Chapter 232 - Preparing the Way

“Come close, boy.” The guru-chi’s voice was calm but firm as he beckoned Nilya to step toward him.

“Don’t-“ Taylor’s eyes flicked between his friend and the strange old man, but his voice was meek and caught in his throat.

Nilya stepped forward, his eyes looking up at the old man’s bright red eyes. They looked like a rodent’s; beady, predatory, and glinting with intelligence. The dark skin above his mask was leathery and dry. 

“I won’t hurt you. Come.” The guru-chi said softly as Nilya hesitated just outside of reach. When Nilya didn’t approach he barked, “Come!”

Nilya stepped forward and felt the guru-chi’s bony fingers clutch his shoulder and drag him in. He shuddered as the guru-chi leant down and took a deep sniff of Nilya’s hair.

The holy man held the breath, closing his eyes as he processed the faint, subtle scent of the boy.

“The scent of humanity is on you.” The guru-chi sniffed once more, a probing look in his eyes, “And here I thought I had smelled it on your sister.”

“How interesting, how very interesting.” The old man’s red eyes bore into him with a look of deep contemplation. “To think I could have met an Oji-sen in a place like this. Do you know the scriptures from the Book of Aliza? No?”

“He must pass through the wastes and be cleansed of them.” He muttered softly with a reverent tone, never taking his eyes off Nilya, “You are young, but perhaps you are the one I have been looking for…”

He released his grip on Nilya and turned to face the village. His eyes took on a far off look as he stabbed his staff into the ground. “I had thought to leave today, but perhaps I shall stay for a while longer…”

“I will see you soon, Nilya.”

The boys watched the guru-chi leave, goosebumps prickling their skin as he shambled away. Nilya felt a tug on his sleeve as Taylor silently let him know that they were retreating back to the village along a different path. The encounter had left them shaken, they were in no mood to stay out in the bog.

~

From the shelter of the abandoned house, Yuzu observed the guru-chi’s silver string slowly twist around Nilya’s, their futures now linked together.  

There is something particular about the guru-chi. Yuzu contemplated. Something about their existence that has been woven into the tapestry of fate.

Her mind turned to the myths and legends being whispered around the villagers around the guru-chi. These holy men from another nation, rarely seen in Fuha.

These men, immortal disciples of the Sun God, wanderers in search of an heir. They believe it is their destiny to guide an Oji to retake the throne, following the prophecy laid out in their ancient scriptures.

Yuzu’s thoughts turned to the visions that she had seen in the deepest depths of the Verdant Wild.

Entering a village on a wagon, surrounded by the classic tall, thin mountains typical of Huan. A hidden significance lay concealed beyond its simple appearance.

An angel with magnificent white wings, clad for battle, trembling as she lifted up a mysterious clockwork device from a dead body at her feet. Though the angel was yet unharmed, Yuzu felt that this was a premonition of the death of that beautiful angel.

And finally, a blazing sun arising from a barren, desolate land. A magnificent figure rose into the sky, his silhouette consumed by flame.

The birth of the Sun God had been woven into the tapestry of fate. A future that she glimpsed in the white world in the heart of the God of Life’s divine kingdom. 

But was this an auspicious event, or another calamity upon the world?

Intuitively, Yuzu knew she had a part to play in this as well. The premonitions were not just glimpses of the future, but glimpses of her future as well. But then, those were just possible futures. She could help them come to pass, or act to prevent them.

As she looked upon the golden tapestry, she felt a subtle presence hidden in the weave, a hint of a touch so delicate that Yuzu had never noticed it before; and even now she only had the slightest suspicion that something or someone had exerted its influence on it.

A presence existed beyond her perception, one that she had previously been too weak and distracted to see. But now she was stronger and she had had time to meditate and observe and reflect. A veil was slowly lifting from her eyes. The mysterious and nebulous powers that exerted their influence on the world were beginning to take shape in her awareness.

A classic poem written by Li Ru bubbled up in her mind. It was about a terrible storm during the Five Kings War that brought entire armies to their knees, causing terrible casualties that greatly impacted the war outside of anyone’s control. It reflected on how all beings no matter how great or small were subject to the forces of nature and the whims of the gods.

In school, Yuzu had learned that the gods were just a metaphor for things not yet explained by science.

But the gods do truly exist. Yuzu frowned as her eyes looked across the dark room in solemn contemplation. Yuima, the Goddess of Nature, is worshipped in the province of Huan and is the patron diety of Lord Matsuhara and his people.

To a normal person, a storm might seem like an uncontrollable, unpredictable act of nature. But to an Exalted… 

Yuzu muttered the poem softly as she watched the white string of the guru-chi disappear to the west. 

“The mortals sit below, looking up at the clouds. But the gods see the stars.”

~

The white porcelain jar that was barely taller than her ring finger was two thirds full. A small leather pouch filled with four glittering sarira filled with a portion of Deka’s godly essence. 

These were the two spiritual items in Yuzu’s possession here in the wastes.

She had initially hoped that she would be able to travel to her shrine through the aetheric plane, much like she had done in the past. Even making contact with the people in Noga would give her paths to return home. However she was unable to reach or feel her shrine on the plateau in the Chenmai Forest.

In the aftermath of the failed resurrection in the Tye-Ann Square, there were only four individuals left praying at her shrine; Char Char, Tua Kong, Xiang and Rabbit. However shortly after the Deka’s death and just before Yuzu fell to the bottom of the white world, Char Char had sent out one last prayer. A hurried message to the White Maiden - “The police are forcing us to leave, I promise I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Something about Char Char’s tone told Yuzu that something wasn’t quite right.

Since that last prayer, there had been no more prayers from the shrine.

Yuzu wondered if it was because of the distance, or if no one was worshipping at it. She had no way to tell.

Either way, she was truly alone here in the Fuha.

A dark expression clouded her eyes as she silently cursed the entity at the bottom of the white world for sending her to this place. She’d asked him to make an offer and he’d responded by ejecting her from the white world in an angry outburst. In a sense, it was her fault for provoking him, however his reaction was unexpectedly… trite.

Yuzu wasn’t perturbed. She’d dealt with angry customers before. This surely wouldn’t be the last time she’d meet the entity. The fact that he hadn’t killed her meant he needed her more than she needed him.

She only wished he had sent her to a more convenient place. Or at least one that didn’t smell so awful.

Yuzu turned her attention to the boys. These children were the only ones who she had contacted in Fuha. She had been careful to hide her presence as she observed her new surroundings, but she couldn’t hide forever. She needed to make a move.

She considered making contact with the guru-chi, but there was danger in revealing herself plainly to an Exalted, especially one rumoured to be immortal. Having the guru-chi stay around was dangerous but beneficial to her. He was a connection to the outside world, and would be a powerful ally, but she needed to do more than make contact and ask for help. She needed to ensure her safety, and make sure she could go where she needed to go.

To make such a request as an equal or less would be costly. She had the vial and the sarira, but those were a double edged sword. The sarira in particular were too valuable. They would raise dangerous questions and attract rumours and unwanted attention. 

If she carelessly revealed them to the guru-chi he might just decide to take them all by force.

Yuzu frowned as she contemplated her options. She reached out to the golden tapestry, gently hovering her fingers over the soft, glistening threads, watching as the townsfolk went about their morning routines. 

This was only a small out of the way village, filled with simple folk with weak connections to the outside world. No one in the village could help her directly, but then again Yuzu didn’t need them to.

The people of Fuha were superstitious, fearful of spirits and respectful towards the gods. 

Perhaps that would be enough to prepare the way.