Chapter 236 - Friends

Locations of other White Maiden’s shrines?

Char Char’s eyes widened, she felt a jolt of excitement bubble up within her as Finn withdrew back to a respectful distance. She looked down at the dots on the page with renewed interest. 

Her eyes fell on the dot to the northeast of Noga City, within the Chenmai Forest. Without a doubt it was located precisely where the White Maiden’s shrine was. Her eyes flitted back and forth between the other dots, soaking in their locations. 

“Not so boring anymore?” Finn asked with a grin.

“I don’t understand.” Char Char said after a moment, “Are you going to investigate them?”

“I can’t, I have duties that restrict where I can go.” Finn said, “Even if I wanted to, any investigation I make into these locations would have to be officially reported. For various reasons, this would be undesirable.”

“But I’m still under house arrest, right?” Char Char frowned, “Why are you telling me about this?”

“Yes, you are still under house arrest. There’s nothing I can do about that. The higher ups have decided to take minimal risks regarding the White Maiden. If not for your grandfather, you’d still be locked in a stasis cell.” Finn put his hands in his pockets, sighing softly. “Well, I also helped prepare this arrangement, for your benefit. Your custody within the Zhao estate is part of my responsibilities.

”You and I have had some… disagreements in the past. But there’s no question that you are a capable and talented individual. And when it comes to the White Maiden, your motivations are the purest.

“That is why I’ve decided to break some rules.

“Miss Zhao, I wish to recruit you to assist with my investigation into the White Maiden.” Finn said, adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves, “Your task will be to visit the shrine locations and attempt to contact the White Maiden. You must do this discreetly without attracting any attention. In the meantime, I will personally conduct the biweekly visits to the manor and report that you are diligently obeying the house arrest.

“If we can gather any information at all about the condition or motivations of the White Maiden, it will answer some of these mysteries. Ideally we will be able to clear Her name.”

A secret mission? Char Char’s interest was piqued, though to her surprise she didn’t feel the naive enthusiasm that she thought she’d have felt - that she would have felt - once upon a time.

A flurry of thoughts passed through Char Char’s mind. Her sixth sense sharpened as she subconsciously evaluated Finn’s words and gestures, the subconscious twitches in his facial muscles, his posture and stance.

He’s being sincere. Her subconscious came to a resounding conclusion.

“Okay.” Char Char said, nodding softly.

She saw the slight twitch of his right eye that betrayed his surprise at her straightforward answer. Had he expected her to be naively excited? Or perhaps he thought she’d ask more questions.

“Do you want to know the details?” Finn frowned.

“They’re not important.” Char Char said, “I trust you.”

Concern showed once more in Finn’s eyes as he evaluated Char Char’s response. 

“If it makes you feel better, you can tell me.” Char Char smirked.

“I’ll be brief, then…” Finn frowned, “After you sneak out of Noga, you will be escorted along a predetermined route. I would have insisted that you keep your mission a secret, but knowing you I feel such a request wouldn’t hold any weight.”

“Fair.” Char Char grinned.

“I’ve discussed with your grandfather and we’ve arranged for your escorts to be a trustworthy group who we believe are aligned with the White Maiden.” Finn held back a sigh, “The trip to the first location should take approximately one week. If you need to continue to the second, that will take about two more weeks.”

“That long?” Char Char tilted her head, “Can’t we just use your portal things?”

Finn frowned, “I considered it, but it turned out to be impractical for those distances. If I send an officer with you from my team it would raise suspicions and require paperwork that I would rather not have to justify. There are possibly shall we say, underground agents that could take the job, but the costs are prohibitive.”

“How prohibitive?” Char Char asked, not used to being told that things were too expensive.

“Let’s just say we asked Mr. Nao about funding the excursion, he laughed hysterically and walked out of the room.” Finn rubbed his chin. “It’s not just paying for the agent, long distance travel typically requires sourcing sapphire as a means to bolster the Exalted’s powers. However sapphire prices have risen exponentially.”

Any spacetime Exalted that didn’t need sapphire for long distance was not the kind of person you could hire for any amount.

A thought crossed Char Char’s mind as she processed Finn’s plan. This wasn’t just about his official investigation, he wasn’t just trying to fulfill his duties while working around red tape. There was another element to this request, a personal one.

He needed the White Maiden for something, and Char Char was his best chance to appeal to her for help.

“I get it.” Char Char nodded after a moment, “You can’t send your own people for this part of your investigation, so you’re sending me instead.”

“Essentially.” 

“So…” Char Char’s lips widened into a smile as her eyes sparkled, “Does this mean you actually trust me?”

“I wouldn’t say it’s trust, necessarily-“ Finn’s brows furrowed at the girl’s sudden warmth.

“It absolutely is!” Char Char grinned, “After all, you’d probably get in huge trouble if I were to screw up and your plan was discovered.”

“It’s a calculated, mutually beneficial risk.” Finn said defensively.

“I’ll do it.” Char Char stood up energetically, “On one condition.”

Finn tilted his head, looking Char Char in the eyes. Warning bells rang out in his mind as he carefully asked, “What condition?”

“You acknowledge that we’re friends.” Char Char said.

“We’re not friends.” Finn said instinctively, taking a step back as his mind tried to figure out her angle. “Why does that matter?”

“It matters to me.” Char Char said, “I don’t want to do this kind of thing as a business transaction. If I’m going to help you look for the White Maiden then it should be because we’re friends.”

Char Char read Finn’s expression clearly as his carefully crafted disposition broke slightly. Discomfort, confusion and hesitation flickered over his face.

“No.” He said bluntly.

“Then I won’t do it.” Char Char replied in the same manner.

He shook his head incredulously, “What does being friends have to do with anything?”

“It doesn’t.” Char Char said. “But what is so hard about agreeing to be friends?”

Finn’s lips pressed together in a thin line as his expression hardened. Various protests flooded through his brain as he evaluated the girl’s condition. It was a ridiculous, meaningless request with no weight or serious consequence. 

“Okay, we’re friends.” He said at length.

“Say it like you mean it.” Char Char crossed her arms. “This is good for you. You’re too cold, you know. You need to let people in sometimes.”

“…” Finn’s jaw clenched as he stewed silently for the moment. He briefly considered walking out of the room and abandoning the plan, but that would be just as ridiculous as having to declare themselves friends to seal the deal.

For some reason, the face of Chief Yun bubbled up in the back of Finn’s mind. He hadn’t thought of his deceased mentor for weeks, and didn’t know why he suddenly was visited by the man’s memory.

“Fine, you win.” Finn’s posture softened as he let out a sigh, shaking his head. “Yes, we’re friends.”

Char Char smiled happily, “Then I’ll do it.”

~

Off to the northeast, in the midst of the vibrant Chenmai Forest, on top of a plateau that was raised above the forest canopy. 

A large tree stood in the centre of the plateau, its boughs heavy with hundreds of delicate white blossoms. A small stone shrine sat beneath it, sheltered by the boughs, shimmering softly in the dappled sunlight that shone through the canopy. 

Around this shrine three buildings had been recently erected in the ancient style, with white walls, dark timber framing and grey clay shingle roofs. The main building sat behind the tree, a two storey temple with numerous talismans and lanterns hanging from the eaves.

The temple interiors were empty and unfinished, but from the outside there was a respectful minimalism to the recently completed buildings.

A soft, warm breeze fluttered across the empty temple grounds.

Beyond the temple itself, six Exalted officers calmly patrolled the edges of the plateau in pairs, ensuring that the plateau remained undisturbed by beasts or humans alike.

As the sun reached its peak in the sky a rift opened in front of the temple at a respectful distance away from the shrine. 

Two figures walked out of the rift.

The first was a woman with shoulder length blue hair, blue eyeshadow and petite features. She wore a tailored double breasted men’s suit and held an iron cane in her hands.

The second was a tall man with short curly hair peppered with greys. He wore simple attire, a silken white shirt and black slacks, but he exuded an aura of power and nobility.

The man took a moment to survey the temple, showing his approval of the construction with a soft nod. It was simple and somewhat bare, but the shrine’s owner should not be offended by what had been provided to Her. 

“Stay here.” Lord Noga said to the woman beside him.

“Yes, my lord.” Robin Lang bowed her head, planting her cane squarely on the ground between her feet.

Lord Noga walked across the field at an unhurried pace toward the stone shrine under the white tree. A small offering table had been set up in front of the shrine an appropriate distance away. Several long incense sticks and a silver bowl had been prepared for his arrival ahead of time by one of his priests who had already left the premises, per his orders.

Noga picked up the incense and lit them with his spirituality, raising the smoking sticks to his forehead as he closed his eyes and bowed three times. He set the incense in a special indent on the side of the bowl, propping them up to smolder.

He then stepped back from the table and knelt on a pillow that had been left for him. Facing the shrine he closed his eyes and prayed.

The faint sweet smoke from the incense drifted on the breeze as Lord Noga remained deep in prayer until the last piece of incense burned out.

As the final waft of smoke dissipated into the air, the corner of Lord Noga’s lip twitched ever so slightly, breaking the reverent poise that he had maintained to this point.

Nothing.

There was no response, no connection, no indication or sign that She had heard his prayers. He had completed her temple and come in person to pay respects to Her directly. After all Her efforts to assist the people of Noga, would She not certainly respond to their ruler at least in some small way?

Perhaps after Her actions here in Noga She had abandoned Her shrine and was no longer listening. Perhaps She had fulfilled her divine purpose here and had no desire or need to communicate with him. 

Or perhaps She was indeed here, watching him silently from above, as he and everyone else fell unwittingly into place in Her grand designs.

The more Lord Noga considered the situation, the less he understood it. The Goddess of Fate had perished before the Dark Era, Her influence had long been erased from the world, this was what Akron had proclaimed.

It was impossible that the White Maiden was the Goddess of Fate, but then who else could lay claim to one of Her ancient shrines?

Fate. What an elusive, enigmatic domain.

Lord Noga stood slowly, his eyes resting on the small shrine beneath the flowering white tree, a mild frown on his face. After a moment he turned and walked back to the edge of the plateau where Robin was waiting in the same position that he had left her in.

Robin raised her head, opening her eyes as she exchanged a glance with Lord Noga. 

She raised her cane and stamped it into the ground, and the pair disappeared from the plateau without a trace.