-A/N: Most of this is not technically mine.A lot belongs to the White Wolf company.Huro Tsin belongs to my boyfriend. Hissing of Black Serpents is mine.Khan (who will be in the next chapter belongs to the other player in this game.This is a story of the epic-level Exalted game I am running. This first chapter is actually just a mod I ran with Huro's player to get him where he is supposed to be for the story line.-

A tentative knock at the door of the infirmary pulled Huro Tsin's attention from his two unconscious students. An attractive Asian-looking man, the Sidereal Chosen of Endings was clad in a suit with starmetal pinstripes. The elder Exalt was mildly surprised by the intrusion, but his long centuries prevented the slightest hint of it from showing on his face. "Yes?"

The air-aspected spirit servant bowed low and said respectfully, "A messenger is here to speak to you."

Huro raised an eyebrow. "Very well, send him in."

The servant beckoned, and a water spirit flowed through the door. He, too, bowed before the martial arts master and said, "My master, Lytek, requests an audience with you at your convenience."

Lytek? Huro thought. He has never called for me before. I wonder what he could want... Aloud, he told the messenger, "I will see him as soon as I may." He waved a hand dismissively and his own servant showed the other out.

Shortly thereafter, Huro was leaving his dojo and wandering through Yu-Shan to the Bureau of Heaven, where he walked in as if he owned the place. After all, he was a Sidereal. Arriving at the office of Lytek, Daimyo of Exaltation, he entered to find the god carefully pruning an Exalted Essence and very absorbed in his work.

"You wished to see me?" Huro was a firm believer in getting straight to the point.

The god, a man seemingly made of light, looked up from his work, startled. Then his face burst into a wide smile. "Ah, Huro Tsin, how good to see you! You see, I require your special brand of skills and would be most grateful if you would assist me."

Huro was as stoic as ever. "I'm listening."

The god rose from his chair, setting aside his tools, and strode around the desk. He began to explain. "Huro, as you may know, I give what support I can to the Gold Faction and, thus, to the Cult of the Illuminated."

The Sidereal was nonplussed. "And what does that have to do with me? I support neither faction; they are both too extreme."

Lytek smiled nervously, "Yes, but there is a–situation–at the Cult's Sequestered Tabernacle training camp. There is an elder Abyssal there who, amazingly, desires very much to become a Solar."

Huro was surprised to hear this, though again his face showed nothing. "An Abyssal wanting to become a Solar," he mused. "Interesting."

The god continued, "And I am sure you will agree that fewer Abyssal Essences is in the best interest of Creation." Huro hesitated, beginning to be convinced, and Lytek pressed his advantage, playing the one card he knew that the martial artist could not turn down. "Additionally, this Abyssal is something of a martial artist. I am given to understand that he has mastered three styles."

Well, Huro Tsin certainly would not refuse a potential new student, so he asked, "And what would you have me do about it?"

Lytek beamed. "Just go to the Sequestered Tabernacle, near Whitewall, and help him in whatever way you can. Gate 33 will get you to Whitewall" He placed a hand on Huro's shoulder. "I'm so glad you are willing to assist me in this."

Reflexes long since honed to near-perfection, Huro batted Lytek's hand away without even thinking. He didn't really care to be touched. "Sorry," he said, a touch sarcastically, "Reflexes."

Huro returned to his dojo to leave his eldest pupil in charge and to inform his students that he would return 'soon.' He then headed for the Adamant Wall and Gate 33. The celestial lions bowed respectfully to him as he left Heaven and entered Creation.

Huro found himself in the center of Whitewall and lost no time in leaving the city, making his way through the mountains towards the Sequestered Tabernacle. As he walked, he was suddenly aware that he was about to be ambushed. In the approximately three seconds he had as warning, he activated the Charm Perfection in Life, which would facilitate his ability to dodge attacks, and assumed a defensive stance, wielding his starmetal nunchaku. Ten Fair Folk leapt out in front of him, scantily clad, but heavily armed. They grinned and drew on Essence. From the pores of each fae flowed swirls of rainbow-colored liquid that rapidly formed into full body armor. The colors continued to swirl and shift in quite a nauseating manner. Given yet another moment's respite, Huro activated a combo of martial arts forms and stood ready for them. All of them attacked practically simultaneously. Huro was able, just barely, to dodge or parry every attack. Two of the fae had attempted to use charms that he then redirected. The pair shrieked as multicolored acid splashed their skin, burning on contact. Huro spent more Essence, unconcerned for how much he used as he was gaining it back thanks to his Charm Joy in Adversity Stance. He launched into a veritable whirlwind of attacks with the Charm Thumbnail Spider March that slaughtered six of the Fair Folk at once. In another few seconds, he had dropped the rest as well.

"Stupid fae," Huro muttered as he went calmly on his way. As far as he was concerned, the fact that they were outside of fate was ample proof that they should never have existed. While he wouldn't actively hunt them (leave that to the Lunars, that's what they're good at), he would not miss an opportunity to end the Fair Folk's existence when they made it convenient.

The Exalt continued on his way, suddenly coming through the clouds to a place where the rough terrain changed to lush grass. The gleaming white and gold five-sided structure of the Sequestered Tabernacle rose before him, its massive gold doors gleaming in the sunlight. Huro paused for a moment, admiring the architecture of the Manse, then strode forward and knocked on the doors. They opened slowly and a mortal in the unadorned white robes of a novice looked Huro up and down. "What is your business here?" the young man asked cautiously.

Huro merely raised an eyebrow and channeled a tiny amount of Essence to cause his anima to flare. A violet circle appeared on the floor beneath his feet, a stylized dragon in the circle and a prayer to Saturn written in Old Realm surrounding it. His Caste Mark shone with an intense violet light as well.

The mortal trembled, then fell to the floor, prostrating himself and begging forgiveness. "Forgive me Shining One, I did not know who you were. I am sorry, I did not realize--"

"Get up," Huro interrupted him impatiently. Mortals, he thought to himself. Then he spoke to the novice again. "There is a...dark...Shining One here, is there not? Where is he?"

"Dark?" The mortal looked confused for a moment. "Oh! I know who you mean! He's really good at martial arts but he doesn't come out of his room a lot. We don't get to see him much but he's really handsome and really powerful." He began leading Huro down the hallway, still chattering on about how much he loved the 'dark' Shining One. They finally stopped before a door unlike any other they had passed so far. While everything else in the place was made of white marble, this was of black marble and resembled nothing so much as the door to a crypt. The novice said, "This is where the dark Shining One lives. He never has visitors; he doesn't seem to like them." He bowed low and scampered off down the hallway.

Huro knocked on the door, but there was no answer. Putting his ear to the door, he listened carefully. The Exalt's sharp ears picked up the sound of a heart beating slightly faster than normal and of footfalls whose rhythm seemed to indicate someone practicing martial arts. He opened the door and walked in. He had been polite enough by knocking, after all. The inside of the room was just like a crypt, down to the smallest detail. Everything was done in cold gray marble. On the other side of a long stone slab, a man was going smoothly through the motions of a form Huro did not readily recognize. After watching for a moment, the Sidereal walked around the slab and easily parried the other Exalt's movements as he whirled around. They stood staring at each other for a moment. The Abyssal was the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome. His gleaming raven hair was pulled back. His skin was ivory pale, though his lips were ruby red. He was dressed in a simple loose black tunic and pants, and he was barefoot. A black ring surrounding a black circle was the only thing that marred his perfect face, set in the middle of his forehead above his glittering black eyes.

The Abyssal stepped back and took up a defensive stance. Huro, on the other hand, stood calmly, the tips of his fingers together and his hands at waist height in a peaceful gesture. He said, "I noticed that style you were using, but I don't recall it off-hand."

The Abyssal nodded warily. "It's Hungry Ghost Style."

"Ah," said Huro in comprehension, "the Abyssal style. I had a–close associate–I suppose most would call him a friend–who used that style."

"Who are you?" the Abyssal asked suspiciously.

"One who has been sent to help you achieve what you desire."

"What I desire..." the Abyssal mused.

Huro nodded slightly. "I am told you wish to become a Shining One again."

A hint of a smile appeared on the Abyssal's face and he replied, "An interesting way to put it, but yes, I do want to become a Solar. How exactly do you intend to help me?"

The Sidereal thought for a moment. "I will use my resources and connections and those of the Cult to research a way you may be changed into a Solar."

The Abyssal chuckled. "Somehow I doubt you will find Venerable Silk very prepared to help. He doesn't seem to like me very much."

"Venerable Silk..." Huro grumbled.

"You know of him then?" At Huro's nod, the Abyssal smiled.

"He's such a politician," Huro noted.

The Abyssal nodded in agreement. "Which is likely part of why he doesn't like me, as I suppose I am one as well. And then there's the fact that I was sent here to overthrow him and gain control over the Cult."

Huro raised an eyebrow. "I had noticed your Mark bears a striking similarity to the Eclipse Solars. Bunch of bureaucrats."

The Abyssal smiled. "Moonshadow Caste," he said in explanation. "And you have yet to even reveal your name."

The Sidereal paused a moment before replying, "I'm Huro."

"Just Huro?" the Abyssal prodded.

"My name is Huro Tsin, but I answer to Huro," he clarified.

The Abyssal offered his hand. "I am Hissing of Black Serpents." He grimaced slightly. "My apologies for the ridiculous title; it is the only name I can claim."

Huro grasped the offered hand, noting that Hissing of Black Serpent's skin was icy cold.

The talk turned to Huro's previous Abyssal associate Dark Knight of the Iron Crown and their Circle's activities. Huro told about their defeat of the Scarlet Empress in great detail. After his story, the conversation turned back to martial arts.

"What styles do you know, other than Hungry Ghost?" Huro asked.

"Water Dragon and Tiger Style," Hissing of Black Serpents responded.

"I also am a master of those styles," Huro said, "as well as Air Dragon and several styles I am forbidden to say too much of, ones that are unique to my kind." He raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps we could arrange a demonstration for the mortals."

Hissing of Black Serpents smiled. "They impress easily enough. There are ceremonies at every sunset. If you would like, we could spar at tomorrow's sunset service."

The barest hint of a smile appeared on Huro's face. "I would like that."