Lotus spends the night after her latest victory in deep meditation. She walks in a waking dream of a world filled with light. People-shapes walk around her wreathed in a white glow so bright it almost pains her to look at them. One figure among the many comes closer than the rest. Kneeling before her, the woman of light cups Lotus's head in her hands and smiles. Then, with one hand, she touches her own forhead causing an even brighter silvery radience to spring forth. Taking a piece of that light from herself, she places it on Lotus's forehead.
Lotus gasps in pain as the silvery fire burns into her head. She reaches up to rub the pain away, but finds a bump there instead of the fire she expected. Grabbing it to get it off her, she pulls her hand away only to find she now holds the first link of a chain. An amethyst chain which she begins to pull directly out of the firey spot burning on her forehead! Pulling and pulling at it, she finally removes the whole chain and the burning mercifully stops.
Opening her eyes again, she sees the female of light smiling down at her. She gets a strange feeling that she knows this woman. Before she can think more about it, the woman bends down to kiss her forehead. With a flash of diamond light, Lotus awakes from her meditation to find an actual amethyst chain resting in her hands! It flares with a burst of violet light and then dissapears, as does the last of Lotus's remaining energy. Passing out in her tent, all she has time to think about is whether she just experienced a dream or not...
Some time later, she awakes to find her Sultan standing over her holding 5 Yen in his hand. "I took the liberty of removing this from your moneypouch, Lotus. It should just about pay for the freedom of your youngest brother. He is not worth much yet anyway. When you earn some more, I may consider freeing another of your family. We shall have to wait and see though. Now get yourself ready. We will be landing soon and I expect another good fight and another victory from you..."
Again the scarlet and gold tent built upon a flying carpet decends from the sky to land near a setlement. The muscular Sultan exits the tent first, followed closely by Lotus, his servant. She is dressed in purple silks and a veil. Around her neck is a black iron collar conected to a long chain which is held by the Sultan. He proclaims that he is here to watch a battle and that his fighter Lotus will take on any opponent of comparable skill. With a nod of his head, he releases his grip on her chain so that she may fight with more freedom of movement. Gathering up the iron links in her hands, Lotus readys them for use in the coming battle...
"I answer your challenge, foul one! My master, the Sultan, bids me to deliver unto you the following insult...
"I find your horse to be infectious, your birthplace to be ill-conceived, and your weapon to be awful.
Lotus
Copper Sash 2
Record: 2-1
Yen: 2
Powers: Sig style-Chain, Profiteer, Arena Fighter, Crowd Pleaser
Item: Amethyst Chain
