Something to Break
Beneath the soft murmurs of the other patrons in Monkey’s Third Song, Cynis Lachid spoke.
“I do not know his name, but his home was in the land of the dead. I do not know what message he carried, but the companions of his heart are marked by oblivion.”
It bothered Leaf Shakes the Wind more than he would ever let on to hear the young dragon blood speak in full sentences without his sister completing his statements for him. As their Essences diverged into different paths, their individuality grew. It made them stronger, and he had long wished for one to show some spark of personality that was not shared by the other. Now that it was occurring, though, it felt as disquieting as their uniformity had when he first met them. He sipped his tea.
“And he was on his way to this Fenghuang Temple?”
Lachid nodded, waiting for a moment as a serving boy brought another small pot for them to sample. “Yes. We met him by chance while distributing leaflets for the temple. He looked hungry, so I offered him some of my bread. He thanked me but refused, saying he had no time for such things.” Layochi maneuvered the pot deftly between her brother’s gesturing hands, steam now rising from the three cups before them.
“Our hands only touched for a moment, but I reflexively used the Revelation of Associates Hunch, and in that instance I knew three things about him: He has a lover named Isabel, and she must seize the bodies of other women for them to touch. He has a father named Albinus, and he bleeds nightly to feed him or suffers the consequences. And he has a master named the Abbot of Hunger and Dust, who has taught him to transcend the needs of his flesh in service to the Void.”
Leaf Shakes the Wind placed his empty cup on the table again and looked over the bamboo railing towards the hills of the southwest. The silence stretched among them for several minutes before Layochi finally broke it. “Brother, we should be returning soon. Abbot Goruk will miss us if we are not at prayer.” Lachid nodded and rose to his feet as she turned to look at Leaf. “Sifu, when will we return home to the Plum Blossom Retreat?”
Leaf smiled. “Soon. I have been too long without your company already, but I fear you will need all the skill the Immaculates can give you for the coming conflict, along with any allies that you can bring us. Varsi is a prime battleground now in our war with the Mask, and there is no one else I would trust to oversee it.”
“In the meantime, I will investigate this Fenghuang Temple myself. Storm of Amber has been at me to find something of the Mask’s that he can destroy to make himself feel better. If your discovery produces fruit, this may satisfy him, for now at least.”
The three of them stood from their cushions in unison. “Do you have any other orders for us, Sifu?”
Leaf thought for a moment. “Yes. Have a shipment of the third tea we drank delivered to God Crossing. Nameless Ravine will no doubt say that it is yedim piss, but secretly he will be pleased to at least have a new flavor of yedim piss to try.”
