“... to put it simply, the core of the carving spell is strong impressions or imagination, or a combination of both. This visualization of symbols, creatures and other constructs would serve as blueprints and frameworks for the conjuring.” Master Liaoran led the way down the stairs as he took the opportunity to explain the internal mechanisms of the carving spell, using language that was as simple and straightforward as possible: “But like other spells and talismans, it needs an energy source. Unlike talismans, carvings are three-dimensional, and the energy could not come from the cinnabar ink and specialized paper itself like talismans.”
“So - the fuel for the carving spell would be Qi, or whatever spirit form of energy that fuels the malicious ghosts and monsters?” Marcus asked.
“Yes - in a way. In the typical case of this monk’s earlier experiments, strong, positive emotions like happiness, devotion, loyalty, bravery were quite useful as well. You might have heard of the stories about how certain accomplished monks, taoists, scholars or just brave warriors had their will and minds burned into their frequent places, their personal items or their sarira. But as all of you would know, negative emotions, under almost all circumstances, will outlast positive ones. They brew, they fester and they infect. And thus, it’s almost destined to be weaponized to reawaken horrible creatures from the past and in legends at one’s enemies.”
“But should that be the case, how could it be used as a defense array?” Keryn could not help but ask: “Creating any sort of those creatures near the cores would destabilize the array itself, right?”
“Illusions?” Gloria asked after a brief moment of thought.
“Yes - but not entirely.” Master Liaoran snapped his fingers at Gloria, smiling: “It’s using the byproduct of the array - normally unusable energy that would make thoughts, especially subconscious ones, to manifest more easily. So - in a way it could create illusions and constructs out of the invaders’ thoughts, fears and worries, and therefore stall and thwart them.”
“We encountered a ghost’s labyrinth on our way down. Was it a possible effect of this kind of defense?” Keryn asked.
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“Possible - but this monk does not know of any real cases of it being used that way.” Master Liaoran sighed again: “Like this giant array itself, its fate and use escaped their original plans and purposes.”
“Well - at least you’re here.” Marcus let out a breath of relief.
“Who is that old friend you mentioned?” Gloria asked, having waited for an opportunity to throw this question out.
“They’re - they’re members of the ‘council’, at least that’s when they were called.” Master Liaoran scratched his jaw, frowning: “It was hard to tell if they were the same ones this monk had met before, or they were just bearers of the seats from their families. This monk had lost touch on how they would inherit their seats and their monikers. ”
“Chef Tang’s documents! They also mentioned ‘the council’. I thought they were just some kind of middle or lower management.” Kevin raised his hand: “They all said that something something is required by the council - but - I guess we finally know what that means now.”
“Would the chef happen to know what it means?” Gloria asked.
“He for certain did. But this monk can not presume what he will do with this information.” Master Liaoran shook his head with a smile: “The chef is a wise one, with a strong code of his own and a - a unique sense of justice. But he is also a strategic one, for this he was able to deal intelligence and remain neutral even when the city’s power is at its highest.”
“Hopefully he’d - ” Marcus mumbled, then decided to not jinx his wish.
“We are close.” Just this moment, Master Liaoran looked around him: “This monk senses the the central pillar. It’s calling.”
“Okay, then we will be ready to fight.” Marcus nodded and turned to the rest of the team: “How’s everyone?”
“Better now.” Keryn took a deep breath.
“I’m ready. ” Mick raised his hand.
“Then we can proceed.” Master Liaoran nodded at everyone before continuing down the stairs. The staircases got longer each level they went down, and just like before, the air grew colder as well. The team swarmed around the master, for there appeared to be an aura of warmth radiating from him. Marcus and Gloria deliberately walked further, to allow the civilians to get more coverage.
“This is it.” After a long flight of stairs, they reached the bottom. There were two doors on both sides, one was leading to the direction of the giant hole in the middle of the building, and the other one was much thicker, heavier and made of solid metal.
“Are we at the bottom?” Keryn asked, coming slightly closer to the master.
“Not yet. There must be some more.” Master Liaoran shook his head as he opened the door leading to the hole.
Indeed, they were much closer, but not at the bottom. As they walked on the platforms on the wall and over the space above the bottom, they could see what was below: a forest of dark spikes shooting up from the depths. Patches of gray were distributed among them - bodies of bare men and women laying belly up flat bug mangled, with their necks, chests, limbs and abdomens impaled.