Contents
CHAPTER 14: Old Warrior’s Mercy
Overview
Shae visits Opia to reclaim Yun Doru from Mountain custody and finds him terminally ill. Doru advises her on Ayt Mada’s vulnerable succession and urges alliance with a future Mountain leader, returns Kaul Sen’s jade, then commits suicide. Shae spares him execution, compensates the village, and orders an honorable burial.
Summary
Three days after the truce press conference, Shae travels with Woon and Hami to the mountain village of Opia to retrieve Yun Doru, once No Peak’s Weather Man. The villagers watch warily as Shae locates Doru’s faint jade aura and enters his humble cabin, dismissing a local girl who has been caring for him.
Doru admits he is dying of late-stage liver cancer and asks to speak privately. He says he fled to the Mountain only to bargain for Shae and Anden’s safety when No Peak seemed doomed, but Ayt refused. He confirms he provided the Mountain little of value and warns that despite the truce, Shae will never be safe while Ayt rules.
Doru counsels strategy: Ayt has no heir, and rival Mountain families—the Iwe, Ven, and especially Koben—circle for succession. He urges Shae to ally with Ayt’s eventual successor to achieve lasting peace and to “read the clouds” herself. He returns Kaul Sen’s jade on a chain, his aura dissipating as he removes it.
Shae hesitates to carry out execution, conflicted by Doru’s frailty and his long bond with Kaul Sen. Doru judges her lack of steel, then swiftly takes a pistol from a drawer and kills himself before she can react. Woon and Hami rush in to the aftermath; Shae orders the recovered jade collected for the clan.
Outside, Shae thanks the villagers for sheltering Doru, offers compensation, and instructs the headman to bury him in the mountains near the old One Mountain Society camp, marking his grave as that of a Green Bone warrior. She leaves with Doru’s counsel and Kaul Sen’s jade reclaimed, but with Hami’s respect likely shaken by her hesitation.
Who Appears
- Kaul Shaelinsan (Shae)No Peak Weather Man; retrieves Doru, hears his counsel on Mountain succession, hesitates to execute him, reclaims Kaul Sen’s jade, and directs his burial.
- Yun DoruFormer No Peak Weather Man; terminally ill, warns Shae about Ayt’s succession vulnerabilities, returns Kaul Sen’s jade, and commits suicide.
- WoonShae’s chief of staff; accompanies her to Opia, protests leaving her alone, rushes in after Doru’s suicide.
- HamiMaster Luckbringer; security on the trip, skeptical of Doru, witnesses aftermath, collects jade, likely loses some respect for Shae.
- Opia headmanLeads the villagers; accepts compensation and Shae’s instructions for Doru’s burial.
- NiyaLocal girl; has been caring for Doru, leaves at Shae’s order before his death.