Threads Of Destiny(Eastern Fantasy, Sequel to Forge of Destiny)
- Thread starter yrsillar
- Start date
- Original Users' Choice!
Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
EternalObserver
eYe Gaze baCk
- Location
- The Void
we can't give these sharks any more ammunition.
Turn 13: Arc 7-1 Kin
"Let me speak with Xia Anxi," Ling Qi said after a moment's thought. She wasn't certain how genuine his interest had been, but it would be interesting to speak to a musician from such a distant tradition. Plus she had paid more mind to the other Bai yesterday, it wouldn't do to snub.
"I will imply my interest in his assistance with keeping relations high then," Meizhen said.
"Why not just tell him?" Ling Qi asked curiously, taking a drink from her slush filled cup. She quite liked this, maybe she should try it with other drinks, the texture of the ice was pleasant.
"It is good to allow your subordinates to appear as if they are anticipating your desires," Bai Meizhen replied. "It is a kindness for new members of my entourage, or so Lady Xilai says. I trust her experience in the matter."
"It is not an uncommon practice, though it is not my preference," Cai Renxiang said absently.
"Good thing, else I'd have made a fool of myself," Ling Qi chuckled.
"Indeed," Cai Renxiang replied.
They shared a laugh, the three of them. It was good to relax now while they had a chance, veiled from the public eye. Tomorrow, they would be back, and the theatre of society would resume. Now though, they could simply be good friends.
"The first match was at least a little interesting," Lao Keung said, leaning against the railing which separated their box from the general crowd of the stands. "Good spearwork at least."
"Hm, workmanlike at best," Xia Anxi drawled, he remained in the seat beside her. It was actually a little funny how stubborn he was being in that regard. "Neither combatant had any real grace. But yes, an entertaining brawl."
Ling Qi nodded absently. Gun Jun had won, but it was a close thing.
"The dedication of both combatants was admirable." Bai Meizhen said. "I will not blame the Sect for the dullness of the second and third though. It was inevitable given the competition, just as my own first match was last year."
Bai Meizhen, Cai Renxiang, Lao Keung and Xia Anxi all occupied this lower box with her today. They were essentially the Bai-Cai alliance junior division, as it were.
"Pfft, you make it sound funnier than it is," Sixiang snickered.
"A certain respect is deserved for Lady Bai," Xia Anxi said. "But being expected does not make it any less dull."
Lu Feng's match had just ended, and as expected it was a swift one. Just as Gan Guangli's before it had been. Third realms as advanced as they were against second realms… being allowed to show off their skills a bit in kindness from their opponents was the best they could expect.
"I'd heard you went very soft on your opponent in the first match Lady Bai," Lao Keung said. It wasn't quite a question, like when he'd asked permission to stand instead of sit. Still Ling Qi felt like he was probing at her friend.
"Pain and fear are tools like any other," Meizhen replied. "While the strength of the clan must be maintained, there is little purpose in terrorizing an individual whose only offense is poor fortune in a drawing. Using those tools in such a… random way devalues their threat."
"I see, thank you for explaining your reasoning, Lady Bai," Lao Keung said.
As they were having that conversation, Ling Qi observed Xia Anxi out of the corner of her eye, as he was doing to her.
"This next one, you implied that you knew her?" he asked, drumming his slender fingers on the arm rest.
"I fought her," Ling Qi clarified, looking down to the arenas, where Chu Song was now taking up a position opposite another older disciple. He was only early green realm though, compared to her solid appraisal. "She was strong, but lacked the flexibility to deal with me."
"Unfortunate for her," Xia Anxi said. "Is it true that she openly insulted your liege?"
"Not so much at the tournament," Ling Qi said. It was more that Ling Qi riled her up. "Well I may have baited her."
"Oh? Do tell," Xia Anxi said, raising an eyebrow.
The words felt crueler now, looking back, but Ling Qi couldn't bring herself to feel particularly bad. "I asked her why I should care for the memory of a clan a hundred years dead."
"Blunt, but effective," Xia Anxi chuckled. "Ah, she must have raged. Those sorts always do."
"Yes," Ling Qi said, looking down at the match. Chu Song and the other disciple were clashing in the midst of a stony field, and she was seemed to be coming out the better. Chu Song's cultivation hadn't improved much, but to Ling Qi's eye, her skills had. Her movement and demeanor were both much more controlled, her swordplay more disciplined.
"Though I must wonder why the Duchess left any of the Chu alive at all. It's best to finish things with foes. Anything else is just buying future trouble," he mused. "Of course, I am sure I simply cannot see such a cultivator's plans."
Ling Qi didn't answer at first. Why had the Duchess spared any of them? Going as far as she did, there would have been no more objection to finishing the clan entirely, perhaps allowing spouses and children to change their names and join their partner or parents clans. Why allow the Chu to persist at all? "Perhaps living examples are more effective than dead stone and ruins?"
Xia Anxi nodded thoughtfully. "A fair point, yes."
Below in the arena, the boy Chu Song was fighting broke away with a movement art, and leapt into the air. A great condor materialized above him, carrying him into the sky in its talons. Ling Qi saw Chu Song's expression twist into a snarl as she reached up and clenched a fist. She felt the wind in the arena change, a massive downdraft slamming her foe and his beast back to earth.
"I made an impression it seems," Ling Qi observed.
"You can fly, that is right," Xia Anxi said thoughtfully. "Tell me, what is it like?"
Ling Qi blinked, turning her gaze to him. He was still looking down at the arena's watching Chu Song hound down her foes. "Its the most refreshing thing in the world. The feeling of being unmoored from everything weightless and free."
He nodded and a moment of silence passed, Ling Qi listened absently to the polite and formal back and forth between Meizhen and Lady Renxiang.
"What is the sea like?" Ling Qi asked. "I've seen forests and mountains and vales, rivers and plains of snow, but never the ocean."
"It is powerful," Xia Anxi said, sounding a touch nostalgic. "A million, million tonnes of water pounding upon the shore in a rhythm as old as time, glittering beauty of wave and surf, vast beyond even the confines of the horizon, with depths of mystery to match even sacred lake Hei."
"My, how poetic," Ling Qi said.
He sniffed. "I do write the lyrics of my personal songs."
"Ugh, lyrics. I am not much for spoken words. A clear melody carries meaning better," Ling Qi replied.
Sixiang grumbled in her head.
"The spoken word is among the first works of art made by man," Xia Anxi replied haughtily. "You should not dismiss it so."
"Is that so," Ling Qi said, tilting her head. She considered him for a moment. "If you will excuse the question, how did you come by your talent. I was under the impression the Bai did not have much focus on music."
"The esteemed White Serpent do not engage with such arts," Xia Anxi said, his eyes flicking briefly toward Meizhen. "But the Blue have their work song, and even the red and the green their marching hymns and drums. The Xia draw their song from the sea which has its uses in cultivating our coral."
"Coral?" Ling Qi asked.
"Ah yes, a southlander wouldn't know," Xia Anxi chuckled. "Most think it a sort of stone, but it is more akin to your trees, living and immobile, it grows underwater in sprawling and beautiful formations. We tend and cultivate it for our underwater holdings, both in our homes and as fortification against the leviathans which prowl the kelp beds of the red jungle. But even beside that, the spirits of wind and wave have always responded well to song."
Ling Qi struggled to picture that, but it was interesting. She did know there was some weilu traditions toward shaping trees through song, her dossier on the Meng had indicated that they made heavy use of living wood and plant life in their traditional architecture.
"It does sound beautiful, I'd like to see it someday," Ling Qi mused.
"Perhaps I might send for a painting, to remind me of home," he said flippantly.
"Ah, trivial of course," Ling Qi said dryly. The match was wrapping up. Chu Song had won handily, not even bringing out her spirit beast.
"I am a man of some means and talent," Xia Anxi preened.
"Naturally," Ling Qi chuckled, leaning back in her seat. There would be a brief intermission before the fifth match began. Where to take this conversation from here…
[] Talk shop, your own musical inspirations and teachers, try to draw out his. (80% chance to raise bond level to 1)
[] Talk more about places, about the sea and the sky, and the differences in the expressions of beauty. (60% chance to raise bond level to 1. Gain 1 XP toward expression.)
"I will imply my interest in his assistance with keeping relations high then," Meizhen said.
"Why not just tell him?" Ling Qi asked curiously, taking a drink from her slush filled cup. She quite liked this, maybe she should try it with other drinks, the texture of the ice was pleasant.
"It is good to allow your subordinates to appear as if they are anticipating your desires," Bai Meizhen replied. "It is a kindness for new members of my entourage, or so Lady Xilai says. I trust her experience in the matter."
"It is not an uncommon practice, though it is not my preference," Cai Renxiang said absently.
"Good thing, else I'd have made a fool of myself," Ling Qi chuckled.
"Indeed," Cai Renxiang replied.
They shared a laugh, the three of them. It was good to relax now while they had a chance, veiled from the public eye. Tomorrow, they would be back, and the theatre of society would resume. Now though, they could simply be good friends.
***
"The first match was at least a little interesting," Lao Keung said, leaning against the railing which separated their box from the general crowd of the stands. "Good spearwork at least."
"Hm, workmanlike at best," Xia Anxi drawled, he remained in the seat beside her. It was actually a little funny how stubborn he was being in that regard. "Neither combatant had any real grace. But yes, an entertaining brawl."
Ling Qi nodded absently. Gun Jun had won, but it was a close thing.
"The dedication of both combatants was admirable." Bai Meizhen said. "I will not blame the Sect for the dullness of the second and third though. It was inevitable given the competition, just as my own first match was last year."
Bai Meizhen, Cai Renxiang, Lao Keung and Xia Anxi all occupied this lower box with her today. They were essentially the Bai-Cai alliance junior division, as it were.
"Pfft, you make it sound funnier than it is," Sixiang snickered.
"A certain respect is deserved for Lady Bai," Xia Anxi said. "But being expected does not make it any less dull."
Lu Feng's match had just ended, and as expected it was a swift one. Just as Gan Guangli's before it had been. Third realms as advanced as they were against second realms… being allowed to show off their skills a bit in kindness from their opponents was the best they could expect.
"I'd heard you went very soft on your opponent in the first match Lady Bai," Lao Keung said. It wasn't quite a question, like when he'd asked permission to stand instead of sit. Still Ling Qi felt like he was probing at her friend.
"Pain and fear are tools like any other," Meizhen replied. "While the strength of the clan must be maintained, there is little purpose in terrorizing an individual whose only offense is poor fortune in a drawing. Using those tools in such a… random way devalues their threat."
"I see, thank you for explaining your reasoning, Lady Bai," Lao Keung said.
As they were having that conversation, Ling Qi observed Xia Anxi out of the corner of her eye, as he was doing to her.
"This next one, you implied that you knew her?" he asked, drumming his slender fingers on the arm rest.
"I fought her," Ling Qi clarified, looking down to the arenas, where Chu Song was now taking up a position opposite another older disciple. He was only early green realm though, compared to her solid appraisal. "She was strong, but lacked the flexibility to deal with me."
"Unfortunate for her," Xia Anxi said. "Is it true that she openly insulted your liege?"
"Not so much at the tournament," Ling Qi said. It was more that Ling Qi riled her up. "Well I may have baited her."
"Oh? Do tell," Xia Anxi said, raising an eyebrow.
The words felt crueler now, looking back, but Ling Qi couldn't bring herself to feel particularly bad. "I asked her why I should care for the memory of a clan a hundred years dead."
"Blunt, but effective," Xia Anxi chuckled. "Ah, she must have raged. Those sorts always do."
"Yes," Ling Qi said, looking down at the match. Chu Song and the other disciple were clashing in the midst of a stony field, and she was seemed to be coming out the better. Chu Song's cultivation hadn't improved much, but to Ling Qi's eye, her skills had. Her movement and demeanor were both much more controlled, her swordplay more disciplined.
"Though I must wonder why the Duchess left any of the Chu alive at all. It's best to finish things with foes. Anything else is just buying future trouble," he mused. "Of course, I am sure I simply cannot see such a cultivator's plans."
Ling Qi didn't answer at first. Why had the Duchess spared any of them? Going as far as she did, there would have been no more objection to finishing the clan entirely, perhaps allowing spouses and children to change their names and join their partner or parents clans. Why allow the Chu to persist at all? "Perhaps living examples are more effective than dead stone and ruins?"
Xia Anxi nodded thoughtfully. "A fair point, yes."
Below in the arena, the boy Chu Song was fighting broke away with a movement art, and leapt into the air. A great condor materialized above him, carrying him into the sky in its talons. Ling Qi saw Chu Song's expression twist into a snarl as she reached up and clenched a fist. She felt the wind in the arena change, a massive downdraft slamming her foe and his beast back to earth.
"I made an impression it seems," Ling Qi observed.
"You can fly, that is right," Xia Anxi said thoughtfully. "Tell me, what is it like?"
Ling Qi blinked, turning her gaze to him. He was still looking down at the arena's watching Chu Song hound down her foes. "Its the most refreshing thing in the world. The feeling of being unmoored from everything weightless and free."
He nodded and a moment of silence passed, Ling Qi listened absently to the polite and formal back and forth between Meizhen and Lady Renxiang.
"What is the sea like?" Ling Qi asked. "I've seen forests and mountains and vales, rivers and plains of snow, but never the ocean."
"It is powerful," Xia Anxi said, sounding a touch nostalgic. "A million, million tonnes of water pounding upon the shore in a rhythm as old as time, glittering beauty of wave and surf, vast beyond even the confines of the horizon, with depths of mystery to match even sacred lake Hei."
"My, how poetic," Ling Qi said.
He sniffed. "I do write the lyrics of my personal songs."
"Ugh, lyrics. I am not much for spoken words. A clear melody carries meaning better," Ling Qi replied.
Sixiang grumbled in her head.
"The spoken word is among the first works of art made by man," Xia Anxi replied haughtily. "You should not dismiss it so."
"Is that so," Ling Qi said, tilting her head. She considered him for a moment. "If you will excuse the question, how did you come by your talent. I was under the impression the Bai did not have much focus on music."
"The esteemed White Serpent do not engage with such arts," Xia Anxi said, his eyes flicking briefly toward Meizhen. "But the Blue have their work song, and even the red and the green their marching hymns and drums. The Xia draw their song from the sea which has its uses in cultivating our coral."
"Coral?" Ling Qi asked.
"Ah yes, a southlander wouldn't know," Xia Anxi chuckled. "Most think it a sort of stone, but it is more akin to your trees, living and immobile, it grows underwater in sprawling and beautiful formations. We tend and cultivate it for our underwater holdings, both in our homes and as fortification against the leviathans which prowl the kelp beds of the red jungle. But even beside that, the spirits of wind and wave have always responded well to song."
Ling Qi struggled to picture that, but it was interesting. She did know there was some weilu traditions toward shaping trees through song, her dossier on the Meng had indicated that they made heavy use of living wood and plant life in their traditional architecture.
"It does sound beautiful, I'd like to see it someday," Ling Qi mused.
"Perhaps I might send for a painting, to remind me of home," he said flippantly.
"Ah, trivial of course," Ling Qi said dryly. The match was wrapping up. Chu Song had won handily, not even bringing out her spirit beast.
"I am a man of some means and talent," Xia Anxi preened.
"Naturally," Ling Qi chuckled, leaning back in her seat. There would be a brief intermission before the fifth match began. Where to take this conversation from here…
[] Talk shop, your own musical inspirations and teachers, try to draw out his. (80% chance to raise bond level to 1)
[] Talk more about places, about the sea and the sky, and the differences in the expressions of beauty. (60% chance to raise bond level to 1. Gain 1 XP toward expression.)
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NoxOfUmbra
Shadow of the night
- Location
- Colombia, South América
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
[X] Talk more about places, about the sea and the sky, and the differences in the expressions of beauty. (60% chance to raise bond level to 1. Gain 1 XP toward expression.)
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CedeTheBees
Probably high right now
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Oh man idk which I'm gonna vote for. I wanna hear more about his past but I also wanna hear about his own artistic philosophy.
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Alectai
Speaks Words of Wisdom... On occasion
It's a 5th of a level for our highest ranking Concept. Gained at no investment of time and resources. That's pretty gud.
I stand corrected.
[] Talk more about places, about the sea and the sky, and the differences in the expressions of beauty. (60% chance to raise bond level to 1. Gain 1 XP toward expression.)
Probably this. First option seems to be something we heard before from LQ. It is true and tested convo opener for LQ at this point. For example it is what she talked with Bao Qian about.
Second option is something I really want to see more about from LQ. It feels like LQ really does not push herself or show her thoughts about inspirations and deeper sides of music. She does music, but she still has not really started move beyond just doing music by rote it feels like.
Probably this. First option seems to be something we heard before from LQ. It is true and tested convo opener for LQ at this point. For example it is what she talked with Bao Qian about.
Second option is something I really want to see more about from LQ. It feels like LQ really does not push herself or show her thoughts about inspirations and deeper sides of music. She does music, but she still has not really started move beyond just doing music by rote it feels like.
Realm is used kinda weird here a couple times, were these intentional?
- Location
- France
[] Talk more about places, about the sea and the sky, and the differences in the expressions of beauty. (60% chance to raise bond level to 1. Gain 1 XP toward expression.)
This sounds like a much more interesting conversation!
And it's a good XP reward, in exchange for lower odds of a Bond I don't really care about
This sounds like a much more interesting conversation!
And it's a good XP reward, in exchange for lower odds of a Bond I don't really care about
Its fairly rare but the white serpents usually make significant efforts to co-opt them when it looks like it is. Whether through marriage or favors or whatnot. Its unfortunate if it looks like that wont work
- Location
- The Space Between
wait a minute. Shifting immobile, typically inflexible and calcified living beings with Songs? Wait a minute are the same songs which shape Trees and Corals also the sorts of songs to communicate with higher level cultivators and spirit stuck in their Ways?
fascinatttinnnggg
as for the vote I'd prefer taking the guarantee +1 so we have both at +1 and don't need to build up from 0 later. From +1 seems easier, and this is partially about making Xia feel like they're anticipating Meizhen's desires early
fascinatttinnnggg
as for the vote I'd prefer taking the guarantee +1 so we have both at +1 and don't need to build up from 0 later. From +1 seems easier, and this is partially about making Xia feel like they're anticipating Meizhen's desires early
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- Location
- Spain
[X] Talk more about places, about the sea and the sky, and the differences in the expressions of beauty. (60% chance to raise bond level to 1. Gain 1 XP toward expression.)
I like the idea of Ling Qi being a bit more daring on what she dares to share about herself in conversation. It is getting lyrical and evocative, and lowering one's own guard a little bit. Xia Anxi did that just now when he described the sea. It is fair to reply in kind.
He could have just said "The sea is a lot of water. Very blue, very wet. Lots of waves". Instead, he waxed poetic. Now is our chance to flex our poetry!
I like the idea of Ling Qi being a bit more daring on what she dares to share about herself in conversation. It is getting lyrical and evocative, and lowering one's own guard a little bit. Xia Anxi did that just now when he described the sea. It is fair to reply in kind.
He could have just said "The sea is a lot of water. Very blue, very wet. Lots of waves". Instead, he waxed poetic. Now is our chance to flex our poetry!
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- Location
- Finland
[] Talk more about places, about the sea and the sky, and the differences in the expressions of beauty. (60% chance to raise bond level to 1. Gain 1 XP toward expression.)
Leaning towards this one.
Yes, failure would suck, but it would not be a disaster like it would have been at Hanyi's concert.
Also the topic sounds interesting.
Leaning towards this one.
Yes, failure would suck, but it would not be a disaster like it would have been at Hanyi's concert.
Also the topic sounds interesting.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[] Talk more about places, about the sea and the sky, and the differences in the expressions of beauty. (60% chance to raise bond level to 1. Gain 1 XP toward expression.)
Still better than a coin flip and obviously better rewards. We haven't had many opportunities so far to gain concept XP other than turn planning so I'm inclined to vote this even without omake points being spent.
Still better than a coin flip and obviously better rewards. We haven't had many opportunities so far to gain concept XP other than turn planning so I'm inclined to vote this even without omake points being spent.
Man, she went from liking her drinks chilled to complete slush. Soon, she will get her drinks as solid ice. Imagine LQ licking ice in a glass during a formal dinner.
wait, wait, what? Is this... true?