Liweis Prelude to Tales of the Onyx Curse

Liweis Prelude to Tales of the Onxy Curse

His Shoulder hurt. Still. Just another observation supporting his instinctive impression that they had poisoned him with something really, really potent he had never come across before. Interesting and also already really painful. And a bit scary. Maybe more than a bit scary. He already felt the poison working its way deeper into his body. The resistances he had trained so hard had dampened the effects , but not more than that either.

He stood among the remains of his belongings, which were expertly scattered across his rooms. As if that would disperse his growing suspicions. They should have done a worse job entering his rooms. The strongest indications, that someone from his clan was involved were the missing mistakes, the near flawless fake break in and the timing of the attack. He couldn’t stay. The realisation did sting and added to the anger and indignation already burning inside of him. First that waste of his talents at that excuse of an assignment which he should have recognized for the diversion tactic it had been. Then they dared to attack him using his favourite tool and he had to accept the fact that they had bested him both in skill and his poison resistance; a bitter and probably deadly pill to swallow. Last they dared to invade his quarters and leave a mess. They could have searched his quarters and at least leave them as they found them. No need to leave this mess when you can enter without disturbing even one of his security measures. At least they didn’t find what they came for, may it be his life or his other most valuable possession. Unconsciously his hand reached up to trail along the jade hairpin he always wore these days.

With a calming sigh he again focused his Chii and concentrated to reign in the spreading pain and try to slow the progress of the poison through his body. He knew even his rigorous training and his doses of full Moon Proficiencies wouldn’t stop it, but it would buy him enough time to make it to Liangshi. Chances were he knew something about the poison, or a way to ease its effects and he would be safe with him for the time being. Together with Liangshi he could work out a plan how to move forward at the very least. If needed he could contact Shiren to find out more, in case Liangshi didn’t already solve his immediate problem. It would have to be done carefully and quietly. For now he wouldn’t disturb Xiwangs peace and quiet in his seclusion. He was sure he could cover his tracks good enough to lose his attackers, but he still didn’t want to endanger his friends more than was absolutely necessary by getting them all involved in this.  For a moment he was surprised by the certainty with which the train of thoughts had sprung into his head. A small, warm smile tugged on the right corner of his mouth. Who would have thought he’d become so attached and so emotional.

While he methodically gathered what he needed he contemplated, if he should leave Bai Lu a message. There were only two possibilities. He was either involved in some way or he wasn’t. In the first case he would hand his opponents information he’d rather make it harder for them to obtain and in the second case he would endanger Bai without any clear benefit to it, other than feeling a little bit better about disappearing into the night. Liwei didn’t understand why the thought bothered him in the first place; it shouldn’t. Both options didn’t appeal to him. As he fastened the last set of acupuncture needles in his left sleeve he decided against leaving him a note. One last sweeping look across his rooms later he silently disappeared into the night.

Hours later, disguised as a young woman in a lilac dress, he hastened through the nightly forest towards a village hoping to a secured a space on a traders cart or something similar for the next leg of his journey. Mounting pain and nausea forced him to rest in a bamboo grove for a little while to gather his remaining strength. As he bend down to the little spring to drink some water a slithering motion in the underbrush to his right caught his attention. A tiny snake, folded from paper, glided towards him. Confused and yet to intrigued to not reach for it, he stretched out his hand for it to move on to. As soon as it settled onto his palm he unfolded the delicate sheet of paper and read the few signs on it. Shiren had outdone himself. And had diverted his path. Certain he had not only send for him, but also for the others,  a warm feeling settled in his upset stomach as he changed direction towards the second best Inn at the bottom of the golden mountain.