The Warrior And The Pacifist

Possession 

Leki sat cross legged, eye closed. Her mind focused on the various bird calls that sounded from the trees that dotted the sanctuary, the gentle whisper of the wind as it blew from behind her. Dakpa Sanctuary was a peaceful place to Leki. She could remember how in awe she had been the first time she laid eyes on the Statue of Guru Dakpa in the temple proper when Yengi had brought her here when she was eleven...or was she twelve? She supposed that didn't matter.

Looking at that Statue, Leki could just tell that Guru Dakpa had been a wise man. In her opinion he was perhaps one of the greatest air nomads to had ever lived. Sitting on the grounds back then with her most favorite person in the world had brought more peace than Leki thought she would ever feel in her life, Yengi had always promised her that someday the two of them would return to this place, and learn the secrets of the spirit world together. That had been a day that never came.

"How long is this supposed to take." Baliph said, the impatience clear in her voice. "They have been in there for hours."

"And it could take longer still." Leki said, opening her eyes and fixing her gaze on Baliph. She had since stripped out of a vast majority of the Si Wong garb she had been wearing, exposing a short sleeved brown tunic that she wore under all of those layers of bleached white. Her arm just below the bicep showing a long scar where Tamura had used his skills in healing to close the wound. Her head wrap was gone as well, exposing long light brown hair pulled into a simple ponytail. "Time moves differently in the spirit world, minutes there could be days or even weeks in the mortal world."

Baliph looked apprehensive of that. "If those what did you call them? Cultists?" Leki nodded. "If they could follow you through the Si Wong Desert they could follow us here now. I think until we find out where they are, our best bet is to keep on the move whenever possible."

"They won't find us here. Like our temples the only way to reach this sanctuary is by sky bison. And we're the only ones who have them." Saying that she almost on some sort of instinct looked to Pungsan who was on the other side of the grounds currently horn locked with another bison as they pushed against each other. From an outsiders perspective the two of them in that position looked like they were fighting, but in truth this was just how bisons played with each other. She supposed Pungsan was just as happy to be back around members of his own kind as Leki was to be around nomads again.

"You know bison aren't the only animals that can fly right?" Baliph asked. "Dragons can fly."

Leki understood what Baliph was trying to say, but the odds of the cult having a dragon at their disposal was slim to none, at least she hoped it was. They had enough on their plate without worrying about a two ton fire breathing lizard wanting to kill them too. "Dragons tend to stay away from humans out of habit. The only ones I've ever seen were in books."

"I saw one once when I was a girl. Flew across our camp. That thing scared me and it was way up in the sky, I can only imagine what they look like up close. I ain't in a hurry to find out I know that."

"Trust me Baliph, were as safe here as we would be in one of the temples." Leki said with a small smile meant to reassure Baliph. But by the look on the woman's face she was as reassured as a dentist telling her that getting her tooth pulled wouldn't hurt. 

Something caught her attention then. The birds who had been so vocal only moments ago had gone silent, seeming as if they all decided at the same time to leave their perches and take skyward as if they were fleeing from something. Not only that but the bisons of which Pungsan was one of all at once turned to look at the temple, all letting out groans that reminded Leki of the music that was played during a funeral march, low and somber.

The nomads who had been gardening quickly took notice of this, each giving those closest to them looks of confusion. "Something's wrong." Baliph said, her hand pressed on the ground. "The earth is shaking."