The New Jade Empire (IC)

[xXRengaiaXx]

Ayame quenched her eyes toward Lee's obnoxious behavior in order to prove that he was not a demon. What was even worse, he didn't seem even half as good as her mentor. This provoked her thoughts as she started to believe that he was more of an idiot than a demon...or a real Spirit Monk for that matter. A few moments later, a young girl stumbled into the tavern. She did look a bit odd. Her chi also felt a little off. She couldn't possibly be a full human...Now...Ayame has become suspicious of the little girl.

"That something you often ask people girl? Heh." she heard her say.

Ayame blinked a few times and replied...

"...You can't be too careful in this land anymore...You never know who is a monster and who is not. You don't even have to be a demon to be a monster...Humans are just as evil as the spirits who haunts our empire." she spoke boldly.

"My mentor taught me that...and that is something I will never forget." she finished.

[WittyReference]

Approaching the gates of Zu's Grace, Lin Yu peered through his bandages to an all too familiar sight, the entire village ghostly silent, nearly devoid of life. Not since the Southern village had he felt such a heavy weight upon a land, the area dense with dark whispers. If he listened close, he could almost hear...

"No, just... just the wind." As he strode through the town, caravan in tow, he set his home beside the horse stables and wandered further into town.

Upon reaching the tavern and tea house, Lin again heard voices, this time much clearer, coming from inside. Dropping into Viper stance, Lin Yu readied his chi at the tips of his fingers as he entered the building. Once inside, he was relieved to see living, if not altogether friendly, faces settled around table. With a flick of his wrists, Lin relaxed his chi and regained his posture, noting the figures in the room.

Seated was a young man, lithe in appearance, but gorging himself on mounds of food. Next to him stood a rather stand-offish looking woman in a long cloak. Lin had seen her type in his years leading his band of marauders; always sneaking around, no telling when they'll stab you in the back. No, he wanted nothing to do with her and her hungry lover.

Beyond that, there were a few others scattered about: an elderly couple sharing saki near the western wall, a rather suspicious woman drinking tea 'neath the shadow cast by the tea house's stairs, and...a child? No... something was... different. Though unable to feel in the physical sense given his lack of flesh, Lin Yu was trained in the ways of chi and celestial bodies; feeling the surrounding energies were his fifth sense as it were.

The child's body ebbed of Heavenly powers, the usual faint aura of a young human was altogether missing, replaced with a pulsing vibrancy. This...creature... This, what ever it was, had taken the body of a young girl! Surely, this is why his Master sent him here! The Demon must be stopped!

Dropping his stance to that used during Spirit Thief, Lin began channeling the surrounding energy into his body; a task made exceedingly difficult given the dark forces at work in the village. Channeling more energy as he did so, Lin spoke loudly towards the cloaked woman. "There is the demon you seek! The Un-Child!"

[xXRengaiaXx]

Ayame immediately shot her eyes back at the newcomer. He seemed to be bandaged, as if he underwent torture...or battle. She could easily tell that he was battled scarred. Sadly, however, she could not see his face. The bandages almost covered the majority of his face. All she could see were those eyes of intent. Just by studying his posture, she noticed how he wasn't afraid of battle...no matter where it took place. Everyone in the tavern turned at the attention of the bandaged man. The poor locals, helpless waitresses...all turned surprising gazes at the man. Ayame never took her eyes off of him. After getting down into a stance she surely recognize, he called out the young girl who came and sat by her and Lee.

The 'Un-Child'? she thought.

Turning her gaze back at the young girl...she noticed her attitude was somewhat off from the rest of the crowd. And besides, why would a bandaged man call out a girl so little? she has to be a demon...she just has to. But she also realized, that if the child was truly an evil spirit, it would've attacked everyone without mercy. The child at least had control...and that is more than what most demons can say. She immediately sprawled to her feet and turned her attention to the bandaged man. Her backside is now facing the child and Lee as if she were protecting them. She gazed at the bandaged man for a moments before speaking.

"There is no need for this here!" she said...as her voice silenced the patrons who were whispering to others.

The entire room went quiet as Ayame took a few steps toward the bandaged man.

"If she was a true demon she would've attacked us already. Because most spirits cannot carry on peacefully...they are often more rampant and hostile. Anything outside of that is different and unique...something that we will need on our side if you want us to save this land!"

She looked over at the girl over her shoulder...

"What is your purpose here? Why is it that you can act so calmly around the living unlike the other demons? Who are you?

[xGabrielx]

Shi's smile went away for all but a moment as a strange man came in covered in bandages, a victim of the demons or something more? Now the girl got involved in the shouting, but instead of joining the man she instead choose to defend her... Now this was too good of a opportunity to waste to play a few tricks on these people, heck she would be working with them so why should she get to test them out?

"Ooooo, clever male here."

Shi took another sip of her sake bottle with a big smile before looking up to the girl, whose name she still did not know and was unwilling to use Star as her name.

"As for your speech, it was all well and good but what if I am simply waiting to earn your trust, using the form of a small girl in order to trick you in letting your guard down just like it is right now?... I could be telling you this right now because I am so sure of my ability to destroy you that I am not the least bit scared~"

She looked around at the people of the taven getting more scared and then she looked to Lee for a moment to see what he was going to come up with.

"Well, either that or I am infact no demon at all or even a ghost for that matter."

[BigPapaBelial]

Two older monks carefully walked onto the tessellated square of one of the side temples on the monastery grounds. The sun casts shadows through the trees surrounding the square. One of the old monks is Brother Tun, clad in white and brown practice robes and thick quilted hakama like pants. The pair walk into the square from opposite sides. Bowing as they reach an inner square area, that is heavily worn in comparison to the rest of the square. As they enter the inner square they begin to go through the motions of stretches, kata and practice movements. One of the men, going through the movements of Leaping Tiger. Brother Tun stretching and preparing himself for the use of Iron Palm. Brother Wo is the other Monk, slightly younger then Tun, by maybe 3 years. But still spry and quick for his age. Tun on the other hand is equally spry and quick for his age, but his style does not need him to be such. The heavy steps, powerful movements of shoulder, fist and foot. One hit could easily send someone flying if he put effort into it. As the two stretch and make ready some of the younger monks arrive, encircling the square to watch two of their elders spar.

Soon the pair of older monks complete their preparations and step to within 5 paces of each other. Bows are made, the pair of old monks paying their respect to each other. The younger monks all kneel, so everyone can see as the pair begin their sparring match. A true match indeed between rival styles, a fast style, versus a strong style.

Brother Tun settles into the low, stable stance of Iron Palm, Brother Wo taking up the stance of Leaping Tiger. And then it began, Wo moved in the quick lashing movements of Tiger, the ethereal claws on his hands swiping at Tun. Tun blocked and weaved and juked staying out of the way of the strikes and movements. Waiting for that perfect moment to unleash his own devestating strikes. Wo had to recover occasionally, which allowed Tun to step in and unleash battering ram blows with his palm and fist. Throwing his entire body into each strike. Wo weaved and juked, blocking such strikes would be pretty foolish.

And so it was that the two monks went back and forth for some 15 minutes until one of the younger monks called out the end of the sparring match. The two old monks stopped. Tun's fist just out of contact with Wo's chest, and Wo's claws just hairs breadths from Tun's neck. The pair smiled at each other, relaxed then embraced, such is that no hard feelings for such a workout.

Neither man saw the Abbot watching them, a strange letter in his grip. Neither were concerned or would have been overly concerned if they had seen him. Such it the monastery way.

[Arthanus]

Lee sat there as the little ordeal started to unfold. Le then stood up and moved between the the group and the new man and holds up his hands. "now now there is no reason to fight here, We are all here for the same purpose. don't make me step into this, True something is different about that girl, but I do not sense any bad intentions from her so she will be allowed to help unless she proves malicious." Now you must be one of the others who have come to help cleanse this land. I am Lee Tau a Jr. Member of The Spirit Monks, please calm yourself and sit we can work all this out." Lee Said his voice seemed soothing and somewhat magical to calm the nerves of the others. He continued to stand their waiting for both sides to back down.

[xXRengaiaXx]

Ayame narrowed her gaze at the child. Although the fighting seemed unnecessary, Ayame felt the need to kill that child. However, it was clear that the child didn't seem harmless. She sighed heavily as Lee made his speech, attempting to bring a pause to the debating. Instead of continuing the accusations thrown over Shi, Ayame swallowed her pride and turned to the child bowing as a way to give her apology. She then stood with her back straightened and mentioned her name to the girl.

"My name is Shadow Star. I'am a lone martial artist who roams these lands in secret to find and destroy demons." she said and then turned an eye at the bandaged male.

"Whats funny...is that guy cannot sense the well intent that flows through your chi." she turned her full attention to the male.

"My mentor have always told me, that those who could not sense the many variations of chi...and instead senses the ill intentions from the chi of that person...is subject at anytime to murder without giving much remorse, pity, or sympathy. That man has killed before...perhaps you're not the demon here child... perhaps it is him!"

[Arthanus]

Lee looked at Shadow Star and sighed "..... That is three out of three... you really have something against demons don't you.... How about everyone calms down and we just have Tea already... We are here to stop demons. Its clear he is here to try and destroy evil, just he may just be a little off..." Lee explained. This altercation had drawn the attention of the rest of the people in the tavern. Some of them looked on the new comers with fear and others just looked at them like they were crazy, Lee looked around and noticed how much of a disturbance that they were causing and just sighed again. he then went back to the table and sipped from a cup of tea. "I give up... if you want to kill each other go ahead. I think I will get to work. Waiter my bill please." he said before taking another sip of his tea