Chapter 2 - Gathering of Storms

[Bitom]

Fahng continues speaking, his eyes not drifting far from where the man went, still speaking in the ancient tongue. "Only one that I can see, and no soldier that I've ever seen dressed like this, but your people may act differantly. He and his dog have not left, but don't appear to be threatening me."

[TetNak]

'œLet us proceed then,' Lu Zhou says, climbing up the ladder toward the surface. 'œBe weary.' He speaks in ancient so the fey can understand them. 'œChen-Wei, there does not appear to be significant danger. Come.' The wu jen climbs the ladder and intends to exit the underground chamber once and for all.

[Vardaen]

The Shadar-Kai calls down to the two men in an ancient language that the hunter, crouching in the shadows of a nearby ruinous wall covered with brush and foliage does not understand. Then from the hole climb two men, two men who, while covered in some strange shadowy grease, look very much human. Both men hurry to the surface, free from the prison below, and for the first time in days breath fresh clean air. Almost instantly they realize the weather is warmer, dispite the slight haze that hangs in the air. The area looks to have just finished recovering from a rain storm, as puddles and water dot the area. It is an area filled with ruins and crumbled stonework, an anicent temple (or prison) was once built here, much like the one you just escaped, but it has been in ruins now for centuries.

There are no mountains visible through the forest that grows around the ruins, and the night time sky overhead twinkles with stars and clouds of silver backlit by the moon.

Chen-Wei stands out of the hole and looks to where Fangh points, in the common speach of Tu Qing he calls out to the man Li. "Worry not friend. We are not here to harm you. I am...Chen-wei, and these are my friends. Come out of the shadows, we have dealt with them too much lately and I would speak to someone in the light."

[TetNak]

Lu Zhou looks around, but is unsure of where they are, and says, to the hunter in common, 'œWhere are we?' He pulls himself out of the hole in the ground and frowns, 'œArgggh, I need a bath.' Lu Zhou takes a step forward and leans against his quarterstaff, 'œWell,' he says, 'œChen-Wei has introduced himself, I am '¦' He stops, thinking about how has been hunted for years now, and does not complete the introduction. 'œWho are you?' he asks instead, looking at the hunter from afar.

[Wargie]

Li rises from his place in the shadows and lifts the arrow from the ground and again nocks it against the bow. He walks out of the shadow with the string half pulled and he looks between the members who crawl out of the hole he created. It is is an odd group he looks upon.

"I...I am nothing but a simple hunter who found this ruins in hope for something that might have earned me a penny." Slowly the bow is lowered, at about the same time as his dog walks up to his side. "My name is Li Lianjie, and you are in the haunted forest of Chun Mu." the man now nods his direction of where he first came from to this ruins, "But I am sure that if you walk in that direction. The emperors guards can guide you to any village...just don't mention me." and with that being said, he is about to walk away into the wild again.

[Bitom]

The Shadar-Kai, not understanding any of this conversation, wanders out of the immediate light of the torchfire to watch from the more comfortable shadows.

[TetNak]

'œPah,' grunts Lu Zhou, 'œThe Emperor.' He frowns, as usual, and waves a hand about. 'œWhy should we not tell them about you?' He does not really say anything else about the group not wanting to run into Imperial guards or soldiers as well, as the wu jen attempts to find out who this man is in front of him. He says, in ancient, 'œI think he is a thief or something. We are safe, but I wish to make sure, hopefully he can lead us to safety.'

[Vardaen]

Reaching the open space Chen-Wei is studdenly struck by the loss of Chao. It all comes rushing down on him, the shadow taking Wu Ming, the passage swallowing Chao. He can still feel Chao's hand holding his shoulders as he suddenly slumps to the ground. He drops his head into his hands and starts to weep. "Why. What is the point if good people die?" He is talking to himself, or perhaps someone else, but not any of you clearly. "Maybe I should just be happy with my lot, and forget about my siblings. Hide away s no one else gets hurt." He looks up at Lu Zhou, "Is the thrown really worth this?" He seems obilvious to the fact that this Li-Li is even there.

[TetNak]

Lu Zhou turns suddenly and peers down a Chen-Wei. 'œWhat?' His face grows red in anger and he bursts out at the prince. 'œYou ungrateful whelp! I have been hunted for six years and been forced to hide in the mountains! For the last two years I have searched Tu Qing for the heir to the throne. Now stand up and act your part! I have never seen such a spoiled child in all my life!'

The wu jen stops for a second and draws his sword, immediately pointing it toward the newcomer. 'œDo not try to go anywhere.' He returns his attention to Chen-Wei. 'œYour father is dead. My father is in stasis. We have lost. There will be more loss to come. If you cannot do any more than weep and act a fool when we have work to do than I shall advise you to head into the mountains and hide. I will continue searching for your siblings and someone who can shoulder the burden of their lineage.'

This is all spoken in common, and so the Fey can only hear the angry inflections in Lu Zhou's voice.

[Vardaen]

Chen-Wei looks up at Lu Zhou his 'advisor' and the son of the Great One-Eye Wizard. "Is it worth more death's Zhou? Is it worth another friend's life? I don't know. Maybe we should just let things alone? Maybe its better if I did hide, return to the monastary, prentend I'm not a prince of the old Tu Qing, its dead now anyhow, its Sheng Rui Xue now." He looks down at his feet. Clearly the prince is struggling with having his friends and loyal allies getting killed for him, and a deep meloncoly is setting in. This is not the same prince you first met, who fought so strongely against his foes and firends alike. Clearly something must be done to snap him out of this, but here perhaps isn't the best place for it. "Do what you will Lu Zhou...but I will not have your death on my hands as well."

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Untill Geist returns, Chen-Wei will be struggling with internal deamons about all of this, and will need your directions. Once Geist returns, I'm sure the prince will snap out of it, but until then, expect him to just follow along.

Wargie should be on a week vacation here shortly too. Once he is gone, lets break till he gets back, cause I'm not keen on running 2 NPCs out of 4 Characters.