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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Voda Vosa" data-source="post: 4410513" data-attributes="member: 51271">[sblock= Lucky Leng and Shen Rui] You walk your way to the door of Master Jiem’s house. It’s made of wood, and humble but nicely decorated in the outside. On each side of the door, there is an always burning incidence, on an iron support, so the smell of it fills your noses, and evocate memories from past times. You remember when you two first saw Kaoru in the arms of Master Jiem; you were mere boys, with no more than 4 years each, but you felt this same smell, from the master’s clothes, as he kneels next to you, and showed you your third brother. You shake the old memories from your head, Master Jiem was waiting.Leng and Shen enter the room (not without certain difficulties for Leng), to see Master Jiem keel next to his tea table. With a gesture, he offers you a place in front of him, and as soon as you keel there, he starts speaking“My students, I have called you before me once more.” He places his hands over his lap and continues “The fool man tells everything at the first chance, and the wise man do not tell everything he knows, until it’s the right moment to tell it. I would not be so self-centered as to call myself wise, but I have done something I hope to be, the wisest thing.” He takes a moment, and watches each of you in the eyes, as if he was searching for understanding. He moved on “Have you ever asked yourselves about your past?” he asks, but waits for no answer “I have kept you living a lie my dear students. I speculated that this would be enough to protect you two until your training was over, until you grew stronger and wiser. But the world is changing more quickly than I have calculated; this is why I am telling this to you now.” The old man sighs. Now you really note how much has Master Jiem aged. He has an average stature, his skin is tanned, and he uses a long beard, which covers his entire chin. His grey hair is tightly braided, and a small green hat decorates his head. His robes have seen better times too; they are grey and green, with a white shirt beneath them. He uses no shoes, and his hands are naked as well.  His eyes glitter with wisdom, and he has a big scar, starting from the upper part of his nose, to the end of his cheek. No matter how many times you asked him about it, the old man always found a way to elude your interrogations. The only thing he ever said about it was that it was a well deserved wound that will never heal.“There is a dichotomy in combats, that can’t be eluded, you either win, or lose. But there is much to learn, no matter if you win or lose. There is balance in this, as it is in many other things. But sometimes the only thing that you learn from your defeat, is that you have been defeated. This world is out of balance my students; there is no equilibrium, no peace for the dead, nor for the living. You may have not notice this, living in Singing Spring. That is my doing. I have kept you two and the entire island unaware of the world’s disgrace. Probably you remember of the story about the assassin that came to this island, carrying Kaoru, as a baby. You may as well recall that I killed that man, unintentionally. It might had been an accident, but isn’t it strange that an assassin flee to this remote island? If such criminals are escaping from the continent, what is happening there? Our weapon master, Wei Dan, also came from the continent, as well as many inhabitants of Smiling Spring. But I have spoken to them, and make them swear they will not tell anyone what was happening in the rest of the empire. The truth my students, is that something happened, many years ago, and as consequence of that, there is no peace for our dead. They are restless, and aggressive. They turn mad, becoming no more than mindless ghosts.” As your master was finishing the last sentence, the door opened wide, and a student rushes in. Agitated, the young man was not able to speak. It was Tai Pan, a new student, he came to the school about tho months ago.“What is the meaning of this intrusion? There are important things that must be said. Explain yourself student Tai Pan” Master Jiem demanded.“I’m sorry Master Jiem” the boy bowed respectful. “Mia Min is injured, the bandits, they came in a big ship, and landed on Wu Fan sand beach! I was with her, but I couldn’t do anything, she said I must warn you. They… they are trying to break into the town! You must help us Master Jiem, Mia Min needs you.” The events cough Lucky Leng and Shen Rui by surprise, and only Master Jiem was able to say something, as he stood up. “You have done well Tai Pan. Quickly, Lucky Leng, Shen Rui; look for Kaoru. Go to Wei Dan and take a weapon. Then try to stop the bandits from breaking in the town; I’ll go with Go Tao and Lu Len to rescue Mia Min, we well join you in the sand beach, go there as soon as finish those bandits.” Master Jiem looks at you, with haste in his eyes, his gaze was asking if you had anything to say before he leaves.[/sblock][sblock=Kaoru]Life was fairly easy in Singing Spring. You always tried as hard as you could to help the town folks in his matters, physically and mentally. Since small age,  you had some talent to perceive the world of the spirits, a gift, Master Jiem said was a present for you, from the heavens. You didn’t quite understood the words of the old master, and certainly, the nights that you spend hearing some long dead man’s spirit weren’t pleasant at all. There was not much to do in the island, excepting contemplation and meditation. Except on Fridays. Fridays are your favorite days, because Master Jiems comes to visit you, and train you in the ways of what common people call “sorcery”. He thought you how to channel your chi, how to shape it and mold it, how to project it and transform your chi in a powerful energy ray. Just recently you mastered the technique. You humble beginnings when you were 6 years old were…. Lets just say, humble. About a year ago you finally could project your chi, in a blast of energy that send Master Jiem flying to the town healer. Fortunately it was nothing serious, but you felt terrible for the entire weak, afraid of using you power. Master Jiem and you agree that this was your secret, and that you should use your power, just in times of need. It was a beautiful day, you stared empty minded at the small waterfall in front of your house, just 100 meters away from the school. Other memories came to you. Those were darker, obscured by the mist of doubt and time. You recall the stories of your rescue from the hands of a cruel man. You also recall the face of that man, sad eyes looking at you. You recall a woman’s face. That was your picture of the mother you ever met. You recall her happy, smiling. There are may blanks, but you also remember the face of another man, maybe your father, a man of hard face, small beard, and black hair. Those are sad memories, from a lost past, a life that could have been, but that was never meant to. “Its destiny” Master Jiem usually said “There are no accidents my student. Chance is a measure of our own lack of information”. As soon as you remember Master Jiem, you remember Lucky Leng and Shen Rui. You are like brothers, even if you don’t live or train together, you are always next to each other. Memories of you growing up with them and the other students fill your head with happy times.But a sudden explosion takes you out of your dreams. At the same moment you step out of your house, Tai Pan, a new student from the school pass running at all speed, heading from the town to the school. You had no time to ask him anything. You stare doubtful as the young man starts to shrink in the distance. [/sblock][sblock=Koryo]There was no time to lose. You enter your hut and grab only the most needed things: Food, the few coins you had, your weapons, your traveling staff, some clothes, your old armor, and your veil. That was an object that evoked memories, but you had no time for them. You close the door, and run to the docks. Tiger’s rest has a big dam, which was built by Emperor Su, many years ago. It was built to prevent some of the Great Drought effects. Closing the river would have created a great lake for the growing fishing activity of the island. But there was some unpredictable event. The dimensions of the lake, calculated by the imperial architects, were wrong. As a result, the lake flooded the town of Tiger’s rest. Many people lost their lives under the cold waters, preys of panic and fear. But eh people who survived built a new Tiger’s rest, and the lake was a blessing for the growing town. The Dam allowed the boats to reach the see, navigating throw it course. You had a hard time trying to find a ship that was going to Singing Spring. But eventually, a few silvers granted you a pass on merchant ship. In order to travel, you should work in the boat, as another sailor. Some days passed, until you reached open sea, but eventually you did. The work in the ship was overwhelming, but your physical strength and harsh training had prepared you for almost anything. Soon, you owned the respect of the other sailors, even with your shy and reserved manners. One night you hear a conversation of two sailors, you step next to them.“… Yes I have heard that the Black Veil assassins came to Tiger’s rest last month.” One of them says  “What? ” the other says in surprise “What would they possibly be searching there?”“That I don’t know, but the captain saw their lieutenant speaking with the mayor, of what he didn’t tell me.” [/sblock]</blockquote>

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