> The bidaree are celestial dancers. Avian in image, they are powerful reachers of heaven who in their past life have attained good karma through the deeds of their heart. Bidaree are master musicians and singers as well, and many Musical Arts are passed down by them to mortal bards and epic-singers. Just like gods, they are capable of protecting entire villages through the power of their Will, which manifests through sonorous chanting or singing. Many villages are protected through the patronage of a bidaree.

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> From the Middle World Sacred Scripture

If one were to be able to speak even then, one would hold their tongue. The very magnitude of the event forced all those that witnessed it into silence. Even the assembly of Vibujja's musicians, who now dissipated as the quiet could not maintain their essence the same way the clash and clang of violence did.

Raxri's breathing was rapid, all out of air. The body of Silver Wind Witch Dog fell limp, slumped onto the mountain. No blood stained the earth. No fireflies floated up either, and neither did the body dissipate into locks of Will-twine. Instead, blackblood spurted and spilled from their neck, floating upwards, as if to heaven, instead of down into the earth.

Raxri rose to their feet and watched, hand gripping Puksa. It was like a waterfall in reverse, gushing upwards to heaven, eventually dispersing, deteriorating, dissipating. As it dissipated, the blackblood slowly turned a bright gold.

Then the bright gold motes turned into wind. And the winds... flocked about Raxri, whorling about them, twisting as if they were being vaccuumed. Transmission, thought Raxri. They were being transmitted the Will of this being...

Raxri followed where the rest of the gold winds flowed. There they saw that it flowed as well to Ampun Sagara, and to Yiwaritala, and to Pilinitala, and even to Doctor Myu Fan.

When the speechless people saw Raxri looking at them, cheering erupted from the cliff.

Abbot Wairojashra flickered, disappering from the clifftop and reappearing beside Raxri. He smiled, patting Raxri on the back. "I knew you could do it," he said. "It had to be you."

Raxri winced, as the adrenaline slowly left them and burning pain emanated in throbs from their liver and arms and legs and stomach. Nevertheless, they managed a smile and nod. "Thank you, Abbot. I... tried my best."

"It worked, my dear student. However..." the Abbot looked at the quickly deteriorating body. "It seems what you just slew was no demon. But rather a god. A servant of Heaven...?"

"What?" Raxri looked down on their hands, and then on the body. "But... killing is a precept. I have slain a beautiful being!" Guilt and worry wracked their body, skewering through them like a thousand javelins. How could this be? The karma they will accrue from this...

"Remember," said the Abbot. "Karma arises not from the action, but from the intent. Your intent was good. Though killing is a precept, and no good consequence will arise from it, through the mystic rituals of the Infinite Law, we will be able to cleanse you of this karma that you did not deserve."

"Really?"

The Abbot nodded. "It is one of the secrets of our sect. Now perish your worry of this for now. Follow me."

Raxri nodded and did so. The Abbot beckoned for the rest of the people to follow him as well. They did, the majority of them floating down upon Light Body Technique, the other majority being helped down, as they were not cultivators.

Abbot Wairojashra walked up past the cave, and into a stone path that eventually became stairs, flanked by beautiful bamboos and trees. They climbed up the path until it arrived at a large white stone, so conical it seemed manmade, but just imperfect enough to have been birthed by nature.

Upon the stone was a spirit house, dedicated to a number of gods. One of the ones that Raxri could recognize was the one of the half-avian singer, Vibujja.

The Abbot gave everyone a stick of incense, and then said: "Follow me, and let us offer this battle to the mountain gods and the Awoken." He then walked to the shrine, bowed thrice, and then placed the incense upon the metal lotus incense burner. Raxri followed right after, and then Yiwaritala, and then Ampun, and then the Doctor Myu Fan, and then Pilinitala, and then eventually everyone. Even those mercenaries that did not seem like the type to give offerings to the gods.

After everyone was done, the Abbot cried out: "Oh, mountain gods! Accept our offering and our apologies. The world is fallen to death and violence and war! But we keep Mount Jura safe evermore, keep it far away from the bloodshed. Please, forgive us, and please accept our humble offering!" Everyone kowtowed.

"We take it." The voice was familiar. Raxri rose up first and saw that it was Vibujja, plucking away at her boat lute.

"Vibujja!"

"O, dearest Raxri Uttara. Thy performance was nothing short of sublime!" She clapped her hands. "Nay, it was not just Raxri Uttara. The entirety of the Monastery! You have done well!"

"Bidaree Vibujja!" The Abbot rose as well, and everyone followed. "You watched?"

"More than watched. I provided music for Raxri's final blow! Dost thou not remember?"

The crowd of mercenaries made a noise behind them. Something like, "Oh so that's where that was coming from."

"Ah, forgive me. My heart was yet captured by the fight," said the Abbot. "The mountain gods, then, take this meager offering?"

Vibujja nodded. "Thou must know that are thankful that thou perished Silver Wind Witch Dog. Ever since Heaven commanded them to come here, our lives have been nothing but hell. Dealing with those dog demon dretches who do nothing but kill and take from our spirit stores. Living in Mount Jura had become a hell of its own!"

Raxri blinked and said: "Ah, is that why the great spirit was in the Pemiwood?"

Vibujja smiled. "Dear Raxri Uttara is truly one of sharp intellect! This is correct. Living here was horrible. We knew they were going to strike at the monastery, so we did all that we could to lengthen the process, creating blockades and even having some of our own spirit ranks fight them! This is why thou were able to train for three moons. We knew thou would be fighting the Witch Dog at three moons, no matter what. Thou never missed a mountain god ritual."

The Abbot bowed again. "The Monastery is once again within your care and thanks. Your protection is ever appreciated, and we will dedicate our lives to keeping the peace in Mount Jura in return."

"Good," said Vibujja. "The Mountain Gods are all happy, worry not, dear Abbot. The Monastery will continue to enjoy the mountain's patronages, as long as the Monastery performs the proper rituals. This act of cleansing the mountain no doubt has granted thee large favor in the eyes of the mountain gods."

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"Bidaree Vibujja," interjected Raxri. "If I may ask... was the Silver Wind Witch Dog a god, in truth?"

Vibujja nodded, almost enthusiastically. "Yes! A Lieutenant in Heaven. A Celestine. Too bad they took on that mercenary job. They had a lot of karma left to burn."

"Were they not sent by heaven?" asked Raxri.

Vibujja shook their head. "They work under a being that has reached heaven, but is not a Celestine himself. He is a Cultivator instead, like thee. Reyayu Koduka. Apparently thy reputation is less than favorable in the Heavens, Raxri. They calleth thee butcher, upstart, slattern, arrogant murderer..." Vibujja grimaced and shrugged. "But the Raxri I know is none of those things."

Raxri smiled and nodded. Doubt gripped their heart. Who was I...?

The Abbot bowed again. "The monastery has thine everliving thanks, great bidaree. I will hope that Mount Jura is now a comfortable abode for you once again."

Bidaree Vibujja smiled and shook her head. "It will be for the mountain gods. As for me, I've already told Raxri that I will watch over them as a cloud, just so I can sing and fill their moments with music. I will be their watcher, a guardian spirit!"

"That is horribly kind of thee, great singer!" said Raxri.

Vibujja nonchalantly waved their hand. "I've been wanting to do another round across the Utter Islands, so think nothing of it. Now, go and find repose, dearlings. Thou mortals... thou hath gone through a most harrowing battle. The Mountain Gods have seen it fit to bless the springwaters for tonight and tomorrow. If thou bathe within them, no doubt thy wounds will be healed much quicker."

"We are in your debt as ever, great bidaree, and great mountain gods," said the Abbot. Vibujja bowed back, and then took to the skies, leaping off of the mountain cliff.

The Abbot turned and said: "Let us feast and rest."

#

When they returned to the monastery, there was a certain depressive mood. The night they returned, the darkness seemed even darker, despite the torches and lotus-lights. When the doors were swung open, however, and the monks that were meditating in front of the Tala Awoken turned to see who had entered, the darkness was ripped away and replaced with the cheers of the monks within.

Everyone came up to the Abbot, Yiwaritala, and Ampun Sagara, leaping and jumping and wooting and hollering. A hero's welcome.

"They'd done it! They'd come home! They beat the Demon Chief!"

Raxri smiled as this all came to pass. Even the mercenaries, hardened though as they were, couldn't help but smiling as well. They all walked over to the eating hall and saw that there were food already readied by the attendant disciple monks. Large heaps of freshwater sardines, sheaves of cabbage leaves, heaps and heaps of rice, mushrooms, and tofu drenched in soy sauce. There were even noodles, dipped and made flavorful by vinegars, soy sauces, and chilis. It was, in truth, a powerful feast fit for a king. But there were no kings here, only monks. Only survivors.

Raxri ate away. They conversed happily as they did.

"I had no idea that you could do that!" Ampun Sagara had jabbed at

Raxri. Raxri shrugged and only responded by saying that they didn't do it willingly. And also, "I didn't know you could do all that either! You destroyed that demon god."

Ampun Sagara smiled and shrugged. "Decades of martial practice was not for nothing."

"I could not have defeated SIiver Wind Witch Dog without you."

Yiwaritala smiled. "I am full glad that we were able to weaken it for you," said Yiwaritala. Raxri laughed. "But, in all seriousness. Thank you, Raxri. Despite what we were capable of doing, you were the one that finished it off. You could've died. The Abbot made a good choice. Though your strength is still lacking compared to ours, you did good all the same."

Raxri smiled. Was this Yiwaritala being proud of them?

"I can hardly believe I'm getting praised by Yiwaritala of all people," Raxri said, and the table they sat on erupted into laughter. Yiwaritala scowled.

"Don't wear it out."

Pilinitala was happily eating away as well. "Cherish it while you can, Raxri," she said, in between slurps of hot noodles. "This is a currency most rare!"

"I understand that too well." And Raxri laughed back. "But Pilinitala you were amazing!"

Pilinitala chopped off the noodle they were slurping and grinned. "I know! I've been waiting forever to be able to show off my skills."

"Oh, that's right," Ampun Sagara said, slowly as realization dawned on him. "It was the two of you that took out the Dog Demon Sorcerer. That's why their ranks weren't replenishing!" He laughed heartily again.

"Pilinitala fought much better than I could, in truth," said Raxri as they shoved a vegetable dumpling into their mouth.

Pilinitala rolled her eyes. "Don't believe this one. Their battle prowess is one to be scared of. They even jumped in between me and a rock spike. Thankfully, they could harness their Will so the rock spike didn't just skewer them through like a lance!"

"Your Will truly is a wonder to behold," said Yiwaritala, shoving some rice with fish into his mouth. "You are ignorant. But once taught, you quickly catch up. A few moons of training you is almost a year. And with that unlocked your latent skill bursts through momentarily, such as when you slew Silver Wind Witch Dog."

Ampun Sagara nodded. "Sometimes, it feels as though their memory is simply locked away, instead of gone."

Pilinitala interjected: "Or! Or, their memory is gone, but their skill is locked away and can be unlocked with the key of training."

"Your wisdom is unsurpassed, Pilinitala."

"Oh get off my ass, Yiwaritala."

As everyone erupted into laughter, Raxri looked around. Ampun Sagara noticed them turning here and there and said: "Looketh you for the Doctor?"

Raxri blinked, and then said, "Y-Yes."

"They're sleeping in the guestroom. Your guestroom. She went there straightways. No doubt she's asleep."

Raxri furrowed their eyebrows. "Why my room?"

Yiwaritala used their chopsticks to finish the last of their dumplings. "No doubt to see if you are overly harmed," he said.

Raxri grimaced, and remembered the wounds they had sustained. Were they due for another verbal beatdown? They sighed. "Right, of course."

Ampun Sagara said: "Do me a favor, Raxri. Make sure the doctor has proper sleep. Oh, and maybe bring her to the spring waters so she herself can have a bit of relief."

Pilinitala nodded. "You do know, Raxri, that she stayed here only because of what happened to you?"

Raxri remembered. They were supposed to leave to return home, somewhere in the Nunuk Vale. Instead, they were forced to stay and were swallowed into the whole war against the dog demons instead.

Sighing, Raxri said: "Yes, I know, I know. No further salt upon the wound, please."

The table roared into laughter once again.

The rest of the night went well and right. The air seemed to be lighter. A great weight had no doubt been lifted off the shoulders of the folk in the monastery. Raxri began making their way back to their guestroom, when Pilinitala leapt in to stop them and said: "The Abbot is waiting for you in the meditation room."

"Right." Raxri diverted their course and made their way towards the meditation room instead.

Within the meditation room was the lone figure of Abbot Wairojashra, performing their kowtows and prostrations to the statue of the Scarlet God Awoken. When the Abbot saw them enter, they gestured for Raxri to do the same. Knowing that it was important, they did.

Then, looking up at the Termagant Buddha, Wairojashra said: "You did excellently, Raxri Uttara. Heaven Dancer. That's what they called you, it seemed. The spirits."

"Heaven Dancer... What does that mean?"

"It is a title for a being that has attained both Magick and Martial Arts, and was about to leap into the realm of the heavens."

"Is it a cultivation stage, Abbot?"

The Abbot nodded. "It is somewhere in the second Stratum. I would not know, as I have never reached the second Stratum. In the elder tongue it is known as Wijjazara. It is the word where Wizard comes from."

Raxri blinked. Wizard? Is that not what Akazha...

The Abbot continued: "It is integral for you to know that you are a being of some import. It seems heaven itself hunts after you."

"Yes."

"I wish what I have taught you is enough."

"I believe it is, Abbot. Did you see what I was able to do?"

"Yes, but Silver Wind Witch Dog is of low cultivation. They are barely within Refinement Stage, just two stages above yours, and one stage above both Ampun Sagara and Yiwaritala. You could... no, should, have been able to deal with this easily. Whatever being forced your Will to be extinguished... they are a powerful being. Perhaps, even, they have access to Forbidden Techniques."

"Forbidden techniques..."

"I do have a favor for you, Raxri," said the Abbot. "It will be safer for everyone if you did not tarry any longer here, lest we attact the ire of the very heavens. However, please keep yourself safe. And find who did this to you. I await your return and your triumph."

Raxri smiled. "Yes, Abbot. Of course."

"But tomorrow will be reserved for a Karma-Cleansing Ritual. Be there, if you wish yourself to be lightened. And afterwards, I will teach you to meditate before an altar, so that your Will can be catalyzed properly, and you can ascend Cultivation Stages."

"Ascend Cultivation Stages, Abbot? Through Meditation?"

The Abbot nodded. "Ascending a Cultivation Stage requires Meditation in one form of another, you know. This is the act of catalyzing all collected Willi into one's own Will Furnace. By doing this, one achieves the next stage of Cultivation, thought his must be guided by compassion. I will teach you tomorrow. Do not be late, understood?"

Raxri nodded. "Yes, Abbot. Thank you. For everything." They kowtowed to the Abbot.

The Abbot smiled and nodded as well. "If you want to thank me, use what you've learned to save all that you can. Let thy will be done, Raxri Uttara."