Heavenly Shae

Chapter 25: "Lessons in Respect."

Shae walked back to her pack, frowning as she was still out of water. She looked up to see a few guards and others still waiting awkwardly at a distance.

Someone stalked up to her. "Why did you throw the test?" Long demanded. "Is cultivation a joke to you?"

She rounded on him. "Am I a joke to you?" She spat viciously. "Do you think you can just test me whenever you please? Without reason or permission, and in front of an audience?"

"I have my reasons, and no cause to share them. Furthermore, sect elders do not need permission."

"Yes, you do. I am not your student. I am not a disciple of the sect, not even an official recruit. You have no authority to demand I dance like a trained bear."

She heard several gasps from those still watching.

"My authority is evident, Miss Shae, and you should remember that." He growled. His qi pressure rose and a trickle of killing intent leaked out.

It took her a breath to reign in her first rebellious impulse. Probably can't get away with a tantrum in public. She breathed, trying to ignore the Jian-like needle of killing intent focused on her. It pressed into her neck, then her heart, then her Datian, in turn. And there is only so much disrespect I can get away with.

When the intent moved back to her neck she stepped into it. The pressure increased slightly, but it wasn't an actual blade, just the threat of one. I'll have to thank sword Bai for his clear explanation on that, even if almost nothing else made sense.

She stepped closer to Long, within easy lunging distance, even for a non-cultivator. Then closer again, to within arm's reach. Her finger itched to poke him in the chest, she kept it busy by reaching into her robes and fidgeting with the gold coin. She whispered as silently as she could. "We've had this discussion. Violence is not authority. Power is not respect." A quick step back lessened his intent, for a moment.

Just for a moment. A second needle joined the first, then a third. He held his expression in an unreadable stony mask.

Shae remembered that she hadn't felt this much of his intent before. Even when they argued in the restaurant, he kept his control, kept his usage minimal. Ah! Even this is a demonstration of control. She bowed to him. I have to cede ground, this can't go anywhere good. Her bow was slightly too low, slightly too formal. She hadn't been aiming for sarcastic, just petulant, but these things were difficult without years of experience. "Then by your authority, may I borrow several sect members to expedite the caravan's journey?"

A few mutters escaped the crowd. Long held firm. A forced cough sounded behind her and a woman's voice quietly whispered into her ear, "Say, Master Long."

Shae waited a breath, then bowed again. "Master Long."

The silence held a few breaths longer. She spotted the brat from earlier, Zhango, with a smug smirk on his face. She sent a whip of intent at him, focusing on replicating an ear flick. He flinched and she had to resist her own smirk.

"Very well." Long spoke. "As repayment for your cooperation in demonstrating the ch'th'knarr, one active duty guard and one other may accompany you. Both must be volunteers." He turned and left. Several others left with him, including the brat.

Shae waited for everyone else to clear out, then addressed those remaining. "The task before us is simple. A mudslide has blocked the road ahead. I've already spent the morning chopping up the trees and guiding local workers to clear them. The blockage was too large to fully clear, so we've used the mud to form a new cart path around it. However, since it is fresh the mud is still soft and unfit for use." She took a deep breath to let that sink in.

"What we need you to do is harden the mud. For example, dry it out with water qi, or force it to separate with earth qi. Please suggest anything else you think might work." A few people raised eyebrows, but most looked skeptical. She looked down briefly, considering her options. "While long said you must be volunteers, I would count this a favor and repay it in kind." She shifted her grip on Marta, remembering she still held it. "And I'll let you test out the knarr. It's kind of fun if you are not under time pressure to chop up dozens of trees."

More people looked interested, but a couple left. Then Shae saw the expressions on a few faces, expressions she didn't like. "The favor must be in the same vein. Work for work, or cultivation related, at least. Nothing social." She shifted, and was immediately reminded she was covered in sweat and impurities. Several people scowled in disappointment, most were slightly surprised. More people left than she expected, leaving only a handful behind.

She cursed her teenage emotions because her disappointment spiked from so many leaving from that simple comment. She felt a flush of embarrassment creep up her neck and thanked her darker complexion for hiding it.

Of those remaining two she recognized. Cultivator Chen and Guard Shu; the guard with the merchant family. She nodded to both.

One of the others spoke up, a teen probably a year or two older than Shae. "Uhm, do we need a specific technique for this?"

Share raised an eyebrow. "If there's one for this, I wouldn't know it. Can you move water, mud, or earth outside your body, even just moisture?"

"Ah, Hmm. I just aspected into water qi. I could cultivate the water away?"

"It's not qi rich water, just mud from the rain. Would it be fast?"

Guard Shu spoke up. "For a decent stretch of road, that will take hours. Rumor is we are already near the blockage. Especially if you are able to run back to get us."

Shae frowned, then gave the teen an apologetic smile. "Thank you for the offer. I'd like to complete the work within the hour, faster if possible. The 'van should reach it in half an hour, and Mistress Ping requested as little delay as possible."

The teen nodded and walked away. The other unknown looked disappointed and began to move away but stopped after a pace and waited.

"Uh, would it be Brother? Chen." Shae asked.

"Once you are in the sect, yes. Cultivator is fine, or just Chen, if you don't mind just Shae." He smiled.

"Hmm, I've never considered myself particularly just, but if you insist."

He chuckled and Guard Shu put her hand on her face and groaned. The other boy tilted his head for a slow breath, then smiled and nodded.

"Chen, Guard Shu, I'm not familiar with your skill sets." She made brief eye contact with the other boy.

"Please call me Shu, we got on well before. Brother Chen has earth qi, I have wood." She turned to glance at the boy and frowned.

He spoke up. "Uh, I don't think I can help, could I quickly try out the ch'th'knarr?" He pronounced it surprisingly well.

Shae sighed and handed the tool over. "Her name is Marta, and if you break her then her owner, Mister Fedir, gets to do the same to you."

Shae wasn't sure he heard because he nodded quickly, grabbed it and ran over to the wood log chunks.

"So, you have wood qi? Have a plan for the road?"

Shu wobbled a hand. "Not really. Roots can soak up water fast, but maybe not fast enough. You said there were trees, though?"

The young woman nodded. "Dozens of large ones," she looked to the treeline at the side of the road, then pointed, "like those. Knocked over and scattered across the road. Can you easily move them?"

Again, she wobbled her hand. "A few, sure, but not that many. I can tell you if any are still alive, or spirit plants. Maybe drain qi from those that were near awakening into spirit plants."

"Hmm, so good senses? I guess that if there are still roots in the mud, you could drain or dry around them?"

She nodded.

Shae nodded slowly, trying to imagine what else the woman could do. "Do the roots swell from that? Messing up the road? It's already been flattened."

"Uh, it might, they like to twist and bunch sometimes too."

"Hmm, then we have voids. Oh! Can you sense voids? Would be good if the road didn't collapse."

She nodded, "Yea, that's easy."

"I can do that too." Chen added.

"Ah, right. That probably would be easier for you to solve too."

He nodded. "Drying out the mud will be tricky. But reinforcing it for a wagon is also doable."

"Hmm, is that permanent? It's a long stretch of road, and there are lots of wagons." She gestured.

"Uh, probably not that easy then, and not permanent." He winced.

"Well you're still the most capable, it seems. Maybe just a layer of bricks and logs up top will do the trick, just need to hold the wagons and horses for today."

"Water would work best though. Too bad you chased off the noble brat." Shu mused.

"Huh? Noble?" She asked.

"Yea, the one with Long. Zang, or something."

"Oh. Disciple Zhango," Shae said flatly.

"Yeah, yeah, so he has taken him as a disciple? Guess that makes sense, he's supposed to be good at water tricks already."

Shae frowned. "Doubt he would want to get his hands dirty. Seemed kind of spoiled. You know of any other guards with water focus, I thought Guard Tu said they were all water focused."

Shu shook her head. "Not all, but Tu is."

"Oh! Well, let's go find him!"

"Uh, he's not here. He stayed at the Quan."

Shae opened her mouth to disagree, "No I-" she snapped her head around to where he had been standing. "It was that bloody illusionist! Ugh, I knew that was out of character for Tu!"

"Oh!" Chen perked up, "I've heard about her!"

"Her?"

"Well, just heard a few rumors, and Bai told me she goes by Apollo."

"Bai? Scribe Bai? Ugh! When did he say this?" Shae scowled.

"Uhhh," he hesitated, "couple days ago?"

"Why is that a question! No wait!" She lowered her head, raised a halting hand, and took a deep breath. "Sorry, Chen. I'm not angry with you, I shouldn't yell. I complained to Scribe Bai at the Quan about this Apollo, and he acted like he didn't know."

Guard Shu forced a cough to the side. "Didn't know, or just didn't want to share?"

"Could have been that, I guess." The young woman sighed.

She nodded. "We don't all know, but many of the senior team were informed someone would be along for the trip."

"Someone?"

"Uh-huh. Can't really say, since you're not in the sect."

Shae exhaled her frustration. "This Apollo uses steam, though. That should work, right?"

Shu thought. "Probably, she is supposed to be stronger than us. Prevents accidents if we jump her thinking she's a real spy."

Shae raised an eyebrow.

The guard faked a cough again. "Pretend I didn't say that."

"Can you find her?"

She shrugged. "Maybe, I'll talk to Bai, she's supposed to have a few dead giveaways."

"Yow!" A shout came from the boy with Marta. Everyone looked over to see him shaking his hands out.

"Mhmm, the hammer side has a bit of a sting to it." Shae nodded, then turned back to Shu. "If you do, tell her I'd like to meet her properly. Ask her to wear something nice, something more her, someone not in the caravan."

"You want me to make demands of a higher stage cultivator?" Shu asked skeptically. "Why would she listen?"

"Hmm..." Shae shrugged. "I feel like she owes me a favor."

"How so?" Chen asked.

"Just a hunch." She repeated the shrug.

Shu shrugged as well. "I'll have to find her first. Meet you there?"

Shae nodded. "Thank you, Shu. Oh! Do you have some seeds, or can you find some plants that will suck up water fast?" She pointed at the forest.

"Hmm, maybe some vines? I think there's a water creeper in the area that could work."

"Cool! Feel free to look, then. No offense, but I'm not sure how much you can do there."

She waved it off. "None taken, we all have our strengths." She nodded to them both and left.

"Well, we should get going. How fast can you run?"

"Ugh. Running! No one said there would be running!"

Shae laughed, turned towards where the boy should have been, and found an abandoned Marta. It cut her laugh short as she clicked her tongue in distaste.

Shae and Chen ran in silence. Her hops set an uneven rhythm of footfalls, while his earth technique provided a more constant on-off of grinding gravel and silence.

She had tried striking up conversation, but he was locked in concentration. The closest to an exchange came when he tried to say something to her.

"Slow, stinky." He had called out between leaps.

Shae was slightly offended by this. "Ah! How rude!"

It was immediately clear he didn't expect this as he missed his landing and toppled head over heels, falling further behind the young woman.

She quickly slowed to check on him. However, he was back up and catching up before she had stopped to change directions. It was then she caught a whiff of her own smell. The pungent sour aroma of impurities still covered her. Oh, right, I am stinky. She called back, "Sorry. You can lead. It's just a few Li."

He nearly missed his footing again. "Just." He said, and something else under his breath that Shae assumed was a curse.

When he caught up, she wanted to say something, but saw his face strained in concentration. Right, this is why he hates running, guess it's silence for us.

His pace was faster than she could run without qi, but it was clear the earth qi technique was not ideal for speed. She wondered if metal was faster. Which brought her thoughts to paraplegic Olympic runners. Those spring-like prosthetics are really efficient. Could you do something similar with metal qi?

The steam rising from the area ahead brought her back to reality. She quickly spotted that it was coming from the blocked road.

She heard Chen grunt in recognition of seeing it.

"Smoke?" She asked. "I'll run ahead." She switched to a full sprint without waiting for an answer.

The once muddy east road was steaming when she arrived.

"Glad to see you back, Miss Shae." Aidel strode up to her. "That cultivator you sent does quick work."

She saw the whole length of the road was steaming now, the closest end wasn't, but the surface was dry and cracked. "Yeah, seems like it. Are they still around?"

"Nope, you just missed her. She said I should say hello for her, and that 'She might have time for you when you're not covered in muck.' those words, exactly."

She paused for a breath. "Ah. Alright. Thanks for the message Aidel. I've another man right behind me that can do a bit of earth moving if there are spots that still need it, and a third that might have another trick or two... If they're even needed now." She gestured to the steam.

She nodded. "Good to hear. I'm not sure I like the cracking the road is doing. Shouldn't be an issue, but I've never seen it before."

"I think it's just from rapid drying, but I agree. Since the caravan is arriving a bit later: I apologize for keeping you all later than agreed. Feel free to stop-work if they need the rest."

She shrugged and waved a hand. "We were practically fine before you left. Boys have just been picking at it for something to do."

"Good to hear, suppose that means I owe them more coin. I'll wait to see what Mistress Ping says. I would like her to see the crew as well."

Aidel squinted at her. "You do have the coin, yes."

"Hah. I do now." She pulled the gold crown from her pocket to inspect it. When fidgeting with it earlier she hadn't felt any nicks so wanted a better look at it. "Huh. Looks brand new."

Aidel's eyes went wide. "Is that a...?"

The young cultivator flipped it around a few times. "Oh! It's not a crown?"

The woman moved on closer. "You don't know?" She turned and coughed into her fist quietly. "Um, I mean. It makes sense you wouldn't have seen one before. It's a sect's coin. What's the animal side?"

"Uh, snake? Or dragon, I guess, right yeah, I see it now, definitely dragon."

She nodded. "Good, would be weird if it was someone else's."

"Uh-Kay. So it's still worth a crown, right?"

Aidel coughed again, louder this time. Looked down, then twisted her foot in the dirt. "Right, I could swindle you out of it, since you don't know any better, but you've been good to us." She exhaled and inhaled sharply. "You know how sects use spirit stones as currency? Yeah, so those are worth too much, can't really get change for them most of the time like you could a silver or gold crown. Tsh, I couldn't give you change for a gold crown."

"So, it's in-between? Like ten crowns, then?"

She looked confused and shook her head. "Usually full sets of crowns. Is there a number on it?"

"Uhhh, a two, and a year."

"Two sets then." Aidel stiffly inhaled and exhaled again.

"That's entirely too much money." The young woman said.

"Yep." The older woman nodded seriously.

Shae took one last look at the undamaged edge and stuffed it into her robes. Being sure to use one of the deeper and more secure pockets. "It's weird. I was expecting a scratch on it, but it looked brand new. The minting year isn't even recent."

The pulsing crunch of gravel signaled Chen's approach.

"Oh? I've heard they're indestructible," Aidel said.

"Really!? Indestructible!"

"What's indestructible?" Chen asked.

"Sect coins," Shae replied.

Chen shook his head. "Not completely. They have spirit stone fragments worked into them, and internal formations supposedly. I've heard they can self-repair, so they usually look freshly minted."

"Huh, wow. I thought formations needed to be larger?"

Chen wobbled a hand. "Depends on the symbols used. One symbol can be quite small, especially if the effect is weak or slow."

"Ah, I see. So, if a sect coin was marked, how long until it's fixed?"

Chen smirked. "He swap the coins on you? That's pretty funny. It takes about a day. Just ask him for a look later."

Shae frowned. "I'd rather not." She grumbled something to herself. "What about a lost piece?"

"Hmm, from what I heard, they are quite hard to cut, and not made of gold, even if they look like it."

"What am I missing from this conversation?" Aidel interrupted.

"Ah, Misses Dong Aidel, meet Cultivator Chen. He should be able to clean up what our steamy friend started."

Chen nodded, and Aidel bowed. "Well met, Honorable Cultivator."

Shae crossed her arms. "Hey, you didn't do that for me!"

"You're not in sect robes, Miss Shae." She replied with a smirk.

The young woman huffed.