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“The Nikara thought the gods had abandoned them, for how else could the barbarians from the east have wreaked such destruction upon them?”
The rulers of the Twelve Provinces, once powerful, were now weak and disorganized. Preoccupied with ancient grudges, they wasted time and soldiers fighting against each other rather than uniting to drive out the invaders from Mugen.
The child in the center stood taller than the rest. The one on his right had long, flowing hair. The third child, standing a little removed from the other two, had his profile turned away toward the end of the screen, as if he was looking at something the other two could not see.
“The gods did not send these heroes from the skies. Rather they chose three children—war orphans, peasants whose parents had been killed in village raids.
The limbs of the shadows moved so smoothly there might have been little men in costume behind the screen, not puppets made of paper and string.
Literally something i would say lmaooo
From that temple, the three heroes walked into the heavens and entered the Pantheon, the home of the gods.”
with intricately curling patterns of butterflies and tigers, and guarded by a great tortoise that bowed its head low as it let them pass.
“The second hero was a girl among the two men. She walked past the Dragon Lord, the Tiger Lord, and the Lion Lord, for they were gods of war and therefore gods of men.
The woman’s place is not in the thick of battle. The woman’s battlefield is in deception and seduction.’
Rolls eyes
The Goddess Nüwa was pleased by her words, and made the second hero as deadly as a serpent, as bewitching as the most hypnotic of snakes. Thus was born the Vipress.”
‘You will be given this and more. Take the chain of keys from around my neck. From this day forth you are the Gatekeeper.
Why do i feel likse im literally watching thia puppet show with them
have the means to unlock the menagerie of the gods, inside which are kept beasts of every kind, both creatures of beauty and monsters vanquished by heroes long past. You will command them as you see fit.’ ”
“When the Warlords regained control of their limbs, each and every one of them agreed to serve the new Dragon Emperor.
And for the first time in recent history, Nikan presented a united front against the Federation invaders. At long last, we drove out the oppressors. And the Empire, again, became free.”
“The Red Emperor’s scribes kept track of foreign imports down to the last banana cluster,” Rin objected. “They were hardly likely to exaggerate about their enemies.”
Or—maybe—what if the Cike are shamans?” The idea had just occurred to Rin. “That’s why we don’t know anything about them. Maybe they’re the only shamans left—”
“The Cike are just killers,” Kitay scoffed. “They stab, kill, and poison. They don’t call down gods.” “As far as you know,” Rin said.
“Niang’s pretty cute,” Kitay said. “So is Venka.” “Venka’s been obsessed with Nezha since we got there,” Rin said. “Even I could see that.”
I LOVE THEIR FRIENSHIP
“One might say you’ve been obsessed with Nezha.” “Don’t be disgusting.” “You are. You’re always asking me about him.” “Because I’m curious,” Rin said. “Sunzi says to know your enemy.”
Lmaoooo
“Fuck Sunzi. You just think he’s pretty.” Rin tossed the chessboard at his head.
I love them, i hope he doesnt die
Rin had the singular experience of weeping while eating. She spent most of the next day squatting over the toilet with a burning rectum.
“No.” She hesitated. “I don’t know why. I guess I assumed the Fangs didn’t want to hear from me. Or maybe that he’d be better off if he just forgot about me.”
:(
Pretend like you’re talking to me.” “But I am talking to you.” Rin immediately looked to her left.
Rin watched the Phoenix curiously. According to her history books, this was the god whom the Speerlies had venerated above all others.
It was a kirin, the noblest of earthly beasts.
It was not enough to describe her hair, which was darker than the night and glossier than butterfly wings. Or her skin, which was paler and smoother than any Sinegardian could have wished for.
This beauty cut deep, like a sharpened crystal. This beauty was immortal.
She would only remember those eyes, deep pools of black, eyes that made her feel as if she were suffocating, just like Master Jiang’s did, but if this was drowning then Rin didn’t want air,
Not Rin with the hots for he empress
As the Empress’s palanquin moved out of sight, Rin felt an odd pang in her heart. She would have torn apart kingdoms for this woman.
Jun still wouldn’t allow her to train under him, but she was eligible to study weapons-based combat with Sonnen.
Asshole
“Weird things,” she said. “We’re studying very weird things.” Jiang raised an eyebrow. “How articulate.”
LmaO
Rin wondered how someone who regularly strolled through campus without clothes on could say that with a straight face.
Ded
He made the wind howl at his command. He made trees rustle by pointing at them. He made water ripple without touching it, and could cause shadows to twist and screech with a whispered word.
Dopee
How did you explain to a child the idea of gravity, until they knew what it meant to fall?
LOve this
the Tournament had torn a great, jagged hole through her understanding of the world, and she waited for Jiang to fill it in for her.
Sounds sexual
He made her read texts on the ancient dream walkers of the southern islands and their plant spirit healing practices.
shamans of the Hinterlands to the north, about how they fell into trances and journeyed as spirits in the bodies of eagles.
this Maker, was a means by which Hesperia’s government maintained order. The priests of the Order of the Holy Maker held no political office but exerted more cultural control than the Hesperian
Gods in Nikan were the heroes of myths, tokens of culture, icons to be acknowledged during important life events like weddings, births, or deaths.
This is facinating to me because i always thought it odd that we took ancient greek religion and the like and turned it into mythical stories because for whatever reason the beliefs didnt continue to remain a religion but because christianity did, ppl dont see it as "myth"
Because she knew that something was real. She knew that on some level, there was more to the cosmos than what she encountered in the material world. She was not truly such a skeptic as she pretended to be.
ME asf
Why does it matter how the universe came to be?” “Because you’re part of it. Because you exist. And unless you want to only ever be a tiny modicum of existence that doesn’t understand its relation to the grander web of things, you will explore.”
Feel the spaces between your vertebrae. Wake up!” Rin inhaled sharply and jerked out of her slump. Jiang’s voice, always so quiet and soothing, had been putting her to sleep.
Bro thisis why i cant meditate
The spot above her left eyebrow twitched. She fidgeted. Jiang would scold her if she scratched it. She raised her brow as high as it could go instead. The itching intensified.
THIS REALLY WHAT IT BE LIKE TO MEDITATE
“My back hurts,” Rin complained. “That’s because you’re not sitting up straight.”
EVERYTHING RIN IS EXPERIENCING RN IS WHAT I EXPERIENCE QHEN I MEDITATE i swEar it
Meditation felt like a massive waste of time to Rin, who was used to years of stress and constant studying. It felt wrong to be sitting so still, to have nothing occupying her mind.
me and rin are so alike
“Are we getting high?” Rin said. “Oh, wow. We’re getting high, aren’t we?” “I’m getting high,” said Jiang. “You’re watching.”
Dead
When man begins to think that he is responsible for writing the script of the world, he forgets the forces that dream up our reality.
“No one else would have the patience to learn what I have taught you. It’s merely our job to remember. I have searched for years for an apprentice, and only you have ever understood the truth of the world.”
It was difficult to know that she lived in a world where humans had once freely spoken to the gods but no longer did.
Jiang brandished his garden shears at her. “Don’t take that tone with me.”
I fking love Jiang so muCh
