Sunwhisper was not drunk. There was no amount of alcohol that would have been sufficient to render him intoxicated, because his gut was a nanofactory that could deconstruct and repurpose a broad spectrum of organic and inorganic compounds, before which mere fermented grains could hardly be categorized as toxic. He had, however, observed the behaviors of the humans in the Kicking Dragon who were drinking faster than their livers could process the alcohol, and he mimicked their behavior to the best of his ability.

The occasionally slurred phrase, and an awkward overcautiousness to his movements was enough to convince those around him that he had imbibed more than he could handle. A cultivator could, of course, channel mana as a means to purify the blood just as they would channel to expedite the healing process, and techniques existed that would make such an exercise triflingly facile to execute.

Most of the patrons of the Kicking Dragon were either too lacking in skill to perform such a purification, or they were drunk because they wanted to be. Sunwhisper suspected that Hago was in the latter category.

As a two-star, he would likely have been able to clear his head with a few minutes of focused meditation, but why would he? They were drinking together, and the Azai clansmen seemed to lean into the solace of drink rather than resist it.

A three-star cultivator, with a mana body, would have been as unphased by liquor as Sunwhisper was. There were no three-stars present, however, so he found himself in the advantageous position of being a sober competitor in a group of increasingly compromised players.

In addition to his superior filtration system, Sunwhisper found the task of memorizing the taro deck, counting the cards in play and comparing them to his mental list of those remaining to be drawn, to be trivially easy. As if that wasn’t enough, he found that these men almost seemed to be shouting their emotions at him. When they failed to receive the card they were hoping for, it showed in the slightest shift of their posture, the way their hands gripped the cards, and the focus of their eyes.

Human pupils tended to dilate with excitement. It was an involuntary reflex, and among a number of other tells, it was how Sunwhisper was able to control the game to the point where he neither lost or won any money, while Hago did quite well, and the night ended with them alone and swapping stories.

Sunwhisper found that he liked the man. He was hard working, loyal, and competent. The tale was not told in full, but from what could be pieced together, it sounded like Hago had been seriously injured in a duel. Paralyzed from the waist down, he had been brought to a healer and spared the ignoble life of a cripple.

The restoration had not been perfect, however, and he was left with nerve damage. The only solution would have been to rebreak his back and try again, with no guarantee that he would not be worse off when the process was finished than when it had begun.

So it was that Hago lived his life with pain as a constant companion, and sought to numb himself with games and with drink. The injury had brought his dueling days to an end, and he had never regained his confidence, dooming him to conclude his advancement as a two-star, even knowing that the attainment of a mana body might have saved him his suffering.

"I came to Silk Flower to be marked," Sunwhisper said, "but I also believed I would find my sister here. I thought I had found her…it was my own foolishness, imagining the whole world was as small as the town I came from."

"Oh?" Hago drained his glass, and Sunwhisper motioned for it to be refilled. "What town are you from, then? If you said your family name before, Sunwa, I have forgotten it."

"Apologies for the poor introduction. I was born in Fringe Village, to the Jin family. My sister’s name is Janna Jin."

Had Hago had any liquid in his mouth at that moment, he would have sprayed the table. As it was, he made a "puh" sound and shook his head.

"So that is why she was watching you. Are you saying you didn’t know?"

Sunwhisper met the older man’s gaze directly, becoming very serious. "I wish to be honest with you, elder. I did find her, as you must realize I did, but instead of taking her home straight away and presenting her to the First Elder for punishment, I foolishly sought to pursue my own interests in being marked. Janna ran away from her responsibility, her debt to the town, and I shirked my responsibility as well by choosing advancement over a hasty return. Janna’s debt is to the Soga clan because the First Elder is of the Soga clan, and as her brother it was my duty to make sure she paid that debt. Now she is gone."

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Hago narrowed his eyes. No doubt channeling was second nature for him, and he was already purifying his blood. Sunwhisper watched his opponent's face as if he could see the man’s inner thoughts written there in script. Of course he would suspect he had been set up in some way, and that Sunwhisper would try to deceive him to get what he wanted. He decided that the truth would be his strongest weapon, or a version of it. When a server brought them another jug he refilled both their cups and drank his own in a few gulps, slamming it down on the table when he was done.

"You’re probably wondering whether I know who you are," Sunwhisper said. "Yes and no. You are Hago, of the Azai clan, but you have told me that much and more while we sat together. Coming here, all I knew was that the Azai had taken her, and then I learned that many clan members frequented the Kicking Dragon. It was possible that I would learn nothing, but the heavens have blessed me by leading me to you."

"You wanted me to invite you to play?" Hago was sizing up Sunwhisper as if they were about to duel. Though they were alone at the table, he was well known here, and any number of his clan mates would have come to his aid if he came to blows with this interloper. The tension in his shoulders built.

"I will not beg for her return," Sunwhisper said. "I still do not know if it is even in your power to grant it, if it came to that. Instead, I would offer you a gift."

"I will not be bribed." Hago said.

"I can take away your pain."

Hago reacted as if he had been struck. The color drained from his cheeks, and he nearly rose from his seat to declare the conversation at an end then and there, but he could not.

"What are you talking about?"

"Give me your hand," Sunwhisper said. "I have some training in medicine, and if you give me your hand, nothing more, I will be able to better sense the problem."

"There is nothing that can be done," Hago scoffed, "true healers have examined me already."

"There is no harm in it." Sunwhisper said, matter of fact, as if they were discussing a passing interest to the both of them, and not the central flaw in one of their lives. He held out his hand, palm up, and Hago found himself taking it in spite of himself.

As the influence of alcohol left his system, as well as the enjoyment of the game, pain was surely returning. Sitting in a hard wooden chair couldn’t have been good for his hip or his lower back. Sunwhisper watched him for a reaction as their hands met. Hand of the Gentle Sage was not accompanied by any flash of mana or heavenly trumpets, it was a quiet technique that played out on an inner stage.

A connection was woven between them, an invisible string, and Sunwhisper felt an ache building in his lower back, and in a line down his right leg. The sensation built until it was as if a hot wire had been embedded beneath his flesh. He saw the lines around the other man’s eyes soften as his pain was taken away. Then they filled with fear.

Hago pulled back his hand as if it had been burned.

"What have you done?"

"What I said I could do." Sunwhisper shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I took away your pain."

"I did not ask for this. I made no promise to you."

"You do not deserve to suffer, that was reason enough."

Hago was dumbfounded, his mouth working soundlessly, trying to make sense of what Sunwhisper had said. Had he ever heard anything like it before? Sunwhisper felt as if he was finally seeing the Blessed Lands with clear eyes. The pain was making it clear. They all lived like this, all cultivators. Not all of them were burdened with an incurable injury, but they carried their pain with them nonetheless. Constant struggle had a cost, and not one of them, even the most powerful, could ever feel completely safe. Was it any wonder that death and violence held so little meaning for them? Sunwhisper felt as if he had discovered something precious, an uncut jewel. He didn’t know what to do with it yet, but he was sure of its value.

"Your sister," Hago said. "She isn’t the one we are after, but she has information we need. I cannot release her until I have Makoto Shishio in custody for stealing from the Azai clan. The border guardian of your village is wanted as well. Surely, you must know something about this."

Sunwhisper sat back in his chair, grimacing. The pain he was experiencing after the use of his Hand of the Gentle Sage technique was more trying than he had expected. He had trouble believing it was only a portion of what Hago had been living with for so long. It made the soreness in his ribs seem like a pleasant diversion.

"If you cannot release her, I understand. I don’t wish for you to do anything that would call into question your honor. What I have done for you is not a debt, and I acknowledge you made me no promise to achieve it. What I do ask is that you allow me to speak with my sister. Perhaps if I was present, we could convince her to share whatever she knows of the Makotos."

Hago considered it for a long moment. Sunwhisper was effectively offering to enter into his custody. How could a single man who had only just received his second star threaten the security of the compound? Sunwhisper focused on his own emotions, projecting his sense of anticipation with Aura of the Bleeding Heart. Hago would interpret the feeling in his own way, perhaps wondering what else Sunwhisper might know, or imagining he could discover the secrets of his healing technique. There was no reason to be afraid.

Clearly feeling better than he had in years, Hago rose from the taro table, and bid his opponent follow him out.