The New Khan

by holyflpncows

We're bombarded with questions and cheers as we ride into Ulaanbaatar.

 
I see Kunsaw near Ono and Elme at the town hall, a look of complete disbelief on his face. Ono also looks stunned and mutters something to himself in what I presume to be Giant. Elme gives a slight nod and congratulates us. Spark, Yawei, and Fwip take Khan Bei’s body away to bury it.
“What may we call your group in order to share the news of your victory?” Elme prompts. Some looks go around. What really did we have in common to name ourselves? After a small discussion, Seekers of East is shrugged upon.
A while later, one of the town garrisons interrupts Feng Da as we talk to Elme, Ono, and Kunsaw about the duel. I look with Feng Da toward the horizon where Khan Bei’s army is waiting. It's gone. Completely gone. There’s no way anyone could pack up that quickly and leave without even dust in the air. Spark, Yawei, and Fwip run back to Khan Bei’s burial site and return with a gold obelisk. I’d never seen anything like, and neither had anyone else there.
Kunsaw sheepishly walks forward with Feng Da as we ready to investigate the site where Khan Bei’s army was stationed. Apparently, he was joining us, under Feng Da’s guidance. We make it out to the army campsite, but there’s no trace of anything. Shen Po can’t even pick up a trace of magic left behind. Was his army even real? I stare at Kunsaw. Is this man insane? Has he feed us lies? It doesn’t seem to matter anymore with Khan Bei defeated.

---

I collapse on my bed at The Dead Admiral, thoughts running through my mind. No, Khan Bei’s voice echoed in my mind. I escaped that! Escaped what? Death? Was he insane? Is that what this land does to you? Will I become mad searching for solutions? Had my magic broken his mind? Or cleared it? A commotion wakes me up minutes later. Hours have passed already, but I don’t feel that rested.
I walk out of the inn and see a new slew of people near the east edge of town. Flags of green with three upside-down triangles on the left side fly from their camp and, to my amazement, the saddles of some mastodons. Who— My thought is immediately interrupted as I see Ptili approach me hauling several of my group behind him. He looks much healthier and jovial now.
“Come!” He says with a warm smile and reaches for my shoulder.
I jerk back, looking away. “No!” The word leaves my mouth harsher than I intend. “I-I’ll just follow you.” I fall in line behind everyone else he’s gathered so far. I feel bad, wishing I could see Ptili as himself, not as Heilen.
As Ptili leads us to the Temple of Acharya he explains how the Earthguard knew to come here. Something about receiving a plea for help from their sending stone. I glance at Feng Da, and others seem to come to the same conclusion. The paired sending stone must be in the temple, and they had heard Feng Da praying.
Ptili stands to the side of the door. “There’s someone in there who would like to meet you,” he says. Feng Da steps forth and knocks. There’s a clattering sound, but no one says anything. Feng Da opens the door.
“Evil!” A raspy voice shouts from inside. Feng Da closes the door and looks to Ptili.
“She’s Vavuasu, a diviner of the Earthguard,” he says. “She’s strange like that, but please see her.” Feng Da opens the door and another shout of “evil” reaches my ears as I enter.
An old, rather ancient, dwarf woman is standing near the altar. One of her ancient fingers is fixed on Shen Po. She proceeds to move her pointing finger to each member of the party, each receiving cryptic words from her.
“But there’s another in your group that knows death better.” She says as her finger moves from Feng Da to me. “You.” I hope my stare is unreadable. “She knows what I’m talking about.” She has to mean my time in the Fleet. But… have I really experienced more death than anyone here?
“I will give you protection from evils you’ve already experienced,” she looks around at us slowly, “and the evils yet to come.” She holds up a red and bubbling concoction. “Don’t drink it!” She says louder than was necessary. “Just sniff it.”
The flask is passed around the group, no one too keen on smelling the potion. I tentatively grab the flask from Spark and sniff the vapor.
Everything goes black.
I look around, frantic. Where did everyone go? I pivot and spot another figure. I face an older woman standing inches from me. No, not an older woman. Me. I watch as small silhouettes begin to appear around my reflected self. I give a quick glance, but don’t spot any small figures to my sides. The reflection mimics me as I reach to touch one of the silhouettes, reaching to the side rather than forward. The small, shadowy figure crumbles to dust at my touch, the other figures doing the same.
I scream out as intense pain erupts from my abdomen. My legs give out and I crumple to the ground clutching my stomach. Whimpers escape my mouth as I watch a growing pool of blood spread before me. I look up through tears at my reflection, now wrinkled and old, and utterly alone. I close my eyes and let my sobbing take over.
Then I feel a warmth.
It starts in my lungs and begins to burn away the darkness. I blink and I’m standing back in the temple. I can feel tears on my face, but also a sense of clarity. The dark thoughts seem to have all but vanished. Whatever Vavuasu gave us seems to have worked.