simply stared at him, “You deny your own eyes then, fool. I would kill you where you stand if your sorcerer tricks did not protect you. I am not the young weakling you taught your weakling ways. I am stronger then her and I am stronger then you!”
Crane shook his head, “Ah, the arrogance of youth. Allow me to demonstrate.” As he spoke, Crane rushed forward, twirling his golden-hued staff. After a few attacks were exchanged, the Exalt spoke again, “You react to my attacks instinctively, beginning the counter almost before the blow lands. As I would expect Cara to do, who saw these same tactics day after day.” The lady simply gnashed her teeth and said nothing, intensifying her attack. As the two fought on in silence their animas boiled in the sky above, inky blackness and golden radiance vying for dominance.
Then Crane saw what he’d been hoping for and spoke, “Your movements and counter-movements also betray your identity. You fight as Cara did, you react as she would. ” He set himself up for a strong right kick and watched as his opponent shifted balance to take the strike and counter-attack in the moment where Crane would be vulnerable. Instead, Crane abandoned the strike and thrust his staff forward at her legs. Twisting the weapon through a complicated movement, he broke her stance and struck her left knee, knocking her to the ground. In a flash, Crane stood over the demon, his flame-wreathed staff pressed to her throat. “And that means your stance is rigid, strong but brittle, easily shattered at the right moment.”
She growled and spat, “You have beaten me by trickery. End it then.”
Ignoring her words for the moment, Crane shook his head and said “You never could see the truth, Cara. Now, I hope you learn from this. After all, was it not said that ‘Know your enemy and know yourself and win one hundred victories. Know your enemy but not yourself and risk defeat in everything.’” Crane looked down at her and smiled, “End it? It has just begun.”
He leaped backwards and took up a guard position. Then he spoke the same words he’d said to Cara, all those years ago. “Now, my dear, show me what you’ve learned.” Outside, Crane seemed calm. Inside, he prayed he was doing the right thing.
"I will show you to your grave!" the Moonshadow howled, her voice shrill and piercing like a banshee's.
The duel continued in that same deadly dance; strike, block, step, strike, block, step, strike, strike, block, step... until a light pierced the darkness. Like the dawn, a ray of light pierced the shadow and the gloom receded from the world. Color slowly returned to the village as the Abyssal and the necrotic essence shrank away from the pillar of light.
Crane smiled, for it was just as in ages gone by; as the shaft of light slowly dimmed, Li stepped forward, his caste mark burning furiously, his anima burning the remaining globules of underworld essence. He drank the last remaining wine from the jug and discarded it. "Good job, Crane - looks like you're a pretty good fighter. She scratched your staff though."
Wandering Crane nodded, his eyes wandering to the small wound that still hadn't closed. The skin around it was already starting to blacken. The woman's eyes followed and she began to laugh in short hisses.
Like a thunderbolt Li rushed forward, planting his palm on the woman's solar plexus. There was a sickening bone crunch as the woman staggered and fell backwards spitting brackish blood.
"This... isn't... over..." she wheezed, crawling backwards toward the remaining necrotic essence.
"You aren't going anywhere!" Li roared, leaping forward, his body once again enveloped in holy fire. However, by the time he landed in the pool of bubbling black essence Cara had already dissolved.
Meanwhile...
It had been a boring three days since her arrival in Fort White. The records in the library were, as she suspected, mostly tax records. However, there were a few choice scrolls that contained illuminating, if brief, treatises on local religious beliefs as well as politics.
"Diao Xiu Pa is a very interesting man," she remarked to the clerk idly as he drifted by. She knew he had been spying on her; at regular intervals he would shuffle by, pretend to organize the same set of tomes, and linger far longer than he should.
"Yes, well, he is a scholar of some repute. He travels the Hundred Kingdoms and chronicles the lore. We are very lucky to harbor a collection of his works."
"Hmph. The bastard ran away after I ripped off his arm. And I've been drinking with skeletons."
"Ah."
"Damn... I think he poisoned me, too! Can you believe that? Take a look at this wound for me, Crane. It burns like Hell and the baiju is starting to wear off."
"By the Sun's Light, that's a nasty wound. Lets see what can be done." Crane used a small sorcerous crafting to see auras and energy flow. The wound looked like a black spot amidst Li's golden aura and Crane could see tentacles of death energy extruding from the wound, attempting to grow and spread corruption.
Crane took a deep breath and willed his own anima to flare, concentrating the golden energy in his right arm. He placed his right hand over the wound and pushed the energy into the dark cut, working to overwhelm the necrotic essence and force it from Li's body.
*Insert Mystical Hoodoo or Ancient Chinese Secret roll here.*
The black essence seeping into Li's being recoiled violently to the infusion of Solar power; Li fell to one knee with a gasp. It felt like someone was driving electrified rods into his flesh as the malevolent poison within began to pop and seethe.
Crane stopped and Li's shoulders slumped, the agony receding to a dull throb that threatened to crack his skull open. His eyes swam with colored spots.
Li stood, painfully exhaling as his wound continued to seep. He cracked the joints in his neck and back and widened his eyes a bit as his vision came back into focus. And the pain was starting to make him angry.
"I've been cut with weapons, mauled by bears, bitten by tigers, crushed by rockslides... but this is something entirely different. If you can't do it, how in Creation am I ever going to close this damned thing? Have you ever been poisoned, Crane? It's very unpleasant."
"Causing unpleasantness is generally the idea of poisoning." Crane rubbed the back of his head, "I am stumped, this foulness reacts like it is a dark mirror of our power. Trying to smother it is like fighting a fire by starting other fires all around."
"Well what the Hell (if you'll pardon the expression) can cure it?"
"I've heard that there are powerful Celestial tinctures, elixirs, infusions or liquors that --"
"You mean wine?"
"Well... yes, Jow is literally the word for such things, but it is meant to convey the process of --"
"Sounds great. Where can we get some?"
"Once again, Li, I cannot say for certain. I doubt there is any such thing in Creation. If there were, it would be a product of the First Age sitting in some mouldering treasury, or perhaps a fourmula might be found in ancient texts. Perhaps --"
"Wine, treasure... and texts... hm."
"I... can't say that the way you said that does not arouse my suspicion."
"Crane. Remember Fort White? Well, it's all that not far from here. There's a library there, and it's bound to have some sort of old stodgy stuff like this in it."
"And how would you know that?"
"There was a... a scholar who I met there some time ago. She was the sort of person who didn't go to libraries for common knowledge. I can't say I'd care to go back, but it's the only idea I have Crane. I'm sorry it's not a particularly good one."
Li seemed as though his thoughts troubled him. He tried to shake the sensation quickly, and return to the task at hand.
"We should get going anyway, and let the Hill God know what transpired here."
Phoenix dropped the last pile of scrolls on the table. Every single scroll, pored over for details on what could have made Fort White such a nexus for powerful destinies on the Loom of Fate. Laboring under the Sign of the Mask, she hadn't been bothered by any of the authorities, the warped threads of her Resplendent Destiny escaping notice unless she drew attention to them. Shadowed Orchid. The second name I've worn in this town. One of dozens I've held in my lifetime, but one of few that I've worn. It's strange, how no one seems to see my presence in this place. The Mask is truly shattered, thanks to my overconfident peers.
She reflexively muttered a curse to Kung Laoi and Chejop Kejak under her breath, unrolling a scroll that looked yellowed and ancient. A cloud of dust lifted from the scroll, and then she heard a short, swift cough coming from behind her. And... everything started to fall together. He's been watching me. I'm wearing The Mask. My resplendent destiny should protect me from casual observance. I did not make a great impact on him, I moved within the sign, and within the sign only.
She didn't turn around. She had a feeling that Destiny hung heavy on her next move.
Her mouth opened and closed soundlessly once or twice as she thought over her next words.
Then she spoke, in the language of the Old Realm, the language of the Primordials and the Gods, the demons and the dead.
"You should not be watching me. Tell me your secrets." If he is just a man, he shall think I am reading from the scrolls. If he is something else... he will know.
"Yes, we should be moving. This place still reeks of the Underworld." Crane looked at the remains of the village, "A shame, this town felt at peace with itself and the land around it."
He nodded, "The Hill God will want to know that two Demons attempted to birth a Shadowland in his territory. And journeying to Fort White after is as good a plan as any at the moment. I don't think your wound will get much worse quickly, but I just don't know."
"I'm sure it was, Owl... I mean, Crane." Li shook his head vigorously. Things were still a bit foggy. "They were simple people, somewhat like the folk where I'm from. They don't ask for much, and don't have the means to take much, and so the land sustains them... even if they aren't even trying.
"As for the... Shadowland? It seemed like a trap specifically for us, Crane. I feel terrible about that. If it's the case we brought trouble upon those poor people, even if we didn't mean to. I've already brought ill fate to those who didn't deserve it. Is this really our lot in life?"
Wandering Crane and Spear God Li ambled their way back to the Hill God, who was indeed concerned about the presence of the Underworld in his domain, yet grateful that the two adventurers seemed to have extinguished it. Li vowed to him that he would return soon to make sure that his hills were safe.
As the day progressed, Li and Crane walked in the direction that, according to Li, would take them to Fort White. The Spear God was sweating profusely, despite the fact that it was a lovely day. Crane took it as a good sign. His body was doing what it could to shed the physical aspects of the poison. His kidneys appeared to be doing their part as well, which was evidenced by a grimace and growl of pain that Li expressed when he stopped to relieve himself. Indeed, it was the Solar's powerful resilience alone that seemed to be keeping him alive.
The spiritual aspects of the poison, however, disturbed him a great deal more. The color of the wound, and the color of some of Li's veins in its vicinity was a bad sign. As was his occasional stumble, though he would take up no offer to help steady himself. The Spear God stripped down to his loincloth due to the "heat", and Crane (ever practical) insisted that he carry the rest of his clothes so that he could dress again at Fort White. The wound continued to seep a dark bile, which they dressed as well as they were able.
Finally, they came to a crossroads, complete with a large 'hanging tree' that appeared rotted from within, and likely not to have been used for some time as a result. Li was rambling on, which he had begun doing ever since he gathered some mushrooms to "boost the yang chi of the five organs" in order to keep his body fighting off the poison. The other components may have been having some effect on him as well.
"You see?" said Li, wiping his brow. "This is the crossroads, here... the road headed West leads to Fort White. You know how I know that? There used to be a road demon that haunted the place. He's just a nasty little potbellied pig now, but back then he was an awful demonic thing with a pig head and a barbed whip.
"He was called No Shadow. You know why? He didn't have a shadow, like many ghosts that can't stand the light of day... and he could only take a physical form if he walked in the shadow of another. At twilight, when the sun is over the horizon yet long shadows fall, his ghostly form would creep out of that tree, and he'd creep into the shadow of someone walking toward Fort White. Now, he couldn't attack them just like that. They had to turn and look at him. The trick was to keep walking but a lot of people didn't know that.
"Oh, and I was the one sent him back to the Underworld. It was about a year ago, right before that time I killed the that bastard who poisoned me. I wonder how many times I'll have to kill him. My friend Ajoris was with me. Did I ever tell you about him?"
"Yes, Li," replied Wandering Crane. "Many times."
"He was a good friend. I should have been a better one to him. I miss him, Crane."
There was a brief silence as Li and Crane continued to walk toward Fort White down No Shadow Road... broken swiftly by more of his rambling, wild gesturing, and occasional compulsion to perform some of his martial arts routines.
A heaviness hung in the air as the sound of the clerk shuffling behind Phoenix slowed and stopped. She could feel him straighten up, felt his eyes now boring into the back of her skull.
The man's voice took on a familiar quality. Bakir.
"I did not expect you to return so soon to the East."
"I didn't expect to see you after your promises of aid never materialized. I should kill you where you stand. I can only assume you bear a message from your master, Larquen Quen?"
Phoenix didn't bother turning around. Fate would warn her if Bakir meant trouble, and he wasn't pretty enough that she wanted to stare.
Instead, she calmly unrolled one of the scrolls and began reading. It was more tax records, but she was right. These were ancient, records scribed while the land was in the grip of the Great Contagion. If she wasn't more concerned with weightier matters, she could have spent months studying these.
The gate guard sleepily leaned on his spear, as he often did. Travel had been sparse to Fort White for nearly a year, and people were just starting to come back. The scare with demons and undead had made it a place to avoid for some time. But it was still rather boring. He noticed two figures approaching in the distance, but they were not close enough to discern who exactly they might be. However, he could see that they appeared to be debating with one another.
"I don't know if this is going to work, Crane... why did I have to put my clothes back on? It's hot."
"Just trust me, Li. I'm the smart one, right?"
"...Yeah."
"Your wound is well-dressed for now. Don't pull at it, we can't have you looking like you're diseased. Just act... a bit drunk or something. I'm pretty sure you know how to do that."
"Wine would help."
"For the last time, Li: we are out of wine!"
The two men finally reached the gates, and the guard didn't seem to be quite concerned with the situation, until he saw the size and barbaric haircut of one of them. The other looked more or less unassuming.
"State your names and your business here."
"My name is Crane. We have come to stop for a short time on the road. We are here to restock your provisions. This is--"
"Iron Ox Li! I'm a performer and storyteller," the Solar said, slurring just a bit, "and I intend to make a bit of coin and spend it all while I'm here!"
The guard regarded them suspiciously. It would be a good thing two get some out-of-towners about to stimulate the economy, but there was something a bit odd about them.
"Where are you from?" he asked Li.
"Further East! It was a long walk."
"Where in the east?"
"I'm not good with maps. Village, trees... what else is there?"
"...are you drunk?"
"Not at all, I'm thirsty, I could use a --"
"What my friend means to say," interrupted Crane, "is that he is severely dehydrated. We've been walking for some time without any water and need to get some rest and provisions while we are in Fort White."
The guard leaned on his spear and scrutinized them again. He enjoyed being able to exercise his authority, but was starting to get weary of the conversation.
The man looked back and forth between Li and Crane again. He opened his mouth to say something, stopped, and grunted. He waved them forward. "You look pretty bad, Iron Ox. If you plan on making money you should get some rest. Move along."
Phoenix bit her tongue for a long moment, struggling to control her temper. It wouldn't do to make a fuss under her resplendent destiny. The spiders never liked it when she acted out of character. "Ah, yes. The aid I specifically requested to reach my goals. I most certainly had no use for it whatsoever. I had no plans that ran deeper than the surface of the conflict between the Dragons and the Sun." Her voice was harsh, a tense grip crumpling the edge of the scroll she read.
"But then, I'm faced with a greater mystery. You are here, you remember me, and you saw through Fate itself to identify me. You are a man of strong will, and superior perception. Not to mention acting as a double-dealing agent between powers far, far greater than yourself. Considerable bravery."
Phoenix turned on her heel to face Bakir, her eyes glimmering with Jupiter's green, fingers resting on the prayer strip at her belt.
"Tell me, Bakir, before I lose my patience and remove you from Creation. Why are you here?"
Should I roll or something for this? I don't even know.
Well, I will. Phoenix is using her Courtier's Manners(5) to attempt to pry a straight answer from Bakir.
1. Biting sarcasm
2. Flattery with a hint of truth.
3. Implication of supernatural threat.
4. Outright demand for information.
Wow. Phoenix is a bitchy courtier. Of course, she does have ample reason to grudge Bakir. Bakir a dick: 3,2,1,2
s'four successes.
"Madam," Bakir said quietly, "it was not my decision to make whether or not you received your aid. I am merely a representative, a broker, for my benefactor; I would not be so foolish as to double-deal on either end, I can most certainly assure you."
His voice did not crack or quiver underneath the very real threat of total obliteration.
"As for why I am here," he continued, "There are many reasons, some of which I suspect mirror your own. Curiosity and an interest in the lore of ages long past."
His speech quickened as Phoenix began to tug at the prayer strip. "My master has many allies, many supporters, but also many enemies and many rivals. There has been a glut of activity in this region as of late, some of which are his rivals' hands, and some that are not. He knows that you are drawn to these events and sees that the information that could be gleaned would be beneficial to the both of us. He is interested in a pooling of resources, madam."
"A pooling of resources?" Phoenix snorted derisively, and she tossed the prayer strip into the air between them, where it glimmered an emerald green, hanging in the strands of Fate connected to Bakir.
"Imagine what your life would be like if you could keep no secrets, Bakir. Would your master kill you? Or would I? After your pitiful show in our last agreement, I would require something up front. A show of good faith, if you will. My trust is not easily regained once lost."
She sighed, pacing back and forth, fingers plucking at strands of Fate that Bakir had no way of seeing. Faint chimes of music echoed across the room, as a passing musician wandered by the only window in the chamber.
"What can you offer me, Bakir? I'm only here for research, these days. If you can offer me something tangible, that I can use, then you can keep your lips sealed. If you cannot..."
She sniffed, and placed her hands on the folds of her robe that hid her fans. "You're worthless to me, and so is your master."
Li gave a great booming guffaw as he danced around the tea house. It was dusk in Fort White and the night's revelry had begun, although Crane couldn't tell if Li's drunken demeanor was from the wine or the necromantic poison coursing through his veins or a mixture of both.
Giggling girls surrounded him as he plopped down into a chair with his wine jug. Crane saw the beads of sweat that trickled down his temples. He was in pain, but he refused to show it. The Twilight shook his head and turned to exit the small inn - he did not care for carousing and despite Li's merry exterior, he could tell that the poison was slowly eating away at his essence.
"Li," he said in one last attempt, "You said we were going to find a library. This is not a library!"
"Oh, come on, Crane... the last time I went to the library here in Fort White there was a pretty girl there... there's even more here! If anything, this is simply a better library! Plus I have to keep sampling the wine to see if any of it is... er... Sellesterial."
"You've never taken anything seriously, why should this be different! I'm going to find the library myself. When you decide to crawl out of that jug, you're welcome to join me." With that, Crane walked out into the twilight of Fort White.
Seeking a guardsman to get directions to the library, Crane walked down the streets with only his thoughts for company. Li must survive this poison, Crane would find something or someone that could purge the taint from him.
Posts
A dozen of the beasts gave out eerie-high pitched yelps as they swarmed Li, their spears and swords tracing deadly green patterns through the air. Li's speed surprised even Wandering Crane, and his strikes cut most of them down before their blades had a chance to reach him. Golden light burst from his fists and feet as they pounded into his assailants and utterly vaporized them.
More descended upon him, and their otherworldly weapons broke upon his stout frame. Though Li was without his spear, the malevolent spirits found their ranks being destroyed by farm implements, hurled bricks... and an ox-cart.
Li had vanquished all that had attacked him... but Wandering Crane could see that more of the horrific assasins were pouring out of the town's well.
The Exalt's aura flared at the infusion of sorcerous power, forming into a golden crane. The summoning gave a piercing cry and began flapping its wings. Each sweep dislodged glowing golden feathers and whipped the pinions into a storm. The ethereal feathers flew out like so many arrows and perforated many of the assassins, dispelling their foul forms. A couple avoided the onslaught and dove upon Crane, who had to cease the incantation prematurely to avoid the attack.
1d6=1 , 1d6=6 , 1d6=3
1d6=6 , 1d6=3
Unless I can switch some successes around, that reduces the Threat to 2 or 3, and I lose a point of Chi.
Crane stood still a moment... it appeared Li had been overwhelmed. But before he could cry out or invoke another celestial power, flashes of light began to erupt through the swarming mass of biting, stabbing ghost ninjas.
The Spear God emerged, climbing his way to the top of the clawing spirits, knocking them aside with stomps, fists and elbows. Finally he leapt into the air hanged still, supspended for a moment as he reared back one of his thick arms and screamed toward the ground. His descent scattered the hellish minons, sending their rent and disintegrating bodies flying through the air. Li hit the ground and a large boom rang throughout the hills, and all was enveloped in clouds of churning black dust.
As the smoke cleared, Crane could see Li crouched upon the ground with one knee, his right palm pressed upon the earth. He had reduced the land in a near 30-foot radius to a crater of smoking glass. A pale white aura of fire flickered about his massive frame, and his eyes glowed with the same intensity of his caste mark.
Crane whispered to himself. It was true. All of it.
"I know that technique... Vengeful Heaven Palm. I... I can hardly believe it."
Spear God Li stood, a faint smile upon his face as he scanned the village for any further signs of hostility. Finally his eyes fell upon the astonished Wandering Crane. He paused for a beat as they stared at one another.
"What?"
yang dice 3 and 1 - woohoo!
yin dice 1, 2 and 3 - no sweat!
aaaand coup de grace
"What? Oh nothing. Nothing at all." Just like old times.
The smile faded as he remembered they weren't done here. "Hmm. Let's look around some more. I didn't like that laughter we heard as the those skeletal beings attacked."
A faint frown touched her face as she studied the sky. Sol was winning again, which was a shame. Jupiter had been in the lead for almost three days until Luna had dethroned her a few hours ago, and now the Sun once again claimed his usual position. "Damn. I had a few bets on that, too."
After a few minutes, she pushed through the usual crowd in front of the Division of Secrets to find Kung Laoi waiting with the transportation to the tournament. Phoenix bowed deeply, her fans catching the ever-rising sun with the motion, sending a rainbow of color sparkling across the crowd. "I am prepared, master. Shall we proceed to the tournament?"
--
The apparitions vanquished, the village lie still for a few short heartbeats. And then a black wispy ichor began to flood up through the well. Wandering Crane, his mind keenly aware of the different types of geomantic energy, immediately recognized it as necrotic Essence, the fuel of the Underworld.
As the essence of death permeated what was left of the village, the deadly assassins began to partially rematerialize, a faint shadow of their former threat. They sheathed their blasphemous weapons and backed away from the two heroes as the black energy bubbled up from the well.
"heeee coooommessss" the spectres hissed reverentially. They spoke in perfect unison, their voices raspy and grating.
A black gauntlet reached over the lip of the well and pulled, and as the black-robed knight drew itself out of the well, Li's expression soured.
"The Harbinger," he said quietly, dropping into a fighting stance immediately as the Abyssal drew up to his full height. He was no longer clad only in robes--the garment was draped over soulsteel dreadplate, the souls of the unfortunate damned permanently encased in the armor, swirling about its matte black surface, their mouths locked in open, tormented rictus.
And with one final gesture, he lowered his hand back into the well and pulled free a new weapon. It was the blade of the same scythe he had used at Fort White, reforged into a new relic of Abyssal might.
The Harbinger rested the tip of the great sword on the dirt as the red embers burned in place of his eyes. His baleful gaze met Li's own.
Still, Crane was unsure what this being truly was, he did not have the true stench of a deathlord nor the feel of one of the Neverborn's lesser servants. There was something of a corrupted mortality in him. Could this be one of the rumored 'deathknights'?
Whatever his origin, Crane knew the thing needed to be fought. At best, he intended to corrupt the Essence of this valley and create a new shadowland.
It was not robes that were discarded, but living shadows; as the miasma fell away it revealed itself to be a comely woman in gossamer. Her face was veiled but there was an equally menacing air about her.
"You shamed me on our last battle, Spear God. No distractions..."
He stabbed his sword into the ground and the world turned gray and lifeless and the black-purple Necrotic essence spilled around Li. Crane yelled out, but before Li could respond the image of he and the strange woman who crawled out of the well after the Harbinger faded away.
It was he and the Harbinger alone in a dark shadowy mirror of the village...
They were in the Underworld.
--
"Li! He's using Necromancy!" Crane yelled as he took a heavy step through the swirling black essence. It stuck to his boots and legs like glue, weighing him down. It was too late, however - the skull-clad deathknight and the Spear God had faded into the black ink, leaving the sorcerer alone with the woman.
"It's been a long time since I've had a meal," she said airily. She raised her hands, which Crane now noticed were wrapped in heavy bandages. The evil essence around them rose up and enveloped her hands and Crane could hear the wrappings dissolving. When the essence bled back into the miasma, he saw that her hands were grotesque and wicked - overly long fingers tipped with unnaturally sharp claws dripping with poison.
She reached up and pulled away her veil revealing a face cold and beautiful. Her eyes contained nothing, simply black pools. And then she smiled. Saliva dripped from shark teeth.
Li, you idiot. You just had to ask him if he wanted to go back to Hell, didn't you? Blast it man, you know better than to say something like that. I hope Crane's okay... attractive women in black who show up at times like this are pretty much guaranteed to be demons.
"Alright... you didn't die when I killed you up there... let's see if it works down here!"
The Spear God's caste mark flared and his skin began to shine like polished bronze. He charged the Harbinger. An ox-cart that just happened to be along the way was swept up by his giant arms, and he heaved it at the Abyssal warrior as he advanced. The Harbinger, though caught off guard, split it with his scythe, the two halves of the cart flying to either side of him.
But he was staggered by the sudden display of might, and his blade flashed in wild arcs. Astonishingly, Li turned aside the impossibly sharp blade with bare hands and forearms... and the next moment found the Harbinger launched into the air by one of Li's powerful fists.
The Spear God leapt, grappling his abominable foe in the air to prevent the scythe from reaching his skin... it seemed as though he would smash the creature upon the ground during their descent, but suddenly the beast seemed to change shape even as he gripped it. Li lost his advantage, and was thrown to the side, his descent smashing a tree and cleaving it nearly to the stump.
The Spear God was up and running almost immediately, his thick hands reaching for the Abyssal even as it floated to the ground... he turned aside another flurry of strikes, deflty positioned himself inside the Harbinger's gaurd. The Spear God stunned the abyssal with a palm strike to the face, and then dropped his hand to grab him by the throat.
The Harbinger struggled as Li's powerful hand choked him, and the Spear God threw him like a javelin into a stone building nearby, demolishing it entirely. His chest heaving from exertion, Li stood at the ready as the smoke began to clear. Unfortunately, the Harbinger stood up from the middle of the rubble, scythe still in hand.
"I'm actually a bit impressed, Demon. You've learned a thing or two since the last time we met."
The momentum from the parry pushed the two back and Li stretched his feet out to send the Deathknight hurtling toward a tree. He hit the trunk with both feet and flipped forward, thrusting his wicked blade into the ground as he righted himself. With that motion, Li's offense became a frenzied defense as the essence of the Underworld itself formed black tendrils that whipped and spiked toward him with lethal intent. He blocked and parried each cut and thrust with his bronzed arms all the way to the ground.
Can't let him put me on the defensive!
The Spear God rushed forward and his fists exploded with righteous, holy fire. He made contact with the Harbinger and as they passed each other, Li felt the bite of the Abyssal's blade and the necrotic essence beginning to seep into his own Solar essence, dulling his senses.
Still, the sacrifice was worth it - even as the poison sank into his body and tried to sap his strength, he saw that the price he had exacted on the Abyssal was far greater - brackish blood dripped from a stump where the Deathknight's sword-arm had been, the blade now in the exalt's off-hand.
The Harbinger grunted.
"Still so strong, even in the Underworld. Underestimating you is a mistake I won't make again."
Before the Spear God could begin another attack, the Deathknight's blade flashed and a green cut in the ground opened up. He leaped in and the black essence seeped over the gash, filling it in like blood clots in a wound, and the Spear God was left alone in the Underworld's mirror image of the village.
Meanwhile...
Hissing shadows creeped and skittered about among the villiage. Li could hear them trying to creep past his peripheral vision. He shouted something to the effect of I've got plenty more than that came from, you little bastards among a litany of other unpleasant things. The poison in his veins was making him somewhat irritable.
He walked through the village, curious about this place from whence so many of his enemies had come. And oddly enough, one of them was there. The hairs on the back of his neck bristled. There was a porcine growl coming from between two of the buildings nearby that was building it its ferocity. He knew the sound... it was the grunting and snarling of No Shadow. It wasn't a noise one could forget easily.
He turned toward the noise and braced himself for the battle... and from between the buildings emerged a small pot-bellied pig with bristled hair black as the night itself. The noise that came from it was a great deal more formidable than itself. Li immediately began laughing.
"Ahahahaha! No Shadow? Cut you down to size, didn't I. Oh, this is completely worth having been tossed into the underworld. If I'd known I'd have brought you some table scraps, little guy!"
Enraged, the small pig charged him with a high pitched war cry (of sorts) brandishing its tusks. It took very little effort on the Spear God's part to punt him several yards away. The pig who once strode the world above as No Shadow, fearsome terror of travelers was now running away squealing in anguish.
"Come back for some more when you've grown a bit, No Shadow! And if I catch you rooting up anyone's vegetables, you'll be bacon!"
Li smirked. He had thought it was a pretty good joke. It might've been the poison getting to his head. He also heard the sounds of what sounded like cheerful voices coming from somewhere in the village. He made his way there, and found that one of the houses was lit, and singing voices came from within.
my love the wind an' waves will tell
from your land i sail away
for a sailor cannot stay...
One day with my feet on land
my tracks be seen across the sand
down into the Ocean Deep
there forever for to sleep
"Hallo there, Lad! Sit down an' have a drink with us, ya look right weary."
"Thanks," answered the Spear God as he grabbed the bottle, "I wouldn't mind it at all."
He exhaled sharply as he took his first swig from the bottle. Baiju. Burns like fire and makes a man shout like thunder. The good stuff.
"What has brought you among us, Li Chiang Shen?"
"How do you know my name?" asked Li, pausing his drinking.
"Oh, you are quite famous around here, young man," answered the second, "All sorts of things talk of you. Shadows, stones, trees, squirrels... apparently you're their least favorite of people: an honorable warrior."
"Yeah, I suppose I am famous. Ha! Have you seen No Shadow?"
"Oh yes, he's quite upset at his physical state here in the underworld."
"Well, he deserves it. That's what you get for strangling old people and pilgrims on the Road. And then, at the end of the road, I get attacked by this undead army, led by this demonic jerk."
"Oh my!"
"I know, right? Anyhow, me and my friend, Deep Torrent Ajoris... say, you heard of him?"
"Nobody's mentioned him."
"Well maybe that's for the best. Anyway, he helped me take them down. And then, that Demon shows up again!"
"No manners at all."
"Yeah! And then he gets me down here and poisons me, then I ripped off one of his arms and he ran away!"
"Unsportsmanlike... downright dishonorable!"
"Tell me about it. Ugh, the wound burns something fierce, too. I usually heal fast - the downside is it's hard to get good and drunk - but anyway, this thing still hasn't closed." Li splashed some Baiju on it... the burn of the alcohol wasn't much compared to the poison itself. "Hm. Well, at least it looks clean. Thanks for the bottle, you guys are all right."
"It's our pleasure, lad."
Suddenly a sound like the clash of steel and stomp of feet briefly sounded outside.
"The hell was that?" exclaimed Li, straightening up in his chair.
"Oh... probably a scuffle up above. Nasty one too, usually we can only hear the big ones, like gods or dragons fighting... that sort of thing."
"Yeah well... I'm going to check it out."
Li went to the window and drew the curtain. Nothing.
"Maybe you guys were right. Do you know how I can get back up --"
Li immediately shut up when he turned. The men who had sat at the table were lifeless skeletons, completely still, their cups frozen in their hands. Within each of their skulls there shone a small light. The Elders used to say that the witches of the worlds beyond would keep a man's soul like a candle in his own skull. It sent a small shiver up his spine.
"Well that's a new one. Thanks for the drinks, guys. It's nice to meet someone friendly for a change. I'm glad you still have your souls, take good care of 'em."
Li, bottle in hand, walked out of the house and in the direction of the noises. He hoped that if he was hearing Crane fight some lady (who had to be a demon, the mysteriously appearing ones with nice curves pretty much always are) that it was going in Crane's favor. Perhaps it was the occasion or the inebriation, but Li felt a song on his lips that he couldn't help but begin to sing softly. An old song from his homeland, in the guttural tongue of the people who live among the deep forests of the east.
can you understand, do you understand?
Perhaps I'll fall and never rise again,
do you still want to wait, to wait forever?
If it's to be like this: don't cry for me my love,
Black Soil's shadow has our blood-stained glory.
If it's to be like this: don't cry for me my love,
Black Soil's shadow has our blood-stained glory.
The two clashed a final time, the boneclaws of the shark-mouthed woman raking down Crane's golden-hued staff. They broke apart and appraised each other once again. While he wasn't worried, per se, the way she moved was unsettling... and familiar. Indeed, the ease with which they engaged in the beautiful art a moment ago... it unlocked a memory buried and ancient.
The First Age...
Sun trickles into the room through precisely placed slits in the roof, filling the chamber with crisscrossing spears of light. It is an affectation Owl enjoys, and it serves two purposes.
There are only two in the small room.
"Your feet pass through the points where the Sun touches the Earth. You exult in it while our enemies shun it."
The woman next to him begins to mimic Owl's movement and at the same time their caste marks burn to life as they begin infusing essence into their katas. Twilight and Eclipse.
The Present...
Crane blinked away the memory, his mind once again pulled into the present. He opened and closed his mouth.
"I thought our reunion would be a happier one, Cara."
The shark-mouthed woman tittered through her teeth.
And again they clashed, pouring essence into their strikes, their animas flaring and clashing, a swirl of golden feathers dissolving against a black ink cloud filled with tiny shark-filled mouths.
"A vacation."
Saffron Paths Neverending leaned against an orichalcum pillar just outside the Jade Pleasure Dome. Spirits of all shapes and sizes milled past in the endless shuffle that was Heavenly Bureaucracy. He gave a light shrug as a perfectly calibrated breeze brushed past, ruffling his hair and clothes just so.
"Haha, well, I don't have to tell you it's kind of a punishment."
Phoenix heaved a sigh and slumped next to the pillar, sliding to the ground. "Obviously," she said quietly, her eyes tracking the endless spirit procession in front of her. Saffron knelt and placed an arm around her.
"Hey, come on, it is a vacation. We don't get them often, so you can at least try to enjoy it."
The Present...
She swayed atop the horse as the noonday sun beat down upon her mercilessly. Ignis must have locked a great victory in the dome today for him to be beaming so brightly, Phoenix thought dryly. She had to admit though, it felt good to be back in this familiar place as painful as the memories were.
Thankfully it was trade season in the East, and in under an hour the Sidereal rode through the gates of Fort White alongside many other trade caravans. She was in a familiar place in a familiar skin. Yet the passage of time had changed things in Helz and things had changed in her. The people were wary and there was an air of unquiet filling the place that had not been there a little over a year ago.
Still, she could try and enjoy her vacation... and libraries were relaxing.
Focus on why you're here, Phoenix. It all began here. Deathknights, Li, Dragon-blooded. There is something in this place that calls to destiny. You overlooked it before, the eager scholar seeking new knowledge from her companions, but now...
She murmured a soft apology as she brushed past one of the few scholars who stayed in the library. He barely noticed her, the constellation of The Mask concealing any distinguishing features she held. She smiled to herself. Saturn descends, this time of year. And so Kaila Vesef vanishes, strands of the Loom lost forever.
At his desk in a small corner of the library, the clerk sniffed officiously, looking over a list of books and permissions. He pushed his falling spectacles up his nose three times before noticing the woman standing in front of him, and he started with surprise.
"Oh, I didn't see you there! Can I... help you with anything? Looking for someone?"
Phoenix smiled beneath her veil, answering quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I need access to the deep archives. The key hung underneath the desk. I can pay you in jade."
The clerk's eyes widened. "But... only the Master of Fort White ever goes down there! I guess I could let you in, but... I'd have to put your name down. For the file, you see?" He held up a small piece of parchment, which had the same characters inscribed, over and over, once for each season of the year for the past dozen years.
Phoenix nodded, and gracefully placed a pouch full of clinking jade on the desk, and in the same motion, drew the clerk's pen from between his fingers, signing her name on the paper.
The clerk nodded, and handed a small key over, his hand shaking slightly as he looked at the pouch, his spectacles almost falling off before he remembered to catch them. When he looked up again, the woman was gone.
"Shadowed Orchid... what a strange woman."
Phoenix sighed as she turned the small key. Another archive full of dusty tax records, the same as every other fort in Helz. Or perhaps... something more? Either way, it was her last stop before Sinopochtli, and days spent buried in files were nothing new to the young Sidereal.
When the two broke contact for a moment, Crane spoke, “Cara… What’s happened to you?”
The demon snickered, “Cara? Oh, Cara’s dead. She would talk to me in dreams. Until I ate her, anyway.”
Crane stared, incredulous, “No… No!” It couldn’t be true.
The women laughed, “She was weak. You are weak.”
“That’s enough!” Crane charged the creature, his anima flaring.
It just laughed and the battle was joined again. This time though, Crane’s rage lent him strength and speed. As angry as he was though, his mind still saw patterns and anticipated counters. The demon lady soon found herself on the defensive. Gathering her own dark anime close, she shouted, “This has gone on long enough. Now let me show you true power!” With one motion and a single dark Word, the teeth-filled shadow cascaded toward Crane. Caught off guard by the intensity of the attack, Crane could not leap out of the way.
His anima protected him from the worst of the attack but the shadow wave threw him across the square as the toothy maws raked at his limbs. The force propelled him through a house before finally dissipating. As the rubble settled in around him, something clicked. Everything was so clear now, how could he have missed it?
The dark lady leaned forward, hoping to see Crane’s broken body or hear a cry of pain. Instead, she heard laughter and saw the Solar Exalt rise from the destroyed building.
Crane, still smiling, spoke to the women, “You say you are not Cara. You say you are not the girl I trained. You say you are not the women I love. You Lie. You are as much Cara as I am Tai-Yun.”
The shark women simply stared at him, “You deny your own eyes then, fool. I would kill you where you stand if your sorcerer tricks did not protect you. I am not the young weakling you taught your weakling ways. I am stronger then her and I am stronger then you!”
Crane shook his head, “Ah, the arrogance of youth. Allow me to demonstrate.” As he spoke, Crane rushed forward, twirling his golden-hued staff. After a few attacks were exchanged, the Exalt spoke again, “You react to my attacks instinctively, beginning the counter almost before the blow lands. As I would expect Cara to do, who saw these same tactics day after day.” The lady simply gnashed her teeth and said nothing, intensifying her attack. As the two fought on in silence their animas boiled in the sky above, inky blackness and golden radiance vying for dominance.
Then Crane saw what he’d been hoping for and spoke, “Your movements and counter-movements also betray your identity. You fight as Cara did, you react as she would. ” He set himself up for a strong right kick and watched as his opponent shifted balance to take the strike and counter-attack in the moment where Crane would be vulnerable. Instead, Crane abandoned the strike and thrust his staff forward at her legs. Twisting the weapon through a complicated movement, he broke her stance and struck her left knee, knocking her to the ground. In a flash, Crane stood over the demon, his flame-wreathed staff pressed to her throat. “And that means your stance is rigid, strong but brittle, easily shattered at the right moment.”
She growled and spat, “You have beaten me by trickery. End it then.”
Ignoring her words for the moment, Crane shook his head and said “You never could see the truth, Cara. Now, I hope you learn from this. After all, was it not said that ‘Know your enemy and know yourself and win one hundred victories. Know your enemy but not yourself and risk defeat in everything.’” Crane looked down at her and smiled, “End it? It has just begun.”
He leaped backwards and took up a guard position. Then he spoke the same words he’d said to Cara, all those years ago. “Now, my dear, show me what you’ve learned.” Outside, Crane seemed calm. Inside, he prayed he was doing the right thing.
The duel continued in that same deadly dance; strike, block, step, strike, block, step, strike, strike, block, step... until a light pierced the darkness. Like the dawn, a ray of light pierced the shadow and the gloom receded from the world. Color slowly returned to the village as the Abyssal and the necrotic essence shrank away from the pillar of light.
Crane smiled, for it was just as in ages gone by; as the shaft of light slowly dimmed, Li stepped forward, his caste mark burning furiously, his anima burning the remaining globules of underworld essence. He drank the last remaining wine from the jug and discarded it. "Good job, Crane - looks like you're a pretty good fighter. She scratched your staff though."
Wandering Crane nodded, his eyes wandering to the small wound that still hadn't closed. The skin around it was already starting to blacken. The woman's eyes followed and she began to laugh in short hisses.
Like a thunderbolt Li rushed forward, planting his palm on the woman's solar plexus. There was a sickening bone crunch as the woman staggered and fell backwards spitting brackish blood.
"This... isn't... over..." she wheezed, crawling backwards toward the remaining necrotic essence.
"You aren't going anywhere!" Li roared, leaping forward, his body once again enveloped in holy fire. However, by the time he landed in the pool of bubbling black essence Cara had already dissolved.
Meanwhile...
It had been a boring three days since her arrival in Fort White. The records in the library were, as she suspected, mostly tax records. However, there were a few choice scrolls that contained illuminating, if brief, treatises on local religious beliefs as well as politics.
"Diao Xiu Pa is a very interesting man," she remarked to the clerk idly as he drifted by. She knew he had been spying on her; at regular intervals he would shuffle by, pretend to organize the same set of tomes, and linger far longer than he should.
"Yes, well, he is a scholar of some repute. He travels the Hundred Kingdoms and chronicles the lore. We are very lucky to harbor a collection of his works."
"Hmph. The bastard ran away after I ripped off his arm. And I've been drinking with skeletons."
"Ah."
"Damn... I think he poisoned me, too! Can you believe that? Take a look at this wound for me, Crane. It burns like Hell and the baiju is starting to wear off."
Crane took a deep breath and willed his own anima to flare, concentrating the golden energy in his right arm. He placed his right hand over the wound and pushed the energy into the dark cut, working to overwhelm the necrotic essence and force it from Li's body.
Crane stopped and Li's shoulders slumped, the agony receding to a dull throb that threatened to crack his skull open. His eyes swam with colored spots.
"I can't purge this, Li."
Li stood, painfully exhaling as his wound continued to seep. He cracked the joints in his neck and back and widened his eyes a bit as his vision came back into focus. And the pain was starting to make him angry.
"I've been cut with weapons, mauled by bears, bitten by tigers, crushed by rockslides... but this is something entirely different. If you can't do it, how in Creation am I ever going to close this damned thing? Have you ever been poisoned, Crane? It's very unpleasant."
His shoulders slumped, "I don't know what to do."
"I've heard that there are powerful Celestial tinctures, elixirs, infusions or liquors that --"
"You mean wine?"
"Well... yes, Jow is literally the word for such things, but it is meant to convey the process of --"
"Sounds great. Where can we get some?"
"Once again, Li, I cannot say for certain. I doubt there is any such thing in Creation. If there were, it would be a product of the First Age sitting in some mouldering treasury, or perhaps a fourmula might be found in ancient texts. Perhaps --"
"Wine, treasure... and texts... hm."
"I... can't say that the way you said that does not arouse my suspicion."
"Crane. Remember Fort White? Well, it's all that not far from here. There's a library there, and it's bound to have some sort of old stodgy stuff like this in it."
"And how would you know that?"
"There was a... a scholar who I met there some time ago. She was the sort of person who didn't go to libraries for common knowledge. I can't say I'd care to go back, but it's the only idea I have Crane. I'm sorry it's not a particularly good one."
Li seemed as though his thoughts troubled him. He tried to shake the sensation quickly, and return to the task at hand.
"We should get going anyway, and let the Hill God know what transpired here."
Shadowed Orchid. The second name I've worn in this town. One of dozens I've held in my lifetime, but one of few that I've worn. It's strange, how no one seems to see my presence in this place. The Mask is truly shattered, thanks to my overconfident peers.
She reflexively muttered a curse to Kung Laoi and Chejop Kejak under her breath, unrolling a scroll that looked yellowed and ancient. A cloud of dust lifted from the scroll, and then she heard a short, swift cough coming from behind her. And... everything started to fall together.
He's been watching me. I'm wearing The Mask. My resplendent destiny should protect me from casual observance. I did not make a great impact on him, I moved within the sign, and within the sign only.
She didn't turn around. She had a feeling that Destiny hung heavy on her next move.
Her mouth opened and closed soundlessly once or twice as she thought over her next words.
Then she spoke, in the language of the Old Realm, the language of the Primordials and the Gods, the demons and the dead.
"You should not be watching me. Tell me your secrets."
If he is just a man, he shall think I am reading from the scrolls. If he is something else... he will know.
He nodded, "The Hill God will want to know that two Demons attempted to birth a Shadowland in his territory. And journeying to Fort White after is as good a plan as any at the moment. I don't think your wound will get much worse quickly, but I just don't know."
"As for the... Shadowland? It seemed like a trap specifically for us, Crane. I feel terrible about that. If it's the case we brought trouble upon those poor people, even if we didn't mean to. I've already brought ill fate to those who didn't deserve it. Is this really our lot in life?"
As the day progressed, Li and Crane walked in the direction that, according to Li, would take them to Fort White. The Spear God was sweating profusely, despite the fact that it was a lovely day. Crane took it as a good sign. His body was doing what it could to shed the physical aspects of the poison. His kidneys appeared to be doing their part as well, which was evidenced by a grimace and growl of pain that Li expressed when he stopped to relieve himself. Indeed, it was the Solar's powerful resilience alone that seemed to be keeping him alive.
The spiritual aspects of the poison, however, disturbed him a great deal more. The color of the wound, and the color of some of Li's veins in its vicinity was a bad sign. As was his occasional stumble, though he would take up no offer to help steady himself. The Spear God stripped down to his loincloth due to the "heat", and Crane (ever practical) insisted that he carry the rest of his clothes so that he could dress again at Fort White. The wound continued to seep a dark bile, which they dressed as well as they were able.
Finally, they came to a crossroads, complete with a large 'hanging tree' that appeared rotted from within, and likely not to have been used for some time as a result. Li was rambling on, which he had begun doing ever since he gathered some mushrooms to "boost the yang chi of the five organs" in order to keep his body fighting off the poison. The other components may have been having some effect on him as well.
"You see?" said Li, wiping his brow. "This is the crossroads, here... the road headed West leads to Fort White. You know how I know that? There used to be a road demon that haunted the place. He's just a nasty little potbellied pig now, but back then he was an awful demonic thing with a pig head and a barbed whip.
"He was called No Shadow. You know why? He didn't have a shadow, like many ghosts that can't stand the light of day... and he could only take a physical form if he walked in the shadow of another. At twilight, when the sun is over the horizon yet long shadows fall, his ghostly form would creep out of that tree, and he'd creep into the shadow of someone walking toward Fort White. Now, he couldn't attack them just like that. They had to turn and look at him. The trick was to keep walking but a lot of people didn't know that.
"Oh, and I was the one sent him back to the Underworld. It was about a year ago, right before that time I killed the that bastard who poisoned me. I wonder how many times I'll have to kill him. My friend Ajoris was with me. Did I ever tell you about him?"
"Yes, Li," replied Wandering Crane. "Many times."
"He was a good friend. I should have been a better one to him. I miss him, Crane."
There was a brief silence as Li and Crane continued to walk toward Fort White down No Shadow Road... broken swiftly by more of his rambling, wild gesturing, and occasional compulsion to perform some of his martial arts routines.
The man's voice took on a familiar quality. Bakir.
"I did not expect you to return so soon to the East."
Phoenix didn't bother turning around. Fate would warn her if Bakir meant trouble, and he wasn't pretty enough that she wanted to stare.
Instead, she calmly unrolled one of the scrolls and began reading. It was more tax records, but she was right. These were ancient, records scribed while the land was in the grip of the Great Contagion. If she wasn't more concerned with weightier matters, she could have spent months studying these.
"It is not that the aid never materialized, madam, it is that you did not seem to need it."
He chose his words carefully and Phoenix did not like the way he dodged her accusation.
The gate guard sleepily leaned on his spear, as he often did. Travel had been sparse to Fort White for nearly a year, and people were just starting to come back. The scare with demons and undead had made it a place to avoid for some time. But it was still rather boring. He noticed two figures approaching in the distance, but they were not close enough to discern who exactly they might be. However, he could see that they appeared to be debating with one another.
"I don't know if this is going to work, Crane... why did I have to put my clothes back on? It's hot."
"Just trust me, Li. I'm the smart one, right?"
"...Yeah."
"Your wound is well-dressed for now. Don't pull at it, we can't have you looking like you're diseased. Just act... a bit drunk or something. I'm pretty sure you know how to do that."
"Wine would help."
"For the last time, Li: we are out of wine!"
The two men finally reached the gates, and the guard didn't seem to be quite concerned with the situation, until he saw the size and barbaric haircut of one of them. The other looked more or less unassuming.
"State your names and your business here."
"My name is Crane. We have come to stop for a short time on the road. We are here to restock your provisions. This is--"
"Iron Ox Li! I'm a performer and storyteller," the Solar said, slurring just a bit, "and I intend to make a bit of coin and spend it all while I'm here!"
The guard regarded them suspiciously. It would be a good thing two get some out-of-towners about to stimulate the economy, but there was something a bit odd about them.
"Where are you from?" he asked Li.
"Further East! It was a long walk."
"Where in the east?"
"I'm not good with maps. Village, trees... what else is there?"
"...are you drunk?"
"Not at all, I'm thirsty, I could use a --"
"What my friend means to say," interrupted Crane, "is that he is severely dehydrated. We've been walking for some time without any water and need to get some rest and provisions while we are in Fort White."
The guard leaned on his spear and scrutinized them again. He enjoyed being able to exercise his authority, but was starting to get weary of the conversation.
"But then, I'm faced with a greater mystery. You are here, you remember me, and you saw through Fate itself to identify me. You are a man of strong will, and superior perception. Not to mention acting as a double-dealing agent between powers far, far greater than yourself. Considerable bravery."
Phoenix turned on her heel to face Bakir, her eyes glimmering with Jupiter's green, fingers resting on the prayer strip at her belt.
"Tell me, Bakir, before I lose my patience and remove you from Creation. Why are you here?"
Well, I will. Phoenix is using her Courtier's Manners(5) to attempt to pry a straight answer from Bakir.
1. Biting sarcasm
2. Flattery with a hint of truth.
3. Implication of supernatural threat.
4. Outright demand for information.
Wow. Phoenix is a bitchy courtier. Of course, she does have ample reason to grudge Bakir.
Bakir a dick: 3,2,1,2
s'four successes.
His voice did not crack or quiver underneath the very real threat of total obliteration.
"As for why I am here," he continued, "There are many reasons, some of which I suspect mirror your own. Curiosity and an interest in the lore of ages long past."
His speech quickened as Phoenix began to tug at the prayer strip. "My master has many allies, many supporters, but also many enemies and many rivals. There has been a glut of activity in this region as of late, some of which are his rivals' hands, and some that are not. He knows that you are drawn to these events and sees that the information that could be gleaned would be beneficial to the both of us. He is interested in a pooling of resources, madam."
"Imagine what your life would be like if you could keep no secrets, Bakir. Would your master kill you? Or would I? After your pitiful show in our last agreement, I would require something up front. A show of good faith, if you will. My trust is not easily regained once lost."
She sighed, pacing back and forth, fingers plucking at strands of Fate that Bakir had no way of seeing. Faint chimes of music echoed across the room, as a passing musician wandered by the only window in the chamber.
"What can you offer me, Bakir? I'm only here for research, these days. If you can offer me something tangible, that I can use, then you can keep your lips sealed. If you cannot..."
She sniffed, and placed her hands on the folds of her robe that hid her fans. "You're worthless to me, and so is your master."
Giggling girls surrounded him as he plopped down into a chair with his wine jug. Crane saw the beads of sweat that trickled down his temples. He was in pain, but he refused to show it. The Twilight shook his head and turned to exit the small inn - he did not care for carousing and despite Li's merry exterior, he could tell that the poison was slowly eating away at his essence.
"Oh, come on, Crane... the last time I went to the library here in Fort White there was a pretty girl there... there's even more here! If anything, this is simply a better library! Plus I have to keep sampling the wine to see if any of it is... er... Sellesterial."
"You've never taken anything seriously, why should this be different! I'm going to find the library myself. When you decide to crawl out of that jug, you're welcome to join me." With that, Crane walked out into the twilight of Fort White.
Seeking a guardsman to get directions to the library, Crane walked down the streets with only his thoughts for company. Li must survive this poison, Crane would find something or someone that could purge the taint from him.