(RC) Hell’s Kitchen – Ch. 10, part 3

Summary: The Cabal meets with Hong Kong’s Consilium. Kemosiri gains another piece of the Shinwa Taizen.

Recap:

The Hong Kong Consilium sends a few men down to the Aethenium to find the Cabal. They meet up with Kemosiri and friends as they try and transport not only the ancient artefacts, but Mingly’s broken form as well. The Cabal is very cautious at first; thinking the men may be agents of the Seers of the Throne, but agree to follow them up through the subway tunnels up to the streets of Hong Kong. Outside, they meet the Tai Pan who invites them into her limo and takes them to the Chi Lin Nunnery, the headquarters of the Ghost Shadows, a cabal made up of the Guardians of the Veil mages. The Tai Pan orders her servants to care for and heal Mingly.

After inviting the Cabal to sit and relax and enjoy refreshments, the Tai Pan tells the Cabal that all the scrolls from the Aethenium belong to the Ghost Shadows. The Tong of the Sixth Dragon was a Hong Kong Consilium cabal and with the destruction of their last member, all contents of the Aethenium revert to the Consilium. Also, the Ghost Shadows need the scrolls to fight the Seers and they are so weak, they need any advantage they can get. The Five Thunders were ready to attack the Seers and the Tai Pan knows such an action would be suicidal.

Not wishing to condemn what was left of the Hong Kong Consilium to the Seers, Kemosiri lays claim to the Aethenium scrolls. Kemosiri explains to the Tai Pan that they risked life and limb and rescued the scrolls stored in the Aethenium that the Tai Pan and the Hong Kong Consilium had failed to recover and protect. Kemosiri also explains that the scrolls, once interpreted, did not seem to contain rotes useful for combating the Seers – only legend and myth.

Not wanting to provoke a violent confrontation, Kemosiri allows the Tai Pan to copy the scrolls for themselves knowing they will not be able to do it. As part of the deal, Kemosiri and his Cabal must find and convince the Five Thunders not to attack the Seers. The Tai Pan wants to keep them alive so the Consilium can regroup and become a stronger force against the Seers.

While the Tai Pan and the Ghost Shadows attempt to copy the Aethenium scrolls, Kemosiri retires to his chamber in the Chi Lin Nunnery. While he sleeps, he dreams of encountering Amaterasu herself. Amaterasu tells Kemosiri she holds the secrets to ultimate power and wishes to share that knowledge with him. The knowledge he already possesses is a start, but it is only a beginning. If he were to submit to her will, she would show him so much more. Kemosiri submits to Amaterasu’s will, wanting to learn more about the scrolls he has almost died trying to recover. Amaterasu begins to recite to him another chapter of the Shinwa Taizen. When Kemosiri wakes up, he copies what Amaterasu has told him onto another parchment, creating another scroll of the Shinwa Taizen.

Kontonshin, Tenzin and Mori make contact with Mingly’s cabal, the Five Thunders. They agree to meet them at a restaurant in Kowloon. Kemosiri joins them after creating the new Shinwa Taizen scroll, but does not tell his Cabal-mates about his night time visions.

The Cabal finds the four remaining members of the Five Thunders at the restaurant – Datta, Tiger, Bai Yu Feng and Hong Quan. A few minutes of speaking to them reveal to the Cabal that they are incompetent without good leadership (which Mingly likely provided). The Five Thunders are reluctant to submit to the leadership of such a weak Consilium, but the Cabal convinces them to return to the Chi Lin Nunnery and discuss matters with Mingly and the Tai Pan. Just as they are leaving, the Tai Huan Chai (the Tong minions of the Seers) attack and a prolonged gun battle ensues. The members of the Five Thunders scatter and defend themselves in a disorganized fashion. Datta and Bai Yu Feng are badly injured, but with judicious use of Prime and Fate magic, Kontonshin and Mori help repel the Seer attack and get the rest of them back to the Chi Lin Nunnery.

Back at the Nunnery, the Tai Pan confronts the Cabal. The Ghost Shadows cannot copy the scrolls and the knowledge contained within them. Kemosiri feigns surprise. Not wanting a fight with a Cabal from another Consilium, the Tai Pan lets them have the scrolls but the Tai Pan makes them promise to not only return them when they are finished, but if they need any help, to come to their aid in the future.

The Cabal leaves for Kyoto by taking a cruise ship since the Seers were monitoring the Airports.

Next: Shadows of Nanking, part 1