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Message: <blockquote data-quote="simmo" data-source="post: 1385866" data-attributes="member: 9744">chapter 3 The Delivery of a RiddleAt 34b Stonecutters Row the kobolds were busy practising their martial techniques in the cellar. The Music of the Spheres penetrated their small bodies and they attempted to harness the flow of the planes around them in order to further themselves along the path of enlightenment.Malkir left the kobolds to their practise and was about to confront his house servant Annaleese about some burning issues when there was a knock on the door. The tall mystic and halfling maid stared at each other for a moment and the knock at the front door was repeated.The halfling maid walked over to the door in her usual small shuffling step and opened the large oak door. Standing just in front of the door step was an ancient looking Githzerai man. He wore simple grey clothing and carried a bleach white staff, which he lent upon. Behind him in two rows stood six Githzerai pupils. They each wore the same grey clothing and had an insignia of a flaming fist upon their lapels.As Malkir walked over to greet the new arrivals, he couldn't help but think "how are these people finding out"? When he reached the front door, he saw (as if in slow motion) several fat, grey pigeons launch themselves in to the air, slowly climbing in to the fog shrouded city roofs. "When the student is ready, the Master will arrive." The ancient Githzerai man spoke in a soft whisper which carried easily above the noise from the streets."That's interesting," replied Malkir, unsure of what the appropriate response might be. The six Githzerai behind the old man stood still, not moving a single muscle.The old Githzerai monk's eyes twinkled and Malkir thought that he saw a brief flicker of flame burning within the depths of those dark orbs. "Are you ready?" The Master asked with a crooked smile."There are always things to be learnt." Malkir said looking at the Githzerai somewhat confused. "There are always those who can teach.""Then let us learn." The ancient, withered Githzerai monk pulled up the edge of his trousers and immediately dropped in to a crouch. His outstretched leg swept the ground, narrowly missing knocking Malkir off his feet. The mystic's reflexes and training had kicked in and he was in the air before he realised that an attack had taken place.As if on queue the other Githzerai swept across the threshold of the house in to the entrance hall of 34b Stonecutters Row. In the time that it took Malkir to leap in to the air, over the sweeping kick of the Master - his students had dodged and dived past in to the hallway. For a moment the mystic watched detachedly the scene unfolding in front of him as if someone had slowed the flow of time. The robes of the Githzerai monks fluttered as they flew through the air and Malkir could almost hear a melody in their movements.When the mystic landed on the ground, time jerked back to it's normal speed with an abrupt tug, leaving Malkir to face three assailants and Annaleese facing the same number of intruders. The Githzerai master slowly came out of his crouched posture and used his staff to move a little distance from the action."You must be warm before you strike a blow." The Master said quietly, his voice sounding like the a quill scratching on old parchment."I must be warm?" Malkir questioned confusedly. Before he had a chance to wait for a response the younger Githzerai were upon him with fists, feet, elbows, knees and foreheads flying right at him from all directions.Malkir let his training take over entirely and his thoughts and movements became almost as one. His arms blocked punches that his eyes could not follow and his feet moved him out of the way of other attacks. One monk struck at his with the classical Fire in the Belly sequence of blows. The mystic countered enough of the strikes to ride out the attack without getting winded, but before he could counter another monk attacked him with the Fountain of Magma rolling attack. Again he managed to avoid being pulled off his feet, but the third monk caught him unawares with the Dry Stone Flow repetitive strikes.Malkir stumbled back, his nose bleeding and tried unsuccessfully to incapacitate one of the monks with Freezing the Lifeblood. Annaleese was not faring much better, riding out several blows, but not landing any of her own. Her style was not as refined and relied more speed than power. However, the Gith were as fast as her and more skilled.Andrew Rimilia came on to the landing of the stairs at the top of the entrance hall in time to see Malkir and Annaleese weave in amongst a half a dozen grey robed attackers. He stopped for a moment to take in the scene and saw that the combatants were locked in a strange duel involving a series of intricate blows, strikes, counter-strikes, blocks and locks.Two of monks fighting Malkir switched tactics and attempted to use Boneless Grip and Fire in the Blood attacks. The mystic's body responded to the change in the flow, but again he was caught off guard by the third monk who did not change his tactics. Having escaped from the first lock that would have made him unable to control his joints, he suppressed his body's natural response to the second attack that would have led to his heart going in to overdrive. But again it was the lighting fast sequence of apparently random punches that he could not block in time. The punches individually were not hard, but it felt like he was being trampled by a large crowd of people.Annaleese fared even worse and spent all of her efforts avoiding the blows, strikes and grapple attempts that came from all around her. The halfling's small stature helped her to some extent, but after a couple of seconds of exertion she was bruised, winded and feeling dizzy - unable to lift her left arm.Just as it seemed as if Malkir and his house-keeper would be overcome in less than a dozen heartbeats, the tide of battle turned. Andrew left the two stunned elven maidens and began bounding down the stairs. Shouts erupted from beneath the stairs as numerous small scaled forms erupted from the cellar. The air was filled with the sounds of many small voices shouting "Yip". The war-cry seemed feeble, but amplified by many voices, it gave the grey robed Githzerai a moment's pause.Annaleese let the kobolds flow past to attack the monks. It was like watching a swarm of angry hornets. But the Githzerai were too skilled and fast to take too many hits. Only two of the kobolds got in some lucky strikes. The kobolds continued running past the intruders and turned for another charge. Two of the small yellow scaled creatures shouted "Mine" to indicate their success in the first charge and they led the second one.Malkir, having got used to sequence of strikes that his opponents employed, allowed himself to relax in to the rhythm whilst looking for an opening. He saw something small and bright flicker in the corner of his vision and two of the monks dropped. A small part of his mind worked out that the movement had come from Annaleese's direction, but he was too busy fighting to take any actions or further thoughts on the matter.Having reached the bottom of the stairs, Andrew realised that the blows did not appear to be lethal and that it looked as if the intruders meant to incapacitate his friends. The Githzerai Master glanced in his direction briefly and it was all the signal that the Indep needed to stay out of the fight.The kobolds came around for the second charge, some of them racing up the stairs and then leaping down. The hallways was filled with the sound of many voices shouting "Yip" with the occasional "Mine". Although the tide of battle had turned, several of the kobolds lay prone and did not get up again.Faced with only a single opponent, Malkir's hands hammered in to the Githzerai, tapping him in a sequence of light blows. The Gith realised what was happening and tried to resist. But his body failed to respond and the signals from his mind could no longer make his muscles move.As Malkir stepped up to strike the incapacitated Githzerai and the remaining kobolds launched in to their third charge, the ancient Master made his move. Blue flames erupted around his form, burning brightly but not scorching his flesh or clothes. His black eyes now blazed bright blue and in three small steps had interposed himself between Malkir and the Githzerai pupil.Malkir's punch landed squarely in the old man's chest, causing him to stagger back slightly. The blue flames flickered around Malkir's hand, burning his knuckles and turning his whole hand red. The kobolds, halfling and other students paused as soon as the blow was struck and the ancient Githzerai straightened up."Your training is incomplete." The Master looked the mystic up and down, but his blank expression did not reveal whether it was approving or not."Indeed," replied Malkir in a calm voice, despite the fact that his hand still felt as if it was on fire. "I have much yet to learn.""Perhaps I shall teach you again." The old man said with a crooked smile."Perhaps if things go well, I will be able to teach you." Malkir stated confidently, although he did not feel it."I have learned the most from my students." The ancient Githzerai said more to himself. He nodded his head as he had just received insight in to something important and then looked up again. "We will begin lessons tomorrow morning." He gave Malkir a scroll and bowed slightly.The Githzerai withdrew from the house, taking their unconscious companions with them. As soon as the door had closed, Malkir clutched his hand and said: "Ow".Andrew walked across the hallway hesitantly and Malkir smiled."It's probably for the best that you did not join in. The Masters are very touchy about this." Malkir closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment. Some of his bruises faded and his hand became a little less red.Remembering the scroll that he had just been given, the henshin mystic opened the parchment containing the riddle of identity. In spidery writing the riddle read: "If I am not for me, then who will be for me?""If I will be for me, then what am I?""And if not now, then when?"</blockquote>

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