The amount of silver they find stuns Jing. It will take an ox to return this chest to town! "Do you think we can find and afford an artificer to make a guardian spider statue for this bridge? I guess not."
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Jing lifts his staff and uses it as a beacon for his innate powers. Motes of magic swirl around the staff and then coalesce into a healing mist that wraps itself around Sakura.
With Lo Kuon down, Jing directs his attention to the two axe-wielding maniacs attacking Kamo. He shoots one a piercing glare as magic begins to whirl around him. Intricate hand gestures force the energies to coalesce into a spell of command.
The only idea that hits Jing is to bestow the gift of flying upon Sakura. He lacks the offensive reach to deal with the archers and simply does not have any defensive spells that could block or otherwise thwart their arrows from hitting the bridge.
Jing spreads his arms and draws the tension that's in the air towards himself. Loudly, he yells, "You!" Anger whirls within Jing's eyes as he stares the man down. He balls his fist and calls upon the magic in his blood to make Lo Kuon do as he commands. "Kneel!"
The merchant's smile is mirrored by Jing, but when Shinzo announces it is to be his final visit, the smile disappears. Are they friends? No, not quite. Are they bound by a thread of fate? Surely. Lost in a sea of turmoil, Jing isn't quite sure whether this farewell is the result of auspicious events or something he is yet to fully comprehend. "Since this is to be the last time we meet, may we offer you some tea, Shinzo? We are experienced in hosting and serving a wide variety of guests, and for once, we are offered the opportunity to serve someone we genuinely like." And like that, the smile returned to Jing's face.
Seeing his friends being hurt, Jing taps into the wellspring of his power and reaches out with it to offer comfort and aid.
Too angry to be disgusted by the vile being's appearance, Jing launches a volley of holy light at its accursed cranium. Seeing those butterflies triggers something deep within him.
A deadly cold assaults Jing and attempts to quell what love and warmth he has inside. What magic does Heh command that he's capable of such spells?! In reply, Jing taps into the source of his power and attempts to counteract Heh's deadly magics.
Jing opens his heart and floods the world with the warmth of the Celestian Lovers, Tsukiyo and Shizuru.
Jing invokes spiritual wrath on the undead and then, knowing his place in combat, quickly backs off to Kamo and Sakura deal with them up close.
"No! I refuse to go back! Whatever haunts that place, it will be the end of us!" Fear, it seems, has taken control of Jing's faculties.
Jing tries to resist the gruesome visage, but when Pagma and Kamo turn around and bolt, Jing's resistance falters and he runs after them. Perhaps he runs even a little harder than his two friends.
Once the group starts catering to the princess's needs inside the tea house, the familiarity of it all eases Jing's nerves. They have done this before, hosting important and imposing figures, and they succeeded then and they will succeed now. "I am sure that your magnanimous nature will be remembered by the townsfolk of Willowshore even after a hundred years have passed, Lady Ren. They might remember you forever though if they were allowed to read and write."
"[b]Us mortals are so short-lived, it is easy for us to get stuck in the present,"[b] Jing offers to the Princess, by way of excuse.
Try as he might, Jing lost his cool when the princess ever so casually cursed Sakura, and he fails again and again to recollect himself. Still, he gives it all he has and attempts to keep the princess as happy as possible. Knowing the monster's ever-changing mood and foul temperament, Jing knows it's only a matter of time before she lashes out again.
Jing attempts to fill what potholes they come across during their journey through Willowshore with words and distractions. Kamo's focus on the occult side of Willowshore, and its many magical and mysterious features, is a fantastic idea, and Jing aids Kamo with his stories where and when he can.
Jing tries to hide his dismay at Sakura's performance and when the suffering ends, he starts clapping. The applause is equal parts a wake-up call to him and his companions as it is a distraction. Hopefully the Princess, in awe by Sakura's obvious trepidation of Her Resplendant Jorogumoness, will take the bait and shift her attention to him. "Ah, a performance worthy of a small rural town, don't you agree? Willowshore welcomes you, Eight-Blessed Silversilk Princess, and to that end, we have prepared a tea ceremony in your honor. May I invite and accompany you to Willowshore's pride, our tea house? Other guests of great power and significance have graced this place before, but none of thine stature, grace, and influence. Your visit would truly be a beacon of class and grace, and set a new standard for all of us to chase after. Chase, because of course we could never catch up to your resplendance." Why did he just use the word thine?! It must be all those 'olde' books he's been reading in his free time. Jing flinches away the shame and doubt when no one's looking and then puts back on his mask of impeccable decorum.
The notion of simply undoing the princess does visit Jing's mind once or twice as they go through the arduous preparations to welcome this unholy interloper. They have come too far to let it all come apart now, and the easiest way forward surely is the least violent one. Whether true or not, it's fundamental for Jing to cling to it.
"Alright. I'll visit the townsfolk and see what fineries I can borrow to ensure the princess feels right at home. If there's anything else I can do, please let me know. This hosting of important guests is not quite my forte."
Kamo's quip gets a chuckle out of Jing. "Ha. Well, I suppose we best start our preparation for the coming storm. Perhaps we can find out more about this Ren Mei Li, other than what Shinzo has so graciously shared with us. If we can avoid unnecessary violence, that would be for the best."
Jing inadvertently narrows his eyes at Shinzo. What would happen if 'he' underwent the transmigration ritual? Or is the sheer thought a heretical one? Whatever the truth might be, Jing knows that he'll be carrying some of Shinzo's wares with him when the time to transmigrate comes. It is this line of thought that brings Jing back to their meeting with the nosoi psychopomps. The trio squawked three theories at them, each one claiming it could explain why Shinzo was punished by Pharasma. If he was even punished by Pharasma to begin with. Sometimes, people pay penitence because it's the right thing to do, not because they were forced or otherwise compelled to do so by outside forces. "You have my thanks for your generosity, Shinzo. If you don't mind, may I ask you a question? We met with some loud-mouthed psychopomps before, and they loudly cawed about you. Is ... is it better if we simply don't know, and do not ask you about this? You've helped us so much."
"You'd be a hero not just to Willowshore, but also be noticed by the divine servants of the Lady of Graves for doing what's right. We've met with some of them, and their approval is why we're here. It's a lot to take in, but know that I speak the truth."
"To add to that, Kugaptee is not like you or us, and Kugaptee definitely isn't like your standard spirit or extraplanar creature. Kugaptee is a closed circle, a cycle of its own, and death does not impact it the way it does us. We've been busy at work trying to break Kugaptee's cycle. In a sense, his cycle has become ours, and we won't be free until Kugaptee is dead, truly gone, utterly erased ... and if you allow Kugaptee to break free, you'll join us in this accursed state of never-ending limbo."
Jing is glad that Kamo figured out this might be a shrine to the Lady of Graves, because he would have never figured that one out. "Let's go have a look."
An otherworldly voice whispers prophetic words through Jing's lips. "Blue fire burns within solid bronze. The bell's toll spells doom for those without its ringer. Seek the Lady's shrine for succor." A hand then twitches and slowly, Jing returns to the here and now. "Huh, I had a confusing vision. I heard the voice of a woman calling us to hear her ..." After recuperating from the experience, Jing sits down again and casts a powerful divination spell. He actively seeks out the shrine, but he's not an experienced diviner, let alone an expert on fortresses and where one might find a shrine in such a place! " So, what do you make of this?", Jing asks his companions after sharing what he saw of the fortress.
Jing nods at Kamo as he mulls how to apply his magic to the situation. Is he too paranoid to think the fort might have means in place to combat magical prying eyes? Maybe. "Alright. I can tap into my blood and see if my magic can give us an idea of what we can expect inside and around the fort. Please, I won't be 'here' while I concentrate on the spell, so keep an eye out for me while I'm gone."
Jing flinches when Pagma boldly states her ambitions, knowing that hope is doing a lot of heavy lifting there. He himself isn't sure yet what to make of all this, other than that the world has moved on ever since they were phased out all those years ago. And why wouldn't it? "Should we come up with a basic cover story before head on in? Something gives me the impression this place doesn't see a whole lot of visitors ... we could be pilgrims?"
Jing tries to aid Pagma, but the vicious melee denies him an opportunity to help her. Instead, he calls upon the power in his blood once again to smite their foes.
Jing calls upon the warmth of the stars above to come crashing down on their foes.
Jing knows that they mustn't die in this place, this accursed realm that tries so hard to hide from the gods. He stays close to his companions and uses the power of his blood to cast a powerful spell of protection.
Fear grips Jing's mind when the fires are lit and he finds himself stuck in what has to be hell. The inability to move while every fiber of his being is screaming at him to run is tearing his mind to tatters. His breathing becomes ragged, but he somehow manages to hang on, knowing that this is but a temporary state of being, and that there will be light at the end of the tunnel. Perhaps it's the lack of oxygen that's making him delirious, or perhaps Jing has found peace in being encased in clay whilst inside a lit oven, but he finds himself dreaming of floating in the space between the two celestial lovers, Shizuru and Tsukiyo. Around him is nothing, nothing at all, and he's at peace with that for on either side, well outside of his reach but there nonetheless, is the eternal and overwhelming love of the one for the other. And even though Jing is stuck in limbo, he can't help but feel alive and loved.
"You're lost in a sea of assumpti- ... !" Jing can't finish the sentence before his voice and then the world is drowned out by Cao ringing a bell. Back in their own world, Jing finds himself staring at the ceiling with not a single thought occupying his mind. All that he can do is feel and the overwhelming feeling is disappointment.
"Sort of," Jing quickly adds to Pagma's answer. "It triggered a loop of sorts, if you will, during which we continued and to this, continue to struggle against Kugaptee. Now, for the first time since the start of it all, we've managed to beat and subdue Kugaptee. The arrival of the psychopomps and what they shared with us confirms that we've finally made it to an important crossroads. But your interference threatens to undo our progress, and give Kugaptee a way back in!"
Jing gives in to their desire to learn the truth, but when he speaks, it hits him that these people aren't interested in the truth. Rather, they're approaching the matter with ill-conceived notions of how it should be. "Because we're stuck! Kugaptee's presence has perverted the natural order of things, and other individuals and their actions have only made it worse! We are trying to undo this mess because we're stuck in an alternative hell!"
"We've been given the means to right a horrible wrong! We've met with psychopomps, and our actions bear their blessing! We are not your enemy, and you should not be ours!"
"Agents of The Lady of Graves have contacted us! Were we your enemies, they would have undone us already! Instead, they've given us a chance, a brief window of time, to undo this awful ordeal!" Now who would believe that?
Jing goes about town talking to whoever wants to hear him out. Unlike most people, Jing isn't too worried about Kugaptee's return. Beaten and buried, for now, Kugaptee will need time, a lot of time, before they can strike at Willowshore again. This flimsy form it took wasn't much of a match for them, it couldn't possibly threaten Willowshore! And it's the best they could do!
Jing shakes his hands in an attempt to shake out what active magic still lingers in his system. He gives Sakura a pained look when she asks if he is okay. "I'm alright. A little disgusted and possibly unable to look at cute tiny insects the same way ever again after battling this monstrosity, but I'm alright."
As Kamo and Pagma take care of the drinks and snacks, Jing feels up the birds. For some reason, he is quite at ease around these otherworldly harbingers of death. Had he met them before? "Are you here on the behest of the Lady of Graves, or have you come here out of your own volition? I imagine the line between the two might be quite blurry when your work takes over your life." He tries to keep the crows' attention on him and readies himself for a dance of dangerous words and implications.
Jing jumps on the opportunity to do something with his hands. It's not that he hates talking, he loves it honestly, but the hours spent with the nameless woman talking about soul-crushing loss and mind-numbing pain have left him eager to do something.
Jing backs Sakura up and offers the nameless woman his services as a therapist. He has struggled with death and its implications his entire life, and genuinely thinks he can help the woman get away from these dark thoughts. "Please, give us a chance to help you."
Jing gets the feeling that they ought to be very careful with what they say and promise this spirit. Everything about this place is meant to lure them in and then keep them in, and Jing doesn't like that. They're already caught in one prison and he doesn't care to add another layer of incarceration to that. "We can stay for now, sure. I am Jing. Who are you?"
The girl's words make Jing wonder if they can apply the basics of Heh's ritual to pull the girl back into their world, but as he starts trodding down that path of thought Jing quickly comes to the realization that this is the path to madness. What's done is done, and for better or worse it is up to us to find acceptance. "Jing. Know that you're amongst friends, Rin. We're more like you than you'd think." *** Jing tends to his moon garden in an attempt to unwind. Since he's dead, why is he still so stressed and worried? Sure, there's a clock ticking, but their spirits have finally found a way forward. If they are to fail this time, they'll find that way forward again, he is sure of that.
Jing steps forward and raises his hands, palms facing forward, to show the girl that Sakura isn't lying.
Jing tends to his garden and puts extra time and care into ensuring the starflowers and snowdrops bloom just before the ritual takes place. As silly as it might sound, Jing wants to take something from this world back to the last. Will it come with him when the ritual is completed? Jing doesn't know, but he feels that it is very important he at least tries. *** "Words or violence?", Jing whispers as he studies the girl. If it were up to the girl, he imagines the answer would be violence, but part of him feels compelled to at least give the peaceful route a chance before escalating things.
Jing finds Shinzo's offer to be a difficult one. If he is dead, he ought to be dead. A part of him years to be torn from this physical realm so that he may drift upwards and to the great beyond, bask in the warmth of the Good Gods Above, and re-enter the cycle anew without Kugaptee's taint. But wouldn't that just be giving in to fear? Disguised by rationality as the right thing to do? And Shinzo. Could he or his patron be the source of his powers? He needs more time to weigh the truth of things and for now, follows whatever choices his companions make. So far, they've never let each other down. Hastily and with less grace than the gift deserves, Jing offers Shinzo a quick bow and picks up the manuscript. "You have our gratitude, Shinzo." --- Try as he might, Jing finds it hard to let the truth get through to him. Even in the serene setting of his garden, comfortably perched atop a big, soft, and fluffy pillow, the walls of Jing's mind are doing what they can to keep uncomfortable and most unwanted truths at bay. For now.
LEVEL-UP 7 TO 8
With Pagma's impersonator gone, Jing shifts his attention to Kamo's doppelganger.
Jing points a finger at Pagma's faceless doppelganger and calls on the magic within him to take command of her actions. "You!" The tone and intensity of his voice changes as the spell takes effect, making it hard to resist what Jing says. "Kneel!"
Jing mirrors Jing as he uses the wellspring of his soul to nurture and sustain his companions.
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