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Summer, Eighteenth Year of the Xin Zhuo Emperor
Eshak never liked going down into the Imperial Dungeons: it was one of those places that even humans avoided in the best of times, and certainly not a place where a mao gui should be in light of the recent rumors running around the capital. Still, Lord Buzhong had been insistent that Eshak personally go and hand the invitation to the Shen Yun festivities to the Head Warden: a friend of the Master of Ceremonies had been jailed there for corruption, and that annoyed the lord to no end. Consequently Lord Buzhong figured an invitation to one of the most prestigious events in the best venue was a way to persuade the goaler to work for his friend’s release. After much persuasion, the Sha agreed to the task. Awkwardly clothed in the yuanlingshan representing Lord Buzhong’s household, the sha was quickly welcomed into the Imperial Palace with a minimal amount of fuss. Eyebrows were raised at the sight of a mao gui running about and Eshak felt awkward being almost completely surrounded by humans, but everyone at least had heard of his role as Lord Buzhong's servant, and they treated Eshak with tepid politeness and respect lest they raise the ire of his master.
The Imperial Dungeon was a maze, and frequently the sha found himself lost in some forgotten corridor or abruptly turning back from rooms filled with screaming. Finally Eshak found the burly warden with his elaborate black and green dress embroidered with demons in a break room, wiping blood from his hands as he brewed tea. Barely keeping himself from shaking, the sha bowed and handed over a sealed parchment.
“A thousand pardons, but this humble servant sends you an invitation from his master, Lord Buzhong. My lord would be grateful if you could attend his humble celebration of Shek Yun, and that you bring your family along to participate. It would also be greatly appreciated if Lord Yang, foolish and greedy though he may be, could also be given the chance to celebrate with his family.” Eshak bowed again. “Rest assured, the lord has learned from his indiscretions, and will not do so again, even if he does not deserve forgiveness.”
The Warden broke into a massive smile, taking the parchment just slowly enough to be discreet, before bowing back to the surprised sha.
“Oh of course! This is a great and most unexpected honor from your master! Tell him that this servant is honored by this boon bestowed upon him, and he will surely attend! As for Lord Yang, Lord Buzhong can rest his concerns! Everyone can make mistakes and it is the Heavens who provide mercy!”
Eshak stumbled back out of the room, neck sore from repeatedly bowing, only to face the maze of corridors again. As he worked his way back, trying to recall the route, a loud whisper suddenly came out of the darkness:
“Sweet Mazda, a sha!”.
“What?” Eshak immediately swung around, looking for the source of the voice. The sha quickly backed himself to a wall, looking for something that could be used as an improvised weapon. Finding none, he uneasily prepared to use his fists or hooves.
“No please! I'm not going to fight you! I need your help!” The voice quickly stammered.
Eshak turned to see a battered, dirty and naked Berang hiding in the shadows.
A Berang?
Don't they shit gold or something?
Eshak shuddered to think why this giant escaped prisoner was talking to him. Didn't they eat babies?
The Berang continued. "You're a westerner like me! A mao gui! I've seen the caravans of your people trading! What's your family name? Our families may have worked together before!"
"Tonmen." The sha suspiciously responded.
"Tomen, Tomen, well I'm sure it's an illustrious family-"
"We were weavers until my mother took up the trading business-"
"Anyways I'm sure my family and even the Fars State would greatly favor you if you could help a member of the Rostamzad escape from his unjust imprisonment."
Eshak frowned.
“Why should I believe you?”
The prisoner paused. “They're hunting mao guis!”
“The fact that you're here only suggests that you may be a criminal. Don't you bloodsuckers eat babies or something?”
“No! What? I never ate anyone! My people were hit by a pogrom, and I was sent with an embassy to this court, but the Emperor betrayed us! He slaughtered my party, and would have killed me as well if I didn't escape!”
The sha looked carefully over the escaped prisoner. Despite his size, the Berang certainly didn't look that dangerous. In fact he looked cowardly and weak, a chonky individual who had lost a lot of weight recently. He looked desperate and a bit pathetic. Eshak decided that the individual facing him was telling the truth.
Still, that didn't mean that the sha should go help an Imperial fugitive.
“Maybe they're hunting your people but I've only heard wild rumors.” Eshak carefully said. “After all, I came here on behalf of my master without problems.”
The Berang shook his head. “You’re not safe here either. Do you want to look further into the dungeons? It’s filled with our people! Even longs!”
“What?”
“The Emperor is crazy! Look!” The prisoner pulled out a large object. Eshak stared.
It was a dragon pearl.
“Where did you get that?” The sha hissed. “This is sacrilege!”
“In this dungeon! Even a dead long who committed the worst evils is supposed to be have their soulstone buried! The Imperials are themselves committing great profanity!”
“Yet you have it!”
“What you think after being tortured here, I bought this? Maybe I killed a dragon myself?”
The sha breathed deeply.
If true, the prisoner was right. Eshak was in danger. Qing and Morha were in danger. They all needed to leave.
He just didn't know whether to risk himself saving this pathetic soul.
“Do you know Jaxartia?” Eshak finally asked.
“I have a few uncles who work there.”
“Where is it?”
“Huh?”
“If you know Jaxartia, tell me where it is and what you know about it.”
“Um…it’s Northeast of Fars, West of here, behind the Mountains of the Sky, South of where the great inland sea lies. My uncles used to bring back wines, and sometimes their horses.”
Eshak took a step back and looked over the battered and naked Berang.
“Very well then. I will help you escape. And you will warn my friends and find me a way back to Jaxartia.”
The prisoner quickly nodded. “My word is gold.”
***
Escape was easier than expected. After a quick search around the storeroom Eshak managed to scrounge up a wheeled mikoshi, brought it to the corridor, stuffed the frightened Berang in, and casually pulled it to the other side of the palace complex, through one of the servant gates, and past the watching guards, who casually waved at the Sha as he wheeled the mobile shrine out of the walls and over to Lord Buzhong’s Palace and Gardens.
“Huh. The Son of Heaven gave Lord Buzhong that Nifonian tribute mikoshi.” One of the guards muttered to the other.
“The Emperor seems to be pretty happy with the Master of Ceremonies.” The other replies. “Must be that successful feast with Prince Yong. You know his majesty doesn’t get along with that son of his.”
Whistling, Eshak had no issues wandering the li through the city, past the palace gates of Lord Buzhong, and through the gardens until the mikoshi was in front of his cottage. Suddenly stopping, the Sha scratched his head, thinking.
“I can’t have you staying in my home. Morna, Suna, Rouan and Yutuo all come to visit and it’ll raise suspicion if I suddenly block them off. I'll hide you in the shed.”
With that Eshak wheeled the mikoshi to the structure, pushed the Berang out, and pointed him at the dusty maze of tools and parts. Meekly, Frahat clambered over and hid in a cobwebbed corner filled with bricks.
“Now what?”
“Now I need help. Do you trust me?”
“I guess I have to.”
“Good. Because you won’t like it.”
華晨宇 - 逃離烏托邦 (Escape from Utopia)
From
ponynok!
Original: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/60340679/
Eshak never liked going down into the Imperial Dungeons: it was one of those places that even humans avoided in the best of times, and certainly not a place where a mao gui should be in light of the recent rumors running around the capital. Still, Lord Buzhong had been insistent that Eshak personally go and hand the invitation to the Shen Yun festivities to the Head Warden: a friend of the Master of Ceremonies had been jailed there for corruption, and that annoyed the lord to no end. Consequently Lord Buzhong figured an invitation to one of the most prestigious events in the best venue was a way to persuade the goaler to work for his friend’s release. After much persuasion, the Sha agreed to the task. Awkwardly clothed in the yuanlingshan representing Lord Buzhong’s household, the sha was quickly welcomed into the Imperial Palace with a minimal amount of fuss. Eyebrows were raised at the sight of a mao gui running about and Eshak felt awkward being almost completely surrounded by humans, but everyone at least had heard of his role as Lord Buzhong's servant, and they treated Eshak with tepid politeness and respect lest they raise the ire of his master.
The Imperial Dungeon was a maze, and frequently the sha found himself lost in some forgotten corridor or abruptly turning back from rooms filled with screaming. Finally Eshak found the burly warden with his elaborate black and green dress embroidered with demons in a break room, wiping blood from his hands as he brewed tea. Barely keeping himself from shaking, the sha bowed and handed over a sealed parchment.
“A thousand pardons, but this humble servant sends you an invitation from his master, Lord Buzhong. My lord would be grateful if you could attend his humble celebration of Shek Yun, and that you bring your family along to participate. It would also be greatly appreciated if Lord Yang, foolish and greedy though he may be, could also be given the chance to celebrate with his family.” Eshak bowed again. “Rest assured, the lord has learned from his indiscretions, and will not do so again, even if he does not deserve forgiveness.”
The Warden broke into a massive smile, taking the parchment just slowly enough to be discreet, before bowing back to the surprised sha.
“Oh of course! This is a great and most unexpected honor from your master! Tell him that this servant is honored by this boon bestowed upon him, and he will surely attend! As for Lord Yang, Lord Buzhong can rest his concerns! Everyone can make mistakes and it is the Heavens who provide mercy!”
Eshak stumbled back out of the room, neck sore from repeatedly bowing, only to face the maze of corridors again. As he worked his way back, trying to recall the route, a loud whisper suddenly came out of the darkness:
“Sweet Mazda, a sha!”.
“What?” Eshak immediately swung around, looking for the source of the voice. The sha quickly backed himself to a wall, looking for something that could be used as an improvised weapon. Finding none, he uneasily prepared to use his fists or hooves.
“No please! I'm not going to fight you! I need your help!” The voice quickly stammered.
Eshak turned to see a battered, dirty and naked Berang hiding in the shadows.
A Berang?
Don't they shit gold or something?
Eshak shuddered to think why this giant escaped prisoner was talking to him. Didn't they eat babies?
The Berang continued. "You're a westerner like me! A mao gui! I've seen the caravans of your people trading! What's your family name? Our families may have worked together before!"
"Tonmen." The sha suspiciously responded.
"Tomen, Tomen, well I'm sure it's an illustrious family-"
"We were weavers until my mother took up the trading business-"
"Anyways I'm sure my family and even the Fars State would greatly favor you if you could help a member of the Rostamzad escape from his unjust imprisonment."
Eshak frowned.
“Why should I believe you?”
The prisoner paused. “They're hunting mao guis!”
“The fact that you're here only suggests that you may be a criminal. Don't you bloodsuckers eat babies or something?”
“No! What? I never ate anyone! My people were hit by a pogrom, and I was sent with an embassy to this court, but the Emperor betrayed us! He slaughtered my party, and would have killed me as well if I didn't escape!”
The sha looked carefully over the escaped prisoner. Despite his size, the Berang certainly didn't look that dangerous. In fact he looked cowardly and weak, a chonky individual who had lost a lot of weight recently. He looked desperate and a bit pathetic. Eshak decided that the individual facing him was telling the truth.
Still, that didn't mean that the sha should go help an Imperial fugitive.
“Maybe they're hunting your people but I've only heard wild rumors.” Eshak carefully said. “After all, I came here on behalf of my master without problems.”
The Berang shook his head. “You’re not safe here either. Do you want to look further into the dungeons? It’s filled with our people! Even longs!”
“What?”
“The Emperor is crazy! Look!” The prisoner pulled out a large object. Eshak stared.
It was a dragon pearl.
“Where did you get that?” The sha hissed. “This is sacrilege!”
“In this dungeon! Even a dead long who committed the worst evils is supposed to be have their soulstone buried! The Imperials are themselves committing great profanity!”
“Yet you have it!”
“What you think after being tortured here, I bought this? Maybe I killed a dragon myself?”
The sha breathed deeply.
If true, the prisoner was right. Eshak was in danger. Qing and Morha were in danger. They all needed to leave.
He just didn't know whether to risk himself saving this pathetic soul.
“Do you know Jaxartia?” Eshak finally asked.
“I have a few uncles who work there.”
“Where is it?”
“Huh?”
“If you know Jaxartia, tell me where it is and what you know about it.”
“Um…it’s Northeast of Fars, West of here, behind the Mountains of the Sky, South of where the great inland sea lies. My uncles used to bring back wines, and sometimes their horses.”
Eshak took a step back and looked over the battered and naked Berang.
“Very well then. I will help you escape. And you will warn my friends and find me a way back to Jaxartia.”
The prisoner quickly nodded. “My word is gold.”
***
Escape was easier than expected. After a quick search around the storeroom Eshak managed to scrounge up a wheeled mikoshi, brought it to the corridor, stuffed the frightened Berang in, and casually pulled it to the other side of the palace complex, through one of the servant gates, and past the watching guards, who casually waved at the Sha as he wheeled the mobile shrine out of the walls and over to Lord Buzhong’s Palace and Gardens.
“Huh. The Son of Heaven gave Lord Buzhong that Nifonian tribute mikoshi.” One of the guards muttered to the other.
“The Emperor seems to be pretty happy with the Master of Ceremonies.” The other replies. “Must be that successful feast with Prince Yong. You know his majesty doesn’t get along with that son of his.”
Whistling, Eshak had no issues wandering the li through the city, past the palace gates of Lord Buzhong, and through the gardens until the mikoshi was in front of his cottage. Suddenly stopping, the Sha scratched his head, thinking.
“I can’t have you staying in my home. Morna, Suna, Rouan and Yutuo all come to visit and it’ll raise suspicion if I suddenly block them off. I'll hide you in the shed.”
With that Eshak wheeled the mikoshi to the structure, pushed the Berang out, and pointed him at the dusty maze of tools and parts. Meekly, Frahat clambered over and hid in a cobwebbed corner filled with bricks.
“Now what?”
“Now I need help. Do you trust me?”
“I guess I have to.”
“Good. Because you won’t like it.”
華晨宇 - 逃離烏托邦 (Escape from Utopia)
From
ponynok!Original: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/60340679/
Category Artwork (Digital) / Fantasy
Species Donkey / Mule
Size 2421 x 3425px
File Size 1.05 MB
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