Within The soul Of Jade(closed)

[Guest]

"Click.... clack... click.... clack"

Were the sounds that would be heard from the guards standing by near the inner palace main hall. The both of them stared down the hall waiting for whomever was supposed to arrive to arrive. Within their vision a robed man wielding an impressive Bone scythe came into view, the man stood easily at six feet tall and judging by his wrapped hands was a fighter of some kind. The scythe continued it's clacking nose.... and an unseen foot continued it's twin sound. The guards glanced nervously at one another and when the man got closer to them they crossed their spears across the door barring passage. The first guard bit his lip and hoped that this man wasn't some kind of assasin; the second guard was the one that spoke in plain Xingese loud enough that it wasn't a whisper and quiet enough that it was not a yell.

Halt! Present your Identifi....

The man shifted so that his bone scythe was standing on it's own and with slow movements that brought it so that his robes around his arms slipped back to his elbow joins as he started to pull back his hood. It was mere seconds that the hood touched the back of creatures head that both of them withdrew their spears from the door their eyes wide in shock. The creature was obviously supposed to be here if it was that deep within their palace but it was what it pulled out of it's robe that sealed the deal. A order of kinds from what appeared to be the seal attributed with the Xun clan Seal. The two guards gulped and almost forgot to open the door for the creature. The creature stepped past them both and after the robe of the creature cleared the door they closed it behind him glancing at one another with worry.

Within the inner sanctum the creature stood looking about the room as if inspecting it, no one was here currently but that was because he had come around here in the dead hours of the night just to be careful. It was his job to look for traps to protect his charge and to make sure to set up a possible counter assassination plan based on the local environment. After nearly five more minutes he heard the guards speak again and then grow hushed even quicker than he had silenced them with both appearance and sealed letter. His charge must of arrived, he knew that she'd be wearing a robe with a dancer outfit underneath since when she was not in the front view she enjoyed teasing him with her belly dances, he wasn't allowed to do anything anyways and wouldn't even if he could. She was his charge after all.

His charge was still wearing her hood when she stepped in, the front of her veil possessing the seal of the Xun clan across it. The guards wouldn't of dared to ask her to remove it. It was here that she did pulling it off of her face and coughing as she got some more air than she had with the heavy lined veil. It was meant as a minor protective cloth so it wasn't easy to breathe through. After placing the Veil into her pocket of her own robe she slowly let her hood fall down around her neck. His charge looked around the hall and with a small chuckle she went up to the chair that the emperor was supposedly going to sit in and stared at it before jokingly poking the arm rest. Snorting to himself the black robed creature stepped up behind his charge and tapped her shoulder softly gaining her attention.

His charge turned about and scratched her head gently before speaking in Xingese, he couldn't talk himself lacking the physical part required for speaking So he merely listened to what she had to Say. Her words generally were quick anyways but this time it seemed rather different. Like usual she slipped her arm through his and stood there contemplating to him. He tilted his horned head and closed his eyes half way the black X marks across his eyes hiding the movement rather easily. She didn't seem to notice small stuff like that anyways, probably another reason why she was able to obliviously talk.

I don't know about this chair Grim, it doesn't seem to fit what I'd expect him to have. He's an emperor after all. I thought it'd be bigger or something. Could be that he doesn't care for extravagance. You still have the letter?

She posed a question at the end which made Grim grumble inwardly to himself; his charge certainly knew when to use her words. Making him somewhat ignore her for most of the sentence before posing something relatively important. She really did like to play games with the generation one chimera. His hand reached into his robe and pulled out the letter that he had shown the guards at the front. His charge took it into her hands and then slipped it into her robe. She let out a little giggle and gave Grim a kiss on the nose which caused him to blush furiously, damn her and how she liked to tease him! His charge slipped her hand from out of his arms grasp and slowly started to check out the inner sanctum. She paused near a picture of the emperor, her face grew somber and she let out a very long sigh.

Just like they said he'd look... least we know who to really talk to. this place safe grim?

His charge would look back at him and he felt his lips purse softly as he started to nod. She really was putting him through it today, usually she didn't ask a lot of questions or doubted anything, meeting the emperor for the first time though usually was unsettling anyways so she had to be careful. She let out a gentle sigh and then sat in one of the side chairs. She motioned for grim to sit with her and wait; they had come early for a reason so grim saw no harm in sitting with his charge. He stared forward and blinked a few times as he felt her lean against him and after a little bit well timed breaths followed. His charge was asleep on his shoulder and he could feel her shift a little bit. Before she could fall he lowered her head so that she was resting on his lap using a large chunk of her own robe and his robe as a cushion. She hadn't slept if a few days because of how worried she was; his charge was definitely something different....

She was Laven Xun The Divine dragon.

[Qin Shi Xun]

A leaf fell, and calm if icy eyes fallowed it's meandering decent and watched as it was whisked by a sudden and not so unexpected breeze. Still his eyes fallowed that leaf as it floated through the palace grounds. Past trees around and over bushes and most impressively, it managed to avoid one of an army of groundskeepers necessary to keep the massive grounds tame and civilized. It was a shame that was needed, he personally thought that this center of civilization could use a touch of the wilder, natural world. But he had a feeling that asking the groundskeepers to let everything just grow would not go over well, and he didn't want to alienate any of the staff just yet. In fact he was trying his to make some sort of positive relation with any that he could... For now most rejected his advances of friendship in the most gracious and curtius ways they could manage. With a sighs he spread his bare toes wide and felt the damp ground beneath him. It felt good, different then home for sure, but the ground still had the same feeling of life even if it was deeper down then he was used to. But he guessed he would grow used to this eventually, but there was no telling how many years would pass tell that happened.

He looked back around the tamed wilderness around him and smiled before letting him self sink to the ground beneath the branches of a near by tree. Autumn was upon them, yet the air smelled of spring and birds still roosted in the branches about him. IT was a pretense he knew, soon enough the leafs would turn and the birds would flee to warmer climates. The snow would come sooner after and the world would sleep tell the true spring came again.It was all a pretense but he thanked what ever gods and goddesses watched over the land for everyday of warmth that was given them. His people needed it, so many homes had been lost and so many fields had been razed that Qin feared for the people of this ancient land. How would some bare the winter? How would some be fed? He would help where he could but Xing was no longer the rich nation it had once been and its coffers where stretched thin as it was. But food needed to be imported, and homes needed to be rebuilt and he gave as much to those projects as he could.

He sighed and leaned back against the rough bark of the tree with out a care for his clothing or the state of his being. No he would not be held by the constrictions of the court when alone, and if others had problems with that well, they could whine but it wouldn't change his mind, nor would it cause him to change his actions. He would walk bare chested in storms, he would walk bare footed through the grounds and when necessary he would play the part of the exalted emperor. But only when necessary would he uphold that pomp and ceremony willingly. he reached into his pocket and closed his oddly blue eyes and pulled out a cigarette and lite it quickly before puffing on it in contentment. IT was odd how relaxing that simple action was, inhaling and exhaling over and over again. He knew it had to do more with the chemicals that where released then anything else, but he found tremendous comfort in the simple action that accompanied that. It was a short escape, and it helped him collect his thoughts.

He opened his eyes and watched as the puffs of smoke escaped his lips and floated forever upward into the clear blue sky, he watched them and as fast as they had come they disappeared into the wind. He finished smoking a little while later and gently flicked out what remained of the heat before dropping the burnt up stub back into his pocket. He stood then and stretched, his back arching back his arms raised to the sky. "Back to the world now." He let his face fall back into the small smile that was his norm and made his way back to the palace proper, his steps carrying him swiftly through the trees, his bare feet making his gait almost noiseless .His day had started hours ago, so why did it feel like he had only just begun?

Dressing for state occasions back home had always been a thing Qin dreaded, the fancy cloths just didn't feel right to the man who spent his days walking about his land bare foot and in cloths more befitting the conman man. Now that he resided in a residence that made his home look like the lowest hovel with responsibility's that made the management of his own little piece of the world something trivial in comparison. Qin was disturbed by that thought, but was disturbed him more was that he understood how insignificant he and most other people had been in the grand scheme of things. Life had always taken new and interesting turns for him, from the day he had left home to the day he had returned nothing had gone as he had expected. He had left home a boy, bitter and angry at what he was forced to do(No matter how much he had come to enjoy it). He had joined the army thinking to make him self something more then what he was and in the end he had, just not in a way he had expected.In the end, when he finally managed to return home, so many things had changed and he had grown into something no one would have ever suspected. Yet he remained deep at his core, the young boy that loved to walk barefoot through the forest as it stormed over head.

Even now, when he had achieved something he had never even dreamed of, Qin was much the same as he had ever been. Which was obvious by the state of his dress as he entered his own private chambers. With a haste that only showed when he was alone he cleaned and changed into a more imperial outfit who's colors reminded him of his own lands. Rich greens and reds that almost seemed to blend together. The outfit was richer then anything he had ever cared to wear back in his day as a minor clan leader, in fact it would have cost more then the total of all his cloths he thought. the outer robe alone could have cost as much if not more then a months food for the average household. The sheer ostentation was nearly enough to make the man sick, but he had excepted the position and all that came with it, he had no right to complain.

With a slight roll of his shoulders he finally settled the stiff material into place about him and stepped out of his chambers and made his unhurried way to the audience chamber that might as well have been a home away from home. As he neared he nodded to who ever happened to meet his eyes, a small if pleasant smile on his face. For their part, the staff did their duty and offered stiff if formal bows and moved on about their business. He could only shake his head at that, they still didn't know him and whats more they didn't trust him which was by far more important. Truth be told he had contemplated bringing his own people into the palace, to surround him self with people he had grown to trust and know over the years. But in the end he had decided against it, displacing the natives would have caused unnecessary hardships and it would have looked like he didn't trust the people who had worked in the palace from before his sudden and unexpected rise to power.

He entered the throne room then and stopped... Siting at the base of his throne where two hooded figures... And his guards where no where to be seen. This was a rather interesting predicament all things considered, because this room usually held close to twenty men at all times of night and day. " IT seems youve done away with my guards... Thats rather rude of you dont you think?" His alkehestry kicked in as soon as the first word left his mouth, and he knew that the two figures could almost feel their blood start to race. When Qin spoke, he spoke with the voice of the dragon, and no living thing was unaffected by him. "Though i doubt you killed them, or done them any harm, considering the alarms where not sounded and your still in the land of the living... So that begs the question of who you are and what you want and those questions will be answered promptly"

[Guest]

Grim was staring off into space when the man entered, he looked devilishly familiar for some reason but he really couldn't put his claw on it. He gently rubbed Laven's cheek and slowly eased his way from being her pillow so he could stand. His hand was clasped on his bone scythe and he was about to take a step forward for proper bowing distance but then the man spoke. Something about how this room was supposedly always guarded... then why had it been empty when the two chimera's entered? They had come on requirement so rudeness wasn't an issue grim thought to himself his eyes twitching a bit as the adrenaline started to flow quicker. Grim took a standard defensive stance with his scythe and stared at the man that just finished talking. He made little sense, if grim had wanted those two guards at the front would of been easy prey to him. The chimera bodyguards eyes drifted to his charge and he gripped the scythe harder; something was off about this situation but he really couldn't place what. Grim took another step forward and opened his mouth in a silent hiss; the chimera was a mute so he couldn't talk even if he wanted to.

Laven was affected differently by the adrenaline rush that Qin's alkehestry produced to them, instead of waking up she started to squirm as the dream that she had started to turn rather horrid. It was always the same dream, that same night... but the alkehestry changed it so dramatically it threw Laven off of her normal cycle. She sat up her head in her hands and her hair snakes wiggling agitatedly as their host's heartbeat spiked dramatically. She gently rubbed her eyes and squirmed in place; a priestess had to keep their cool at all times and this was definitely NOT cool. She turned her head to see grim leap in the air and wind up for a downwards blow with his scythe. Her eyes switched to his target and then widened. She started to stand up and move forward a bit her mouth open in shock as she recognized Qin. She had seen pictures of the man when he took over several years ago, but she had never seen him in person. Grim wouldn't know who he is because that was not his job to know. Grim was already trying for a second and third attack after his intial attack; hopefully he didnt actually manage a blow since that scythe was rather sharp. She was already yelling at grim for this dumb move...

Stop! That's the one we're supposed to report to!

[Qin Shi Xun]

It was rather sudden, but suddenly there was what could only be described as a monster charging at him. There was no other word for it, the creature...It was a creature that was for sure, was what appeared to be all gnashing teeth and what could only be described as a lizards head. A lizards head... Now in most cases he would have been more then slightly perturbed by this sudden and rather unexpected change of events if it wasn't for the rather wicked looking blade in said creatures hand. That caught his attention almost right off the bat, and the fact that he was being charged with it really didn't do much for his attitude. He would have to remind the guards to actually search those who entered the palace or at the very least take away any of the obvious weapons. Otherwise how could he be expected to feel safe in his own home? All this and more passed through the mans head as he was faced with what was almost a literal dragon, but even as he contemplated these things his years of training took over and his body began to move as if on its own accord. The monster slashed at him with what amounted to more then sheer physical prowess.

In fact the beast in mans clothing proved to be remarkably dexterousness with that overly large scythe of his and even as Qin managed to sway out of the way of the first blow he was in danger yet again of loosing his head. He barely had time to register that there was in fact a second figure in the room with them and was in fact siring from her slumber. But instead of worrying about her he stepped back ducked under yet another incredibly fast swing and stepped forward, his hands flying up with the momentum of his step as his foot came down on his assailants in step. This had the fortunate effect of spinning the lizard about as he tried to recover from his missed blow which finally give the emperor a time to strike, and strike he did. Recovering from his maneuver took only a fraction of a second, and as he swung him self to the side to avoid the larger mans tail, he jumped and managed if barely to wrap his legs around the monsters deceptively slim hips. Then using his accumulated sideways momentum he pulled and fell to that same side and back wards, and as his back hit the ground and his legs started to fold over his chest he simply let go, throwing the creature over him.

Stop! That's the one we're supposed to report to!

Rolling to his feet Qin finally took his eyes away from the thing that had been his opponent for those few intense seconds.But what was that? Report to? This was curious that was for sure, but that didn't change the fact that he had just been fighting for his life, and that didn't seem like it was going to end any time soon... Unless this creature fallowed the womans instructions, but that was never a sure thing. "GUARDS!! TO ME!" Better safe then sorry, and better smart then dead that was for sure.

[Guest]

Grim blinked as the man evaded his attacks and was in the middle of recovering from his wide swings when he stepped on his foot. This caused the chimerae to lose his balance as his feet were spaced way too far apart. He tried to make a swing with his tail but to no avail; the man was just too quick which in grim's opinion was quite strange. It was one second that grim was standing and then next that he was flying in the air, grim wasn't exactly the heaviest of chimerae so it wasn't surprising someone who was trained to fight could throw him with such a move that this guy just pulled. He wasn't sure if that was standard fighting technique or what. Grim wasn't about to land in a heap either, jamming the end of his scythe to the ground and then flipping onto his feet while momentum was still carrying him forward causing him to skid for a few feet. Grim whirled and was about to continue the engagement when his charge yelled at him for something. Why would she not engage- wait this was the man they were supposed to report to? Grim frowned and walked over to Laven ignoring the man now. He had fought him and thus now knew his identity both through challenge and by Laven's words by name.

Laven was incredibly flustered at this moment when the guards on the outside came rushing in to their Emperor's aid like they rightly should. There was quite a lot of them, Laven wondered silently where they all had been hiding. No doubt there was a secret room she didn't know about or something else that she didn't know. There wasn't as many guards around her as grim since she appeared unarmed. They still gave Grim a wide berth as to avoid any intial swing that the creature would of tried to make. Laven gulped and reached into her pocket drawing out the letter with the clan symbol on it, she had shown it to the guards at the front and with a huff she glared at the guards that were nearest her as they stared at her in silent surprise.

The last time we reported to the emperor was over three years ago, we're supposed to report the cult's activities to him every year but we've been busy tracking a wild shark like chimerae's activities for those three years. It's all in the letter here, it would of gotten to you months ago if my cultists hadn't been killed on the way here. So I apologize in the fashion, and please excuse my retainer. He has... another way of learning someone's name.

Grim lazily flicked his tail when Laven mentioned him, he was at complete ease now which was strange considering the amount of guards that were present for the two chimerae. Laven was still flustered and handed the letter to the nearest guard who blinked at her in surprise. She made a "give it to him" gesture to Qin, the guard turned to Qin and then looked at the letter. Could this be..... Laven thought to herself as she slowly stood all the way up, she wasn't exactly the tallest of women but her lithe form was easily a tell tale sign of both an easy life and a deadly fighter(even if she didn't use weapons). The snake like chimerae pursed her lips and glared at grim who didn't make eye contact with his charge in an almost child like fashion.

But where are my manners; I didn't introduce either of us. This is my retainer Grim, he is supposed to be like a body guard to me. As for me I am Laven; I hold the title Of Dragon priestess.

With that Laven gave Qin a bow while grim kept his hands on both scythe and cloth; he wasn't supposed to bow anyways that's what Laven told him so far back that it's almost like instinct. She was the talker, he was the fighter as it would always be. Until he died of course which could honestly be at any time.

[Qin Shi Xun]

The guards formed a circle around them, some taking steps to be between Qin and those who posed a danger. Qin waved them away, but stayed his distance from the intruders. She had flashed his clans seal, and said something he doubted he would hear, though if he had to guess he would bet her information was slightly off. The cult of the Dragon had never reported to the Emperor before, only to the head of the Xun clan. Was she an impostor? Was she a she? He had a hard time telling...But the voice had sounded female, and that more then anything else was what he had to go on, other then the fact that she had introduced her self as priestess of course. "If what you say is true, then why did your guard attack me in my own home? That is not how one greets their emperor, and it warrants strict punishment even in the best of circumstances, which these are not." His voice was soft, so that his alkehestry would not effect them as much as it could otherwise. Though lowing his volume did only so much and in the end it would like always, beyond his control like few other things.

"In fact, this is cause for execution. Though i doubt ill subject you to such a sever punishment. Now please, tell me one more time who you are, and more importantly why are you here?" He let his arms difrt to his side and he almost floated forward, his legs making his movement seems both graceful and almost ghostly in their silence. Calm prevailed in the mans eyes, unlike so many others he knew its uses and had long ago mastered the art. He fed everything into the flame of his mind and in that way he didn't feel the fear and the doubt that plagued other mens minds. Cast your fear, your doubt, your love, your hate into the flame my son, because in the end everything will end in fire.

[Guest]

Laven rubbed her temples and looked at grim who was mimicking whistling innocently, he usually was very serious but this was one of those moments where he was being silly... Hardly the time or the place for it and Laven felt her anger spike and she let Grim know how she felt. The priestess grumbled and stood up after thwacking the top of Grim's head really hard causing him to grab the top of his head with a very animeish style to it. She rubbed the back of her head and pursed her "lips" thoughtfully, there wasn't much more she could say about how grim got to learn who someone was, it reminded her of that one guy off of the matrix for a moment before she huffed and looked calmly up at the emperor. If her information was correct he was supposedly the head of Xun clan still even though he was emporer, they hadn't been informed a new head had been chosen and if that was the case they were in the wrong and there was not much they could do about it. The priestess nodded a bit at Qin's statements and questions, serious business sort of stuff indeed.... but there wasn't a large cause of alarm for her before she started to speak.

It's sort of a thing he does, learn one by fighting them you know? Considering he can't exactly speak either doesn't warrant much of a greeting either My Emperor.

There was a small wince from grim when he heard the execution part and Laven waved her hand at her retainer. Sure that sort of thing did come from an attack but sometimes actions like this really made it easy to figure out who's who without much of a problem. Laven saw the error in this argument and easily took the route she thought best; it no doubt would probably cause some of the guards to either be surprised or just tighten their grips on their weapons.

As is if you weren't the emperor you wouldn't of been able to stave off that flurry of attacks, easier way of figuring out who's who without words. We've had to resort to that sort of thing where we have relocated. As to your questions...

The priestess glanced at Grim who now pulled out several dozen different letters all with both blood stains and tears on them. The cult of the dragon had a long standing tradition of sending one of it's own to deliver messages to the leader of the Xun clan. Her retainer tossed the letters to Laven who deftly caught them using her left hand, swishing them out like a fan and then folding them like a deck of cards. She looked at them and shook her head a few times before looking up at the emperor.

I am Laven, Priestess of the Dragon. This is Grim one of our chimeraes and also my retainer. We're here because all attempts to get into contact with whom we're supposed to report to for the last three years has failed. It's failed so badly but we've managed on the way here to recover most of the reports that we lost. When messengers fail the Dragon cult sends their priestess and their most powerful chimerae to report instead. Our information dictated that you were still the leader of the Xun clan as well as being the emperor, if our information was incorrect I apologize. We've had to relocate a few times so that's a bit of an issue with keeping our records up to date.

[Csilla Angelis]

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