EY: 3216 (Flowing Silk Ribbon is 7)

  Every Temple Orphan was given chores to complete, and as the Phoenix Magistrates could be called on at all hours the four Phoenix Temples never truly closed. As such it was the duty of apprentices like Flowing Silk Ribbon to keep the entrance hall clean and have someone posted at all times to receive any visitors.

  It was late at night when Flowing Silk was a little under seven years old when there was a pounding on the main door of the Temple. The boy paused his sweeping and carefully propped the broom against the wall to open the smaller door inside the bigger one. A man stood there in the high quality robes of a noble, so tense that Flowing Silk immediately straightened with how serious the situation must be. The Master's braid on his shoulder in red and orange told Flowing Silk that this was someone to be respected, but what could make even a Master be so on edge and still in stance?

  On only seeing a young child the noble frowned slightly. "Child, I need a priest who can deal with the dead, quickly. Can you take me to one?"

  The boy nodded once and beckoned the man inside, swift and silent across the main hall. Flowing Silk went to try and find one of the candles for the side passages when the man stepped in front of him and made an exasperated noise. "We don't have time to waste. Allow me."

  All it took was a neat step and the swipe of a hand. Flowing Silk's eyes widened as the fire streamed into the man's hand, pooling gently in his palm like a coiled kitten. He almost wanted to reach out and pet it like he had been so tempted to do with his candle flame, but he'd nearly got a burn from doing that before…

  "Child?"

  Flowing Silk jerked back to attention and bowed, keeping his mind firmly on his duty and not the dancing flame, "My apologies, this way." He let the man and the small flame light the way as the child led them through the maze of corridors.

  With the extra light he could see that the noble's robes were russet red and grey, with their house symbol clearly visible on each side of their chest. It wasn't a set of colours he knew, but the symbol had to mean they were important. Best to be quick and not bother them.

  Flowing Silk quickly led the man to his mentor's room, kneeling in front of the door and knocking politely. "Master Li? There is a man here to see you urgently."

  The door slid open to reveal an old man in funerary priest robes not unlike Flowing Silk's own, bone-white prominent with faded gold thread at the hems and marking the line-line pattern of a priest on the sleeves. Master Li had clearly been preparing for bed though given he wasn't wearing his priest hat, instead getting a rare view of silver-white hair pulled into a topknot.

  The nobleman hadn't knelt. Instead he gave a small bow of apology and indicated the flame to show why he couldn't shift out of his stance, "I am sorry for intruding upon you at so late an hour, however the Yinghao clan have urgent need of a priest to pacify one of our dead." Pain flickered through his expression, "Please, I most humbly beg you for your assistance. He is my cousin, and was one of the Emperor's Personal Guard. I cannot bear to leave him like this."

  Flowing Silk's eyes anxiously flicked to his Master as the old man calmly picked up his priest hat, bringing the ties under his chin to hold the tall cone in place. “Very well. Lead me to him." The old eyes shot to the side, sharp despite his years, "Flowing Silk Ribbon, you may return to your duties."

  The child gave a polite bow from his kneeling position and slipped into the darkness before he realised he was lacking a light.

  The boy hesitated, remembering the friendly flame in the man's hand. Well... the pair would be heading back towards the exit soon, and there would be nothing wrong with following at a distance, right? Particularly if it meant he could look at the flame and stance a little longer…

  "I see.” Master Li’s voice drifted down the corridor, “That is quite severe, we shall need to be swift to prevent further damage to their spirit.” A moment later the two strode past Flowing Silk’s hiding place and his grey eyes were immediately drawn to the flame before the pair passed, leaving him in darkness again.

  The child was almost amazed at his daring as he stepped out after them, footsteps silent as he followed at a distance. For all Master Li couldn’t walk very fast the young boy had a little difficulty following them unnoticed while still keeping sight of them. He was so busy concentrating on doing so that he barely noticed when he left the temple through a side gate and following the little globe of light out into the Imperial City.

  The wide streets of the temple district became the narrower ones of the market district before spreading again into the wider avenues that connected the Clan households. Still, it was nearly pitch black but for the light from windows and the bobbing flame ahead of him. Remembering what little basic training he’d had, Flowing Silk used those shadows and side streets to his advantage to duck out of sight, waiting quietly until it was safe to move to the next shadow.

  He could start to see how the clan member was moving now, the movements strong but a little flowing, command in his bearing that was probably what he used to tell the flame what to do. But Flowing Silk was sure there was another way, you just needed to treat it gently and politely, a friend instead of a servant…

  Flowing Silk’s head whipped round as a shape moved in the alleyway next to him, instinctively dropping into a roll and carrying him back to his feet to face his assailant, eyes sharp and hands raised before he recognised the wizened face and felt the bottom drop out of his stomach. Flowing Silk had been so preoccupied with the stranger that he’d forgotten to check he was still trailing both of them.

  “Flowing Silk Ribbon, this is unlike you.” Master Li began, the boy’s stomach dropping still further as the child lowered his head, “You are usually so obedient, barely saying a word of what you think.”

  The boy’s head lowered in shame, “I’m sorry, Master.”

  “Look at me, young one.” Gentle fingers lifted the boy’s chin as Flowing Silk fought to keep himself from crying, old eyes searching his young ones, “What has you so fascinated that you cannot help but follow?”

  A flicker of panic, had Master Li noticed Flowing Silk daydreaming as he watched the fire? No, calm down, answer honestly. It was the least he could do to apologise for failing to follow their orders.

  “Flame.” Flowing Silk managed to croak out through his tight throat, aware that the noble had rejoined them and was watching the boy with an expression Flowing Silk couldn’t decipher. Flowing Silk felt utterly ashamed of being unable to keep his voice level or hide how his eyes were drawn to the movements he had already spotted, “I’m… so sorry.”

  The old Master’s eyes softened, “There, that wasn’t so hard to say, was it?”

  The boy blinked in confusion, “Master?”

  “I will explain later, for now we have come far enough that sending you back by yourself is foolish.” The old man lifted off his bag, “You can carry this for now to save my shoulder, but I expect you do exactly as I say, do you understand? This is no game, you will be in very real danger of getting hurt.”

  Flowing Silk’s eyes lit up as he accepted the bag, “Yes Master!”

  “Don’t make me regret my decision.” he said simply before looking up, “Master Yinghao, please lead on.”

  —

  The group moved faster now that Flowing Silk was carrying the bag of ritual components and he peeked inside to take a look. Incense, candles, mask, pre-written mantras of… sleep and binding, chimes. Fairly standard things for priest work, a bag kept ready for emergencies. Master Li broke the quiet, “Master Yinghao, would you continue telling me about the ghost in question? I would prefer to pacify the spirit of such a noble man rather than seal it. If we can find the cause of his unrest...”

  The noble looked sad, “While we know the general cause we cannot seem to find the specific cause of his discomfort. He has never rested easily, for all that he took his own life to restore the Clan’s honour after he failed to protect the previous Emperor, may he be reincarnated swiftly.”

  The priest frowned again, “Strange, that should have eased his soul.”

  Master Yinghao nodded, expression grave, “That is what we have thought these last six years.”

  They hurried on as the priest asked more questions, about things they may have left undone, family and duties. Flowing Silk listened quietly as he observed his surroundings and the stance until they came to a large gate, Master Yinghao looking briefly at the guards (Singing Sword style? Definitely tense and alert, they were expecting trouble), “Where?”

  “Last we heard 5 minutes ago he was past the lily garden and heading towards the Nursery, Master Keishin.”

  Master Yinghao went white, “The children.”

  All three of them burst into a flat out run, even Master Li managing a surprising turn of speed. Master Yinghao Keishin sped ahead of both of them, his strides becoming wide and flowing. He spun, the small torch flame he had taken stretching and growing to become a living scarf of fire that shed light on the shrubs at the side of the path. Flowing Silk could feel the urgency now, his fascination with fire shifting into something else as he followed it. Instead of a fire outside there was one inside, warmth, determination and blazing energy, he had to help!

  Their path took them through wide gardens and down a ridge which appeared to vanish into blackness. Flowing Silk realised with a jolt that the darkness was flowing water, this compound was large enough to hold a small river by itself?

  The thought vanished from his mind a moment later when he spotted the faintly glowing figure in the distance. The silvery ghost seemed to be possessing his physical armour with a glaive resting easily in his hand as he fought invisible enemies. His helmet obscured his face and a talisman covered his mouth. It was easy to tell why he had only got this far - the bushes around him had been decimated by strikes from the glaive, the neat garden left a wreck in his wake.

  Something was obviously off about the ghost. It made Flowing Silk feel a bit queasy just to look at him, but he shook the thought away and focussed when his Master spoke. “We will need to speak to him to find the cause of this problem, but that talisman is strong. Master Yinghao, will you defend us while we set up the ritual?”

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  “Of course Sage Li.” The man settled back into a more defensive version of the stance as Flowing Silk handed his Master the bag.

  “Flowing Silk Ribbon, do you remember the words to the mantra we were practising the other week?”

  The boy scrambled through his memory and gave two quick nods, “The protective one? I think so.”

  “I need you to sing it and keep singing. Walk out the circle around me with the incense in your hands, go slow enough to keep it alight and shield it from the wind. Do not stop walking unless you need to stop or dodge to stay alive. If we both fall, run, do you understand?”

  “Yes Master.”

  “Good, now hold out your hands.”

  Flowing Silk held out his hands obediently and a small incense cone was placed in the centre. The young boy breathed in the smoke and felt himself calm despite the threat the ghost posed.

  “Go.”

  The boy nodded and started to sing, his voice slow and unsteady at first before it rose, using his own footsteps to keep himself in time. It didn’t take long to fall into the rhythm, leaving himself with enough attention free to watch the others as well as keep his protection mantra going.

  The armoured ghost had stopped a short distance away, his head tilted at an odd angle as if it had been broken. The boy frowned slightly, hadn’t the man taken his own life with his sword? There was a hole in the armour but no sword to be seen.

  Master Yinghao was obviously thinking the same thing, “Cousin, what happened to you? Why is your glaive clean and your armour unpierced?”

  This appeared to be the wrong thing to ask, the ghost’s head snapping up and back in a terrible wail before he charged, his glaive narrowly missing his cousin before the flame coiled round and struck back.

  Most attacks would have gone through the ghost but the fire made him recoil slightly, breaking off his next attack before it hit. With an agile spin and a sidestep Master Yinghao avoided the next two attacks as well, keeping the Ghost’s focus on him as well as acting as a barrier.

  The third strike hit. While it left only a shallow cut it was enough to let the spirit get past and aim an attack at Master Li with another mighty wail. The old priest lifted his eyebrows, as if he was observing one of the younger apprentices try to steal a sweet roll off his plate, and made a small flick with his fingers. A moment later the ghost reeled back with a hiss as their helmet cracked in two, falling away to reveal that their features were starting to fade into blankness. The talisman was also fully visible and Flowing Silk frowned, ‘Seal and silence’? Why?

  He couldn’t have committed suicide. Flowing Silk realised with a start. It doesn’t add up, someone wanted a secret kept, otherwise he wouldn’t have been silenced!

  Master Li’s hand snapped out to toss a bag of salt at Flowing Silk, who promptly started to trail salt as he walked, another circle forming as Master Yinghao went on the offensive to drive the ghost away. He was only partially successful, for while he had reserved his strength the ghost was clearly more skilled than him.

  Keep the circle, walk on the outside, make it as neat and perfect as he could. He was slightly surprised the ghost hadn’t gone for him though, had he even been noticed Flowing Silk was there? The battle raged on, Flowing Silk nearly making a full circuit before the ghost’s glaive slammed Master Yinghao in the stomach and threw him away to the other side of the ornamental river.

  This time the ghost’s wail was triumphant as he charged the old priest, but the old man simply smiled and stepped backwards over the line of salt. He slammed his hand down onto it with a shout as Flowing Silk closed the circle.

  Flowing Silk flinched as the ghost realised he had been tricked. The circle flared with power as he struck it again and again, the eyes becoming even deeper and more hole-like as the talisman’s edges started to crisp. Master Li's voice rose crisp and clear as he waited for his spell to take hold.

  “Master Shen Yinghao, I came here to speak with you and ease your rest, please, let go of your anger and speak.”

  The circle blazed… and died, the talisman still in place. The Flame Master was still out of reach. Master Li was still kneeling and vulnerable. There was only Flowing Silk who could do anything.

  The ghost roared with triumph and swung their glaive high in an executioner’s strike.

  “STOP!”

  The glaive stopped less than an inch above the child’s head where he stood between the ghost and his Master, arms spread and breathing heavily from the burst of speed. His grey eyes were firm and steady as he locked wills with the ghost.

  Both the Masters looked on in shock, then amazement as the ghost’s face shifted, the shadows lifting until a middle aged man was staring at the young boy in equal shock before he set aside the glaive and knelt to get a closer look. A moment later the ghost lunged forward to wrap him up in a tight hug.

  Flowing Silk blinked in surprise as Master Yinghao landed quietly back on their side of the river, moving to help Master Li to his feet. “The nursery.” Master Yinghao said softly, “He died in battle, he was worried about the children.”

  “Then it is fortunate indeed that Flowing Silk Ribbon followed us,” the priest murmured back.

  Flowing Silk’s expression softened, one hand moving to gently pat the armoured back and return the hug, “See? It’s all okay now, right?”

  The Ghost - no, Master Yinghao’s cousin - nodded, pulling back to show tears streaming down his face before hurriedly wiping them away. Flowing Silk smiled brightly, “Would you like to see your children before you rest?”

  The Yinghao ghost hesitated for a moment before he shook his head gently with a smile, giving them all a deep bow of apology and thanks before the shape inside the armour faded away and the empty pieces clattered to the floor.

  Master Yinghao immediately moved forward to pick them up, cautious but gentle, his expression hard to distinguish between gratitude and loss. He bowed to Master Li when he had gathered all the pieces, “Thank you, myself and the Yinghao family are once more in debt to the Temple of the Golden Phoenix. The relief of knowing my cousin will at last sleep peacefully is not a thing that will be easily repaid, material goods alone do not do it justice.”

  “I believe that it is not myself or the Temple you should be thanking, but Flowing Silk Ribbon.” Master Li pointed out gently, eyes glittering with mischief, “And I believe that I know a way you can repay him.”

  Now both of them looked at the old man in surprise, who smoothed his chuckle to a smile, “I believe that Flowing Silk Ribbon followed us because he was fascinated by the Pure Flame style. When I caught him he was trying to emulate your movements and I have never seen him so openly transfixed by something.” The smile grew wider, “I believe that sponsoring him to the Pure Flame school and ensuring that he receives adequate tutelage would settle your debt.”

  Flowing Silk gaped, “Master…?”

  Master Li smiled broadly, “You need to learn a path, and this is clearly one that calls to you. The only reason you have not been introduced to a school yet is because you said nothing of where your heart wished to walk.”

  “Oh.” Flowing Silk looked at his feet. It would really have been that easy…?

  Now Master Yinghao was smiling, “It would be my pleasure to sponsor you. I do not doubt you will show the proper diligence in following our teachings. Come to the House gates at noon tomorrow, I will be done with my urgent duties by then.”

  Flowing Silk beamed, his face lighting up with joy, “Yes Master!”

  —

  A week later when Yinghao Keishin returned with Flowing Silk to discuss how the boy was getting on with the Style it was obvious to Sage Li that the man had other things on his mind. As such he was utterly unsurprised when Keishin asked for a private word.

  This time the old priest made certain that Flowing Silk, and anyone else who may be interested, were not eavesdropping on them before he settled himself behind his desk with the Pure Flame Master and some tea.

  “Now, why don’t you tell me what is really on your mind?”

  To Keishin's credit, most wouldn’t have noticed the slight jump as he realised how easily the priest had seen through him, nor adapted so quickly to the question. “It still doesn’t make sense.”

  “Ah, so you noticed.” Sage Li’s hands folded in his lap, “Tell me.”

  “Flowing Silk doesn’t move or look like any of the children in the Yinghao clan,” Keishin stated, “That depends upon how bad Shen's sight was, but given he recognised me in that fight…” he trailed off, letting the unspoken contradiction hang in the air.

  Sage Li threaded his fingers together in thought, “Any that were Flowing Silk’s age when he died?”

  Another shake of the head. “Shen's youngest, Jinai, is a girl. His son Tai is built the same way Shen was. More importantly he clearly recognised Flowing Silk.”

  “Indeed, which means he must have looked like someone else he knew and was exceptionally glad to see alive.” the priest breathed out, turning the possibilities over in his mind, “Do you know who Master Shen interacted with?”

  A frown, “Many, I'm afraid. He was always good at people and being a branch family head meant he had influence, much as he hated sycophants. It could be anyone from the highest ranking courtiers and great noble families to others of the personal guard.”

  The priest tapped his thumbs against each other as he thought, “Then I suspect Flowing Silk may well be the son of someone important within the court. Presumably someone who was in the fire.” He spotted Keishin's confused expression and offered a small smile, “Flowing Silk has a natural affinity for spirit work, hence why he is my apprentice as well as my charge.”

  He saw Keishin’s eyes widen slightly, “And the talisman?”

  “More powerful than I could deal with, though it could be because I got partially interrupted.” The priest tapped his thumbs together again, then shook his head to dismiss the notion, “No, it was very strong Imperial work, and familiar. While I could not tell enough about the spell to recognise the handwriting I have no doubt I would if I saw another talisman written by their hand.”

  The priest could see Yinghao Keishin’s frown deepen as he thought, then freeze. Good, he’d noticed. Sage Li waited patiently until the younger man spoke, the Yinghao's voice soft, “I wonder why we were told he committed suicide.”

  “If I were to theorise…” Sage Li began slowly, “The standard reason for a silencing talisman is because they could do more damage with their voice, or because they knew something people did not want told, usually the identity of their murderer.” He lifted a finger to hold the younger man in silence, “Please be aware that you should be careful of what you say.”

  The noble nodded and thought for a moment more before speaking slowly and carefully, “I would note that an imperial citizen who died honourably and rests quietly is unlikely to try and be consulted.”

  Sage Li nodded once, “Yes, that would normally be the case.”

  There was another pause, “Sage Li, you cannot possibly be suggesting-”

  “I am making observations of present events.” the priest interrupted smoothly, “We do not know enough. If this is as severe as I suspect, then even this conversation will have unfortunate consequences should it be learnt of.”

  Sage Li stood and sighed, looking at one of the few paintings in his room, studying the painted ripples of the water to aid him in soothing his own mind, “I am a priest of the Golden Phoenix. I cannot let this pass, and yet we know nothing of who may be behind this, worse still, to move now would be to remove what little is known. We require friends, others who have seen things that are not quite right. We cannot let the rot touch the Imperial city without trying to cleanse it, that is the only path my conscience will allow.”

  “You don’t believe the official story.” Keishin said quietly, “You’re going to find out who actually did it.”

  “It will probably get me killed.” the priest admitted, “But if I am clever enough, silent enough, then perhaps I have a chance of gathering enough knowledge to hand it on to someone else before I die.”

  “Not only that, but you expect me to help you, or you would not be telling me all this.” the younger man continued in surprise, “How long have you been planning this meeting?”

  Sage Li half turned with another faint smile, “It was less planning and more knowing that this conversation had to happen sooner or later. This will not be sorted quickly, I have the time to wait.” He watched the Pure Flame master carefully, “Will you assist me?”

  Keishin bowed, “Of course, I may only be the third son of an extremely minor branch of the family, but I will do what I can, if you do not mind?”

  “Your movements will be freer than mine, and as a member of the Yinghao clan you have an excuse to speak to high ranking people.” Sage Li pointed out, “I believe we should start with the ones who officially took the blame and others who lost people that night.”

  There was a spider crawling across the painting. Sage Li reached up and rested his fingers near it. After a moment the spider crawled onto his fingers and the sage gently lowered it to watch. The spider scuttled across his hand and swiftly lowered itself to the floor. “We must be as gentle and strong as spider silk, silently and invisibly tying people together." Sage Li said quietly, "This is not a movement, just people trying to find out what they can.”

  Master Yinghao stood to join him, watching as the sage lifted the single thread the spider had left behind, then turned to offer it to Keishin. The noble shook his head, “You are the first thread, not me.”

  “Then it seems even I have something to learn.” The sage gently wrapped the thread around his wrist and tied it off, “Let me see you out, I hope you will come to me if you need further advice.”

  Master Yinghao nodded and followed as the priest opened the door, “Thank you, Sage Li, you have given me much to think about. I will come back to discuss the answers with you, if that is alright?”

  Sage Li gave a bow of farewell. “Of course.”

  The priest watched the younger man leave and sighed slightly. So much to do, and a pressing need not to rush. Emulating a spider’s silk would be difficult. Perhaps he would have more luck being a bird that you could neither see nor trace.

  He smiled and walked back into his room.

  Let us see what becomes of all this.

  Patreon which has three extra chapters and side content. Today's fun fact: Sage Li's paintings all have birds in beautiful scenery. He loves them so much he learned the Fury of the Ogre just so that he could shift into one.