A satisfied curiosity is truly one of the joys of life.

— Excerpt from the journal of Flangel the Wise

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Molam and Shurra marched straight to the top of JiangXi, where the old City Lord's Mansion had been. The Dao's manpower and resources had been stretched too thin for Molam to order anything besides salvaging as many documents as possible. The rest of the Mansion had been surrendered to Winter's Sorrow, and IceMourne's Domain had shown no respect to the previously opulent building: brutal winds had scattered many of the stone blocks and snow caked the crumbling walls. Judging by the trickling of melted snow down the slopes, the interior must have filled up with snow as well. There, the two of them found the Whale facing the setting Sun at the highest edge of JiangXi's Cliffs.

"Please wait here, Shurra." Molam held up a hand. "I wish to speak with him first alone."

"As long as you don't forget what you promised." Shurra leaned against a dilapidated wall.

"I won't." Molam moved forward.

Unlike GloomSire, who could only be found if he wished to be found, Master Ji scarcely strayed from this spot atop JiangXi's Cliffs day in and day out. The man sat cross-legged at the Cliff's edge, pondering the burnt-orange horizon in silence. The bone-aching chill of Winter's Sorrow had yet to fully relent despite being so close to Spring's Blessings, yet the Whale still donned nothing more than a thin shirt cut off at the shoulders, displaying both tattoos on his bulky build. The image of the tiger seemed to snarl at Molam as he approached.

"You knew of Techoria's fate, didn't you? And the Empire's current…predicament? The Oracle would have known." Molam did not bother with a greeting. "And you didn't tell us."

Ji did not even turn around. "Why would you need to know?"

"Why wouldn't we need to know?" Molam demanded. "How could you even say that when you know what the Dao are doing? What the Dao is trying to achieve?"

"That wasn't my question." Ji's voice lowered. "Why would you need to know?"

Redness surged — if Molam didn't know better, he would have thought he had suddenly gained aura. How could Master Ji even think this, having undoubted knowledge of Molam's circumstances? How could he not understand why Molam considered this sort of information paramount?

He looked away from Ji's broad back and closed his eyes, counting his heartbeat as blood rushed into his ears. The angry thoughts threatened to overwhelm him and he clenched his fist even harder — to the point where his fingers hurt — before he relaxed his fingers.

As Molam removed himself from the torrent of thoughts, he distracted himself by trying to understand Ji's words. No, he understood them; but what did the Whale mean? He did not know Ji well, and so he could only guess.

Only when the throbbing pulse of his heart subsided into a calm cadence did he respond. "Even if I am returning home, there is no need for you to be denying me information that the leader of the Dao should be made aware of. I only ask you to inform me of these important matters in the future."

The Sun had dipped below the horizon, and orange surrendered to the sky's unique blend of violet and rose. Only when the skies darkened did Ji push himself up to his feet and turn to face Molam, towering over Molam as he looked down upon him. "You care a lot for someone who wants nothing to do with any of this."

Molam's jaw clenched and he drew himself up to his full height, barely reaching Ji's chest. "You obstruct quite a bit for someone who should have no lingering ties to the Empire."

No sooner had the words left his mouth did Molam feel an urgent need to step back. Anger gave way to a gut-lurching fear in his stomach and his breathing became shallow as Molam quashed the intense desire to retreat. But he could not. The words had been uttered and anything he tolerated would continue.

Ji did not respond. Then, a heavy hand laid down on Molam's shoulder — and the Whale chuckled. "I see they were not joking when they said you are considerably brave." Ji bent down to look at Molam, his deep voice becoming soft. "Or perhaps just foolish." Twin black eyes wreathed in violet stared down at Molam. "Do you think you are necessary for bringing the elderwood back to ZhiXia?"

"I don't." Indignant anger surged, muting his fear. Molam met the Titled One's intense gaze without flinching, the man's large hand on his shoulder an ever-present reminder of his fragile mortality. Yet there was hope. He did not need to directly meet Ji's challenging threat. "I'm sure the mursashu can bring the elderwood back to ZhiXia without a problem, especially with you overseeing it. But that's not where I'm necessary, is it?"

Ji blinked, then he chuckled. "How plucky. Or shall I say, daring. Whatever gave you the idea to think you would be necessary anywhere?"

"You were complaining that I want nothing to do with any of this. When someone complains about something, they are hoping for the result to be changed." Molam pointed at Ji's hand on his shoulder. "For example, this is quite heavy. Or do you need help standing up?"

"Complaining?" Ji raised an eyebrow, his gaze searching Molam's face.

Molam raised both eyebrows back, then glanced meaningfully to the man's hand and pointed again. "Yes. And this is me complaining, if it's not obvious."

A moment later, Ji straightened up and retracted his hand from Molam's shoulder.

"Thank you," Molam said. "If you need a cane, I can ask Kalle to make you one."

"I am not quite so old as to need a cane just yet." Ji turned away from Molam to look past the River Jiang. The skies were now dark and the faintest hints of stars had begun winking into sight. "I don't believe I've complained about anything."

"Your considerable displeasure at my desire to return home could not be more transparent ever since we met. Or is it the Oracle's?" Molam kept his voice steady despite his beating heart. He could not back down from his earlier utterances, but he could dance around an insult now that he confirmed the Whale — or by extension, the Oracle — still found him necessary. "I find it difficult to discern an individual's will when they live in servitude."

"If your concern is retaining your individual will when serving as the chosen leader of the Dao, I assure you that won't be the case." Ji folded his arms together, but since his chest was at Molam's eye-level, it seemed as though a tiger and whale had breached into his vision. The faint luminescence of the melting divine snow caused the entwined tattoos to shift in Molam's sight as Ji continued. "Since you know my history so well, you should also know your… complaint, in your own words, has no merit. The Oracle has given me quite the leeway when it comes to accomplishing tasks."

"I think we disagree." Molam shook his head. "But maybe because it's all you've ever known. You are right: your history is well-chronicled. I believe you were twenty when you defected from the Empire after the Massacre of Kamisukawa, over eighty years ago? From serving the Prince to serving the Oracle." Molam crossed his arms as well. "Perhaps after so many decades of servitude, you no longer know any other way to live, Master Ji."

The Whale shook his head, exhaling audibly. "I'm surprised you survived your encounter with Rei. Shouldn't you act more carefully on your second chance at life?"

"On the contrary, you are currently experiencing my very frail self's ire because you put my life in danger." Molam responded in sardonic anger, barely containing his gritted teeth with a tinge of sarcasm. A memory of his village elder beckoning towards him flashed in his mind. "My only concern is being able to trust those ostensibly meant to protect me, yet they keep me in the dark when it comes to critical information."

"I doubt either Techoria's destruction or the Prince's slumber would have any meaningful change for your protection."

"Perhaps that's for me to decide." Molam responded. "Did you ever consider that I might think differently about what these events will mean for others? And that the Oracle wants me to do… this," Molam gestured vaguely down towards JiangXi, "Because thinking is all I can do? And you choose to withhold critical information from me?"

The Whale pondered Molam in silence. "I see you are nothing like the Frost Saint." After a pause, Ji uncrossed his arms and held out his hands disarmingly. "But, I do see your point."

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

"I'm glad some of my elders haven't forgotten that change is eternal." Molam wanted to say something more, but sensed that he should not risk aggravating the Whale any further. "Is there anything else you can think of that I should be privy to?"

"Not related to what needs to be done, no." Ji sighed. "I will keep you informed, for your sanity's sake, while you do…" he gestured down towards JiangXi the way Molam had, "This."

"That's all I ask for." Molam turned, then remembered. "And one more thing. I promised Shurra I would ask for guidance on her behalf. Or a spar. You don't need to say yes, but if you remember anything from your first day here, she is stubborn as a —"

"I don't accept disciples, but I will give her advice while we travel back to ZhiXia. I assume she will be accompanying us."

Molam's voice trailed off at the Whale's unexpected answer. He had asked the Whale out of mere responsibility for his promise to Shurra; he had not expected the Whale to agree.

"I'm sure she will be glad to hear that," he finally said. For some reason, the loss of tension in their conversation deflated all the bundled up emotions he had brought up the Cliffs. He had expected a full-on confrontation with Ji, but Ji had stayed more level-headed than he thought and gave Molam nothing more than what he had asked for. "I believe that's all I came to talk to you about, and Shurra is waiting for me all by herself. Have a good evening, Master Ji."

"A piece of advice, Molam."

Molam was already mid-pivot as he turned to leave, but something about Ji's tone made him pause. "Yes?"

"If you always put your life on the line, one day you'll meet someone who is ready to kill you. I sincerely wish that you remember to not always throw your whole self at your goals."

"... I'll keep that in mind."

Molam left Ji by himself at the Cliff's edge and returned to Shurra. She seemed bored, but when he reappeared from the ruined Mansion she uncrossed her arms and came closer. "That took so long I was beginning to think I should sleep here. Did the Whale agree?"

"We talked about various things," Molam said evasively. "And yes, Master Ji agreed. But not immediately. He will give you guidance while we travel to ZhiXia City."

"He did? Excellent." She clenched an excited fist. "This isn't just for me," Shurra spoke knowingly to Molam. "My experience fighting the Tempest has taught me the chasm between our strengths. I hope that the Whale's guidance can help me understand where I am currently lacking."

"I'm certain you'll find it helpful." Molam murmured as they walked back down from the ruins of the Mansion into the city.

***

For Ji's inner sense within his Domain, the aura presence of JiangXi's tens of thousands of residents buzzed like glowbugs in a marsh. He paid them little heed as he followed Molam and Shurra's aura presences down the road from the Mansion. Or, he mused, not Molam's aura — the Oracle's aura. Ji wondered if he could sense Molam if the Oracle's aura did not cloak him in a blinding light only he could See.

And then the other thing.

"It is bad manners to eavesdrop on a conversation, Yao-ren." Ji stared off into the night's glittering stars. "Or are old habits hard to shake?"

A gust blew past, carrying away Ji's words into the sky. After a moment, snow crunched as Yao-ren stepped forward, as though materializing from the shadows of the Mansion's wall.

"Since when did you know?" Yao-ren asked. "I thought my concealment was perfect."

"Sometimes, what's important isn't what you can see, but what you aren't seeing."

"So based on a hunch?" Yao-ren protested. "How?"

"Give it some thought." Ji smiled and held up a hand. "I hope you have no — hm, what had Molam said? Ah, no more complaints."

"That wasn't how the boy used that word." Yao-ren seemed miffed.

"Words are just thoughts given form. I'm sure you know what I mean. The boy said something about displeasure with the results?"

"No. 'Hoping for the result to be changed.'"

Ji gave Yao-ren a knowing look. "Well you were listening quite early then."

When Yao-ren did not respond, Ji decided he was done prodding him. Relaxing the small smile from his face, Ji asked, "I assume you read the Mursa's bookkeeping?"

"Yes. And you were right," Yao-ren reported."Mursa Shang's caravan was arranged to transfer more than half of JiangXi's food and wealth resources to Oasis on behalf of the City Lord Agytha."

Ji sighed heavily, and tried to empty his mind. When the surface of his mind felt still, Ji sunk heavy stones into its bottomless ocean in the form of questions. Why had this been arranged? The only side to benefit from any of this was Oasis and the Lord of Sands. How had it been possible? Because somehow, the Prince had agreed to give the position of City Lord to an agent of Oasis. But if so, why had the Empire agreed to allow Oasis to pilfer from itself?

He waited for an idea or thought to emerge, as they always did, like bubbles surfacing from the depths – but none came. Ji opened his eyes, inhaling the crisp air of the night. He was only met with more questions. Why had the Prince agreed to allow any of this to happen?

Only one thing was for sure. "Something has changed at Oasis." Ji rubbed a knuckle into the pressure point between his eyes in a vain attempt to will an idea into existence. He had only himself to blame, for he had never returned to Oasis for a visit.

"So will you tell the boy?"

Ji looked down at Yao-ren with surprise. The man sported a sly smile. "You agreed to keep him informed, yes, Whale of ZhiXia?"

He contemplated whether sharing this information could go poorly. "... I think I will," he pondered aloud. "He may react differently to being shown the whole picture instead of being denied it." Plus, Ji wondered if Molam would have an idea of what was happening in Oasis.

"... I see. Then if there's nothing else, I'll be taking my leave now before Molam enters his room."

"Don't kill him." Ji reminded Yao-ren. "The Oracle has other plans."

"I've changed my mind on that front." The man turned and melted into the shadows, his words floating to Ji. "The two of you were right. I was throwing my grief at an easier target than the one I should be aiming for."

Moments after Yao-ren left, a tickling sensation pressed against Ji's senses, causing him to look far off into the distance. The presence of a Domain he recognized approached the city from the distant edge of his own Domain.

Ji tensed his legs and leapt from the Jadeite Cliffs, disappearing into the night sky.

***

"That's JiangXi City." Mursa Khan pointed out to Nettie. The two of them rode at the front of the caravan, with the Mursa's Domain thinly covering the mursashu caravan train to prevent the worst of IceMourne's divine snow. "I don't believe you have been here before?"

"Nettie has not," Nettie replied. "Grandfather only brought Nettie to ZhiXia City to meet the Oracle once." She paused. "Nettie dislikes traveling."

This was, perhaps, the first time Mursa Khan wondered if it were apt for him to address another Titled One by name alone and not by Title. His mursashu had found her half-frozen, wrapped in the color-shifting cloak she bundled about her shoulders for warmth. Two bright dark eyes peered into the night sky. A lock of curly black hair had escaped her cloak, dangling over her dark brown forehead. It swayed back and forth, lagging just a moment behind the sway of their wagon on the snowy roads. To the casual, unknowing observer, this dark-skinned little girl could have just been any girl with Oasian features, and not the world's current Prodigy.

"Hmph. I suppose it's silly of me to think Flangel the Wise would have brought you into the Empire's territory," Mursa Khan observed. "He probably wanted to keep you out of the Prince's reach."

The idea, once verbalized, made Mursa Khan glance sheepishly at Nettie. It seemed to be such a poor thing to say when they had just rescued the girl who claimed to be the sole survivor of Techoria. To his knowledge, the girl had not slept for the past week, perhaps still terrified of what she had seen at Techoria.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "That was — I shouldn't have said that. I don't know what I was thinking."

"Nettie thinks there is nothing wrong with thinking out loud. Nettie forgives you anyways."

As Mursa, Khan had traveled to many places and seen much of the world. But few experiences unnerved him the way the current Prodigy spoke. Something about her precise enunciation did not match the image of the little girl sitting next to him as he drove his wagon.

Paradyne, his assistant and designated successor, saw his look and changed the awkward subject for him. "We must really thank you for modifying our wheels, Prodigy." The young man made a sitting half-bow to the Prodigy, his lanky, dark brown hair falling to the side of his face as he bent forward. "Without your help, we would have probably needed Spring's Blessings to reach JiangXi with our goods."

The little girl pulled her knees up to her chest. "Nettie thinks it was merely for both our benefits for transportation to be smoother."

Mursa Khan exchanged a look with Paradyne, who nodded. His designated successor should have the insight to understand the girl seemed to be weak to compliments.

"Regardless, it is an incredible design," Paradyne spoke enthusiastically. "When we accepted this contract, we only had the barest inklings of how to pull such a large train of caravans through IceMourne's divine snow. To be able to travel on the snow-covered roads like this opens up so much for trade! I feel that if it becomes even more refined, the cities will no longer need to fear —"

Mursa Khan felt the large presence enter his Domain just as Nettie put down her knees. The two of them looked up at the night sky — Mursa Khan held up a hand and Paradyne fell silent. His assistant then followed their gaze to the skies, only for the road in front of them to explode in a violent shower of illuminating snow. The horses pulling his carriage reared up and whinnied in terror, to the point where Mursa Khan had to yank them down by the reins.

As the displaced snow floated back down to earth, Mursa Khan flinched. A foreign Domain surged forward, flicking aside his control over his space like an adult pushing away a problematic child. When the dense aura bore down on him, a shiver ran down his back, and a deep voice echoed from within the powdery snow obscuring his vision.

"Little Khan and his caravan."

And the Whale of ZhiXia walked out of the shimmering snowfall.