Taijitu
01-26-07, 11:18 PM
Walking carefully, unsure of his footing, Di moved on through the valley. Cherry trees surrounded him on all sides, and the confusing sight just brought more pain to his eyes. He was in the land of Nihon, only a few miles from his home, Zhengshi. Out of shame, he could never return there again until he had regained his powers. The Taoist had let a simple demon seal his connections with the gods and destroy his Chi paths. Such a big mistake would be frowned upon, and his Priesthood may end. Tainted, they would call him. And with these rotting seal tattoos, he wouldn’t deny it.
His eyes were weary and as Di looked at the road before him, it seemed to wave back and forth. Then, suddenly, reality hit him and he saw that it truly was wavering as a purple mist drifted up from dark waters on the road. His surroundings came to him all at once, and he saw the cherry trees were beginning to turn black at their bases, and their leaves were falling because they were dying. Flood waters surrounded the road on all sides, and were beginning to encroach upon the raised dirt surface. In some places, the water had already crossed the path. Even worse, dark eyes stared out from the water and the Priest could feel massive dark spiritual energies coming from the growing ponds. Up ahead, far down the path, where the village of Suiyou lay, even greater dark energies were lingering.
Vengeance was in his soul, inscribed upon his skin, and the chance to rip and tear through dark spirits was just what Di needed most right now; something to release all this anger on before he hurt an innocent. Grabbing his Cheng Huang tighter in his hand, he burst down the path. The block shoes made an obscenely loud sound and around him he could hear the monsters moving through the waters, following him. The gates to the village were in sight, and six guards were readied with bows and katana, prepared to fight off monsters. Moments before he left the cherry tree valley and into the sight of the guards, a dark shadow lingered before him, cutting through his path. Thinking himself facing a monster, he drew back and went into a defensive stance, using the flute as a shield. Instead of attacking, though, the shadow spoke.
“Use…them…the…night…is…strong”
Somehow, even in the light of the nearby torches, the shadow remained completely featureless and enshrouded in darkness. Reaching out one very human hand, it proffered a small white box to the Priest. Confused, he reached out slowly and carefully, keeping the flute at the ready. The monsters behind him were approaching faster and coming closer every second, and keeping this in mind, Di gave up his hesitations and quickly grabbed the box. Just as his fingers touched it, the shadow blasted apart, disappearing. Tucking the box under one arm, figuring that he would work it out later, he burst forward and skidded to a stop before the gates.
“Monsters are coming, a lot of them.”
He said carefully and calmly in Nihongo before turning and pulling up his flute. Ready to telescope it in and summon his sword, he watched the cherry trees. The guards looked at him suspiciously, then one spoke timidly, “For some reason, they never approach the gates. We…are safe…I think.”
It didn’t do much to ease Di, but he accepted it. The beauty of the Cherry Trees had been marred. Darkness was seeping up their cores, and from his vantage point on the hill he could see the petals thinning through the valley. Sadness crept into his soul, knowing he could do something to help these people. They had gone without assistance against such a strange threat, and he was weeping about something he couldn’t change. All of that didn’t matter anymore, and Di was still a Taoist Priest and Xian, so it was his duty to assist these people. Without relaxing one bit, the Taoist turned and entered the city, a mission in mind. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.
Midnight had crept into the sky by time Di Guan reached the center square of the village of Suiyou. Raising his flute to his mouth, he wasted no time at all. Normally he would have rituals and ceremony before calling upon spirits, but the anger was building in his body and it needed to come out. Playing a soft and melancholy song, the Taoist pushed his chi into the notes, letting them float through the village and caress everything. Doors, teapots, tables, chairs, and even people. That which didn’t like the touch of the Chi fled its home, spirits that had possessed the weirdest of things. There weren’t many of them that had gotten past the guards, but a dozen or so soon made their way to the source of their discomfort, the town square.
“So…you are the ones plaguing this town? Personal minions to annoy these good people? How dare you…you don’t deserve to remain here. Your time on this planet is done. Meet your maker.”
Lowering his flute, Di reached to telescope the Cheng Huang but never got the chance. The box that the shadow had given him fell from under his arm and hit the floor with a loud crack. With the lid flying off, he simply stared as half a dozen glowing white strips of paper floated gracefully around his form. Playing like butterflies with the curves of his clothes, they finally made their gradual way to his flute, spinning rapidly around it then finally attaching themselves to its surface. There were writings on the talismans and they seemed to be some sort of exorcism charms. Staring in puzzled amazement at the development, the Taoist was caught farther off guard when his flute burst into white flames, the outline of a white sword surrounding it. While it didn’t burn, it definitely give off a holy heat and it calmed him somewhat. The monsters were still encroaching upon him, however, and their surprise wasn’t going to keep them back too much longer.
“Well…that works.”
Grinning deeply, the Taoist burst into a dash. Chi and air condensed behind him, thrusting him forward to the first one. With a single wide strike his flute arced through the beast’s chest leaving a clean cut. The physical form of the dark spirit broke to pieces before Di ever even looked at what it was. The others looked like malformed people without weapons and strange clothing. Another dash, thrust, parry, flames sprouted from a monster’s chest. Sidestep, leap, cut, falling to pieces yet another burst into flames. Running along the wall with a burst of renewed vigor and fury, Di brought his flute through the forms of the last two, watching their amazement in deep glee. They didn’t even know what was coming when their bodies were torn asunder.
Only a few moments after it had began, Di Guan stood in the center of a circle of ashes, watching the hovering spirits. Serenity had replaced the anger, but every muscle in his body ached. His chi was almost gone, yet there was one more duty to perform before he could rest. It was his responsibility. Lifting his flute to his mouth, the flames and talismans fell away, returning to their container. A tune played out, words hidden in the lyrics. Gods, lift these souls into your arms and give them the judgment they deserve. Gao Dao, bring them justice. Each golden ethereal spirit faded away, some rising up to embark to the heavens and other falling to the hells. A sad but satisfied smile replaced the grin on Di’s face, only moments before darkness consumed his vision and he fell to the ground unconscious. Chi wasn’t endless, after all.
But, Suiyou wasn’t safe…not even close.
His eyes were weary and as Di looked at the road before him, it seemed to wave back and forth. Then, suddenly, reality hit him and he saw that it truly was wavering as a purple mist drifted up from dark waters on the road. His surroundings came to him all at once, and he saw the cherry trees were beginning to turn black at their bases, and their leaves were falling because they were dying. Flood waters surrounded the road on all sides, and were beginning to encroach upon the raised dirt surface. In some places, the water had already crossed the path. Even worse, dark eyes stared out from the water and the Priest could feel massive dark spiritual energies coming from the growing ponds. Up ahead, far down the path, where the village of Suiyou lay, even greater dark energies were lingering.
Vengeance was in his soul, inscribed upon his skin, and the chance to rip and tear through dark spirits was just what Di needed most right now; something to release all this anger on before he hurt an innocent. Grabbing his Cheng Huang tighter in his hand, he burst down the path. The block shoes made an obscenely loud sound and around him he could hear the monsters moving through the waters, following him. The gates to the village were in sight, and six guards were readied with bows and katana, prepared to fight off monsters. Moments before he left the cherry tree valley and into the sight of the guards, a dark shadow lingered before him, cutting through his path. Thinking himself facing a monster, he drew back and went into a defensive stance, using the flute as a shield. Instead of attacking, though, the shadow spoke.
“Use…them…the…night…is…strong”
Somehow, even in the light of the nearby torches, the shadow remained completely featureless and enshrouded in darkness. Reaching out one very human hand, it proffered a small white box to the Priest. Confused, he reached out slowly and carefully, keeping the flute at the ready. The monsters behind him were approaching faster and coming closer every second, and keeping this in mind, Di gave up his hesitations and quickly grabbed the box. Just as his fingers touched it, the shadow blasted apart, disappearing. Tucking the box under one arm, figuring that he would work it out later, he burst forward and skidded to a stop before the gates.
“Monsters are coming, a lot of them.”
He said carefully and calmly in Nihongo before turning and pulling up his flute. Ready to telescope it in and summon his sword, he watched the cherry trees. The guards looked at him suspiciously, then one spoke timidly, “For some reason, they never approach the gates. We…are safe…I think.”
It didn’t do much to ease Di, but he accepted it. The beauty of the Cherry Trees had been marred. Darkness was seeping up their cores, and from his vantage point on the hill he could see the petals thinning through the valley. Sadness crept into his soul, knowing he could do something to help these people. They had gone without assistance against such a strange threat, and he was weeping about something he couldn’t change. All of that didn’t matter anymore, and Di was still a Taoist Priest and Xian, so it was his duty to assist these people. Without relaxing one bit, the Taoist turned and entered the city, a mission in mind. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.
Midnight had crept into the sky by time Di Guan reached the center square of the village of Suiyou. Raising his flute to his mouth, he wasted no time at all. Normally he would have rituals and ceremony before calling upon spirits, but the anger was building in his body and it needed to come out. Playing a soft and melancholy song, the Taoist pushed his chi into the notes, letting them float through the village and caress everything. Doors, teapots, tables, chairs, and even people. That which didn’t like the touch of the Chi fled its home, spirits that had possessed the weirdest of things. There weren’t many of them that had gotten past the guards, but a dozen or so soon made their way to the source of their discomfort, the town square.
“So…you are the ones plaguing this town? Personal minions to annoy these good people? How dare you…you don’t deserve to remain here. Your time on this planet is done. Meet your maker.”
Lowering his flute, Di reached to telescope the Cheng Huang but never got the chance. The box that the shadow had given him fell from under his arm and hit the floor with a loud crack. With the lid flying off, he simply stared as half a dozen glowing white strips of paper floated gracefully around his form. Playing like butterflies with the curves of his clothes, they finally made their gradual way to his flute, spinning rapidly around it then finally attaching themselves to its surface. There were writings on the talismans and they seemed to be some sort of exorcism charms. Staring in puzzled amazement at the development, the Taoist was caught farther off guard when his flute burst into white flames, the outline of a white sword surrounding it. While it didn’t burn, it definitely give off a holy heat and it calmed him somewhat. The monsters were still encroaching upon him, however, and their surprise wasn’t going to keep them back too much longer.
“Well…that works.”
Grinning deeply, the Taoist burst into a dash. Chi and air condensed behind him, thrusting him forward to the first one. With a single wide strike his flute arced through the beast’s chest leaving a clean cut. The physical form of the dark spirit broke to pieces before Di ever even looked at what it was. The others looked like malformed people without weapons and strange clothing. Another dash, thrust, parry, flames sprouted from a monster’s chest. Sidestep, leap, cut, falling to pieces yet another burst into flames. Running along the wall with a burst of renewed vigor and fury, Di brought his flute through the forms of the last two, watching their amazement in deep glee. They didn’t even know what was coming when their bodies were torn asunder.
Only a few moments after it had began, Di Guan stood in the center of a circle of ashes, watching the hovering spirits. Serenity had replaced the anger, but every muscle in his body ached. His chi was almost gone, yet there was one more duty to perform before he could rest. It was his responsibility. Lifting his flute to his mouth, the flames and talismans fell away, returning to their container. A tune played out, words hidden in the lyrics. Gods, lift these souls into your arms and give them the judgment they deserve. Gao Dao, bring them justice. Each golden ethereal spirit faded away, some rising up to embark to the heavens and other falling to the hells. A sad but satisfied smile replaced the grin on Di’s face, only moments before darkness consumed his vision and he fell to the ground unconscious. Chi wasn’t endless, after all.
But, Suiyou wasn’t safe…not even close.