The stranger doesn’t mind the silence, but the heaviness of it makes the others uncomfortable. They shift and stir. The boldest of the group try to resume their conversations from before the shadow man arrived but all words seem to peter out after a few meager sentences. Eyes turn towards the elder for guidance who sits and mulls over the stranger.

“Good sir, I dare not ask you for your name since those things are for when the sun is shining, but I would ask what places are you traveling from and where do you plan on traveling to?”

The shadow man smiles, “Aye, where I’ve travelled from… truly all over since I have no place that I call home at the moment, but where I am going to…” The smile slips into a small frown as the mysterious figure ponders this, “I have business with the Crest clan that must be dealt with, but I have no desire to do it.” He laughs a little, “And frankly I might go on traveling a bit more to ignore it.”

The elder laughs at this as well. “Well, then you are welcome to stay the night with us. Come morning we are going east towards the Song clan’s territory.”

“Hmm.” Is the only response the shadow man gives to this information. His eyes drift back towards the sky. The stars wink coyly at his inquisitive stare.

The group of men around the campfire look amongst each other and then at the elder who finally just sighs and shrugs. The glint of a knife flashes in the firelight, but the shadow man doesn’t notice the danger that hems in around him. Truthfully these thugs would typically have ignored this lone traveller, but his presence sets them all on edge in a way that demands action be taken to soothe their anxieties.

The man closest to the stranger brandishes his knife in a quick movement that comes from years of experience with this ill deed. He aims for the heart and his hand is unwavering as he plunges the knife deep into the chest. The shadow man looks down at the hand and blade handle still visible, his expression is unimpressed. He sighs and barely seems to care at all about his current predicament. “Go ahead and kill them then. Don’t make a mess though.” He says to no one, but still a response is given.

The group of men all jump back as the shadows that envelop the man suddenly swarm and writhe. They turn into two distinct masses and that’s all they know before they are set upon by these shadowy creatures.

In a matter of seconds only the mysterious figure is left alive as the others are killed without any fanfare. His servant make quick work of the humans while he casually takes a drink from the flagon of wine he still holds and watches. When they’re done the two shadow creatures return to their master, soft purrs rumbling in their chests as they lay down beside him, content with their work.

The shadow man smiles down at the two of them. “I suppose the Crests can wait a little longer.” He says aloud. “We’ll head east tomorrow, see what fun can be had in the Song clan’s territory. It’s summer now which means there should be plenty of festivals and markets there. And anyway” the shadow man reasons to himself, “cultivation business is best left until the autumn. There’s no rush.” His two companions continue to purr happily as he makes these plans. As long as their master is happy they have no worries.

They rest there under the stars not caring about the dead bodies that lay about, but as the moon climbs higher into the sky something strange happens. The shadow man realizes, very slowly, that there is someone else sitting by the fire beside him. This person is even more vague and indistinct than the shadow man is, but this new person seems to be enveloped in a soft silvery light instead of darkness. Like a being robed in the twilight itself.

The shadow man sits there and observes this stranger, but does not dare say a word. Finally after what seems like hours have passed the figure of light speaks. “You are new.” His voice contains curiosity, even wonderment, as he makes this observation. “What are you?” He asks.

Upon hearing this the shadow man confirms what he’d already had his suspicions of. This ethereal being is not a man, but a god. The shadows beside him tremble and shrink behind him, but the man is not completely afraid. He answers warily, the words of the elder echo back to him that names and introductions are things given in the daylight, this is true but he cannot refuse a god so he answers honestly, “I am Sae; former disciple of the Crest clan, former prince and general to Lord Sho, and currently nothing but a wanderer.”

“Sae.” The god repeats back with a smile on his lip. “Born of the lightlands, reborn of the shadowlands, and an outcast from both.”

Sae shifts uncomfortably as these truthful words are given to him. Still unsure of what the god’s intentions are Sae sits quietly and waits. Will this god kill him? Send him back to the shadowlands? Or allow him to continue on as he is?

A light touch on his cheek causes Sae to jerk back. He blinks in surprise at the god’s closeness and realizes only a second later what has been done. Sae, being prudent in most things, has been wearing a glamor to appear wholly human. This god though, with a single touch, has lifted the glamor entirely, leaving Sae exposed to his curious gaze. In return though Sae now finally has a name for this god because he could never mistake this touch for any other being’s.

“You are Shaolin, the moon god.” His words cause the shadows by his side to lift their heads and lean in closer. There never was a shadow that was frightened by the moon. Shaolin smiles in all of his glory and Sae lets himself relax. “What do you want with me?” He asks.

Shaolin’s expression is gentle, his black eyes soft, “Do you know the story of Rujinshi?”