October 10, 2120
Lancheng, China
Master Wen's Academy
7AM Local Time (6PM New York Time)
With the sun rising and everything put away, you buckle up as you pass over rural, coastline China. Sanchez sits in the pilot seat, slowing the jet considerably. Sanchez has been on the radio, speaking in Chinese, for a good many minutes.
"She's getting clearance and something about an inspection," Dara explains, listening in.
While Raisa grips her chair handles in a death grip and and you all are buckling in when there are taps at both Raisa's and Kevin's windows. An oriental man is looking in Raisa's window, looking somewhat serious, peering around inside. Across the isle, an oriental woman with a white painted face and green hair in a long braid is doing the same.
Dara gets very excited.
Oh my god! It's Morning Star! she exclaims mentally leaning right over Raisa. Wow! And Dragon too! she says, practically leaping over Kevin to press her face up to the glass where the woman is looking in. The Red Star Brigade! China's defenders!
Morning Star takes a few more looks, then nods, gives a brisk salute and flies ahead of the plane before rising into the sky out of sight. Dragon seems to spend longer, more regarding Dara than anything, her face impassive. She pulls back from the window, and with a burst of green flame streaks up and away from the jet.
"Ok kids, we're landing. Buckle up," Sanchez says. Moments later, the plane starts descending towards a small fishing village. It slows at it comes over the village and goes past to a large compound on a hill. Sanchez executes a flawless vertical landing and the engines power down. "And we're here," Sanchez says as the doors open and the stairs lower.
As you exit the plane, you find yourself at the base of a hill leading up to an ancient style compound. It's incredibly beautiful. On the hillside are fenced gardens. The path winds up the several hundred feet to the compound itself and is cobbled with stone. People from the village a few hundred yards the opposite way have begun to gather, staring at you. The village is quaint, and appears well kept. From the odor, it's a fishing village.
"Up the road to Master Wen's, kids. Good luck!" Sanchez says, already boarding the plane again. The plane soon roars to life again, taking off and leaving you standing on the road.
"Let's go go go!" Nova says, zipping up the road towards the compound on the hill without waiting for you. As you catch up, you see her, flames extinguished, entering a large compound, blanket wrapped around her. In the middle of a courtyard, in front of a single large tree, stands an ancient man. He is dressed in very simple garb, like a monk. His wispy gray hair is well kept in a bun on his head. He is sitting on a bench, bamboo cane in hand. On his right, a cup of tea sits, steaming in the crisp morning air.
He sits on the bench, eyes closed, very still as the breeze stirs the leaves of the tree gently. For a moment, you think he is dead, then he opens his eyes and sips at his tea. He looks you over once, sets his tea down and closes his eyes again.
Dara whispers loudly to Raisa, "What do we do now?"
