The sunset burned brightly upon the waters of the California coast. The beaches were nearly deserted, only the most die hard of Los Angeles' surfing populace choose to brave the winter waters. The waves made a steady beat on the cliffs below, the pulsing heart of Gaia Herself. But despite the beautiful view and calming settings, the Zephyr Ahroun Chiryuken the Soulflame was standing ill at ease. The light set his red hair to a deep, dark red, the color of crushed hematite, his great, golden, raptor eyes staring in earnest at the setting sun. It was only when he turned his gaze from the heavens that one could see that his eyes burned with their own inner flame, like two candles standing against the darkness.
The person approaching Chi had yet to overcome her trepidation when those yellow orbs turned upon her, but she masked it well. Whether or not she succeeded in hiding it from the Stargazer was only known to him. Alisa Merchant was the owner of this mansion on the ocean, though just by looking at her a person would be hard pressed to except that. She was of diminutive stature, only a half foot over 5 feet even in boots, and dressed like any other 20 year old in faded skin tight jeans, which accented her thin but muscular legs and hips to the the tight jean-shirt with the rolled up sleeves, which showed off the rest of her slim figure. But a person would have to be stupid to miss the obvious power locked in that frame. Many a marauding mage had found this out, far, far to late to do anything about it. Her hazel eyes and deep brown hair showed her Spanish heritage, her facial features sharply defined thanks to her mothers normadic ancestors.
Not for the first time she noticed how different he was from anything else in her Malibu environment. Even given his distinctly Celtic coloring, no one could mistake the Asian cast to his features, from the up-turned eyes and high cheek bones to his wiry frame; nor could one ignore his style of dress. His clothes were an unrelieved midnight blue, so dark as to almost be black. The kimono was cut to be close fitting but lose enough to leave his movements unhampered, no lose fabric to get caught on out hangs.
Perhaps what most made him stand out were the objects strapped to his belt: a tachi on the left hip and a tanto on the right, the Japanese long and short sword combination sported by the ancient samarai, however, few of those old samurai would have been able to wield both of the blades at the same time as Chiryuken was rumored to do. The Glasswalker knew that both those blades were fetishes, though what exactly their powers were had remained a mystery to her informant.
Yes, indeed, when she had heard she would have such a distinguished guest arriving she had dug up as much about him as could possibly be gleaned from her informants in the Asian districts. While the informant had not been able to find out what the fetishes did, he had been able to tell her that they had sliver in the blade; it wasn't that the blades were purely silver, as her informant had described it the edges had been tempered in a clay containing silver in it. Apparently, this embedded a healthy dose of silver particles into the cutting edge, making them especially lethal to Garou and other shapechangers. According to the informant, the only Garou he used those blades on were the Black Spirals, otherwise he was perfectly capable of taking another Garou out with his bare hands. He was in fact Kailindori, a master of the shapechanger-exclusive martial arts techniques, the youngest Master of the Ethereal Way in the last 500 years.
It was difficult to tell what age the Stargazer was, but her informant claimed he had it on good authority that he had been born in the year of the Dragon, making him 25 years old. Only five years older than me, but a world of experience beyond me, she thought wistfully. If he wasn't here for what I think he's here for, well, I mean, he is kinda cute…
Inevitably the young Glasswalker's eyes were drawn to the tattoo in the center of Chiryuken's forehead, the most interesting bit of gossip her informant passed on: The tattoo was in fact a Seal against a Rage so great it had almost eaten him alive. The amazing part was that he was still renowned for his level of Rage when roused to battle, and the amount of willpower he possessed to control that Rage was just as extraordinary and a testament to his Stargazer upbringing.
"I realize I must appear strange to one such as you, who has been brought up in the United States, but I believe staring is polite in neither of our cultures." Chiryuken's eyes never wavered from hers; there was neither malice nor beneficence in his glowing gaze.
Well, I guess that he saw through my mask. Might as well be gracious. "I'm afraid you are only too correct on both counts. But Soulflame-rhya, while it is an honor to play hostess to you, I must confess I'm confused as to why you have come here."
The corners or Chi's lips moved slightly upwards, and he turned to face the sunset again.
"Markanto-dono, what rumors have you heard of me?" Typical Stargazer, answering a question with a question.
"I have heard many things of your skill in battle, and of your wisdom. But what I have heard most of is your honor." This was all true, if it had not been she would never have agreed to meet him in the first place.
"Then why do you not trust me?" His eyes had returned to hers, and seemed to bore into hers, as if reaching directly into her mind.
"But I've let you into my home and have meet you without arms; isn't this enough trust?" This wasn't entirely true, she had a contingency plan in place incase he turned out to be unlike the rumors, that is why they are called rumors after all…
"Then why do you have that nice older gentleman covering me with a sniper rifle?" Again, Chiryuken's eyes never wavered.
Alisa Merchant felt a cold sweat stand out from her body. Somehow he had seen right through her. He had known from the moment he stepped onto the terrace that she'd had her butler trace him with the special high-powered silver-tracer-shooting sniper's rifle. She had nothing left. If the Ahroun decided to take her life for this insult then there was nothing she could do. No matter how fast William's reflexes were it wouldn't matter, she'd heard of his speed and there was no way he'd be able to beat the Garou.
Alisa should have known that if he had come here to kill her, he would have done so with little trouble. She had no options left, but if she were to die, she could at least die with honor and dignity. Never taking her eyes off the Zephyr's, she waved William's off, and walked to the marble statue of Fortuna, Goddess of Luck and Good Tidings that stood at the zenith of the terrace's arch as it pointed to the setting sun. From the stony belt she drew her family's greatest heirloom. The silver in the klaive's blade shone a bright orange in the dieing light. Alisa thought the setting and time oddly poignant, and felt a brief ache in her chest. She had so much more to do, so much to protect. What would happen to the caern her house stood over? It had been in her family's trust ever since the death of the Pure Ones who defended it. It had been the dying wish of a Pure One that her many greats-grandfather protect the caern from the other Wyrmbringers, and even the Uktena who lived nearby had left that trust to her family. Perhaps she had not proven her worth to defend this caern? Or had the Uktena decided it was time to take their old caern back and asked Chiryuken to get rid of her as a favor?
But the time when she could have asked questions was long gone, and now she must prepare herself for what was to come. She took a deep breath, and called in as clear and defiant a voice as she could: "If I am to die, I would have it be in combat. I challenge you, Chiryuken Soulflame, to a duel by klaive. But I make one condition: We will both fight as humans." Alisa could feel strength and resolve flow into her as she spoke these words of challenge. Is this what it feels like to know without doubt that you are about to die? It's strange, I don't feel that frightened.
Chiryuken said nothing, he simply detached his blade sheaths from his belt and placed them on the table. He drew out the tanto as his klaive. The two combatants began to circle each other slowly, blades held high. Chiryuken had turned his blade downward in his grasp, so it stretched out along his fore arm. It would reduce his reach somewhat, but the technique would also increase the already deadly cutting and stabbing power of the Japanese blade.
Alisa felt as if the rest of the world was revolving around her and her opponent, and were holding it's breath in one long moment, the moment before the first strike. The beating of the waves had ceased, and the air was still as death. The only light left was from the sliver of sun still left on the horizon, and the soft glow from Chi's yellow eyes. Suddenly she sensed an opening, an opportunity to attack. She rushed in low to the right, and at the last second dropped to the ball of her left foot, pivoting to sweep the Stargazer's legs out from under him. But her leg meet nothing, as she felt the swoosh of air over her head as he flipped over her. She quickly finished the rotation already started by her kick to bring up a high guard, just in time to catch the descending point hilt to hilt.
Any other opponent she would have expected to try and use his superior position to try and force her down, but hardly had she felt the pressure of the tanto when it was gone. Instead she was greeted by the sole of his left boot as he snapped it into her face. In her heightened sense of awareness she watched every move like she was a spectator, his 180 degree spin on the right foot, then leaning into that leg as he drew his leg up into his hip, like a snake ready to strike; then, with unbelievable speed, the foot whipped out directly into her face. For a split second all she could see were the emerging stars, and oddly enough, she thought them beautiful at the time. Then she felt the bite of the stonework of the terrace in her upper back as she met mother earth again. Remembering the training she had received at the hands of her late father, she used the momentum to roll into a defensive crouch, sure he would be coming in for the easy kill. But again he surprised her, instead of following up on his advantage, he had returned to his stance from when they had first started the duel. If she didn't already feel the healing in her broken nose, she would never have been able to tell they had started in the first place!
Now she was getting angry. Is this guy just TOYING with me? I'm in the fight of my life and he's just, just TOYING with me? She could feel the beating of her Rage within her replace the absent beating of the shoreline. The urge to shift to Crinos was strong, incredibly strong. Why shouldn't I? If I get a lucky shot in, I might kill him or at least cripple him so he can't fight back!
Honor
Why the hell should I care about honor at this point? This is my life we're talking about!
But you were the one who demanded the fight would be in homid form only.
So what? Which is more important, my life or my honor? I'm not some damn knight of the Round Table you know!
Which is more important, your life or your honor?
Alisa thought the answer would come easily to her, but somehow she could not force herself to do it.
Well, she thought whimsically to herself, I guess it's honor after all.
It was over, and she knew it; he wasn't showing any openings that she could see, if he'd ever really shown any to begin with. Might as well make this memorable. She couldn't get over this giddily brave face she was showing herself, as she hurled herself, with no strategy in mind other than at least landing one blow on him before he casually thrust that deadly silver into her heart. For a split second she thought she had succeeded, she could see his glowing eyes register a brief moment of surprise, and then he was just gone, nothing but air left where he had been standing. Nothing but air and the low railing of the terrace.
It was far too late for Alisa to try and stop her head long rush, and she felt herself start to flip over the rail. I guess that was a smarter move than I gave it credit. If I'd hit him he would have been a bloody stain on the beach. Too bad that's going to be me now. She felt the lower half of her body leave contact with the railing, and it was nothing but her and the warm air and the moon that was just now finally visible. How pretty you are Luna. Perhaps Gaia will let me serve you in the afterlife. The moon was a beautiful gibbous, waxing, and seemed to be peeking out from a sleepy eyelid. Time just seemed to have stopped all together and she could see and smell every detail of her surroundings. Her sense of smell seemed to be particularly acute; the smell of the sea below her, the marble of the terrace, and curiously the smell of incense. Incense?
That's when the hand grabbed her wrist in a vise like grip, nearly crushing the bones beneath. Her free fall was brought to an abrupt halt, as her legs swung out over open space. She looked up in utter surprise, to see Chiryuken in Glabro form gripping on to her with his right hand, and to the hilt of his tanto, which he had buried into the side of the balcony floor, with his left. The wiry muscles of his upper body were stretched taunt with the effort of stopping her downward momentum, and the veins in his neck stood out clear even in the approaching dark. Before she could catch her breath he rocked her to the left, then swung her up to the lip of the rail. Frantically she grasped hold, the sudden reality of over 200 feet of empty space below her catching up with her in a sudden rush of acrophobia. Before she clambered back over the railing she looked down at her erstwhile opponent. He probably only did it for the sake of his stupid honor. He can't just let me kill myself, no, HE'S got to do it by his own hand otherwise he won't get the glory! Well, what if I just dropped you right here, huh? He was still only hanging on by the one hand to the blade. She looked right into his eyes and saw…nothing. He was as blank a slate as when this whole thing had started. I don't care what they say about his 'honor', he's only a cold hearted killer, sent here by those damn magic-hungry Uktena. Well, I'll show those ass-holes, oh yes, when they find out I've taken out the Soulflame they won't quite be so ready to take me on, uh uh. As she was saying this too herself, she was reaching down to the knife while changing to Crinos form, fully expecting herself to pull the blade out of the wall and send the blood-thirsty Ahroun to his most just demise on the uncaring rocks. But instead she watched her giant hand circle gently around the Zephyr's wrist and start to pull him up to safety.
Well, I guess that's it for the easy kill plan, hmm? Why is it the good guys always have the toughest job? I guess I am 'honorable' in my own sort of way. If I somehow survive this (which I won't I'm sure) I'll have to have someone beat the stupid out of me.
Alisa Merchant set Chiryuken down and proceeded to swing her 9 foot frame over the railing. It was only when she was all the way over that she noticed he had slipped the tanto out of the stonework on his way up, without her being aware of it at all. He truly is something else, isn't he? Maybe I should be honored that they sent someone like him to remove me. There's that damn word again, 'honor'. Someone needs to explain to me why this whole thing with honor is such a big deal anyway.
Slowly Alisa looked down at her fist and realized it was still clenched around her klaive. I can still fight, I guess. The sprain in her wrist was long gone, healed by her supernatural flesh. She was still in relatively good condition, a little tired from all the excersize, but otherwise ready to go. She got down in a defensive crouch, determined to let him attack this time, if he wanted her so bad. She shifted back into homid form, as she noticed he had, mindful of the agreement at the beginning of the challenge. If you want me bro, you're just going to have to come and get me.
For what she thought was the last time she locked eyes with this monster of martial mayhem. But instead of feeling intimidated, as she had all the other times, she felt a rising surge of Rage, even after all the shapeshifting, wash over her and give her strength. She stood ready, whatever fate Gaia choose to met out to her, she would except, as long as she did credit to her father's teachings.
Chiryuken the Soulflame, Ahroun Zephyr of the Stargazer tribe, possibly one of the greatest martial artists to ever be born to the Garou, held in fear by some, and awe by many, looked straight into this proud Philodox Glasswalker Alisa Merchant, with his eyes that glowed with his suppressed rage, and nodded his head once, briefly and calmly. Slowly he turned to the table which stood beside him and took up the sheath which had held his tanto and his slipped it home. Grabbing his already sheathed sword he started into the house, without even looking at Alisa.
"Wha…What the hell do you think you're doing?!?" For what felt like the hundredth time this confusing day she felt utterly bewildered. First we're fighting a klaive duel, a duel to the death, and suddenly he's just walking away?
"It has been a long day for both of us, and while I don't know about you, I feel hungry. Perhaps if you let me use your facilities, I can make something for us to eat."
"But…I…I…" Alisa looked down at the klaive in her hand in despair of ever understanding what was happening to her.
"Return it to its resting place. It is a good place to put it, the spirits are not happy within the sanctum of the Weaver." Chiryuken had halted in front of the door and was calmly awaiting her.
Alisa looked one more time at the klaive, then strode over to the statue of Fortuna and returned it to her belt.
"You had better explain yourself while we're eating or I swear honor or no honor I will kill you in the middle of the second course."
"If you insist."
After they were seated at the huge mahogany table set with silverware that was not, really, silver, and the soup was being server by Williams, (whom had actually made the dinner, as Alisa argued, What the hell did she pay him for anyways?) Alisa was done waiting for answers. In truth, she was fed up with this whole business, and just wanted to know what was going on.
"Spill, Jack. I can't wait any longer." She frowned mightily at him, no longer afraid of him; if was going to kill her, he was going to kill her, and there simply wasn't anything left for her to do.
Calmly spooning up his soup, Chiryuken smiled faintly, "You were the one who requested I come here."
"I don't remember ever inviting you here, Soulflame-rhya."
"I have to admit," Chiryuken let the barest bit of a chuckle slip into his voice, "you did not invite me specifically. When the Cockroach Jaggerling first approached one of my packmates almost attacked it without thinking. Luckily enough those cockroaches are quite resourceful, and he was able to relate the message."
"The message, but what…" Alisa suddenly halted midsection, and her mouth formed an 'O' as realization flashed through her consciousness. "But I had to have asked Cockroach for help well over a year ago!"
"Well, I'm afraid I am simply not at the beck and call of Cockroach, and I had a very important quest to finish when he approached me. But I am here now, and I will teach you what you need to know." The main course was just now being served, a specialty of Williams he called 'spicy chicken alfredo'. While it was one of Alisa's favorites, Chiryuken was looking at the heap of pasta with a bemused expression.
"If you think it's poisoned, we can trade plates, Soulflame-rhya." Alisa was a little hurt at this idea that after all that had already happened she might be accused of trying to poison her guest.
"No, no, I was not hesitating for that; it's just that I've never had a dish such as this. Please realize, I have spent the grand majority of my life in rural Asia; in fact, finding my way here would have been very difficult if the cockroach-spirit had not shown me the way." The great Ahroun took up his fork, which he stared quizzically at for a brief moment, before positioning it in a relative approximation of what someone who had grown up using a fork used. At first, he only picked at the chicken, scoping it up at first, then finally relenting and spearing it with a slight expression of chagrin on his face, then proceeded to scoop the fettuccini directly into his mouth, as he would were he eating ramen.
Alisa watched this whole spectacle with an expression of black humor written all across her face. So he isn't a god after all! She grimly chuckled to herself, but before he could catch on she spoke up:
"If you'd like it better, I could produce some chopsticks for you to use."
Chiryuken sighed, he was very perceptive and knew this attractive lady wolf was amused by his inexperience with European-American utensils, "Thank you, but no; if I am to live in this house, I should learn your Kinfolk customs."
"Live…in this house…?"
"Alisa Merchant," Chiryuken placed both elbows on the table top, then rested his chin on his clasped hands, "I have come at your request for a teacher and guardian; I have agreed to teach you the sacred art of Kailindo so that you might one day be able to defend this caern yourself. Furthermore, I will help to bring other Garou here to this caern so that you might have a proper sept to defend this sacred site. I am willing to do all this, which might take a decade or more, and yet, so far I have asked nothing in return."
"Soulflame-rhya, forgive me, of course you may stay in this house!" Since it had become apparent that she would not die today, or at least not by the hands of the Zephyr, she had discovered those glowing eyes were just as unnerving as ever. She hadn't really considered the implications of what she had asked when she performed the rite to summon one of her tribe's avatar-spirits, but now that Chiryuken had set them all out, it was asking a lot, and any other Garou would have flat out denied her, or at the very least asked for something quite hefty in return.
Then part of what he said to her burned into her mind: "You're going to teach me…Kailindo…" Alisa could hardly find the breath to speak, it had been a dream of hers since she was first introduced into the world of the Garou to learn the special martial arts.
"Please, Soulflame-rhya, whatever you desire of me I shall grant you, money, money is no problem…"
Chiryuken was shaking his head, his eyes closed and smiling faintly again in amusement, "no, no, there is no need, I have very little use for money, Merkanto-dono. Truly, I am pleased to teach you what I can; it is part of Gaia's plan for the Stargazers that we teach our wisdom to the rest of her children."
"Soulflame-rhya, you said that we would build a sept here, to guard the caern, but…the power of the caern here is very small, it is why only one Garou has been able to defend it for so many years. The only trouble we've had is from mages trying to steal the energy, and they are easy to handle. How are we going to get other Garou to come here?"
Before he answered Chiryuken finished his pasta, having watched his dining-mate he knew how he was supposed to use the fork to eat the pasta, but he was still having some difficulty handling the fork. It reminded Alisa very much of a young child eating his first dish of spaghetti.
"What makes you think the power is so small? I admit, from the outside it seems quite negligible, and it is because of this that the Uktena have not taken back their 'ancient homeland' from your family, but without a sept to draw on it's energy, it has been growing since it came into the protection of your family. Now it is quite large, if one looks carefully enough. I'm not surprised that as a Philodox and a Glasswalker you have not noticed this, it was the Theurge of my pack whom rooted out the true power of your caern."
Alisa was shocked at this. My family's caern, large? Is that why the mages have constantly been hounding after the power stored there? But that means…
"Won't the Uktena want the caern after they find out about this? I mean, it was originally their caern."
"I think," Chiryuken frowned in thought, "that as long as we don't exclude them from the sept, that they will not be willing to risk a fight with the Glasswalker tribe over one caern that they will already have access too."
"I guess that would work…" Alisa wasn't the sure.
"I have had many dealings with the Uktena, and while they are very closed-mouth about their secrets, they are otherwise a social tribe, and will not want to start an inter-tribe war."
"I'll bow down to your judgment, then. Soulflame-rhya, there is something I need to ask you…why did we fight that duel? I honestly thought I was going to die today." Alisa finally asked what had been bothering her the entire time after the duel. Why had they had it in the first place?
Chiryuken just looked at her with those uncanny eyes, saying not a thing.
Slowly, the seed of an idea sprouted in her mind, then quickly came to bloom. And the color? Bright red.
"You were testing me, weren't you! You let me think I was going to die, no, you almost let me die, and you can just sit there and stare at me! I ought to bet the ever living shit out of you! I, I, I, ahhh…." Alisa could feel the Rage rising up in her, blocking off her fear of this man, this person who had let her play the fool in this farce!
Chiryuken simply raised one eyebrow, poignantly, elegantly, and that said it all. In one simple movement he conveyed quite a bit of information. Not only had he been testing her, he was not yet done testing her. Would she be able to control her anger? Or would she frenzy, here and now, and perhaps force him to kill her in self-defense. It was not that uncommon for a young Garou to frenzy during training, and it was also not unheard of for the young cub to be badly injured or even killed by their mentor. Alisa felt as though she was sinking into a quicksand of her Rage, and if she slipped below the surface…it was her choice. She could let herself fall into the sand, sink down and know nothing more, or she could fight and attain what she had always dreamed. How strong are your dreams, Alisa? Are they strong enough to fight for? To die for?
Chiryuken rose from his seat across the table and came around and kneeled down by her side. He reached out and placed his hand over her claw, the change fuelled by her Rage. It was a lifeline, a way to pull herself out of her Rage. But did she want to pull herself out, or pull him in with her?
She looked into his eyes, those damned, haunting, glowing eyes. And a realization came over her. Those eyes weren't really cold and alien at all. No, really, they were warm, a warm yellow glow. Like the spring sun after winter is over, healing the barren land. No, those eyes were not the eyes of a cold killer, or an uncaring elder, but the eyes of a healer, a teacher, who gave more of themselves than they expected of others, not because they wanted the fame and glory, but because they had lived with pain, too, and they knew the way out.
Suddenly, instead of wanting to rip him apart, Alisa found herself clutching this person, her savior, and sobbing into his clothing, telling him how she had been alone for so long since her father died, and how she had been so scared, and how she had no idea what she was doing, and, and, and…
Chiryuken didn't flinch away. He didn't tell her to get a grip on herself, that Garou didn't cry and warriors shouldn't be scared. He just held her, and petted her hair as if she were ten years younger, and let her expel all the fears and anxieties she had bottled up for so long.
Finally Alisa had cried herself out, and was feeling just a tiny bit embarrassed. If her friends could see her now…
"So, Soulflame-rhya, what do you wish me to do?" She had decided; no matter what he asked of her, she would do it; she would do anything to have this man as her teacher. She would make this caern a great center for the Garou in Southern California, and she would do anything in her power to make that dream, her dream, a reality.
"I have one thing you must do for me. From now on, unless we are in the middle of a lesson, call me Chi. All my friends do." He gave his signature smile, the barest lifting of the corners of his thin lips.
Such a sad smile. But I'll change that. I'll give you a reason to smile with true happiness Chi, I swear I will. You ask for nothing, but I'll return this gift with interest. I can't erase the sadness in your eyes, but I put joy in there to accompany your suffering. This, this I swear by Gaia. And Alisa Merchant, Philodox Glasswalker, the little rich Garou who had been alone for so long, finally found the strength to smile back through her tears.
No matter what happens, we'll face it together. Neither of us needs to be alone anymore.
The person approaching Chi had yet to overcome her trepidation when those yellow orbs turned upon her, but she masked it well. Whether or not she succeeded in hiding it from the Stargazer was only known to him. Alisa Merchant was the owner of this mansion on the ocean, though just by looking at her a person would be hard pressed to except that. She was of diminutive stature, only a half foot over 5 feet even in boots, and dressed like any other 20 year old in faded skin tight jeans, which accented her thin but muscular legs and hips to the the tight jean-shirt with the rolled up sleeves, which showed off the rest of her slim figure. But a person would have to be stupid to miss the obvious power locked in that frame. Many a marauding mage had found this out, far, far to late to do anything about it. Her hazel eyes and deep brown hair showed her Spanish heritage, her facial features sharply defined thanks to her mothers normadic ancestors.
Not for the first time she noticed how different he was from anything else in her Malibu environment. Even given his distinctly Celtic coloring, no one could mistake the Asian cast to his features, from the up-turned eyes and high cheek bones to his wiry frame; nor could one ignore his style of dress. His clothes were an unrelieved midnight blue, so dark as to almost be black. The kimono was cut to be close fitting but lose enough to leave his movements unhampered, no lose fabric to get caught on out hangs.
Perhaps what most made him stand out were the objects strapped to his belt: a tachi on the left hip and a tanto on the right, the Japanese long and short sword combination sported by the ancient samarai, however, few of those old samurai would have been able to wield both of the blades at the same time as Chiryuken was rumored to do. The Glasswalker knew that both those blades were fetishes, though what exactly their powers were had remained a mystery to her informant.
Yes, indeed, when she had heard she would have such a distinguished guest arriving she had dug up as much about him as could possibly be gleaned from her informants in the Asian districts. While the informant had not been able to find out what the fetishes did, he had been able to tell her that they had sliver in the blade; it wasn't that the blades were purely silver, as her informant had described it the edges had been tempered in a clay containing silver in it. Apparently, this embedded a healthy dose of silver particles into the cutting edge, making them especially lethal to Garou and other shapechangers. According to the informant, the only Garou he used those blades on were the Black Spirals, otherwise he was perfectly capable of taking another Garou out with his bare hands. He was in fact Kailindori, a master of the shapechanger-exclusive martial arts techniques, the youngest Master of the Ethereal Way in the last 500 years.
It was difficult to tell what age the Stargazer was, but her informant claimed he had it on good authority that he had been born in the year of the Dragon, making him 25 years old. Only five years older than me, but a world of experience beyond me, she thought wistfully. If he wasn't here for what I think he's here for, well, I mean, he is kinda cute…
Inevitably the young Glasswalker's eyes were drawn to the tattoo in the center of Chiryuken's forehead, the most interesting bit of gossip her informant passed on: The tattoo was in fact a Seal against a Rage so great it had almost eaten him alive. The amazing part was that he was still renowned for his level of Rage when roused to battle, and the amount of willpower he possessed to control that Rage was just as extraordinary and a testament to his Stargazer upbringing.
"I realize I must appear strange to one such as you, who has been brought up in the United States, but I believe staring is polite in neither of our cultures." Chiryuken's eyes never wavered from hers; there was neither malice nor beneficence in his glowing gaze.
Well, I guess that he saw through my mask. Might as well be gracious. "I'm afraid you are only too correct on both counts. But Soulflame-rhya, while it is an honor to play hostess to you, I must confess I'm confused as to why you have come here."
The corners or Chi's lips moved slightly upwards, and he turned to face the sunset again.
"Markanto-dono, what rumors have you heard of me?" Typical Stargazer, answering a question with a question.
"I have heard many things of your skill in battle, and of your wisdom. But what I have heard most of is your honor." This was all true, if it had not been she would never have agreed to meet him in the first place.
"Then why do you not trust me?" His eyes had returned to hers, and seemed to bore into hers, as if reaching directly into her mind.
"But I've let you into my home and have meet you without arms; isn't this enough trust?" This wasn't entirely true, she had a contingency plan in place incase he turned out to be unlike the rumors, that is why they are called rumors after all…
"Then why do you have that nice older gentleman covering me with a sniper rifle?" Again, Chiryuken's eyes never wavered.
Alisa Merchant felt a cold sweat stand out from her body. Somehow he had seen right through her. He had known from the moment he stepped onto the terrace that she'd had her butler trace him with the special high-powered silver-tracer-shooting sniper's rifle. She had nothing left. If the Ahroun decided to take her life for this insult then there was nothing she could do. No matter how fast William's reflexes were it wouldn't matter, she'd heard of his speed and there was no way he'd be able to beat the Garou.
Alisa should have known that if he had come here to kill her, he would have done so with little trouble. She had no options left, but if she were to die, she could at least die with honor and dignity. Never taking her eyes off the Zephyr's, she waved William's off, and walked to the marble statue of Fortuna, Goddess of Luck and Good Tidings that stood at the zenith of the terrace's arch as it pointed to the setting sun. From the stony belt she drew her family's greatest heirloom. The silver in the klaive's blade shone a bright orange in the dieing light. Alisa thought the setting and time oddly poignant, and felt a brief ache in her chest. She had so much more to do, so much to protect. What would happen to the caern her house stood over? It had been in her family's trust ever since the death of the Pure Ones who defended it. It had been the dying wish of a Pure One that her many greats-grandfather protect the caern from the other Wyrmbringers, and even the Uktena who lived nearby had left that trust to her family. Perhaps she had not proven her worth to defend this caern? Or had the Uktena decided it was time to take their old caern back and asked Chiryuken to get rid of her as a favor?
But the time when she could have asked questions was long gone, and now she must prepare herself for what was to come. She took a deep breath, and called in as clear and defiant a voice as she could: "If I am to die, I would have it be in combat. I challenge you, Chiryuken Soulflame, to a duel by klaive. But I make one condition: We will both fight as humans." Alisa could feel strength and resolve flow into her as she spoke these words of challenge. Is this what it feels like to know without doubt that you are about to die? It's strange, I don't feel that frightened.
Chiryuken said nothing, he simply detached his blade sheaths from his belt and placed them on the table. He drew out the tanto as his klaive. The two combatants began to circle each other slowly, blades held high. Chiryuken had turned his blade downward in his grasp, so it stretched out along his fore arm. It would reduce his reach somewhat, but the technique would also increase the already deadly cutting and stabbing power of the Japanese blade.
Alisa felt as if the rest of the world was revolving around her and her opponent, and were holding it's breath in one long moment, the moment before the first strike. The beating of the waves had ceased, and the air was still as death. The only light left was from the sliver of sun still left on the horizon, and the soft glow from Chi's yellow eyes. Suddenly she sensed an opening, an opportunity to attack. She rushed in low to the right, and at the last second dropped to the ball of her left foot, pivoting to sweep the Stargazer's legs out from under him. But her leg meet nothing, as she felt the swoosh of air over her head as he flipped over her. She quickly finished the rotation already started by her kick to bring up a high guard, just in time to catch the descending point hilt to hilt.
Any other opponent she would have expected to try and use his superior position to try and force her down, but hardly had she felt the pressure of the tanto when it was gone. Instead she was greeted by the sole of his left boot as he snapped it into her face. In her heightened sense of awareness she watched every move like she was a spectator, his 180 degree spin on the right foot, then leaning into that leg as he drew his leg up into his hip, like a snake ready to strike; then, with unbelievable speed, the foot whipped out directly into her face. For a split second all she could see were the emerging stars, and oddly enough, she thought them beautiful at the time. Then she felt the bite of the stonework of the terrace in her upper back as she met mother earth again. Remembering the training she had received at the hands of her late father, she used the momentum to roll into a defensive crouch, sure he would be coming in for the easy kill. But again he surprised her, instead of following up on his advantage, he had returned to his stance from when they had first started the duel. If she didn't already feel the healing in her broken nose, she would never have been able to tell they had started in the first place!
Now she was getting angry. Is this guy just TOYING with me? I'm in the fight of my life and he's just, just TOYING with me? She could feel the beating of her Rage within her replace the absent beating of the shoreline. The urge to shift to Crinos was strong, incredibly strong. Why shouldn't I? If I get a lucky shot in, I might kill him or at least cripple him so he can't fight back!
Honor
Why the hell should I care about honor at this point? This is my life we're talking about!
But you were the one who demanded the fight would be in homid form only.
So what? Which is more important, my life or my honor? I'm not some damn knight of the Round Table you know!
Which is more important, your life or your honor?
Alisa thought the answer would come easily to her, but somehow she could not force herself to do it.
Well, she thought whimsically to herself, I guess it's honor after all.
It was over, and she knew it; he wasn't showing any openings that she could see, if he'd ever really shown any to begin with. Might as well make this memorable. She couldn't get over this giddily brave face she was showing herself, as she hurled herself, with no strategy in mind other than at least landing one blow on him before he casually thrust that deadly silver into her heart. For a split second she thought she had succeeded, she could see his glowing eyes register a brief moment of surprise, and then he was just gone, nothing but air left where he had been standing. Nothing but air and the low railing of the terrace.
It was far too late for Alisa to try and stop her head long rush, and she felt herself start to flip over the rail. I guess that was a smarter move than I gave it credit. If I'd hit him he would have been a bloody stain on the beach. Too bad that's going to be me now. She felt the lower half of her body leave contact with the railing, and it was nothing but her and the warm air and the moon that was just now finally visible. How pretty you are Luna. Perhaps Gaia will let me serve you in the afterlife. The moon was a beautiful gibbous, waxing, and seemed to be peeking out from a sleepy eyelid. Time just seemed to have stopped all together and she could see and smell every detail of her surroundings. Her sense of smell seemed to be particularly acute; the smell of the sea below her, the marble of the terrace, and curiously the smell of incense. Incense?
That's when the hand grabbed her wrist in a vise like grip, nearly crushing the bones beneath. Her free fall was brought to an abrupt halt, as her legs swung out over open space. She looked up in utter surprise, to see Chiryuken in Glabro form gripping on to her with his right hand, and to the hilt of his tanto, which he had buried into the side of the balcony floor, with his left. The wiry muscles of his upper body were stretched taunt with the effort of stopping her downward momentum, and the veins in his neck stood out clear even in the approaching dark. Before she could catch her breath he rocked her to the left, then swung her up to the lip of the rail. Frantically she grasped hold, the sudden reality of over 200 feet of empty space below her catching up with her in a sudden rush of acrophobia. Before she clambered back over the railing she looked down at her erstwhile opponent. He probably only did it for the sake of his stupid honor. He can't just let me kill myself, no, HE'S got to do it by his own hand otherwise he won't get the glory! Well, what if I just dropped you right here, huh? He was still only hanging on by the one hand to the blade. She looked right into his eyes and saw…nothing. He was as blank a slate as when this whole thing had started. I don't care what they say about his 'honor', he's only a cold hearted killer, sent here by those damn magic-hungry Uktena. Well, I'll show those ass-holes, oh yes, when they find out I've taken out the Soulflame they won't quite be so ready to take me on, uh uh. As she was saying this too herself, she was reaching down to the knife while changing to Crinos form, fully expecting herself to pull the blade out of the wall and send the blood-thirsty Ahroun to his most just demise on the uncaring rocks. But instead she watched her giant hand circle gently around the Zephyr's wrist and start to pull him up to safety.
Well, I guess that's it for the easy kill plan, hmm? Why is it the good guys always have the toughest job? I guess I am 'honorable' in my own sort of way. If I somehow survive this (which I won't I'm sure) I'll have to have someone beat the stupid out of me.
Alisa Merchant set Chiryuken down and proceeded to swing her 9 foot frame over the railing. It was only when she was all the way over that she noticed he had slipped the tanto out of the stonework on his way up, without her being aware of it at all. He truly is something else, isn't he? Maybe I should be honored that they sent someone like him to remove me. There's that damn word again, 'honor'. Someone needs to explain to me why this whole thing with honor is such a big deal anyway.
Slowly Alisa looked down at her fist and realized it was still clenched around her klaive. I can still fight, I guess. The sprain in her wrist was long gone, healed by her supernatural flesh. She was still in relatively good condition, a little tired from all the excersize, but otherwise ready to go. She got down in a defensive crouch, determined to let him attack this time, if he wanted her so bad. She shifted back into homid form, as she noticed he had, mindful of the agreement at the beginning of the challenge. If you want me bro, you're just going to have to come and get me.
For what she thought was the last time she locked eyes with this monster of martial mayhem. But instead of feeling intimidated, as she had all the other times, she felt a rising surge of Rage, even after all the shapeshifting, wash over her and give her strength. She stood ready, whatever fate Gaia choose to met out to her, she would except, as long as she did credit to her father's teachings.
Chiryuken the Soulflame, Ahroun Zephyr of the Stargazer tribe, possibly one of the greatest martial artists to ever be born to the Garou, held in fear by some, and awe by many, looked straight into this proud Philodox Glasswalker Alisa Merchant, with his eyes that glowed with his suppressed rage, and nodded his head once, briefly and calmly. Slowly he turned to the table which stood beside him and took up the sheath which had held his tanto and his slipped it home. Grabbing his already sheathed sword he started into the house, without even looking at Alisa.
"Wha…What the hell do you think you're doing?!?" For what felt like the hundredth time this confusing day she felt utterly bewildered. First we're fighting a klaive duel, a duel to the death, and suddenly he's just walking away?
"It has been a long day for both of us, and while I don't know about you, I feel hungry. Perhaps if you let me use your facilities, I can make something for us to eat."
"But…I…I…" Alisa looked down at the klaive in her hand in despair of ever understanding what was happening to her.
"Return it to its resting place. It is a good place to put it, the spirits are not happy within the sanctum of the Weaver." Chiryuken had halted in front of the door and was calmly awaiting her.
Alisa looked one more time at the klaive, then strode over to the statue of Fortuna and returned it to her belt.
"You had better explain yourself while we're eating or I swear honor or no honor I will kill you in the middle of the second course."
"If you insist."
After they were seated at the huge mahogany table set with silverware that was not, really, silver, and the soup was being server by Williams, (whom had actually made the dinner, as Alisa argued, What the hell did she pay him for anyways?) Alisa was done waiting for answers. In truth, she was fed up with this whole business, and just wanted to know what was going on.
"Spill, Jack. I can't wait any longer." She frowned mightily at him, no longer afraid of him; if was going to kill her, he was going to kill her, and there simply wasn't anything left for her to do.
Calmly spooning up his soup, Chiryuken smiled faintly, "You were the one who requested I come here."
"I don't remember ever inviting you here, Soulflame-rhya."
"I have to admit," Chiryuken let the barest bit of a chuckle slip into his voice, "you did not invite me specifically. When the Cockroach Jaggerling first approached one of my packmates almost attacked it without thinking. Luckily enough those cockroaches are quite resourceful, and he was able to relate the message."
"The message, but what…" Alisa suddenly halted midsection, and her mouth formed an 'O' as realization flashed through her consciousness. "But I had to have asked Cockroach for help well over a year ago!"
"Well, I'm afraid I am simply not at the beck and call of Cockroach, and I had a very important quest to finish when he approached me. But I am here now, and I will teach you what you need to know." The main course was just now being served, a specialty of Williams he called 'spicy chicken alfredo'. While it was one of Alisa's favorites, Chiryuken was looking at the heap of pasta with a bemused expression.
"If you think it's poisoned, we can trade plates, Soulflame-rhya." Alisa was a little hurt at this idea that after all that had already happened she might be accused of trying to poison her guest.
"No, no, I was not hesitating for that; it's just that I've never had a dish such as this. Please realize, I have spent the grand majority of my life in rural Asia; in fact, finding my way here would have been very difficult if the cockroach-spirit had not shown me the way." The great Ahroun took up his fork, which he stared quizzically at for a brief moment, before positioning it in a relative approximation of what someone who had grown up using a fork used. At first, he only picked at the chicken, scoping it up at first, then finally relenting and spearing it with a slight expression of chagrin on his face, then proceeded to scoop the fettuccini directly into his mouth, as he would were he eating ramen.
Alisa watched this whole spectacle with an expression of black humor written all across her face. So he isn't a god after all! She grimly chuckled to herself, but before he could catch on she spoke up:
"If you'd like it better, I could produce some chopsticks for you to use."
Chiryuken sighed, he was very perceptive and knew this attractive lady wolf was amused by his inexperience with European-American utensils, "Thank you, but no; if I am to live in this house, I should learn your Kinfolk customs."
"Live…in this house…?"
"Alisa Merchant," Chiryuken placed both elbows on the table top, then rested his chin on his clasped hands, "I have come at your request for a teacher and guardian; I have agreed to teach you the sacred art of Kailindo so that you might one day be able to defend this caern yourself. Furthermore, I will help to bring other Garou here to this caern so that you might have a proper sept to defend this sacred site. I am willing to do all this, which might take a decade or more, and yet, so far I have asked nothing in return."
"Soulflame-rhya, forgive me, of course you may stay in this house!" Since it had become apparent that she would not die today, or at least not by the hands of the Zephyr, she had discovered those glowing eyes were just as unnerving as ever. She hadn't really considered the implications of what she had asked when she performed the rite to summon one of her tribe's avatar-spirits, but now that Chiryuken had set them all out, it was asking a lot, and any other Garou would have flat out denied her, or at the very least asked for something quite hefty in return.
Then part of what he said to her burned into her mind: "You're going to teach me…Kailindo…" Alisa could hardly find the breath to speak, it had been a dream of hers since she was first introduced into the world of the Garou to learn the special martial arts.
"Please, Soulflame-rhya, whatever you desire of me I shall grant you, money, money is no problem…"
Chiryuken was shaking his head, his eyes closed and smiling faintly again in amusement, "no, no, there is no need, I have very little use for money, Merkanto-dono. Truly, I am pleased to teach you what I can; it is part of Gaia's plan for the Stargazers that we teach our wisdom to the rest of her children."
"Soulflame-rhya, you said that we would build a sept here, to guard the caern, but…the power of the caern here is very small, it is why only one Garou has been able to defend it for so many years. The only trouble we've had is from mages trying to steal the energy, and they are easy to handle. How are we going to get other Garou to come here?"
Before he answered Chiryuken finished his pasta, having watched his dining-mate he knew how he was supposed to use the fork to eat the pasta, but he was still having some difficulty handling the fork. It reminded Alisa very much of a young child eating his first dish of spaghetti.
"What makes you think the power is so small? I admit, from the outside it seems quite negligible, and it is because of this that the Uktena have not taken back their 'ancient homeland' from your family, but without a sept to draw on it's energy, it has been growing since it came into the protection of your family. Now it is quite large, if one looks carefully enough. I'm not surprised that as a Philodox and a Glasswalker you have not noticed this, it was the Theurge of my pack whom rooted out the true power of your caern."
Alisa was shocked at this. My family's caern, large? Is that why the mages have constantly been hounding after the power stored there? But that means…
"Won't the Uktena want the caern after they find out about this? I mean, it was originally their caern."
"I think," Chiryuken frowned in thought, "that as long as we don't exclude them from the sept, that they will not be willing to risk a fight with the Glasswalker tribe over one caern that they will already have access too."
"I guess that would work…" Alisa wasn't the sure.
"I have had many dealings with the Uktena, and while they are very closed-mouth about their secrets, they are otherwise a social tribe, and will not want to start an inter-tribe war."
"I'll bow down to your judgment, then. Soulflame-rhya, there is something I need to ask you…why did we fight that duel? I honestly thought I was going to die today." Alisa finally asked what had been bothering her the entire time after the duel. Why had they had it in the first place?
Chiryuken just looked at her with those uncanny eyes, saying not a thing.
Slowly, the seed of an idea sprouted in her mind, then quickly came to bloom. And the color? Bright red.
"You were testing me, weren't you! You let me think I was going to die, no, you almost let me die, and you can just sit there and stare at me! I ought to bet the ever living shit out of you! I, I, I, ahhh…." Alisa could feel the Rage rising up in her, blocking off her fear of this man, this person who had let her play the fool in this farce!
Chiryuken simply raised one eyebrow, poignantly, elegantly, and that said it all. In one simple movement he conveyed quite a bit of information. Not only had he been testing her, he was not yet done testing her. Would she be able to control her anger? Or would she frenzy, here and now, and perhaps force him to kill her in self-defense. It was not that uncommon for a young Garou to frenzy during training, and it was also not unheard of for the young cub to be badly injured or even killed by their mentor. Alisa felt as though she was sinking into a quicksand of her Rage, and if she slipped below the surface…it was her choice. She could let herself fall into the sand, sink down and know nothing more, or she could fight and attain what she had always dreamed. How strong are your dreams, Alisa? Are they strong enough to fight for? To die for?
Chiryuken rose from his seat across the table and came around and kneeled down by her side. He reached out and placed his hand over her claw, the change fuelled by her Rage. It was a lifeline, a way to pull herself out of her Rage. But did she want to pull herself out, or pull him in with her?
She looked into his eyes, those damned, haunting, glowing eyes. And a realization came over her. Those eyes weren't really cold and alien at all. No, really, they were warm, a warm yellow glow. Like the spring sun after winter is over, healing the barren land. No, those eyes were not the eyes of a cold killer, or an uncaring elder, but the eyes of a healer, a teacher, who gave more of themselves than they expected of others, not because they wanted the fame and glory, but because they had lived with pain, too, and they knew the way out.
Suddenly, instead of wanting to rip him apart, Alisa found herself clutching this person, her savior, and sobbing into his clothing, telling him how she had been alone for so long since her father died, and how she had been so scared, and how she had no idea what she was doing, and, and, and…
Chiryuken didn't flinch away. He didn't tell her to get a grip on herself, that Garou didn't cry and warriors shouldn't be scared. He just held her, and petted her hair as if she were ten years younger, and let her expel all the fears and anxieties she had bottled up for so long.
Finally Alisa had cried herself out, and was feeling just a tiny bit embarrassed. If her friends could see her now…
"So, Soulflame-rhya, what do you wish me to do?" She had decided; no matter what he asked of her, she would do it; she would do anything to have this man as her teacher. She would make this caern a great center for the Garou in Southern California, and she would do anything in her power to make that dream, her dream, a reality.
"I have one thing you must do for me. From now on, unless we are in the middle of a lesson, call me Chi. All my friends do." He gave his signature smile, the barest lifting of the corners of his thin lips.
Such a sad smile. But I'll change that. I'll give you a reason to smile with true happiness Chi, I swear I will. You ask for nothing, but I'll return this gift with interest. I can't erase the sadness in your eyes, but I put joy in there to accompany your suffering. This, this I swear by Gaia. And Alisa Merchant, Philodox Glasswalker, the little rich Garou who had been alone for so long, finally found the strength to smile back through her tears.
No matter what happens, we'll face it together. Neither of us needs to be alone anymore.