I am no peace-bringer. I am just an old man who's tired of bickering children standing on my doorstep. -The Sword Saint at the Moon Wind Accords, when asked why moon artists were banned from the Moon-Soaked Shore.

A wave of heat burst from the Chikara heir like a solar flare. I glared at him, tightening my grip in subtle warning.

"Young Master Chikara, please," I began, "keep your temper in check, lest more of your clansmen's blood pave these streets."

Shion's fire settled only slightly, but his eyes met mine. Flame burned deep in that youthful gaze. Were it not for the vast wisdom I'd accumulated with my incredible age, I'd have mistaken him for a young adult in his twenties. However, hidden in his fiery gaze was the uncertainty of a much younger youth. It was hard to tell just how old he was, given his cultivation, but I wasn't entirely sure he'd reached full adulthood for an Oni.

"These shades besmirch my clan's good name, and you expect me just to take it?!" he seethed. "We had nothing to do with this theft! It's slander of the highest degree!"

Crescent snorted. "We have witnesses. You cannot deny their testimony."

"I do deny it!" Shion shouted.

"Enough!" Even I was surprised by the sternness of my voice. I sounded like my old sect-leader when he was scolding Jinshi and I for doing any number of incredibly stupid things.

Both leaders were tense under my touch, but at least they were only throwing glares instead of punches. Looking around at the rest of the factions, the subordinates were little better. A large oni cracked his knuckles with a heavy crunch that echoed around the street. In response a handful of shades gripped their bowstrings, arrows already nocked and ready to fly.

Deeper hatreds than a simple gang scuffle were at play here.

"Lin, would you watch them for a moment?" I asked. He nodded and I lowered my voice so only he could hear. "Restrain anyone who threatens the ceasefire."

"Of course."

"And Xinya, I have a task for you," I said aloud once more.

"Yes, Uncle?" She stepped forward, eyes bright with excitement. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing at her enthusiasm. It was nice to see her so eager to help.

"Return to Half-Moon Harbor and bring me the nice jade tea set and four jugs of the alcohol from Satoro's stash," I instructed. "Be quick. We wouldn't want things to spiral out of control while we're waiting."

"Right away!"

In a flash, Xinya was gone, racing down the street as fast as her little legs could carry her. I watched her go, but just before she turned the corner, I narrowed my eyes. For a brief moment, I thought for sure that sparks of lightning were trailing from the girl, but not the light lavender ones I was used to. Instead, these were darker, like the color of a ripe eggplant. The sparks of dark lightning vanished along with the little girl, and I was forced to return my attention to the rest of my plan.

"Now, if you'll excuse me for just a moment," I said, bowing respectfully to the two gang leaders.

In the building closest, the one from which the bucket had fallen, I began to search for a small table and four cushions. Luckily, the kind woman who owned the place was all too eager to help, once I smiled and explained that I was trying to resolve the conflict on her doorstep. Soon, I had pulled the small table out onto the street.

It was an awkward set up. Were we in any part of the world besides the Black City, the sun would have beat down on us, making the experience of sitting outside on the street extremely uncomfortable. Yet, here, it was kind of cozy, in a mismatched kind of way.

"Please, have a seat." It wasn't a request, even if the leaders interpreted it as one. After all, technically, I was elder to all of them in both age and cultivation. Even if I couldn't fully admit it, I still was prepared to behave as befitted my true station.

Crescent stared at the arrangement. "What are you trying to accomplish here, innkeeper?"

"The best resolutions take place with cool heads and open hearts," I explained. "Tell your people to stand down, and we will discuss this as the founders of this city would have wanted."

"You're not one of those Shattered Moon Cultists, are you?" she asked pointedly.

I shook my head. "No. I carry the blood of the Lunar Prince, the true founder of this city."

"Is that so?" she mused. A moment later, she knelt on one of the cushions. Behind her, the shades of the Forgotten relaxed their bowstrings and stepped back.

Shion, however, wasn't so easily convinced. He continued standing. In his eyes, I could see him visibly weighing his options, trying to decide if he should sit with his enemy or defend his clan's honor.

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"Shion, we can't clear the Chikara's name if you don't sit with us," I pointed out.

Before he could answer, Xinya rushed down the street, carrying a box of the requested items in hand. Immediately, she knelt at my side, despite being on the hard cobblestones rather than the cushions and began to serve the tea. The four jars of alcohol were set aside as a treat once we came to an agreement. The little girl dutifully placed tea before both Lin and I, as well as Crescent, whose tea Lin infused with a bit of qi for the shade's benefit. Once everything was prepared, Xinya bowed to Shion.

"Would Young Master Chikara be joining us, as well? This disciple has prepared a cup for him," she asked politely.

In the face of Xinya's question, he seemed to deflate. His shoulders sagged as he sighed and knelt. In one swift motion, he snatched the cup from Xinya's hand and downed it, not looking at the rest of the table.

Children and their pride, I thought, trying not to laugh. There was a time when I would have behaved similarly…in fact, there were still times where a haughtier touch such as his was useful, even for me.

"Excellent. Now, Lady Crescent, if you could describe what was stolen, and what your witnesses saw, we can try to get to the bottom of this," I raised my cup, sipping gently as the shade began to speak.

"Something very precious to us was stolen late last night," she explained. "The perpetrator appeared from nowhere and proceeded to assault two of our guards."

"They couldn't have appeared from nowhere," Shion muttered. "Shades just don't have good security." I glared at him, and he looked away. Meanwhile, Xinya prepared him another cup of tea.

"My sympathies for the guards injured. Will they recover?" I asked.

She shook her head. "One of them had his qi corrupted by potent death techniques. He turned on his brother and had to be dispersed. The other was injured, and we aren't sure if he'll recover. He was infected by a spiritual rot that we are working to cleanse."

"How terrible. My deep sympathy for your loss." Manners aside, there were still several questions to be asked. "And this perpetrator, what did they look like?"

"A woman with orange hair. She was bulky, like an oni, and had horns like them, too."

That was all they had to go on? I exchanged an incredulous look with Lin. There were thousands of oni in the Black City. Moreover, there were dozens of other species of spirits and yokai who had very similar features as the ones she just described. Her description could just as easily have applied to me after spilling chili powder in my hair, aside from the fact that the perpetrator was female.

"Is there any reason to specifically suspect the Chikara?" Lin asked, reading my thoughts.

Crescent snorted. "Everyone knows the Chikara hate the Forgotten. They've been trying to unseat us from the riverfront for years."

"That tends to happen when you hoard all the district's fresh water!" Shion growled. "And why? To live? Oh wait, that's right. You're all dead."

"We don't hoard anything!" Crescent answered darkly. "We just refuse to treat with a bunch of heartless gangsters with no regard for honor."

"And letting children die of thirst is very honorable, yes."

"If you were to change your ways, we would be more than happy to treat with you. The Moon Guard said as much to your Chief, but nothing changed! People still go missing in your territory with no reason." Several ghostly fires flared to life behind Crescent's head, betraying the shade's emotions.

"We're straying from the subject at hand," I interrupted. "Lady Crescent, is there any actual evidence that the Chikara stole your artifact."

"We do not require evidence," she snapped, leaping to her feet. "In case you hadn't noticed, this is not Half-Moon Hearth, and you are not the Lunar Prince. This is the Black City. It is a dark and lawless hellscape, not some idyllic, moonlit paradise ruled by a fairy tale."

"I…it's." I was at a loss for words. She was right that this wasn't my capital. She was even right that I wasn't a prince. Not anymore…

To my surprise, it was Xinya who reacted first. Lightning sparked in moon-soaked lavender across her fingertips as she balled her fists at the shade.

"Don't be mean to my Uncle," she shouted. "You have no idea what he's gone through to be here. You don't know anything about him. He was trying to help solve your problem in a way that is good and right, so mind your tongue!"

"You…how old are you, anyway?" sneered the shade. "I am your elder many times over. Know your place, brat, before I teach it to you."

"Oh, so not only do you leave children to die with your negligence, but you threaten them directly, as well?" Shion mused. Heat started to emanate from the oni. The hair where his black locks met crimson skin seemed to glimmer in a crown of embers.

Crescent pointed one sharp finger at Shion. "We know you took the power core for our defense array. We will get it back, even if we have to step over your rotting corpses to make it happen."

"We don't even know what your defense array looks like!" Shion shouted, rising to his feet. "How could we steal your power core?"

"You lie."

Flash Forward flickered in my sight. An archer on the side of the shades had just nocked an arrow to their string.

"Lin, behind you!" I shouted.

My sworn brother turned, rolling to his feet in an instant. The shade already had the string pulled tight and was aiming straight for Young Master Chikara. I recognized the type of technique on the arrow, as it was extremely similar to many which I used in nearly every fight. Metal qi gleamed on the arrowhead, sharpening its deadly edge to pierce through even the strongest armor on the battlefield.

Lin hurled a spray of seeds at the shade, but it was too late. The arrow flew forward, straight for the Chikara heir. I moved fast, the spacial warping of my void qi shortening the distance between me and my destination.

If that arrow hit…if Chikara Shion was wounded beyond a mere scratch, there would be no salvaging the situation between the Forgotten and the Chikara Oni Clan. The arrow was already mid-flight when I shoved Shion aside.

Instead of his head, the arrow was now on a course for mine. But, unlike Shion, I was prepared for it. I brought up a hand, coated with void qi to try and deflect most of the blow, turning it from fatal to mildly injuring.

"Nooo!"

The shout was…familiar. A shockwave went down my spine, stunning me for a single heartbeat.

The arrow continued its march, and I saw my deepest regrets flash before my eyes. There wouldn't be a chance to Flash Back, not if the blow was too bad.

A single thread of white silk, coated with sticky black qi latched onto the arrow, pulling it off course. Pain shot through my ear, as it clipped the sharpened point. Void-tainted blood leaked onto my shoulder, staining my tunic before I could even fully react.

I almost didn't dare look at the source of the silken thread, yet my eyes were pulled there with a horrible curiosity.

There, with her orange pigtails and stitched joints, was a familiar meat puppet. It was the Spider Witch of Heimian.

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