The Downpour, Canvas, Frontier Territory, Late Autumn, 1596 PTS
Jin found himself unable to guess how many hours they had been walking. For all he knew he might have been wandering for days in the endless gloom of the Downpour, led by his master’s hand. This deep into the interior of the storm, light was scarce, and Jin could barely watch where he was stepping, worried he might accidentally slip into one of the countless fast-flowing rivers and streams in the thick mud.
The Downpour region, like the stories had said, was a sunless land. The thick rain clouds above failed to let even the slightest of sunbeams pass through, resulting in oppressive gloom that only served to worsen the effects of the rain and mist. The thick mud that Jin was forced to trudge through did nothing to assist with the unpleasantness of Jin’s experience. The fact that Master Yuenan was walking on the surface of the mud with no issues only worsened his mood. Why was he the only one who had to suffer through it? Even the disciples pulling the sledge seemed to be having no issues, and he was clearly holding the group up.
The only saving grace was that the ever-persistent storm lacked lightning. Nothing fell from the clouds except for the endless barrage of raindrops. While bright flashes of energy might have helped to light up the terrain, Jin could not help but admit that he feared being struck. He felt that the darkness was a better problem to have. Jin couldn’t help but feel his mind wander as he continued to walk endlessly. He had spent too much time walking, in such poor conditions. Finally, he lost control of his patience.
“Are we there-” he said, his words cutting off as something shifted in the distance, something enormous. Jin’s eyes flicked over, and he felt his feet freeze up in his boots as he stopped moving. A titanic figure much larger than the wagon he resided in moved around deep inside of the storm. Whatever it was, the figure was far too enormous, and moving far too quickly. He couldn’t tear his eyes away. Moments later, however, itwas suddenly gone, leaving no trace that it had ever existed in the first place. Jin could almost not even believe his own eyes. Was the mist playing tricks on him?
“Did something startle you?” Yuenan asked, giving Jin an odd look. Jin nodded vigorously, bobbing his head in an animated manner.
“I saw something, Master. It was… it was huge. Over there.”
He pointed off towards where the monster had loomed. Yuenan followed his gaze, but did not seem to see anything. Suddenly, a knowing look crossed the old man’s gaze, and he gave Jin an amused smirk.
“You’re quite fortunate,” he observed. “That might have been a waterstrider. Many sect members have spent their entire lives here and never once caught sight of one.”
Hearing his words, the two disciples turned, clearly fascinated by the elder’s words.
“Did you really see one?” asked one of them, a lanky boy who appeared to be a few years Jin’s senior. His hair had been tied back in a fancy braid that had clearly been difficult to accomplish. The water had loosened the strands, and it seemed like the ties might slip off at any moment.
“What are they?” Jin asked. He couldn’t remove the monster’s appearance from his mind. It was simply too enormous, and the way it had moved… Yuenan rubbed his chin, considering his response.
“They are… perhaps some of the largest fiends ever to roam Canvas. One of Toval’s masterworks, I suppose. You can only find them here, and they’re still extremely rare to spot. In the sect, it’s generally considered a portent of good luck.”
Even with just the small glimpse of the enormous insect, Jin had been able to roughly estimate its size. The waterstrider had been at least the size of several buildings combined. He could not help but marvel. Was it really not the only one?
To an extent,” Yuenan continued, “we consider it the sect’s guardian beast, though I doubt it even knows we exist. Actually, the sect’s founder created his first technique based on inspirations acquired from its movement.”
Jin thought back to the impossibly swift motions of the fiend. It had moved far too quickly for something of its size. Could a martial artist really move like that?
“I- I heard that martial artists gain magic powers when they eat a fiend’s heart,” said Jin, desperately trying to remember the stories of practitioners that he had been told. “Did you eat one of those, Master? Is that why you’re so strong?”
Yuenan and the disciples laughed boisterously, a sight that seemed somewhat at odds with the foul weather they remained under.
“No, child. I used the pearls of a marshfiend to advance. Using the heart of a waterstrider is far too overkill for a mere spirit refiner. That is an ingredient worthy of an ascension ritual.”
“Ascension…” muttered Jin, surprised. “Like, an immortal?”
Yuenan smiled.
“Exactly like that, yes. Perhaps you’ll get to see it for yourself in a few years when the sect leader makes his own attempt.”
The conversation stalled after that, as the exhausted Jin found it difficult to use his breath for the purpose. He returned to the endless trek, eking out every last fragment of energy from his muscles.
“We’ll stop here for today,” said Yuenan, though his voice and appearance almost seemed to suggest that he might have no need to do so. Jin frowned, not understanding.
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“Is this it?” he asked, dismayed by the sight before him. It was a small stone mound, with a door embedded into its side. Had they hollowed out a hill, Jin wondered?
Yuenan glanced at the other two disciples.
“Carry on to the sect. Tell them that myself and the boy will be resting here for the night. The two disciples bowed.
“Of course, Elder Ding,” said the taller of the two, before turning to trudge deeper into the haze, sliding the sledge behind him. Jin watched them leave, and as they faded from sight, he realized that they were leaving without himself and his master.
‘Why are we splitting up? He asked.
“The others can continue on without issue, but I imagine you’ll need your rest,” the old man explained. “You can go get comfortable. There should be some bedrolls stored here somewhere.”
Excited for the respite, Jin quickly scurried to check for the items, and before long, not only had he found it, he had already prepared himself for sleep. He was truly exhausted, and moments after he finally laid down, Jin slipped away into slumber.
By the time the morning arose, Jin still felt achy and tired, not that he would ever admit that truth to Master Yuenan. The two ate a quick breakfast of dried fruits and bread, provisions that Jin had not noticed Yuenan acquiring from the cart. Jin washed the hard bread down with water from outside as Master Yuenan brewed himself some Hakian tea. He wanted to ask his master if he could have any of the tea, but was worried about Yuenan perhaps getting annoyed with him. Water would do fine, he thought.
“Be conservative with your energy,” warned Yuenan, as they finally left the safehouse and returned to the neverending trek. “We have a long walk ahead of us, and it is entirely possible we don’t reach the sect by nightfall.”
Jin nodded in response, a matter which pleased his soon-to-be master.
It must have been late afternoon by the time Yuenan finally stalled, looking off into the distance. Jin followed his master’s gaze. If he squinted his eyes, Jin thought he could see a faint white light, shining like a beacon through the haze.
“That’s it,” said Yuenan, as if he were admiring a work of art. “Welcome to the Downpour Sect, Jin.”
As they continued to approach, Jin was able to get a better view of the structure. The Downpour Sect was enormous, looming, and nothing like what Jin might have anticipated. Despite its size, the vast structure of worked stone was rounded and eroded, covered in water channels that constantly flowed, as if the sect itself was a giant fountain. The rainfall was directed to spouts, resulting in waterfalls which cascaded down its surface. Overhangs dotted its structure, and from within the pale white glow emerged. The smooth structure appeared as if it had been worn down by time and water . Jin felt himself fall slack jawed in shock as he marveled at the monumental achievement of stonework before his eyes.
Yuenan simply continued walking as if the sight was nothing of note, and Jin hastened to catch up to his master, walking beneath a large overhang at the front of the building, and up a small flight of stairs to what must have been the entrance.
How had those two disciples moved their sledges up the stairs, he wondered?
The sect’s doors were made of a fine, polished red wood that looked severely out of place in this region. They parted from the center, sliding open to reveal the inside areas of the sect. Jin could not help but imagine a beautiful hall full of fine paintings and decorations, but was disappointed by the truth.
The sect’s interior was austere, filled with blank stone walls that had nothing to cover themselves with. The only apparent decoration was the lights. Embedded into sconces on the walls were glass containers filled with what appeared to be a glowing white liquid that lit up the room. They seemed to have been the sources of the glow he had seen from inside. Jin leaned forward, curiously inspecting the fixtures. They look like jars, he thought. The sect was an odd mix of the frugal and the extravagant, it seemed.
“It’s a plant that grows in water,” Yuenan explained. “They come from the caverns beneath the Downpour.” Jin glanced over, remembering where he was, and that others could see him. Every new detail that Jin learned about his new home only further emphasized how different it was compared to anything he had seen before. Underwater caverns, enormous beasts… this region was like a different world entirely.
Inside the sect, various disciples roamed up and down the corridor. As they passed, many of them took the time to greet Yuenan, and Jin received many curious glances. None of the disciples, however, stopped to talk with them. Were they simply busy?
“How many members does the sect have?” Jin asked, surprised by the packed hallways.
For a moment Yuenan frowned, trying to estimate the number.
“Probably around fifty altogether, I believe.”
Jin was not sure whether that was large or small for a martial sect but it was fewer than he had anticipated. It seemed this was just a particularly active part of the complex. Fifty people... He wondered if he would have the opportunity to meet them all, given time.
“What now?” he asked, mind returning to the matter at hand.
“Now,” said Yuenaan, “I’ll show you to the refectory and then to your room. I imagine you’ll need to rest up after the journey. In the morning, we will prepare for the ritual.”
In an awkward movement, Jin bowed, feeling incredibly grateful to the man before him.
“Thank you for everything, Master Ding,” he said.
Yuenan simply patted him on the shoulder, that ever-present effusive smile on his lips.
“You can save your thanks for tomorrow, Jin.”
Jin nodded to the older man and then turned back, continuing down the passageway. Behind him, he heard his master mutter some quiet words.
“Next,” Yuenan muttered, “ I’ll have to talk to Riese.”
He did not sound as if he were looking forward to it
Waterstriders: [One of the largest fiends in existence, the waterstrider is a rare species that resides exclusively within the downpour, and along with the rainfiends, serves as Toval’s addition to Domines and Saaya’s great work. They are considered immortal level fiends, and the formless treasures inside their hearts are so large and powerful that they contain warpings which allows the waterstrider to both ignore the square cube law and move in manners that defy the normal workings of the world. As waterstriders are incredibly rare and restricted to an inhospitable domain, very little is publicly known about their life cycle and habits.]