Hunt

'How clear are you, Angel?'

'So, for asking,'Angel replied with a curt smile, which seemed to relieve Hou'yi. Then he stood up from the mossy stone, briefly touching his knees, which had scraped; his hand on his leg Angel could feel the cold metallic touch of his bones. The blue-grey robe of one belonging to Sky remained unharmed.

'Angel, if I may ask: what is that circular material that you draw of in your notebook?'

Angel looked at Hou'yi, then decided that he had no reason not to tell. 'It is a heart…' He hesitated slightly, and as his breath mixed with the mist he turned his head back to the temple. 'I'll warm up.'

'Of course.'

Back inside, after Angel had become warmer and ate some food, he continued to explain, taking out his notebook.

He pointed to the core. 'You have hunted creatures of the depths. Many of them have hearts, which pump blood throughout their bodies, and in the blood oxygen and nutrient ions are carried. To the creatures, it is only because of the heart that it can function properly.

'The core is similar to a heart: Both work to allow the Tapestry or the body functional. Although the Tapestry can function without a core, it's true range of ability can only by expressed fully with a core. For example, a normal Tapestry is still and doesn't move, similar to a real tapestry. However, the core allows the the weavings to move, and if the threads are damaged they can be replenished and grow again with the energy of the core.

'This is one of the reasons I later chose this design for my Tapestry, since it allows me to utilise much more than a normal Tapestry would.'

Hou'yi frowned. 'Do you not already have a Tapestry?'

'I have laid down the foundations. With a few weavings my foundation can easily be twisted around to face the other way. I had been slowly doing this day by day for a few months, and also weaving the Thread of Chill into the ends of my threads.'

The archer nodded. 'I see.' He slowly looked again at the material. 'Are you still not finished building your foundation?'

Angel shook his head.

'Is it perhaps that you are looking for this stone?' Hou'yi's lips quirked up, a smile at the corners of his mouth.

'Yes.'

Hou'yi nodded his head. 'I can arrange for this stone to be manufactured, Angel, if that is what you wish.'

Angel was momentarily confused as to how that could be done, then he recalled the conversation that Hou'yi had had with someone else, called Vin-something. They had seemed to be arguing of things Angel did not understand, and possibly before that. If their argument had needed to be hidden, the two going as far as to leave the city, and even then, hide their voices, then the argument must have been important enough to make Hou'yi hide here, in the Temple of Sky, with Angel, as well as make one leave their habitat and still learn.

After all, there were few lodgings in or outside the city with one who wasn't willing to give information for a pot of money.

It seemed likely enough that Hou'yi lived in the inner sections of the city when he was not hunting, or hiding.

'It needs to be round,'Angel said seriously. 'Completely sphere. There are to be no imperfections.'

Hou'yi inhaled slowly, then nodded. 'I will relay that as well, although it'll take a month at least.'

Angel was surprised. 'That's a lot faster than described in the book.'

'My family has…different methods,'Hou'yi said slowly, before flashing a bright smile. 'If I urge them hurry, it can arrive in two weeks.'

'Thank you,'Angel said gratefully. After all, without Hou'yi, he would have possibly had to have made an opal himself, and that would also require him having a base foundation already laid down, which he did not have, and couldn't further complete because of needing a core.

'Although I have a question: Is it that you can only have an opal as core, or is another material also acceptable?'

Angel blinked, and his mind whirling, he searched for an answer. Frowning, he said uncertainly, 'I'm not sure. I'll have to go back to the library and check.'

Hou'yi nodded his head. 'In the meanwhile, I'll tell them to start constructing one, in case it is truly that you can only use an opal as your core. However, I will need to head back to the city.' He smiled at Angel. 'Would you like to join me?'

Angel considered it. 'No, I'll go to the library.'

'Ah.' The archer looked slightly disappointed. 'I assure you, Angel, it will not be boring at all. No, in fact it shall be very interesting. We also have a private collection of articles and studies that span many topics. Perhaps, you can come to ours first, then to the library next. If there is any information we don't have, they may have it.'

'I'll join you,'Angel said quickly.

Hou'yi smiled. 'When do you want to head out?'

Angel looked at Destruction and Creation—the wall he had gotten the closest to in the past—and said: 'I think tomorrow in fourteen hours. Then, we can leave.' After glancing around once again, Angel caught sight of the balcony outside and was reminded of the depleting food supply. 'I will also buy some more food.'

'No need for that,'Hou'yi said cheerily. 'I can hunt, remember?' At Angel's blank, naturally emotionless face he sighed. 'I promise you, hunted creatures taste no worse than food you would buy from any stall.'

'Thank you,'Angel said, pleased but confused. 'But how will you find creatures to hunt anywhere near here? The mist protects.'

Hou'yi gripped Chang'e, smiling. 'I know another path.' Then, the smile dropped, and he cautiously said: 'All I ask in return is that you explain to me your notebook.'

Angel nodded. 'That's no problem at all.'

The archer nodded his head, then took his bow and and arrows and walked out of the Temple of Sky. The mist blocked the direction he was moving to.