Post by Admin on Aug 15, 2020 0:19:44 GMT
Preparations (Fai, Khalid) (Unfinished)(Mystery Island)
Fai Sung
The long lonely aspiration from the British isle and his last encounter with the Number left Fai’s brain numb. He arrived greeted by a monsoon of wind and rain but Fai knew from the structures in the distance that he was exactly where he wanted to be. Khalid’s grounds had been modified over the past year since Denial’s death to appear more like central command of a small strike force. Tents set up here and there, small groups of elves handling different matters. Servants that appeared more like soldiers, reminded Fai of his operation in Hong Kong. But Fai was far more organized than this, not that Khalid wasn’t organized, but like Fai there were several free agents working with Khalid, whereas Fai would employ only those who were absolutely loyal to him. But Khalid’s elves were extremely loyal, and formidable against any opponent that might come against Khalid, even if from within. For that they had earned Fai’s respect, even if lesser creatures.
Considering the elves, several were already headed straight for him even in the stormy weather. Light flashed overhead as one stood immediately in front of him. His arm stretched in a pointing gesture toward a tent that was alone and away from Khalid’s central command structures. Ah but Fai had anticipated this. He turned and followed the creature knowing that others flanked him in case he diverted from his position. This did not offend Fai, no. He expected this and welcomed it. His interaction with the Number left a residue of filth that would linger until removed. The elves would never allow him near Khalid while it remained, and for good reason. In fact, Fai wasn’t even here to see Khalid. Fai was here to have the residue removed. No, Fai needed to return to Napal to speak with his personal spiritual leader over the matter of the Number. But if he were to arrive while still under the effects of the residue, even Fai and all his might and power would not survive the reaction of his people. He needed these elves to perform the purification before he could go anywhere outside the will of the Number. Outside the will of the Number. Fai smirked in consideration. He had never given to the Number to follow his will. However, the Number had not seemed to impose a direct desire on Fai other than to keep an eye on Khalid. That Fai did not completely understand, but it wasn’t his purpose to understand. It was Fai’s purpose to comply with as little information as possible, and to twist even that to benefit Fai and his own goal. Fai’s spiritual guide had warned him that he was playing a very dangerous game. That in an of itself gave Fai even more of a reason to play. What was life worth unless you lived on the edge? What was all the training and expertise worth unless he challenged its limits?
A quickening of sensual awareness struck his being like a wave personal arousal with the realization that someone very dear to him was near. Fai stopped and turned toward Khalid’s house. This was met with immediate reaction from the leading elf.
“Master Fai, you must undergo the purification.”
“Of course, it is why I am here. But who visits your Master?”
“A female, she visits irregularly and we are not permitted to come near her. I, we know nothing of her except my master does not fear her.”
“A female.” Fai cracked his joints. He was glad they could tell him no more. Even though he did not believe the Number could read his thoughts as he proven to be capable of doing of others, Fai still used caution when associating specific things just in case the number found a kink in his mental shield. But this woman, he knew her but it couldn’t be. It couldn’t be, but if it was why would she be here? No. He couldn’t think of it any longer. “Please, insure me that you will…”
“Have we ever failed you, Master Fai?”
“Never”
Fai continued on and inside the purification tent. A place of his own design, with torture tools and other equipment meant to retrieve information from unwilling hosts. But the small partition to the side was the creation of the elves, created specifically for Fai. He removed his clothing and an stood in the middle of a the small enclosure. Two straps hung from the frame of the tent reinforced to carry at least ten times Fai’s weight. He wrapped his wrists in the straps and clung tight to the end. A quick jolt of pain hit him from what felt like ever molecule of the entire breath of his skin. From there it dug deeper and the pain intensified. It had taken him a great deal of convincing to insure elves would actually use the amount of power that they now unquestioningly struck him with. The pain reached a climax causing Fai to lose control over his limbs and start to shake violently. Like breaking away from violent sea of life and entering a form of utopia the pain came to an instant halt. He could still feel the magical probes of the elves searching for any lingering essence of the Number but now it barley tickled.
The elves silently retreated from Fai’s torture chamber leaving him gather his composure. As Fai exited the tent with a fresh clean robe, a garment worn specifically for spiritual reverence in Nepal or even more important, the climb across the mountains into Tibet, as he intended to head, Fai noticed that the sensation of the woman’s presence no longer infatuated his being. Was she gone, or was that an after effect of the Number’s essence? The storm had all subsided but leaving only a dark overcast of clouds and the fresh sent of rain.
He made his way to Khalid’s door and entered without notification. But this is how Fai and Khalid had taken their friendship. Granted this was Khalid’s home, and Fai had since moved exclusively to London, but Khalid, Dempsey and Bina were the only people on the planet who knew where Fai lived and for that could easily enter his house without notification because of the wards Dempsey himself helped Fai to erect. Not even the Number knew where Fai lived, but the Number knew exactly where Khalid lived and that was why the man’s home had been turned into a fortress. If one didn’t know the relationship between the two one might think Fai the captain of the guard or head general of the forces. However, Fai answered to no man but himself, but so long as the Number believed otherwise Fai had an unquestioned intrigue of the powerful entity. That gave Fai an advantage he intended to capitalize on. None of the servants gave Fai any special curiosity. Instead a cup of tea, Fai’s personal favorite no doubt was in the hands of a young woman that approached from the other end of the hall where the kitchen was separated from the luxurious front room. Fai stepped into the large foyer, front greeting area and immediately faced Khalid seated in his usual chair. The young lady neared and held the tea out with a curt bow.
“Master Fai, Master Khalid had this prepared for you”
Fai took the steamy aroma intoxicating drink and gave a short bow toward Khalid. “My thanks. This will make a fine start to my journey.”
“You journey, Master Fai?” The expression of the young damsel nearly caused Fai to laugh. Not only was her openness refreshing, but being a servant who stood in the room two masters where she should have scurried away as if she didn’t exist, was comical. But Fai dismissed her innocent beauty as a ploy of Khalid to find him a mate as seemed to be the man’s purpose on every visit Fai made. Khalid didn’t seem to understand that no woman that was not Chinese could ever warm his bed. To think of degrading himself with anything less was unthinkable. Furth more, he could only love one who like him found her roots in Tibet. He intentionally glared at her and received the expected response. Whatever light of curiosity this servant had disappeared throwing her back on her heels and from all observation, could send her darting from the room in terror. Fai snatched her arm before she did just that.
“I head for a spiritual place. I take a challenge meant for only the strongest of my people. Failure is death, but I will return. Fear not I will desire more of your fabulous tea.”
Fai released the loose grasp on her arm and grinned. The servant turned toward Khalid then fled as she should have to begin with. But as much as Fai believed that fear held power over the weak he also knew the power of kindness. The yin and yang held absolute truth. In a world of kindness some fear is required to contain the masses but that was not Fai’s world. No. In a world of fear and absolute loyalty some kindness was required to retain the hearts of the people. This path he had followed religiously binding his believe in the teaching of the Triad boss who rescued him from Hong Kong’s streets.
Before Khalid could give a customary reply, Fai continued. “Every time I return I have a strange and power and sense of awareness. This power I have already come to understand, but this time I believe the strange ability has fooled my intelligence.” Fai raised his hand to stop Khalid in case he intended question the relevance of this revelation. “A person, a being of my past, maybe nothing more than an echo, but still someone of importance to me was here. Even after the removal of the Number’s power, I can still feel the lingering residue of her, here.” Fai chuckled and considered that he had spoken too much. The mere mention of it would now cause Khalid to look into the matter. If he placed Zhilan in danger yet again he could consider his entire life as a failure. “Think not on this, my friend, I am having no less than a phantom of the heart.”
Fai Sung
The long lonely aspiration from the British isle and his last encounter with the Number left Fai’s brain numb. He arrived greeted by a monsoon of wind and rain but Fai knew from the structures in the distance that he was exactly where he wanted to be. Khalid’s grounds had been modified over the past year since Denial’s death to appear more like central command of a small strike force. Tents set up here and there, small groups of elves handling different matters. Servants that appeared more like soldiers, reminded Fai of his operation in Hong Kong. But Fai was far more organized than this, not that Khalid wasn’t organized, but like Fai there were several free agents working with Khalid, whereas Fai would employ only those who were absolutely loyal to him. But Khalid’s elves were extremely loyal, and formidable against any opponent that might come against Khalid, even if from within. For that they had earned Fai’s respect, even if lesser creatures.
Considering the elves, several were already headed straight for him even in the stormy weather. Light flashed overhead as one stood immediately in front of him. His arm stretched in a pointing gesture toward a tent that was alone and away from Khalid’s central command structures. Ah but Fai had anticipated this. He turned and followed the creature knowing that others flanked him in case he diverted from his position. This did not offend Fai, no. He expected this and welcomed it. His interaction with the Number left a residue of filth that would linger until removed. The elves would never allow him near Khalid while it remained, and for good reason. In fact, Fai wasn’t even here to see Khalid. Fai was here to have the residue removed. No, Fai needed to return to Napal to speak with his personal spiritual leader over the matter of the Number. But if he were to arrive while still under the effects of the residue, even Fai and all his might and power would not survive the reaction of his people. He needed these elves to perform the purification before he could go anywhere outside the will of the Number. Outside the will of the Number. Fai smirked in consideration. He had never given to the Number to follow his will. However, the Number had not seemed to impose a direct desire on Fai other than to keep an eye on Khalid. That Fai did not completely understand, but it wasn’t his purpose to understand. It was Fai’s purpose to comply with as little information as possible, and to twist even that to benefit Fai and his own goal. Fai’s spiritual guide had warned him that he was playing a very dangerous game. That in an of itself gave Fai even more of a reason to play. What was life worth unless you lived on the edge? What was all the training and expertise worth unless he challenged its limits?
A quickening of sensual awareness struck his being like a wave personal arousal with the realization that someone very dear to him was near. Fai stopped and turned toward Khalid’s house. This was met with immediate reaction from the leading elf.
“Master Fai, you must undergo the purification.”
“Of course, it is why I am here. But who visits your Master?”
“A female, she visits irregularly and we are not permitted to come near her. I, we know nothing of her except my master does not fear her.”
“A female.” Fai cracked his joints. He was glad they could tell him no more. Even though he did not believe the Number could read his thoughts as he proven to be capable of doing of others, Fai still used caution when associating specific things just in case the number found a kink in his mental shield. But this woman, he knew her but it couldn’t be. It couldn’t be, but if it was why would she be here? No. He couldn’t think of it any longer. “Please, insure me that you will…”
“Have we ever failed you, Master Fai?”
“Never”
Fai continued on and inside the purification tent. A place of his own design, with torture tools and other equipment meant to retrieve information from unwilling hosts. But the small partition to the side was the creation of the elves, created specifically for Fai. He removed his clothing and an stood in the middle of a the small enclosure. Two straps hung from the frame of the tent reinforced to carry at least ten times Fai’s weight. He wrapped his wrists in the straps and clung tight to the end. A quick jolt of pain hit him from what felt like ever molecule of the entire breath of his skin. From there it dug deeper and the pain intensified. It had taken him a great deal of convincing to insure elves would actually use the amount of power that they now unquestioningly struck him with. The pain reached a climax causing Fai to lose control over his limbs and start to shake violently. Like breaking away from violent sea of life and entering a form of utopia the pain came to an instant halt. He could still feel the magical probes of the elves searching for any lingering essence of the Number but now it barley tickled.
The elves silently retreated from Fai’s torture chamber leaving him gather his composure. As Fai exited the tent with a fresh clean robe, a garment worn specifically for spiritual reverence in Nepal or even more important, the climb across the mountains into Tibet, as he intended to head, Fai noticed that the sensation of the woman’s presence no longer infatuated his being. Was she gone, or was that an after effect of the Number’s essence? The storm had all subsided but leaving only a dark overcast of clouds and the fresh sent of rain.
He made his way to Khalid’s door and entered without notification. But this is how Fai and Khalid had taken their friendship. Granted this was Khalid’s home, and Fai had since moved exclusively to London, but Khalid, Dempsey and Bina were the only people on the planet who knew where Fai lived and for that could easily enter his house without notification because of the wards Dempsey himself helped Fai to erect. Not even the Number knew where Fai lived, but the Number knew exactly where Khalid lived and that was why the man’s home had been turned into a fortress. If one didn’t know the relationship between the two one might think Fai the captain of the guard or head general of the forces. However, Fai answered to no man but himself, but so long as the Number believed otherwise Fai had an unquestioned intrigue of the powerful entity. That gave Fai an advantage he intended to capitalize on. None of the servants gave Fai any special curiosity. Instead a cup of tea, Fai’s personal favorite no doubt was in the hands of a young woman that approached from the other end of the hall where the kitchen was separated from the luxurious front room. Fai stepped into the large foyer, front greeting area and immediately faced Khalid seated in his usual chair. The young lady neared and held the tea out with a curt bow.
“Master Fai, Master Khalid had this prepared for you”
Fai took the steamy aroma intoxicating drink and gave a short bow toward Khalid. “My thanks. This will make a fine start to my journey.”
“You journey, Master Fai?” The expression of the young damsel nearly caused Fai to laugh. Not only was her openness refreshing, but being a servant who stood in the room two masters where she should have scurried away as if she didn’t exist, was comical. But Fai dismissed her innocent beauty as a ploy of Khalid to find him a mate as seemed to be the man’s purpose on every visit Fai made. Khalid didn’t seem to understand that no woman that was not Chinese could ever warm his bed. To think of degrading himself with anything less was unthinkable. Furth more, he could only love one who like him found her roots in Tibet. He intentionally glared at her and received the expected response. Whatever light of curiosity this servant had disappeared throwing her back on her heels and from all observation, could send her darting from the room in terror. Fai snatched her arm before she did just that.
“I head for a spiritual place. I take a challenge meant for only the strongest of my people. Failure is death, but I will return. Fear not I will desire more of your fabulous tea.”
Fai released the loose grasp on her arm and grinned. The servant turned toward Khalid then fled as she should have to begin with. But as much as Fai believed that fear held power over the weak he also knew the power of kindness. The yin and yang held absolute truth. In a world of kindness some fear is required to contain the masses but that was not Fai’s world. No. In a world of fear and absolute loyalty some kindness was required to retain the hearts of the people. This path he had followed religiously binding his believe in the teaching of the Triad boss who rescued him from Hong Kong’s streets.
Before Khalid could give a customary reply, Fai continued. “Every time I return I have a strange and power and sense of awareness. This power I have already come to understand, but this time I believe the strange ability has fooled my intelligence.” Fai raised his hand to stop Khalid in case he intended question the relevance of this revelation. “A person, a being of my past, maybe nothing more than an echo, but still someone of importance to me was here. Even after the removal of the Number’s power, I can still feel the lingering residue of her, here.” Fai chuckled and considered that he had spoken too much. The mere mention of it would now cause Khalid to look into the matter. If he placed Zhilan in danger yet again he could consider his entire life as a failure. “Think not on this, my friend, I am having no less than a phantom of the heart.”