Chapter 3

Prompt for Chapter 3 Have your main character make a discovery.
Add a new character to the story who is not linked to the discovery. The new character can be a guest player for this chapter only, or stay around. Your choice.

Chapter 3

Quan Tao got up with the first light to pull his duty as sentry. He didn’t mind, especially since the first-light sentries were given head of the line privileges for breakfast. That meant hot food and lots of it. For those at the end of the line, there would be only cold scraps.

Quan had not failed to notice that the trend was toward more cold scraps and less hot food. Rumor had it that the self proclaimed General, Lyn Nu was having more and more trouble finding supplies for his rouge army. Morale was on the downswing in spite of the arrival of spring. Desertions were on the rise.

After breakfast, Quan headed over to take his post near the camp’s southern perimeter. As usual, he took the time to look up at the giant mountains to the north. What he saw made him stop so suddenly, he nearly tripped over his own feet. The tallest peak to the left was different this morning, but only slightly so. On that one peak, the snow had receded above the top of the shorter peak to its right.

That was the signal. It was time for Quan to head north. Master Cho would be waiting for his report. Today, Lyn Nu’s army would suffer yet another desertion.

Three days later, Quan walked into Master Cho’s garden and took a seat quietly off to the side, under one of the cherry trees. It had been a long trip. He had traveled constantly, pausing only sleep for a brief period during the second night. Master Cho’s instructions had been very clear. Once the snow had receded to a certain point, he must hurry back to report. Master Cho knew, as did Quan that if Quan could make his was through the pass then so could Lyn Nu and his army.

Master Cho was well aware of Quan sitting at the edge of the garden. He continued with his training ritual. The young man could wait. Lessons on patience were always a part of the old man’s interaction with the younger generation. The young ones today were always in such a hurry to jump into things.

Quan crossed his legs and slipped into a meditative state. Master Cho would get to him soon enough.

Three hours later, Master Cho and Quan sat across from each other sipping gently at small wooden cups of tea. They talked of the weather and the health of this or that relative. Not until the tea had been completely consumed and cleared did the Master Cho bring up the subject of Quan’s year long undercover assignment to Lyn Nu’s army.

With a simple nod, Master Cho signaled for Quan to begin his report.

“Master Cho,” he began. “The army to the south numbers between two and three thousand. It is difficult to say precisely as there are new recruits and desertions which occur on a regular basis. They are well armed however, it appears that food supplies are running low.”

Master Cho raised his hand to interrupt. “Why is the food supply low? Certainly an army of that size can fan out around the country side to find what they need.”

“We were bound by the mountains to the north and, for some reason, the army was not allowed to forage for a distance of more than one day’s ride on horseback to the south.”

Master Cho nodded knowingly, he had just discovered the first little jewel from Quan’s effort. Lyn Nu feared the Emperor whose presence to the south was greatest. Lyn Nu was trying to stay away from and unknown to the Emperor.

At a signal from Master Cho, Quan continued, “I was unable to interact closely with Lyn Nu so my observations are mostly second hand. He appears to be a superior warrior. He is quick to anger and is brutal when confronted with opinions that differ from his own.”

The report went on and on for the next couple of hours. Master Cho would interrupt from time to time but mostly he just listened. As the sun set behind the mountains, Quan was praised for a job well done and sent home to his family whom he had yet to greet.

Master Cho spent the next couple of hours in silent, contemplative thought over the information he had just received. Lyn Nu was clearly arrogant and impatient ruling through fear. The fact that he feared the Emperor meant that either the Emperor didn’t know about Lyn Nu’s ambitions or was mearly tolerating the rumblings from a Chieftain that was beneath his consideration.

Time was growing short. Master Cho let his mind drift into the thought-free void of meditation. What better place to meet up with his solution.

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