Moving through the Sect felt odd. Many times, Ki'el glanced around to find members of the Outer Sect simply standing and watching them pass; it felt like she never saw anyone not watching them pass. Even those members of the Outer Sect she recognized, if sometimes not by name, simply stood back and watched.

Were they expecting an incident? Aware of her circumstances? Or were they only told small pieces of what was going on? Perhaps they didn't even know, and just thought their group looked strange?

There was a group waiting for them at one of the bridges, and while they looked imperious, their auras were not threatening. Three among them seemed, to Ki'el's eye, to be noble--the others organized themselves around them, and they carried both attitude and dress that set them apart.

They were also arranged in such a way that would have prevented them from crossing, if Ki'el had been brash enough to try to ignore them.

"Junior sister!" The young man in front seemed eager to greet her, though the women around him only gave Ki'el measured looks. "We've heard about your accomplishments. Congratulations."

"I do not consider needing to defend myself an accomplishment," Ki'el hazarded, glancing from the man to the others behind.

"Nonsense, nonsense," he said, waving one hand dismissively. "There are always challenges along the path, and rising to those challenges is always a sign of strength."

"Brother Kai is indirect," said the second noble, to one side. "We trust you are on your way to receive the forfeiture of the late Brother Sai? We would very much like to trade for... certain items."

Ki'el frowned, pausing. She was... already worried about offending whoever owned the ring, and simply trading for items felt... dangerous. "I... would not wish..."

"If you're worried about offending the ring owner's master, you will have more protection with allies than by simply being humble." The third noble, a woman, took a step to the side, as though distancing herself from the others. "Bruised egos are not so easily soothed."

"Sister Qi is right," Brother Kai said, fidgeting with his hands in a way that while he might have been trying to be polite, he mostly seemed eager to get his hands on things. "We are not greedy--there is much to be shared."

"How do you know so much about what Kem Jee Sai was carrying?" Xam's voice was more than guarded, almost hostile--as though she were unafraid of offending them.

"Ah, it's not so much Brother Sai himself," Kai said, sounding pleased to be able to show off his knowledge, though the other two gave him looks for it. "Brother Sai's master is known to have collected a great many unique treasures, some by... underhanded methods."

"You made a stupid gample," one of Brother Kai's companions said, sourly, and he tried to conceal a grimace.

"In either case, you would do better to have someone there willing to blunt our Senior Sister's anger," said the other Brother. "Since we are mostly interested in recovering our own treasures, our assistance could be considered cheap."

Ki'el paused, a mixed feeling swirling in her gut. Before, when she spoke to the woman outside the Lesser House, she'd said something about letting people have anything they had a claim to--in part, out of fear, but once she'd said it, it felt right. So... now, although these people were offering her a trade, Ki'el firmed her expression.

"If you have some claim to the items that Kem Jee Sai was holding, I will not ask anything of you in return," she said, feeling that her voice sounded more serious than she expected, to her own ears. "As long as your claim to the items can be proven."

The three all seemed to relax. "Ah," the other Brother beamed. "You're a virtuous Junior Sister. This Brother Yuan is happy to protect such a precious junior."

Brother Kai laughed at that, for some reason, while Sister Qi seemed to roll her eyes. "If you are truly interested in returning people's treasures, you'll have lots of people trying to cheat you," she said, while the other two were sharing a moment. "It's the kind of matter even the Elders would hesitate before undertaking."

Ki'el looked at the woman, but before she could object, Da Chian spoke up. "What other choice does Ki'el have?" she said, frustrated and irritated. "How many other people will we make enemies of if she keeps things for herself that belonged to someone else?"

"Hm," Brother Yuan said, crossing his arms and leaning back. "Most people in the Sect are well aware that strength is what rules, and you won a battle of life and death. What cause do they have to complain?"

"Ah, Brother Yuan," Kai said, sounding disappointed. "Surely--"

"And we're not complaining about the past," Brother Yuan said, looking away from the other Brother, almost indignant. "We're making a trade."

"In any case," Sister Qi spoke up. "As long as you are willing to return our items to us, I think we can blunt even the fury of our Senior Sister."

Ki'el felt a slight chill at those words, but only pressed her lips into a determined line. "I will not demand, but I do appreciate anything you can do."

"Then, let's go." Brother Kai gestured, and Ki'el let the other Nobles lead her towards the Hall of Earthen Recitation.

As they walked, though, Ki'el forced herself to quicken her steps, and although she was afraid of the answer, she spoke up. "Exactly who is this woman, the master of Kem Jee Sai?"

Sister Qi turned to look at her, and Ki'el thought her eyes were sad. "Senior Sister Djang Zen Ai is the only prodigy of the Djang Zen family for the last three generations. There are many guesses as to why her talents are so much better than the rest of her family, but..."

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"Mostly, everyone thinks her mother slept with a demon," Brother Kai broke in, sounding entirely too flippant.

Ki'el swallowed, but was too ignorant of such matters to understand the subtext. Instead, she asked, "She follows a demonic path?"

"More like her blood is special. Not like the blood of spirit beasts, either." Sister Qi glanced briefly back, behind Ki'el, and she needed no guesses to understand why. "It is said that demon blood brings great powers, but the entire line is cursed. Sister Ai normally has great trouble controlling herself, and it is for that reason that her family spared no expense to favor her and calm her temper through her childhood. But... since joining the sect, it has fallen on her two retainers to keep her in check... and one of those retainers needed to remain with her while she was in seclusion."

Ki'el glanced ahead, seeing several familiar faces around the Hall. Although they were all making efforts to look idle, the same faces that had gathered around her when she had come down from meeting the Elders were gathered near the entrance.

"In truth, Junior Sister," Brother Yuan said, and Ki'el noted that he seemed quite uncomfortable. "Yours is not the first, and will not be the last, matter that has brought Senior Sister Ai into conflict with the Sect. Usually, there is some matter or other which requires several Inner Disciples or Core Disciples to intervene. We are all aware of her foul temper. But..."

"...It is a tad more serious than most," Sister Qi agreed. "And... there are those, like us, who are interested in using this moment to regain things from Senior Sister Ai that we... may have previously donated to keep her calm."

"Don't talk you didn't also lose your flute in a drunken quarrel," grumped someone else in the group, though Ki'el didn't see who.

"Sister Ai and her retainers would never willingly relinquish such things," Sister Qi continued, without paying any attention to that accusation. "And... we only wish for our own rightful belongings to be returned. Though, again... some people might wish for slightly more. People who know, or can imagine, the contents of Brother Sai's, and Sister Ai's, space rings."

Now that they were essentially at the entrance to the Hall, Ki'el could see the Elder standing in the gateway. Elder Gol had a look on his face more serious than she usually saw on him, and although his attention drifted slightly, it always returned to her, and to those around her.

"Xoi Doua Ki'el," Elder Gol said, and the nobles ahead of her parted. "The matter of your forfeiture has been decided. Beyond question, the death of Kem Jee Sai is a matter of self-defense, and according to the rules of the sect, you are owed the full forfeiture."

Ki'el continued to walk forward until she was at a normal conversational range. "I understand, Elder. However... for those who may have had some belongings taken from them by Brother Sai, or Sister Ai, or whose belongings may otherwise be in the forfeiture... I would like some way to return their belongings to them, if their claim can be proven. And for the rest... I have no reason not to return to Sister Ai that which is undeniably hers."

Ki'el heard the stirring of others around her from the first mention of the belongings of others--not disbelief, but an eager murmuring.

Elder Gol waited for a long moment, his attention not stirring at all, this time, until finally he spoke. "There have been disputes in the past, and generally speaking, the Sect Elders do not intervene in such matters," he said, his voice firm, but... there was a slight weakness to the intent, a give. "...However. There have been no cases in memory where the difference in power has been so great, and the evidence so clear."

"According to Sect rules--rules that are no different to right of forfeit in other Sects--you have full right to the entire forfeiture, although without question, you would have no ability to defend it. And it is unfortunate that Djang Zen Ai is unable to retain her composure in such matters. We have all foreseen the inevitable, and you, Ki'el, need to understand that what will occur next truly is inevitable."

Elder Gol raised his voice, slightly, though Ki'el was certain that everyone here could hear him anyway. "For those gathered, you can rest assured that Senior Sect Sister Ai remains in cultivation still. Even if she had lost concentration with the death of Kem Jee Sai, consolidating her spirit to prevent further loss would take several more days, perhaps a week or more. There will be no battle to contain her wrath today."

There were several relieved sighs at that, including a deep one from Ki'el. When she she met the Elder's eyes again, a moment later, she could feel the man's intent reaching her, and--she somehow, knew, even in this crowd--her alone. [ For the forfeiture, there are a total of six space rings. While normally, I would not deign to classify the rings or their contents, in this case, I can add some amount of clarity immediately, and the rest will take time. The contents of one ring should be considered to be only those of Kem Jee Sai himself, and that ring I trust you are interested in. One ring should be considered to belong to Kem Rai Mei, retainer to Djang Zen Ai. Of the four additional rings, all appear to be, directly or indirectly, the possessions of Djang Zen Ai. One ring is normally kept by each retainer, and two by Sister Ai herself. ]

[ On the matter of Sect Points, a modest fraction of the points of Djang Zen Ai are split between her retainers, and as such, your forfeiture is above the threshold we normally place on those in the Lesser House. Under the circumstnaces, this normal limit is suspended, but I will still only allow you to use up to that limit before leaving the house, and as such, I will currently say that you possess ten thousand sect points. ]

Ki'el swallowed, but forced her thoughts into order, and with Kuli's help, sent the Elder the tonics and ingredients that Bai Benai had prepared. Although the Elder's outer appearance didn't shift, she received an amused spirit wave in return.

[ I will notify you when the ingredients have been collected, ] he said. [ For the matter of finding a skilled alchemist, I will leave that in your hands. ]

Ki'el didn't need further prompting to understand that, but spoke out loud again. "Elder... I am serious about returning to my fellow Disciples anything which may rightfully be theirs, including to Senior Sister Ai and her retainer."

The Elder let out a small sigh, as though he was simply holding back saying what he knew he needed to say. "There will be a process. I will be putting forth a request for several inscriptionists to assist in creating truth seals for this purpose. Those wishing to submit a claim will also need to pay a fee, which will offset the cost of creating these seals." He raised one hand and gave a shooing gesture. "The rest of you, go on. Trust that you will all be well informed of the moment when Sister Ai becomes aware of this matter."

Ki'el swallowed. How powerful is this Sister Ai? And am I really just... not given any other choice but to bear the brunt of the woman's fury? Why?

{ What other choice is there? } Kuli gently reminded her. { From the moment Kem Jee Sai attempted to kill you, peace was no longer an option. }

Ki'el looked around at the other discipled around her, and signaled to Kuli, mentally. From now on, Kuli, help me maintain as many Qi Turning Cycles as we can handle, purifying as much qi as possible. And I will wish for your help with the acclimatization process later.

Ki'el felt her spirit stirring within her, as almost without her knowledge, several cycles spun up while remaining concealed within her. But for her part... Ki'el turned and moved towards Brother Du. Because while she was sure many of her friends knew skilled Alchemists--including the cook Sister Xari had taken her to--in her heart, Ki'el had faith that Brother Du would not steer her wrong.

But also... the last time they had talked, she had not talked about Brother Du's attitude at the trial, and now more than ever, Ki'el was uncertain about why he had seemed interested in stripping her of power that she might need.