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Saphera quickly moves to the monk and checks him for a pulse.
"By the god's, he is still alive." Saphera checks the Tengu a second time to confirm her findings. "That is unbelievable. I don't think I have ever seen anyone take this much damage in a single swing. Those axes are lethal."
After confirming that the Tengue is truly alive. Saphera retrieves Hassari's wand and dispenses two charges.
The young inquisitor watches as the monk begins to come around. "Carful Kuazi, you were on Pharasma's door. I thought you had perished for all time. Slowly now,----rest a moment to regain your strength."
Once the monk looks ready to regain his feet, Saphera helps him up. "It sounds like the siege is quickly being turned back. Do you want me to continue using the heal wand?"
Once all the healing has concluded, Saphera begins searching the area.
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Kuaizi's eyes blink twice as he comes to. Seeing Saphera hovering over him, he thanks her profusely. "Saphera Moonglade-chan... thank you. Thank you for my life." He gets up slowly, with assistance. He then bows three times to her in reverence. "Your kindness is without boundary. I shall evermore pray to Iro-Shu's angels to unburden your heart from suffering."
He then replies to her statement about perishing for all time with a dose of his tradition's esoteric wisdom. "Ah, but that which is never born never perishes, dear Saphera Moonglade-chan. Though form is emptiness, our mark on existence may never cease."
Realizing the gash has left a large tear in his robe, he modestly crumples the fabric to cover himself once more. He marvels aloud, "I had a most interesting time while I was away! But... perhaps I will tell you of it after we have completed our duty."
Limping around, and continuing to hold his robe together, he helps inspect the room. He politely rejects her offer for more healing, "You have done so much for this little one already, Saphera Moonglade-chan. I am fine now. Caw-OW!" But the monk reflexively grasps for his chest as pain from his formerly grievous wound continue to wrack his small form.
Though Kuaizi is quite humble, perhaps too humble by western standards, the story demonstrates moments in a lifetime of selfless action and disciplined study for the sake of benefiting all sentient beings.
The story culminates when Kuaizi realized, "...the white tiger, who I now realized was none other than Chem Chem, the great servant of the Enlightened One, then told me that my karma was not yet expiated in this life, and that I should return for many more need my help."
The monk now speaks in a tone that suggests very serious avowal, "I have more work to do as Kuaizi Wu." With sudden deslight, he realizes, "Caw! That rhymes!"
Carefully checking and tending to Able's wounds stops the bleeding.
Still reeling from the brutal fight, you nearly jump out of your skin when the tower door slams open.
Kreighton Shaine stands in the doorway, panting.
"Desna's wings! Are you all allright?"
Concern clouding his face, he turns half around, shouting down the stairs. "Hurry up! They need our help up here!"
You've never seen the master of scrolls express another emotion then exitement or professional curiousity. The fact that his 'happy but maybe a little bit not entirely there' attitude is completely gone drives home again just how dire a situation the society was in.
Kreighton Shaine kneels down where you are all sitting, gently taking hold of Kuaizi's right claw. "Help is on the way. We will make sure you will be all right again."
He waves over two dwarfs that have just come up the stairs, carrying a stretcher between them.
More pathfinder agents pour up from below, carrying all kinds of equipment with them, which they set up around the weird mist filled circle.
The lines of concern relax a little in Kreighton Shaine's face. "Thank you all so very much for what you've done here. I dont know what the aspis were planning with the Sky Key. But that," he points at the circle, "is a Protean in there. A being of pure chaos, that we captured. Not for study, but because it was the only thing we could do to stop it from destroying a large part of what we call reality. Its too strong for us to destoy, and its nature prevents us to banish it back to Limbo.
Whatever their plan was, these Aspis Agents weakened the circles bonds, exposing themselves to its influence. We will do our utmost best to strengthen the circle again.
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Kuaizi is humbled by the Scroll Master's concern. "Oh, it is but a flesh wound Master of Scrolls Kreighton Shaine-san. I thank you for your kind concern but, as Master Lao has said, 'the one who leaves behind self-interest is immune to weakness, poverty, injury, and death.'"
To the dwarves, "Most gracious and honorable kinsmen of the mountain and hill clans, I thank you, but I can walk."
Looking at his companions, "Is everyone else okay?"
As he hobbles over to get a better view of the circle using his staff as a crutch, Kuaizi asks the scroll master, "How can I be of further assistance?"