Plus side is once we acclimate the drive bonus actually makes us better than we started.
...well makes it easier to digest if nothing else
The Path Unending (A Cultivation Quest)
- Thread starter Vesvius
- Start date
- Original
-
- Tags
- original xianxia cultivation quest
...well makes it easier to digest if nothing else
- Location
- 1st World Country
It's the platonicship of Xue and KZ thats the best
Transcends species
Transcends species
There are ships that navigate the underground rivers, though.
- Location
- Brazil
But they have to deal with kukunis or worse, crabs. And Walter is right yet again.
acegunner
Planeswalker - Nicol Bolas
- Location
- Dominaria
I've just finished reading the story so far . I think I'll participate in the next quest vote after I figure the mechanics behind the story itself. The story alone was excellent which speaks well of the writing of the QM/GM and the voters who help build the story.
I look forward to participating in this quest alongside a few others as time allows.
I look forward to participating in this quest alongside a few others as time allows.
- Location
- scrabbling
misc. thought is that the eye might unlock more power than the arm or leg, even though it doesn't have a corresponding technique (yet?). it was noted to be on another level of complexity.
of course, the eye is, in general, more complicated than arms and legs, so perhaps that's what's being signaled there. but just a possibility
of course, the eye is, in general, more complicated than arms and legs, so perhaps that's what's being signaled there. but just a possibility
There are a number of surgeries IRL that are widely considered 'elective' by the establishment but are considered far less so by the people who need them: GCS/SRS, FFS/FMS, top surgery, etc. These are surgeries that change the outer appearance, but people regularly kill themselves without them, whether their job relies on their appearance or not.
Van Ropen
Angry, angry about elves.
I think we just might be looking at the mods incorrectly by considering them apart. The arm and leg were separated into two techniques mechanically, but the description had both them and the eye connected by the glowing veins and whatnot. So maybe they are simpler than the eye and would be easier to remove in theory, but in practice we may find they can't actually be removed separately.
As for our sect's money, our dad is trying to take the next Step. I'm assuming that would be the top priority for all funding right now, given the apparent need for rare shit.
I imagine the money needed to fund a partial or even full recovery for us would be a drop in the bucket compared to the material costs for Kong Shuran's advancement. Didn't Ves say taking the Warlord's Step could take decades? It's a super big deal, isn't it?
Come to think of it, do the sage techs we would need to transform at will require us to have taken the Sage's Step? Because if that were the case, then opting for the sage tech path is the same as never trying to get our old limbs back.
But yeah, I think it would be worth getting a quote at some point in the future (probably after we get the sigil) to see how much money and skill would be required to reverse just the limbs and not the eye.
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- Pronouns
- He/Him
Just finished binging this quest and while I don't think it's an unreasonable move from the QM, the fact that a bunch of voters want to ignore Kong's obvious horror and disgust on awaking with our mutilations due to a few meh techniques very much disturbs me. While the eye can't be fixed anytime soon, I don't see Kong doing anything but trying to change his arm and leg back ASAP, making whatever promises and paying whatever prices to get this fixed. I hope Auntie will help us, or at least see how much distress we are in and not treat this as an "inspiring" thing.
This has no bearing on my rebuttal of the idea that Tioayue's Gifts are enough of a threat of the Kong family business of charmcrafting that the Kong family should be leaping to pay for a fleshshaper to remove them from Kong Zhi.
It's also not particularly relevant to the matter in general because in order for the two situations to be comparable Kong Zhi would have to be feeling sufficient mental anguish as a result of his changes for the possibility of him committing suicide to be a serious consideration. This is simply not true - Kong Zhi has shown no evidence of exhibiting that degree of mental anguish, and even if he had the chances of the thread voting for an explicit suicide attempt is remote at best.
- Location
- USA
Hi nothingtoseehere! Welcome to the Quest. If you read up to the present in Reader Mode, you might not have caught a really convenient thing about this quest.
Almost every time that there is a vote, there is a Plan Walter. If you are ever pressed for time, you can just vote for that and then read up on what's going on later, at your convenience!
Almost every time that there is a vote, there is a Plan Walter. If you are ever pressed for time, you can just vote for that and then read up on what's going on later, at your convenience!
- Location
- California
To add to that point, one important ability in following this quest is the ability to ignore Walter.
- Location
- USA
Thanks, Expecting, that's a hugely important point.
Just as the animals in a dogging contest have the ability to ignore their training and swan off, or the performers at a tightrope walking act have the ability to fall from the side, so too do people here have the ability to disregard the wise suggestions of benevolent would-be leadership figures. It is precisely that ability that makes it so impressive when we never ever utilize it, and instead act in lockstep discipline and, as a team, forgo individual agency in favor of collectively adhering to my excellent guidance.
Just as the animals in a dogging contest have the ability to ignore their training and swan off, or the performers at a tightrope walking act have the ability to fall from the side, so too do people here have the ability to disregard the wise suggestions of benevolent would-be leadership figures. It is precisely that ability that makes it so impressive when we never ever utilize it, and instead act in lockstep discipline and, as a team, forgo individual agency in favor of collectively adhering to my excellent guidance.
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- Location
- Yes
To further add to that point, the exception to ignoring him is when Kong Zhi has to talk to Mei Daiyu. It's an all hands on deck situation when that happens.
Sorry. This feels a bit like railroading as I doubt anyone knew how OP the budget Bonesaw was. I'll still read it, but I feel like the people who usually vote got done dirty. Also, Nokai is my favorite character. Still overall, a great quest and very well done. I agree with some of the others that the trajectory of the quest seems to be pulling towards more fighting and preventing any free time/introspection. We seem to be a crafter who has very little time to craft.
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You are acting as if there is a difference between those two action Walter.
pblur
Reminiscing over the halcyon days of Ymaryn
- Location
- Lawrence's Wagon
I'm coming in a bit late to this debate. But I distinctly remember several people (including me) who were warning that you don't fight the biotinker in its lair.
It's hard to argue that noone could tell this was a fight we couldn't win, when people arguing for talking were saying exactly that.
- Location
- Where Jokes Die
You are all wrong. The real ship here is Kong Zhi x Charmcrafting.
Has he ever displayed any sort of romantic interest—nay, even the same level of affection for his peers as he has his arts? Does he have as long and storied a history with them, a relationship from practically from the moment he could walk? His very being is devoted to the arts.
No. No, none of his friends share that relationship with him. He does not wax on about their glory or think of the delightful days he may spend with them.
However, he does do that for his charms.
As a firm proponent of the Childhood Friend route, I declare my stance on shipping, henceforth;
Charms Or Bust, Baby.
Ya gotta believe.
- Location
- Yes
I'm sorry but Charms are a bust.
headshoulder-pat. The best ship has won.
Kong Zhi has already received the infamous
Per prior requests of the QM, kindly keep any discussion of changes to the character sheet and whatnot to Discord until the actual relevant update drops. (meaning please remove your post, thanks - this is to avoid spoilers for the folks in the thread who would rather not see them) EDIT - Thanks!
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93. Hearing the Song
Vesvius
The Wicked God
A/N: A big thanks to the 29 people who have pledged to me on Patreon! If you'd like to join them, you can do so here. If you'd like to check out the Royal Road crosspost, head on over and check it out! Leave a rating while you're there. It really does help me out.
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You can still hold your tools with your left hand. You can lift a hammer with it, you can hold a needle with it, you can even scrape small glyphs in tight corners using a chisel with it. The fingers on that hand are still as well trained as they ever were- and you're sure you can use them to do everything you could before your... encounter.
But it wasn't your left hand that was changed. It was your right. The question is if your right hand can still do what it was once capable of.
It's a question you are not entirely eager to find the answer for.
As you sit on the side of your bed, you stare down at the claw that sits where your right hand once did. You've kept your bedroom dark since your return an hour ago, but even in the dim light from the evening pillar, you can't even pretend that what sits on the end of your arm is a human limb. If anything, it makes it worse. If you look at your hand in steady light, you can at least see that it looks nearly human. But in the dark shadows that swallow your home, it is more akin to a monster's claw than anything a man would have.
You shudder and your hands ball into fists without your consent. Your right fingers bite into your palm, the sharp claws needles of pain against your skin. You open your hand up instantly and stare down at the wounds you've just accidentally caused yourself. They are barely anything- the marks left look like you were gripping the teeth of a sharpened comb rather than anything truly dangerous- but you still cannot help but stare.
Your fingers- these fingers- this claw just hurt you.
Your one exposed eye stares down at your claw for an endless moment. If the claw hurts you, then what will it do to anything you touch? What will it do if you mishandle a scroll? What will it do to fabric when you try to move it? What would happen to Xue if you pet him without thought? What will they do to your tools? Can they even hold them? If they can't, then what's even the point of being here? You cannot be a one handed charmcrafter! Would you even be worth-
With your other hand, you reach up and smack yourself across the face so hard you see stars.
No. Those aren't the kind of thoughts you need right now. Of course you can be a charmcrafter with one hand. Uncle Qiu has been doing it for years after the incident with the misplaced harvest rune. And besides- it's not like you don't have a hand. You just need to stop sitting in the darkness and figure out if you can use it.
...even if the answer isn't good, you still need to know. Only a coward would hold himself back from finding out something this important. And you are no coward.
You force yourself to your feet- stumbling for a moment as your sandaled foot and naked talon try to find an equilibrium- and turn back towards your bed. On the foot of lies your oilskin, already unrolled to show the precious miststeel within. You stare at it, sizing your tools up, before reaching out for your hammer-
No, no, not the hammer. You should start off with something more delicate. A chisel? A needle? Perhaps a razor? No, the hammer was the right choice in the first place. You need to start off with something simple before moving on to the harder to manipulate tools. But in that case, maybe you should start with a saw? You need two hands for that after all; you can use your good hand to steady the claw as it works. Or…
You're stalling.
With an effort of will more suited for cycling anam, you reach out with the claw and grab the tool closest to you. The talons close around the handle of an etching rod and pluck it from the oilskin. You hold your breath as you lift it up and tighten the claw around it. It doesn't wiggle in your grip at all as you bring it closer to your body.
By the time it's tucked to your chest, your heart almost feels normal. You can hold a tool- and even lift it. That's not nothing. But now you need to answer the obvious question: can you actually use it?
The tool you've grabbed is an etching rod- so you should etch something. You carefully turn the tool in the claw until you're holding it properly. The familiar motion feels alien, and your skin crawls once again, but you complete it with only the barest fumble. Once it's in place, you glance around the room, looking for something to carve.
You have some scrap wood sitting in the corner of your bedroom. It isn't anything special; you used every ounce of your anam-infused wood when you were constructing the box. What you have left are just some remnants of your training under Elder Brother Zhao Fu. They are nothing out of the ordinary, which makes them perfect for your experimentation. You grab one of the larger chunks and pull it towards the center of the room.
Once the wood is properly positioned, you hold up the etching rod in proper position-
And drop it.
It falls from the clumsy claw, the talons closing in too tight a grip and slicing into skin once more. Your left hand lances out and catches the rod before it hits the ground. The miststeel feels heavy in your dominant hand, far heavier than it should, and you cannot help but stare at it once more.
But then you pass it back to the claw. You have dropped tools before and you will drop them again. You cannot allow yourself to linger on one failure. Right now, you need to hold your tool and make it dance to your tune.
Your new grip is far looser and it does the job far better. You hold the rod out and press the sharp edge into the wood. It takes far more effort than it should to pull it slowly down the length of the wood, but you manage it. Then you pull the rod back and study your handiwork.
The line you've carved seems straight. To test it, you grab a chisel and hold the perfect edge up against your new line. It has some deviation, but not much. You have carved far worse before. A knot of tension loosens in your chest and you hold the rod up once more, ready to put it to work.
You carve lines and glyphs into the board until the light from the pillar is too dark to work by anymore. When you're carving in darkness, you stand, and light your oil lamp. You study the wood in the new light. The lines are passable, but the glyphs themselves are rough. The claw seems to have trouble with curving motions. That is not acceptable for anything but the most rudimentary of arrays.
A frown crosses your face. You're judging your work against memory; to get a true sense of how you stand, you should judge them against runes you know are perfect. Not the Retort or the Respite; those runes are carved in bone. The medium could alter a rune- you should use runes carved in wood for your comparison. Where is the Dance? You can-
You pause, and for the first time since you woke in Elder Yixue's domain, your changes vanish from your thoughts. Your head snaps around as you scan your bedroom.
Where is your Dance?!
You drop your etching rod back on your oilskin and run as quickly as you can. The talon slows you down as the back claw drags against the stone, but you ignore it, practically pulling your leg along with you as you make your way for the stairs. You descend the Spire two stairs at a time until you reach the second floor.
The Jai Twins are waiting for you in the kitchen. Jai Fa is leaning against a wall, arms crossed and brow furrowed in thought. Her brother is seated at the table, bowed over a cup of something steaming. Both look up at the sound of your intrusion. Jai Fa's expression doesn't change at all, but Jai Shouxi's eyes become very fascinated with your good eye. "Kong Zhi!" he exclaims. "You are… my, it is good to see you up and about!"
"If you had lingered upstairs much longer, I was going to drag you down by your ear," Jai Fa growls, tone thick with an emotion you cannot fully recognize.
But you discard both Jai Fa's words and Jai Shouxi's desire to not stare at your changes. "My Dance!" you yell, the panic clear in your voice. .
The two stare at you, nonplussed. "The Dance at the Midnight Crossroads!" you elaborate, as if perhaps they have forgotten the true name of your work. "My summoning box! Where is it? Have you seen it?!"
The Jai Twins look at you for a very long moment. They trade looks, and as one, their shoulders seem to relax. Jai Fa even holds up a hand to her mouth in a gesture that, if she were someone else, you would think would be to disguise a giggle.
Jai Shouxi is the one that answers you. "Yes, I have," he replies. "Your ba- Nokai brought it by while you were convalescing. But when we realized that it was dull, my dear, ever so thoughtful Sister decided to take it to an expert."
Your heart sinks. "You took my box to the Creator's Garden?!" you almost snarl. "Why would you-"
"Peace, Kong Zhi," Jai Shouxi pleads. "We did no such thing. We would never leave your work with someone we did not think would care for it as you would. So we brought it to your Aunt."
...oh. "That... I see," you answer. "My thanks. I am certain she is taking excellent care of it." And that's true. Auntie Bi will treat your Rakshasa like it's one of her own creations, of that you have no doubt. But on the other hand, you have seen some of the things she does with her creations. Your worry lessens, but not by a great de-
They brought your Aunt your charm.
That means they either told her why you don't have your charm, or they didn't and left her to wonder.
In either case, that would lead Auntie Bi to worry.
And a worried Auntie Bi is dangerous.
"I must go retrieve it," you mumble. You spin on your heel and stumble towards the stairs. The Jai Twins both make noises of concern, but you brush them off. The talon may not be cooperating, but you can make it work until you get to Auntie Bi's campsite. The sooner she knows you are alive, the better.
The trip to Auntie Bi's temporary home takes you twice as long to make as it normally does. Part of it is the talon, but another cause of your slow approach is your panic. In your desperate mind, you miscount tunnels and wind up taking the wrong ones. You emerge on the surface in the middle of the Forest of Pearls, far from Auntie Bi's clearing. Instead of ducking back inside, you glance up at the sun and stars, over towards Heaven's Crown to get your bearings, and begin the trek through the woodlands.
Athletics Check (Talon): 5d10s7(1.1). Dice Rolled: 10, 9, 7, 2, 2, 3. 3.3, rounded down to 3 Successes!
Athletics Check (Talon): 5d10s7(1.1). Dice Rolled: 6, 7, 8, 2, 4. 2.2, rounded down to 2 Successes!
Athletics Check (Foot): 5d10s7(1.1). Dice Rolled: 9, 3, 7, 1, 7. 2.2, rounded down to 2 Successes!
Athletics Check (Foot): 5d10s7(1.1). Dice Rolled: 5, 6, 8, 6, 10, 3, 2.2, rounded down to 2 Successes!
Technique Upgraded: Talon of Remembrance!
By the time you arrive at the tent, the sun has crested over the Brightmaples and cast the forest in its morning shadows. Your robes stick to you in uncomfortable places from your exertion, mostly around your engorged limbs. The eyepatch feels well and truly disgusting against your skin; perhaps in time, it's a feeling you will grow accustomed to, but for now you can only hate the damp fabric.
But you push those feelings down as you make your way to the tent flap. If you know Auntie Bi, she has some kind of punishment planned to make you pay for the worry you have caused her. You need to focus on appeasing her before anything else. You pause, breathe deeply, and push your way into the tent. "My apologies for my-"
Your words die in your throat as your good eye meets the two steady ones of your Great Aunt. Any excuses or protests vanish from your thoughts. All you can do is stand there, feeling far more naked than you did when you woke up yesterday, and let your Aunt take in the sight of everything that has been done to you.
Her reaction is not what you expect.
You had thought that Auntie Bi would be upset with the changes wrought to your flesh. After all, you are a Kong, and what good is a Kong that can barely work an etching rod? Failing that, you had thought that she would be angry that you allowed something like this to happen to you. Or perhaps she would be overjoyed. After all, if there is one member of your family you can see exulting in changes such as what has been done to you, it would be your Aunt. You can almost hear her joyful chattering now.
But one thing you did not expect was for Auntie Bi to stand, walk slowly over to you, and rest a hand on the twisted claw that grows from your arm. "Zhi," she says, the sound of your name so gentle that it almost breaks you. "I am sorry that this happened to you. I am so, so very sorry."
While her words are gentle, her eyes are not. They flash as they take in everything that has changed. One hand reaches up and caresses your blindside. "I will speak with your Father," she tells you. "Do not worry. We will fix this. Kong will fix this."
And you believe her.
Then she sighs and shakes her head. "I will bring word to your father as quickly as I can. But I cannot leave just yet. You have yet to master the Stallion's Enclosed Garden, and I have been charged to remain until you do so. When you are ready-"
"I am ready now," you interrupt. "Please, Auntie Bi, let me continue our training now. I am close to mastering the Garden- all I need is a few more Shining Respites and I am certain I can master hearing today."
Auntie Bi gives you a measuring look. Then she nods, a strange look forming in her eyes as she does. "Very well. You know yourself best, after all. Take your position."
She moves back towards her seat, next to which sits the container of pills- which rests atop your Dance. Your charm practically crackles with fresh anam. Auntie Bi passes it over to you immediately, ignoring your words of thanks, and presses the pills into your palm. You sit down in your normal seat and, with a long breath, toss one of them back into your mouth.
You have nothing that you need to suppress this time. There is no horrible taste, coarse sand against your skin, or bright light in your eyes for you to ignore. You don't need such an aid now. All you need is the knowledge that the sooner you master this technique, the sooner Auntie Bi will be able to bring the resources of the Clan to bear. That thought is enough to keep you cycling beauty to your ears until your pill runs out. You immediately take another and continue the process.
In the end, it takes a further Shining Respite, but you think you have it. You can no longer hear the morning birdsong, the rustling of the wind against the tent, or even your own fingers drumming against your leg. You can still feel your fingers though- but you can change that. You call up the lessons of the Garden and bring them up into your skin. The annoying drumming of your fingers becomes just a distant memory in seconds. And while you're at it, you continue the process, instinctively dulling your smell and your taste.
Now all that's left is your sight. You take one last look at Auntie Bi, who nods encouragingly, the same look filling her eyes, before you dull that one as well.
You feel like you are floating in a sea of emptiness. There is nothing to distract you here. You exist in a world without sound, without sight, without distraction. You feel like you could linger here forever and just be.
Or at least, you can until you feel your core beginning to dip. You let go of the technique.
All at once, everything rushes back to you. Light lances through your eye, the air is heavy against your skin and tongue, the smell of the forest pummels your nostrils, and birdsong drills its way into your ears. You flinch and rear back, almost falling out of your chair. "I think-" you say.
"Zhi!" Auntie Bi barks. "You are close. Do it again- just like you did before. But this time, as you cycle the Garden, you must draw it into yourself. You are the Technique. You are the Stallion." Her words make little sense, but her tone is one to be obeyed. You swallow another pill and cycle.
The empty sea rushes up around you once more. This time, you don't allow it to linger. You focus on all the lessons that Auntie Bi has taught you over the past weeks and you allow them to fill your mind. You picture yourself sitting in the chair you know you are currently resting on and coping with every minor indignity that Auntie Bi has heaped upon you, and you picture your resistance. And you…
You wonder why this technique is called the Stallion's Enclosed Garden.
Why does a Stallion need to be penned in?
You picture a mighty horse stampeding down a dirt road. You feel it's earth-pounding hooves drum a steady tempo into the soil, the first exploding upwards in a miniature geyser with every motion. The stallion races towards its destination, heedless of what stands between it and it's goal.
But it will never make it there.
It is running too fast. There are too many things surrounding it. It has no guidance. It will leave the path and flee into the forest, where it will be set upon with beasts with a taste for horseflesh. It will be in a lather from its never-ending sprint- it will be easy prey.
A Stallion cannot run at full strength for long. Its desire for speed must be tempered by wisdom, by the knowledge of when to stop running and walk, or perhaps even just when to stand still and peacefully graze.
You can see the Stallion clearly in your mind-
You are the Stallion-
For a Stallion to use its full power, it must first know control.
And it's the simplest thing in the world to take that mighty beast and pull it towards your soul.
Anam floods through you in a far greater quantity than can be explained by a single pill. Your eyes snap open as the technique flees from your grasp. But you don't worry about the Garden- you know you can return to it at any time with just an effort of will.
As your senses return to you, so too does the vision of Auntie Bi. And you recognize the look that's been in her eyes this whole time: pride. "Well done, Little Zhi," she tells you. "Well done."
Technique Mastered: Stallion's Enclosed Garden!
Appearance +1!
New Action Unlocked! See the Weekly Plan for more information!
Auntie Bi lets you sit and luxuriate in the feeling of anam pulsing in your core for longer than you expect. But eventually, she runs out of patience and leans forward again. "Now, Zhi, for the reason you have learned how to enter the Garden."
You perk up as she goes on. "Fall into it once more, and this time, use your Sixth Sense."
The order confuses you. Wasn't the whole point of the Garden to make you deaden your senses? Now she wants you to turn one on? What kind of sense does that make?
But you aren't here to ask questions- not when your prior questions are so close to being answered. You do as instructed. Your senses fade away and you reach into that small feeling that seems to rest at the base of your neck. With a nudge of effort, you bring your final sense into being, and scan… and scan…
Anam is all around you.
With only your sixth sense opened, you feel anam in ways you never dreamed of before. There is anam in this chair beneath you- bare traces of it, certainly not enough to cycle, but it's there. It hangs heavy in the Forest around you. Auntie Bi is practically crackling with it. The box containing the last of the Shining Respites gives off a steady glow that burns through your pill chute, where you tucked them after you took the last one necessary. The beasts in the forest all release it with their every motion. Each step, each flap, each cry sends another trace of anam into the sky.
Pills Gained! Shining Respite (Beauty Grade 1) x3!
Anam still pours through you as well. You turn your sixth sense inward and let it run through your body. It's strongest right over your heart, in your core, but it floods throughout your entire being. From the tips of your toes to the crown of your head, anam permeates every single fiber of your being and-
And it's the same. The anam in your body is uniformly the same everywhere. Even in your limbs. Even in your eye.
...you're still you.
Wetness touches your cheek. You ignore it and redouble your focus on the Garden. Clearly you are imagining things. You have no senses right now, after all.
You turn your focus outwards, into the Forest and beyond. The further you go, the less distinct the results get, but you can still feel the general shape of things. You can feel great concentrations of anam coming from the Heart, a lesser one near the village, and…
Wait. That's strange.
There is another anam layered beneath all of the rest. It's… something you haven't felt before. Some kind of strange, almost alien energy that lingers underneath that of the forest and the mountains and the people. It's a blanket that has been spread over the entire land for so long that the land has grown around it. And it is everywhere... even beneath your own feet.
Auntie Bi's anam flares and your eyes snap open. "What is that?" you gasp out. The feeling of that foreign anam… it is strange and alien and subtly wrong in a way that you did not think anam was capable of.
Your Aunt's face betrays no surprise. Indeed, she seems determined, and you now have no doubt that sensing that wrong anam is why she took the time out of her busy life to come here and teach you a seemingly pointless technique.
Her words give truth to your thoughts. "He does like to play his song." She takes a breath and lets out a slight sigh. "Though I harbored a hope that you would not be able to hear it."
She sits up in her chair and pours tea from a kettle that she conjures from nowhere. The steaming cup is passed to you, and you take it on reflex. After she pours one for herself, Auntie Bi meets your eye and continues. "As you have learned by now, Little Zhi, anam desires perfection. By walking our Path and taking anam into ourselves, we may strive for some small piece of that perfection ourselves. That is true of all anam, and true of all Paths, but..."
Auntie Bi pauses and drinks from her cup. If she were anyone else, you would suspect that she is drawing out her words to steady her nerves. "...but while we mortals may walk all Paths, not all Paths are safe to be tread upon."
"Aeons ago, in the time before the founding of the Empire, it is said that there was an Artist of great power walking one of those Paths. Ancient tales say that he was a being who could heal the most grievous of wounds with a touch, who could create a thousand versions of himself, who could speak with the wisdom of a thousand years from the mouth of a child. He styled himself a god made flesh, and millions followed his every step."
"Then…" she continues, voice heavy. "...he took one step too many. And on that day he began to sing."
You sit quietly as you absorb your Aunt's words. "He sang a song unlike any music that has been heard before or since. Tablets discovered in the ruins described it as a discordant, caterwauling melody, made from the screams of thousands of throats yet sung only from one."
"What happened next is unknown. Few records survive from that ancient time, and the few that do tell us only what I have told you. All that is certain is that those ancient people were no more- and that the Artist walked a path made of Time."
"In the generations since, that song has been heard only a bare handful more times. It was there at the fall of the Blue Facade. It was heard at the coronation of the Emperor-In-Chains. It was present when the Northern Savages invaded on the Night of Pale Water. And it was there when Passion fell to the Silken Plague. The song means calamity for all who hear it- to bear witness to even a single note opens you to disaster."
"Each time it was heard, there was a figure accompanying it: a withered man, wrapped only in scraps of fabric. He has never been spoken to and he has never been approached. Any who try find only open air and silence. But he has only been seen on nights that herald great calamity- and each time he appears and that song is heard, that anam you just sensed is agitated. In the end, it grows stronger."
"Scholars have dedicated their lives and surrendered their freedom to study that anam. Some have shriveled to nothing the moment they touch it. Others endure in agony for decades before suddenly dropping dead. Through trial and constant error, one aspect of that anam has become clear: it is made of time."
Auntie Bi reaches out and touches your chest with one finger, right over your core. "And ever since that discovery was made, time artists have begun to hear the song. They hear it when no one else does- and when they do, disaster is sure to follow. It could be a disaster for them, personally. It is more common that it is a disaster for all around them."
Your Aunt's eyes are fierce as she stares at you. It's all you can do to drink your tea. "I know not what this 'Symphony-In-Rags' is, Little Zhi, but your Father and I know one thing: It. Will. Not. Have. You."
"And thus entered the Garden," she continues. Her words are spoken as if they are commandments, as if you have no choice but to obey them. "It is a useful technique to be sure, but it was taught to you for one reason and one reason alone. Should you hear the song, you will use it. You will activate the Garden, and you will deaden your hearing until the danger is passed."
"You will do this, Zhi, and you will not fall prey to the Symphony-In-Rags. Am I understood."
It is not a question.
All you can do is nod.
Do you have any questions for Auntie Bi regarding this topic or any other?
[] Write-In
[] Plan Acclimate
-[] Auntie Bi awaits you outside the walls of the Delving Heart with pills and further lessons on the Stallion's Enclosed Garden. You are very close to mastering it- and it seems more important than ever. Perhaps further instructions will allow you to use it with greater ease on your new eye. x2
-[] You have discovered some talent in the physical arts, but talent is useless if not honed. You will find an empty training field and work on your martial skills. x2
--[] Talon of Remembrance x1
--[] Raptor's Foot x1
-[] Jai Fa has made noises about changing her routine. Now she is focusing on learning an armed style. She would welcome the training dummy that you would provide.
-[] Xu Yun has returned from his cycling, and he seems to have been successful. You are not certain of that, however, as you missed your appointment with him last week. You will make it up to him now, and together you will work on mastering your new self.
--[] Ask him again if he'll be able to join you for your trip into the Deeps for your Sigil quest.
-[] Auntie Bi awaits you outside the walls of the Delving Heart with pills and further lessons on the Stallion's Enclosed Garden. You are very close to mastering it- and it seems more important than ever. Perhaps further instructions will allow you to use it with greater ease on your new eye. x2
-[] You have discovered some talent in the physical arts, but talent is useless if not honed. You will find an empty training field and work on your martial skills. x2
--[] Talon of Remembrance x1
--[] Raptor's Foot x1
-[] Jai Fa has made noises about changing her routine. Now she is focusing on learning an armed style. She would welcome the training dummy that you would provide.
-[] Xu Yun has returned from his cycling, and he seems to have been successful. You are not certain of that, however, as you missed your appointment with him last week. You will make it up to him now, and together you will work on mastering your new self.
--[] Ask him again if he'll be able to join you for your trip into the Deeps for your Sigil quest.
You can still hold your tools with your left hand. You can lift a hammer with it, you can hold a needle with it, you can even scrape small glyphs in tight corners using a chisel with it. The fingers on that hand are still as well trained as they ever were- and you're sure you can use them to do everything you could before your... encounter.
But it wasn't your left hand that was changed. It was your right. The question is if your right hand can still do what it was once capable of.
It's a question you are not entirely eager to find the answer for.
As you sit on the side of your bed, you stare down at the claw that sits where your right hand once did. You've kept your bedroom dark since your return an hour ago, but even in the dim light from the evening pillar, you can't even pretend that what sits on the end of your arm is a human limb. If anything, it makes it worse. If you look at your hand in steady light, you can at least see that it looks nearly human. But in the dark shadows that swallow your home, it is more akin to a monster's claw than anything a man would have.
You shudder and your hands ball into fists without your consent. Your right fingers bite into your palm, the sharp claws needles of pain against your skin. You open your hand up instantly and stare down at the wounds you've just accidentally caused yourself. They are barely anything- the marks left look like you were gripping the teeth of a sharpened comb rather than anything truly dangerous- but you still cannot help but stare.
Your fingers- these fingers- this claw just hurt you.
Your one exposed eye stares down at your claw for an endless moment. If the claw hurts you, then what will it do to anything you touch? What will it do if you mishandle a scroll? What will it do to fabric when you try to move it? What would happen to Xue if you pet him without thought? What will they do to your tools? Can they even hold them? If they can't, then what's even the point of being here? You cannot be a one handed charmcrafter! Would you even be worth-
With your other hand, you reach up and smack yourself across the face so hard you see stars.
No. Those aren't the kind of thoughts you need right now. Of course you can be a charmcrafter with one hand. Uncle Qiu has been doing it for years after the incident with the misplaced harvest rune. And besides- it's not like you don't have a hand. You just need to stop sitting in the darkness and figure out if you can use it.
...even if the answer isn't good, you still need to know. Only a coward would hold himself back from finding out something this important. And you are no coward.
You force yourself to your feet- stumbling for a moment as your sandaled foot and naked talon try to find an equilibrium- and turn back towards your bed. On the foot of lies your oilskin, already unrolled to show the precious miststeel within. You stare at it, sizing your tools up, before reaching out for your hammer-
No, no, not the hammer. You should start off with something more delicate. A chisel? A needle? Perhaps a razor? No, the hammer was the right choice in the first place. You need to start off with something simple before moving on to the harder to manipulate tools. But in that case, maybe you should start with a saw? You need two hands for that after all; you can use your good hand to steady the claw as it works. Or…
You're stalling.
With an effort of will more suited for cycling anam, you reach out with the claw and grab the tool closest to you. The talons close around the handle of an etching rod and pluck it from the oilskin. You hold your breath as you lift it up and tighten the claw around it. It doesn't wiggle in your grip at all as you bring it closer to your body.
By the time it's tucked to your chest, your heart almost feels normal. You can hold a tool- and even lift it. That's not nothing. But now you need to answer the obvious question: can you actually use it?
The tool you've grabbed is an etching rod- so you should etch something. You carefully turn the tool in the claw until you're holding it properly. The familiar motion feels alien, and your skin crawls once again, but you complete it with only the barest fumble. Once it's in place, you glance around the room, looking for something to carve.
You have some scrap wood sitting in the corner of your bedroom. It isn't anything special; you used every ounce of your anam-infused wood when you were constructing the box. What you have left are just some remnants of your training under Elder Brother Zhao Fu. They are nothing out of the ordinary, which makes them perfect for your experimentation. You grab one of the larger chunks and pull it towards the center of the room.
Once the wood is properly positioned, you hold up the etching rod in proper position-
And drop it.
It falls from the clumsy claw, the talons closing in too tight a grip and slicing into skin once more. Your left hand lances out and catches the rod before it hits the ground. The miststeel feels heavy in your dominant hand, far heavier than it should, and you cannot help but stare at it once more.
But then you pass it back to the claw. You have dropped tools before and you will drop them again. You cannot allow yourself to linger on one failure. Right now, you need to hold your tool and make it dance to your tune.
Your new grip is far looser and it does the job far better. You hold the rod out and press the sharp edge into the wood. It takes far more effort than it should to pull it slowly down the length of the wood, but you manage it. Then you pull the rod back and study your handiwork.
The line you've carved seems straight. To test it, you grab a chisel and hold the perfect edge up against your new line. It has some deviation, but not much. You have carved far worse before. A knot of tension loosens in your chest and you hold the rod up once more, ready to put it to work.
You carve lines and glyphs into the board until the light from the pillar is too dark to work by anymore. When you're carving in darkness, you stand, and light your oil lamp. You study the wood in the new light. The lines are passable, but the glyphs themselves are rough. The claw seems to have trouble with curving motions. That is not acceptable for anything but the most rudimentary of arrays.
A frown crosses your face. You're judging your work against memory; to get a true sense of how you stand, you should judge them against runes you know are perfect. Not the Retort or the Respite; those runes are carved in bone. The medium could alter a rune- you should use runes carved in wood for your comparison. Where is the Dance? You can-
You pause, and for the first time since you woke in Elder Yixue's domain, your changes vanish from your thoughts. Your head snaps around as you scan your bedroom.
Where is your Dance?!
You drop your etching rod back on your oilskin and run as quickly as you can. The talon slows you down as the back claw drags against the stone, but you ignore it, practically pulling your leg along with you as you make your way for the stairs. You descend the Spire two stairs at a time until you reach the second floor.
The Jai Twins are waiting for you in the kitchen. Jai Fa is leaning against a wall, arms crossed and brow furrowed in thought. Her brother is seated at the table, bowed over a cup of something steaming. Both look up at the sound of your intrusion. Jai Fa's expression doesn't change at all, but Jai Shouxi's eyes become very fascinated with your good eye. "Kong Zhi!" he exclaims. "You are… my, it is good to see you up and about!"
"If you had lingered upstairs much longer, I was going to drag you down by your ear," Jai Fa growls, tone thick with an emotion you cannot fully recognize.
But you discard both Jai Fa's words and Jai Shouxi's desire to not stare at your changes. "My Dance!" you yell, the panic clear in your voice. .
The two stare at you, nonplussed. "The Dance at the Midnight Crossroads!" you elaborate, as if perhaps they have forgotten the true name of your work. "My summoning box! Where is it? Have you seen it?!"
The Jai Twins look at you for a very long moment. They trade looks, and as one, their shoulders seem to relax. Jai Fa even holds up a hand to her mouth in a gesture that, if she were someone else, you would think would be to disguise a giggle.
Jai Shouxi is the one that answers you. "Yes, I have," he replies. "Your ba- Nokai brought it by while you were convalescing. But when we realized that it was dull, my dear, ever so thoughtful Sister decided to take it to an expert."
Your heart sinks. "You took my box to the Creator's Garden?!" you almost snarl. "Why would you-"
"Peace, Kong Zhi," Jai Shouxi pleads. "We did no such thing. We would never leave your work with someone we did not think would care for it as you would. So we brought it to your Aunt."
...oh. "That... I see," you answer. "My thanks. I am certain she is taking excellent care of it." And that's true. Auntie Bi will treat your Rakshasa like it's one of her own creations, of that you have no doubt. But on the other hand, you have seen some of the things she does with her creations. Your worry lessens, but not by a great de-
They brought your Aunt your charm.
That means they either told her why you don't have your charm, or they didn't and left her to wonder.
In either case, that would lead Auntie Bi to worry.
And a worried Auntie Bi is dangerous.
"I must go retrieve it," you mumble. You spin on your heel and stumble towards the stairs. The Jai Twins both make noises of concern, but you brush them off. The talon may not be cooperating, but you can make it work until you get to Auntie Bi's campsite. The sooner she knows you are alive, the better.
The trip to Auntie Bi's temporary home takes you twice as long to make as it normally does. Part of it is the talon, but another cause of your slow approach is your panic. In your desperate mind, you miscount tunnels and wind up taking the wrong ones. You emerge on the surface in the middle of the Forest of Pearls, far from Auntie Bi's clearing. Instead of ducking back inside, you glance up at the sun and stars, over towards Heaven's Crown to get your bearings, and begin the trek through the woodlands.
Athletics Check (Talon): 5d10s7(1.1). Dice Rolled: 10, 9, 7, 2, 2, 3. 3.3, rounded down to 3 Successes!
Athletics Check (Talon): 5d10s7(1.1). Dice Rolled: 6, 7, 8, 2, 4. 2.2, rounded down to 2 Successes!
Athletics Check (Foot): 5d10s7(1.1). Dice Rolled: 9, 3, 7, 1, 7. 2.2, rounded down to 2 Successes!
Athletics Check (Foot): 5d10s7(1.1). Dice Rolled: 5, 6, 8, 6, 10, 3, 2.2, rounded down to 2 Successes!
Technique Upgraded: Talon of Remembrance!
Talon of Remembrance (Strength 2)
Warrior Technique 3 (Physical 7)
Cost: 0
Current Phase: 2/15
Description: Where once Kong Zhi had a normal arm upon his shoulder, now he bears an altered limb capped with a vicious talon.
Warrior Technique 3 (Physical 7)
Cost: 0
Current Phase: 2/15
Description: Where once Kong Zhi had a normal arm upon his shoulder, now he bears an altered limb capped with a vicious talon.
But you push those feelings down as you make your way to the tent flap. If you know Auntie Bi, she has some kind of punishment planned to make you pay for the worry you have caused her. You need to focus on appeasing her before anything else. You pause, breathe deeply, and push your way into the tent. "My apologies for my-"
Your words die in your throat as your good eye meets the two steady ones of your Great Aunt. Any excuses or protests vanish from your thoughts. All you can do is stand there, feeling far more naked than you did when you woke up yesterday, and let your Aunt take in the sight of everything that has been done to you.
Her reaction is not what you expect.
You had thought that Auntie Bi would be upset with the changes wrought to your flesh. After all, you are a Kong, and what good is a Kong that can barely work an etching rod? Failing that, you had thought that she would be angry that you allowed something like this to happen to you. Or perhaps she would be overjoyed. After all, if there is one member of your family you can see exulting in changes such as what has been done to you, it would be your Aunt. You can almost hear her joyful chattering now.
But one thing you did not expect was for Auntie Bi to stand, walk slowly over to you, and rest a hand on the twisted claw that grows from your arm. "Zhi," she says, the sound of your name so gentle that it almost breaks you. "I am sorry that this happened to you. I am so, so very sorry."
While her words are gentle, her eyes are not. They flash as they take in everything that has changed. One hand reaches up and caresses your blindside. "I will speak with your Father," she tells you. "Do not worry. We will fix this. Kong will fix this."
And you believe her.
Then she sighs and shakes her head. "I will bring word to your father as quickly as I can. But I cannot leave just yet. You have yet to master the Stallion's Enclosed Garden, and I have been charged to remain until you do so. When you are ready-"
"I am ready now," you interrupt. "Please, Auntie Bi, let me continue our training now. I am close to mastering the Garden- all I need is a few more Shining Respites and I am certain I can master hearing today."
Auntie Bi gives you a measuring look. Then she nods, a strange look forming in her eyes as she does. "Very well. You know yourself best, after all. Take your position."
She moves back towards her seat, next to which sits the container of pills- which rests atop your Dance. Your charm practically crackles with fresh anam. Auntie Bi passes it over to you immediately, ignoring your words of thanks, and presses the pills into your palm. You sit down in your normal seat and, with a long breath, toss one of them back into your mouth.
You have nothing that you need to suppress this time. There is no horrible taste, coarse sand against your skin, or bright light in your eyes for you to ignore. You don't need such an aid now. All you need is the knowledge that the sooner you master this technique, the sooner Auntie Bi will be able to bring the resources of the Clan to bear. That thought is enough to keep you cycling beauty to your ears until your pill runs out. You immediately take another and continue the process.
In the end, it takes a further Shining Respite, but you think you have it. You can no longer hear the morning birdsong, the rustling of the wind against the tent, or even your own fingers drumming against your leg. You can still feel your fingers though- but you can change that. You call up the lessons of the Garden and bring them up into your skin. The annoying drumming of your fingers becomes just a distant memory in seconds. And while you're at it, you continue the process, instinctively dulling your smell and your taste.
Now all that's left is your sight. You take one last look at Auntie Bi, who nods encouragingly, the same look filling her eyes, before you dull that one as well.
You feel like you are floating in a sea of emptiness. There is nothing to distract you here. You exist in a world without sound, without sight, without distraction. You feel like you could linger here forever and just be.
Or at least, you can until you feel your core beginning to dip. You let go of the technique.
All at once, everything rushes back to you. Light lances through your eye, the air is heavy against your skin and tongue, the smell of the forest pummels your nostrils, and birdsong drills its way into your ears. You flinch and rear back, almost falling out of your chair. "I think-" you say.
"Zhi!" Auntie Bi barks. "You are close. Do it again- just like you did before. But this time, as you cycle the Garden, you must draw it into yourself. You are the Technique. You are the Stallion." Her words make little sense, but her tone is one to be obeyed. You swallow another pill and cycle.
The empty sea rushes up around you once more. This time, you don't allow it to linger. You focus on all the lessons that Auntie Bi has taught you over the past weeks and you allow them to fill your mind. You picture yourself sitting in the chair you know you are currently resting on and coping with every minor indignity that Auntie Bi has heaped upon you, and you picture your resistance. And you…
You wonder why this technique is called the Stallion's Enclosed Garden.
Why does a Stallion need to be penned in?
You picture a mighty horse stampeding down a dirt road. You feel it's earth-pounding hooves drum a steady tempo into the soil, the first exploding upwards in a miniature geyser with every motion. The stallion races towards its destination, heedless of what stands between it and it's goal.
But it will never make it there.
It is running too fast. There are too many things surrounding it. It has no guidance. It will leave the path and flee into the forest, where it will be set upon with beasts with a taste for horseflesh. It will be in a lather from its never-ending sprint- it will be easy prey.
A Stallion cannot run at full strength for long. Its desire for speed must be tempered by wisdom, by the knowledge of when to stop running and walk, or perhaps even just when to stand still and peacefully graze.
You can see the Stallion clearly in your mind-
You are the Stallion-
For a Stallion to use its full power, it must first know control.
And it's the simplest thing in the world to take that mighty beast and pull it towards your soul.
Anam floods through you in a far greater quantity than can be explained by a single pill. Your eyes snap open as the technique flees from your grasp. But you don't worry about the Garden- you know you can return to it at any time with just an effort of will.
As your senses return to you, so too does the vision of Auntie Bi. And you recognize the look that's been in her eyes this whole time: pride. "Well done, Little Zhi," she tells you. "Well done."
Technique Mastered: Stallion's Enclosed Garden!
Appearance +1!
Stallion's Enclosed Garden (Appearance 1)
Monk Technique 2 (Beauty 21)
Cost: 1 Anam per sense deadened per turn
Current Phase: 5/5 (Fully Mastered)
Description: The artist masks their senses, rendering them unable to perceive anything using those senses. Currently, Kong Zhi is capable of masking the following senses: taste, smell, touch, sight, hearing.
Monk Technique 2 (Beauty 21)
Cost: 1 Anam per sense deadened per turn
Current Phase: 5/5 (Fully Mastered)
Description: The artist masks their senses, rendering them unable to perceive anything using those senses. Currently, Kong Zhi is capable of masking the following senses: taste, smell, touch, sight, hearing.
Auntie Bi lets you sit and luxuriate in the feeling of anam pulsing in your core for longer than you expect. But eventually, she runs out of patience and leans forward again. "Now, Zhi, for the reason you have learned how to enter the Garden."
You perk up as she goes on. "Fall into it once more, and this time, use your Sixth Sense."
The order confuses you. Wasn't the whole point of the Garden to make you deaden your senses? Now she wants you to turn one on? What kind of sense does that make?
But you aren't here to ask questions- not when your prior questions are so close to being answered. You do as instructed. Your senses fade away and you reach into that small feeling that seems to rest at the base of your neck. With a nudge of effort, you bring your final sense into being, and scan… and scan…
Anam is all around you.
With only your sixth sense opened, you feel anam in ways you never dreamed of before. There is anam in this chair beneath you- bare traces of it, certainly not enough to cycle, but it's there. It hangs heavy in the Forest around you. Auntie Bi is practically crackling with it. The box containing the last of the Shining Respites gives off a steady glow that burns through your pill chute, where you tucked them after you took the last one necessary. The beasts in the forest all release it with their every motion. Each step, each flap, each cry sends another trace of anam into the sky.
Pills Gained! Shining Respite (Beauty Grade 1) x3!
Anam still pours through you as well. You turn your sixth sense inward and let it run through your body. It's strongest right over your heart, in your core, but it floods throughout your entire being. From the tips of your toes to the crown of your head, anam permeates every single fiber of your being and-
And it's the same. The anam in your body is uniformly the same everywhere. Even in your limbs. Even in your eye.
...you're still you.
Wetness touches your cheek. You ignore it and redouble your focus on the Garden. Clearly you are imagining things. You have no senses right now, after all.
You turn your focus outwards, into the Forest and beyond. The further you go, the less distinct the results get, but you can still feel the general shape of things. You can feel great concentrations of anam coming from the Heart, a lesser one near the village, and…
Wait. That's strange.
There is another anam layered beneath all of the rest. It's… something you haven't felt before. Some kind of strange, almost alien energy that lingers underneath that of the forest and the mountains and the people. It's a blanket that has been spread over the entire land for so long that the land has grown around it. And it is everywhere... even beneath your own feet.
Auntie Bi's anam flares and your eyes snap open. "What is that?" you gasp out. The feeling of that foreign anam… it is strange and alien and subtly wrong in a way that you did not think anam was capable of.
Your Aunt's face betrays no surprise. Indeed, she seems determined, and you now have no doubt that sensing that wrong anam is why she took the time out of her busy life to come here and teach you a seemingly pointless technique.
Her words give truth to your thoughts. "He does like to play his song." She takes a breath and lets out a slight sigh. "Though I harbored a hope that you would not be able to hear it."
She sits up in her chair and pours tea from a kettle that she conjures from nowhere. The steaming cup is passed to you, and you take it on reflex. After she pours one for herself, Auntie Bi meets your eye and continues. "As you have learned by now, Little Zhi, anam desires perfection. By walking our Path and taking anam into ourselves, we may strive for some small piece of that perfection ourselves. That is true of all anam, and true of all Paths, but..."
Auntie Bi pauses and drinks from her cup. If she were anyone else, you would suspect that she is drawing out her words to steady her nerves. "...but while we mortals may walk all Paths, not all Paths are safe to be tread upon."
"Aeons ago, in the time before the founding of the Empire, it is said that there was an Artist of great power walking one of those Paths. Ancient tales say that he was a being who could heal the most grievous of wounds with a touch, who could create a thousand versions of himself, who could speak with the wisdom of a thousand years from the mouth of a child. He styled himself a god made flesh, and millions followed his every step."
"Then…" she continues, voice heavy. "...he took one step too many. And on that day he began to sing."
You sit quietly as you absorb your Aunt's words. "He sang a song unlike any music that has been heard before or since. Tablets discovered in the ruins described it as a discordant, caterwauling melody, made from the screams of thousands of throats yet sung only from one."
"What happened next is unknown. Few records survive from that ancient time, and the few that do tell us only what I have told you. All that is certain is that those ancient people were no more- and that the Artist walked a path made of Time."
"In the generations since, that song has been heard only a bare handful more times. It was there at the fall of the Blue Facade. It was heard at the coronation of the Emperor-In-Chains. It was present when the Northern Savages invaded on the Night of Pale Water. And it was there when Passion fell to the Silken Plague. The song means calamity for all who hear it- to bear witness to even a single note opens you to disaster."
"Each time it was heard, there was a figure accompanying it: a withered man, wrapped only in scraps of fabric. He has never been spoken to and he has never been approached. Any who try find only open air and silence. But he has only been seen on nights that herald great calamity- and each time he appears and that song is heard, that anam you just sensed is agitated. In the end, it grows stronger."
"Scholars have dedicated their lives and surrendered their freedom to study that anam. Some have shriveled to nothing the moment they touch it. Others endure in agony for decades before suddenly dropping dead. Through trial and constant error, one aspect of that anam has become clear: it is made of time."
Auntie Bi reaches out and touches your chest with one finger, right over your core. "And ever since that discovery was made, time artists have begun to hear the song. They hear it when no one else does- and when they do, disaster is sure to follow. It could be a disaster for them, personally. It is more common that it is a disaster for all around them."
Your Aunt's eyes are fierce as she stares at you. It's all you can do to drink your tea. "I know not what this 'Symphony-In-Rags' is, Little Zhi, but your Father and I know one thing: It. Will. Not. Have. You."
"And thus entered the Garden," she continues. Her words are spoken as if they are commandments, as if you have no choice but to obey them. "It is a useful technique to be sure, but it was taught to you for one reason and one reason alone. Should you hear the song, you will use it. You will activate the Garden, and you will deaden your hearing until the danger is passed."
"You will do this, Zhi, and you will not fall prey to the Symphony-In-Rags. Am I understood."
It is not a question.
All you can do is nod.
Do you have any questions for Auntie Bi regarding this topic or any other?
[] Write-In
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