Chapter 2: A Rise to Power

[Muskrat]

Mei-Li puts the ruby deeper into its hiding place in her clothes, then shakes her head. "In his letter to Bao-Shi, Fang Chou mentioned that we took the ruby from him, but I do not believe Bao-Shi knew that we had it on our person. Certainly, we said nothing to him about it. For all he knows, we left it at the Bamoo Gorge Abbey." Mei-Li is rather relieved that she didn't say anything to her father. It would have been so easy to have asked him about the gem and shown him it, when she thought he was the wise, gentle father she once knew. Some intuition must have made her keep it hidden. "So, he might suspect, but he has no way of knowing for sure. Maybe Xun-Wen's idea is a good one--or is there some fell spirit that might rescue it from such a watery grave?"

[TetNak]

"This depends upon Bao-Shi's power. I do not know how great it has grown," Yu says, "Or any other sorcerer. However, I believe, eventually they would be able to locate it and retrieve it."

[Hayabusa]

"Well, then we should hold on it if sinking it deep in the ocean is not an option. In fact we could use it to lure them away and use it as a bait. If the gem holds so much power then it will be hard for them to resist the temptation to get it back," Xun-Wen says. "Though it could also mean more danger for the ones we care about. If they were to take my friends and family hostage then I would probaby exchange them for it..."

With an imminent attack on his father's kwoon and with it his family and love it is hard not to think about them. At least for Xun-Wen. He doesn't know if any of these people who fight against the Dragon's Eye would even think about his family.

[TetNak]

Yu shakes her head, "No. If he cannot catch you, he will go to them and capture them. He will put them to the sword, torture them, and bring destruction until you return the gem to him." She pauses, "I believe you must lead your people into hiding first."

[Shurijo]

Anming offers another question, "Is it not possible to destroy the gem? Shattering it with a great hammer or tossing it into a volcano?"

[TetNak]

Yu nods, "Yes, but as I said, it would release whatever is stored inside. And spirits bound to these focus gems would put the world in great peril."

OOC

Just an FYI - Yu already commented on this

[Muskrat]

Mei-Li says, "So your counsel is to lead the monastics of the Bamboo Gorge Abbey and the people at the Two Rivers Vale kwoon into hiding somewhere? I am not sure where we would take them. And I think they might be difficult to persuade. They are very skilled martial artists at both and I think they will be skeptical that they cannot hold off any threats they face."

[TetNak]

"Then they will likely die," Yu says, stone faced and matter of factly.

[Hayabusa]

"They might be sceptical but they'll certainly understand. My father and his friends and teachers are all wise enough to see a futile situation when it arises," Xun-Wen says. " Even if they want to stay and fight it's quite obvious that at least the students and few children should be relocated. I'm afraid I do not know the Bamboo Gorge Abbey well enough but the vale is an easy place to invade. There are only few walls and those are to seperate the agricultural gardens from the rest. A child could jump over those. They won't be an obstacle for anyone."

[Muskrat]

Mei-Li nods. "We can only try. And they may listen to us, if we make things sound dire enough. And I feel sure that the wisdom of the Masters at Bamboo Gorge Abbey is greater than any pride they might still feel. Once we have rested and you have filled in us in on any information we need to know, we should set forth right away. I think your kwoon is closer, Xun-Wen. We can go there first and then to the Abbey. And there may be someone at the kwoon or Abbey who knows a good place to hide in refuge--many of them were wandering xia in their younger days."

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Tet, our we going to get XP before we set out on this next quest? Mei-Li really needs to put some points in fast talk