Scales of the Dragon
Rivers Between Us passed the carefully removed his carapace of white jade, and set the pieces gently on the floor before him. Opposite him sat the Storm of Amber, watching with no little interest. Almost reverently he placed the pauldrons on the mat of woven copper, the greaves still polished and unmarred by the many assaults that they had borne. The surface was the liquid white of fresh milk, simple and beautiful. The last piece, the breastplate, was near a hand thick at the chest. Rivers removed the last of the padding and sat down opposite the Zenith.
"Are you certain that this is what you wish?" Amber lifted an eyebrow as he looked at the young sorcerer. He had almost forgotten that he was still just a youth of seventeen, for when he wore the scales of the dragon, he was truely a fierce sight. He sheer weight and thickness of the jade gave him the bulk of a jokun, though markedly distinct with its gleaming white surface. When his essence played about him, the armor became like a canvas for the colors of his power, reflecting blazing ruby and sapphire light as though the setting sun had personally engaged in battle. Without the armor, it was apparent that rivers was not entirely well. His arms were thin and delicate, his eyes slightly dark and hollowed, his face almost as pale as the jade.
The copper spider gave his ally a wry smile. "I admit that I am not the hardiest of the Murakani. I was more so in my youth, but when I first learned sorcery... well... it changed me. Every time you attain a new level of mastery, you must make a sacrifice to compensate creation for the power granted. I gave up my health, my vitality. I know too well that I can't take the same punishment that you and Nameless Ravine face every day. That's why I've hidden in this armor for so long, behind magical materials, sorcery, kung fu tricks and my own shielding essence. That way I knew I'd never have to fear that my enemies would discover my great secret."
"Then by all means, keep the armor! I've developed my own techniques, ways to accept pain without retaining it. We need you desperately to do those things that we cannot achieve by force of arms or persuasion."
"No." He finished disrobing, then pulled on a clean robe of white linen and light hooded cloak of grey wool. "If your essence is spent, then you must continue to fight, and your present armor will fail you. And as for myself... the weakness in my body has been allowed to master me for too long, and has developed into a corresponding weakness in my soul. I must face it now, in my rightful home, before I can claim mastery over it."
Amber lifted the breastplate over his head and carefully lowered it to his own chest, reaching out to it with his essence and filling it with his solar breath. "Well then, I commend your pursuit of virtue and grudgingly accept this gift, for the time being. But, Rivers, there is one part of this story that you have left out. What did you give up when you mastered the Celestial circle of sorcery?"
He looked up from the straps he was adjusting when he did not receive an answer, only to discover that he was talking to himself.
