Days had gone by since he had started his observation and nothing had changed since then. The world lied crooked. Shen just wasn't sure if it was the material or the spirit realm.
The first time he noticed it had been before dawn on the fourth day he trained a new acolyte, Shen had enjoyed a cup of tea before breakfast and with a snap some strings became loose and he had felt the shift happening. The source, unknown.
He had ordered three of his trainees to spread out and gather information if any nearby town or village noticed wild spirits roaming close. Shen sat upon one of the walls and meditated, waiting for the next thing to happen. He needed concentration and peace to find himself between the worlds and look through them but he sadly knew that he could not fully achieve this yet.
Zed was hunting Jhin, he already knew of it. And despite better will, he could not quiet his mind of emotions towards his former friends' actions.
Adding to this, news of Noxian warriors breaching yet another border of Ionia had made ways to him, preluding another invasion.
Ionia was at war with its neighbours and haunted itself by freeing a manmade demon to battle them, ignoring morals and human lives for their own success. But it wasn't Shens' duty to judge or make political choices, no matter what he thought of the events. So he would not intervene.
Zed, however, would. That was his promise and the goal of his own Order Yanlei', the "Tears of the Shadow", to battle threats in the material realm, ignoring the teachings of their former Master and Shens' own father, Kusho.
Their fallout, his betrayal and the sadness that both carried had all been thanks to the Golden Demon, Khada Jhin and his terror still lurking in their minds. While Shen was able to accept what happened, Zed had decided to battle it and thus wished death on the man that caused it. Two times they had successfully captured Jhin and two times Zed had been denied. It wasn't theirs to judge on his life and so Jhin had been imprisoned instead.
Two times both had been in great danger and two times one of their lives had been hanging on threads that the Golden Demon pulled on. Zed wouldn't be able to battle Jhin alone nor with the help of Kayn but Shen knew that he wouldn't endanger his own warriors. He would only put his own life at stake.
He sighed and opened his eyes to watch the forest move slightly with the wind, leaves flickering in waves when a gust blew through them. The colours faded and changed, autumn was close.
The gates beneath the walls were opened and member of their order stepped into the monastery, tired and with nothing on their hands. Shen already knew this meant that they had new information and could only place his hopes on the other two returning soon as well.
