Heavenfall

"Desperation does indeed make people do crazy things."

Like the entire expedition they were on.

"But, and I say this as one who regards Ch'chit T'kkiri as a friend, and who holds his people's welfare as important- If they plotted mischief and sought your aid for purely selfish ends, would it not have been simpler to say that the ritual would heal Fu Leng of his torments? How would you have responded, had that been their offer?"

Black Moonset simply sat in silence. He had been truthful and explained the best he could... he bemoaned the fact that the one person who could supposedly communicate with this ‘kami’ was the one person who had her head so far in the dirt that Set’tck kir, the great digger, could have dug his whole life and never see her face. But such was his fate... he’d somehow have to trust in these humans... somehow they’d all have to come to the correct decision on their own it seemed.

"No different to how I have now" Reiko said with complete honesty "because I'm not naive. Things like this are not normal, and come with considerable cost. It's the costs that I want to make sure I understand, but I...do not want to lose him, nor have him affected, without understanding exactly what is happening and what the cost is."

She shook her head.

"Fu Leng will be told what I have learnt, and can make his own decision. I cannot control when Yume-do allows me to visit him, but if it is before we reach him I'll do my best to inform him without Jigoku learning."

"Not my point- or at least not all of it. My point is that an approach trying wheedle consent out of you would have told you whatever they thought you wanted to hear. I'm glad to see you recognize that, my friend."

As she spoke of telling Fu Leng, he bowed his head.

"We can ask no more."

Dawei retains his accustomed quiet amid the exchanges.

Am I so changed as Reiko by my association with the Kami? he thinks.