Klipyl's PoV - East Wind’s Court

  When Klipyl returned to the others, her attention lingered on the mannequins. The kimonos adorning them ranged from a brilliant riot of blue and pink flowers to liquid black silk with large golden flowers. Amdirlain was fussing with the seams of one, the cloth shifting under her touch. The flower pattern across the shoulders smoothly transitioned into the arms when it settled, and she moved to tweak another. The white mat that covered the floor made them look like they had risen from an ocean of clouds.

  Sarah motioned to the scrolls before Klipyl could check out the new jewellery boxes arrayed on the low tables. "You're as popular as you deserve, attracting attention from two goddesses."

  The threads surrounding Sarah are so thick it's challenging to separate them, but the protective ones extending towards Klipyl grow brighter and stand out against the backdrop of colour.

  Klipyl bit her lip and held the scrolls up. "Which do I open first?"

  Amdirlain shrugged casually, and a dozen blank mannequins coalesced from grey ectoplasm; Sarah firmly pointed to the one bearing Omiyanome-no-Okam's seal. "Junior to senior, and then respond to senior first."

  "That wasn't part of Master Cyrus's etiquette lessons."

  "Order of opening them in private isn't a matter of etiquette, though sending a response to a junior first would be an issue."

  The determination imparted by Cyrus helped Klipyl quash her nerves; she set Lady Kisshōten's scroll next to a jewellery box. A firm press on the other scroll's seal cracked the wax, and she gently unfurled it.

  "Lady Omiyanome-no-Okami requests your company for a tea ceremony following any dawn as your time permits. Please advise a suitable date and an escort will arrive an hour before dawn to show you the path," Klipyl repeated the simple message, perturbed about what she might be missing. "I don't get it."

  Amdirlain paused. "In Nippon’s culture, tea ceremonies are solemn rituals. I'd get Master Cyrus to take you through what's expected. From my old knowledge and what I hear, they're an art form, a way to cultivate certain sensibilities and a meditative experience, among other facets."

  "Sensibilities?"

  "Artistic appreciation. There have been a few ceremonies since we arrived. The seating for the ceremony always included a focal alcove with a piece of artwork in it."

  "On the other side, they were a way to socialise and connect with other people," offered Sarah. "The good news is she won't ask you to decide anything, as she's inviting you to a social ceremony. There won't be any business talk."

  "Phew."

  She swapped scrolls and broke the seal with a reassured confidence.

  "Klipyl, Sword of Light. Lady Kisshōten wishes to discuss your perspective on change, choice, and beauty. Please advise which of the times below is suitable, respectfully Oracle Hashiguchi Amaya." Klipyl looked over the short list of dates and swallowed. "This afternoon or the next on the list is in three weeks."

  "Explains why she sent you the letter before dawn," said Amdirlain.

  "But why me?" asked Klipyl.

  "I doubt they'll tell you anything directly, but influence and understanding can come in many forms." Amdirlain patted the black and gold peony kimono. "Let's see how you look wearing this one."

  Klipyl untied her obi with Sarah's help to avoid it dragging on the ground. "They both seem like odd requests to me."

  "They have some overlap, just as the two goddesses do," offered Amdirlain. "And like the floral scents on the scrolls entwine, so might these requests."

  "Would they bother to coordinate something like that?"

  "I don't know. Maybe it's just me seeing a subtle lesson that isn't even there. The scents are significant on their own, yet together, they are stronger. You've become very good at helping people connect."

  Sarah smiled. "Or it could be a plot because of the reprehensible company you keep."

  "Let's continue dressing you up while you think about what you're going to say," Amdirlain said, pointing to the first jewellery box. "I set up a few trinkets."

  Sarah cackled loudly, and Amdirlain gave her a pert smile, its warmth a content sigh to Klipyl. A brilliant neon ribbon showed in the storm surrounding Sarah but only bridged some distance to Amdirlain. With a thought from Klipyl, all the connections and emotional threads vanished from her sight, and Amdirlain regarded her with a knowing smile.

  "Don't tell me." Klipyl raised clasped hands and fixed Amdirlain with a kittenish gaze.

  "I wouldn't dream of it, you goof. You're having fun with it."

  "Tell you what?" asked Sarah

  "How her gift from Muse works," replied Amdirlain.

  Klipyl spluttered. "You mention that now?"

  A smile lit up her face. "I could share more."

  "Keep it vague," pleaded Klipyl.

  "Your species has influences from several aspects," explained Amdirlain. "Your species has the potential for related powers, but time will tell if you benefit further from their involvement. For that Power, I'd consider what you were doing when you gained it and experiment with controlling what it shows you. I've heard you activate it, but I'd suggest being more aware of what you want it to show. At present, you switch it on and off, which puts the control in the Power's hands."

  "It's helping me learn what drives people," admitted Klipyl sheepishly, dipping her head. "I don't know enough about what connects good people."

  Amdirlain stepped close and enfolded her in a hug. "Telepathy is the ultimate cheat for learning what drives someone, and I still mess up."

  Klipyl laughed and returned the gesture. "You have annoyed me, so go do good."

  "That's when someone else has messed with me. When I've messed up, I do something overly generous for a random person." Planting a kiss on her cheek, Amdirlain released Klipyl and helped her remove the outer layer of the kimono. "Why do you think so many strangers end up with opportunities to learn magic or wondrous housing? Now, did you get an appropriate reaction from the courier?"

  "Wait, back up. What?"

  "The Mousekin burrow, all the affinities Tulne gained, the memory crystal. I felt guilty about other things and tried to ease the pain with generous gifts to someone who wouldn't take it as weakness."

  "That's not how I see it."

  Amdirlain smiled sadly. "I was a mess, and that was the reason for my behaviour back then."

  "Would you still help them?" asked Klipyl.

  "Yes, I'd just set more challenge gates for them to earn it so that the acquisition would have been healthier for their self-esteem."

  "Do you still feel guilty about what was worrying you?"

  "I have regrets, not guilt, but regrets come with life lessons. If you have no regrets, someone has helped you far too much, or you've not stepped out of your comfort zone. Do you have regrets?"

  "Yes."

  "Then you've been trying and growing, which is good."

  The scrolls went into Klipyl's oath stone, and their morning was occupied with more dresses and jewellery as she considered her replies. She happily cooed over each combination until Amdirlain slipped her into a white silk kimono with a couple of new flowers in the patterns that held her attention.

  Klipyl pointed to the golden-yellow elongated blooms that accented all the arrangements. "What do these mean? They're not on any of the other dresses."

  "Honey suckles represent generosity," Amdirlain tapped the pink blooms with white edging. "while the Hibiscus is gentle; it's a combination that suits you."

  She got lost in the implications of Amdirlain’s words and jumped like a startled cat at a subsequent request.

  "You want me to do what?! I'm not that sorta being!"

  "You'll be fine," reassured Amdirlain as she tucked and tucked the clothing disarrayed during Klipyl’s protest. "Stop fidgeting."

  "You're dumping it on me!" Klipyl whined.

  Amdirlain smiled with unconcealed glee. "Dumping is harsh, as I asked if you'd do it for me."

  "Shouldn't Jinfeng handle it? She's your student," Klipyl observed, her voice lifting in pitch.

  "It wouldn't be the same," declared Amdirlain.

  "But-"

  "You'll get to show a new kimono off," offered Amdirlain.

  Klipyl's fingers twitched at the kimono's seams.

  "You’re family, and the meeting is with the East Wind. I should have someone along to accompany me."

  "Your companion needs a particular minimum status."

  “Exactly. Will you come along with me, please?”

  Klipyl's head twitched. "When do you expect this to be?"

  "I have the feeling tonight will be busy," explained Amdirlain. "I'll have to prepare a proper thank you gift for allowing us to use this southern mansion for Grandmaster Kadaklan's comfort."

  "The first visit should be a nice simple get-to-know-you chat," Sarah smirked. "Are you going to rub that title in Kadaklan's nose?"

  "Maybe on the odd occasion."

  "Be nice to Kadaklan," protested Klipyl.

  "I thought that was your goal?" quipped Sarah.

  Amdirlain smiled slyly. "Given you have a bet, you'll need a witness that you've followed proper etiquette, so you should take Grandmaster Kadaklan along. He's meditating presently and would probably enjoy a distraction from all the water."

  "Did you already have a favour in mind for winning the bet?" asked Sarah, though her gaze lingered on Amdirlain with a content glow.

  Klipyl mumbled. "Yes, but I'm not spilling my secret. Where do I deliver my letters?"

  “Duty Pavilion, if you don’t know the location of the manors, is my guess. Check with Kadaklan or Cyrus.” offered Sarah.

  Amdirlain merely smiled mysteriously, but a playful gleam showed in her gaze.

  They added subtle jewellery and suitable makeup to highlight the light blue swirls in her skin.

  As Klipyl rose to leave, she regarded Amdirlain curiously.

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  "What will you be doing while I'm out playing courier?"

  "Experimenting with Thought Form," replied Amdirlain. "I've picked Psychic Bastion and Ki Guardian."

  "How do those classes fit into the overall theme you’re seeking?"

  "The Psychic Bastion can create living thoughts, and the Ki Guardian is about life. Life will fight to survive and seek places and ways to thrive. Ki Guardian opens me to all the Ki powers embracing life. They seem like important aspects of creation," Amdirlain replied with an amiable smile. "I'm wondering if an evolution of Thought Form could create the entities native to the Astral Plane. "

  Klipyl blinked at the different interpretations of what she'd seen as two very different combat classes.

  She kissed each lady on the cheek and headed to Kadaklan's room, mulling Amdirlain's words.

  Her first tap elicited no response and, after a long wait, she repeated her knock on the doorframe.

  When Kadaklan slid his door open, he stopped and blinked slowly at Klipyl, his mouth slightly parted. The temptation to see what emotions hovered around him niggled at Klipyl, and she enabled the Power quickly.

  The maelstroms of surprise, varying desires, and even regrets weren't what she expected from an Immortal, so she shut it off.

  "Is there a problem?"

  "You look very different," allowed Kadaklan.

  Klipyl considered the bright orange and yellow robes he wore today, with their loose folds and voluminous sleeves. "You're also extra spiffy today, not exactly dressed for lab work or healing."

  "I felt in a formal mood."

  Holding her arms out wide, Klipyl turned in a circle. "Do I look spiffy enough?"

  "You look as magnificent as always, but what is the occasion?"

  "Magnificent?" Klipyl blinked. "That's the first time someone's used that word for me."

  Kadaklan smiled warmly. "I'm sure others have told you I can get swept up in beauty."

  "It might have come up in conversation," admitted Klipyl. "Would you accompany me for a walk?"

  When his gaze flittered over Klipyl’s shoulder to the corridor window that looked out into the vast waters, she sidestepped to catch his eyes.

  Klipyl tugged on the hem of his sleeve. "Would it hurt to stroll together and make some polite enquiries? I need a witness for our bet and some advice about accepting two invitations."

  "Invitations from who?"

  Klipyl explained the two scrolls.

  "Let's get them composed and then seek the Duty Pavilion. The courier would have come from there, and it seems the sensible place to act as an intermediary."

  It was mid-morning before they made it out the door with both the letters written and directions to the Duty Pavilion in hand. Klipyl walked beside him, hands demurely tucked into her sleeves.

  What started as Kadaklan flicking an occasional furtive glance at the dome grew too regular, and she lightly bumped into his shoulder. "What do you love most about alchemy?"

  Kadaklan gave her a boyish smile. "Are you seeking to distract me?"

  "Yes, but it doesn't mean I'm not interested," replied Klipyl.

  "That it allows the blending of disparate materials to soothe suffering," noted Kadaklan. "Particularly, how it can turn even dangerous materials into part of a cure."

  "Oh," breathed Klipyl. "Any specific reason that appeals so much?"

  "I committed acts of great violence in some of my past lives. That my Soul's lessons brought me to where I am now analogous with alchemy."

  "And now you're part of helping others." Klipyl patted his arm. "I guess we're alike in some ways, though you've helped people with far more serious issues."

  "You help people find happiness and avoid lifelong regrets that would scar their souls."

  Klipyl smiled bashfully. When they walked on in silence, Kadaklan's gaze drifted again only to alight curiously on her. Her attention was split, darting from those flying overhead to workers in grey clothing pulling hand carts to manors, even as she watched him. She didn't hurry the pace as they wove their way inwards towards the region with the official buildings. Their turquoise roof tiles gleamed in the strange illumination of the court dome.

  When they arrived at the Duty Pavilion, she joined the end of a line to register tasks without prompting. Those ahead of her tried to give way, but matching bows and a polite smile turned into introductions and enquiries about their mornings. Those self-introductions turned into conversations that drew out their backgrounds and, before they knew it, the clerk called the person ahead, with no patience for delay.

  Kadaklan watched her smoothly tend to the clerk's ego and self-importance, easing through the bureaucracy with an understanding smile that never faltered. All her letters headed off before they left the counter, the cost covered by turning over materials for one of their repeating jobs.

  They stepped out without a ruffled feather in their wake.

  When they were a hundred metres from the gleaming doors of the place, Kadaklan blurted. "How?"

  Klipyl blinked at him innocently. "What?"

  "How did you do that? The way you treated them so smoothly took me completely by surprise."

  "Everyone deserves and craves to be the focus of someone's attention. Though I can't permanently relieve that craving, I can sate it for a little while."

  "Did you care about what he was telling you?"

  "Those fields sound lovely, and all those flowers must give such a heady scent. I hope we can drop by there during the spring so I can experience it myself," gushed Klipyl.

  "But you've been on heavenly planes," protested Kadaklan.

  "The heavens don't have the sole claim to beauty." Klipyl tsked reprovingly.

  Kadaklan changed tack. "How did you know they'd need those materials?"

  "They've got to keep their enchanters busy around here, and every Enchanter I've ever known craves gemstones," replied Klipyl. "We better head back. I'll need to get changed for my meeting with the Oracle this afternoon."

  "True, and you also need to speak to Master Cyrus about what to expect."

  ? ? ? ? ? ?

  The escort rang the manor's doorbell well before the meeting time; Klipyl had teleported to the entryway with Jinfeng before the bell stilled.

  Jinfeng stepped forward to slide the door open and took in the white-haired woman on the doorstep. Her features were unlined, but the muscles lining her jaw showed a hint of softening from age. She wore a pale blue kimono that matched the base theme of the Martial Pavilion's uniform, yet the frothing white at the cuffs and hems released flights of white herons, each so individually detailed that their feathers showed.

  "Good afternoon. What can I help you with?"

  "My name is Master Shiratori Neiko. I'm here to escort Klipyl, Sword of Light, to her audience with Oracle Hashiguchi Amaya." The lady's bow was only the slightest of inclination.

  Klipyl stepped forward in a white kimono that was awash with cherry blossoms and let Jinfeng introduce her with precise formality. They each bowed respectfully.

  A gentle burst of radiance carried a clear sense of the woman to Klipyl, it quickly fading to reveal a maple wood gazebo around them. The polished wood was softly glowing in the underwater illumination, the white of the mat matched the raked pebbles in the surrounding zen garden. A jagged line of six boulders crossed the pebbles to the south, each hosting a single bonsai of a different species atop them. Beyond the furthest boulder was a cream wall with a small cap of turquoise tiles marching its length in a nearly perfect, uninterrupted square. While most of the pebbles had been smoothed out, raked lines in the north gave the impression of waves sweeping in, a dotting of black rocks a slight imperfection in the aesthetic. A playful bubble of water came from the west, along with the faint scent of damp soil.

  "Please wait here for Oracle Hashiguchi. This is her favourite meditation spot, and she hoped you would also enjoy it."

  As Klipyl offered a reassuring smile, Master Shiratori vanished.

  Though Klipyl usually would plop down to sit, this time, she knelt in the seiza style she'd seen Amdirlain so frequently use. While the tatami mat cushioned her knees, as her bum rested back on her heels, she mentally noted to ask someone how it could be comfortable for mortals' easily fatigued flesh.

  Against the backdrop of the cream wall, the colours of bonsai to the south popped, drawing her gaze as she relaxed. The twists in the wood from their training and centuries of maintenance helped attention linger on each?. The vibrant green leaves of the first bonsai and the bright pink flowers of the fifth had her attention shifting between them after studying the others.

  Master Shiratori Neiko reappeared, accompanied by a young woman who looked to be in her early twenties, though her dark jade eyes carried almost a century of weight. Beneath the exterior form, brilliant scales of turquoise and gold shimmered in contrast to the voluminous white kimono with long sleeves nearly touching the ground. Across the fabric, a few rural scenes showed farmers collecting their harvests, wagons, and carts loaded high trailing behind them. Klipyl disabled True Sight as Master Shiratori began the introductions, taking in the luscious black hair, with green jade pins managing the long braids. The thought of its darkness draping cooly across Klipyl's skin stirred an initial gentle warmth that fanned higher at the thought of Kadaklan pressing her between them.

  Klipyl flowed to her feet, smiling serenely.

  "Klipyl, Sword of Light, servant of Lerina, I present Oracle Hashiguchi Amaya, the conduit of the wishes of Lady Kisshōten, chief deity of happiness, fertility, and beauty."

  As Master Shiratori's introduction continued to dwell on the goddess’ titles a touch of Klipyl's Power showed the threads of reverence and respect from millions of people weighing the air around Oracle Hashiguchi. They almost buried the ribbons of isolation and duty that fluttered about her. In that noise, a hurried search for personal connections was in vain.

  She's all alone in a crowded place.

  "I appreciate you responding so promptly, Klipyl-sama," Oracle Hashiguchi Amaya bowed to Klipyl.

  "Lady Kisshōten was gracious enough to request to hear from me, so I felt it improper to delay, Hashiguchi-san." Klipyl returned the bow but ensured it matched the degree she'd been given.

  Hashiguchi nodded politely to Master Shiratori, who promptly vanished again. She motioned for Klipyl to sit and knelt opposite; her placement making the bonsai with the bright pink flowers seem poised to nestle against her face. As she settled, Hashiguchi's nostrils flared, threads of curiosity and interest flickering from her chest, only to be quickly quashed by the ribbons of duty.

  Hashiguchi smiled gently. "Now we're alone. Please call me Amaya, as we're both servants to those greater."

  "I'm honoured, Amaya-sama. I've never met with an Oracle of a Goddess; normally I've just spoken to them directly. Would you explain what I should expect?"

  "I understand your Goddess and others are more personable. The chief deities are frequently closer to what you call aspects or concepts than people. Though they can limit themselves when they need to achieve specific short-term goals, they generally rely on oracles to translate their wishes into action in the Material Plane. Changed as they are, they lack the same connection and idea of time that those closer to mortality possess."

  "Thank you for facilitating, Amaya-sama."

  "Shortly, I'll open myself to Lady Kisshōten. She wishes you to speak as much or as little as you desire on questions I'll ask. The questions will translate her intent, and I don't know what she'll ask or how the intent will express itself."

  "Her intent finds whatever words your Mortal mind and feelings associate with it?" asked Klipyl curiously.

  "Correct."

  "I understand."

  Amaya cupped her hand in her lap, and a glowing bluish-white film settled over from her gaze. The illumination transformed her expression into a serene beauty that stirred a calm warmth across Klipyl.

  "Why do you guide people together through intimacy? Do you choose that for them, or is it a choice they make for themselves?"

  The blunt questions straight out of the gate brought forth a grin. "People are lonely, and intimacy comes in many forms. They always choose what they need, and while I hint or flirt, I never decide for them. Most of the time, I listen and let them express their concerns or worries. It helps them release their emotions, letting them see their choices without that burden. Though perhaps that is intimate still, since they share what they've kept from others with me? It brings out so many beautiful moments."

  "What is beauty to you?"

  "Beauty is subjective and intimate," said Klipyl.

  "Cannot a thousand people enjoy a sunrise?"

  Klipyl smiled. "They can enjoy the moment, but they're not experiencing precisely the same feeling and perhaps enjoying different elements."

  Her words trailed off as she pictured scenes of gathered people, and that she alone had her past. There was only one other born Succubus that she personally knew of who wasn't still in the Abyss.

  "Would you expand?" prompted Amaya.

  "One person enjoys the shades of orange or the interplay of light in the clouds. For others, the streaks of red are their favourite. There might be someone there blind with age, but the change in the air brings the happy sunrises of their youth to mind. That same beautiful sunrise to someone who has stood watch all night merely signals their relief from duty and perhaps frustration if they've no place to sleep where the daylight won't make their sleep fitful. To a species where the sunlight kills, they'd all be hiding as far away as possible."

  The questions continued, touching on the nature of choice and intimacy. Klipyl let her words flow, not hesitating to share. Eventually, the glow left Amaya's gaze, and the Oracle’s duty lifted from her.

  "I don't understand how my answers help her," said Klipyl

  "Would that you could understand Lady Kisshōten's intent from her perspective, there would be no need to ask."

  Klipyl tilted her head. "That sounds like advice I’ve heard Lady Am receive from her teachers. I didn’t expect anyone to teach me."

  "What do you see in your first sunrise? What did you see in the most recent one, Klipyl-sama?"

  Memories of the aching need of her Succubus form gnawing at her sent a cold trickle up Klipyl’s spine; sunlight spilling across the bed had been ignored. Her whole being had been focused on the pleasure she’d craved. The taut expression on her Summoner's face as he writhed beneath her with growing fatigue, the desperate pleasure peaking inside them. She let the recollection of him and his fate shatter and turned to a better memory.

  Jinfeng and Kadaklan sat in the courtyard, sipping tea with her as the light washed across Wudang mountain. The warmth of their friendship affected her more deeply than the brief climax she had gained from the outcast Elf. Even her recent lovers had left her far happier without the hollowing effect of a Succubus' cravings turning the momentary bliss into spiteful dust.

  "Perspectives change, Amaya-sama."

  "They do indeed. Shall I have Master Shiratori see you back to the manor?"

  "I believe I'll walk and think for a time." Klipyl glanced up and studied the curvature of the court's dome beyond the gazebo's awning. "This home is near the centre?"

  "It is indeed," Amaya confirmed. "I'll have a servant show you to the front gate."

  Impulsively, Klipyl stepped close and touched her forehead to Amaya's. "You have few who see you as Amaya-sama and not the Oracle. If you need someone to listen, I'll gladly help."

  Confusion and need swept away the age in her gaze, and Amaya rapidly blinked. "I appreciate that, Klipyl-sama."

  Her nostrils flared again, drinking in Klipyl's warmed scent, before Amaya raised a hand to cup Klipyl's face tenderly. "Thank you for your time today, Klipyl-sama. I'll be attending religious ceremonies for the next few weeks. Hopefully, you and Lady Am will still be present when I return."

  A section of the wall around the garden opened—a servant in a blue and pink yukata waited in the corridor beyond it—the polished wooden boards matching the warm maple of the gazebo.

  To avoid disturbing the raked pebbles, Klipyl glided above them and landed before the servant. Unphased, she bowed politely to Klipyl before turning to lead the way.

  Klipyl followed sedately behind the servant; thoughts of sharing the conversation with Kadaklan tickled at her.

  Deep in thought, she barely registered the streets as she followed the path south. At last inside their accommodations, she headed directly for Kadaklan's room.