Moonstones and Madness

Thirty-five

     A beam of light disturbed Kal Chul. He squinted into its sudden brightness then turned away near blinded with the spots floating in his view obscuring the arrival of a rope ladder. Once he had steadied himself, he gave the rope a couple of sharp tugs before starting to climb. He did not look down so failed to see the thick green tail that had served as his pillow sliding back into the cavern's dark pool. He tried to steel himself for what might be at the top of his climb but was not at all prepared for the group of men in bright robes waiting behind a heavily veiled young woman.

"Kal Chul. You are called." Her resonant voice incongruous with her diminutive stature. The men behind her echoed the phrase.

He looked around with growing panic. There was no obvious escape.

"You must still earn the mother's blessing with loyal service," the woman said then traced the scar on his face with her finger.

Kal Chul jumped back in shock. Her touch burned like ice. He choked back curses and bowed knowing it was time to learn and plan, not fight.

"Come forward and meet your brother Rainbow-makers." She gestured for him to approach the circle. "Rainbow-Maker Mein will be you guide in matters of the craft."

The slim man stepped forward waiting to be acknowledged by the newest member of their brotherhood. Kal Chul offered the barest of nod to his would-be mentor. He recognized the man as one leading the hunt at the tournament and dreaded what might be revealed as they worked together.

"When the water-mother blesses, you are newly reborn, the past forgiven." The woman paused to study Kal Chul's reaction. "But before then, you will be granted time to atone." She clapped her hands and servants came to lead him away.

Kal Chul's first instinct had been to resist their ministration but he soon found their efforts soothing. Looking down at his hands he realized he had never seen his nails so clean and neatly trimmed. His hair had also been tamed with oils and carefully braided. The soft robes he now wore whispered of luxury. The spiced tea and mix of sweet and savory pastries were unlike anything he had ever sampled. He listened closely as his attendants gossiped about the young woman who welcomed and warned him.

"Sister Hye-Su just came back from the Temple of the Dawn. What would be important enough to bring her here?" The woman gathering the towels for the laundry looked at her colleagues.

"Not just her family. Seers aren't like that. Even the children walk their own paths." Her companion pursed her lips.

"I used to feel sorry for Eun Hye-Su. what with that stern uncle of hers. But then she dreamed those warnings and became even scarier." This remark had the women shuddering as they hurried away.

"If you are wondering, Sister Hye-Su is considered one of the most powerful seers at court. So much so, she is attached to the protocol office, not any one member of the Lei family. Speaking of the office we are due there now for a review of your genealogy." Rainbow-maker Mein's tone was flat.

"Been good to know you," Kal Chul quipped knowing all too well what being descended from traitors meant.

"You forget you have been called by the dragon. You may not have been fully blessed but she released you to our care. That puts you beyond the guard's reach, at least for now." He answered in the same even tone and pointed the way through the labyrinth of passageways and courtyards.

"If not for the scar you could easily be taken for your grandfather in his younger years, your mother's father, I mean," The senior protocol officer rolled out two scrolls. "We hope you are not nearly as impulsive. Although your father, well, we shouldn't dwell. You must know in any other circumstances you would be sent to the outer islands to spend the rest of your days in servitude. Only the brotherhood's approval will stay our hand."

"Not the dragon's?" Kal Chul couldn't help himself. The whole situation just felt too preposterous.

"That too, I suppose, but you must prove your skills to serve in the palace," the officer frowned and gave Rainbow-maker Mein a stern look before gesturing to a junior officer. "You will record all contacts you have with the other members of the Lei family and any senior court members. Our officer will accompany you to provide the necessary advice and training until you prove capable of keeping your own logs."

Kal Chul frowned and pulled at his collar, like it was suddenly too tight. His dismay at the extra surveillance obvious.

"Thank you for helping with the boy's reporting burden. I am sure he will come to appreciate it." Rainbow-maker Mein said before smoothly guiding their little group away to the wing where most of the Rainbow-makers lived. The protocol officer trailing along with them stayed un-intrusive but was still not welcomed into the workroom.

"Our craft is not available to the general public. Not even the temples have access to the same lore." Rainbow-maker Mein gestured to a library in the north-east corner of the long room. "The knowledge available to you in the brotherhood has been hard earned."

Kal Chul looked over at the small collection and smirked.

His mentor frowned. "Having the hereditary talent to access multiple stones is extremely dangerous without proper discipline. Especially here in the palace where pockets of dissonance can throw everything out of balance in a heartbeat. An uncontrolled cascade can be deadly. Not everyone makes it through the training period."

This comment had Kal Chul instinctively checking the rough stones on his leather bracelets. The first tunings had been difficult but nobody warned him of the dangers. Or at least not directly. The jewelers he had stolen from kept their stones in isolation vessels, and some would only sell to dojos or temples.

Rainbow-maker Mein placed five different jade boxes on the table. "Coming through the caverns should have purified your stones but you will learn how to assess them for yourself. First, you need better anchors." He opened one of the boxes to reveal a string of clear quartz alternating with onyx. "Let's trade."

Removing his stones always made Kal Chul feel a bit off kilter so he braced himself. He thought he was ready but when he sorted his stones into the boxes, he felt like he was back in the cavern with barely enough light to see his hand in front of his face. The flash of power from the new stones nearly took him to his knees.

"Earth mantra. Come on. I will chant with you." Rainbow-maker Mein said.

Kal Chul stumbled through the rhyme he had learned as a child.

"Breathe it." Rainbow-maker Mein provided the example and as they fell into a steadier rhythm Kal Chul could feel some of his strength returning. "Until you have aligned the new stones, we will keep up a full cycle of the daily offices. Which Temple forms do you prefer?"

"Temple forms? I'm no monk. I know only know the rhymes for each element." Kal Chul looked down, his ears reddening.

"Alright. We will start with there then add the corresponding hours. I'll lend you a devotional." Rainbow-maker Mein continued the lesson without pause.

Kal Chul relief at the appearance of Sister Hye-Su was short lived. Her pleasing looks did not make her any less of a task master. She made it very clear his prior education was woefully inadequate for even the rawest beginner.

"Your previous masters should be censored. How could they let you build your collection of stones with such a weak foundation?" She paused to study Kal Chul's face. "Ah, I see. You did not seek guidance." She shook her head and turned to the Rainbow-maker.

"I know, that makes him potentially very strong but likely more than a little foolish." He looked Kal Chul up and down and sighed, "There is much to undo."