Lian-shi consists of several mountains and what lies between. All in all, the Estate of the House of Ono. The entire place, its every aspect detailing a culture very foreign to Ionnya's, is beautifully sculpted and yet, at the same moment, perfectly wild and in tune with its natural surroundings. Rich, beautifully designed buildings and their courtyards fade seamlessly into the forests about them, often muted by the mists that shft through the valleys and bathe the place in surreal mystery.
Lian-shi Archive
Lian-shi Archive II
Felina appears in the estate, not far from the fellow she's looking for. A startled sentry has a sword at her throat, but she simply brushes past it, the blade sliding from her skin as though she's made of porcelain. "Chian Tiono?"
The fellow looks up quickly, startled by her largely unhidden signature and absolutely serious visage. He gets to his feet. "Yes?"
"We have to talk."
"In a minute, Felina." A familiar arm reaches out of nowhere a few feet away from Chian, dropping a small gray device that immediately begins to issue pale yellow smoke from inside. Sleeping gas, of a sort. Makyon came prepared, this time.
The slip mage's signature is about a hundred yards off, almost daring Felina to respond.
Felina's quick. An air-permeable shield forms over her mouth and nose. Not before getting half a whiff of the stuff, though, enough to leave her a touch dizzy and disoriented. Reacts quickly, in about the simplest way imagineable. Catches Chian when he passes out, and tries to just leap back with him into
the Millenium Maze, quick as a hiccup.
It does work. Makyon, though, simply waits, biding his time. He couldn't match her speed, even if he tried.
She's back a few moments later, shield removed but away from the gas. Really, considering the interaction, the setting is eerily like Helantri Deru. "So. Asiba isn't around, thus I'm free to ask...oh, how would the currently horizontal Mara phrase this after being half a second from a successful, unprovoked assassination.
..oh, yeah. 'What the fuck'?" She smiles.
"She survived." The former apprentice's lips twitch, as if they want to smile but lack the will. "Yoru's going to be executed. They're gonna crucify her." Looks away. "The odd thing is, she hasn't done anything to warrant it. I suspect she's a traitor, and that's what they're saying. But nothing's been proved." Yeah, he dodged the question.
Felina narrows her eyes, gaze clouding. "Crucifixion? That's pretty damned barbaric, is what it is. What are you going to do about it?"
"I tried to steal a path for her, into your friend's maze. One of the faction's officers knows how to get there, and was sympathetic. Abyss, they call him." He looks at her, directly, with eyes of fierce intensity uncharacteristic to him. "Someone found the path and sent a skirmish through it. Now they're watching me like hawks. Amazing how quickly things can change."
Felina frowns a bit, considering. "Abyss did that? Hmmm...." Leaves it at that, though. "That explains that." Is silent a few moments. Then a few more, considering. "I will try in some fashion to get Yoru out..." she notes finally, softly. Looks back up to her apprentice. "Provided you keep your mouth shut. If you're setting me up, one of mine, very possibly one you know, is going to die, and I hope you're prepared to deal with that."
"You're talking to me like I care at all." Makyon looks at her then with hurt and pent-up frustration boiling in his expression. "You won't guilt me. Don't try. Asiba's given me a chance to mean something and I do not take that lightly."
Felina's expression darkens at that. "If you don't care at all, I can't help you, because that is the only basis of guarantee I have. If your cause is more important than your friends, then logic dictates that any attempt of mine to help Yoru would end with you selling out whatever recruit I send...because their being lost helps your cause. I only hope that when Yoru is nailed to a cross, you have the mercy to end her quickly."
That said, she turns to leave. Well. Hell with that. Any good mood she'd gleaned from securing the Malufel has solidly disintigrated.
Makyon lets his expression sour a bit. They're watching him, even now, and now, whatever suspicion they have will be annulled. He can get back to work. Still, he wishes he could tell Felina what's going on.
Stumble!