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<blockquote data-quote="Delemental" data-source="post: 5183144" data-attributes="member: 5203"><p><strong>Jaundice (continued)</strong></p><p></p><p>Mistress Yellow awoke in the afternoon, while the others were still gone. Ghost had sent an order to the kitchen for a large platter of breads, cheeses, and fruits, and had also ordered water be heated and brought up for a bath. The young girl, having been deprived proper nourishment for years, ate ravenously, to the point that Ghost had to request a second platter.</p><p></p><p> “Thank you for your help, sir,” she said, as she emerged from the bedroom. She still wore her tattered and dirty clothes from last night; it was a laborer’s dress, designed to be more practical than elegant, but on her slight frame it hung loose around the shoulders. Ghost had to agree with Ayama’s assessment; another thirty pounds, and she would likely fill out the dress nicely.</p><p></p><p> “You can just call me Ghost,” he said. “And think nothing of it. I was hoping we could talk more about what has caused you to try and flee your master.”</p><p></p><p> “I have been apprenticed to Master Farkus ever since I was three,” she began. “My mother died of consumption, and I had no father. Master Farkus was the only one who would take me in that young.”</p><p></p><p> “Was he always cruel, or did things change?”</p><p></p><p> “Life was never pleasant. He gave me food and shelter, and taught me his trade, as was expected, but did little else. But when I began to reach womanhood, his interest in me began to change. That was also around the time that my abilities began to manifest.”</p><p></p><p> “Abilities?”</p><p></p><p> “Soon after I experienced the Touch of Luna* for the first time,” Mistress Yellow explained, “My master came into possession of a quantity of flawed white jade, of no real value except for experimentation. By this time Master Farkus had begun demanding more and more difficult tasks from me, and so he ordered me to attempt to transmute some of the white jade to red jade. This is a fairly complex and expensive process, though one known to many alchemists. However, when I performed the procedure I ended up transmuting the white jade to yellow jade. Not just the portion I was working with, understand, but every piece of white jade that I had in the basement with me. My master was understandably surprised, but demanded I repeat the process, this time attempting to create blue jade. Instead, as before, I created yellow jade. Since that time, Master Farkus has had me doing nothing but transmuting white jade into yellow. It has been...” she paused, “I’ve had three baths since then, so three years. That was also when he began calling me ‘Mistress Yellow’ – before that I was simply ‘Apprentice’.”</p><p></p><p> Ghost’s mind reeled. Though he was not certain why exactly yellow jade was prized, he knew it was quite a bit more costly than the five more common colors of jade. For someone to be able to create any quantity of it at will…</p><p></p><p> “What has be been doing with the jade you make?” Ghost asked.</p><p></p><p> “I don’t know,” she shrugged. “I believe he has been selling it, though I don’t know who buys. I’m not permitted out of the basement.”</p><p></p><p> “Did you make the weapon you carry?”</p><p></p><p> “Yes, I fashioned it from remnants I’d managed to collect over time. My master made sure that I had a well-rounded education.” Mistress Yellow looked meaningfully at Ghost, and let the sleeve of her dress slip suggestively off her shoulder. “Very well-rounded.”</p><p></p><p> Ghost swallowed hard. The girl, though thin, was not unattractive, and though a bit young for his tastes…</p><p></p><p> With an effort, he reached up and slid the sleeve of the dress back up on her shoulder; she only looked slightly hurt. “I should warn you, given your ability and the value it represents, it is possible that even the palace may not remain safe for you for long. Master Farazod could be driven to do something desperate.”</p><p></p><p> “If the palace isn’t safe, what will I do? Where will I go?”</p><p></p><p> “Calm yourself,” Ghost said, trying to sound reassuring while at the same time resisting the urge to grasp her hand. “For now, you are safe. Only four people in all Creation know you are here – besides myself and Ayama, the captain of the palace guard and one of the Silver Guard know of you, and those two have been told nothing of your ability or the jade you carry now. Let Ayama and I worry about what happens next.”</p><p></p><p> “Your friend is Ayama?” Mistress Yellow gasped. “The Divine Gift to End Suffering?” The young girl looked as though she might faint from excitement. “And then you… you must be the Resplendent Ghost of Midnight!”</p><p></p><p> “Yes, she is, and yes, I am. But for now, rest – a bath has been prepared for you in the other room, and then we will discuss how to proceed.”</p><p></p><p> Mistress Yellow rose, curtsied, and then walked toward the room where the bath had been set up, walking with a little more sway in her hips than was necessary, and beginning to disrobe a few seconds before the door closed. Ghost took a few calming breaths, and then realized that the room she was in had windows. Recalling their recent troubles with Tearful Mountain, Ghost decided that he should probably try and monitor the girl in case of an unexpected attack. He allowed his Essence to flow, heightening the acuity of his hearing, and the sounds of Mistress Yellow’s splashing in the tub became as clear as if he was sitting in the room with her.</p><p></p><p> Unfortunately, Ghost quickly became aware of the flaw in his approach, when he realized from the sounds he could hear that the girl, having been denied a tryst with him, had apparently decided to make use of her time in the bath to attend to more than just her hygiene.</p><p></p><p> For the first time since his Exaltation, Ghost had reason to regret his Solar abilities.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">۞</p><p></p><p> Ayama, Gaius, and Ka returned late in the afternoon. Ghost jumped up quickly from the chair he was sitting in, as though very glad for the company.</p><p></p><p> “Mistress Yellow is in the other room,” he said immediately. “She has just come out of the bath and is changing. “She has been attending to her own needs.”</p><p></p><p> Ka sniffed at the air, detecting a subtle but familiar scent in the air. “Her own needs, eh? Unfortunate.”</p><p></p><p> Mistress Yellow emerged a few minutes later, and after introductions they sat and discussed events. “The stonemasons say that two of the three alchemists in the city, Ciera and Farkus, have been buying large quantities of stone, mostly ore with trace amounts of silver in it,” Ayama said.</p><p></p><p> “Many alchemists have dreams of unlocking the secrets of transmuting silver into moonsilver,” Mistress Yellow said. “Master Farkus was among them.”</p><p></p><p> “Farkus,” Ka said proudly. “I knew it was him.”</p><p></p><p> “You only said that because Farkus’ shop was closer to us than Ciera’s at the time,” Gaius said accusingly.</p><p></p><p> “There is something important you should know about her before we go on,” Ghost said. “The reason she is so prized by Master Farkus is that she apparently has the ability to transmute white jade into yellow jade. Reliably and in large quantities.”</p><p></p><p> “That is impossible,” Ayama said.</p><p></p><p> “This appears to be an innate ability the girl has,” Ghost said, “not the result of a secret formula.”</p><p></p><p> “I don’t understand,” Captain Rho said. “I know yellow jade is rare, but what is so special about it?”</p><p></p><p> “Yellow jade is never found naturally,” Ayama explained. “It is created by transmuting white jade during the process of alloying it with steel. But the process only ever happens on rare occasions, and by pure chance; there is no reliable way to do this transformation. Even the same alchemist who becomes lucky, and repeats the same procedure, will not succeed a second time. The reason that it is valuable…”</p><p></p><p> “Is that normal people can use it,” Ka interjected.</p><p></p><p> Ayama paused for a moment. “Yes, the main benefit is that those without the ability to channel Essence can attune to an artifact made of yellow jade, and utilize its magical properties.” She turned to Mistress Yellow. “How much have you made?”</p><p></p><p> “I’m not sure,” the girl replied, “but quite a lot.”</p><p></p><p> “She has been doing this for over three years,” Ghost explained. “And this presents a problem. For something as valuable as this, I think that Master Farkus may not consider the palace an obstacle when attempting to retrieve her.”</p><p></p><p> “The only thing that has ever breached the palace defenses,” Ka said haughtily, “was one of you.”</p><p></p><p> “And with the resources as his command,” Ghost snapped back, “Farkus could contract the services of a half-dozen Solars. Or a score of Dragon-Bloods. Or a small mercenary army.”</p><p></p><p> “None of this is important now,” Ayama said. “I believe that Lady Rinalta needs to be informed of the situation, and that we need to know who has been buying Farkus’ jade. This is a large quantity of potent magical material, and if a single entity has acquired it, then they represent a significant threat.”</p><p></p><p> “Were you creating items from the jade, Mistress Yellow?” Ghost asked.</p><p></p><p> She shook her head. “Master Farkus mostly had me creating ingots of yellow jade-steel.”</p><p></p><p> “I will go and inform the queen,” Captain Rho said. “I can alert the palace guard as well.”</p><p></p><p> “Do not tell the guard why they are on alert,” Ghost warned. “Secrecy is our best advantage now, and in the future. If word gets outside of the kingdom about Mistress Yellow and her ability, there will be no force on Creation that will save Lagan from becoming a multiple-front battlefield.”</p><p></p><p> “Speed is also of the essence,” Ayama said. “No doubt Master Farkus will eventually learn that people from the palace were asking questions about the spending habits of alchemists, and grow suspicious.”</p><p></p><p> “Neither Ka nor I are well known outside the palace walls,” Gaius explained.</p><p></p><p> “Well, I am known in the blue banner houses,” Ka clarified.</p><p></p><p> “Your point is taken, however,” Gaius said to Ayama, ignoring Ka. “I will return shortly.”</p><p></p><p> While the captain was gone, Ayama took Mistress Yellow into the other room, while Ghost engaged Ka Ciel in games of cards and mahjongg, partly to keep his own mind off the young girl, and partly to keep the Dragon-Blood’s mind off her.</p><p></p><p> “Mistress Yellow,” Ayama said gently to the girl, as they sat on the edge of the bed. “I wanted to talk to you about what might happen in the next few days. I think it is likely that the queen will wish you to remain here at the palace, even after we have dealt with your former master.”</p><p></p><p> “I understand,” she replied. “I will make yellow jade for the queen now.”</p><p></p><p> “This is what I wished to talk about. I think that it will be very easy for people to see you only for what you can do. I am hoping that you can find people in your life who will appreciate you for who you are.”</p><p></p><p> “But won’t everyone want me to make yellow jade for them?”</p><p></p><p> “But what else makes you unique? What else can others appreciate? What qualities do you possess that no one can place a price upon?”</p><p></p><p> Mistress Yellow looked at Ayama, the confusion over the question evident in her face. Slowly, it dawned upon the Zenith that the girl had spent most of her life regarded as almost nothing at all, and the past three being seen only as a commodity. It was the only sense of self she had. Her heart aching, Ayama forced the words she knew she needed to say from her lips.</p><p></p><p> “All I am trying to tell you,” she said slowly and quietly, “is that you need to recognize that you are your own master now. You are the only one who can determine the value of your own abilities. Make certain that you name a price for your services that is appropriate to the value and rarity of your gift.”</p><p></p><p> “Oh!” she said, brightening. “I see.” Mistress Yellow thought for a moment, then she pulled the bundle containing the seven-section staff out from under the bed. “You’ve helped me out so much,” she said to Ayama. “And you are going to keep helping me. I don’t really have anything else of value with me, so I want you to have this.” She thrust the bundle into Ayama’s arms. “What you’ve done for me is beyond value, and you deserve to have this.”</p><p></p><p> Ayama strongly considered declining the gift, but realized that this may have been the first time that the girl had the opportunity to give something of her own free will. “Thank you,” she said, and embraced her.</p><p></p><p> “And don’t worry,” Mistress Yellow said, “I won’t give anything else away for free after this.”</p><p></p><p> A small part of Ayama’s heart withered and died.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">۞</p><p></p><p> Captain Rho returned less than an hour later. “The queen has made it very plain to me that she’s quite unhappy about Farkus hiding such a valuable resource from the kingdom for so long,” he said. Rinalta had, in fact, addressed him as ‘Gaius’ when she spoke, something she only did when she was furious. “She has stated that the girl should be considered a national resource. I have been ordered to do whatever is necessary to ensure that the problem with Farkus is resolved. Buy him off, throw him in jail… whatever is necessary.”</p><p></p><p> “Excellent!” Ka said, standing up. “Let us go kill him now.”</p><p></p><p> “Perhaps we could try another approach first?” Ayama chided.</p><p></p><p> “We do want to know who is buying his jade,” Captain Rho said, “and the queen also pointed out that this formula that animates stone has value as well.”</p><p></p><p> “I suggest we try and buy Mistress Yellow from him,” Ghost said. “We can pose as foreign interests wanting to acquire his secrets.”</p><p></p><p> “Captain, Did Lady Rinalta seem to understand that we are speaking about a young woman here, who should be treated as such?” Ayama asked.</p><p></p><p> “She told me specifically, ‘Tell Ayama that I will treat the girl well, and not like a vein of ore to be mined’.”</p><p></p><p> “I see that I have been spending too much time in her company,” Ayama said, noticing Ghost’s amused glance. “Very well. The details can be addressed later.”</p><p></p><p> “Then let us go and speak to this alchemist,” Ka said, “and hope that negotiations go poorly.”</p><p></p><p> They left the palace as the sun dipped below the horizon, so it was dark by the time they reached Farkus’ dwelling, a well-kept two story building which housed the alchemist’s shop on the first floor and his living quarters below. Trying the door, they found it locked.</p><p></p><p> “Shall we knock?” Ka Siel asked, starting to draw back to make a run at the door.</p><p></p><p> “Wait,” Ghost said, and examined the lock on the door. “He has spent some good money on this lock,” Ghost said, pulling out his tools. Seconds later, the door popped open.</p><p></p><p> “I wanted to break it down,” Ka complained.</p><p></p><p> “You can do that after we are done,” Ghost said, as he pulled the door open and went inside.</p><p></p><p> The interior of the shop was dark, though a few lit candles were scattered about, and they could see light coming from behind a door in the back. There were a number of shelves lined with various jars and containers, all behind locked doors with glass panels. More noticeable were the large stone statues that lined the walls. There were eight statues total, all of humanoid figures, each one much larger than the gargoyles Ghost and Ayama had faced before. When none of them stirred, the four moved forward.</p><p></p><p> As they neared the back door, it flew open, and a wizened old man appeared in the doorway. The man had a wide-eyed stare, and his hair jutted unevenly from a mostly bald pate. His clothes were stained and soiled, and he reeked as though he had not bathed for a few weeks. His scraggly white beard was scorched in a few places.</p><p></p><p> “Who are you?” he screeched.</p><p></p><p> “Are you Master Farkus?” Ghost asked.</p><p></p><p> “Yes, what do you want?”</p><p></p><p> “Excellent. A good evening to you, and we apologize for intruding at this late hour, but our business is quite urgent and best conducted in hours where we would not disturb your normal dealings with the public. My associates and I represent an interest from outside the borders of your fine nation, who is interested in some of your more, shall we say, esoteric wares?”</p><p></p><p> Farkus squinted at him. “Go on.”</p><p></p><p> “Specifically,” Ghost continued, “we have come to negotiate with you as to acquiring the method by which you are able to produce a certain rare material. Our backers of course understand the value this method represents to you, and are prepared to recompense you in a fitting manner.”</p><p></p><p> Farkus looked over the group who had entered his shop. Then his eyes, somehow, grew even wider than before. “It was you!” he shouted, flecks of foam appearing at the corners of his mouth. “You took her from me! It’s all your fault!” Before anyone could react, he reached over and pulled a cord hanging near the doorway. They heard the sound of shattering glass coming from somewhere inside the shop. “Kill them!” Farkus screamed, gesticulating at the four of them.</p><p></p><p> Ka Ciel’s fiery blade was unsheathed in a moment, and swept through the cord, severing it. The blow continued on through Farkus’ neck; Ka was surprised when he felt resistance to his strike, as though the crazed old man was wearing armor, but he pressed his attack through, and moments later the alchemist’s head fell to the wooden floor. The silence that accompanied the sudden end of Master Farkus was interrupted by the sound of stone grinding on stone.</p><p></p><p> Ka leapt into the air as two stone fists slammed together where he had been standing. He balanced on the point of his sword, twisting out of the way, and then jumped up onto the forearm of one of the two large statues that had animated, slashing at it as he landed. Ghost had vaulted onto the arm of the second, and flung the Eye of Mars at its head, leaving a gash across its eye that would have been fatal for a creature of flesh, but was a mere inconvenience for the living statue. Ayama also moved forward, striking at the joints of the statues in order to bring them down. Captain Rho, realizing he was out of his league, moved into the work area in the back of the shop, in order to search through Farkus’ records.</p><p></p><p> One of the statues clipped Ka in the shoulder with a fist. The Dragon-Blood spun with the blow, using the extra momentum to drive his sword into the eye of the statue behind him, where Ghost’s weapon had already scored the stone. He then kicked up off the ceiling to drive the weapon deeper into the crack. As he shoved, he allowed his Essence to flow, enhancing his perceptions so that he could see the play of energies around the statue. He noted a small spot near the top of its head where the flows were weaker, suggesting a vulnerable point. Withdrawing his sword, he reared back and drove the blade into that point. Greenish black fluid sprayed across the room, and the statue suddenly spasmed.</p><p></p><p> “Top of the head!” Ka shouted, leaping down.</p><p></p><p> Ghost leapt off the statue he was battling, and ran along the tops of the shelves to get some distance from it. He put away his typhoon wheel and instead drew one of the boomerangs of Chiaroscuro glass he carried, hurling it at the statue’s head. The razor-sharp glass weapon struck the top of the statue’s head, sending more dark fluid flowing. The statue’s movements became slow and jerky, but it continued its pursuit of Ghost.</p><p></p><p> Ayama noticed that some of the green ichor had come dangerously close to splashing onto the other stone statues in the room. Thinking quickly, she smashed her fist into a nearby cabinet, withdrawing two vials and hurling both at the statue that Kaliel was battling, aiming for the crack in the top of its head that was still oozing ichor. When the two vials shattered and mixed, it released a wave of numbing cold, crystallizing the ichor flowing from the wound and slowing the statue even further. Ka Ciel, rushing in as his sword was wreathed in flames, jumped up and smashed the weapon into the same place. The rapid application of cold and heat weakened the stone enough that the head shattered under the force of the Dragon-Blood’s blow. Ichor-coated rubble rained everywhere.</p><p></p><p> The statue pursuing Ghost suddenly reared up and smashed both fists into the wooden floor, sending a shockwave through the floor that knocked shelves to the floor and sent glass and ceramic flying. Both Ka and Ayama were thrown to the ground, as was Gaius in the next room. Ghost, however, remained on his feet, and was able to take advantage of the statue suddenly bending over. His boomerang flew through the air, and buried itself in the top of the statue’s head. The head seemed to explode outward, sending ichor in all directions. The statue toppled to the floor, smashing through the floorboards and crashing into the basement.</p><p></p><p> The three combatants gathered around the edge of the ragged hole in the floor, looking down into a small, windowless space dug into the earth. Before the arrival of the giant stone statue, they saw that it had once contained only a single filthy cot, a workbench, a foul-smelling bucket, as well as a single small oil lamp. Jumping down into the hole, Ghost poked at the workbench with the end of a dagger, withdrawing a single sliver of yellow jade from a crack in the table.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">۞</p> <p style="text-align: center"></p><p> Ayama and Ghost sat in a small, tidy tavern not far from the palace walls. Ayama had applied herself vigorously to the task of becoming intoxicated, determined to overcome the natural resistance the Exalted had to such substances.</p><p></p><p> “I have managed to get you to go out and indulge in a selfish pleasure for two nights in less than a week,” Ghost commented. “I shall have to refrain from a third attempt for a while, lest Creation itself unravel.”</p><p></p><p> Ayama flashed him a smile that was too wide. “From the Old Tongue: <em>v’t’ash</em>, to unravel, to come undone. <em>V’t’ash’</em>, I unravel. <em> V’t’ash’d</em>, you unravel. <em>V’t’ash’a</em>, we unravel. Here ends the lesson.”</p><p></p><p> Ghost was beginning to question the wisdom of bringing Ayama here. It had been several days since they had killed Farkus and freed his former apprentice; she was now living at the palace, and well cared for. She had been brought in as a ‘personal attendant’ to the queen, who could administer medicines to assure her comfort. Thus it was no surprise to the palace staff that the young woman had been equipped with an alchemical laboratory. Certainly this fact was of no consequence to the merchants who worked for the kingdom, who had been instructed recently to begin quietly acquiring white jade.</p><p></p><p> “You did the best you could for Yellow Jade Mistress,” Ghost said. Among the documents they had found in Farkus’ workshop was the research he had done into her ability. He had discovered the girl’s true name, and determined that she was a God-Blood, likely the progeny of one of the gods of jade. Captain Rho was still going through the alchemist’s ledgers, trying to sort out who had bought yellow jade from the man. The process was slow, as the captain had to perform the work by himself to avoid letting others know about Yellow Jade Mistress.</p><p></p><p> “I have sold her from one master to another,” Ayama slurred, “and allowed her to think I was doing her a great favor.”</p><p></p><p> “It will take time for the girl to realize that she is more than just her power,” Ghost said. “And when she does, she will know that you only did what you had to do to make sure she was safe.”</p><p></p><p> Ayama shrugged, and returned her focus to the ale in front of her. After several minutes of drinking in silence, she looked up at Ghost.</p><p></p><p> “Do you remember, Ghost, when you asked why I could not enjoy an act of leisure for its own sake? Why I sought to fulfill the needs of others without regard to my own?”</p><p></p><p> “I do.”</p><p></p><p> “There are some days, I must confess, where that question is more difficult to answer than others.” She again gave Ghost a lopsided smile. “I do sometimes envy the simplicity of your life, Ghost. That you can live your life so unburdened.” She set her head down on the wooden table, and within seconds was snoring softly.</p><p></p><p> Ghost looked at his companion for a while, then picked up her flagon and drained its contents in a single draught.</p><p></p><p> “Unburdened,” he repeated. “That was a word that Evanescent Shadow often used to describe her own life.”</p><p></p><p></p><p>-------------------------</p><p></p><p>"Touch of Luna" has nothing to do with being a Lunar Exalted, just to be clear. Luna is the goddess of the moon in Creation, of course, and thus will be associated with other monthly cycles.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Delemental, post: 5183144, member: 5203"] [b]Jaundice (continued)[/b] Mistress Yellow awoke in the afternoon, while the others were still gone. Ghost had sent an order to the kitchen for a large platter of breads, cheeses, and fruits, and had also ordered water be heated and brought up for a bath. The young girl, having been deprived proper nourishment for years, ate ravenously, to the point that Ghost had to request a second platter. “Thank you for your help, sir,” she said, as she emerged from the bedroom. She still wore her tattered and dirty clothes from last night; it was a laborer’s dress, designed to be more practical than elegant, but on her slight frame it hung loose around the shoulders. Ghost had to agree with Ayama’s assessment; another thirty pounds, and she would likely fill out the dress nicely. “You can just call me Ghost,” he said. “And think nothing of it. I was hoping we could talk more about what has caused you to try and flee your master.” “I have been apprenticed to Master Farkus ever since I was three,” she began. “My mother died of consumption, and I had no father. Master Farkus was the only one who would take me in that young.” “Was he always cruel, or did things change?” “Life was never pleasant. He gave me food and shelter, and taught me his trade, as was expected, but did little else. But when I began to reach womanhood, his interest in me began to change. That was also around the time that my abilities began to manifest.” “Abilities?” “Soon after I experienced the Touch of Luna* for the first time,” Mistress Yellow explained, “My master came into possession of a quantity of flawed white jade, of no real value except for experimentation. By this time Master Farkus had begun demanding more and more difficult tasks from me, and so he ordered me to attempt to transmute some of the white jade to red jade. This is a fairly complex and expensive process, though one known to many alchemists. However, when I performed the procedure I ended up transmuting the white jade to yellow jade. Not just the portion I was working with, understand, but every piece of white jade that I had in the basement with me. My master was understandably surprised, but demanded I repeat the process, this time attempting to create blue jade. Instead, as before, I created yellow jade. Since that time, Master Farkus has had me doing nothing but transmuting white jade into yellow. It has been...” she paused, “I’ve had three baths since then, so three years. That was also when he began calling me ‘Mistress Yellow’ – before that I was simply ‘Apprentice’.” Ghost’s mind reeled. Though he was not certain why exactly yellow jade was prized, he knew it was quite a bit more costly than the five more common colors of jade. For someone to be able to create any quantity of it at will… “What has be been doing with the jade you make?” Ghost asked. “I don’t know,” she shrugged. “I believe he has been selling it, though I don’t know who buys. I’m not permitted out of the basement.” “Did you make the weapon you carry?” “Yes, I fashioned it from remnants I’d managed to collect over time. My master made sure that I had a well-rounded education.” Mistress Yellow looked meaningfully at Ghost, and let the sleeve of her dress slip suggestively off her shoulder. “Very well-rounded.” Ghost swallowed hard. The girl, though thin, was not unattractive, and though a bit young for his tastes… With an effort, he reached up and slid the sleeve of the dress back up on her shoulder; she only looked slightly hurt. “I should warn you, given your ability and the value it represents, it is possible that even the palace may not remain safe for you for long. Master Farazod could be driven to do something desperate.” “If the palace isn’t safe, what will I do? Where will I go?” “Calm yourself,” Ghost said, trying to sound reassuring while at the same time resisting the urge to grasp her hand. “For now, you are safe. Only four people in all Creation know you are here – besides myself and Ayama, the captain of the palace guard and one of the Silver Guard know of you, and those two have been told nothing of your ability or the jade you carry now. Let Ayama and I worry about what happens next.” “Your friend is Ayama?” Mistress Yellow gasped. “The Divine Gift to End Suffering?” The young girl looked as though she might faint from excitement. “And then you… you must be the Resplendent Ghost of Midnight!” “Yes, she is, and yes, I am. But for now, rest – a bath has been prepared for you in the other room, and then we will discuss how to proceed.” Mistress Yellow rose, curtsied, and then walked toward the room where the bath had been set up, walking with a little more sway in her hips than was necessary, and beginning to disrobe a few seconds before the door closed. Ghost took a few calming breaths, and then realized that the room she was in had windows. Recalling their recent troubles with Tearful Mountain, Ghost decided that he should probably try and monitor the girl in case of an unexpected attack. He allowed his Essence to flow, heightening the acuity of his hearing, and the sounds of Mistress Yellow’s splashing in the tub became as clear as if he was sitting in the room with her. Unfortunately, Ghost quickly became aware of the flaw in his approach, when he realized from the sounds he could hear that the girl, having been denied a tryst with him, had apparently decided to make use of her time in the bath to attend to more than just her hygiene. For the first time since his Exaltation, Ghost had reason to regret his Solar abilities. [center]۞[/center] Ayama, Gaius, and Ka returned late in the afternoon. Ghost jumped up quickly from the chair he was sitting in, as though very glad for the company. “Mistress Yellow is in the other room,” he said immediately. “She has just come out of the bath and is changing. “She has been attending to her own needs.” Ka sniffed at the air, detecting a subtle but familiar scent in the air. “Her own needs, eh? Unfortunate.” Mistress Yellow emerged a few minutes later, and after introductions they sat and discussed events. “The stonemasons say that two of the three alchemists in the city, Ciera and Farkus, have been buying large quantities of stone, mostly ore with trace amounts of silver in it,” Ayama said. “Many alchemists have dreams of unlocking the secrets of transmuting silver into moonsilver,” Mistress Yellow said. “Master Farkus was among them.” “Farkus,” Ka said proudly. “I knew it was him.” “You only said that because Farkus’ shop was closer to us than Ciera’s at the time,” Gaius said accusingly. “There is something important you should know about her before we go on,” Ghost said. “The reason she is so prized by Master Farkus is that she apparently has the ability to transmute white jade into yellow jade. Reliably and in large quantities.” “That is impossible,” Ayama said. “This appears to be an innate ability the girl has,” Ghost said, “not the result of a secret formula.” “I don’t understand,” Captain Rho said. “I know yellow jade is rare, but what is so special about it?” “Yellow jade is never found naturally,” Ayama explained. “It is created by transmuting white jade during the process of alloying it with steel. But the process only ever happens on rare occasions, and by pure chance; there is no reliable way to do this transformation. Even the same alchemist who becomes lucky, and repeats the same procedure, will not succeed a second time. The reason that it is valuable…” “Is that normal people can use it,” Ka interjected. Ayama paused for a moment. “Yes, the main benefit is that those without the ability to channel Essence can attune to an artifact made of yellow jade, and utilize its magical properties.” She turned to Mistress Yellow. “How much have you made?” “I’m not sure,” the girl replied, “but quite a lot.” “She has been doing this for over three years,” Ghost explained. “And this presents a problem. For something as valuable as this, I think that Master Farkus may not consider the palace an obstacle when attempting to retrieve her.” “The only thing that has ever breached the palace defenses,” Ka said haughtily, “was one of you.” “And with the resources as his command,” Ghost snapped back, “Farkus could contract the services of a half-dozen Solars. Or a score of Dragon-Bloods. Or a small mercenary army.” “None of this is important now,” Ayama said. “I believe that Lady Rinalta needs to be informed of the situation, and that we need to know who has been buying Farkus’ jade. This is a large quantity of potent magical material, and if a single entity has acquired it, then they represent a significant threat.” “Were you creating items from the jade, Mistress Yellow?” Ghost asked. She shook her head. “Master Farkus mostly had me creating ingots of yellow jade-steel.” “I will go and inform the queen,” Captain Rho said. “I can alert the palace guard as well.” “Do not tell the guard why they are on alert,” Ghost warned. “Secrecy is our best advantage now, and in the future. If word gets outside of the kingdom about Mistress Yellow and her ability, there will be no force on Creation that will save Lagan from becoming a multiple-front battlefield.” “Speed is also of the essence,” Ayama said. “No doubt Master Farkus will eventually learn that people from the palace were asking questions about the spending habits of alchemists, and grow suspicious.” “Neither Ka nor I are well known outside the palace walls,” Gaius explained. “Well, I am known in the blue banner houses,” Ka clarified. “Your point is taken, however,” Gaius said to Ayama, ignoring Ka. “I will return shortly.” While the captain was gone, Ayama took Mistress Yellow into the other room, while Ghost engaged Ka Ciel in games of cards and mahjongg, partly to keep his own mind off the young girl, and partly to keep the Dragon-Blood’s mind off her. “Mistress Yellow,” Ayama said gently to the girl, as they sat on the edge of the bed. “I wanted to talk to you about what might happen in the next few days. I think it is likely that the queen will wish you to remain here at the palace, even after we have dealt with your former master.” “I understand,” she replied. “I will make yellow jade for the queen now.” “This is what I wished to talk about. I think that it will be very easy for people to see you only for what you can do. I am hoping that you can find people in your life who will appreciate you for who you are.” “But won’t everyone want me to make yellow jade for them?” “But what else makes you unique? What else can others appreciate? What qualities do you possess that no one can place a price upon?” Mistress Yellow looked at Ayama, the confusion over the question evident in her face. Slowly, it dawned upon the Zenith that the girl had spent most of her life regarded as almost nothing at all, and the past three being seen only as a commodity. It was the only sense of self she had. Her heart aching, Ayama forced the words she knew she needed to say from her lips. “All I am trying to tell you,” she said slowly and quietly, “is that you need to recognize that you are your own master now. You are the only one who can determine the value of your own abilities. Make certain that you name a price for your services that is appropriate to the value and rarity of your gift.” “Oh!” she said, brightening. “I see.” Mistress Yellow thought for a moment, then she pulled the bundle containing the seven-section staff out from under the bed. “You’ve helped me out so much,” she said to Ayama. “And you are going to keep helping me. I don’t really have anything else of value with me, so I want you to have this.” She thrust the bundle into Ayama’s arms. “What you’ve done for me is beyond value, and you deserve to have this.” Ayama strongly considered declining the gift, but realized that this may have been the first time that the girl had the opportunity to give something of her own free will. “Thank you,” she said, and embraced her. “And don’t worry,” Mistress Yellow said, “I won’t give anything else away for free after this.” A small part of Ayama’s heart withered and died. [center]۞[/center] Captain Rho returned less than an hour later. “The queen has made it very plain to me that she’s quite unhappy about Farkus hiding such a valuable resource from the kingdom for so long,” he said. Rinalta had, in fact, addressed him as ‘Gaius’ when she spoke, something she only did when she was furious. “She has stated that the girl should be considered a national resource. I have been ordered to do whatever is necessary to ensure that the problem with Farkus is resolved. Buy him off, throw him in jail… whatever is necessary.” “Excellent!” Ka said, standing up. “Let us go kill him now.” “Perhaps we could try another approach first?” Ayama chided. “We do want to know who is buying his jade,” Captain Rho said, “and the queen also pointed out that this formula that animates stone has value as well.” “I suggest we try and buy Mistress Yellow from him,” Ghost said. “We can pose as foreign interests wanting to acquire his secrets.” “Captain, Did Lady Rinalta seem to understand that we are speaking about a young woman here, who should be treated as such?” Ayama asked. “She told me specifically, ‘Tell Ayama that I will treat the girl well, and not like a vein of ore to be mined’.” “I see that I have been spending too much time in her company,” Ayama said, noticing Ghost’s amused glance. “Very well. The details can be addressed later.” “Then let us go and speak to this alchemist,” Ka said, “and hope that negotiations go poorly.” They left the palace as the sun dipped below the horizon, so it was dark by the time they reached Farkus’ dwelling, a well-kept two story building which housed the alchemist’s shop on the first floor and his living quarters below. Trying the door, they found it locked. “Shall we knock?” Ka Siel asked, starting to draw back to make a run at the door. “Wait,” Ghost said, and examined the lock on the door. “He has spent some good money on this lock,” Ghost said, pulling out his tools. Seconds later, the door popped open. “I wanted to break it down,” Ka complained. “You can do that after we are done,” Ghost said, as he pulled the door open and went inside. The interior of the shop was dark, though a few lit candles were scattered about, and they could see light coming from behind a door in the back. There were a number of shelves lined with various jars and containers, all behind locked doors with glass panels. More noticeable were the large stone statues that lined the walls. There were eight statues total, all of humanoid figures, each one much larger than the gargoyles Ghost and Ayama had faced before. When none of them stirred, the four moved forward. As they neared the back door, it flew open, and a wizened old man appeared in the doorway. The man had a wide-eyed stare, and his hair jutted unevenly from a mostly bald pate. His clothes were stained and soiled, and he reeked as though he had not bathed for a few weeks. His scraggly white beard was scorched in a few places. “Who are you?” he screeched. “Are you Master Farkus?” Ghost asked. “Yes, what do you want?” “Excellent. A good evening to you, and we apologize for intruding at this late hour, but our business is quite urgent and best conducted in hours where we would not disturb your normal dealings with the public. My associates and I represent an interest from outside the borders of your fine nation, who is interested in some of your more, shall we say, esoteric wares?” Farkus squinted at him. “Go on.” “Specifically,” Ghost continued, “we have come to negotiate with you as to acquiring the method by which you are able to produce a certain rare material. Our backers of course understand the value this method represents to you, and are prepared to recompense you in a fitting manner.” Farkus looked over the group who had entered his shop. Then his eyes, somehow, grew even wider than before. “It was you!” he shouted, flecks of foam appearing at the corners of his mouth. “You took her from me! It’s all your fault!” Before anyone could react, he reached over and pulled a cord hanging near the doorway. They heard the sound of shattering glass coming from somewhere inside the shop. “Kill them!” Farkus screamed, gesticulating at the four of them. Ka Ciel’s fiery blade was unsheathed in a moment, and swept through the cord, severing it. The blow continued on through Farkus’ neck; Ka was surprised when he felt resistance to his strike, as though the crazed old man was wearing armor, but he pressed his attack through, and moments later the alchemist’s head fell to the wooden floor. The silence that accompanied the sudden end of Master Farkus was interrupted by the sound of stone grinding on stone. Ka leapt into the air as two stone fists slammed together where he had been standing. He balanced on the point of his sword, twisting out of the way, and then jumped up onto the forearm of one of the two large statues that had animated, slashing at it as he landed. Ghost had vaulted onto the arm of the second, and flung the Eye of Mars at its head, leaving a gash across its eye that would have been fatal for a creature of flesh, but was a mere inconvenience for the living statue. Ayama also moved forward, striking at the joints of the statues in order to bring them down. Captain Rho, realizing he was out of his league, moved into the work area in the back of the shop, in order to search through Farkus’ records. One of the statues clipped Ka in the shoulder with a fist. The Dragon-Blood spun with the blow, using the extra momentum to drive his sword into the eye of the statue behind him, where Ghost’s weapon had already scored the stone. He then kicked up off the ceiling to drive the weapon deeper into the crack. As he shoved, he allowed his Essence to flow, enhancing his perceptions so that he could see the play of energies around the statue. He noted a small spot near the top of its head where the flows were weaker, suggesting a vulnerable point. Withdrawing his sword, he reared back and drove the blade into that point. Greenish black fluid sprayed across the room, and the statue suddenly spasmed. “Top of the head!” Ka shouted, leaping down. Ghost leapt off the statue he was battling, and ran along the tops of the shelves to get some distance from it. He put away his typhoon wheel and instead drew one of the boomerangs of Chiaroscuro glass he carried, hurling it at the statue’s head. The razor-sharp glass weapon struck the top of the statue’s head, sending more dark fluid flowing. The statue’s movements became slow and jerky, but it continued its pursuit of Ghost. Ayama noticed that some of the green ichor had come dangerously close to splashing onto the other stone statues in the room. Thinking quickly, she smashed her fist into a nearby cabinet, withdrawing two vials and hurling both at the statue that Kaliel was battling, aiming for the crack in the top of its head that was still oozing ichor. When the two vials shattered and mixed, it released a wave of numbing cold, crystallizing the ichor flowing from the wound and slowing the statue even further. Ka Ciel, rushing in as his sword was wreathed in flames, jumped up and smashed the weapon into the same place. The rapid application of cold and heat weakened the stone enough that the head shattered under the force of the Dragon-Blood’s blow. Ichor-coated rubble rained everywhere. The statue pursuing Ghost suddenly reared up and smashed both fists into the wooden floor, sending a shockwave through the floor that knocked shelves to the floor and sent glass and ceramic flying. Both Ka and Ayama were thrown to the ground, as was Gaius in the next room. Ghost, however, remained on his feet, and was able to take advantage of the statue suddenly bending over. His boomerang flew through the air, and buried itself in the top of the statue’s head. The head seemed to explode outward, sending ichor in all directions. The statue toppled to the floor, smashing through the floorboards and crashing into the basement. The three combatants gathered around the edge of the ragged hole in the floor, looking down into a small, windowless space dug into the earth. Before the arrival of the giant stone statue, they saw that it had once contained only a single filthy cot, a workbench, a foul-smelling bucket, as well as a single small oil lamp. Jumping down into the hole, Ghost poked at the workbench with the end of a dagger, withdrawing a single sliver of yellow jade from a crack in the table. [center]۞ [/center] Ayama and Ghost sat in a small, tidy tavern not far from the palace walls. Ayama had applied herself vigorously to the task of becoming intoxicated, determined to overcome the natural resistance the Exalted had to such substances. “I have managed to get you to go out and indulge in a selfish pleasure for two nights in less than a week,” Ghost commented. “I shall have to refrain from a third attempt for a while, lest Creation itself unravel.” Ayama flashed him a smile that was too wide. “From the Old Tongue: [i]v’t’ash[/i], to unravel, to come undone. [i]V’t’ash’[/i], I unravel. [i] V’t’ash’d[/i], you unravel. [i]V’t’ash’a[/i], we unravel. Here ends the lesson.” Ghost was beginning to question the wisdom of bringing Ayama here. It had been several days since they had killed Farkus and freed his former apprentice; she was now living at the palace, and well cared for. She had been brought in as a ‘personal attendant’ to the queen, who could administer medicines to assure her comfort. Thus it was no surprise to the palace staff that the young woman had been equipped with an alchemical laboratory. Certainly this fact was of no consequence to the merchants who worked for the kingdom, who had been instructed recently to begin quietly acquiring white jade. “You did the best you could for Yellow Jade Mistress,” Ghost said. Among the documents they had found in Farkus’ workshop was the research he had done into her ability. He had discovered the girl’s true name, and determined that she was a God-Blood, likely the progeny of one of the gods of jade. Captain Rho was still going through the alchemist’s ledgers, trying to sort out who had bought yellow jade from the man. The process was slow, as the captain had to perform the work by himself to avoid letting others know about Yellow Jade Mistress. “I have sold her from one master to another,” Ayama slurred, “and allowed her to think I was doing her a great favor.” “It will take time for the girl to realize that she is more than just her power,” Ghost said. “And when she does, she will know that you only did what you had to do to make sure she was safe.” Ayama shrugged, and returned her focus to the ale in front of her. After several minutes of drinking in silence, she looked up at Ghost. “Do you remember, Ghost, when you asked why I could not enjoy an act of leisure for its own sake? Why I sought to fulfill the needs of others without regard to my own?” “I do.” “There are some days, I must confess, where that question is more difficult to answer than others.” She again gave Ghost a lopsided smile. “I do sometimes envy the simplicity of your life, Ghost. That you can live your life so unburdened.” She set her head down on the wooden table, and within seconds was snoring softly. Ghost looked at his companion for a while, then picked up her flagon and drained its contents in a single draught. “Unburdened,” he repeated. “That was a word that Evanescent Shadow often used to describe her own life.” ------------------------- "Touch of Luna" has nothing to do with being a Lunar Exalted, just to be clear. Luna is the goddess of the moon in Creation, of course, and thus will be associated with other monthly cycles. [/QUOTE]
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[Exalted 2e] Chosen of the Second Age
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