Hansuke Arrives in Koryo
16 Feb 1371
The god in the horned helm walks over to a pedestal in the center of the chamber. He slides his sword into an opening in top of the miniature plinth and twists it sharply to the left. The domed ceiling begins to revolve, swiftly picking up speed until it is little more than a blur. Suddenly, a shaft of light erupts from the building, stretching out into the blackness of night. “The choice is yours.” “I accept.”
Hansuke steps into the light and vanishes in the blink of an eye. When the light fades, the monk finds himself standing in a rune-inscribed circle blasted into the earth. He looks around, his eyes instantly adjusting to the dim light and realizes that he is standing somewhere in the mountains on a world far-removed from Asgard, far removed from his former companions. He takes a deep breath, tasting the cool, crisp air and exhales. A small cloud of fog forms in the cool air and is carried away on a light breeze. He looks around and sees the peaks and ridges of other mountains stretching off in all directions except west.
He shoulders his pack and begins walking. The sky slowly shifts from the deep purple of night to the silvery-gray of the coming dawn. The hooting of owls and chirping of crickets accompany him as he hikes along the trail. It does not take long for him to hear faint voices carrying across the slopes.
“The light came from the sky. It struck near here. I know it!”
“I don’t know. I have never seen anything like it before.”
“That was not lightning. It was … something else entirely.”
“The master said to find out for sure and that is what we are going to do. The safety of the monastery and the entire valley could be at stake!”
“Neither the Yak-Men nor the Yuan-Ti possess such magic. The light was the work of the Celestial Court!”
Hansuke slows, crouching in the shadows and peers down the hill. He sees three men approaching. They are dressed in wildly dissimilar attire, one in the clothing of a well-to do merchant, the second in simple monk robes, and the third in O-Yori Armor with an antlered helmet worn atop his head. Unless this land does not observe a caste system like in his homeland, then it is likely that these three men are adventurers of some sort.
The god in the horned helm walks over to a pedestal in the center of the chamber. He slides his sword into an opening in top of the miniature plinth and twists it sharply to the left. The domed ceiling begins to revolve, swiftly picking up speed until it is little more than a blur. Suddenly, a shaft of light erupts from the building, stretching out into the blackness of night. “The choice is yours.” “I accept.”
Hansuke steps into the light and vanishes in the blink of an eye. When the light fades, the monk finds himself standing in a rune-inscribed circle blasted into the earth. He looks around, his eyes instantly adjusting to the dim light and realizes that he is standing somewhere in the mountains on a world far-removed from Asgard, far removed from his former companions. He takes a deep breath, tasting the cool, crisp air and exhales. A small cloud of fog forms in the cool air and is carried away on a light breeze. He looks around and sees the peaks and ridges of other mountains stretching off in all directions except west.
He shoulders his pack and begins walking. The sky slowly shifts from the deep purple of night to the silvery-gray of the coming dawn. The hooting of owls and chirping of crickets accompany him as he hikes along the trail. It does not take long for him to hear faint voices carrying across the slopes.
“The light came from the sky. It struck near here. I know it!”
“I don’t know. I have never seen anything like it before.”
“That was not lightning. It was … something else entirely.”
“The master said to find out for sure and that is what we are going to do. The safety of the monastery and the entire valley could be at stake!”
“Neither the Yak-Men nor the Yuan-Ti possess such magic. The light was the work of the Celestial Court!”
Hansuke slows, crouching in the shadows and peers down the hill. He sees three men approaching. They are dressed in wildly dissimilar attire, one in the clothing of a well-to do merchant, the second in simple monk robes, and the third in O-Yori Armor with an antlered helmet worn atop his head. Unless this land does not observe a caste system like in his homeland, then it is likely that these three men are adventurers of some sort.
Comments
Post a Comment