Being Chosen Requires Sacrifice

The New Champions were indisposed of for the moment. It was unfortunate, but understandable. Left on our own for the moment, Lao Jin and I made our way outside of Tianjin. We made sure to travel as incognito as possible, using the contacts I made as an agent of the ministry of state security. He suggested that we seek out a contact of his, a street vendor named Deng Shangguan. As we made her way there, Master Lao gave me the list of clans to seek out:
 
Wang
Wong
Li
Zhang
Liu
Chin
Tong
Yang
Huang
Zhou
Wu

 
Lao suggested that I seek out the Zhou clan for my first quest to restore the spirit realm, as they were known for care, integrity and honesty. The clan's power zenith was during the Yuan Dynasty, where they helped ameliorate the damage done by the ruling Mongols to the Chinese common people. I purchased some delicious Dan-Dan noodles from Deng Shangguan, and asked him for information about the Zhou clan. He told me that the clan sadly had disappeared a while ago, leaving only an abandoned estate in the rural part of Hebei Province. He recommended that I go there to seek out any remnants of the lost clan, especially any zupu. Zupu are records of clan genealogy and history, often dating centuries and even millennia.
 
Lao Jen and I eventually arrived at the great estate, which was deserted. We searched the estate for relics, but found it mostly empty. Then, I saw a glowing path guiding me through the building. Lao advised me that I would notice the chosen ones by the light of the path provided by the ancestors The Chosen One of the clan must be convinced to accept his or her fate, and I should give them enough time to put their affairs in order before performing the ritual needed. I followed the path, which took me to a cloistered room. I heard rifling through pages in the room, knocked, and then hearing no answer- I burst into the room. After all, I didn't know if the inhabitant was an agent of Yin Wu or a spy from Dr. Destroyer's.
 
I ended up startling a 10-year old boy who was reading through a records library. It was a good idea for me to apologize for my rudeness, so I did. He calmed down, telling me that he had been skipping school to visit the estate. Apparently visions in his dreams had drawn him here. He sorrowfully mentioned that Dr. Yin Wu had destroyed the clan 10-20 years ago, leaving only the ruined family estate. He was one of the last of clan Zhou. I introduced myself, along my real name when the boy asked. He did the same, explaining that his name was Csar Zhou. He then pointed to my surname, Wong, in the zupu tome he was reading. It was wondrous, as I knew nothing of my family and clan beyond my great-grandparents generation (Lao had asked about them earlier and suggested that we research the Wong clan together).
 
With our introductions made and after I had done a cursory reading of the zupu, I brought Csar to Master. The old man answered the boys questions about his family, and then brought up a philosophical discussion about the necessity of sacrifice. The boy realized that he was a Chosen One, revealing a maturity and wisdom far beyond his years. I empathized with the boy, as I knew great responsibilities had fallen onto his adolescent shoulders. This persuaded him he had to take upon the duty to pass on into the afterlife to heal the spirit world.
 
Csar wished that his parents would participate in the upcoming ritual, to which I happily obliged. The boy convinced his parents to accept his decision, which they did with surprising ease. Perhaps what Lao had told me was true, and the clan's reputation had truly passed along their descendants centuries later. We all returned to the temple, bringing along a family heirloom in the form of a vase made from jade and gold. Once the ritual was complete, Csar's spirit would center.
 
This would be my first performance of this particular ritual. The Dragon Spirit showed it to me, but I was a little rusty with my knowledge of Yengtao Magic. I tried to think to myself, no pressure- but the pressure of the situation plus my sorrow at the boy's young age threw off my performance during the ritual. My performance was quite awkward, as I stumbled over the words and struggled to remember the gestures. Thankfully, the boy's father interrupted- he filled in the missing parts, as the family tradition of the Zhou awoke in his memory. The ritual was successfully completed thanks to his father's intervention and the boy vanished into a light form. The light then entered all the ritual participants, filling us with hope and joy. The boy's spirit then entered the vase. Unfortunately, the vase cracked as it did so- a permanent reminder of my incompetence.
 
Amusingly, my morale was restored when the father told me the sense of pride he felt from completing the ritual. He has my eternal gratitude, and I promised him that I would return when summoned if he ever needed my help. We bid farewell to them, taking the vase with us. It will need to go to a safe location, either the Yengtao temple itself or the New Champions' base.
 
As we walked into the sunrise, Lao Jin suggested that there might come the time when I would need to make the same sacrifice. I felt a sensation of fear and trepidation, but I shook it off as I must be strong and obey my duties as a Chosen One. I assured him that he should have no doubts as to my commitment. However, I won't do this before Dr. Yin Wu finally pays for his crimes, especially the murder of my fiancée and partner. Master Lao concluded with these words of warning: there may be a time when the chosen one will not be so willing.