Colin stomped through the streets of Westbridge, his face full of deeply furrowed lines of anger. Sanria may be blind to what he knew Gilean's motivations to be but Colin was going to get the truth. He wanted to hear it straight from his 'friend's' mouth.
Colin stormed into the Temple of Lathander, scattering some of the small animals that lived there. He turned to the first priest he saw. "Where's Gilean?"
The elderly priest lifted a calming hand toward Colin and spoke in a soothing tone. "My son, you appear quite troubled. Father Eosos is helping another at the moment but I assure you I can help. Here, let me calm your mind first."
The priest reached his hand gently toward Colin's forehead and Colin had to restrain himself from smacking it away. Instead, he simply grabed the man's wrist with perhaps marginally more strength than was necessary. He looked upon the priest coolly. "I assure you, you cannot help me. I need to speak to Gilean. Immediately."
The priest's eyes widened in alarm and he backed away slowly. "A-alright then. No need to be so upset. I'll tell him you're here." The older man turned toward the back rooms of the temple, giving a worried look over his shoulder at Colin before disappearing through a doorway.
Colin paced back and forth with his arms folded across his chest while he waited. It was a few moments befoore Gilean emerged from the back, leading a woman and her small girl. Gilean gave a stern glance in Colin's direction before turning to the woman with a gentle smile. "She should be just fine now, but if the fever returns, please bring her back right away."
Gilean patted the little girl on the head and gave a brief farewell before turning and walking over to Colin, the kind smile immediately dropping from his face. "Colin, what is this? What are you doing here? You scared Father Levi, you know that?"
Colin pointed his finger into Gilean's face. "I know what you did, Gilean. Admit it."
Gilean gave a glance around and pushed Colin's hand down. "Colin, keep your voice down. What are you talking about?"
"Sanria. The new pregnancy. I know what you did."
Conealing Tensions
This was to be her sixth child and Sanria had lost count in how many pregnancies. Gilean had chosen the name, Sandorin, which Sanria felt perfect. Her brother had been long dead now. He would have been delighted to have a little one named for him. She wondered what he'd think of all this.
They had sped up nature's processes as well, making her pregnancy go much faster than normal. Unlike the times when she'd slept with Thasmudyan, however, this time was thanks to Gilean's magic.
It was a strange day in that Sanria had the cavern to herself. Orn was at the castle, Mirin was off with the bubbly and excited twins, Colin had taken Nioma out to play, and Gilean was off with Matinus - bonding. She had been through having children before, so the sensation was not new. She felt the contractions and her water break, and knew she had a little time before things grew intense. She didn't want the family rushing back with worry. She reached out to Enmach.
A mere hour later, she was looking into the eyes of her son. He, too, seemed to take her in before falling asleep. He had only cried for a moment - the indignity of being nude - before going utterly calm. Enmach left congratulations in her wake, and Sanria was left with her son only moments before everyone came back.
Though happiness seemed to be the prevailing sentiment, Sanria could see the sorrow of Colin's face that she'd be spending more time with Gilean and Sandorin, and the hurt on Gilean's face that she hadn't called him to tend the birth. Then - something on both of their faces, buried under their joys and kindnesses - worry.
They had sped up nature's processes as well, making her pregnancy go much faster than normal. Unlike the times when she'd slept with Thasmudyan, however, this time was thanks to Gilean's magic.
It was a strange day in that Sanria had the cavern to herself. Orn was at the castle, Mirin was off with the bubbly and excited twins, Colin had taken Nioma out to play, and Gilean was off with Matinus - bonding. She had been through having children before, so the sensation was not new. She felt the contractions and her water break, and knew she had a little time before things grew intense. She didn't want the family rushing back with worry. She reached out to Enmach.
A mere hour later, she was looking into the eyes of her son. He, too, seemed to take her in before falling asleep. He had only cried for a moment - the indignity of being nude - before going utterly calm. Enmach left congratulations in her wake, and Sanria was left with her son only moments before everyone came back.
Though happiness seemed to be the prevailing sentiment, Sanria could see the sorrow of Colin's face that she'd be spending more time with Gilean and Sandorin, and the hurt on Gilean's face that she hadn't called him to tend the birth. Then - something on both of their faces, buried under their joys and kindnesses - worry.
Shen Ju Rong - The Exodus (3/3)
Shen's fists flew, the guard was no match. Shen's kicks, encased in energy shot forth as quick as darting koi from passing shadows. The guard hit the ground, his skin charred as well as his armor, and stared up at Shen. "Master Weiwu..." he whispered, and Shen bowed deeply.
"Ran Bin Rui. My teacher. Yes."
The guard got up, rubbing at his jaw. He gave a nod. "Open the gates."
"What? Duizhang, you know the rules..."
The Duizhang wheeled around, his eyes narrowed. "I gave my word, now open the gates."
Shen mounted his horse as the gates rumbled open. Nothing but fog could be seen as he nudged his horse into a walk. The energy around his feet and hands went out as the guards watched the young man move ahead. Slowly, in swirling eddies, the fog swallowed the young man and his horse.
"Ran Bin Rui. My teacher. Yes."
The guard got up, rubbing at his jaw. He gave a nod. "Open the gates."
"What? Duizhang, you know the rules..."
The Duizhang wheeled around, his eyes narrowed. "I gave my word, now open the gates."
Shen mounted his horse as the gates rumbled open. Nothing but fog could be seen as he nudged his horse into a walk. The energy around his feet and hands went out as the guards watched the young man move ahead. Slowly, in swirling eddies, the fog swallowed the young man and his horse.
Shen Ju Rong - The Exodus (2/3)
"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."
"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.
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