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- This makes you blink. He smiles and hands you a flask of water. "It's quite impressive. We of the Sho have such indistinct smooth features. Some consider it a trait of beauty. I've come to find both interesting. But we are not talking about noses," he says. "We are talking about Iiwah."
- "I am Shi Kaifu of the Ye Shu Yu Luan . . . the Glorious Fire of Iiwah . . . and I am here to help you."
- "That's how I came to know that this is the Blessed City of Iiwah," he says, breaking through your thoughts again. "I was up on the tower of light to the northeast of this town when She came to me."
- Thrusting out of the ground, like a horn or a flaming spike, you see this temple the man was speaking of, made of stone and covered in spiking protrusions. A blazing glow of light emanates from the top of it. The mere sight of it fills you with awe.
- You reach out to hand the man his money, but suddenly he spins around and utters a sequence of words that you don't understand. A wand is now in his hand and he's pointing it at something you can't quite see. You smell the scent of sulfur in the air and an odd tingling of energy just as you hear a soft buzz, then a loud CRACK. A second later, you hear a squeak.
- And that's when you see him. Standing next to the fence of the town dairy cow is a man who, though he is dressed only in a simple shirt and pants, has a look about him that suggests experience and wear.
- "Ee-who?" you ask.
- Peace, you think. Peace would be a welcome thing. The more and more you think about it, the more it appeals to you. If this Iiwah thing can bring you peace and it doesn't make your skin crawl the way the name Bael'Zharon does . . .
- A craftsman is nearby. You hand him the hide you peeled off of a gromnie not too long ago, and he takes a moment fashioning it into a pair of studded gloves. You thank the man for his toils . . .
- "I thought so. Your nose is big," he says with a smirk.
- "Oh," he says, smiling, "Iiwah is . . . Well, she's . . ."
- "Iiwah came to you? A goddess?" The thought of it is somewhat difficult to understand. This land seems like the echo of someone's last attempt to scream for help. A hollow fearful thing that threatens to--
- "Great . . . another madman," you mutter under your breath. The last person you traveled with went completely crazy after seeing a horde of liches. One look and suddenly your companion for nearly a month starts swinging his blade all over creation and screaming about the damnation of the entire race of Aluvians.
- "Iiwah is the Bringer of Splendor. She is the Firebird and an Elder Spirit, made by the Creator to protect and guide all of Her Chosen," he continues. "It's not surprising you've heard little about her. Not many Gaijin have heard about the Creator. And even fewer have heard about the Three. Iiwah is sister to Chiran, the Unicorn of Grace, and Ryu, the Dragon of Discipline. Iiwah has the unique duty to ensure that the Chosen are not bound by the mundane and non-transcendental."
- You take a drink from the water flask. It's sweet and has a taste so clean that you can feel it wash the dirt down that's been piling up in your throat as you traveled over the rough countryside.
- And he is right.
:--Ciaran, aka "Shi Kaifu of the Ye Shu Yu Luan"
:Custodian of the Glorious Fire of Iiwah
____________
* Back to Player Chronicles
- "Wait!" you cry out as he runs up the road and into the distance. You curse silently and grab your own belongings and head after him. The cobbled roadway bends and twists up a small rise then dead ends just before you catch sight of it.
- "Aha! I was right. Here. Only ten pyreals. I'm having a special today," he says with a rather cheeky grin on his face.
- You loosen your armor a bit and sit on a patch of grass while you eat your meal. There's an odd twinkle in the man's eye when he speaks of this "Iiwah" thing. Is it a goddess? Some great warrior? A priestess perhaps? . . .
- "Come again?" you ask. Too many hours in this nightmarish land . . . Too many monsters have tried to tear you to pieces . . . and some have succeeded. The words this man is using make your head begin to hurt again.
- "Fresh noodles! Hot beef stew! Would anyone care for a meat pie? They're quite refreshing!" he says.
- The man stands there, his usual smile spread across his tanned face. He points to a ramp that seems to curve around the circumference of the tower, a ledge with which to ascend to the top. He begins to run up it and then disappears around the corner. You take off after him, keeping your eyes on the stonework at your feet. It becomes more and more difficult to run up as you go. You take off your helmet and unbuckle your breastplate to allow yourself to breathe better. You can hear the roar of the blazing flames above grow louder and louder as you continue up the winding ramp. Finally, you are at the top and your body is screaming to be released from its bindings. You drop your helm, your shield, your armor, and your pack.
- Odd. He looks like a warrior. There is a sack next to him, out of which stick the dangerous blades of a nekode. The sunlight bounces off the weapon and you blink your eyes and turn away.
- "Ah! Dawn is nearly here!" he shouts as he rises and picks up his belongings. "We must welcome it!"
- . . . and the sun rises. A yellow ball of light that used to laugh at you through the desert now sings to you as it peeks its crown from the edge of the reaching ocean. The vision of fire being born of water makes your breath catch. Up here, the air is clean and pure. The light from the sun dances off the small waves of the distant ocean like a million brilliant mirrors, a fantastic show of light and grace and beauty . . . all for you . . . all for you.
- "So who is this Iiwah thing you keep talking about?" You take another bite of your meat pie and set your sword and helm down next to you. For a moment you are able to enjoy some rest and peace. The past few months have been nothing short of a nightmare. Everywhere you turn, monsters, of every horrid shape and size imaginable, have been your only company . . . and even then they are not welcome ones. You twitch slightly as your mind recollects the horrible words you heard the last time you were killed . . .
- He sits down and becomes lost in thought, assuming a posture and expression which come across as nothing short of amusing. His brows pinch together, and his face scowls as he tries to come up with an answer.
- "You are Aluvian, yes?" he asks. You nod as you chew on the savory meal. For a second, you see the face of your brother in your mind's eye. It's been a long time since anything familiar has been around you.
- "Who are you?" you ask, your gaze unfaltering from the sea.
- "Don't get me wrong," he replies. "Without them, we all would never live on this harsh land. The minions of the Unspeakable One are all about us and with those lifestones we are able to remain here and cleanse this world for the coming of the Elders. But all the same, these lifestones keep us from attaining true transcendence and meeting the Creator. Perhaps Iiwah will find a way to free us from them."
- You didn't intend to say this aloud, however. You realize your mistake and start to apologize when he cuts you off.
- Tou-Tou, like many towns built by the Sho people, has a construction that is quite familiar when first entering it. You walk along the stone pathway that cuts through the main section of this newly constructed village and listen to the bustling noise of a town in its infancy. Still a bit worn from attuning yourself to the lifestone nearby, you struggle to appear upright and strong despite your field fatigue. People rush back and forth, trading weapons for money, exchanging items, bartering for information and goods. It's nighttime now, but the town still seems busy for its size.
- "Bah! Who ever heard of such a thing?" he snorts. "Iiwah and Bael'Zharon? Now that's amusing. Actually, come to think of it, that's rather interesting. But still, if Bael'Zharon was so intent on freeing everyone, why doesn't he free us from these accursed lifestones?"
- "Yes," he says. He smiles as you blink again and you wonder why he says nothing about your being so distracted. "The Temple has such a beautiful vantage for the sunrise . . . and I was up on the very top praying to Her when she spoke to me."
- "Iiwah," he replies, stuffing the rabbit's carcass into the bag with the rest of his belongings. "She is the Bringer of Splendor and the keeper of this small town. Her temple is to the east, along the road."
- "She is the Firebird, Hungry One." His voice cuts through your thoughts and brings you back to the moment. You realize that it's been awhile since you've had any rest. This pie, however, seems to warm you from the inside and you feel a bit better with each bite.
- "You look hungry. Here . . . have a meat pie." The man's voice is suddenly quite close. Your eyesight returns to normal just after your nose catches the scent of the food he is trying to sell. He's right, though. It does smell good. You can feel the warmth of the pie and smell the sweet meat and sauces baked inside the browned crust. It's been awhile since you've had a meal, and the pie he's holding right in front of your face is almost too much. A low grumble rises from your stomach and you swallow the saliva building up in your mouth.
- "Iiwah is with us," he says. His voice is near but you cannot see him and don't dare look away from the ocean. "Splendor is upon you. I can see it in your eyes," he says softly.
- "Hurry, or you'll miss it," he shouts to you as he continues toward it. You gather yourself and head after him, your muscles aching and crying out for rest. But peace awaits you. It's like being in a dream while waking. You see the light burst forth from the top of the spire and realize that your eyes are leading your body. You shake your head clear and arrive at the base of the tower.
- hen there is a quiet pause. His logic makes your mind spin and the night air is warming slightly. You hear a bird's song call the morning into sight. Something feels right about this place. You can sense the danger outside the town . . . but that's how it feels . . . distant.
- There is a glimmer of blue light bouncing off your shield and sword from something behind you. You look up and see the blazing light of the tower itself reach into the heavens. You turn around to look into the distance . . .
- "Well, don't try and understand . . . Just believe that she will bring you peace. The little things are figured out along the way."
- What? They've kept you from meeting your final death time and time again. "You don't like them? The lifestones, I mean," you say.
- Some strange undead creature with eyes of red, like fire. You could see the rotting flesh torn and festering . . .
- The temples you've been to lately haven't been much to celebrate. Most of them were either barren or full of horrid monsters. "Is this Iiwah like Bael'Zharon?" you ask. As you utter that name, the familiar chill runs down your spine. Bael'Zharon has been a name you've been thinking about for quite some time now . . .
- "Ah . . . rabbit for stew. Most of these things are too wiry to cook, though. It may be a loss," the man says. You crane your neck to the side and notice that right next to the man's pack, the corpse of a rabbit lies sprawled out on the grass edging the cobbled roadway. "These are for the customers, rabbit-san. But now you are with Iiwah and all is well."
- "Why thank you," he interjects. "I often ask myself whether or not I am mundane. You see, it is more often the mad who are wise and those who claim to be wise that are merely madmen. I am not wise by any standards, though I have seen quite a bit. I would rather be slightly mad than vainly wise. It's that wisdom that keeps me from going completely mad."
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