(And straight from their command performance in the now smoking pile of ash that was Fuegan, may I have the honor to present... The Galgori Challenge Party! *cue ten thousand screaming fans*)

Juraia looked down past the slowly-flapping wings of Fiour as the vine-wrapped spire of a decaying pagoda came in the view from the shadow of a near-by mountain. The towering structure rose from the verdant canopy like a broken rib, a massive hole beaming light into the meeting place's interior.

The veteran Huntress could remember the rain-washed tile of the arena-like central floor, the shadowed galleries of upper stories rising above like vengeful dragons. She had been there before, the flash of flame charring flesh and blood spilling from shuriken wounds... It had been a blood-bath, for both sides.

Not today. Not with her daughters in this Challenge. The Lotus would die, and honor would be assuaged... "Coer, find a clearing nearby and land us," she whispered, hat shadowing her features, "We have to be in place before the Lotus arrive... At the very least, rob them of more time to set up an ambush."

The twins looked at one another in concern, recognizing this as one of Juraia's someone is going die today moods. Anei gave the Bender's arm a quick squeeze, lending him a little confidence if he needed it. She needed a little too. Hunts were one thing, this... was something far more serious indeed.

Akane rode nervously toward the wooded hills, where she had arranged to meet the Galgori for a peace treaty. She was a fair distance from it, and she couldnt see it yet, and she knew she probably wouldnt for about an hour. Her mount was moving at a fast pace, so she eased up so it would slow down. It needed to conserve it's enrgy. Also, she really wasn't looking forward to this meeting. She could only arrange for two Lotus Eaters to attend. If things went south, she could end up dead on this one.

A knot had been forming in her stomach for the past couple of days. She was not keen on the idea of dieing, nor the idea of being brutally tortured by the Galgori. She had made it a point to herself to try to be as polite as possible. But still, she didnt have a good excuse for attacking the Galgori village, Feugan. Her hunger for battle had landed her between a rock and an angry Galgori mob.

Though, she had prepared for battle. She brought her long bow, a spear, a staff, and plenty of projectile weapons. Also, she was counting on Beshimi, the herbalist, to bring along poisons and anti-poisons. She had felt the sting of a poisoned Galgori knife one too many times. Also, Di-Jei was an incredible fighter. She took comfort in the fact that she at least had some of the elite Lotus Eaters with her.

She pulled the mount to the side of the path and took a drink of tea which she had brought along. It was relaxing, and she knew it would help give her the clarity of mind she needed. She waited a minute, meditating and opening her mind, trying to find a good solution to her problems. She sat meditating for several minutes before she started to develop ideas for the treaty. She continued thinking, delving deeper into her meditation.

Coer heard Juraia's words as though spoken by a commanding officer. Heck, that's what she was on this mission. It was quite astonishing how severely he had made the culture switch from Mothguaith to Galgori, after he had left his long-time island home and opted to join a Hunt. Much had changed... the flutter in his stomach as Anei squeezed his arm was a prime example. But it reminded him that Juraia's words actually meant something. Land. Right.

Coer manuevered his zephyr Fiónuir down immediately. Fiónuir complied and made its own clearing, blowing a hole through the canopy and finding a space in the thin-trunked, wide-branched tree spread. It landed with a soft bounce and inclined its back to sort of roll everyone gently down its wings. Coer nimbly leapt off, from experience, instead of opting for the slide. "Just tell me what to do, and I'll do it right this time," he said sternly, turning to Juraia with a face void of emotion.

---

Taed kept wandering. Not that anyone could see him of course, since he was only a spirit at the time. His body was unfortunately still somewhere in the Earth Kingdom, hopefully still in the care of his adopted brother Goen and his blood brother Kraj the Galgori. Taed was searching for a high-level member of the Order of the White Lotus who had to be coming this way, since the Galgori formerly from Fuegan were intending to come this way. But there had been no sign of her yet...

And yet, there she was. Clearly high ranked in something. Mounted, with many weapons, and a sense of responsibility and impending battle. She pulled to the side of the trail and took a sip of something, most likely tea. Quickly her spiritual force began to open up. Perfect. Taed rushed in, aiming to possess her.

(Okay, everyone, pay attentions. The scary Hunter lady is only going to say this once. Tee Hee. Pep talks and final dispensation...)

Smoothing her cloak and adjusting her hat after the dismount, the veteran Huntress simply nodded silently in reply to Coer's comment, pleased to see the serious expression on the Bender's face. You could relax a Hunt from dangerous tense levels fairly easily; you couldn't wind it up quite so easily. Deciding that her party was close enough to hear her words, Juraia claimed a twig and crouched, sketching a circle within square, Xs at each corner.

"The layout of the temple is simple," she intoned, eyes calm as she took in her daughters pulling close, stick tapping her diagram, "The circle is the sunlit main floor, flat, open, vulnerable for the slow. The galleries rise around it, dark, secret, and ideal for those with projectles. There are stairs at each corner, where I marked the Xs, going all the way to the top."

"If we are there first, Kenji, Miaka, and Hokori are with me on the main floor, short range if they fight us there, flying assault if they don't. Coer and Anei will be on the second story as cover fire, literally in his case," continued Juraia, smiling thinly at her little joke and continuing, "If they are there first, engage targets of oppurtunity, Anei and Coer again taking the upper levels if possible. Anei, you'll have my blowpipe and enough poisoned darts to last the fight if needed."

She gave all of them one final skimming glance, "This fight is important for not just Fuegan, but for the Conclave as a whole. I know all of your skill by tale or experience and trust that. May Ko bless us on this day and grant us a bloodless victory over the minions of the Lotus and all evil Benders."

"Blessed be His name forever," chorus the twins in return, an automatic answer to the old battle prayer. Anei nodded at her sister, the nod returned warmly, the porspect of bloodshed uniting them again.

Juraia undid her long barreled blowgun from it's strap, handing it and a pouch of ammunition over to the older sister as she turned walking slowly for the temple, her demeaner open to questions but clearly no in the mood for iddle ones.

Kenji said nothing as he was on Coer's beast. His mind focused on the battle as his robes moved with the wind. Once Fiónuir landed on the ground Kenji jumped off. The galgori walked toward the veteran as she began drawing a simple diagram on the ground and explaining the plan of attack.

"Understood," Kenji said softly in his mind he prayed to Koh to give them strength in this fight against the Lotus. He then followed Juraia toward the temple.

The wind blew, tossing Akane's hair as it passed, and sending a ripple on the treetops. Leaves blew past Akane as she continued her meditation. Yet, nothing seemed to reach her. All her focus was on the task at hand. This was an example of one of her strengths. She was able to think clearly in almost any situation.

Eventually she decided on a proposal to the Galgori, as well as a battle plan if it needed to come that. She remained still, with her eyes closed, taking the time to enjoy her moment of relaxation. She moved her thoughts on to her comrades, whom she was supposed to meet on this path. When they came along, she would ask 'What is the sound a person makes when they are at inner peace?' The words 'Jasmine Tea can only trigger that sound, which no man has heard.' would be their response to the question. Thats how she would know if they were Lotus Eaters or not. But, she was fairly certain she could tell them by sight.

Suddenly she felt another being. Not human. At first she was confused, but tried to dismiss it. She quickly came to realize something was wrong. Before she could pull herself out of meditation she lost herself, and her mind went blank.

....."I'm in," Taed said in Akane's voice. Disturbing. Being a girl, that is. Checking to make sure that he had indeed possessed her, he mentally poked her. Wake up, Lotus official. I am a firebending priest and by the sovereignty of the xolabs I demand your help. What words are you bringing to those savage Galgori?

While he waited for an answer he observed the floating remnants of the subconscious. The only thing still fresh and alive was a question about inner peace. Curious. Thinking on inner peace, he looked around through Akane's eyes. There, ahead of them, a building barely showed throwing the trees up the slopes. That must be the meeting place.

---

Coer bowed and passed over to Fiónuir to give him some last words in their native tongue. Once they were received, the zephyr gently and discreetly took off and flew away along the treeline, out of sight. Meanwhile the firebender jogged to catch up to Anei, and felt the palms of his hands pulsing with red-hot flames screaming at him to let them out. "Soon enough," he muttered.

(Heh. If I didn't think you were being facitious, Taed, I might be hurt. Now to take possesion of the territory. Kusari, I'm seeing to very different aproachs to this affair. Good times. Mya talks be productive between this.)

Anei rested her free hand on Coer's arm as they walked up the steps of the overgrown temple, voice soft, "Calm down. I doubt they'll be here for hours since we flew here and left almost imediately after the attack. You'll drive yourself crazy." She laughed darkly under her breath, going silent as she passed into the structure, heading for a stairway at a quick jog.

Juraia didn't change her rate of progress as she passed over the cracked tile in the rain-washed temple, old bloodstains and burns almost invisible beneath her feet. The interior of the structure was done in ghastly greys, blacks, and greens, dripping from the previous day's rain. Light cut out a circle in the center, vague statutary shadows visible in the six upper galleries. The veteran came to a halt in the center of the circle, unmoving and inviting any attack that might come, a hatted and cloaked woman without weapons to all the world. Harmless.

Hokori walked at her mother's side, eyes darting all around her. Every Galgori knew of places like this, strongholds and traps where the most dangerous of their eniemies were dealt with, a few sent to represent All. She looked to Anei, frowning thinly in concern at her sister's foot but saying nothing.

Juraia waited thirty seconds in stillness, watching the others enter behind her, before intoning loudly, voice echoing through the entire structure, "Representives of the White Lotus Society, we Galgori have come as per the terms of the Pact to settle matters of life and death between those of us gathered here that our kin might be spared full war. Speak or act if you are here."

(anyone care to poetically descrip the massively silent reply?)

Coer tingled at Anei's touch on his arm but he had already resolved that he was going to focus on the mission part of this, and not the fact that Juraia had... conveniently? purposely?... put him and Anei together in a fairly vital part of the confrontation. "I've already driven myself crazy, several times, and for several reasons," he replied after her passing form. "Right now, my life is only this mission right here." He followed her up the staircase and looked around for the way into the inner portions of the sanctuary.

Taed suddenly realized there was another person standing next to the White Lotus official. As if deep in thought, he shook the woman's head to clear her mind and looked at the young man, drawing on the shallows of Akane's conscious thought. "Beg pardon. I was finding inner peace..." Looking wise, he looked back into the trees ahead, and continued, "...and trying to listen for the sound that it makes."

He looked back at the man, registering and controlling his reaction to the Canyon Crawler that had been the man's mount. "You wouldn't happen to know what that sound might be, would you?" He moved a finger back and tucked one of Akane's locks of hair back behind her ear.

Akane was shocked. She wasn't sure what to do, and was quickly searching for a way to solve the problem of possesion. She heard another voice in her head and became even more confused. She thought that perhaps a demon or spirit from the Spirit World had invaded her, not a human.

Firebending priest, eh? Well, as you know I am an official of the Order of the White Lotus. I am bringing to the Galgori the news that I do not want war. I was going to apoligize to the Galgori for attacking their village, and that I did it out of fear of being hunted down by their fearsome warriors. I was going to strike up a treaty that gives them fair trade without being terrorized in the major cities of Omashu, New Ozai, Ozai and Ba Sing Se.

She waited for an answer, but suddenly realized that a Lotus Eater had approached her, and that the priest was communicating with him. It was Di-Jei. The priest knew about her thoughts. An idea slammed into her like an angry Earthbender. Emotions. If she thought of the moments in her life where she was saddest or most angry, maybe she could force the priest out of her body from emotionally overwhelming him. But for now, she waited. Waited until the right time to seize back control. Or at least, to try.

Thank goodness you decided to answer me, Taed sounded relieved. Believe it or not I'm actually on your side. Sort of. I said that 'savage Galgori' bit because I didn't know what your opinion of them was. I come from the ruins of Fuegan. If any of your riders were to go back there, they would find ash and rubble, and no more people.

He mentally 'cleared his throat.' I now ask your actual permission to use your body for now, since I can't return to my own body some thousand miles from here until I see this confrontation through. One of my kinsmen travels with the Galgori. They won't hurt you as long as I am in your body. In the meantime he waited patiently for an answer from... Di-Jei? The name had come up on the surface of Akane's thoughts again.

Akane waited a moment, thinking things through. She was trying to decide whether or not to trust him. Permission seemed like nothing, he already had control. Perhaps he was trying to lull her into a false sense of security before he struck. One thing was for sure, she knew she would most likely stay alive. If he were to kill her body, they would both die with it.

You have my permission. If you think it will prevent violence, then yes. she thought, not actually comfortable with it at all. She liked things to be handled by the one person she trusted most, herself. But she had decided to humor him, and if things got out of hand she would try to kick him out. Or perhaps prevent that altogether and just force him out beforehand. She still hadn't decided what she was going to do, but she had to choose something, and thats what she went with.

Di-Jei is a Lotus Eater. He is a warrior, and one of our best at that. He must stay close to me at all times, and makes sure he knows that he will not be speaking during this mission. Also, Beshimi, our Herbalist, may show up. The smae goes to him.

Taed panicked. "Di Jei, stop!" He composed himself (or herself, as the case may be) and continued, "You are to stay with me at all times, and when the Galgori meet us, you are not to speak. As I'm sure you know. Remember that I am your superior on this mission." He looked around and thought, So... where will this Beshimi be coming from? "Beshimi will be with us shortly. Just be patient. I believe the temple we are meant to go to is straight ahead."

While waiting for Di-Jei's answer, he returned his attention to the mental conversation with Akane. It will prevent violence, I am certain of it, he maintained. At least against you. The only reason I need your body is so that I can witness this meeting and be certain that nothing goes wrong. My island's creed is peace for all cultures and peoples.