Crown of the Starry Sky: Book 11 of Painting the Mists

by Patrick Laplante

  “Excuse me,” Mi Fei said to one of them. She was a young girl, perhaps three years younger than Mi Fei if you went by human standards. “Excuse me, I was wondering if I could speak to you about some builders with black fur.”

  The girl’s eyes barely flickered up. She pushed past Mi Fei, though she didn’t try shoving her over her like the others had. Instead, she simply stopped, looked up, then changed her direction to walk around them.

  “Well, that was strange,” Mi Fei said. “Xiao Bai?”

  Xiao Bai was zipping around the streets, saying a few words to each person she saw. No one stopped to speak to her. Eventually, she returned to Mi Mei. “Wow. And I thought the other guys were bad.”

  “What other guys?” Mi Fei asked. “You mean the warriors?”

  She nodded. “Yeah. The warriors we met were aggressive and burnt out. These guys… well, it’s pretty much what you see here. They’re not all there.”

  “You’re saying builders become less aggressive?” Mi Fei asked.

  “Yeah, if they overuse their constellation,” Xiao Bai said. “Bunch of unmotivated and depressed demons.”

  “What do they get in exchange?” Mi Fei asked.

  “Intelligence,” Xiao Bai said. “A great gift. Although they do make good fighters, they’re better off as craftsmen. Anything they make, they’ll excel at. To give you an example, let’s say one of them was an alchemist—though to be honest, they don’t usually become alchemists because of elemental alignment. Anyway, if an alchemist could normally make a mid-grade pill, someone with the Builder constellation could use it to make them more skilled and craft a higher-level pill. Or they could choose to learn something faster. Create something faster.”

  “That’s powerful,” Mi Fei said. “Especially if all of them can do it.”

  “Yeah, and they’re the main reason the Star-Eye Monkey Clan is prosperous. Listen, you don’t know this, but in the demon world, they’re known as road builders. They’re legendary. Only their people know how to build roads across the stars. To see them sink down to this?” She shook her head. “It’s a terrible waste.”

  “I understand why the warriors might burn themselves out,” Mi Fei said. “Especially if they fought a lot. But if what you’re saying is true, these demons are worse off. Why would that be?”

  Xiao Bai shrugged. “There’re a lot of things that could do it. If you could make better weapons or get more resources for your warriors to stop them from dying, would you? They’re born in every family, you know. The type of constellation you get isn’t determined by the one your parents had. There’s a second reason, but I think you know it.”

  “I’d imagine it’s hard to think slowly, knowing you could do better,” Mi Fei said. “It would get addicting. Like a drug. And then if you add external pressure, and possibly overly aggressive warriors asking for you to do more…”

  “Bingo,” Xiao Bai said. “Then you’re back to the Bronze Age.”

  Mi Fei blinked and saw the residential quarters had opened into a small field. There were also trees, and beneath them, Star-Eye Monkeys worked with silent dedication. There were gardeners tending the small patches of plants. There were some who shaped clay. Some mixed herbs and crushed leaves, while others wove materials that had been brought into the city. They were crafting, but their technology was very limited. Not like something you would expect in such a large city. None of the workers thought to greet them.

  “Let me ask around,” Xiao Bai said. She didn’t wait for Mi Fei and went from person to person extremely quickly. Mi Fei could only let her do her thing and continue looking around.

  They’re not barbarians, Mi Fei thought as she looked over their goods. Many things seemed well made. The materials were good, and so were the herbs drying in stacks. Their energies were potent, and the way they’d been processed with demonic energy meant they’d stay fresh for longer than if humans handled them. She could tell. Her family did much business in this sort of field.

  These primitive industries were not the only ones to admire. Star-Eye Monkeys were not all aligned with wood. Some had affinities for the other four elements, often with wood as a sub-proficiency. Some wielded fire, and indeed, there were alchemists. There were spiritual blacksmiths. Some worked gems that could be infused with qi, and others even sparred in the open fields. These few warriors seemed more lucid than the others, but when she asked them about the black-haired monkeys, she got cold answers.

  “We know of these exiles you speak of,” one of the sparring men said.

  “Wastes,” a woman said. “All of them were useless, so we sent them out.”

  “Out of the city?” Mi Fei asked.

  “Where else?” the woman sapped. “They are a disgrace to our clan, and we cannot allow them remain here. In the jungle, they would be eaten. They were sent out to a city where they would be safe.”

  She tried to press for more information, but they politely refused and went back to work. They needed to be faster and stronger to fight for their clan. They had no time to waste speaking to an annoying human.

  Xiao Bai found her a short while later. “I spread the word,” the rabbit said. “Maybe someone’ll bother talking to us.” She looked around. “What next? Not much sightseeing to do around here. Want to go eat something?”

  “It’s always about food with you,” Mi Fei scolded. Then her stomach rumbled. “Fine. Where are we going?”

  “Not far,” Xiao Bai said. “Say, how do you feel about eating without tables and chairs?”

  Chapter 16: Conflict

  Deep within the Tree of Life, the heart of Stargazer City, Cha Ming and Shneraz were having a wonderful time. They were fed and watered, and four attendants stood by to see to their every need.

  One such attendant was dedicated to brewing the most delicious tea Cha Ming had ever tasted. Her hands worked magic. The tea that left her pot would have satisfied kings and queens on the Ling Nan Plane. It was hot, tasty, and somehow alive. A miracle only demons could manage.

  “Thank you for the tea,” Cha Ming said, accepting a fresh cup. The serving woman, a red-haired monkey demon with clear blue eyes, bowed, smiled, then retreated. She would stay out of earshot until they summoned her again. “Shneraz, why do you hate tea?”

  “I told you, I just don’t like it,” Shneraz said. He drank a golden-black liquid instead, and when he drank, his skin glowed slightly. “This is much more palatable for my kind.”

  “What is it, exactly?” Cha Ming asked. It both looked and smelled foul.

  “It’s a secret, but if you’re brave enough, you can have a sip,” Shneraz said, grinning.

  Cha Ming hesitated. It smelled strong and metallic.

  “Don’t worry, it won’t offend your silly morals.”

  Cha Ming took the small cup and dipped a finger in the golden-black liquid before placing it in his mouth. “Ergh. That’s terrible. It’s tastes like rust and copper.”

  “And other metals long forgotten to other species,” Shneraz added cheerfully. “Lead. Some alloy of zinc. Many heavy metals.”

  “Heavens, that’s poison!” Cha Ming said. He urged his body to push the harmful metals out, but soon realized they weren’t a problem.

  Shneraz grinned. “You’re a demigod now. You can handle it. It’s delicious and nutritious. Think of it like a pre-workout beverage.”

  “I’ll stick to this wonderful tea,” Cha Ming. It really was good tea. “Spring Leaf, what kind of tea did you say this was?”

  Spring Leaf, the monkey demon who’d served him, stepped up from where she waited. “It is a special sort that normally grows on tall mountains,” she answered as she prepared another cup. “But we know how to grow it here in the jungle. Our people grow it cold and underground. We do not let sunlight touch it. We give it life from deep aquifers and take great care not to let darkness corrupt its essence.”

  “And these small flowers?” Cha Ming asked.

  “Fragrant decorations,” she answered. “But they, too, are
special. They only grow on the barest of stone, and we must shield them from the wind and rain. They grow white, yet we must water them from the inky well without staining them. We clip them and dry them beneath the moon and seal them away, for they only last a day otherwise.”

  “That sounds very difficult,” Cha Ming said.

  Shneraz chuckled. “They are a monkey tribe, Cha Ming. Their affinity for plants and greenery is legendary.”

  “It is as the lord dragon says,” the woman said. “All but the most useless of our kin can grow plants, and the best among us are gardeners for human emperors and even immortals up above.”

  “Thank you for answering,” Cha Ming said.

  “It is my pleasure to serve,” she said with a bow. “Let us know if you require anything further.” She retreated and left them alone once more.

  “I don’t see why we need to wait so long,” Shneraz muttered.

  “It’s obviously a show of power,” Cha Ming said.

  “Who made you an expert?” Shneraz grumbled. The Monkey King had, but Cha Ming didn’t mention him. “Though you’re right. It is a show of power.” He hesitated, then moved his hand to a wooden board that sat between them. He moved a white piece. “Your move.”

  “I was wondering when you’d decide,” Cha Ming said. He moved his black piece on their eight-by-eight board. Shneraz frowned when he saw the move. “I think I’m losing again.”

  “Winning or losing doesn’t matter,” Cha Ming said.

  Shneraz glared. “Then give up.”

  “Never,” Cha Ming said, moving another piece.

  “It’s not my fault I’m losing,” Shneraz said. “You clearly have experience.”

  “And here I thought the Golden Dragon Clan was skilled in all things,” Cha Ming said.

  “So my parents said,” Shneraz said. “But this game is too difficult. It clearly requires years of dedicated practice.”

  “I don’t think it takes years,” Cha Ming said uncertainly. “I like to think you’re smarter than that.”

  Shneraz sniffed. “I don’t normally have time for leisure. I’d be training if I didn’t need to conserve energy for the banquet.”

  “You didn’t lose so badly last time,” Cha Ming said. “You got a draw the game before.”

  “I will defeat you and bathe in your blood,” Shneraz said. He moved his own stone, and inwardly, Cha Ming sighed. He didn’t like playing this game at all. But after Shneraz had destroyed an Angels and Devils board and a chessboard, he’d asked the servants to get him a simpler game. They didn’t have it at first. They did offer to make one, however. So, after a brief description, here they were, playing the most intense game of strategy Shneraz had ever succeeded at: checkers.

  “Did you ever inquire as to the identity of the demon we faced?” Cha Ming asked.

  Shneraz’s expression darkened. “Ah. I was hoping you’d forget.”

  “It seems like an important part of the case,” Cha Ming said. “Well? It’s not like I have any legal ability to do anything. Not until I can justify a bounty at least.”

  Shneraz sighed. “In truth, I knew it the moment you mentioned her. She is known to our people. I did, however, ask around for more information. She’s lives in the Burning Lake Prefecture. In the slums. She isn’t wealthy and is called the Pale Lady by some.”

  “That sounds pretty ominous,” Cha Ming said.

  “It is not her original name, but she did embrace it,” Shneraz said. “Upon her initiation, if I recall correctly. She was from my clan.”

  Cha Ming frowned. “Was? Aren’t you all a very tight-knit bunch?”

  “There are exceptions,” Shneraz said. “If she’d been a little more modest or respectful, we would have kept her. Perhaps she wouldn’t be in the position she’s in now. Unfortunately, she was too ambitious. To the point that she alone might have ruined our tribe. So we exiled her. Told her to make a living on her own if she was so capable.” He sighed and shook his head. He shot back a glass of the golden-black liquid, which was immediately refilled by Spring Leaf. “It was a mistake, of course.”

  “What happened?” Cha Ming asked.

  “The obvious,” Shneraz said. “Our clan is highly regulated, as you know. We do not accept contracts from morally unsound individuals. We act with honor. We earn for our clans members. After departing us, she was no longer bound by the rules, and she began accepting less-than-ideal contracts.”

  “Banditry?” Cha Ming asked.

  “Among other things,” Shneraz said. “Most of them are legal but still immoral. She has accepted protection missions for despicable individuals and has fought with other demon tribes unprovoked. We’ve heard whispers of her committing straight-up murder for money, but nothing definitive. She always manages to weasel out of any legal troubles. After all, what is murder in this violent world?”

  “I recall it being illegal,” Cha Ming said. “And clearly wrong.”

  “It depends on the situation,” Shneraz said. “Morality aside, killing each other for natural treasures in demon territory is the farthest thing from illegal. With so many violent cultivators around, killing outside a city and away from the main roads usually isn’t pursued by the authorities. If it gets bad enough, people will put up private bounties, and if it gets worse, a town, city, or prefecture will take note and put up their own bounty, to be advertised in all adventurers’ guilds. If there are too many deaths and too much sin acquired, the prefecture might interfere. The next step up is the Kingfisher Guard.”

  “I imagine she has a bounty on her, given what you’re saying,” Cha Ming said.

  “Only a private one,” Shneraz said. “My clan’s bounty. But we are too poor to afford otherwise.”

  So much for dragons always being wealthy, Cha Ming thought. He’d heard others speak of their clan, but they always spoke of hoarding misers. But Shneraz had never lied to him. If he said they were too poor, it was a fact. An interesting twist in public perception. Was it intentional or accidental?

  “I’ll need to see her when we get back, Shneraz,” Cha Ming said. “Without you being there, of course. Your presence would be problematic.”

  “Indeed, things would likely come to blows,” Shneraz said. He went to move a piece and realized it was futile. “Bah. I’m done with this game. It’s too complicated.”

  “Have you both finished?” Spring Leaf asked.

  “Yes, we’re good for now,” Cha Ming said. “Please tell your craftsman this board is excellent work. I’ve never seen finer.”

  “He will be pleased to know this. You may keep the board since you enjoy it so much.” She began putting away her tea set. “If you require any additional preparations, please say so now. You will be brought before the chieftain shortly.”

  “You’ve been a wonderful help,” Cha Ming said.

  “Thank you for taking care of us, and for remembering a dragon’s favorite drink,” Shneraz said.

  “It is my pleasure to serve,” she said, then left the room with her tea leaves and other items.

  “Are you ready?” Cha Ming asked.

  “I believe so,” Shneraz said. “Please aid me if I am unable to retrieve the required information.”

  “Just do your best,” Cha Ming said.

  They soon heard footsteps. The door opened, revealing a tall man wielding a heavy staff. He motioned for them to follow. They joined his armed procession, and as they walked, they heard drums and other rhythmic instruments. Lights flickered in the walls of the tunnel, but that was hardly surprising. This was a tree of life, and to be inside it was a wonder.

  They walked on packed clay that ran a dozen feet below the Tree of Life’s main trunk. There were many tunnels that crisscrossed and led to different chambers. Overhead, the roots glowed with dancing pinpricks of light that resembled the starry leaves that occupied the tree’s main branches.

  They did not journey deeper within the tree. These demons were monkeys, not bears or foxes. They lived above the ground and not beneath it.
Cha Ming and Shneraz climbed ramps of packed clay that soon turned into wooden bridges. They made their way up living stairwells carved from the Tree of Life’s ample wood. Soon enough, they reached the outside world. It was night out, but the lights were blinding.

  It took some time for them to adjust. Now that the sun was gone, the Tree of Life’s many leaves glowed brighter than any star. They lit up not only their immediate area, but the city beneath them. The city came alive beneath the starlight.

  “Follow. Don’t fall,” their guide said. They scrambled before their guards could push them. Shneraz led the way as they climbed up vines, ladders, and steep stairwells. Cha Ming thanked the heavens he was at least an initial demigod, or there was no way he’d be able to keep up.

  They continued until they were several hundred feet up. The trunk of the tree was not empty. Many houses sat upon platforms erected beneath the leaves. There were no large buildings and no palaces, making Cha Ming wonder where they were going. He didn’t wonder long.

  They stopped on one of the larger platforms made of a dark fungus that grew straight out of the tree. It was harder than any wood Cha Ming had ever encountered. There, beneath the starlight, they saw him. He was a ten-foot giant, despite maintaining a human form. His hair was chestnut brown, and his skin was bronze and scarred. His eyes were deep pools of swirling starlight that bore no constellation Cha Ming could recognize. And on his brow sat a familiar crown. It was made of light wood, and it was smooth like a circlet that came apart unevenly at the center. It emanated a heavy power that made Cha Ming want to kneel. He resisted it, and so did Shneraz.

  Dozens of monkey demons were off to the side playing drums. There were many attendants, and on the floor was a spread of food unlike any Cha Ming had ever seen. It was mostly fruit, of course, but there were many other dishes he had never imagined existed.