The Twelve Kingdoms: The Shore in Twilight

aloud.
    "We're going there to meet the Mistress."
    "The Mistress? You mean Hekika Genkun?"
    Hekika Genkun was the Mistress of the wizardesses who lived on Mt. Hou. Youko had never met her.
    "Yes. In any case, what we're setting out to do has never been done before. We've got a lot to learn. Shouryuu told me to bring you along, seeing as you're the one who dreamed up this plan. We'll be flying there by kijuu, so pack light. The sooner the better. I want to get back before the guests start arriving."

    Youko hurriedly got ready, and left everything else in Koukan's hands. She borrowed a shirei from Keiki. She was all set to depart from the Forbidden Gate, but Rokuta laughed at the proposition. "There's no telling how long it'd take going via the low road. It's a lot quicker flying above the Sea of Clouds."
    Youko blinked in surprise. Typical of the Ryou'un Mountains, the peak of Mt. Hou projected above the Sea of Clouds. However, except for an unattended shrine, she seemed to recall that the peak of Mt. Hou was unoccupied. It hadn't looked like anybody resided there.
    "Well, you'll understand once you see for yourself."
    With that, Youko climbed onto Hankyo and they took off. After a day and night astride the kijuu, she drowsily awakened to the sight of the Adamantine Mountains rising from the sea in the early morning light like an island atoll. The day was approaching sunset when she recognized the outlines of the Gozan (the Five Mountains).
    Mt. Hou was the eastern peak of the Gozan. A magnificent white temple palace stood at its peak. As they alighted before the gate, Youko recognized the figure of the person standing there. The luxuriantly-arrayed woman looked up at the hovering kijuu.
    "You see?" Rokuta grinned.
    But of course. You'll see once we get there, he should have said. Youko had never seen Hekika Genkun before, but from the poise and appearance of the person awaiting them, she concluded that was her.
    "I am, as always, grateful that you could arrange to meet us here," Rokuta called out as soon as he set down.
    The woman laughed and answered in a bright voice, "It is I who should be saying that to you. May the Taiho and his always unexpected visits remain unchanged until the end of time."
    "I just can't help being who I am. I brought someone with me I'd like you to meet, Genkun."
    Almost as if on Rokuta's cue, the woman's clear gaze turned to Youko. "This would be the Royal Kei, then."
    Youko started a bit. "You know who I am?"
    "Well, I do happen to be the Mistress of Mt. Hou," Gyokuyou answered with a cheerful smile.
    "Once we've gotten the introductions over with, there's some stuff we need to talk about, pronto. And if we could grab a little shut-eye along the way, that would be appreciated too."
    Gyokuyou smiled and pressed Rokuta on towards the temple palace. Beyond the door-less gate was a broad courtyard paved with white stone. There was no surrounding wall or promenade, only a small, red shrine in one corner. It faced the Seiden, but Gyokuyou didn't head in that direction. Instead, she stood in front of the shrine. With her fan, she rapped once on the shrine doors and opened them. The last time Youko was here, the doors opened onto a crystal staircase. But now the stairs leading downward were white.
    Rokuta returned her surprised look with an wry smile. "Hey, don't worry about it. She's something of a supernatural being herself."
    Gyokuyou laughed cheerfully and urged the two of them on.
    The entranceway seemed to serve the same purpose as the Forbidden Gate. The white staircase continued on for a relatively short distance, taking them to a similarly white structure. Stepping onto the floor and glancing backwards, the shrine doors were nowhere to be seen. Instead there was a white wall. The several other sides of the octagonal building were open to the world, revealing the bare stone ridges covered with green lichen.
    "This way."
    Gyokuyou led them to a nearby palace. When they entered the spacious building, nestled within an outcropping of deformed rocks, tea and a light repast were waiting for them. The wizardesses said to reside in Hourou Palace were nowhere to be seen.
    "I excused our other residents for the time being. Is this to your satisfaction?"
    Rokuta said, "I'm always impressed by your generous hospitality. I'll pose this question to you directly. Are you here at Mt. Hou aware of the current situation in Tai?"
    "As we have received repeated inquiries from En as to the existence of a