The Jade Empire - Official story

Min could not help but notice Jizhong’s distraught searching through the ruins of the fortress.

She had not slept much that night. The older man had woken her up after Tung-Bai had apparently went poking around his side of the camp. She awoke with a start when he draped his coat over her shoulders, shaken from the same old dream she seemed to have over and over again — the cages, the boat and the blood. No matter how she told herself that she would never return to that place, her mind refused to listen.

But she silently stood up, and stalked him like a shadow deeper into the ruins. He did not see her, she made sure of it. She saw him search among the shattered stones for something, his expression contorted with despair. Concealing herself behind a chunk of broken wall, she kneeled in the rubble and prayed in silence, that he would find solace somehow; she did not have to be close to him to pray for him — Min did not believe in such restrictions. The wooden beads of her rosary rattled softly as she wrapped them around her fingers and crossed herself. She did not exactly know how to use them, but at least the weight of it gave her security.

When Daiyu called her, she jumped and immediately concealed her rosary in her robe. Lest they call her a traitor to the Qing. Though, judging from the company she now kept, perhaps there was a chance they would not see her as one if she were to risk her neck by revealing her doubts in their gods.

She resolved to wait and see.

As they went further westward, following the strange wooden bird and the Foreign girl who owned it, Min felt Tung-Bai shiver. She struggled to discern if it was from fear or excitement. Neither had her little automaton friend been so expressive before.

The pit of dread in her gut returned with a vengeance. She did not like this at all. And her questions had not yet been answered.

“Who is Locke?” she said to the group, “And what does he want to do?”

Tala turned her gaze towards her. The child had eyes that shone with wisdom beyond her years, as well as a power Min did not understand.

“He seeks power and domination,” said Tala, “If he gets what he’s looking for, who knows the devastation he will bring.”

Jizhong’s voice was steady and calm, a far cry from the distress Min watched him express earlier. Perhaps he hid it well.

“Locke is building an echo-machine,” he said to her, “He is hoping to harness its powers for his own nefarious purposes.”

Min’s hand instinctively went to her sword,

“And what is this machine?” she said.

Jizhong was silent for a moment, as if debating whether to relieve her of the bliss of her ignorance. Then he spoke,

“It will turn him into a god. Or at least, as close as a man can get to one.”

Anger flared in her chest.

“Impossible!” Min spat, “No man can become like God!”

Her heart dropped when she realised what had just come out of her mouth, and she hurried to correct herself,

“… or any god.” she said, turning her eyes to the ground, “This… Locke should not be allowed to continue his work. I will cut his heart from his chest if that is what stops him.”

A brief twinge of fear and guilt made her ball her fists. However, her anger still burned at the hubris of this man she had never met. How dare a mere man try to become divine? She hoped and prayed it would end badly for him, no matter how hard he tried to achieve it; she cursed him with her lips, that he will fail and suffer the consequences of his pride.

Methodically, she then snuffed out her anger, not desiring to be carrying such a weight for now. But she knew it would likely rise again once she met Locke face to face.
 
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