Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 3, Part 2

[Oldmansour]

>I will attempt to keep things brief, then. I finished looking around the Balck Tortoise Shrine and continued to find nothing amiss, so I have moved on to the Wood Dragon Shrine. I have sensed no malevolent presences here, either, but something odd did happen with the sacred flame, while I was near it; it turned blue and a powerful voice spoke to me through it - a voice many others seemed unable to hear.

>After a few seconds' pause, Kiku's voice roars, It did what?!

[DracoOmega]

>It... it turned blue, and then spoke. Or at least something spoke. It was difficult to understand the meaning behind its words, though the words themselves were clear and booming.
>It seems quite normal again now, for what it's worth.

[Oldmansour]

>It... it turned blue, and then spoke. Or at least something spoke. It was difficult to understand the meaning behind its words, though the words themselves were clear and booming.
>It seems quite normal again now, for what it's worth.

>You get the distinct impression that Kiku is stunned.

[DracoOmega]

>Give her a moment
>If she is still silent: Is something wrong?

[Oldmansour]

>Give her a moment
>If she is still silent: Is something wrong?

>Kiku clears her throat. A very odd sound to hear in one's mind coming form another source. This is a very strange thing. she manages after a moment.

[DracoOmega]

>Of that, you will get no disagreement from me. I had wondered if your knowledge of the Four Gods and the history of their faith might offer some insight here. While the voice said much, it often spoke in riddles or cryptic phrases and I fear there is much important in its words that I do not understand. I am not even sure of its identity, though I did ask.

[Oldmansour]

>Of that, you will get no disagreement from me. I had wondered if your knowledge of the Four Gods and the history of their faith might offer some insight here. While the voice said much, it often spoke in riddles or cryptic phrases and I fear there is much important in its words that I do not understand. I am not even sure of its identity, though I did ask.

>Did you... Did you do anything that might have triggered this? Spoken to the flame, prayed, something?

[DracoOmega]

>I had cast my senses out to see if I could detect anything out of place, but that is all. The flame then addressed me as 'The Hero of the Heart', though I was not transformed at the time. It seemed clearly aware of who I was.

[Oldmansour]

>I had cast my senses out to see if I could detect anything out of place, but that is all. The flame then addressed me as 'The Hero of the Heart', though I was not transformed at the time. It seemed clearly aware of who I was.

>The Dragon would know that, of course... Kiku muses. And if the flame turned to blue as well... Well, that IS the Dragon's color, after all. Remind me, did the Tiger know your other face? Your Hero of the Heart title, I mean.

[DracoOmega]

>Once He did refer to me as such, yes. I did ask the voice if it was the Dragon, but it did not answer plainly. It did not answer much of anything plainly, in truth. In that regard, the god you serve was much more... comprehensible.

[Oldmansour]

>Once He did refer to me as such, yes. I did ask the voice if it was the Dragon, but it did not answer plainly. It did not answer much of anything plainly, in truth. In that regard, the god you serve was much more... comprehensible.

>Ah, and that's why you contacted me. You wished to know if this was in character, as it were, for the Dragon to communicate in this manner.

[DracoOmega]

>Or anything else you might know that could help interpret what it said.
>Though, now that you mention... is it?

[Oldmansour]

>Or anything else you might know that could help interpret what it said.
>Though, now that you mention... is it?

>Well, none of the four Primes are above speaking in terms that are lofty, or clever. The Bird and the Tortoise see such methods as a way of testing the quickness of the mind of people, while the Dragon's speech can be colored by the person it speaks to. It is the totem spirit of humanoid life, after all, and that life form is more... complicated, than most if not all others. The Metal Tiger is the most straightforward of the four.
>Of course, there are levels of cleverness. Can you give me an example of something this voice said to you?

[DracoOmega]

>Let me see if I can get the wording right...
>Pause a moment. Let's make sure we're saying this correctly...
>"Dragon's blood spread over hearts of black. The stones of the void swallowed the weak. The champions of the empty places howl in two voices. Avatars sleeping await their other halves."
>That was a response to me asking for clarification about who it was just speaking about, by the way.

[Oldmansour]

>Let me see if I can get the wording right...
>Pause a moment. Let's make sure we're saying this correctly...
>"Dragon's blood spread over hearts of black. The stones of the void swallowed the weak. The champions of the empty places howl in two voices. Avatars sleeping await their other halves."
>That was a response to me asking for clarification about who it was just speaking about, by the way.

>Not the most helpful of clarifications. Kiku remarks dryly. If that was the Dragon identifying himself to an outsider, it is a way which I would not expect.

[DracoOmega]

>Well, that was about 'those not born innocent', whoever they are. They may have been demons, but I am uncertain.
>When I asked it directly whether it was the Dragon, it responded with... "Blood given for those long gone. Blood given for those come since. Fang and Shell and Scale and Feather. Shield of the world, Shroud of the flesh." Which could be a yes... I suppose?

[Oldmansour]

>Well, that was about 'those not born innocent', whoever they are. They may have been demons, but I am uncertain.
>When I asked it directly whether it was the Dragon, it responded with... "Blood given for those long gone. Blood given for those come since. Fang and Shell and Scale and Feather. Shield of the world, Shroud of the flesh." Which could be a yes... I suppose?

>Those born not innocent.... Rather poetic. I believe I read something like that once in Dickinson.
>That at least is somewhat clearer. Kiku agrees. 'Fang and Shell and Scale and Feather' could be simplified ways of naming the Tiger, the Tortoise, the Dragon and the Bird. They are said to safeguard the spirits of the four types of life that dwell upon this world- the Fire Bird is the guardian of those creatures that fly... Kiku trails off as she stifles another yawn. The Metal Tiger is the protector of the beasts of the land, the Black Tortoise protects the denizens of the waters, and the Blue Dragon is the warden of those who walk upright and reason, humanoids. 'Shield of the world, shroud of the flesh' indeed.

[DracoOmega]

>I did gather the reference to the Four Gods, but the statement is also phrased in a way that does not seem necessarily an answer to my prior question. Or is it just me?
>Does a yawn in our mind sound much like a normal one?

[Oldmansour]

>I did gather the reference to the Four Gods, but the statement is also phrased in a way that does not seem necessarily an answer to my prior question. Or is it just me?
>Does a yawn in our mind sound much like a normal one?

>It could be an answer, at least of a sort. I have an idea, I think, but I would need to think about it some, however, and I admit, I am rather fatigued. My conclusions might not be as accurate as they might be at the best of times.

>It sounds like a normal yawn for Kiku. Insomuch as you know what she normally sounds like when she yawns.

[DracoOmega]

>Yes, perhaps now is not the best time for rigorous analysis. But I will try to run quickly through a few of the most clear points that were made, as best I understood them.
>The voice spoke of a 'Seventh which stands above the Six', who themselves may be the demon champions though I cannot say for certain.
>It spoke also of a hidden traitor in our midst, and I am not convinced it was referring to the darkness we already know has a hold at your own shrine. Though I cannot be certain of that, either.

[Oldmansour]

>Yes, perhaps now is not the best time for rigorous analysis. But I will try to run quickly through a few of the most clear points that were made, as best I understood them.
>The voice spoke of a 'Seventh which stands above the Six', who themselves may be the demon champions though I cannot say for certain.
>It spoke also of a hidden traitor in our midst, and I am not convinced it was referring to the darkness we already know has a hold at your own shrine. Though I cannot be certain of that, either.

>Very well. Truth to tell, you're starting to feel your own fatigue as well, now that the thrill of that encounter has worn off. And you're getting hungry, as well.
>A traitor? Kiku demands, suddenly sounding agitated. What did it say? Specifically, Lotus.

[DracoOmega]

>It said "Black's servants deceived. Six led down a false path. A hidden traitor lurks in thy midst. Enemies are friends as friends are enemies. The face of an ally. The mask of a foe."
>Whether black's servants are related to this traitor or a separate point, or those six are the demon champions or someone else altogether, I do not know.

>I asked if that was referring to the matter your shrine, and its reply was: "Ebony fingers cover the eyes of those who wish to see. Hearts and spirits be clouded by evil from within, and without. Foes from beyond are not the foes alone in the world, yet the world is a foe, for those not created in life or light." But it answered with only silence when I asked if it knew what the power at work at your shrine was.

[Oldmansour]

>It said "Black's servants deceived. Six led down a false path. A hidden traitor lurks in thy midst. Enemies are friends as friends are enemies. The face of an ally. The mask of a foe."
>Whether black's servants are related to this traitor or a separate point, or those six are the demon champions or someone else altogether, I do not know.

>I asked if that was referring to the matter your shrine, and its reply was: "Ebony fingers cover the eyes of those who wish to see. Hearts and spirits be clouded by evil from within, and without. Foes from beyond are not the foes alone in the world, yet the world is a foe, for those not created in life or light." But it answered with only silence when I asked if it knew what the power at work at your shrine was.

>Black's servants.... That could be indicative of one of the shrine maidens at the Tortoise shrine. It's possible one of them could have been compromised as this shrine has.

>Perhaps that matter was one it couldn't speak of. But that doesn't make sense if it was the Dragon. The Tiger wasn't able to tell either of us straight out what the corruption is in His shrine, but He was able to speak about it. I can think of no reason the Dragon would be restricted in such a matter.

[DracoOmega]

>After its silence, I asked it directly if it could not speak freely on the subject, and it replied with: "That which leads does not control. That which seeks control does not lead. The bottomless abyss is a reflection of the dead soul,
but drunk deeply of, a source of fuel eternal consumed." I admit that I uncertain how to interpret that.

[Oldmansour]

>After its silence, I asked it directly if it could not speak freely on the subject, and it replied with: "That which leads does not control. That which seeks control does not lead. The bottomless abyss is a reflection of the dead soul,
but drunk deeply of, a source of fuel eternal consumed." I admit that I uncertain how to interpret that.

>Now that sounds like a line from Forbessi. Though, unfortunately, I have no more immediate insight than you on this one.

[DracoOmega]

>Another interesting detail: after a some time it cut off suddenly with a pronouncement of "The storm approaches. We speak no more." And then moments later Tenshi and some others arrived in the room, the former demanding to know who else was in here; it seems she heard a rumbling noise coming from the flame chamber, though none of the others with her had heard a thing.

[Hanzo K.]

>I suspect one of three things. Either she's highly in tune with the shrine's patron, she's somehow being influenced by the demons, or perhaps she'll be joining us sometime down the line.

[Oldmansour]

>Another interesting detail: after a some time it cut off suddenly with a pronouncement of "The storm approaches. We speak no more." And then moments later Tenshi and some others arrived in the room, the former demanding to know who else was in here; it seems she heard a rumbling noise coming from the flame chamber, though none of the others with her had heard a thing.

>I suspect one of three things. Either she's highly in tune with the shrine's patron, she's somehow being influenced by the demons, or perhaps she'll be joining us sometime down the line.

>Kiku pauses, you sense she is pondering, and then she replies, There is a fourth possibility, Lotus. It may be that whatever spoke to you was NOT, in fact, the spirit of Seiryuu the Wood Dragon. In which case, whatever that entity was may have viewed Tenshi-sama as an enemy, somehow.

[DracoOmega]

>Indeed. And the question is 'why', especially since it seemed to want to aid me.

[Oldmansour]

>Indeed. And the question is 'why', especially since it seemed to want to aid me.

>It may still have been a divine spirit of some sort. Kiku says thoughtfully. An agent of the Dragon acting on his behalf, perhaps. It is exceedingly rare for such a spirit to change the color of the flame, especially when not bidden by a servant of the shrine, but it has happened before. But why such an agent would avoid the servants of the shrine, especially the temple head, I couldn't begin to guess. Surely not all of them could have been compromised in some way...
>I can only assume.... No. No, I shouldn't assume anything at this point. This event is too bizarre, too... Strange, to speculate on, not without thinking on it some.
>Do you think you could summon this entity again, if you needed? You said that casting your senses out prompted this visitation. Do you think it could do so again?