Crossworld of Xai

by Steven Savage

  But there were times for the cold truth.

  She looked at Father Sun. He had come to her room five minutes ago. They had barely talked. They danced around the truth, they hadn’t even adorned it. They had not spoke it.

  And now it was time.

  “Well?” Sun asked. He had discarded his mask, wearing only his robes. Under the mask he was a serious-looking older man with close cropped dark hair and tan skin. He looked more like a farmer from a romance novel than anything else.

  Moon, sitting at a rickety desk sighed. “What do I think?”

  “Yes. What do you think.”

  Moon fidgeted. She was glad she’d retained her mask. She felt more comfortable behind it.

  “I know someone … tried to attack Jade. It failed. Or failed partially.”

  Sun crossed his arms. “No offense to our people, but most of us are not known … you’re not talking physically, are you.”

  “You know I’m not. They … well some people know about the odder nexxi of power, one had a … hotel at it. They blasted her with a crocked shamanic mix and a Confrontation Invocation.”

  Sun blinked in a slow, deliberate manner. “They’re lucky they didn’t unleash a Black Storm. Who …”

  “I don’t know,” Moon raised a hand, as if pushing away the question. “I can’t find anything out. Jape is depressed.”

  “I heard he’d sent her flowers. Twice. She did email him back thanking him. Job information is flowing in, people are finding placements … and you?”

  “I had heard… ” Sun paused, then sat on the bed in the simple room Moon had chosen to inhabit. “Someone said there had been anonyoums letters of complaint sent to Guild Esoteric about them and other things. Harassment.”

  “And … you don’t know who, either.”

  “No. I have not looked.”

  Moon speculated in silence for a few moments. “I’m fearful she’s hurt, or that they have been … censured by the Guild. Or who knows what.”

  “They are not bad people,” Sun admitted, “I rather like Jade. Jape seems very fond of her.”

  “HuanJen is a strange one, but it is our kind of strange. Not that … well, that is my problem.” Moon smiled behind her mask. “What does Tradell think?”

  “Tradell would rather not hear of this. He … is withdrawn.”

  “Then it is time we investigate what is going on.” Moon growled. “We are ending and I despite it, but we will not end like this.”

  January 26, 2001 AD, Xaian Standard Calendar

  X Libris was one of the more unusual bookstores on Temple Street, which was saying a great deal. The name had been something of a joke due to the large section on Tantric Yoga and Sexual Magic, but the joke belied the diverse selection among the perverse.

  Jade made it a point to drop by occasionally to see what the proprietor had gotten in. Now and then she’d found some very enlightening books, and even more that had given her a good laugh or wonderful gift ideas.

  HuanJen wasn’t sure she should go. They were keeping a low profile for … a reason. However, it was Temple Street, and no Leaguers were likely to want to be seen there.

  Besides, one would need an almost supernatural ability to follow her - she knew the Maze, she knew Temple Street …

  “Jade?”

  The Vulpine quickly shelved a book she’d rather not be caught perusing into its shelf of origin. The voice was familiar, the attitude was not …

  “Jape?” she hissed.

  Jape stood near by - having gotten disturbingly close to her before he’d spoken. Jade was used to relying on her Vulpine senses and the odd intuitions that had come with training under HuanJen. Jape had just appeared.

  “Yes, it’s me.” Jape sounded depressed. He wasn’t even dressed in his usual greens. He work darker native robes, though his short hair held none of the beads native men usually wore. He seemed entirely, disturbingly unremarkable.

  “Why are you here?” Jade asked, looking around to see if anyone was watching. Fortunately, no one was.

  “To check on you. No, no one in the League knows.” Jape smiled. “I was worried about you. Rumor is something terrible happened to you. Well, one rumor.”

  Jade thought of what to say. There wasn’t much to say, except.

  “Tell anyone and I’m going to be real upset. Do you know what that means.”

  Jape blinked. There was normal anger and then there was what Jade had expressed. It was a kind of egoless, pure anger.

  Then, he grinned. Some of the light Jade was used to seeing appeared in his eyes - it was a kind of unpleasant, penetrating light, but it was something like the old Jape.

  “This is a … trick?”

  “We aren’t doing anything,” Jade said neutrally. Jape was still grinning. She was trying not to follow suit.

  “Nothing.” Jape nodded. “It’s an effective nothing. The League is up in arms. You won’t believe what’s going on. I mean only the old-timers are left and … yeah, you know. What do you know?”

  “Do you want to know, really want to find out?” Jade asked.

  Jape looked down, then looked up. His eyes locked with Jade’s. “We’re self-destructing, Jade. Everyone’s paranoid, everyone’s throwing accusations around, and it all centers around you and HuanJen and who you are and what they did to you. I’m watching people argue and accuse … and you have a plan, and I think I’ll do what I always do.”

  “And that is?”

  “Play my part …”

  January 29, 2001 AD Xaian Standard Calendar

  HuanJen looked in the mirror in the master bedroom of the apartment he shared with Jade. A thoughtful designer had mirrored the sliding doors of the closets, a nice added extra at the Crosspoint.

  He was wearing one of his usual black coveralls, his work clothes. He had a selection of them - he preferred unremarkable clothes. This was the one he wore when he needed to give a more dignified appearance - one that showed off his angular build, one a bit less loose.

  The mystic ran a quick comb through his short hair. The white streak that so obviously marked him was under control. He looked presentable.

  “How goes it Huan?” Jade called from the restroom, just across the hallway.

  “Fine. Oh, how did wrestling go?”

  “Black Fox disappeared. The Exorcist vowed to find her and blames Summoner Seven. Oh, and Catacylsma has a crush on him.”

  “That’s good.” HuanJen checked the pouches on his belt. “Did you ever find Cynthia? She was going to see if the Sisters and Hooper could help out since we’re loosing Kevin.”

  “Nah. She was … ow, damn, damn, fur tangle on my left asscheek …”

  “Can I …”

  “No.” Jade growled. “You’d probably use your teeth … not that it doesn’t have a certain appeal. Anyway, no. I’ll catch her tomorrow.”

  “Good.” HuanJen looked at the mirror one more time. “You heard about Pynn’s plan for the Travelers’ Guild?”

  “Yeah. Real mixed. I expect nothing will happen.” Jade walked into the room, adjusting her clothes. She wore a functional but formal-looking dress of green, with a skirt down to her knees. The colder weather didn’t affect her as much as others, so she could explore fashion.

  “Good.” HuanJen turned to his lover. “Ready to completely blow the minds of the Panoramic League.”

  “As always. Jape was helpful … even if he’s not sure what we’re doing.”

  The Court of Mirrors was in chaos. Those that were left were in chaos actually. There was less of everything about the Panoramic League. It had continued to winnow away.

  Tradell watched them all argue. Even Father Sun and Sister Moon had gotten into it. Arguing.

  Everyone accused everyone of everything. It was very predictable.

  “You know who assaulted Jade …”

  ” … well I know who’s sent letters to the Metris Times.”

  ” … it’s simple, really, Barthomos …”

  Very, very predictab
le.

  “HuanJen and Jade are coming.”

  The room went silent. Arguments faded into the background.

  “What?” Sun asked. “I thought you said …”

  A councilman shook his head. “I never …”

  “No arguing!” Sister Moon bellowed. “They made no announcement, we haven’t seen them for over a week. What does this mean?”

  Silence.

  “I will talk to them.” Sun rumbled. “It’s time we tell them what we found.”

  Everyone looked at Sun.

  “And what we won’t tell each other,” the leader finished.

  The gathered members continued to look at Sun, as if he’d fade away if they looked at him long enough. Without a word, the burly man adjusted his mask and strode out the door.

  A moment later Moon did the same.

  Tradell watched, then sighed sadly.

  Fanher Sun found HuanJen and Jade in the main room, the area used as general living and storage quarters. The few Leaguers there were avoiding them obviously as the trudged forward.

  “What?” Sun inquired.

  “We need to talk. The League is in terrible disorder, isn’t it?” HuanJen asked.

  He got an icy stare in reply.

  “I know what happened,” the mystic stated, “and I know who did this to you.”

  Sun’s mouth twitched.

  “Huan,” Jade nudged her companion, “what’s Moon doing back there? I saw her head up that maintenance stairway.”

  “The hell?” Sun’s head swiveled around, “she …”

  “Jade, retrieve her,” HuanJen had apparently given an order, but it soudned more like a statement of what was to happen.”

  Without an argument, Jade charged forward, legs pumping mechanically. Her motions, Sun noted, weren’t fully human.

  “And now,” HuanJen said, “Take me to what is left of the Court of Mirrors.”

  “We’re going to tell you everything,” Sun said defensively.

  “Yes. Ironically, I am doing the same thing.”

  Jade could track Moon’s scent. It wasn’t particularly difficult - she’d obviously had some kind of exotic tea recently and her deodorant hadn’t lived up to its promises.

  Up a stairway, through a hall …

  She couldn’t move fast in her robes, Jade guessed, and the mask didn’t help with navigation.

  Why would she be running …

  … then Jade remembered a few conversations she and HuanJen had had. Of course she’d run, because it’d be the stupidest thing. No one was thinking now.

  Jade rounded a corner, past a half-open storage locker of cleaning supplies.

  “Back off.”

  Sister Moon stood in front of a small window, framed in the afternoon light. Jade guessed she’d made a wrong turn in her panic.

  “Listen,” Jade began, “We can help, we know what’s happening, we …”

  “No,” Moon thundered, “No, they’ll turn them all in, and they …”

  “Turn who in?” Jade asked.

  “Oh, like you don’t know,” Moon snarled, “That’s what you two were up to all along, wait until we blame each other and find scapegoats …”

  Jade sighed, “Look, it’s not like that, Huan …”

  “I don’t give a damn about your boyfriend, now, out of my way or I get violent. I am leaving. We are over.”

  Jade drew the Lakkom out of it’s holster on her back. The firing end glowed a menacing green, light glinting off the bladed point.

  “I’m willing to risk it.” Jade said. “Now, I’m reasonable.”

  Sister Moon gestured, and much to Jade’s surprise, the Lakkom flew out of her grip and into Moon’s hands. She held it defensively.

  “Don’t toy with me.” Moon spat. “My mother was a shamaness, my father of the League, and I know many things. I …”

  There was the click of a gun’s hammer being cocked. Jade quietly leveled an unpleasant-looking pistol at Sister Moon’s head. Her right arm was as steady and sure as the rotation of Xai.

  “Want to deal with something not so mystical?”

  Moon’s fingers twitched.

  “Is this what you want, Moon?” Jade asked. “Is this how it ends, you getting shot all because you couldn’t face what happened and I couldn’t trust you? Look, you’re rational, I know it’s ending, and this is not rational.”

  Moon lowered the Lakkom.

  “Now, I wasn’t here to cause trouble or shoot anyone, just in pursuit. And you interfered. So, first give me the Lakkom back.”

  After a moment’s hesitation, Sister Moon tossed the artifact into the air. It flew into Jade’s left hand, and she quickly shoved it into her back harness.

  “Secondly, let’s deal with this in a civilized manner.” Jade lowered the pistol, and tucked it into its hiding place. The action earned a strange look from Moon.

  “You don’t want trouble, I can tell.” Jade’s green eyes seemed to bore into Sister Moon’s mask. “I can tell that easily. So, I’m not going to either. Now, come with us. You know what’s going

  “Do I?”

  “You want the League investigated, dissected, and humiliated? Because it’s going to happen, OK? It’s going to happen unless we figure out what the hell is going on. And … I don’t want this to end badly. I really don’t. So … what is it going to be, Sister Moon? What is it going to be?”

  When Jade accompanied Sister Moon back to the chamber of the Court of Mirrors, events were already in progress.

  Several shamefaced League members were standing in a line, next to Father Sun, who was talking with HuanJen. The Council was silent.

  ” … these three assaulted your assistant. This one decided to start a little letter writing campaign, and this one … well, he sent those threatening letters.”

  “Letters?” HuanJen asked.

  “Um …” the League member in question, a short man with pale hair, stammered, “to your Guild Esoteric mailbox.”

  “Huh,” Jade shrugged, “No wonder Ahn said he’d gotten some weird mail lately.”

  “Moon,” Sun looked at his female counterpart, “I see you decided to join us.”

  “I had planned to leave and not come back,” Moon spat, “but Jade is quite convincing. So, I see you decided not to keep this an internal matter?”

  “These … members decided to take things into their own hands.” Sun growled. “I was hoping we would sort this out internally, but as they involved HuanJen and Jade …”

  “Sun decided to let me know who they were,” HuanJen’s voice was disturbingly calm. “Not that it matters.”

  The room looked at the mystic. As if on cute, Jade walked over to his side.

  “What have you been doing in the last week?” HuanJen asked.

  “Trying …” a Court member spoke up, then faltered, ” … we knew someone assaulted your apprentice. We knew someone had sabotaged our performance, with that … insult …”

  “Yes, sabotaged,” HuanJen was calm, “And we were suspected, and everyone was suspected, and you are all fighting and of course this is even in the news. How many of you feel that ending the League was a bad idea now? How many of you are unsure of your fellow members? How many of you are unsure of the Guilds? How many of you changed your minds?”

  There was a guilty silence.

  “The person responsible for this is one very clever person. One person is responsible.”

  “Who did it?” Sun seemed to grow in height. “I’ll …”

  “Tradell is responsible,” HuanJen said flatly.

  The gathered Court members, League members, and such looked at the mystic. It was a look in the “if it could kill category.” HuanJen seemed unaffected.

  “He is never around when I need to talk. He avoids me. Avoids any Esotericist. I suspect suspicious of those of us who are … sensitive.”

  HuanJen began to pace.

  “He assigned Jape to us. No offense Jape, but you are probably the worst person to assign to us, you ann
oyed Jade immediately. Jade of course would be seen as the most vulnerable member.”

  Jape, who was sitting in the back of the room, blinked. “Thanks … and sorry.”

  “Don’t mention it,” Jade grinned ferally.

  “Most of all, he is helpful, organized, efficient. There is such a thing as too helpful,” HuanJen noted. “You Sun, Moon, obviously had some distaste, obviously hid it. He did not say anything. His, as I understand it, was a vote that ended things.”

  “Why?” Sun interrupted. “What the hell are you talking about! Listen you little clerical bastard, you have no proof …”

  “… and I opened the Time Capsule you gave Guild Esoteric. I figured an artist would want to record his greatest performance.”

  HuanJen produced a small parchment from the odd pouches on his belt. “It is by him. It is a statement of his plan. The League would be forgotten in time unless it ended - so he made sure it did, knowing that the chaos to come, the questioning, would immortalize it. Ending by surviving, surviving by ending. Quite an act. And rather romantic.”

  Sun’s voice was doubtful, but it wasn’t obvious what he was doubting.“This is Tradell, he …”

  “… did it, actually,” Tradell admitted casually.

  Silence shrouded the room. Tradell stood, calmly, in a dignified manner.

  “So, explain.” HuanJen nodded, “Please. It will be easier.”

  “What, is it time for the villain to reveal his master plan?” The Court Master smiled naturally.

  “Good enough,” Moon snarled. “There’s no Panoramic League, Tradell. That means a lot of are rules are gone. Want to find out how many?”

  “Don’t threaten me, Becka.” Tradell’s eyes were holes into the hearts of stars. “I did this for you and everyone else. Please, my family has been part of the Panoramic League on and off for a century or more.”

  Tradell got several curious looks.

  “You … encouraged us to disband the League.” one of the Court ventured.

  Tradell shook his head. “Oh, please, it’s simple. Gods, how much have you people forgotten? How many of you have looked into infinity, sculpted thought, and are still this ignorant. If we push for the League to end, it will not?”