Far to the southwest, in a secret monastery

Ziyi looked up at the sky and frowned. Reading the constellations had always been beyond her, but the night sky at least used to bring her peace. Not so now. Something was afoot, she could feel it in her core, it thrummed in her lifeforce. And yet, the elders sat on their hands and did nothing. And even now, when their ancient allies had sent an emissary for the first time in centuries, they dallied and deliberated. She wanted to scream at them, to chastise them for their inaction. But of course, she was not allowed in the deliberations. Never mind all that she had achieved, all that she had done for this monastery. She wasn’t an elder and that was that. Perhaps that was why they were so prone to inaction, the elders did not actually want change. Did they just want things to stay as they were, so they could comfortably remain in charge? The thought tasted bitter, which all too often was the taste of truth.

She turned her gaze from the sky to the snowy mountainside. This place had been built here to hide, and for all the hundreds of years of its existence, secrecy had been vital for their survival. Ziyi wanted that to change, she wanted all Fomosora to know and acknowledge the truth. The whole world, for that matter. She had thought that was what they all wanted, but it was clear the elders did not really care. The Radiant Soul had descended from the heavens and taken mortal form again, but they did not want to see it, they refused. She huffed, an uncharacteristic outward display of emotion from her, as her eyes stayed trained on the mountains.

Eventually, she made up her mind. There was only one path for her, only one path illuminated by the light of the Radiant Soul, at least. An elder she might not be, but she was still the monastery’s top bringer of ****. She had silenced more breaths than anyone else and the records she set while in training still stood in most disciplines. Her opinion would carry weight among many, and it was her holy duty to at least try to sway some of her fellow faithful.

She strode inside, her steps determined but entirely silent. No one ever heard her coming if she did not want them to. Before she spoke to any of the others, she would go see the emissary and hear what she thought was best. She had come here from halfway around the world, seeking ancient allies, that was a sign of great conviction and strength. The beliefs of their two organizations might differ, but the followers of The Radian Soul and The Order of Watchers shared the same end goal.

Her resolve hardened as she silently strode through the halls where she had grown up and trained. As much as she was loathe to leave this place, her home, it was what needed to be done. She had gone on long missions before, of course, but this would be different. She very well might never return. And while she would seek to sway others, she would not ask any of them to come with her. Ziyi would be leaving with the emissary alone. So be it. The Radiant Soul was calling, and she would answer.