Chapter 44 - Messenger

Half an hour later Finn emerged from the clouds. Above him, the majestic white and blue pagoda came into view like a shining jewel atop the mountain. It seemed to sparkle in the late afternoon sun, and he took a moment to admire the sight. Only a few landings remained before the top, and he started up the steps with a renewed sense of vigour.

The boost of enthusiasm only lasted for the first hundred steps, but his willpower and the knowledge that he’d almost made it pushed him onward for the final stretch. He was so focused on making the final steps that he barely felt any sense of accomplishment at reaching the top. His entire uniform was soaked in sweat, and his legs felt like pudding.

“Welcome, officer.” A middle-aged monk with thin framed crystal spectacles was waiting for him at the top of the staircase, his hands crossed and folded sagely in the draping sleeves of his robes. “I trust the climb was not too strenuous.”

“Not... at all...!” Finn failed to live up to his words as he stood hunched over with his hands on his knees as he caught his breath. “I’m here with Edwin... Looking for his Master...”

“Yes, he arrived with Banmi a while ago. Please, come inside and recover your strength.” The monk led the way through the gate into the large courtyard with manicured trees and altars. He sat down on one of the stone benches underneath the boughs of a beautiful flowering cherry blossom tree. Its trunk was full of knots and twists that gave it a mature, lively aesthetic. There was a small table and another bench on its other side. Finn sat down opposite the monk and placed his hat on the table.

“My name is Master Spade, I am in charge of the day to day operations of the monastery.” The scholarly man introduced himself.

“Officer Mackenzie, from the Noga Police Department of Missing Persons.” Finn said, finally starting to recover his stamina.

“Well met.” Master Spade said, “I have some good news for you. Edwin’s master is in fact an honoured guest at our Monastery and has been for some time.”

“That’s good to hear, although I’m curious why his Master hadn’t contacted Edwin himself, since they had arranged to meet two weeks ago in Noga.” Finn said.

Master Spade shrugged with a smile, “That I am not sure of. Master Ming Ru did not let us know that he had a student waiting for him. I’m sure he has his reasons. Master Ming Ru is out in the mountains today, but he will return tomorrow. Until then Edwin will remain in our care.”

“In that case, we can move onto the next issue, since Edwin’s Master is not the only reason I have come to the Monastery. I’m sure you are a busy man, but may I request some more of your time for some questions?”

“Ah.” The monk said, smiling as he came to an epiphany, “That explains the letter.”

Finn withdrew the letter once more from his inner pocket and handed it to the monk, who scanned it quickly while Finn spoke.

“I am investigating several cases of missing persons that have occurred in the mountains around the monastery.” Finn began, “Some of them were visitors from outside the area, others you might know.”

He gave a brief summary of the missing individuals to Master Spade, leaving out Medusa and the man with the red eyes. The monk listened patiently, his eyes hidden by the sheen of the crystal spectacles on his nose. At the end he smiled apologetically and shrugged.

“I’m sorry, I’m not aware of the whereabouts of any of those people. Yes, we have had a few visitors here and there but they all left in good health without any problems that I’m aware of. In particular, I know Jun Ping fairly well, but haven’t seen him in a while. He only stops by occasionally outside of the summer months.”

“That is fine, perhaps even expected.” Finn said, sighing a little, “Actually, I suppose I still had hope that you might know even a few details, given that the Monastery has always kept a good watch over the mountains.”

“We do our best to be aware of the land around the monastery, but we don’t keep track of everyone who ventures into the area.” The monk sighed in response, mirroring Finn’s resignated tone. “It is unfortunate that these people have gone missing, though I’m not sure how we can help your investigation.”

This was what Finn was waiting for. He put on a thoughtful look. “Perhaps you still can. There were several reports of strange sights in the mountains by some of the missing people. Fantastical beasts, weird plants. I wonder if you or the other monks might have noticed anything unusual in the mountains recently?”

Master Spade did not react to the comment immediately as he took his time with the response. His expression was unreadable through his spectacles.

“Strange sights are not uncommon in the mountains. They are rich in spirituality.” He said at length. “People traveling around the forest often see and hear things that can’t be explained, but these visions are not harmful.”

“Yes, but it seems we have come across evidence that it indicates that there is more to these... supernatural occurrences than just unexplained phenomena.”

Finn chose his words carefully as he looked meaningfully at the monk, watching for any signs of a reaction. He was referring to the reports of Medusa and her cultist connections, but he deliberately phrased his words to make Master Spade believe he had physical evidence of the unnatural circumstances in the mountains. The subtext was that it would be okay to reveal to him that there was something deeper to the situation, since he was already aware of that world.

“Supernatural, you say.” Master Spade said quietly, adjusting casually in his seat as he delayed his response. Though he was not facing directly towards Finn, Finn could feel his eyes piercing into him. Finn stroked his chin deliberately, keeping his tone light as if he were simply discussing the weather.

“I believe that since the Monastery acts as a guardian of the mountain in spirit, you might also be aware of what I am referring to.“ He placed an extra emphasis on the word spirit to drive the point home.

“And so you have come as a representative to question the Monastery about it?”

“Not so much a representative. Perhaps messenger would be the better choice of words. We already have a team looking into the situation.” Finn replied. He had to be careful not to claim too much importance on the case, particularly since he wasn’t even in the same department as the team that was actually doing the investigating.

The monk adjusted the spectacles on his nose as he looked away. After a moment he said, “It is getting late in the afternoon. Are you planning to return to Noga tonight? Or, no, perhaps you’ve arranged to stay in the village to avoid traveling back in the dark.”

Finn paused as the monk touched on a subject that already bothered him. He hadn’t expected the climb up the stairs to take as long as it did, and already resigned himself to the fact that he wouldn’t make it back down before the driver came to pick him up at six o’clock. Given that travel in the mountains was dangerous at night, Paul wouldn’t wait too long before leaving.

Finn had indeed expected to have to find lodging at the village for the evening, but he read the monk’s tone and realized what he was leading towards.

“I planned to find an inn in the village in the evening,” Finn said, “However I am not in a rush to head back.”

“Perhaps I can convince you to stay for a little longer, then?” Master Spade said congenially, “I am not too familiar with the situation of the mountains outside the monastery, as my focuses are internal. It is not my place to partake in such discussions.”

“Is there someone more appropriate that I can talk to?” Finn asked.

“The Abbott would know if there is any relevant information for your investigation. He is currently out on a trip. We expect him to return either tonight or tomorrow morning.” Master Spade said, “If he does not return before it gets dark, you are welcome to stay for the night as a guest.”

“I am fine with that.” Finn let a small smile form on his lips as he nodded his head. “Your help is much appreciated.”

~

Shortly after, in a small chamber within the main pagoda, Master Spade knelt before a small altar. He removed the thin framed spectacles and gently placed them beside him. Then he picked up a small red glass marble and held it gently in his hand as he closed his eyes and concentrated.

Moments later the spiritual body of the monk stood up, exiting his physical body which remained in a meditative posture. His appearance was spectral, but otherwise similar to his physical form, though it was invisible to anyone who did not have a well developed sense of spiritual sight. He rose up out of the room, passing straight through the other floors as he flew out of the roof of the pagoda.

Master Spade cast his eyes down on the grounds below, observing two young monks, Edwin and Banmi, showing off techniques to each other in the courtyard behind the guest house. He was not concerned about Edwin at all, who was not even a Candidate, and did not possess any spiritually active items.

With his spiritual vision his gaze penetrated through the roof of the guest house to observe the police officer in his designated guest room. He was resting on the bed, clearly exhausted from the journey. Like Edwin, Officer Mackenzie was not an Exalted, and he also did not have any spiritual objects on him.

Normally, a person would not be able to tell whether someone was an Exalted or not simply by looking at them. Only certain domains and paths had that ability, and the Crescent Moon path which the Cloud Peak Monastery held had no such power. However Master Spade’s crystal spectacles were a special artifact that granted him the ability to see the spiritual qualities of his surroundings. When speaking to them earlier, he had carefully observed the two visitors in order to confirm that not only were they not Exalted, but they were also not carrying any Exalted items on them.

The only other guest currently at the monastery was also in her room. Master Spade didn’t extend his gaze too close to her, as he wasn’t sure if she could sense it.

After confirming that there was nothing unusual happening within the monastery walls, he turned and flew to the north, plunging through the clouds below and heading down into the valley between the monastery and the next mountain peak.

He connected with the spiritual energy inside the marble that was still in his physical hand. This marble was filled with the blood of Rabi, the attendant and bodyguard of the Abbott. Using it as a compass he was able to head straight to Rabi’s location.

He quickly spotted the serious, reserved man and flew down to hover next to him. The monk was standing at the top of a cliff, looking down into the dense canopy of trees and brush below.

“Did something happen?” Rabi asked suddenly, without averting his eyes. He had sensed the Master Spades’s spiritual presence easily since the older man had made no effort to hide it.

“Where is the Abbott?” Master Spade asked. Rabi heard a spectral voice project in his mind, as if it came from within him.

“At the shrine, of course.” Rabi said stuffily.

“What about Ming Ru?” The voice bubbled up again.

“Still down there.” Rabi said, indicating that he was watching for Ming Ru’s return.

Rabi felt a gust of spiritual energy as Master Spade took off to another part of the valley.

The Mirror Lake Shrine was located mid-way down the mountain from the monastery. It was on the opposite side of the mountain than the Thousand Steps staircase, and was surrounded by harsh terrain that meant that the only way to access the shrine by foot was by taking a path that originated from the monastery above.

The shrine was a modestly sized single-room building with an open gate and a sizable altar that took up the back half of the room. A velvet rope normally split the room in half, separating the visitors from the altar, however it had been taken down and placed to the side. A dozen cushions which normally were arranged facing the altar had also been placed aside.

In the center of the room, a tall figure with a long white beard and silvery hair tied in a bun stood with his hands clasped in prayer. The Abbott of the monastery wore a set of ornamental white robes embroidered with silver thread. He wore several rings carved from bone, and held in his hand a sceptre made of a dark, twisted wood whose head budded with small bright green leaves.

The original silver statue in the center of the altar had been replaced by the large skull of a bone dragon with teeth the length of a man’s forearm. Around it were various wooden bowls filled with herbs and strange flowers. The entirety of the back wall had been overgrown with plants, which spilled out of the two side doors that led out of the building. The plants were unusual and displayed living characteristics such as moving to grasp and entwine the objects around them and reacting to sound and touch. There were flowers that glowed with a vivid blue hue whose light reflected off the walls, and lotus blossoms that floated in the air on lily pads.

There were gnarled branches that resembled willow trees that grew bunches of long human-like black hair. There were thick vines that had mouths embedded in their stems and tongues that would lick their wooden lips from time to time. There were ferns with black spores and vines that ended in disembodied eye balls that swayed in an unseen breeze.

The skull at the center was infused with the essence of life and was the attractive force that fed the spiritual needs of the otherworldly plants around it. Master Spade only vaguely understood the ritual that was being performed by the Abbott, who was using the spiritual richness of the lake and shrine to anchor and amplify the living essence of the skull.

Master Spade landed on the ground and waited at the entrance to the shrine as Deacon Glass chanted in ancient Fortus. After a few minutes, the Abbott lowered his hands and half turned towards Spade in acknowledgment.

The spectral Master Spade bowed and spoke. This time, he made his voice come out naturally, without the ethereal quality that he had given it when talking with Rabi. “Abbott, two visitors have arrived at the monastery. One claims to be Ming Ru’s student. The other is an officer from the Noga Police Department.

“I have lodged both of them in the guest quarters for now. There is no rush to deal with them, at least not until tomorrow morning. However the officer mentioned something concerning."

The scholarly monk made a habitual motion to adjust the glasses on his nose with his finger before realizing that he was simply a spirit. Instead he moved his hand to scratch the back of his head as he considered his words. “The officer is aware of the unusual situation in the mountains. I am not sure how far their investigation has come, but he is part of a team organized by the police department. I am worried that there will be problems.”

The edge of the Abbott’s mouth turned downwards in a slight frown as he spoke in a deep voice, “Why?”

“He didn’t speak directly about his intentions, but he said that he was a ‘messenger’. I believe he was sent by Noga to send us a warning.”

The Abbott turned back toward the shrine as he gazed into the eye sockets of the skull. The shadows within seemed to churn and have a mass of their own.

“Unlikely.” Deacon Glass said at length. His voice had a dark timbre rich with spirituality. “Noga would not be so indirect.”

“I felt the same, but then recalled that currently Lord Noga is secretly out of the province dealing with the situation in the west. Earl Shum is likely in charge during his absence.”

The Abbott showed no reaction, but simply stood staring at the skull for several moments. In terms of competence, Earl Shum was definitely lacking. This attribute made him difficult to predict and account for. After deep contemplation, Deacon Glass spoke without turning his head.

“Then we can’t take the chance. We must delay their investigation. Fortunately, I had the foresight to prepare the woodcutter’s cabin to host a distraction. Go to the boy watching over the cabin and tell him to hold the ritual tonight. Send our guests from Fuha there as well. This should grant us the time we need.”

“Yes Abbott.”

The spirit of Master Spade promptly left the area as Deacon Glass turned his attention back to the altar before him. Clasping his hands, he began to pray once more. His eyes were black as the energies within his body mirrored the energies in the skull.