What a peculiar situation she found herself in. It seemed after her adventure with Kaenu the chieftain of the village had issues a challenge for her to compete in. She was to head up the mountain with Kohana and retrieve the rare blue tiger lotus which grew on the summit there...
It would be an arduous task, but one that she could do with ease. The path up the mountain was steep and rocky, the wind howled as it blew through the trees around her.

Kohana was keeping a close eye on every action she made, likely waiting to report to her father the result of the trial. She continued on her way until she reached the summit, where she saw the beautiful flowers growing. They were unlike any other flower she had seen before, their petals were a brilliant shade of blue with a golden center. Yu Ming carefully plucked one from its stem and placed it in her bag, then began the journey back down the mountain. The first thing she noticed was that the climb down was a lot easier, but there was something off about it all, a concern that soon proved to be valid as Yu found herself cornerned by a group of masked warriors!

They clearly weren't here to enjoy tea, but fortunately she had her own allies! As Kohana raised her weapon, so did Yu raise her magical club while Nyancelot unsheathed his blade! The Exceed proudly darted forward, clashing into a duel with some of the warriors. Meanwhile, Yu Ming charged into battle swinging her club wildly, Oakley's threatening roars catching them off-balance while Kohana swiftly took care of them! However, in the heat of the battle the young woman found herself injured, leading to a most unexpected offer from Yu. Despite being smaller and more frail than Kohana in build, the girl still offered to carry her on her back, something Kohana noted mentally as she instead suggested to find some medicine to ease her muscle pain a little from the strain of her ankle.

Yu nodded, and with the help of Nyancelot they managed to locate some herbs that could help with the pain. After applying the herbs to the injury and wrapping it up,Yu helped Kohana return to the village as the girl watched Kohana report to her father. He seemed pleased with the outcome, and Yu was granted honorary membership into the clan.

"You have done well, Yu Ming. You are now an honorary member of our clan, and will be treated as such. May our kinship bring joy and prosperity to both of us." The chieftain said proudly while Nyancelot cheered happily. After the festivities ended and Yu returned to the inn for the night the young girl thought about the recent events. She had met so many people in such a short time... Was this what Albion had meant when he said she needed to make allies, friends she could trust? She wasn't sure, but she was certain that she had made the right choice in coming here.

However, that night Yu found the same spirit from during her adventures in Talaz Lagaar, the white-robed figure gazing at the sky. "Soon... Soon the void will arrive to threaten all we hold dear." He replied cryptically before fading away, leaving Yu alone once more.

The next morning, Yu awoke to find that the village was buzzing with activity. It seemed that there was a festival going on today, and everyone was getting ready for it. As she walked through the streets she noticed that people were decorating their homes with colorful banners and streamers, and there was a large bonfire in the center of town where people were gathering around to dance and sing. There was even a band playing music! Yu smiled as she watched the villagers enjoying themselves, and decided to join in the fun.

She tapped her foot along to the music and hummed songs with the others, and soon she found herself completely immersed in the festivities. The day passed quickly, and before she knew it night had fallen again. Yu sat by the fire, watching the stars twinkle above her. Suddenly, she heard a voice calling out to her. "Child... Child..." It said softly as she turned to see who was speaking. To her surprise, it was the same spirit from before. He stood before her, his robes billowing in the wind. "Time is running short... We must rekindle your connection to the spirits if we are to have any chance at surviving the encroaching tide of darkness..."

What was it trying to warn her about?

WC: 750