Elder Bi had put on his flannel pyjamas and his soft white sock hat. He was trying to get comfortable for the night. He had cut all of the lights off after he had his daily supper of potato and ham soup. His mind was in turmoil each time he closed his eyes he saw a face he wish he could cut from his mind. It was the face of the sect's greatest traitor. The face of Thomlin, he was the one who had fizzled out their dreams before they could even get started. This in turn led him to a memory from his youth. He got up made a cup of tea then lost himself to his memories in a ragged reclining chair on the porch.
80 years ago*
Bi was down at the railyards towing trains out of their barns with a short thick steel chain.
He wasn't really exerting himself much but it wasn't exactly easy work either. He was paid generously and the work was good for his body so he was content.
After he got it on to the turnstile he lit up his heather root pipe. This was a gift from one of his boss and it was considered highly fashionable for a young man to own one.
He heard angry voices and breaking glass from inside one of the warehouses on the loading dock for the trains.
"You can't think we would allow you to leave so easily. Thomlin you fucked Squint Eye Sam's granddaughter now she is pregnant, you pissed on his couch, and you puked in his mother's funeral urn, and shit on his doorsteps. You are going to regret this before the night is done."
"Mutton Chop I have no regrets in life nor will I ever. The only truth is pleasure. I did all of that because I was drunk and the drink pleases me. Besides that was months ago the kid probably isn't mine. Not with the way the girl enjoyed it. She's had alot of practice. That couch was terrible anyway. I heard that if you filter alcohol over charcoal it removes impurities. I promise you there was nothing else in my stomach but the finest corn meal rotgut. If he hasn't poured out his mother's ashes yet I suggest he strains it through some cheesecloth and tastes the booze for himself." the speaker paused to catch his breath
"I will give the 7 of you about 30 seconds to decide if you are going to empty your pockets and walk away from here... you guys are like dogs I should know better. The other option is that I beat your heads until they are the size of watermelons I strip you naked and leave you hanging from your thumbs for Squint Eye to find in the morning. I like option two."
Bi didn't know who the other voice was but he knew the first speaker that was Mutton Chop.
He ran a meat stall near the train station. His shop was the closest to the fountain in the square. He was also a one star cultivator and Squint Eye's enforcer rumor around town was that the 80% off pork was really human flesh. Nobody was dumb enough to bite on cheap pig at his stall.
Bi couldn't decide whether to mind his business and enjoy his break or to go inside and see the show. He vaguely remembered a slice of cake that one of the office ladies had mentioned setting out on a crate for him in the warehouse where that ruckus was occurring. Bi himself was a two star cultivator and feared nothing that this town could throw at him. The thought of a sweet snack and a show sounded good so he went to retrieve his cake. He was slightly worried for whoever was going to be on the end of Mutton Chip's beating a death at the train yard would need some quick cleanup and a bribe to the police to not look to investigate. Bribes could get expensive and cut into his pay.
Inside the warehouse*
The thugs encircled Thomlin backing him into a corner against the brick walls. Leering and jeering at him making boasts about who was going to get in the first cut.
Thomlin was laughing in his mind these fools don't know what's good for them the only one who is slightly dangerous is the butcher. The other six are only good for scaring merchants into paying protection. If I wanted to I could be running this city within a week. I can't stay anywhere too long or else Red Eagle and Gold Crane might find me. I'm not ready to play with them quite yet.
"So we gonna fight or just keep eye fucking each other all day? I got beer to drink, churches to desecrate, and sheep to bugger." Thomlin said with a devil may care attitude and a malicious glint in his eye.
At the same time this was happening a side door opened a burly guy in train engineer overalls smoking a pipe.
"Don't mind me boys keep dancing I'm just here for the cake and to watch the show." Bi said in passing to the group of men as he walked over to a row of crates. He picked up the flowered porcelain plate with strawberry shortcake perched atop of it. She forgot the fork he thought to himself. He set his pipe down on the crate.
"Crazy question but do any of you guys happen to have a fork or spoon on you... never mind I'll go at it like a primitive." He grabbed it on the sides and started to eat the cake.
All eyes turned toward this incredulous scene of a dirty train engineer eating a piece of cake during what was supposed to be a one sided beat down.
Thomlin ever the opportunist reached in his coat pocket to pull out a small cloth sack. Then he took a deep breath.
By the time the thugs turned their faces back to him they were met with a cloud of powdered glass and chalk. He struck the nearest goon on the nose. Then stoved the knee in on another one, and he easily disabled the others leaving them in a pile on the warehouse floor.
The only people still able to stand were the dirty engineer, Thomlin, and Mutton Chop.
Mutton Chop was still coughing and blood was running from his nose. Thomlin grabbed the guy by his collar then gave him a solid head butt then brought his knee up to Mutton Chop's solar plexus, followed up with a strong kick to the gonads. That was the end of the butcher. He wasn't getting up any time soon.
Thomlin began to rifle through each of his victim's pockets pulling out a few copper coins, a folding knife, and last but not least a small red opaque rock. Thomlin seemed especially smug about that find. His haul was wrapped up in a red handkerchief and stowed into the now empty cloth sack which he tied to a belt loop on his pants.
"Engineer do you think I can get anything for the clothes on their backs and do you feel like helping me find some rope?"
Bi awoke from his reverie with the realization that the new apprentice looked pretty similar to Thomlin. That guy couldn't be his descendant could he? I'm going to have to ask the Scholar some questions. I shouldn't lose any sleep over this I better get my Red Willow Bat from the chest it's going to speed up the questioning...
White Tides was down in the cellar not a care in the world he was drinking a cup of hot coffee while seated at his desk cutting out letters from several magazines then pasting them onto a piece of cardboard. When he finished he was fairly satisfied.
It read:
Hi Thom we have your son. He is safe for the immediate future. We require you to present yourself at the sect within the year to give back compensation for the loan you took from us. If you do not he will stay here until he has rendered appropriate service to the sect or dies whichever comes first.
WT
The Scholar didn't hear the door open. He heard no foot touch his stairs coming down. However he felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder hard. Then he felt the room grow noticeably colder.
"Crane we need to talk. Who is that whelp you picked up out in the world?" Elder Bi queried flatly.
"On second thought I'll administer the physical encouragement first. Hold still I'll stop before I see brains it'll be over quickly I promise. If you whimper it's like blood in the water for me so stay silent."