Ruse grinned, and rather smugly at that. He was quite easily able to reciprocate their smugness with some of his own.

"Alright then...you play an interesting game. Fine then - I am both generous and powerful, so how about this. I will give Sacheer one gram of witchstone. And I mean the real thing. In exchange, I want to be taught the most high-quality education he can give as well as afford me audiences at my request. I am fully aware of the value as well as the sheer usefulness of even a single gram of this stuff. People die over it. However, if Sacheer's teachings are as good as they say, then it is a worth-while investment. The only condition is that he would get the witchstone gram after I solidify and establish my powerbase back in my kingdom, as I need his teachings to help me do that before I can establish my mining operation. However, I will stay true to the agreement as I'd like to retain this place as a business contact on good terms.

He smiled, and continued.

<DarkBlue>"Perhaps I can even send some of my people her to train, if I find the quality of this place to my liking. I hear this place is dying, but I am a powerful man, and it is within my power to make this place thrive again, if that is what you'd like. I could have both shage and non-shage here as suited my purposes. Alternatively, if you'd like to remain more secluded and limit the flow of insiders, it is within my power to do that as well." </DarkBlue>

"Hmmm," said the first monk.

"Forgive us," said the second.

"It's just that.."

"It is unlikely that you will be able to gather the witch-stone. Shapeshifter, we do not doubt your power, but your claim.."

"Is something else entirely."

"Gifts are traditionally given before .. education, in addition."

"Though if you were to find the witchstone, I am sure the Master would happily heed your request."

"And we enjoy our privacy, thank you very much.."

Ruse began to suspect that the guards were chosen for their banter.

Ruse smirked.

"Oh no...I will acquire the witchstone eventually. There is no doubt. This goal will become more easily and more quickly achieved after Sacheer shares his knowledge, though."
He sighed, and continued,

"And of course you don't doubt my power. You'd be a fool otherwise. It's already enough that you tempt my patience, but I did say I'd play this little game, did I not."

He pondered, and continued,

"So a gift then - one that I can give before the training. How about this then: The lord of Mist will grant Sacheer one favor, not to exceed the value of his teachings or to inflict injury upon the world tree or the Conclave. The granting of a favor may seem trivial if it was most people giving it, but a favor from the Lord of Mist is valuable indeed. Perhaps there is some monster or pirates or something like that which plagues these isles that you'd like disposed of? I could do it."

"Ahah," said the first monk.

"Intriguing," said the second.

"Surprising."

"He could almost be.."

"The Khaiyaash Arkhostu?"

"Yes. Instinctive knowledge of our customs."

"Lucky guess."

"Perhaps."

They both looked towards Ruse.

"Nevertheless," said the second monk. "A favour is the traditional gift offered before admittence to the school is given - though, of course, once admitted you will obey only the command of the Master."

"Yes," said the first monk. "We have our Monk of Favours. He will meet you out here, if you wish, to discuss the favour at hand."

Ruse nodded his head, and replied,

"Yes, I will see this monk of favors. Wealth and barter can buy many things, but sometimes only a favor can truly get something done, when money and wealth fail."

He waited for them to go fetch this monk of favors.

"I am sure I can do many things for this place."

The Monk of Favours is a tall man with a thin face and a long, trailing mustache. He has cold wisdom in his eyes, and does not smile when he sees the Lord of Treachery.

"Conclave-Lord," he said, smiling. "I have been expecting you for some time. Your predecessors have all come to this temple expecting knowledge."

Ruse rolls his eyes with vain arrogance - but also a sincere confidence that was quite justified, given how dangerous a man Ruse really was.

"Oh really? So they too sought out this place? Well...if you must know, my predecessors were all weak fools who thought that they could stand up to the shage with meekness, or by-the-book strategy. That is why they are dead and gone while I stand before you."

The lord of treachery smiled then, and added,

"On the positive side of things, that means you know why I am here. I seek to learn and master the art of the Tahik-yur from Sacheer. I will offer a personal favor from the lord of treachery himself in exchange for mentorship in Tahik-yur by Sacheer."

"Of course," said the Monk of Favours, smiling thinly. He stroked his beard once and only once. "You believe yourself to be different. To be a, how do you say, cut above the rest. Unique."

His smile was genuine.

"There is no unique," he said, heavily. "We are all the same. You are all the same. There is no I. We will all die, return to the Tree of Life. We were born and we shall die the same. If you wish to propose a favour to the Sacheer in return for education," he said. "You must prove to me that you understand what it is to be the same."

Another stroke of the beard.

"That is my condition as Monk of Favours."

Ruse was appalled by the notion - of course he was better than everyone else! How could this monk even insinuate otherwise?!

HOWEVER...they had something he wanted...no, needed. Badly. He would achieve it where past fief lords had failed. He would hide his pride - for now. He was the great deceiver, after all.

"Okay, I will assent to this. We are all the same in the end, indeed. Even as a god, I am not the only one of my kind to walk the tree. Like all gods, I was born from the tree's bosom. While immortal, nothing is beyond the reach of death and even I have tasted it once. We all have our goals and ambitions - I am the same in this regard. We all want to be loved and respected, despite the mask we put on in front of others. Gods, Shage, humans...we are all the same in our desire to fit in, in our desire to survive, and in our desire to be successful."

The Monk of Favours smiled, nodded, closed his eyes.

The strike was fast and hard, and despite his mist-like incorporeal state, Ruse found himself be thrown to the side by the force of the punch. It stung, but nothing was broken. The Monk of Favours smiled, assumed a combat stance with his two fists ahead of him, and nodded once more. His fists steamed and hissed as if in anger, though Ruse knew that the monk himself was calm.

"Prove your worth," said the Monk of Favours. "Prove that you understand."

Ruse cracked his knuckles a bit after taking the blow.

"Hmmm...I had hoped to avoid this element of equality, but it seems you wish to press this point. There is one way in which we are equal - that we are willing to fight for our convictions, or if not anything so lofty, then at least willing to fight to be successful at the end of the day. I will fight you then - with non-lethal force though - and show you that we are equal in the strength of our desires. Your desire to weed out bad candidates and protect this temple, and my desire to seek the enlightenment of sacheer and the Tahik Yur. We are the same in that we will use force in the pursuit of our beliefs - yet as you have exercised restraint, then so too will I. Perhaps you forcing me to resort to combat has, in and of itself, forced me to "come down a notch" from my former loftiness?"

He grinned a bit.

"Prepare yourself, monk of favors."

Ruse appeared in his humanoid form, and his deep blue eyes looked sharply at his opponent. His hair fluttered around him as the near by breeze picked up in intensity, purely due to the strength of his divine aura. White tendrils of mist very quickly sprang from the earth where he walked, snaking into the air and dancing like hypnotized snakes before whipping about his body.

A large spear of mist hurtled through the air, intend on messing the monk up. It was a spear sharp enough to pierce sura's sands. Sharp enough to injur even a master god.

But then...when it was moments from the monk's face, it stopped and dispersed in a puff of smoke into the air, harmlessly.

"Hmmm...no, this isn't right. If I beat you like this, it will be as the lord of mist - a unique title. This would not meet your terms of being the same and proving worth. so instead I will do this, although I regret in doing so I will not be able to give you my best possible display of skill."

The mists swirling around Ruse stopped swirling, and dissipated. Ruse's misty form solidified into his human form - his true form - and his illusion dropped. All non-essential special items (like laser guns and stuff lol) he paradoxed away, although he kept his suit on as that was an important part of him now - it even was based on his hair.

He adopted a combat stance, clenching his fists. He knew that he would not be as skilled as the monk. Not fighting like this anyway. He could fight a bit of course, but this was as equal to the monk as Ruse knew how to get.

"In a rare display of humility, and perhaps stupidity, I will meet your conditions by fighting you on even terms. I will not resort to my god powers at all - just my body and my slight combat capability. I regret not being able to give you a better demonstration of combat skill, but if I was an absolute master at combat then I would have no need to seek out a school like this. Perhaps we are both the same in our desire to learn from this place, as well as our need to learn."

The Monk nodded.

"I see," he said, and looked at Ruse. "You understand the precept of humility," he continued. "You are willing to fight me with nothing more than fists and teeth. I do not believe you to have been bluffing. This conflict could have killed you. It may still. You have passed the first test."

There was a sudden grin upon the Monk's face. It was at once devilish and joy-filled.

"The second test: what must you do now, Lord of Treachery? If you are truly equal, what must you accomplish?"

Ruse pondered a moment.

He grasped - at least marginally - the concept of humility. It was a disgusting concept and one he did not adher to, but he knew what it was - if only because he expected this to be displayed by others towards him, arrogant as he was. Yet, as the lord of treachery Ruse could even betray himself now and then for the sake of accomplishing his goals. In this instance, he had temporarily betrayed his own arrogance and pride in order to pass the test.

If they were currently "equals," then Ruse had to interpret that in every sense of the word, not just physically. He would use this train of thought to help him pass the second test.

"If we are truly equal, then I should not fight my way past you for this, nor should you forcefully stop me either. If you have something I want - in this case access to Tahik Yur - and we are equals, then I must kindly  ask you if there is something I can do for you in exchange for you helping me out, since as equals that applies socially too, does it not? So beating the answer out of you would be grossly inappropriate to our mutual equality, as such crude and brute domination of one another would make us no longer equals."

"Ahah," said the Monk of Favours. His small, withered bald head bobbed rapidly and Ruse knew that he had pleased the Shage. "Ahah."

The Monk smiled at the God of Mist, and his fists uncurled. A light breeze came in from the ocean and Ruse felt his long white hair ripple.

"So, then, as we have achieved equality," said the Monk of Favours. "True communication is possible. I will tell you what you need to earn an education from the Sacheer - to earn the sacred knowledge of Tahik Yur. It is a rare art - barely half a dozen monks of this monastery have mastered it, with only a dozen more students. Most of the monks live here to serve the Enlightened Warrior, with no question to their own needs in regards to the art."

He nodded.

"In order to receive training from the Sacheer, and receive what most Shage can never hope to grasp, you will owe three favours to the monastery. The first will be to me, for my guidance and friendship - I am the key that will unlock the gate. The second is to the monastery that will act as your temple, dojo and living quarters for your stay. The third will be to the Enlightened Warrior himself, payment for the holy transmission of the knowledge of Tahik Yur."

The wind grew stronger.

"These are the terms of your education. Nothing more, nothing less. You will be expected to stay and to learn for as long as is needed, and to obey the Sacheer in all things."

Ruse nodded, and replied politely,

"I will accept those terms. However, please let me respectfully add one small caveat. The favors I am asked to do...they cannot make me harm the Conclave, myself, the tree of life, or my realm and people. Basically the favors cannot cause me to go against the Conclave or my honor as a zealous god of the tree of life. But otherwise I'm willing to even flay puppies and kittens if that is what a favor asks of me. Is this not only for my own good, but would protect this temple from the retribution of such parties. Please, as an equal, do allow me this caveat."

He smiled, and added,

"If all is well between us, then what happens now?"

The monk nodded. "That is understandable, even admirable," said the Monk of Favours. "You have prior loyalties. I understand."

He looked out towards the sea.

"If you accept our terms, friend, then I will take you to your quarters and prepare you for the First Favour."

Ruse nodded his consent.

"Yes, I accept your terms. Please, do lead the way."

The Monk of Favours nodded, grinned to Ruse, and let the God of Mist follow him. The guards parted from the gate, and they entered the main courtyard of the monastery - filled equally with the beautiful, haunting gardens common in the Realm Savage (where awe-inspiring flowers grew like weeds and could often kill a man) and empty space only sometimes filled with sparring monks or disciples dutifully going about their exercises. There were several buildings, now, that the courtyard and the high walls had hidden. The Monk took his charge to the elegantly arched wooden building to the furthest south and nodded to the monk at the door.

"This is the Monk of Rest," he said. "He will be in charge of your stay within our monastery. He will prepare you for the Three Favours from this point on. My friend," he said, smiling at the Monk of Favours (who smiled serenely back at him), "This is our friend, the Changer, and he has come to learn the ways of our art. Will you care for him?"

"You know that I will," nodded the Monk of Rest.

"If you are ready, Lord of the Conclave, I will let you be," said the Monk of Favours. "Seek me when you are ready to proceed."

Ruse nodded his head politely at the monk of favors, and said,

"Well I am always eager to get started and learn as soon as possible, however I will check in with the monk of rest first. You know, get acquainted with the place, tie loose ends, and so on. Thank you for your time, and I'm sure we'll see one another again soon."

Ruse then turned to the monk of rest, and said,

"Greetings monk, I am the lord of mist, although you may call me Ruse. What must I do to settle in to this place and prepare for carrying out the three favors? I am eager to complete my favors and begin learning Tahik Yur."

"Yes, yes, of course," said the Monk of Rest. "Patience, student. If you are worthy and willing you will receive the knowledge you need. We'll find you board.."

The monk let Ruse follow as he opened the doors to the hall and stepped within. Inside it was cool, dark and had lost of the humid mugginess that defined Apath. Ruse saw two dozen or so beds lined up against the walls of the hall. Some of them contained sleeping students, while others were messed and obviously occupied. A good sixteen of the beds were untaken, however. The beds were made of flexible wood, with no mattress and two light blankets. There were no pillows.

"Your bed," said the Monk of Rest, pointing to a nondescript bed towards the center of the hall. "That way - you will eat and study there."

At the end of the hall was a long, wooden table, heavyset. Two students sat on the stone blocks about the thing, discussing some matter.

"Beneath the bed is a prayer mat. You will rise at every sunrise and give proper adoration to the sun."

The Monk of Rest looked at Ruse with a single raised eyebrow, as if daring him to complain.

Ruse did not have issue with the accommodations - this was a monastery, not a hotel. He wasn't expecting lavish conditions.

His eye did twitch a little when the monk mentioned adoration for the sun. Ruse was a god - the only thing worthy of his prayer was Yggdrasil herself. Still, he would get up at sunrise and just pretend to pray or something - really, he looked at it as a time for meditation. Even if he had no true adoration for it, he would still use that time to discipline his mind and body, and make himself more receptive to the teachings.

"Very well." Was all Ruse said, his tone cold and distant like mist, but polite none the less.

"Please continue, monk of rest."

The monk nodded, smiled serenely, and continued. "You will give up all personal belongings brought to this place to our Monk of the Outside, who will have them couriered either to our sister school on the mainland or to the Conclave embassy. Clothes, jewelry, weapons, scrolls, all of it. You will make a vow not to leave this place before your work is done upon our Stone of the Sea, and you will bathe in our sacred pools and undergo grooming. You will be tattooed with the Mark of Tahik Yur. You will receive robes, a bo staff, a shaving blade, blank scrolls and ink and a wooden bowl and cutlery set. Is this acceptable?"

Ruse nodded his head. His arsenal of weapons had long been paradoxed out onto another manifestation, divvied to his people, and so on. So that was no problem. The only three major articles he had with him were his special uber-SUIT, cashmathar, and of course his oathblade necklace. Cashmathar was also paradoxed away to some other manifestation.

"I accept most of your terms, there are two things I cannot give away, given my position and responsibilities int he Conclave - and this is covered under the deal I made with the monk of favors that nothing would be asked of me that would sully my pride as a high lord. However, that does not mean I will have to keep them here with me though, as I can send them away myself. The first is this oathblade necklace. It must stay with my manifestations as a whole, but under my own authority I can paradox it away from my realm savage self. The other article is this SUIT I'm wearing. I cannot remove such a thing from my manifestations without reducing my capability to do my duties in other selves, but I can like the necklace send it away from here."

He smiled, and continued,

"So that leaves the robe I am wearing. That I can give up, although I have had it for a long time. I will also consent to the tattooing and other lifestyle change. Ultimately, your request will be honored as I'll have given up my things in one way or the other, and consented to your lifestyle. That should meet the agreement the monk of favors and I made, yes?"

"The Monk of Favours has no authority here," said the Monk of Rest sadly. "I am to be your first teacher. I am to show you the ways of dreaming sideways and of resting-backwards. Nevertheless: send away your SUIT and your necklace. Burn the robes. They are meaningless now."

The Monk removed a small bundle from the table nearby. Inside, as promised: robes, a bo staff, a shaving blade, blank scrolls and ink and a wooden bowl and cutlery set. It all seemed so ... mundane.

"Shave all the hair from your body. Give all other possessions to our Monk of the Outside. And then seek me, upon the Beach of Fists, for your first lesson. You have two hours with which to rest and to make sure that it is done. At sunset the lesson will begin."

The monk left Ruse's tiny cell.

"Very well. I will agree to your revision of the terms I made with the monk of favors, but in turn I am looking forward to your expert tutelage." Ruse replied in a neutral tone of voice.

"I will have all my possessions sent away one way or the other, I will shave the little body hair I have on my body, and I will meet you in 2 hours time alert and ready for your instruction."

After the Monk left the tiny room, Ruse banished all of his possessions so they no longer existed on this manifestation (although they would on his other ones still). He even banished away the necklace - if needed, he would use his high lord privileges to allow for it if any issue arose. And since it wasn't banished from all manifestations it shouldn't have any true effect overall anyway.

As for his hair...he looked at the shaving blade disdainfully. It wouldn't be able to do as good a job as Ruse could do with his own innate abilities. Ruse agreed to their ascetic demands, not to look horrible in the process. With a snap of his fingers, his hair and even eyebrows and all other body hair turned into fine mist and then dispersed in a quick puff of air. The end result was as if Ruse had a fantastic wax job without any of the side-effects, like the welts and such.

Ruse, now naked and hairless, donned the robes and other articles provided by the monk and examined the things given to him by the monk. He then sat down and began to rest, but awoke with enough time to spare to then head out to meet the monk at the appointed time.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:50, Thu 07 Jan 2016.