Welcome to Gaia! ::

Xiu waited nervously in the lobby of Vyn’s penthouse. He had called the minute he had received her letter and the white frei could not believe his luck when she answered. Vyn was home! Better yet, she was free and willing to visit the temple with him! Finally someone he could talk to! Nervously the white frei paced as he waited for the rose raevan to arrive.

But what exactly should he tell her? There was so much to say but Xiu did not want to worry the rose frei excessively. The phone call had been brief with Xiu mentioning that he had received her letter and if Vyn would be interested in accompanying him to a temple he knew. They’d be taking a bus and (here Xiu had hesistated) he would be extremely grateful if Vyn could listen to a problem he had. Vyn (bless her!) had agreed and the conversation had ended with Xiu suggesting that he would pick the rose frei up in half an hour.

Xiu glanced at the clock in the lobby and glad to find that the appointed half hour was nearly there. The attendant was beginning to give him an odd look. Perhaps he was not used to seeing many half bodied beings pacing distractedly about the lobby’s entrance. Normally Xiu would have been embarrassed with the stare but after all that he had been through, this was nothing.

When the sliding doors of the elevator finally opened, Xiu turned around and was…for a moment, stunned. Vyn had looked simply stunning; floating towards him with that smile on her face and that lively floating gait she had somehow acquired. How long had it been since he had last saw her? Was the virus outbreak that long ago?

Vyn had changed, that was the bottom line. And the change was for the better. Smiling, Xiu raised his hand in greeting as well and greeted Vyn with a polite nod of his head. “Vyn…,” said Xiu before pausing. For a moment, the white frei was tempted to run his fingers across that seemingly smooth face of hers. Stop that an inner voice said sharply and Xiu blinked. Had he truly almost done that? Smiling sheepishly, Xiu instead moved his hands to take Vyn’s. “Yeah, it’s good to see you too, Vyn. You look beautiful. I guess the trip to Japan must have really agreed with you,” said the white frei with a gentle chuckle. “Those earrings of yours, they suit you well,”

Having said so, the white frei gently floated with the rose raevan to the bus stop just down the lane. There were still a couple of minutes before the bus was due to arrive and the day was still long. They had time to spare before nightfall. “ So tell me about your trip, Vyn,” said Xiu with genuine interest. “How was it?”

“That’s fantastic, Vyn. Sounds as though you have your holidays well spent,” said Xiu, delighted that his friend had enjoyed her trip abroad. The white frei wondered if he would ever have the chance to experience the fun Vyn had. Not likely a voice in his mind said. With Hazeline being busy with work and the bookstore to mind, it was unlikely that the frei would be going to such places anytime soon. Well, no harm in asking Hazeline for a future family outing. It needn’t be abroad just somewhere away from home together thought Xiu silently to himself. It was then that the rose frei had spoken in a strange tongue and Xiu stared at the rose raevan in surprise. “That’s Japanese? Wow…I did not understand a single word of it!” chuckled Xiu. “Clearly you’ve mastered it well. Perhaps I could…learn from you, sometime?” the white frei enquired tentatively; not wanting to put Vyn under any obligations.

“And I have been we-,” said Xiu before the final word in his sentence hung partially spoken. He could not lie to Vyn. After all, he had called the rose frei out to tell her of his problems had he not? Xiu felt his tongue go heavy just then. He was not used to telling others of his problems but after that Hungry Ghost incident…
The arrival of the bus provided the must needed silence breaker the white frei was looking for. Motioning that Vyn should go first and following the rose raevan soon after, Xiu paid the required fare and found them a seat close to the back where there were less passengers. Turning to Vyn with an embarrassed expression, Xiu ran his fingers through his white hair.

“Well, you see…it’s this. Recently, there’s something that’s…trying to get into my home and…I am…not sure if I could keep it at bay any longer…,” said the white frei slowly, choosing to omit parts involving glowing eyes and nasty threats. “I don’t think it means well... Your letter about visiting the temple gave me an idea though and I’m…just keeping my options open at the moment,” admitted the white frei looking at Vyn as if for support. “Hazeline’s not at home at the moment so…yeah…sorry for dragging you into this,” the white frei murmured.

“I did,” said Xiu nodding in affirmative at Vyn’s question. “But sadly…I was not able to reach her. It has happened before…especially when she’s in the forest…or something,” explained Xiu with a slightly exasperated sigh. “And telling the housekeeper would either earn me a disbelieving glare or send her packing to her sisters,” said Xiu with a wry laugh. It was good talking to Vyn like this. Although Xiu knew he was probably heaping a sinfully large amount of his problems onto the rose frei, it felt good to be able to confide in someone; maybe get an opinion or two from them. Xiu wondered if he should tell Vyn of that mysterious old man’s warning and decided that…why not? They were already this far…

Scratching the back of his head as he tried formulating the words, Xiu finally turned to face Vyn. The rose frei had been quietly attentive the entire time and for that the white frei was grateful. “ But umm…the reason that I’m going to the temple now is because…prior to all this…there was someone there who gave me a strange warning of sorts…,” said Xiu trying to keep his story in sequence. “He had warned me about being on guard but I guess…I failed…,” said Xiu colouring in embarrassment as he said this. “I’m hoping I’d get another chance meeting with him and maybe…this problem could be solve with minimal fuss…,”

The bus was slowing down now and Xiu could see their stop approaching. Giving Vyn a nod, Xiu floated off his seat and waited for Vyn to do the same and once the bus opened its doors, the two freis exited with Xiu leading the way to the temple. “I just hope it isn’t crowded with this being a working day and all…,” said Xiu.

“Tell me everything. Right from the start?”

Xiu closed his eyes. There was so much to say and…so little time. He shouldn’t be out here. He had assumed that leaving the house during the daylight hours would be safe but… wasn’t there a saying that one should….assume nothing? Already the Xiu was feeling a little tensed; this shown by the slight but constant flicking of his wings.

The entrance to the temple was some ways ahead. They had time. He was not doing anyone any good by being this incoherent. He had come this far after all; dragging the poor rose raevan all this way out just because…

He needed someone to talk to…

“I think…the warning came sometime during the start of the New Year,” said Xiu slowly as he tried to keep the events in place. “I had accompanied Hazeline to…that temple you see over there and while waiting, I was approach by this strange old man…well, not that strange but he did not seem surprised to see me at least. He told me that I had to be careful; keep my guard up when the day of the tomb sweeping arrives,”

‘Of course I found this strange…,” Xiu went on with a slight frown; lips pursed together for the moment as he thought this over. “But I was careless and let the matter slide. Then recently; a few days ago, I followed Hazeline to her father’s grave. Hazeline was paying respects to her deceased father. She had called it Qing Ming,” here Xiu’s expression shifted to a look of someone who regretted his actions deeply. “I had not known that…Qing Ming was the Tomb Sweeping Festival. It was there that…something…apparently followed us home. Now Joshua is its target and umm…that’s why I am here now…,” said Xiu hesistantly. “To see if…that old man has any advice to spare. Really…,”

…

Now that had sounded weak. Xiu had not planned on whining but…it certainly sounded like that. The entrance to the temple loomed before them and Xiu was once more captivated by the building’s intricate designs; the pillars in particular where mosaic tiles were arranged to give a rather detailed picture of some mythical beast running with flames around its hooves. On another, a large dragon was carved intertwining around the pillar’s circumference. That, coupled with the absence of many visitors today gave the large temple a rather intimidating aura.

But all of this was given only the merest of thoughts and glances as Xiu scanned the temple for the one he’d been searching for. Vyn was free to look around if she’d like but Xiu only had a single objective in mind; to find and question that mysterious stranger of the temple.

“The thing was…feminine; at least in a vague sense,” said Xiu quietly; subconsciously afraid of disturbing the prayers that were going on. “Unlike Lucia, I am incapable of seeing … supernatural beings; only their aura and only if they are bad. Something like…selective viewing I guess,” added Xiu without much humour in his voice. “The being’s not here though. It was still…lurking around the house when I left but...the housekeeper’s home and it’s morning…,”

Xiu had to stop there or his worried thoughts would be the death of him. Joshua would be alright. That creature would surely want to launch its attack when its strength was at its peak wouldn’t it? It wouldn’t dare to…

It might…

His thoughts were beginning to run ahead of him again and it took the white frei quite an effort to shut them off. He recalled Vyn asking him about the old man’s description and the white frei scrunched his face up a little as he tried to remember the human’s face.
…
Nothing came to mind. As far as the white frei could remember, the human had looked…like any other old human male between the age of seventy to ninety. Old, slightly stooped, graying hair, knowing smile; nothing to really set him apart from the other senior worshippers in the temple.
…
A figure waved in the distance. Xiu blinked; his moment of concentration broken as recognition set in. “Speak of the- Vyn, that’s the old man I told you about,” said Xiu in an elated tone of relief. “Let’s go meet him!”

Taking Vyn’s hand, the white frei led the rose raevan further into the temple to where the old man was waiting beside a donation box away from the crowd. The old man nodded as the two raevans approached. “You have returned. And you have brought a lovely companion with you,”

“She’s Vyn, a raevan like me,” said Xiu turning to give Vyn a slight nod and a grateful smile before returning his attention once again to the old man. “And...sir, I am in need of your assistance,”

“Eh? What about?” the old man asked titling his head questioningly at the white frei.

“Remember your warning about the Tomb Sweeping Day? I was unable to … prevent it and now something has followed us home and a young boy’s life is in danger,” said Xiu talking in a rush of words. “You seem to know something about it so…,”

“So you think I’d be able to dispel the whatever it is that followed you home eh? Well, you are wrong about that. That piece of advice, or warning as you call it could be given by any Tom, d**k or Harry, with the proper knowledge of beliefs and traditions of course. The human who was with you seemed ignorant enough so I merely warned you, child,” said the old man in a kind voice when he saw just how low the frei’s wings had drooped.

“So…that means, you are unable to help me?” asked Xiu with voice barely above a whisper.

“I said no such thing. You merely assumed too much. It was your error to not have done the proper procedures and carried the proper talismans to ward off unwanted beings,” said the old man gravely. “A child being targeted by them is grave indeed. Children are young and are thus less protected than the rest of us…,”

“But now that is has happened, what can I do to stop it? Please sir, I can’t let Joshua be taken by it” pleaded Xiu like a drowning man clutching the end of his straws. “Every night since the being has set its eyes on Joshua it has haunted my home. I have…stood up to it until now (at least I think I did) but I fear that…I can only go so far…,” said Xiu suddenly looking fatigued in the dim lighting of the temple. “I-I don’t think I’d be able to keep it up,” said Xiu lowering his head in shame. “I grow weary with each passing day…,”

The old man listened quietly as the frei spoke; nodding when nodding seemed appropriate and sighed. “There is a way,” said the old man softly as he looked from Xiu to Vyn. The rose frei seemed unable to see him and that was well. It was the white one with whom he had business with after all. “But…the price isn’t cheap,”

“Price?” repeated Xiu uncertainly. “What do you mean?”

“There’s a trader who may be of help to you,” said the old man gravely. “But he isn’t one to be trusted,”

“But if he’s the only one…,”

“He probably is,” said the old man with a sigh. “As long as there is something of interest to him, he will trade but he does not stay for long. He moves about,”

“Where can I find him then?” said Xiu some apprehension. The white frei wasn’t sure if he’d be willing to deal with such an apparently shady character but if that would ensure Joshua’s safety…

“The last I heard, he can be found not far from the graveyard in the next town,” said the old man slowly. “But as I said, this trader does not trade cheaply and the conditions of the trade would be up to him to decide. You can only agree or…disagree with it,”

“I-I will take my chances,” said Xiu trying his hardest to look brave.

“I know you will,” said the old man with a nod. Walking over to Xiu, the old man pressed something into the white frei’s hand. “Take it and stick it on the entrance of every door or window to the boy’s bedroom. It may not last long; maybe two days at most, but it’s a seal to keep the being out,” said the old man quietly.

“T-Thank you, sir…,” said Xiu as his hands closed over what felt like thin strips of paper. “You have helped so much and yet, I do not know your name…,”

“My name is…irrelevant at the moment,” said the old man with a smile as he turned to leave. “And that’s only because I think it makes me sound more mysterious,”

And just like that, the old man was gone. Xiu blinked. The donation box was there, the crowd as still there but the old man had simply…vanished. Glancing down however, Xiu saw that in his hand, were pieces of paper with Chinese characters written on them. “Seals to keep the being out,” murmured Xiu looking at Vyn with some bewilderment. “That man…he just disappeared after giving me these, didn’t he?”

“Uh…you…didn’t?” hazarded Xiu slowly, staring from Vyn to the pieces of paper clutched in his hand. “But… I was…I mean…,”

The white frei stammered looking both bewildered and a little panicky. “But he was there, Vyn! I mean… look!”
Opening his hand, Xiu gave the papers a semi-frantic wave in front of the rose figure. “They weren’t there before so…so that means…,”

Xiu backed away from the rose frei slowly as though afraid. Was he losing it? If Vyn had not seen the old man and Xiu was quite quite sure he wasn’t capable of paranormal sightings, then…just what was that person?

…

It didn’t matter did it? He was being offered a solution to his problem. Well, there might be other solutions given time but as of right now, this was the only one made available. He would visit this so called ‘trader’. It could be nothing really. The ‘trader’ might not even be there but…he still had to at least try, right?

“I-I’m sorry Vyn… I guess…I must be tired,” said Xiu trying to regain some of his lost composure. “I-I think it’s best that we…head home? I’m really, really sorry for this,” said Xiu looking apologetically at Vyn and meaning it. “ I’ll find a way to make up for this. I promise,”
____________________________________________________________________

The ride back home from the temple was rather uneventful. Xiu, for the most part, was lost in his thoughts. He would occasionally give Vyn a quiet glance and maybe an apologetic smile. Talk was minimal and if asked, Xiu replied distractedly.

When the bus had finally stopped at Vyn’s place, Xiu got up and accompanied the rose frei to her elevator. “Thank you, Vyn,” said Xiu. “Thank you for accompanying me today,”