> The Nunuk League is a fiercely spiritualist society that follows their Shaman-Kings and Queens, as it is through them that protection is guaranteed. The End of the World, the region where Pemi is, is one of the most dangerous, filled with the most violent and most savage of spirits that care the least about humanity. Having a strong spiritual guardian is required to survive in Pemi, and so the Nunuk League is centered around the Spiritual Leader. These Spiritual Leaders are however, immersed and chosen from the masses, and so the geist of compassion for the people lives among them. Spiritual Leaders are chosen by a council of guardian spirits and elderly wizened humans who inherit the Wisdom of the Ancients.

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> Shennin Daily News, 23rd day of the Dragon Moon, Earth Season, Air Dog Year of the 11665th Cycle

Sungai kept quiet, still with that familiar disdain on his face. They walked toward the stone lantern. This eventually grew into a crowd of stone lanterns, revealing a village from the darkness of twilight. Underneath the indigo sky were houses built on thick hardwood, rectangular stilts, with giant window-doors and high roofs that allowed cold wind to circulate and removed the lighter hot winds. Those peaked roofs were decorated with dragons and saints. The houses were built haphazardly upon uneven terrain, running up hills and going down ditches or sometimes built onto the hillside. It was a proper village, or a proper town. A feeling of warm coziness emanated from Raxri's liver.

As they entered the borders of the village, Raxri noticed a few women and men washing dishes and clothes by the river. There was a handsome young boy clad in a crimson cloth tunic, sarouel, and reed sandals conversing with the middle-aged women wearing beautiful tie-dyed smocks and light cotton skirts, with their heads covered in a textile kerchief headwrap and kept protected with a wide-brimmed salakot on top of that. Those women turned and waved, smiling at Raxri and Sungai. "Hey! Greetings!" one of the women shouted out, in the trading language. She turned to the handsome boy, whose hair was tied up into a high bun, and said something in their local language.

The boy, smiling, laughed and nodded. Raxri noticed that they were holding onto a red yew bow, and across their back was tied with red string a bamboo lance. The boy ran from the river and across the bridge to meet and greet Raxri and Sungai as they arrived at the other side.

The boy was a young man when he spoke. "Greetings, hallowed travelers. What brings you to our region this time of night?"

Sungai fidgeted. They were restless. Raxri, eyebrows furrowed, reached down and stroked his snout. Then, to the boy, "Hail. I am Raxri Uttara and my blessed companion here is Sungai, the great stallion. What village this be?"

"It is full great to meet you, Raxri Uttara and Sungai. I am Kamiro, the foremost protector and chief-in-waiting of this humble Iri Village. It is nearing the darkness however, and many of our peoples are heading to rest for the night. As one no doubt knows, roving demon hordes and gunggong bandits threaten our very safeties especially at night. Ah, and if it be of any consolation to you, Iri Village is part of the Nunuk League."

Sungai kept flailing about, as if trying to get away from Kamiro. Kamiro raised a hand, asking: "May I?" Raxri acquiesced. The boy pat Sungai's snout. Sungai resisted at first, but then quickly calmed down afterwards, sinking into eventual relaxation.

"Thank you. Forgive me, Sungai is a rowdy one." Raxri nodded at the very bridge that Kamiro now stood upon. "In full honesty, all we wish is to be able to cross the bridge. We are... on our way home."

"I see," said Kamiro, nodding. They looked behind them, glancing at the peoples wrapping up their final chores and walking back to their homes. They had porcelain and earthenware pots stacked and balanced atop their heads, making them resemble walking stone spires. "Well if that's the case, may I persuade you to rest for a moment in our humble village? If only until the morning, so you will not have to face the dangers that lurk at night. We have a guest house prepared for you, and it is placed right beside mine."

Raxri bit their lip. They did not know if now would be the right time for it. But then again, they'd seen the kinds of dangers that now danced about the Utter Islands. And to add to that, they were still covered in wounds themselves!

Trusting better judgment, Raxri shrugged-nodded. "That might be the more erudite course of action, Honorable Kamiro. I will be in your debt."

Kamiro smiled and nodded. Raxri noticed they moved as if a heavy weight had been lifted from their shoulders. A burden, or perhaps, a grudge. Raxri, being the not great socialite mastermind that they were, asked: "Are you okay?"

Kamiro blinked. "Of course. What makes you say that? Come, follow me. It is not too far from here."

Raxri looked at Sungai, and Sungai shrugged. Raxri did not know what to make of that, so they instead followed the honorable Kamiro.

THey walked through the village's slightly dense housing situation. Houses placed a good distance from each other, no walls or fences to separate them, built atop hardwood platforms. At the edges of the village where the farmers and the hunters and the fishermen would be, one could find stilt houses built atop thin bamboo poles. The cottages here were large and built upon thick hardwood cut into squared poles. The largest house was built atop a hill, overlooking the entire village, had multiple annexes, and was protected with a lacquered wood stockade. The houses here were painted a dark blue, as opposed to being kept the same color of wood as the trees they were hewn from.

The entire village was lit up by beautiful stone lanterns, cut and dried. They were chiseled into their shapes, with an idol carved atop and a small fire burning within. These were not lotus lights, they were simple fires. Though the night winds were of chilling cold, the heat that emanated from the stone lanterns provided a meaningful counteracting agent, allowing gods of heat to dance alongside the cold night winds.

Kamiro must have noticed Raxri looking at the stone lanterns. He said: "The fires have for the longest time helped in keeping the monsters away."

"Is there a problem in this village?" asked Raxri, having pondered on that very idea for the longest time. "You are... wracked with anxiety. This village rings with a cold hue, as if it is chilled and stalked by a demon."

Kamiro only smiled. "It is not safe to speak of such things out in the open, honorable wanderer. Let us get to your cottage first."

The darkness of night had wrapped about them now as they arrived near the edge of the village, upon another, lower hill. It was upon an outcropping that provided a good look over the village. It was a watchman's hill, one for watching over others. From here, Raxri could see the extent of Iri Village. It was not particularly large, and not particularly dense. A few households lived here, around three dozens of families judging from the number of what seemed like permanent residences.

Kamiro's house was similar to the residential houses of others: squared poles and dark blue painted hardwood, lacquered as protection from the humidity. No doubt when the river flooded they weren't reached up here, so this and the chief's longhouse acted as refuge areas. It had two roofs, meaning people could climb up to a second level.

There was a smaller, single-roofed house situated a few tails down the path from it. One would walk through it before walking to Kamiro's house. This one was fenced off by a low bamboo fence, and then flanked and made beautiful with various bamboo that framed its entrance. There was a roofed shade shelter that had hooks upon its poles so that horses and other mounts could be left within without worrying about them wondering off.

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"This is our guest house. Please, enter. Your horse Sungai has his own pavilion that they can slip under." They walked over and tied Sungai onto the pavilion beside the house. Afterwards, they walked up the stairs that led to the porch, washed their feet from the porcelain pot beside the door, and entered.

The house itself was spacious and large, though it only had one attic. It had no partitions: the sleeping mat was placed more or less beside the large window, but was thankfully veiled with a mosquito net. In the corner there was a stone stove built atop a stone vessel where charcoal could be put without burning the rest of the house down. Kamiro walked over to it and lit it, and then they poured what seemed to be milk and tea leaves into the stone pot and let it cook.

"You have my full gratitude, Kamiro," said Raxri, bowing and performing the heart reverence. "Your hospitality will not be forgotten."

Kamiro turned and smiled, nodded. "It is of no problem. It weighs upon my conscience to let you travel around at such a time. It is exceedingly dangerous, one should know. Only fire wards away the monsters."

"Have monsters been a long worry of this village?" Raxri walked over and removed the monk robe that they had been given by the monks--this one was only an overlayed robe, large, almost like a gown.

Kamiro shrugged. "For as long as I and my father and my grandfather have been alive here, yes."

"So three generations, more or less. Is it because of the Invincible Blade Princess?"

Kamiro shook his head. He was doing his best not to look at Raxri. No doubt they thought Raxri was undressing there and then, but Raxri was just removing their outer robes, revealing a thick sleevelesss tunic and a very very wide sarong that wrapped around their waist twice, and the excess cloth was pleated and folded many times into the shape of an orchid flowing from the sky. "Perhaps... it was aggaravated after the wars of the Invincible Blade Princess, but no, it was not because of her. Monsters and devils have been a long problem of the Utter Islands. It is simply the way of this world. Little pockets of order and safety, these sanctuaries of community, are the only places that are truly safe in this world."

"You speak with a wisdom beyond your years." Raxri sat beside Kamiro in front of the stove. They had two clay cups readied to take milk tea. "So what problem does this village have?"

Kamiro looked around for a moment, then. They looked uncomfortably long at the open window.

"A giant haunts the road that leads north from here." He said this as he looked back to the milk tea. "It traps travelers in his forest maze and then eats them after it is done toying with those very same travelers. We have lost many people of this village to it. They are not an old monster either, this giant has been here only recently. Having chosen a particular tree down the road as its particular abode. It enjoys feeding off of the terror of the travelers it traps."

Raxri furrowed their eyebrows. "How terrible."

"That is the way of things here," he replied. "It is of no consequence: we already forbid people from traveling at night or even in the darkness of gloam. It is far too dangerous. The monsters and demons will eat you up."

Raxri watched the fires rising from the charcoal. "So, fire keeps them away?"

"Fire is one of the things that keep them away. Commonly it is gods that keep the monsters away. This is why priests, priestesses, shamans and the like are integral for any village. I'm sure you understand this. Almost every sanctuary in this world has some sort of holy person that makes deals or speaks to the gods."

"Right. I have noticed this." Raxri blinked and said: "You speak to me as if you speak to a child."

"You have the eyes of someone lost," said Kamiro. "We have many of those people. But you are not lost physically. You are lost mentally. Your very soul is gone." Kamiro sighed. "You have lost your memories, have you not?"

A chill down Raxri's spine. "How did you know?" And he speaks of souls?

"I was right, then? It was partly conjecture and partly due to my own shamanic eye."

"You are the shaman of this village?"

Kamiro nodded. The dark circles under their eyes seemed to become heavier, against the low light of the fires. "I protect this village both physically and spiritually. Hence, it is difficult for me to get any rest. I am... tired."

"What do you mean my soul is gone?"

"Do you not know? Every being has a soul. The thing that gives us vivacity, emotion, passion, thrill for life. The will to live, that kind of thing. Its also the face of our magnetism, our inherent presence. Souled beings, spirited beings, are said to be very energetic or very forceful creatures because of that. That's what souls are. That's why many souls and specters still linger if they were particularly attached to something in this phenomenal world. These souls, ghosts, wraiths, specters, what have you... they are not beings, but manifestations of attachments. And so Souls one of the three bodies of a sentient being: Body, Soul, and Mind, with the Senses tying them altogether."

"I see. And... you don't think I have a soul?"

"You do," said Kamiro. "But it is small again. You had a different soul, before, once. A more powerful one... But there are flecks of your past Soul, reflected upon the Mirror of your Mind. What the gods have told me is true, then."

Raxri blinked. They moved back a bit. Away from Kamiro.

Kamiro watched Raxri unblinking. "You are Raxri Uttara, Heaven Dancer."

Raxri reached around for Puksa, realized they had placed it by the sleeping mat. Cursed inwardly.

"What do you want, honorable Kamiro?" Keep the reverent tone. It might buy me some time...

"Taking care of this village has eaten away at my very soul, Raxri Uttara," said Kamiro. "Please, help me."

"How can I help you, honorable Kamiro?"

"Let yourself be eaten by our chief, Chief Dulumnan. In so doing this village will become exceedingly safe, blessed by heaven, and no monster will ever strike us ever again."

Raxri shook their head. "Forgive me, I cannot allow this. I am not yet done with my duty. I still have to do something. I cannot die again just yet."

"Then you truly are the Heaven Dancer that Heaven seeks."

Raxri took one long look at Kamiro and realized that they truly were just a human that had been given a task too much for a young man such as he. Mustering loving-kindness in their heart and then sending it spooling toward him, Raxri said: "Help me help you, Kamiro. I am that Heaven Dancer, but I do not wish to be eaten. Why am I being hunted down?"

"My Chief is not a mercenary. He is not one of the Glaives of Heaven," said Kamiro, and the fatigue that bore down them weighed heavier. "A Warlord from Heaven has told every holy man and every priest and priestess in the Utter Islands that consuming the flesh of the Heaven Dancer will grant one boundless Will and immortality, skyrocketing them past the many strata of Cultivation and into the Formless Realm. This immortality matches the immortality of the Celestians."

Raxri shook their head. "No, no. That has no basis in reality. I myself am cultivating my Will from the ground up once again. I have lost all of my Will!"

"But this is your flesh yet, yes? Then it will still hold all that residue of your own cultivation. Heaven dogs your footsteps, Raxri Uttara, and whatever Heaven does, the Earth follows."

"I cannot be consumed," said Raxri. "And I cannot allow such greedy people to partake in such power. That kind of power will only corrupt. Power without the proper guiding principle of Compassion only destroys you and others."

"That may be true," said Kamiro. "But I am still my chief's subject."

"Let me go," said Raxri. "Let me go and I will never return to this village and you will not have to face the dilemma of offering me to your chief."

"And then the giant will take you," said Kamiro. "It is better for the chief to consume your flesh and obtain the Power to protect our village than the giant to consume your flesh and obtain the power to destroy the entirety of the Nunuk Vale."

Raxri exhaled exasperatedly. "And if I go and take care of the giant that strikes at you?"

"Then there will be more monsters that will hunt us, and seek to bring us down. Please, great sage. Realize. This will be a way to help us."

"Forgive me. I cannot." Raxri was of course conflicted. Was what they were doing not in accordance with compassion? Was giving up themselves the better way? Was self sacrifice something they had to do to stick to the precepts of the Law?

But then they realized that they still had so much to do. Their cultivation was not yet done, and no doubt ending their journey here would not be of any use. They had to fight for themselves: their self sacrifice should come after they can perform virtues and austerities for those that need them.

To save others, they must first save themself.

"This world needs no heroes," said Kamiro. "It needs kings and lords to facilitate the safety of their subjects."

"A world of only kings and lords is a world strangled by chains it forged itself. Better every peasant a king than a few be gods."

Kamiro exhaled. They shot forward, blade flashing suddenly in their hands. Raxri leaned backwards to dodge the glinting razor, and then concentrated their Will into their feet. Scarlet energy burgeoned from it as Raxri kicked at Kamiro's gut. Devastating Red Hand, but channeled through their feet.

Kamiro careened up, crashing into the roof and then falling back down. As they fell back down, Raxri rolled to the side, sprung to their feet, and then spun, bringing their feet with them and performing a Devastating Red Dropkick right as Kamiro fell in front of them. The impact was perfect blow: Kamiro careened again, this time into the wall, and then through the wall, destroying that very side of the house, and they tumbled into the ground, unconscious.

Through that wall, Raxri realized that hundreds of those villagers had gathered around, with torches and rusty blades and rusty harpoons in their hands. Their flesh withered and desiccated, as if sloughing off their bones.

Reanimated?

Raxri turned and dove for their monk robes and Puksa. They fumbled for their satchels and sashes, making sure they had an ample inventory of medicines and curatives. They sighed. "Once again I must fight my way out."