Chapter 204 - The Passing of Time

“You want to know more about the Abbot of the Cloud Peak Monastery?”

The gaunt, serious looking poet with sunken cheeks and a dull complexion stroked his beard with a thoughtful look.

He sat comfortably on the tattered cushion that had long lost all its stuffing, giving off a sagely vibe. His thin, worn robes were worn in multiple layers, each layer covering up the holes and tatters of the clothing underneath it. His disheveled appearance gave him the appearance of someone who had cast off the shackles of the material world in order to seek enlightenment.

Across from him Yuzu sat kneeling with her hands on her lap. Her long, white hair draped down over the coarse fabric of her robes, giving her the appearance of a young, elegant shrine maiden.

They had been here in this room for quite some time, talking about Yuzu’s experiences over the last two weeks. About how she came in possession of the ornate chest, and saved her friend from diseased wolves. About the Night of the Living Vines and her role in saving the townsfolk. About the small shrine on the plateau and her mysterious, unexplained connection to it.

Though she told the truth, there were portions that she omitted. She didn’t tell Li Ru about her friendship with Argus, the Keeper from the Domain of Knowledge. Nor did she share her journey with Argus into the depths of Okuron, the Dead God of Knowledge’s Great Library, and the piece of Argus’ soul that they recovered.

She didn’t mention her ‘illness’, the injury to her soul that was slowly killing her, and would kill her but for the prayers of her small group of followers. Nor did she mention that she’d accidentally dropped the ornate chest at the bottom of the white world, in front of the giant black metal door wrought with chains behind which was sealed an ancient, entity forgotten by time.

Instead, she focused on her interactions with Medusa, the Life domain cultist who had been working with the Cloud Peak monks, and was growing increasingly wary of their motives. She talked about the events during the ball at the Sansen Zhao manor, where she saved four girls from a giant lizard that hatched from a stone egg, and went head to head against the blood priest, Abbott Deacon Glass.

She talked about her vision of Markus Gantt, who had poisoned the wine bottle with the blood from a leech, who had the ability to control minds. She shared Medusa’s fear of the man, who was the shadowy figure who was supporting the Abbott and his plans to revive the God of Life. This man who she learned had killed her parents, seven years ago during a storm off the northern coast of Kumin.

This last point too, she omitted from her retelling.

Throughout all this time, Li Ru listened with an attentive, quiet composure. He asked questions, but didn’t press her for details. Though he didn’t share his thoughts or personal knowledge, the manner of his questions impressed upon Yuzu that he had a strong grasp of the events that were happening in the province.

In other words, though he lived and acted like a hermit, he wasn’t a complete shut in.

One final matter that Yuzu made a note of was that Li Ru didn’t ask her about her powers, or her abilities. Yuzu was careful not to describe the threads or how she manipulated fate. She only spoke of her actions in the vaguest terms. Even when she was completely vague, with statements like “I made this person do this and go to this place,” Li Ru only listened and did not press her for more details.

These are the unspoken rules of the Exalted world. Yuzu thought to herself. Things that even Angels do not trespass.

In this way, a lot of time passed. Yet to Yuzu’s surprise she didn’t feel tired or uncomfortable. Normally, sitting in such a position for such long periods of time would cause her blood to pool and legs to fall asleep. Yet here, it had been a number of hours and she felt just as energized as when she’d first arrived.

A side effect of being in the white world? Yuzu mused quietly, I’m not in my physical body right now, after all… Or maybe more accurately, my physical, spiritual and astral bodies are currently inside of my aetheric body…

Yuzu couldn’t tell exactly how much time had passed. The dim white light shining in from the windows was constant and unchanging, making it hard to discern whether time had passed at all. There was also a distinct lack of furniture and other decorations such as clocks that might help to tell the time.

The only exception was the long stick of incense from which thin tendrils of smoke peacefully rose and dissipated, but the flame hadn’t even burned down a single centimetre since they’d sat down.

“The Abbott of the Cloud Peak Monastery, what is there to say…” The old poet mused quietly, taking his time. “He is a man who has not yet lived beyond the normal lifespan of a man.”

Li Ru’s eyes squinted as he stroked his beard intensely, inwardly examining the words that he’d just uttered. After a pause he nodded with a satisfied expression, as if he’d said all there needed to be said.

“He tried to revive the God of Life. He’s been conducting rituals that have warped the forest and created monsters.” Yuzu said with a frown, not understanding what the Abbott’s lifespan had to do with anything, “It sounds like he’s doing everything he can to harm Lord Noga and take over the city.”

“A reasonable conclusion.” Li Ru replied succinctly, without indicating his own thoughts on the matter.

“So… shouldn’t something be done about that? Otherwise, more people will suffer and die.”

“Perhaps.” Li Ru said, “But then you are simply choosing which side wins and which one suffers.”

“What do you mean?” Yuzu asked.

“Simply that, whether you choose the side of Lord Noga or the side of the Abbott, you are still participating in their conflict in the end.” Li Ru held his palms face up, miming a scale, “Whether you fight for one side or the other, you still end up a pawn for someone else’s benefit.”

“What do you mean? We’re not the ones being attacked.” Yuzu’s brows furled in mild frustration, “If the Abbott didn’t mess with demonic gods, everything would be just fine. The forest would be normal, people wouldn’t be worried about growing eyeballs out of their bodies, life would be peaceful.”

“Normal, you say?” Li Ru raised an eyebrow.

He paused, then stood up by floating up into the air and letting his feet extend to reach the ground.

Showing off? I can do that too. Yuzu muttered inwardly as she willed herself to do the same. She elegantly levitated up into the air through her willpower and intrinsic connection to the white world.

Li Ru did not appear to notice as he walked to the steps leading down to the second level, “Come with me. I would like to show you something.”

Yuzu considered flying after him, much like she had done using the chest’s power during the Night of the Living Vines, but thought better of it and let her feet contact the ground. She followed him down the steps.

“You asked me about the Abbott. I have only met him twice.” Li Ru said as he led the way, “The Cloud Peak Monks know of me and do not trespass on my territory, but they see it as a point of respect to visit me every fifty years or so to pay their respects. The first time was when he was ordained as Abbott. His predecessor introduced him to me.”

“I thought you said you haven’t had visitors in a long time?” Yuzu asked.

“Let me rephrase.” Li Ru corrected himself, “The Abbott and his predecessor arrived at the foot of the village and prayed to the statue at the entrance to the town. Whether they truly know who they are praying to, I’m not sure. Perhaps that knowledge was lost with time. Regardless, it is a tradition that the Cloud Peak monks have continued for a thousand years.”

When they reached the second floor, Li Ru walked directly to the ledge of the hole in the center of the floor and lightly stepped off, floating gently down to the floor below. Yuzu followed behind, her robes fluttering gently as she descended down to the darkened first floor.

The edges of the circular room were black and draped with shadow, in stark contrast with the pool of white light in the center, which shone in from the windows of the second floor above.

Li Ru and Yuzu stood facing each other on opposite sides of the center of the room as Li Ru casually rolled up his sleeves.

“When you talked about the aetheric plane - or as you call it, ‘the white world’ - it struck me how little you understand about the world.” Li Ru said, “This isn’t your fault. You are a newborn babe, you’ve barely even opened your eyes. You see your little white island, surrounded by a white void, and you think - oh, this is how it is everywhere.”

“You think about your quaint little life in your little town, living with little people doing little things, and you think - oh, this is how it is everywhere.”

“You see Lord Noga as your protector and the Abbott as an outside force threatening to destroy your lives for an unknown, but no doubt petty and evil reason, and you think - oh, clearly I must do something about it.”

The ancient scholar chuckled darkly, shaking his head. The stark white light from above shone on his forehead and cheekbones, casting deep shadows over his sunken eyes and cheeks, reminiscent of a fleshless skull.

His voice became hollow as the shadows around them deepened into utter darkness. The ground beneath their feet dissolved, leaving the pair suspended in a black void, illuminated from above by the harsh white light.

In the blackness around them, stars and nebulae twinkled to life.

“White Maiden, before you rush to save your little town, I would like to take you to another place that exists within the aetheric plane.”

“What place?” Yuzu asked.

“The Verdant Wild.” Li Ru chuckled, “Divine Kingdom of the God of Life.”