"What do you want?" Tan asked, wiping his hands on his pants. Unlike Shen Ju Rong, Tan was a skinny boy with fishmonger skills. He was not the growing warrior Shen was, but he was still fun to be around.
"We're going into the fog."
"What?! No way, no chance. You're out of your mind."
"Come on, you don't believe all the tales, do you?"
"That the great dragon lives in the fog and swallows up any lost in the mists? Yes."
Shen rolled his eyes. "Come on, Fishbait, there's no such thing."
"Stop calling me that, it's demeaning."
"I'm sorry, Princess Fishbait. Let's go."
"You're on your own, Shen. I've... got work to do."
"Coward," Shen said, punching Tan in the arm... perhaps a little too hard.
"Now you're really on your own. Hundan."
"Please?"
Tan turned and walked back to his father, leaving Shen standing in the road looking like a fool. No matter. He would go, he would personally defeat the fog and come back a hero.
It took him notime to rush back to the temple and put tack on his horse. He rode hard to reach the Dragonwall and the western gates. "Where do you think you're going?" the guards asked as he approached. The Emperor knew none entered or exited the fog, these guards were ceremonial. A show to the people of Shou Lung that all was as it was and ever would be. "Into the mists," Shen said, his chest out. The guards broke into hoots of laughter. "We will open the gates for a boy on a mission?"
One of the guards jumped down from his post and rolled his head on his shoulders. "Tell you what," he said. "If you can beat me, I'll let you leave and die in the mists. Sound fair?"
Shen leapt from his horse and lead it off to the side. He walked to face the guard, his expression determined. "Yes." More laughter. "Watch out Ying," one of the guards on the wall hooted. "He's a killer!"
Shen closed his eyes and drew in his breath. His mind slowed obediently and came into focus. Slowly, he extended one arm, his other back near his head, and lowered his body. He uttered a single word and his fists crackled suddenly with energy. His eyes glowed an electric blue as he stared at his opponent. He then spoke a single word that came out softly, but seemed to echo. "Da."
Shen Ju Rong - The Exodus (1/3)
The clouds parted and the suns warm rays filtered down over Shou Lung nation, but still, the enormous wall of fog that ringed the land remained. Even the living elders did not remember when the fog came, but the stories were that the Gods were angry with the people for growing too mighty. They had grown in the centuries that passed. Their culture was refined, their numbers mighty, their knowledge vast, but still, no matter how many prayers were given to the pantheon of ancients and Gods, no matter how much incense the people burned, the ring of fog remained, preventing any from seeing beyond the borders of the empire.
Shen Ju Rong sat on top of the temple on the hill, his preferred spot ever since his twelfth birthday when the caretaker chased him from the temple grounds. He had found the hidden stairwell and when he was up here, the view was breathtaking. He watched the people of the Imperial Capitol bustling about, their cows lowing with the loads they pulled. He was now twenty, strong, muscled, and continuing to learn his discipline. Still, his teacher, Ran Bin Rui said he was too willful, too much of a dreamer. Shen Ju Rong could admit this to himself. None had ventured beyond the Dragonwall and into the fog. They said to do so was death. Punishable by the Gods themselves. Shen Ju Rong did not believe them and never really had.
He slipped down from the temple roof and made his way through the streets before finding his friend Tan Meng. "Fishbait," Shen called, grinning as he walked up to the stall where Tan Meng worked along side his father.
"Shut up, I'm working."
"Come here for a minute, ask your father if he'll give you some time off." Tan Meng rolled his eyes. "Just ask!" Shen snarked.
"You are no longer a boy," Tan's father said with a stern frown. "But you may do as you wish if you do not care for your family."
"It's just a minute..."
"Go," Tan's father spat.
Shen Ju Rong sat on top of the temple on the hill, his preferred spot ever since his twelfth birthday when the caretaker chased him from the temple grounds. He had found the hidden stairwell and when he was up here, the view was breathtaking. He watched the people of the Imperial Capitol bustling about, their cows lowing with the loads they pulled. He was now twenty, strong, muscled, and continuing to learn his discipline. Still, his teacher, Ran Bin Rui said he was too willful, too much of a dreamer. Shen Ju Rong could admit this to himself. None had ventured beyond the Dragonwall and into the fog. They said to do so was death. Punishable by the Gods themselves. Shen Ju Rong did not believe them and never really had.
He slipped down from the temple roof and made his way through the streets before finding his friend Tan Meng. "Fishbait," Shen called, grinning as he walked up to the stall where Tan Meng worked along side his father.
"Shut up, I'm working."
"Come here for a minute, ask your father if he'll give you some time off." Tan Meng rolled his eyes. "Just ask!" Shen snarked.
"You are no longer a boy," Tan's father said with a stern frown. "But you may do as you wish if you do not care for your family."
"It's just a minute..."
"Go," Tan's father spat.
Sandorin
Matinus looked down at the little sleeping baby and scrunched up his face and tilted his head. Babies weren't exactly his favorites - Reggie and Regina were a little bit different because they were his niece and nephew - but Sandorin, this was his half-brother. He could feel a strange calm from the little baby in front of him, like he was a lot older than he was really.
Sandorin opened his eyes just a bit and looked up at Matinus. It was freaky. He looked down to see Nioma come in and lean her face against the bars of the crib. "He's little, huh?" she asked.
"Yeah, he'll get bigger though."
"Will we be able to play with him?"
Matinus shrugged. "Probably you will, but I don't know if
I'm going to play with him."
"Why not?" Nioma squeezed her face into the bars and danced about on one leg as she looked at her half-brother.
"I'm older than you are."
"So? Mister Bunny is older than me too, and he still plays with me."
"Mister Bunny is a rabbit, not a boy."
"Mister Bunny is a mister."
Matinus smirked and left the baby behind, walking through Sandorin's bedroom, through Nioma's, and back to his own. He could tell his dad was really excited about the little baby - his baby with Sanria - which made him a little sad. He didn't seem to love him or Nioma as much as he already loved Sandorin. He could feel his dad worrying, too, like jealously worrying.
Matinus had already talked to Colin about being so afraid he made Sanria tired, but there was something a little wrong and he couldn't really figure it out. Colin felt afraid and said he thought he was going to lose Sanria to his dad, his dad felt jealous and worried, and Sanria - he just felt this weird confusion. Then, Nioma, always excitable and strange with how she could see stuff that wasn't visible. Just the other day she said Sanria's belly was sparkling. Then Sandorin... the weirdest calm baby Matinus had ever seen.
He walked upstairs and went to Orn and Mirin, but they were busy with Reggie and Regina. They were busy with them a lot. He walked outside and sat by the stream. There was a strange uneasiness that was floating around. Something too weighty for a twelve-year-old boy to worry about.
Sandorin opened his eyes just a bit and looked up at Matinus. It was freaky. He looked down to see Nioma come in and lean her face against the bars of the crib. "He's little, huh?" she asked.
"Yeah, he'll get bigger though."
"Will we be able to play with him?"
Matinus shrugged. "Probably you will, but I don't know if
I'm going to play with him."
"Why not?" Nioma squeezed her face into the bars and danced about on one leg as she looked at her half-brother.
"I'm older than you are."
"So? Mister Bunny is older than me too, and he still plays with me."
"Mister Bunny is a rabbit, not a boy."
"Mister Bunny is a mister."
Matinus smirked and left the baby behind, walking through Sandorin's bedroom, through Nioma's, and back to his own. He could tell his dad was really excited about the little baby - his baby with Sanria - which made him a little sad. He didn't seem to love him or Nioma as much as he already loved Sandorin. He could feel his dad worrying, too, like jealously worrying.
Matinus had already talked to Colin about being so afraid he made Sanria tired, but there was something a little wrong and he couldn't really figure it out. Colin felt afraid and said he thought he was going to lose Sanria to his dad, his dad felt jealous and worried, and Sanria - he just felt this weird confusion. Then, Nioma, always excitable and strange with how she could see stuff that wasn't visible. Just the other day she said Sanria's belly was sparkling. Then Sandorin... the weirdest calm baby Matinus had ever seen.
He walked upstairs and went to Orn and Mirin, but they were busy with Reggie and Regina. They were busy with them a lot. He walked outside and sat by the stream. There was a strange uneasiness that was floating around. Something too weighty for a twelve-year-old boy to worry about.
the first step on a long path
Psycho had been in Athktla in the library speaking to Tsaroth about the book that Wrack had given him a few weeks before. The book had been harder to coax into translation that Psycho had previously believed. Even the robot which had translated so much before had no luck. Psycho had another idea but it would require more than magic or wisdom. It would require blood.
Psycho of course had tried blood, the book never stained or absorbed anything but ink. The pages stayed fresh and perfect. Psycho had even tried to rip out a page, but as he hypothesized the pages were not simply bound into the book. The book was an entity in and of itself. The parts of the book such as pages, bindings, and the cover did not make the book, the book had made the pieces to facilitate its being. The book was very much alive, and Psycho would no sooner harm the book than a fellow member of his brotherhood.
While Psycho was pondering how to use the book, he got a very interesting tell from a wizard
'I know you have much knowledge of the Moonshae Isles. I do, Perhaps we can be of some assistance to each other. I feel with some effort between us we can make progress into freeing the old gods.'
Psycho had indeed spent much time in the islands, but when Corleone called Psycho he had no idea how far down the rabbit hole they could really go. The weaver of Fate had plucked his cord and called him to further investigate the islands than he or any other had before.
Psycho of course had tried blood, the book never stained or absorbed anything but ink. The pages stayed fresh and perfect. Psycho had even tried to rip out a page, but as he hypothesized the pages were not simply bound into the book. The book was an entity in and of itself. The parts of the book such as pages, bindings, and the cover did not make the book, the book had made the pieces to facilitate its being. The book was very much alive, and Psycho would no sooner harm the book than a fellow member of his brotherhood.
While Psycho was pondering how to use the book, he got a very interesting tell from a wizard
'I know you have much knowledge of the Moonshae Isles. I do, Perhaps we can be of some assistance to each other. I feel with some effort between us we can make progress into freeing the old gods.'
Psycho had indeed spent much time in the islands, but when Corleone called Psycho he had no idea how far down the rabbit hole they could really go. The weaver of Fate had plucked his cord and called him to further investigate the islands than he or any other had before.
Flowers!!!!
Ahdonis stared across his flower garden. He was amazed, so much care had been put into this garden. To think this garden started because a lone red tulip was found growing in the most morbid of places he had come across. When he had returned from the adventure, he planted the most beautiful red tulip in a pot on the roof of the citadel. Everyone enjoyed the smell as well as the sight of the tulip. Then another day Kole, returned returned to the citadel with a beautiful white poppy plant. And another plant found its way potted and on the roof. And so a trend began. It got to the point that the majority of the roof was covered with potted plants. During the reconstruction of the citadel, it was decided that a flower garden would be added within it walls. It had teken months to find the best soil to allow these flowers to not only grow but to flourish. Ahdonis found himself spending hours everyday within the garden. It was his peaceful place. Not a weed could be found within it. Butterflies danced atop the flowers with such elegance.
Suddenly something caught the corner of his eye. It stood almost transluscent but its shape was a women. She was brushing her hands on the flowers as she took in all the smells. "Who goes there?" Ahdonis shouted puzzledly towards the miraged women. She turned and smiled, "I just came to enjoy your garden. Not many flower gardens exist with such beautiful flowers." Ahdonis smirked at the mirage, "Indeed, its the smell I think I enjoy the most." She smiles brightly, "I agree." Ahdonis smiles and asks, "I am Ahdonis. Do you have a name?" Bowing her head into the flower and taking in the smell she stares at ahdonis. "I am lliira." The name sounded familiar to Ahdonis but he wasnt sure why. "Nice to meet you, Lliira."
TO BE CONTINUED..........
Suddenly something caught the corner of his eye. It stood almost transluscent but its shape was a women. She was brushing her hands on the flowers as she took in all the smells. "Who goes there?" Ahdonis shouted puzzledly towards the miraged women. She turned and smiled, "I just came to enjoy your garden. Not many flower gardens exist with such beautiful flowers." Ahdonis smirked at the mirage, "Indeed, its the smell I think I enjoy the most." She smiles brightly, "I agree." Ahdonis smiles and asks, "I am Ahdonis. Do you have a name?" Bowing her head into the flower and taking in the smell she stares at ahdonis. "I am lliira." The name sounded familiar to Ahdonis but he wasnt sure why. "Nice to meet you, Lliira."
TO BE CONTINUED..........
Progress
Aneh gave a nod to her assistant as she stood in front of the glass case holding almost identical stones of materia. Her assistant stood at the ready, already beginning to weave her spell of replenishment. Aneh frowned a bit and held up a hand, halting her assistant as she spied the entry of one of the guards. She motioned the guard forward having him halt at the edge of the safety circle. 'What is it?' Aneh asked, her frown still in place. 'You've been promoted Ma'am,' the guard stated. Aneh raised a brow, tilting her head, 'Oh?' Aneh listened to the report the guard gave on Mason, her frown running deeper. Damn, was all she could think. Damn him, and Damn Vector. When the guard told Aneh she had been promoted to leader, Aneh's only response was a curt, tight lipped nod. Forcing herself to breathe evenly, Aneh brought her thoughts back to the present and she murmured a dismissal to the guard.
Aneh swung her eyes back to the case in front of her. She dismissed her assistant and grabbed a stone firmly in each hand. Before she could even second guess her decision she let her energy burst into the stones. She quickly clapped the stones together forming one continuous loop of energy which she quickly built and built, higher and higher, her entire body heating up.
Aneh's assistant quickly left the safety circle, her eyes wide as she felt the force of the energy flow that Aneh was using. Aneh let all of her anger and frustration build the energy she focused into the stones. Her eyes fluttered closed somewhere in the process and she pried them back open, feeling the glow that radiated from them. She felt every hot breath that escaped her lips and every pulse of energy that flowed into one hand, up her arm, swirling frantically through her body and rush down into her other hand and the stone it held. She tensed as a flutter began in her stomach and she stopped pushing, allowing the frantic flood of magic to continue. She was extremely aware of the heat that built in the stones, linked to the heat that built in her stomach. Her eyes stared into the stones, seeing not their current form, but what was within, the essence they held. Aneh glimpsed the life that had lived. She felt what that soul had felt. She experienced the life of the soul in a few beats of her own heart, and in some way shared her own frustration, pain, and love with the soul. Aneh's assistant felt a waver in the energy and against her dismissal from the circle, she re-entered, uttering words of replenishment. The flow became steady once again.
The heat of the stones grew, and Aneh let out a loud cry, so deep in the sharing of the moment was she that she had not realized the stones were burning the palms of her hands. The fluttering in her stomach made her ill and she hastily dropped the stones, just in time as a brilliant green light filled the immediate area. The stones cracked and split, and Aneh leaned to the side, promptly expelling the entire contents of her stomach on the polished floor. She held her hands upward, their blistered palms pulsing with pain.
Mentally Aneh reprimanded herself. She stood up straight, ignoring the pain in her hands as she looked down upon the stones piled on the silken material and felt a weight of responsibility settle around her shoulders. 'Shall I call for the healer?' her assistant asked, obviously unsure of herself with the way Aneh was acting. Aneh peeled her eyes away from the now four stones and looked over to the lich.
'Thank you for stepping in,' Aneh murmured to her assistant, ignoring the question of the healer. 'One more push and we should be ready to move forward.' Aneh slumped a bit, and curled her burnt and blistered hands into fists. 'There are matters I need to see to. Please see that everything gets closed up.' Without waiting for a response, Aneh marched from the room.
Aneh swung her eyes back to the case in front of her. She dismissed her assistant and grabbed a stone firmly in each hand. Before she could even second guess her decision she let her energy burst into the stones. She quickly clapped the stones together forming one continuous loop of energy which she quickly built and built, higher and higher, her entire body heating up.
Aneh's assistant quickly left the safety circle, her eyes wide as she felt the force of the energy flow that Aneh was using. Aneh let all of her anger and frustration build the energy she focused into the stones. Her eyes fluttered closed somewhere in the process and she pried them back open, feeling the glow that radiated from them. She felt every hot breath that escaped her lips and every pulse of energy that flowed into one hand, up her arm, swirling frantically through her body and rush down into her other hand and the stone it held. She tensed as a flutter began in her stomach and she stopped pushing, allowing the frantic flood of magic to continue. She was extremely aware of the heat that built in the stones, linked to the heat that built in her stomach. Her eyes stared into the stones, seeing not their current form, but what was within, the essence they held. Aneh glimpsed the life that had lived. She felt what that soul had felt. She experienced the life of the soul in a few beats of her own heart, and in some way shared her own frustration, pain, and love with the soul. Aneh's assistant felt a waver in the energy and against her dismissal from the circle, she re-entered, uttering words of replenishment. The flow became steady once again.
The heat of the stones grew, and Aneh let out a loud cry, so deep in the sharing of the moment was she that she had not realized the stones were burning the palms of her hands. The fluttering in her stomach made her ill and she hastily dropped the stones, just in time as a brilliant green light filled the immediate area. The stones cracked and split, and Aneh leaned to the side, promptly expelling the entire contents of her stomach on the polished floor. She held her hands upward, their blistered palms pulsing with pain.
Mentally Aneh reprimanded herself. She stood up straight, ignoring the pain in her hands as she looked down upon the stones piled on the silken material and felt a weight of responsibility settle around her shoulders. 'Shall I call for the healer?' her assistant asked, obviously unsure of herself with the way Aneh was acting. Aneh peeled her eyes away from the now four stones and looked over to the lich.
'Thank you for stepping in,' Aneh murmured to her assistant, ignoring the question of the healer. 'One more push and we should be ready to move forward.' Aneh slumped a bit, and curled her burnt and blistered hands into fists. 'There are matters I need to see to. Please see that everything gets closed up.' Without waiting for a response, Aneh marched from the room.
Searching for Success only to Fail
Tenchi had visited many different apothecaries, and all of them had seen his legs, yet none of them could figure out what was happening to his legs. They all concurred that it indeed seemed to be a poison, eating his legs away slowly, and if it were not for his natural racial regenerative abilities, it would have spread much quicker. Instead, his abilities only slowed it down, it was still spreading.
One apothecary mentioned, as a joke, that because Tenchi was an esper he could afford to lose his legs as they would eventually regenerate. Tenchi started to seriously consider this, his ability to walk becoming increasingly more difficult, relying more and more on the cane he now carried. Soon he may not be able to walk at all, at least it was a chance even if it was risky, after all what did he have left to lose?
Tenchi began to think who he could ask to perform such a task, he had to be very careful in choosing if he did take this path. There were benefits to this choice, after his legs were removed he could give them to be researched, to find out how this poison was made, or even what this poisons purpose was.
He began putting a plan together in his mind.
One apothecary mentioned, as a joke, that because Tenchi was an esper he could afford to lose his legs as they would eventually regenerate. Tenchi started to seriously consider this, his ability to walk becoming increasingly more difficult, relying more and more on the cane he now carried. Soon he may not be able to walk at all, at least it was a chance even if it was risky, after all what did he have left to lose?
Tenchi began to think who he could ask to perform such a task, he had to be very careful in choosing if he did take this path. There were benefits to this choice, after his legs were removed he could give them to be researched, to find out how this poison was made, or even what this poisons purpose was.
He began putting a plan together in his mind.
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