exalted_fever (original) (raw)

[	Current Location	|	The Jade Pleasure Dome, Yu-Shan	]
[	Character Mood	|	thoughtful	]

(Written by sephimb)

The lattice-chased and gilded doors swung shut, nearly closing on the the end of Hayako’s robe. The last corner of the garment flicked through with a sudden snapping motion, so quick as to make it seem alive, like magic. It was elegant, and bespoke both subtle litheness and the unreal-yet-genuine divinity that everything in Yu Shan seemed to possess.

Aesir’s Essence-enhanced eyes told him otherwise. A fine gossamer filament connected the hem of the robe to the end of her sleeve. She had flicked her wrist, subtly, while it was out of sight before her. Were it not for his essence enhanced eyes, not even he would have seen it.

With a small measure of derision he though, You must be capable of animating your garment should you wish, Hayako. Why the mundane deception? Two thoughts answered his unspoken question. The first was spiteful, and obviously tinted with the low grade anger that Endless Chase had often carried. Habit, the thought came, She’s never been genuine, and takes every opportunity to mislead. The second, he considered in a more familiar manner, was, Shining Star. She knows the ghost would be able to detect any such powers. Likely find them contemptible, too. Hayako wants to be impressive, and took whatever pains possible to do so. The lions or some other observer must have sent word to of when Zenleigha announced us.

Endless Chase would have been insulted, if he would have even cared, was the last thought he wished to have on the matter. Aesir didn’t care. It was hard to care about much of anything since...since The Lady looked you in the eyes with that damnable mirth. Since the tattered remains of a life that had ended, that should have been obliterated, were grafted to your soul. Since these companions that you feel inexplicably bound to were found for you. Since your study, your life, was silenced and replaced with another’s purpose. Since Arisia…

He paused in his line of thought, and reconsidered. Her name is Reflection of Their Glory Undimmed, he recalled. Arisia...the Arisia you knew is dead. And so is this one, this so called Glory, in a way, he mused. He had thought that when he found her, his life could make sense again. She should have been the keystone that bridged his two lives together. Instead, Glory was tearing him apart.

He could see her, so often, looking at him while whenever he faced away. Just earlier, on the mountain, he had noticed her shadow turn towards him as his eyes focused on the Pole. That morning he had witnessed her eyes reflecting with a golden hue from the blade of Pathian’s chakram. The night before, he saw the fog of her breath change directions, indicating she had faced him, as he lay down to sleep. He felt that every moment he was being assessed.

The part of him that knew her before...before what had happened to both of them, could only see the changes in her. He found the quiet of her disturbing. Once, she had been quiet because she had been a wonderful listener. Now, her quiet was that of the casket.

Enough, Aesir thought, Half a day, Hayako said. Half a day may be enough. Time to do something about this.

He walked to the hallway they had entered, saying only, "I will try to be back before Hayako returns." He passed from the room with no pretense of making his exit into any sort of show.

***

Reflection of Their Glory Undimmed paused only a moment before following. "We shall send word if we are delayed," she told Dancing Ruby Wings.

She had to step quickly down the hallway, Aesir’s long legs and purposed stride required a measure of haste. If she had been anywhere but Yu Shan, she would have ran, but something told her that how others perceived you mattered in some significant way, in this place.

She caught up to him just as he stepped into the light of the Unconquered Sun. He began to crouch in what was becoming a familiar manner. He was going to change. She saw the feathers, normally hidden behind his thick white hair begin to reveal themselves, the silver wingbars across beginning to glow, forming a pattern both beautiful and distinctly avian.

"Please wait," she said, quietly, with little inflection.

He froze, becoming still as an eagle before taking off.

She walked up to his left side, and rested the tips her her fingers against his arm. The muscle there tightened, though he didn’t flinch. "I would join you, Aesir."

"Why?" was his only reply.

She considered. The terseness of his response is not a reflection of his feelings. He chooses to be blunt, without warmth. She looked him in the eyes, debated honesty, and chose to use just a sliver of it. "Because I have not seen much of the Yu-Shan. I am generally not welcome here," she paused, and continued, "and neither of us would choose a sitting room over the open sky."

He stayed frozen in his half crouch, but the feathers retreated, the faintly silver band of markings dimmed, and he nodded. Standing, tilting his head that she should follow.

"If we’re not flying, I think we should find a porter," Aesir said, walking towards a low aqueduct flowing with faintly purple water.

She kept up, and asked, "What do you have in mind?"

"Last time I was here, when...the Lady chose me, they had a celebration in my-" he stopped, cleared his throat and resumed, "in honor of Endless Chase’s sacrifice, I took a rickshaw from the Games to one of the gates. I know how to call him again."

He squatted down, and drew two tangent circles. In one he set the tip of his little finger, in the other the pad of his thumb. Glory felt the flow of Essence around him shift, and saw his anima begin to become apparent. Pure white wisps, like a gentle breeze made visible, flowed past him, and the circles began to glow.

He stood up, letting the pattern be, and said, facing Glory, "So long as he doesn’t have a fare, he’ll be here soon."

Glory waited patiently.

Not long after, she could make out the clip-clop of hooves, trotting slowly. Around one of the buildings appeared what could only be one of the small gods. He, as Aesir had indicated, was something like a grey-scaled stag with the face of a turtle. It pulled behind it a cumbersome rickshaw which looked to be made of marble and jade.

"Ho, neigh-mortals. Where to?" the creature asked, it’s words agonizingly slow, yet smooth and kind-sounding.

"We are going to the Games, Garrulous Liu."

Garrulous Liu nodded, a mechanical kind of motion. "Get in. Do you have the fare?"

"I do." Aesir said.

Glory asked as they took their seats, "What’s the price. I will gladly pay it, as my presence demands the cost."

Aesir smirked.

A good sign, thought Glory.

"Not necessary. I always seem to have a spare story laying about."

A short time later Garrulous Liu began to slow. They neared one of the plazas designated for spectators. "Just about there. That was a fine story, Chosen One. I particularly liked the bit with the three stitching needles and the broken thread." His reptilian face quirked into something much like a smile.

Aesir raised an eyebrow, "What bit is that, Liu?" he looked slightly confused for a brief moment, as though he was trying to recall the name of someone met long before.

Glory looked at him concerned for a moment, but understood. The price was the story, not the telling of it. Aesir doesn’t have it anymore.

“A fine story indeed. It will buy me drink for weeks, once I barter it to Locution in Jade”

"To the player’s entrance, Liu," Aesir said firmly.

The porter shook his head back and forth at the end of his long neck, then looked back with a concerned expression. "Porters are only permitted to deliver players, Chosen One. I cannot bring you to where you ask."

In response, Aesir held out his right arm. Something showed in the air there, that Glory saw only as a faint shimmering light.

"Very well, Most Highly Honored One." Garrulous Liu said, and started trotting on.

This is why he left? thought Glory, To play the turn granted him by Luna? It seemed both a terribly significant yet utterly meaningless thing for him to do. She had no memories, either her own or any of the few fluttering remnants from lives past, that showed her the Games or the what the true significance of such

When they arrived, Aesir got out of the cart, thanked Liu, and walked to the gates to the player’s entrance.

The great jade guardian construct that stood before the gate gestured, it’s red and green facets shining in the light of the Moon above. To this, Aesir responded by lifting his arm and showing again the...something...that represented his turn. Bowing, the construct stepped aside, it’s hand pulling on the ring set into a great golden and gem studded gate, opening the way for them.

As Aesir stepped into the courtyard that lay beyond the gate, one of the constructs hands fell before Glory. In a shockingly soft and melodious voice, more reminiscent of a healer than a guardian, it spoke, "You have no invitation to play in the games. Please desist and remove yourself from these grounds."

For the briefest moment a cold fury took her. In a quiet tone her voice still held steel, "What are you to bar me anywhere, construct?"

"It’s fine, Glory. I will return shortly." Aesir explained. He said it with such gentleness and fondness that her anger melted to shame. She eased her posture, and stepped back.

The construct closed the gate.

***

When the gate closed, the sounds of the celestial city of Yu-Shan ceased. He walked to the middle of the courtyard, surveying the handful of entities who had, in one way or another, earned or had been granted the opportunity to take a turn in the Games.

He was approached by a small servant spirit bearing a plate of fruits and breads in one hand, a washbowl in another with a towel draped across it’s arms, and a goblet of something that looked like wine and smelled of honey and spice in a third.

Aesir took the towel, wiped his brow, and handed it back. He ignored the food and drink, and prepared for what he needed to say.

Standing as tall as he could, he drew forth his Essence, and changed. He grew taller, with flat-white feathers sprouting along his crown, neck, back and arms. His arms lengthened, long primary and secondary feathers sprouting, his fingers turning to talons. His chest broadened. A silver and grey beak replaced his nose and mouth, and with his eyes and talons, were the only color on him. He took his War Form.

With a voice split between a human yell and an eagle’s cry, he bellowed, "Players of the Games, I wish to barter my turn!"

Every eye present turned towards him, every voice was silent. For just a moment. Then, they started to scream their offers.

In the midst of the tumult of shouts and bellows, Aesir heard a soft and gently voice. "Aesir-sama, I am called The Refracting Prism of First Light. My Liege Lord would like me to discuss your price on His behalf."

He whispered a reply, "Who is your Lord, The Refracting Prism of First Light?"

"Why, Sol Invictus, of course. The Unconquered Sun."