GW Fic

[tanithryudo]

Ran Musu Gardens

"Liu Xing! Over here!"

The young elementalist turned around toward the source of the voice, her bright red hair glinting against the setting sun.

"Taya? Lukas?" she quickly took in the sight of her other year-mates trailing behind her two friends. "Everyone's here?"

"We are," Mai stated the obvious. "Our headmasters received word from Master Togo to come to Ran Musu Gardens to discuss something, and they felt it was a good exercise to bring the newest students along."

"Except you, of course," Lukas added quickly with a hint of envy in his voice. "You got to go with Master Togo. I hear something big happened at Minister Cho's Estate--"

"Lukas, if it's something between Master Togo and the other headmasters, I hardly think it is Liu Xing's place to speak of it," Aeson interrupted.

"Guys!" The ability of Lukas and Aeson to get into a squabble over the most minor things seemed to be an ability inherited from their Kurzick and Luxon blood, and the rest of the group were quite sick of it all. Liu Xing sighed as everyone's attention turned back to her again. "Honestly, I don't think it's a secret, considering all the people who are still alive out of the Estate know about it. Well, the few who are alive and sane, I guess."

"Sounds like a story to me," Mai stated, running her gaze over her unofficial rival. They were both two of the best students of their year, and they both knew it. As far as Mai was concerned, Liu Xing was only chosen over her by Master Togo because of the trouble that Panaku had gotten her into during her training.

More or less oblivious to the apprentice assassin's one-sided rivalry, Liu Xing took in the expectant looks around her and caved. Besides, it wasn't as if Master Togo had told her not to talk about what happened, and she'd been bursting to share the story anyway to someone she could talk to.

"Well, it all started when we arrived at the Ministry gates and just as a frantic guard ran out from within..."


Liu Xing had to admit, even though she was familiar with death and killing as part of the way of the world, the horrors she had seen in the Estate had surprised and uneased her. Killing the occassional Kappa and Mantid was a matter of pest control, considering how fast those things bred and came crawling back to make a nuisance of themselves. Killing the bloodthirsty sensali and yetis in the moutains north of Sunqua Vale was a matter of self defense. Killing the Naga that took control of the water source at Lake Puang and the Crimson Skulls who threatened villages all over Panjiang Peninsula was a matter of public service. Even killing the sickened animals in the Minister's Estate she didn't mind. But the people...

She had seen the shock and fear in that young guard's eyes as he had cried out to the sickened guard who must have been his brother, only to be cut down where he stood. She was sure that if whatever soul had remained in that sickened guard, it must have welcomed the release of death after committing such an act. But, even as she called down Firestorm on it, she was also uneasily aware that these sickened men and women, and Minister Cho before he turned into that monster, were as human as her. Who knows how many people could succumb to the sickness... would succumb...

But then, she was also sure that Master Togo knew best. He was the premiere ritualist of the land, after all. Or perhaps that was why he had called the meeting. Maybe Master Amara will come up with something that can prevent this or cure this the next time it happens... if there was a next time.


"There will be a next time," Taya's words brought Liu Xing out of her thoughts. She hadn't been aware that she'd spoken that last part of her ruminations out loud after finishing a recitation of the events in the Estate. "Master Amara has hinted before now of something about a sickness like this... but I don't don't know much about it since those tasks have mostly been given to their assistants."

"Well, I hope we get in on the action next time," Lukas said bluntly into the silence that followed Taya's words. "You can't have all the glory, Liu Xing."

There was a collective rolling of eyes.

"I'm sure it'll come to anyone who looks for it as much as you, Lukas," Mai said with a hint of sarcasm. "Weren't you the one who was going to tell us about this 'job' you picked up from the Emperor's Blade in Tsumei Village?"

With no more prompting, Lukas immediately launched into an overly florid description of how the Emperor's Blade found him a worthy candidate to embark on... well, what was essentially a runner's errand.

Meanwhile, Liu Xing looked up as Kisai siddled up to her. They were good friends due to being both elementalist students of their year, though not as close as they perhaps could have been since their personalities were such opposites of each other. Liu Xing often wished Kisai would speak up more, though she was aware that the other girl sometimes found her intimidating.

"Master Vhang mentioned you," Kisai said softly while Lukas continued to defend his reputation from the friendly jabs of his yearmates.

Liu Xing made a face. While she knew her headmaster to be a formidable mage, she also wished he would pontificate less about himself. At least he could try to be funny like Kai Ying does.

"Let me guess, the fact that I survived the whole ordeal was because of his brilliant tutelage."

Kisai giggled and nodded. While she would never dare to say anything against her headmaster, she did agree with her year-mate's sentiments.

"He was awfully proud of you. Besides, I'm sure you did more than such survive in there. You're such a skilled fire mage."

Liu Xing sobered at that. "Truthfully? I think I spent more time casting earth magic and healing magic in there. Master Togo was doing most of the smiting. These... creatures were no joke. I'm awfully glad Kai Ying tutored me in Ward Against Melee for my Advanced Defense exam."

Kisai giggled again. The crush that Liu Xing had on their assistant instructor was probably obvious to anyone except the two involved.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Before Liu Xing could press on, they were interrupted by the raised voices of their other year-mates.

"Fine! You will all come and watch me in my moment of glory!" Lukas announced to the skeptical looks around him.

"You'll do no such thing," said the cold voice from behind them, startling the entire group to whirl around wildly to see Jinzo materialize out of the shadows like a ghost.

"Master Zhan is looking for you. As is Master Quin." He nodded at Aeson.

"B-but this was a task given to me by the Emperor's Blade!" Lukas protested.

"Your friends can run the errand for you," Weng Gha told him flatly as the assistant warrior instructor walked up with Ang the Ephemeral.

"They will be heading in that direction anyway," Ang the Ephemeral announced. Turning to Liu Xing, he added, "Master Togo has requested that you travel to Aerie, the Angchu Tengu village in Kinya Province, to warn the citizens there that the plague has come to Cantha. Speak to their new leader, Soar Honorclaw, and tell her to prepare for the plague's arrival."

Mai shifted nervously at the disapproving look Jinzo was sending her way. "I think I'll stay behind too. I'm sure you guys don't need any help for this."

"Wise decision," Jinzo said. "Master Lee will have something for you to do as well. Now, time is of the essence so let us not dawdle." And with that he stalked away, followed by the other assistant instructors and a unusually meek Mai, a sulking Lukas, and a very much amused Aeson."

Liu Xing shook her head and stuffed the parchment that Lukas had grudgingly shoved at her into her pack. Then she looked up at the others.

"So, um, anywhere know where Quimang is?"

"Yes." Yuun, who was usually a young man of few words, finally spoke up. "We passed by the region when I was doing my Ranger Insignia quest."

"Well then," Liu Xing took in Taya and Kisai with a smile. "I guess we have a guide."



The Emperor's Blade

"Tsumei's not having a good year, is it?" Liu Xing all but snarled as she wiped a smudge of dust from her cheek and sent a final Flare spell at the Crimson Skull Raider down the hill. She watched with satsifaction as the man dropped to the ground a burnt corpse.

"It's better here than in Sunqua Vale I think," Kisai offered softly. "The vale felt so empty with all the guards killed and with none of the instructors there..."

"The Crimson Skull probably picked that time to attack, while the Monastery instructors are busy in Kinya," Taya observed as she finished healing the last of the guards. "Though, I myself am surprised we succeeded in Sunqua Vale without dying a single time. I hadn't thought it possible to face all those forces with just ourselves."

"Running away works wonders," Liu Xing noted. "Thank the gods that Tsumei's gates lasted long enough for us to loop around and attack them from the back."

"I was surprised by that myself." Yuun noted.

"What? That the gates held?"

"No," Taya grinned as she completed Yuun's thought. "That you would yell at us to run for it instead of charging right in at the incoming waves."

"I'm proactive, not suicidal," Liu Xing retorted. Then she grinned puckishly, "besides, Tenai's Heat works much better when they're all clustered together at the gates."

"So we noticed," Taya replied dryly. "At least we had more guards to help here."

"Plus bigger and meaner kappas," Liu Xing grinned as she remembered the fight between the kappa pride and one straggling group of Crimson Skull Raiders. While the kappa had been on the losing side of that fight, they had succeeded in whittling down the number of foes they fought in that encounter. "Never thought those vermin would be good for something."

"But I wonder what happened to Sister Tai and the other older students?" Kisai brought up suddenly. "They were here a few days ago to defend Kaitan against those sickened people."

Liu Xing made a face. "They probably went back as soon as the threat Master Togo sensed was over. Unfortunately, I don't think the Crimson Skull attack was supernatural enough for Master Togo to sense."

Still lightly bantering in the euphoria of their victory, the small group made their way back into Tsumei Village to report their success to the Emperor's Blade. However, they were immediately sobered by their next task of the daring attack on Port Kaimu.

Taking advice from Yuun's description of the heavily fortified path and the ambushed bridge from the eastern approach to Port Kaimu, Liu Xing suggested instead that they circle north and west toward the passage to Kinya Province and attack from the northern approach instead. Slowly they were able to chip their way toward their goal. But it was at Port Kaimu itself, when victory was almost assured, that disaster struck.

"Ambush!"

Yuun's alert was largely unnecessary as everyone could see the raiders which dropped down from the high cliffs above just as they rushed at Captain Quimang.

"Retreat!" Not seeing who was following, and unheeding of the arrows that struck and scraped against her magically weaved clothing, Liu Xing turned and ran back northwards. It wasn't until she was out of Crimson Skull territory that she paused to take deep breaths and looked back to see who had followed.

"I think we're the only ones who survived," Yuun said calmly as he met her gaze. His white-knuckled grip on his bow was the only sign that belied his calmness.

"We'll get them back," Liu Xing said confidently, "we both have our resurrection signets." Squaring her shoulders, she turned back north. "We'll just have to change our tactics."

With Yuun pulling any straggling Crimson Skull and Liu Xing running in and out with quick hit and run mass attacks, the two slowly whittled away at the group of defenders at the Port Kaimu and resurrected the bodies of their two comrades. Unfortunately, there was little they could do about the guards that had fallen in combat with them. Finally, there was only Captain Quimang left.

"Get him!"

The captain of the Crimson Skulls and former student of Master Togo himself was still not an easy foe to handle. But between the four of them, the students were finally able to defeat him.

"We... won..." Kisai said in awe as she stared at the charred and burnt form on the ground, not even noticing Taya frantically trying to heal all the seeping wounds on the group."

"Yeah, we did." Liu Xing turned away from the body to face the sun rising over port Kaimu. "Let's head back."

In solemn silence, the group slowly began to make their way back to Tsumei.



To the Rescue

"Sensali incoming!" Yuun warned as he stepped back to switch to exchange his longbow for the shortbow that always hung at his waist.

"If it's not one thing it's another," Liu Xing grumbled as she slammed a Ward Against Melee to the ground, completely surround the small group.

Minutes later, the group stood among the scattered fallen bodies, battered and bruised but triumphant.

"Well," Taya breathed, "at least things get easier from here. Only yeti from here on."

"They hurt less, but they also take longer to kill," Liu Xing complained, leading the way eastwards.

"I see someone is in a hurry to get to Linkei Township," Taya sighed.

"Or to someone there, I think," Kisai smiled.

"I just want to avoid wasting time," Liu Xing said defensively at the knowing looks the rest of the group were giving her.

"Well, if we all run, we might be able to make it past all the yeti to safety without dying," Yuun suggested half jokingly. "They're not very fast."

"Like hell we are," Taya immediately protested as Liu Xing actually looked thoughtful at that. "A few extra minutes of fighting is not going to be the doom of Linkei."

"Umm, guys?" Kisei's voice broke into the discussion. "Is this really the way we're supposed to be going?" She pointed to the dark and icy cave that stood in front of them.

Everyone consulted their maps and compass.

"It looks like it," Liu Xing finally decided. She studied the moving points that were most likely the yeti therein, and readied her staff before her. "Alrighty everyone. Let's see if we can sneak past the lot of them without having to fight too much."

Thanks to the darkness of the cave and the sluggish speed of the yeti, the small group was able to safely sneak their way into the open land of Haiju Lagoon.

"What is that?!"

Still looking behind to make sure that no yeti had followed them out of the cave, the rest of the group turned as one at Kisai's shocked whisper. Out the extended cave entrance, they could see roving bands of monsters unlike anything that had inhabited the rest of Shing Jea before.

"Those... they look like the thing that Minister Cho turned into," Liu Xing hissed.

"You... you don't think it's contagious, is it?" Kisai whispered nervously.

"I hope not," Liu Xing muttered uneasily, very much aware of how long she had spent in contact with the sickened creatures in Minister Cho's Estate. She peeked further out of the cave, noting the large number of creatures that almost seemed to be patrolling the area. "Looks like we're going to have to this the same way we defeated the Crimson Skull." She turned around and patted a resigned Yuun on the back. "It's all up to you, Yuun."

Yuun nodded as he readied bow and arrow, and slowly crept forward without a word. Three by three, he lured in smaller groups of the afflicted creatures for his group to kill, before the road to Linkei was no longer blocked by roving monsters.

"The cavalry arrives at a most opportune moment!" Professor Gai cheered happily as the group finally ran into Linkei Township. "Although I had anticipated a rather more... how shall I put it... impressive cavalry," he added as he stopped to notice that the arrivals were from the newest batch of students to the monastery.

"I am sure Master Togo knew what he was doing when he sent them, Professor," Sister Tai chastised him. "Remember, we must remain calm even in the face of a most daunting enemy."

"Remain calm?" Su barked in sharp laughter. "Little sister, we have afflicted coming at us from all sides! At least there will be no shortage of corpses..."

"Things may look dire," Kai Ying finally said placatingly to the newcomers, before quirking a taunting grin at his fellow instructors, "but take heart; perhaps we will live on as Su's minions."

Liu Xing grinned back at him, before a sharp elbow in her ribs from Taya's staff reminded her she was drifting at a most inopportune time.

Then, with a sharp cry of alarm from the town gates, the waves of afflicted began to pour in, and there was no room to think of anything but the fight. Minutes - which seemed like hours - later, the last streak of Firestorm died out from the sky onto the corpses of the afflicted. Without a single loss of life to the villagers, the group had held off the attacking mob.

"We made it!" Kai Ying exclaimed joyously, ribbing at his fellow instructor. "Life is full of surprises, eh Professor?"

"Indubitably," was all Professor Gai offered, refused to rise to his bait.

Su coughed loudly to turned Liu Xing's attention from her exuberant instructor.

"Just before the plague creatures began their attack, Master Togo sent word that we were to meet him at the gates of Zen Daijun," Su told the group. "However, we will need to make sure the town is protected from any straggling afflicted before the additional guards are dispatched."

She gestured to Taya, Kisai, and Yuun. "The three of you will stay here for now until the guards come to relieve you. Some of the other instructors will be arriving too, and they will help you get safely back to Seitung Harbor if need be."

Then she turned to Liu Xing. "Master Togo asked that you accompany us to Zen Daijun."

Liu Xing blinked. "Just me?"

"Yes, since you were the one who had experience with these afflicted creatures before in Minister Cho's Estate." Professor Gai affirmed.

"Besides, we'll need your 'fire'power," Kai Ying joked. "While the rest of us are 'elite' at defense, we will take far too long at killing the things that stand in our way."

"Well, if you say so..." Liu Xing said shyly to him, a silly smile appearing on her face again.

Su coughed and directly placed herself in the line of vision between the two elementalists. "Well then. Let's not keep Master Togo waiting."



Zen Daijun

Liu Xing felt herself nervously eyeing the Afflicted creatures that were roving about just out of spell range for the umpteenth time. Zen Daijun had felt like a cemetery the moment she had stepped in.

Of course, she was also determined not to let her unease show. As the only student among the entire group, she was not going to become a liability to her instructors. And indeed, to Master Togo and to her own headmaster. If it weren't for the direness of the situation, she'd suspect this to be some kind of advanced training or test!

"Now, if you will ring the bell at any o fthe shrines in this area, we can summon Zunraa, the guardian of the valley," Master Togo was just finishing saying, and looked expectantly at Liu Xing.

Feeling incongruously as if she was being drilled in the dojo, Liu Xing stepped up to the great bell and rang it. With the reverberating ring, a spirit rose out of the shrine and coalesced into a kirin. However, her awe was short lived as a bolt of power zipped past her head to slam against the side of the shrine. Whirling around, it became apparent that the ringing of the bell had also attracted the Afflicted, and her small party was under attack from three sides.

The same eerie calmness of combat settled upon Liu Xing once again. Ignoring the kirin which leaped past her toward the nearest Afflicted Assassin, she quickly took in the three groups of attackers, and decided the center one with the necromancer and the ritualist would be her target. Taking only a moment to summon an Aura of Restoration, Liu Xing immediately launched into casting Teinai's Heat. A few seconds later the two mages were bathed in a circular area of searing heat, and she sent a Fireball at them right afterwards, before either could move away from the area or each other. Two Flares later and the Ritualist was dead, soon to be followed by the Necromancer.

By then the rest of the situation had been resolved as well. A quick look around showed no more immediate foes. Liu Xing winced as Sister Tai's healing spell washed over her, making her realize just how much wounds she had enduring from one of the Afflicted warriors, and from the blasts of the nearby Afflicted deaths.

"In times of trouble, the people of this valley gather in the main temple to the west," said Master Togo. "We should seek Yijo there. Come, follow me and stay close. We are in great danger."

Perhaps faster than was truly wise, the group hastened further into Zen Daijun. However, they soon ran into problems at a choke point where the miasma left them no choice but to run through it and face the enemies on the other side. Weakened as they all were, it was all the group could do to keep themselves alive from the attacks while waiting for the miasma effects to wear off. But due to the close quarters the area forced them in, they effects did not fully wear off before it caught again from someone else. And worse still, the Kirin had died to the two Afflicted Assassins that stood in the miasma cloud.

Noting that Sister Tai was being harried by an Afflicted something to keep up with the degenerative effects of the miasma, Liu Xing quickly took another few steps back from the fight, praying that the creatures further on the path did not notice her, and started to cast Heal Party. Not being a monk in her primary profession, she knew that she could not heal that well, and deep though her energy pool was, she also knew it was finite. However, all she needed was to buy enough time and opportunity for her fellow group members to be able to concentrate on finishing off one of the two sources of danger around them.

Once the Afflicted were dead, Liu Xing finally allowed herself to sink panting onto the ground. Without that source of danger, Sister Tai could heal the rest of the group well enough without her aid.

"Ah, Liu Xing, it seems you have been progressing quite well in your secondary profession as well." Master Togo sounded pleased and not a little pleasantly surprised. Liu Xing supposed it was because most students never took their secondary profession seriously, preferring to specialize on one or two lines from their primary profession. "You could make an excellent student of the Healing Prayers."

"Not that good," Liu Xing demurred. She was not one for false humility, but she also knew her limitations. "I'm almost out of energy." There had been no help for it, but Liu Xing knew that her depleted condition could easily become a liability later on as well.

Headmaster Vhang sniffed and was about to say something - probably denigrating about the monk profession - before someone else beat him to it.

"Well, if you could work yourself into 'exhaustion' then you're still a credit to your elementalist roots," Kai Ying quipped as he lent a hand to help her up.

The bad pun still brought a slight smile to Liu Xing's face, and she would swear that it was only her wobbly knees that caused her to lean into her instructor perhaps a little more than was necessary.

"Are you all right?" Kai Ying asked her, serious for once.

"Yes," Liu Xing said quickly, pulling herself together. As much as she enjoyed his attentions, neither did she want to appear weak.

"We should have brought someone who knows how to fight, Master Togo," Headmaster Vhang finally got a word in. "There are so many Afflicted creatures here, it will take us some time to kill them all."

So says the air specialist with the lightning orbs! Liu Xing clenched her teeth together to keep herself from spitting something back at her headmaster. A slight touch at her elbow diverted her attention, and she turned to see Kai Ying giving her a sympathetic smile. Immediately, all thoughts of her tactless headmaster were swept away.

"It is true that the plague is far worse here than it was at Minister Cho's estate," Master Togo said diplomatically. Then he turned to the road once more. "This may mean the source of the affliction is somewhere in this very valley."

Headmaster Vhang nodded sagely. "Right, the sooner we set out, then the sooner I shall wipe this plague from my homeland."

As the two masters moved forward, Liu Xing waited they were certain not to here her when she finally grumbled her grievance under her breath. "I thought you just said it's too bad we don't have anyone who knows how to fight."

Kai Ying gave a muffled chuckle next to her, and gave her a wink before hurrying to catch up with the rest of the group.

Finally, after several more skirmishes, the group arrived at the main temple, only to be met by the worst of possibilities.

"Yijo should have known he could not handle this on his own," Headmaster Vhang offered grandly as they looked over the bridge to see the Afflicted monstrosity that was once Master Togo's promising student.

"Headmaster Vhang, that is enough!" Even Master Togo had his limits. "Yijo gave his life protecting those around him. There is no more noble act." He turned to take in the rest of the group with a serious look. "I know it is difficult, but we must put an end to their suffering. Let us help their spirits find rest."

It was easier said than done, as things turned out. The Afflicted Yijo had lost none of his abilities, and his Spirit Rift was even more devastating than Liu Xing had remembered from Minister Cho's estate. After the first blow, she realized the narrow bridge made their group sitting ducks for the Spirit Rift.

Without even stopping to think, Liu Xing reacted from her instincts and rushed forward against all training taught spellcasters to do. She skidded to a stop right in front of the Afflicted Yijo, and then turned loose her newly learned Inferno spell. Bright flames emanated from her body as the embodiment of a true fire mage, burning and purifying everything in its path. A few blows later, the Afflicted Yijo fell with an explosion that knocked Liu Xing back.

Seeing that Farmer Xeng Jo was not that much of a threat, Liu Xing took a moment then to look back and gather the state of the group. Her heart skipped a beat when she immediately saw Kai Ying lying motionless on the ground. Then just as Farmer Xeng Jo exploded next to her, catching her unawares. By the time she had cleared her sight and mind of its affects, she breathed a sigh of relief to see that Sister Tai had already resurrected Kai Ying and any other fallen members of the group.

The rest of the battle in the temple against the Afflicted Kana went by like a blur for Liu Xing, overshadowed by the discovery that the unknown force behind the plague may be none other than Shiro Tagashi. Liu Xing tightened her hands around her staff as she listened carefully to the instructions from Master Togo. If it was her fate to be among those who would need to confront Shiro this time around, then she will give her best for the defense of Cantha and all those within it. And for that, she silently promised herself that she would become stronger, strong enough to stand among, perhaps even above the monastery instructors. She would do her best to ensure that tragedies like that of Zen Daijun and Minister Cho's Estate will not be allowed to continue.



Haiju Lagoon

As it turned out, booking passage to Kaineng was easier said than done. Especially because of the plague, less vessels were willing to make the dangerous journey for fear of catching the affliction, and the customs on both sides of the channel had become stricter. From First Mate Xiang, Liu Xing learned that she and the rest of the Shing Jea instructors who were to follow Master Togo to Kaineng would have to wait at least another month before the next ship would be available.

Of course, they did not spend that time idle. Zho and Talon had arrived with some instructions on behalf of Captain Zinghu to look into rumors of a Naga source on the eastern side of the island. Since Liu Xing and her friends had started that investigation in Sunqua Vale, they sought to speak to her first.

They found her at the Zunraa shrine on the east end of the harbor, in the middle of a conversation with Sister Tai and the kirin spirit itself. Determined to win its land back, the spirit had apparently decided to seek the aid of those same people who had slain the ringleaders of the Afflicted that had overrun the area. It would purify Zen Daijun of the miasma that filled it, while they would exterminate the Afflicted that made the place uninhabitable.

While Liu Xing was all for helping out Zunraa, she was not suicidal enough to think she could do it without a lot of help. Especially since Master Togo would not be there.

"It's just as far to Haiju Lagoon going by Zen Daijun as it is by the Jaya Cliffs," she pointed out to Talon and Zho, hoping to convince them to help as well. "I guess the only difference is a matter of if you want to fight the Afflicted on the way or the Yeti and the Tengu--er, no offense, Talon."

"None taken," growled the warrior instructor. "The Sensali and my clan have long standing... differences... between us."

"We'll go through Zen Daijun," agreed Zho for the both of them. "Those foul creatures need to be wiped from the face of this earth."

"Right. Then I will go find Headmaster Vhang and Kai Ying," Liu Xing continued, working the numbers in her head as she spoke.

"You should try and find Su too," Sister Tai added, "Since Master Togo will not be with us, it is better to find safety in numbers."

However, Su was busy helping some of the others clear out Saoshang Trail for the many refugees from Zen Daijun that had been crowding in Seitung Harbor. So it was a group of three elementalists, a healer, a warrior, and ranger who set out with Zunraa into Zen Daijun.

Having learned from their previous experiences there, even Headmaster Vhang did not appear to want to rush things. With Zho's longbow, they lured each group away one by one as they worked their way eastwards. After covering every area of miasma that they had encountered on their way through the first time, they then circled back on the advice of Zunraa to the caverns on the southern side of the area and cleared the last fog of miasma there as well.

"Is that the last of it?" Liu Xing asked hopefully of Zunraa after they finished off all the Afflicted in the caverns. Even though they had succeeded in clearing the area of Afflicted, she still did not feel comfortable letting down her guard here until the area became inhabited again.

"All the clouds of miasma are gone," announced the kirin spirit. "But... I still feel a disturbance. It is at the main temple we cleared out earlier."

Everyone looked at each other.

"Well, if it is one of the Afflicted bosses come back to life, then we shall just need to smite it again," announced Headmaster Vhang confidently.

And so the motely group wound their way back to the temple. What they found there, however, was not an Afflicted creature as they had expected.

"What is that?" Liu Xing wondered as they looked over the bridge into the temple.

"That is the evil spirit which has taken over Zen Daijun," said Zunraa. "It took the opportunity of my weakened state in trying to defend this land from the plague to insert itself within. We must defeat it if we are to retake Zen Daijun."

Liu Xing blinked as she looked at what could be a mirror opposite of the kirin spirit next to her in the temple. "Well, there's seven of us and one of it. I say we rush it." She swung her staff before her in emphasis, ready to be done with the whole ordeal.

"That's good enough for me," growled Talon, apparently becoming just as impatient, and he took the lead in charging over the bridge, followed quickly by the rest of the group.

The corrupted kirin was a capable healer just as all kirin were. However, up against six opponents, simple defense and healing were not nearly enough. Soon it fell into a heap at the corner of the room, and Zen Daijun was finally retaken by the forces of good.


On the heels of Zunraa's blessing of thanks, Talon and Zho were quite ready to set out directly from Zen Daijun to Haiju Lagoon. Headmaster Vhang had pleaded the scouting duty they were to do as beneath him and headed back to the harbor instead to deliver news of the restoration of Zen Daijun. Sister Tai and Kai Ying, however, each for their own reasons, decided to come along.

In the Haiju region, they came across a few more scattered bands of Afflicted, and quite a few groups of wandering kappa and bonesnap turtles. Several times near the northern areas Liu Xing thought she saw hints of the Crimson Skull, but then convinced herself that she was surely imagining things. After all, the Crimson Skull should have ended with Captain Quimang, shouldn't it?

Following tips from the Captain Zinghu's scout, they traced the edge of the northern beach, and indeed did discover the underground passages that were apparently the source of the Naga on the island. They did end up having to deal with several bands of the Naga, but fighting them was a simple affair compared to the Afflicted in Zen Daijun.

In fact, Liu Xing found herself relaxing as they traveled much as she used to do with her friends in Sunqua Vale. The scenery at the beach and the lagoon itself were delightfully beautiful. She almost loathed to return back to the harbor, but then again, she was hardly going to stay out in the lagoon all by herself when the Afflicted were still a threat in the region.


But it seemed fate had not bee done with her and Haiju Lagoon. When the group returned to Seitung Harbor, Liu Xing found herself veritably accosted by Lo Sha. Apparently his fellow mesmer instructor Mei Ling had been visiting a friend, Lady Mukei Musagi. Said woman was overwrought by the fact that her son had been abducted by the Crimson Skull. Lo Sha of course had wanted to impress Mei Ling by doing something suitably heroic such as rescuing the boy. However he had learned from previous experience - or so Liu Xing had heard from the monastery grapevine - of going solo against the Crimson Skull. But since Liu Xing was part of the group that had defended Tsumei Village against the full force of the Crimson Skull, and she had more or less led the invasion into their territory and killed their leader...

"So you want her to do the dirty work for you while you get the credit with Mei Ling?" Panaku summarized, appearing out from nowhere and startling the both of them.

"Well..." Lo Sha hedged nervously. "Of course I would suitably reward such an endeavour on my behalf..."

"So? What's the payment going to be? Surely you can't be stingy now with Mei Ling's favor on the line." Panaku smirked wickedly as he casually put an arm around Liu Xing's shoulders, looking for all the world like his position as her co-conspirator should be obviously expected. "And don't forget the down payment. Can't have you fleecing the students now."

Lo Sha sputtered in indignation, and Liu Xing was aware that her own jaw was open and working silently, as if undecisive of whether to gape or protest. She was saved from having to do either by another new voice joining the conversation.

"You look like you're about to give a 'Cry of Frustration', Lo Sha," Kai Ying noted amusedly as he watched his gaping fellow instructor. "Surely it doesn't take a 'Mind Wrack' to come up with the right number of monastery and experience credits for Liu Xing to help lessen your 'Shared Burden'."

Then his eyes turned to Panaku and narrowed just the slightest bit. "And if you're that interested, Panaku, are you giving an 'Assassin's Promise' to help Liu Xing on this quest?"

Panaku shrugged. "Why not? As long as I get paid too." He grinned back at Lo Sha.

"Excuse ME!" Liu Xing finally regained her voice and wits. Shrugging off Panaku's hand, she took a few steps back and regarded all three men levelly. Just because she was still a student doesn't mean she'll take being pushed around by the instructors. "Don't I get a say in this?" she demanded crossly, her voice implying that she'd fireball anyone who said no.

Panaku and Lo Sha both looked surprised at her outburst, and Liu Xing wondered just what exactly were the rumors about her that were floating about the grapevine. Being favored by Master Togo had its downsides, she supposed, and then inwardly winced, trying not to think of Yijo.

Kai Ying, on the other hand, started to look amused again. "Of course it's your choice," he said amiably. "But you looked like you enjoyed being out in Haiju Lagoon much more than waiting around in town."

Thrown off by the astute observation and the lack of any puns in the sentence, Liu Xing stared at her elementalist instructor, her indignation cooling into mixed confusion.

"Well... I..." She stared into his twinkling eyes, before looking away almost shyly. "I suppose it would be the right thing to do..." she finally murmured, and then added, "are you coming too?"

Kai Ying smiled and bowed grandly. "I am at your service, should you need to set out with 'Burning Speed' to the rescue."

"...all on Lo Sha's tab, of course," Panaku couldn't help but put in.

On their way out they also managed to get ahold of Su and Zho, both of whom had little love for the Crimson Skull either, and the motely party set out for the northern hills that was said to be the new headquarters of the remaining Crimson Skull.


The few stray Crimson Skull they did not find a challenge. The group of Naga led by an overpowered ritualist leader that ambushed them from the small isle off the coast that they ventured past, however, proved to be more of a challenge. For a moment, Liu Xing flashed back to the fight in Zen Daijun against the Afflicted Yijo. Unfortunately, the mixed gaggle of Naga that protected their leader prevented her from even contemplating the same tactic she had used against Yijo.

"Run for it!"

Liu Xing wasn't sure if it was her or someone else who had yelled that in the midst of combat, but the group barely outran their attackers with no loss of life.

"Since when were Naga on the island that tough?" Su gasped in disbelief between pants as the group paused to take a rest and regain their strength.

"Captain Zinghu was right," Zho told her, "those creatures must be planning something."

"Just a thought," Liu Xing said. "We should bring a healer."

"And the good professor if he's still around," added Kai Ying. "It's not just the kappa who need 'shell'-ter."

Seeing as no one disagreed with the sentiment, they returned to Seitung harbor to pick up two more members for the group before heading back out again. This time, even with the protection and healing offered by Sister Tai and Professor Gai, they still only won against the Naga by the skin of their teeth.

Compared against the Naga, the Crimson Skull did not seem quite that difficult, though everyone was surprised at the large number of them gathered near the obviously newly constructed port on the northern-eastern edge of the island. Remembering the fight against Captain Quimang, Liu Xing suggested they follow the same strategy that she and her friends used, just on the off chance that there were ambushes in the area. As it turned out, there were not, but the kiting strategy worked well to slowly whittle down the opposing numbers until only a large gaggle remained near the center.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I think we're going to have to rush the rest of them," Panaku noted. Zho nodded surly in agreement.

"What in the world is that Naga doing in the middle of them?" Su asked rhetorically, being the first one to spot the strange presence among the bandits. "Since when are they that friendly with the Crimson Skull?"

"A more astute observation would be why are the Crimson Skull not the least aggressive toward the intruder," Professor Gai added. "This phenomenon is highly suggestive of conspiracy."

"I'll be sure to include it to my report to Captain Zinghu," Zho said. "But right now all that matters is that they are our enemy."

Liu Xing sighed. "Well then, let's go."

"About time," Panaku muttered before disappearing in a cloud of black smoke.

Liu Xing almost swore under her breath as everyone hurried to catch up to the impatient assassin. And then the battle was on.


"You know," Professor Gai commented as he raised another spirit to replace the one that just disappeared. "though I do not consort with the likes of these marauders, but it appears to me that they hold a heightened level of aggression toward the student in our group."

"Ya think?!" Liu Xing snarled as she interrupted her own casting to frantically dodge out of the way of yet another Savage Shot.

"They must remember you fondly from your assault on Quimang's camp," Kai Ying quipped as he finished off another Dragon's Stomp.

"The sentiment is fully returned," Liu Xing snapped as she flung a fireball back at the group of archers.

It took some time, but eventually the decimated the Crimson Skull gathered at the beach and found the young man that they had come for. However, what they found out from the boy surprised everyone.

"Kidnapped? No, I....all right, look. I just want to find my own path, but my mother has already got my entire future planned out for me. Surely a hero like you understands.... I love my mother, but she doesn't want to let me live my own life. So I faked the kidnapping, and I am going to join the pirates in search of adventure. Please give mother this letter. If she loves me, she will understand."

While everyone veritably gaped at him in shock, Professor Gai was the only one who retained enough poise to accept the offered letter.

"ARE YOU NUTS?!" Liu Xing finally burst out. "You like adventure, what-ever! But the Crimson Skull?!?" She waved one hand wildly at the bodies that littered the beach. "Is THAT what you're looking for?!"

"Well..." Jatoro didn't look too certain anymore as he realized that he just confessed to having joined the bandits that the group before him had just wiped out.

"If we do away with him now, Musagi will never know the difference," Su suggested as she eyed the young man with the appraising eye for potential corpse fodder.

"Maybe the Crimson Skull wasn't the right way to go," Jatoro backpedaled quickly. "But I'm standing by my choice to leave home and go adventuring."

Professor Gai sighed and cut off anyone else's attempt to respond to that. "Very well, if that is your choice, we will deliver your missive to your mother. However," he added sternly, "do choose your future carefully. It is not wise to embark on the road of self destruction as your erstwhile cohorts here."

Rather grudgingly, he led the rest of the group away from the port and the thoughtful Jatoro. The group was quiet until they neared Linkei Township.

"What was that for, Professor?" Panaku asked surly. "We could've easily dragged him back to his mother."

"We must respect an individual's choice of their life's path, Panaku," Professor Gai lectured. "Surely Master Togo has taught you that."

"His choice will lead him to no good," Zho said cynically.

"Perhaps, perhaps not, who can say?" This time it was Sister Tai who spoke. "He has not yet had time to commit the wrongs that the Crimson Skull did. There is still hope for him."

"I hear Master Togo even gave Quimang a last chance," Kai Ying reminded them all, looking to Liu Xing for conformation.

Reluctantly, Liu Xing nodded in recollection. "Quimang didn't accept it though," she pointed out.

"But Jatoro isn't Quimang either," Sister Tai added. "He just may be able to make a better choice after all this."

"I suppose..."

With that, the group lapsed into silence again for the rest of the return trip to Seitung. Lo Sha was appropriately grateful when they returned with the news and the letter, even moreso after Lady Musagi easily accepted the news and Mei Ling was all smiles for her friend.

Looking on as Lo Sha fawned over Mei Ling and Mei Ling comforted her friend, Liu Xing sighed silently. Much as she liked being out and about in Haiju Lagoon and enjoyed her newfound closeness with some of her instructors, she really did wish trouble would stop looking for her. Silently she counted the days until their departure to Kaineng, and wondered if her luck was going to follow her across the sea.

Little did she know...