12928/Sometimes Bad Guys Win, and Sometimes Good Guys Get Help

Sometimes Bad Guys Win, and Sometimes Good Guys Get Help
Date of Scene:	31 March 2021
Location:	Themysciran Embassy - Manhattan
Synopsis:	An unusual fight comes to the roof of the Embassy, Diana joins the fray, Zhao is injured, friendships are solidified and a gift is given.
Cast of Characters:	Xiang Zhao, Wonder Woman

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Xiang Zhao has posed:
This time of night, nobody who's sane and in their right mind would be out and about. The moon is several days past full, and clouds fill the sky, dark and ominous, leaving the stars and moon alike obscured. Lightning flashes and thunder rumbles, ran falls thickly. Wind whips the rain that falls into little watery needles. Up on the roof, there's quite a loud thump as some sort of large beast lands there. It looks like an unholy mating between a bull and a tiger. And has all the power of the latter, with all the ferocity of the former. It seems to be chasing something.

A figure flees before it, light on his feet, Xiang is dressed about like normal. Which means robes, tonight in dark colors. Deep purple with black embroidery looking something like flames. The Chinaman doesn't have his fan out on this night. Nope, he's using the sword. The fan simply isn't enough to go against this beast. He grabs a vertical pole and pivots around it, sword flashing as the beast tries to turn with him. It fails and crashes to the ground as one of its back legs gives beneath it in the turn. The thing bellows, all but shaking the embassy building.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Nobody who is mortal or without powers would be out in this kind of weather. But sometimes... well, sometimes there are reasons to be out on such a night. Diana stands in her room in the embassy, looking out the window at the storm raging outside. And then there are other wounds that she becomes aware of. Her eyes narrow slightly as she looks up towards the roof, and she exhales a breath. She's wearing just a pair of cotton shorts and a t-shirt that's a size bigger than she needs. She doesn't take the risk of taking time.

Diana steps back from the window and heads for the door, plucking a Themysciran shield from an armchair in her room along the way. Then she leaves her room and runs down the hallway to the stairs, heading through the doorway and up. It doesn't take her long before she emerges on the roof. Barefoot. She notices the creature, first -- it's large! -- and then she notices... Zhao? Bringing a sword would have been a wise idea! And then the beast is crashing down from all fours, and she steps up close to Zhao. "You fight interesting things, Zhao," Diana comments, raising an eyebrow. "Demon?" she asks, a flicker of curiosity in her voice. She understands such things. She's Themysciran, which involves Greek worship. She's seen a lot of things. Demons are one of them.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Not unless he's a crazy Chinaman who managed to summon something he wasn't expecting. It's a good bit bigger than his normal prey. As the beast struggles to right itself, roaring fit to wake the dead, Xiang Zhao slips up on the side he hadn't sliced. The sword flashes again and the other rear tendon at the beast's hock is sliced. Black smoke pours from the wounds. Xiang lifts an arm to wipe the lashing rain from his face. His long dark hair hangs in long wet strings down his back and over his right shoulder.

The beast struggles but can't get is hind feet to support it. They're hooved, like the bull's. The fronts are paws with long, wicked sharp claws. It appears to be charcoal grey with black stripes, but in this weather, it's hard to tell. Xiang Zhao comes up along side it and half bows to it, hands cupped before him with the hilt between, the blade pointed down. "I am sorry," he says in Mandarin. "You shouldn't be here. How I summoned you.." He shakes his head and straightens up. He glances to Diana, his dark eyes filled with sorrow. "It lives, but not for long," he says, still in Mandarin. It's a measure of the state of his emotions right now that he's not switched to English. He offers Diana a nod as he steps up to the beast's side.

He turns the sword so that the blade is more or less horizontal. In a sharp movement, he plunges it into the beast's side. The beast gives one last breathy growl, shudders, and sinks to the rooftop as the life and light leaves its glowing deep blue eyes.

Seconds later, the body starts to turn to what looks like ash, but floats up like it's not raining or windy at all. Sparkling motes of deep blue light, the same color as it's eyes drift amongst the ash. The cloud of ash and sparkling light swirls around the pair of them in a circle, as though saying thank you. Then it all drifts up, like it's going to heaven.

Xiang Zhao looks relieved and sad at the same time. He doesn't watch the thing drift away, though. Instead, he looks around, wary, as though expecting more company. He shakes his head to the question. "Not a demon. It was once a guardian beast, in Heaven. Its kind went playing one day, instead of guarding, and were tainted by foul magic. This was.. At least a thousand years ago. More, probably." He's still speaking in Mandarin. "They hunt in packs."

Off in the distance comes another roar from the top of a sky scraper. Then another, from another rooftop. And a third. A fourth. A fifth. Xiang grimaces. "This is going to be a long night," he says. He lifts a hand to wipe the rain out of his eyes again. The lightning and thunder hasn't slowed. The rain has only gotten worse.

At least at this time of night, this part of the city is deserted!

Wonder Woman has posed:
The Themysciran woman tilts her head a touch to one side, one of her eyebrows quirking as he goes to slash the beast's other back leg. She takes a moment to look over Zhao, then her attention turns back to the creature. Watching it. With the rain, she's completely soaked, but she doesn't seem to care. Weather doesn't really bother her much, for the most part. She turns her gaze to Zhao at his words, and then she gives a small nod to him. She had expected that it wouldn't live for much longer, easily understanding his Mandarin.

Diana doesn't interfere. She doesn't step closer, but she watches the creature and Zhao. Carefully. And as he kills the beast, her brow furrows slightly, and she shifts her weight as the creature exhales its last breath of life. "Xérete tin eiríni," she says quietly, inclining her head towards the beast in the moment before the light leaves its eyes.

Then she watches as it turns to ash there upon the rooftop, as the ash rises towards the heavens despite the storm. And her attention turns to Zhao in that moment. She tilts her head slightly to one side, considering his words. "There are many more of them, it sounds like. If you mean to fight all of them tonight, I will come with you. It might perhaps be faster," she offers, a faint smile touching her lips. "I can fly," she adds, in an aside manner, her gaze turned in the direction of the nearest one. She adjusts her shield slightly. No sword, no armor, barefoot, and a shield. She's had better ideas before!

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao shows nothing but calm, now. And readiness. Not even wariness for the fight to come. Xiang nods to the Themysciran. "That is only six," he says, thoughtfully. "They usually hunt in groups of at least eight. More often twelve." He pauses. "Or more. I wonder where the rest of the pack is." Xiang looks to the fact that Diana is holding nothing but a shield. No armor? Neither does Xiang. Only the sword. "The only way to kill them is to pierce their heart with a sword," he says, lifting the blade up. The scabbard is nowhere to be seen. It is probably still tucked under that outer robe. "You need a sword. Only iron or steel will work. Nothing else will pierce their heart."

There's a pause and Xiang looks thoughtful. "Or magic. Magic will work," he says softly. Then, without another word, he turns the sword on its side, so it's held horizontal with the blade facing him. He places his left hand under the blade, shifts his right so that his hand is under it on that side too, and then offers it to Diana. The manner of the offering seems to be almost ceremonial.

Wonder Woman has posed:
"Combined with the one that has died here, yes. That would make six," Diana says, raising an eyebrow slightly. At least eight, possibly twelve. Why do the bad things always come out at night when the weather is bad? Diana takes a moment to listen more closely to the sounds coming from all around them, to see if she might be able to catch a hint of movement that might indicate the rest of the path. "How intelligent are they?" she asks, a flicker of curiosity to her voice. If they're smart, well... divide and conquer is a tactic commonly employed by pack animals. Her gaze turns heavenward, briefly, and she quietly says, "Ártemis, evgeniká apópse kynigoúme."

Diana tilts her head a touch to one side as he offers up his sword to her, the motion and the gesture not lost on her. Her blue gaze moves lightly, swiftly, across the blade, and then she lifts her gaze to him. She is too aware of custom and culture to even consider turning aside his offer. As she bows to him, her gaze lowered respectfully, she lifts her right hand to accept the sword from him, fingers closing around the grip of it, to pick it up carefully from where it rests on his hands. "Thank you, Zhao. I hope to do honour to you and your ancestors in using this blade," Diana says, in Mandarin. Tonight is going to be more interesting than what she thought it would be, it seems.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Because the bad things prefer it when the good things aren't out, and that happens to be at night when the weather is bad. Xiang Zhao nods to the observation from the woman. His eyes don't focus anywhere specifically, but more seem to be somewhat unfocused, as though he's looking for movement rather than anything more specific. His eyes focus and turn to Diana. "Very intelligent," he supplies. "Human intelligent. They are like Huli. The nine tailed fox clan. Sentient."

To start, they were only around them to the east in a very loose arc. As more of the howls sound, the rest of the pack becomes evident. They were getting into place. From the sounds, there are at least nine. And they have them surrounded every direction except the south. The ocean is to the south.

Xiang's brow furrows. He turns and looks to the south. A deep breath is drawn in. "I had no doubt you would, Diana." His lips quirk upward just a touch, some of his normal cheer showing through despite the situation at hand. "It sounds like they are trying to push us to the sea. The question is why." His eyes search to the south and then he looks to the Themysciran again. "Their master. Or something worse."

Wonder Woman has posed:
It's the nature of bad things to behave in such ways. Her gaze turns from one point to the next, in the direction that she can hear the howling coming from. She likely can't see them from this distance, though she does have excellent vision, but she can certainly hear them. "So likely they are cunning and have a plan to get what they want," Diana says softly, a thoughtful note to her words. "It is not the answer that I was hoping for, but it is the answer that I expected," she adds, looking to Zhao for a moment.

"They did not wish to give away their position until they were ready," Diana muses, considering the locations of them. "I hear nine of them, at least," she says, raising an eyebrow slightly and glancing towards Zhao. "Do they travel just on foot or do they have other means at their disposal?" she asks.

"I will do my best. I have, at least, used one before. Who is their master? What purpose could they have to herd us to the sea?" she asks, tilting her head a touch to one side. "And if that is what they wish, well... our goal then is to prevent them from doing so. "These creatures are more known to you than they are to me. And why is often the question we do not every find an answer to. The wisest choice may be to start at one end of the arc and work to the other side of it. They may be less likely to swarm us, that way," she offers.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Bad things. They're ever bad. And seek to bring about their own truth. Often thinking they're doing the right things. Chances are, they want revenge on Xiang for killing their brethren, in addition to whatever the original reason they're chasing him is. Maybe he really had summoned them. Maybe they'd come after him for a reason.

"Mm." He nods. "They are cunning. Very cunning." In the darkness, at this distance, or even at a closer distance, these things are going to be impossible to see, given their deep grey and black coloration. Those stripes are excellent camoflage. They break up the beasts' silhouette.

"The best way to fight them is to do what they do not expect." He nods again. "Yes. They wanted to get in place first. This is.. something that I have experienced before, but...." His eyes go distant and he seems to get lost in thought for a good long while. In due course, his eyes close and he shakes his head, shoving the memories away. He takes a deep breath and opens his eyes to focus on the here and now again.

"They can leap a fair distance. Easily from building to building with a street between. But, they cannot climb. If you knock them down, they will have to find another way up using shorter buildings. They can jump a little more than a story in height. Just on foot. But they are fast. Faster than I can run." Which might be why he'd not only used that pole to get the drop on the last one, but also likely how he'd wound up on this particular rooftop.

Xiang shakes his head to the question of their master. "I do not know. Other than by command, I know not why they would herd us thus. Perhaps the rest of their number are waiting in that direction." That is also likely! Xiang seems to consider her idea. "Maybe. The best is to get where they cannot reach us, and take them out one by one when the others are trying to get to us. Bait and stab?" He glances to one side where the furthest south howl had come from on that side, then the furthest south howl on the other side. "Which would you care for? The east, or the west?"

Wonder Woman has posed:
It is fairly common for those who choose evil ways to think that they do them for the right reasons. Shifting the sword slightly in her hand, Diana considers the information that Zhao imparts whilst getting a feel for the balance of the blade. "They will come at us together, then. To overwhelm us, to force us to give ground. I ought throw them in the sea and see how they would like to swim," she comments, sounding as though she believes she could do it. She has a significant strength to throw around when she wants to.

"The rain has some benefit for us. It will hide our scent from them. Hopefully they will not expect us bringing the fight to them," she muses, a thoughtful note to her voice. "I can fly us low between the buildings, to see if we can stay out of their line of sight, and then we can come up by our choice of fighting ground," she offers, glancing towards him. "When we are safely back within the embassy after all of this is said and done, I will make us some tea," she adds. She moves the shield easily to her back, considering the information that he shares about them.

"It is safer if we stay together. Fight them together. I can see them, and the one that you killed was the smallest of them," Diana says, frowning slightly. "I would be surprised if they can go faster than what I can go," she adds. "We will beat them, together. There is a fairly tall building to the south-east, about ten stories or so. It has a fairly flat roof. We can fight there. We will have the higher ground, that way," she says. Higher ground, better visibility, and hopefully she'll be able to keep them from coming up onto the roof in a group.

"Fly with me?" she offers, lifting her free hand to offer it to him, palm up. There is nary a sign of fear within her at all.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
It all comes down to perspective. Everyone thinks they're doing the right thing from their perspective. The blade, as far as it goes, has exquisite balance. One might wonder why Xiang very rarely ever uses it. Maybe the fan has better balance? Xiang Zhao nods to the Themysciran. "They will." A quiet chuckle comes from the Chinaman. "They swim just fine. That will gain us nothing but a little time." Pause. Beat. "Wait. What? Throw them?" Xiang looks at the woman in a new light, now.

He shakes his head. "They don't track by scent. They track by spiritual energy. And I.. have been told I shine like a beacon." Perhaps that is why they want Xiang? He's food for their own energy. "You are right about one thing. They won't expect us to bring the fight to them. They will expect us to run south." There's a long, slow blink at the mention of flying. "Huh." It doesn't seem to be a question, but more of a semi surprised sound. Perhaps a slight protest to it.

He nods about staying together. "Yes. Better to stay together. I had meant for you to pick the target we go after." He nods again, expression thoughtful. "I had thought that one wasn't very big." He thinks about what she says about a ten story building. "They cannot climb. Are there any buildings nearby they can leap up from?"

At the offer of flying with Diana, Xiang Zhao stares at that hand, almost as though it's going to bite him. This means he's going to have to tollerate the touch of another person! Gasp! He takes a breath and nods. "If it comes to it, and you have to drop me, do not worry. I have a spell I can use to float to safety." With that, he places his left hand in hers. His right, he uses to draw his fan out. He can still hamstring the creatures, if not kill them, with it.

Wonder Woman has posed:
"It is unfortunate that they know how to swim. That would be a convenient way of getting them out of our hair," Diana comments, her brow furrowing slightly. "Although at least in that direction, it would limit the damage done to this area of the city," she adds. "If we need the time, and the space, then I will keep it in mind," she says, quirking a bit of a smile. "And yes, throw them. I might be a little bit stronger than what most are inclined to believe," she adds. Which gives no indication of just how strong she is.

"When you run from an animal, you teach it that you can be chased, and it will keep chasing. The more one runs, the more one is chased. I prefer not to run away from things. I seem to run to them, instead," Diana comments, quirking a smile. "There are other buildings near to it that are shorter. They would have a path, of sorts, to get to it, from one building to the next. It may cause their approach to be slower, and may give us a brief break in between each fight," she says.

There's a brief glance that she gives to her hand, and then she lifts her gaze to him, keeping her hand offered to him. And there's a smile that finds the corners of her lips. "I will not drop you, Zhao," she says, with certainty. When he takes her hand, her hand is wet from the rain, no warmer than any one else's hand would be. Not cool, either. She doesn't seem affected by the rain, temperature wise. She brings him slightly closer so that he's a bit more secure for when she flies, gives a small nod to him, and then she carefully steps off the roof and into flight, heading towards the building that she had mentioned.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
"If there was something along the beach that we could use the same as this building you mentioned, that would seem to be the best of both worlds. Oh well." Xiang Zhao doesn't know this part of the coast well. This is, in fact, only the second time he's been to this part of the city. He just looks at her again. Almost afraid to ask just how much stronger she is. Better not to ask! At least, not until his brain has had time to process that fact.

"Mm. But sometimes, there is no choice but to run." How he says it, says he doesn't often run either. But like he'd said, sometimes one has no choice. Like when he'd run from the first one, until he found the right set of circumstances to kill it. He nods about the buildings. That seems like a good choice! "A break between each fight would be good." And might be necessary.

With him actually touching another persion, there's a tension in him, and a certain reticense to his emotions. Not distaste, for he has none toward Diana. But more of a hesitation, an uncertainty. Definitely a discomfort. Unlike her hand, his hand is chilled and cold to the touch. It might make her wonder just how long he's been out here. He nods about him not being dropped. But stranger things have happened. As she starts the flight and tucks the arm around Xiang, he goes still and silent. There is no complaint, but there's a blankness to his emotions that says he's in something of shock from not having expected that.

As soon as they start flying away from that straight south slot, there's a loud bellow. From the south. If Diana looks that way, she'll see one of the creatures that's larger than the rest. Easily twice the size of them. And most of them are twice the size of the first one. This must be the grandpa of the creatures. Seen sitting upon its back is a figure. It has started toward them.

Wonder Woman has posed:
"Sometimes it is simply a closest fit that can be had rather than a best of both worlds," Diana comments, a smile touching at the corners of her lips. She looks him over, briefly, and one of her eyebrows quirks up a touch, perhaps the question in him noticed. Yet she doesn't attempt to chase the question down. She's given him a thing or three to think about, unintentionally, and she's more than willing to entertain his questions later. Over tea. Inside. Now is not the time for it, though.

"Sometimes, perhaps," she muses, looking up briefly to the rain-spewing heavens. "I fight for those who cannot, to protect them and to keep them safe," she adds. To fight what they can't, to fight in ways that they can't, to protect them in ways they cannot protect themselves. It's her duty, and she willingly does it. Which might have something to do with why she's on a rooftop whilst wearing not a lot in the pouring rain. Good thing what she's wearing isn't white! "I will give you as much of a break between each one as I can," she promises, giving a small nod to him.

The tension in him at her touch is something that she can sense, but there's little she can do about it. She can feel the chill in him, but that's something that she'll address later. And perhaps make extra tea because of. With the loud bellow from the south, Diana does turn her attention in that direction. How could she not? "At a guess, that would be their master," Diana says, her brow furrowing slightly. "If we lead, I would expect that it would follow," she adds. She hadn't been anywhere near moving at the fastest speed that she could fly at. With it starting towars them, she angles towards the building of choice and turns up the speed a bit so that it will hopefully not intersect them until after they get there.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao nods. "Mm." And that's all he says about things not being the best of both worlds. No point in dwelling on something that cannot be changed. Thus, it is put entirely out of his mind. The questions also remain unasked. There are far more pressing matters at present. And he might not ask them anyhow. There's always that chance.

That is something Xiang can understand and fully support. "Me too." It's his duty as well, as he sees it, and as he's sworn when he started the training in his clan that allows him to do so. He offers a very faint smile. "Do not worry about me," he says. "I will be fine." Xiang seems to have confidence in himself, without being overly so.

Much like the one doing the flying, Xiang looks to the south at that loud bellow as well. "I am certain you are correct," he agrees. That has to be their master. The rest of the beasts bellow out replies to that louder one. "And their pack leader." As it is, the one to the south is mostly behind them, and a little to their left. It will be behind them at the present speed Diana flies. Xiang looks from it, and toward the building they fly toward. He closes his eyes against the rain, it drives a lot harder against them at this speed than it had when standing still on the rooftop.

Wonder Woman has posed:
There's a brief glance towards Zhao, but then Diana turns her attention back towards the creature and its rider. Sizing it up, perhaps. She's handled larger foes than what it is. One of her eyebrows quirks up at Zhao's words, and then she gives a soft chuckle. "Ah, worry is not a thing that is so easily controlled. It is what it is," she says, a smile touching at the corners of her lips. She doesn't fear the creature, or its rider. "I will do all I can to ensure that you are, Zhao," she adds, giving a small nod. And then there can be tea and getting dry.

"Yes, that too," she says, in reards to the beast being the pack leader. Thankfully, it doesn't take too much longer to reach the rooftop. Diana lands lightly in the middle of the rooftop, her bare feet making very little sound at all. She makes sure that he's got his balance before she withdraws her arm from around him and then she takes a small step from him, to place herself between him and the approaching beast. There's a brief glance in the direction of the other naerest beasts, but then her attention returns to the one that approaches. She holds the sword easily in one hand, and leaves her shield on her back. She'll wait until the creature has landed before taking any further action.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao doesn't return that glance. He doesn't see it. Though he does tilt his head ever so slightly as though maybe feeling it. That doesn't bring him to open his eyes, however. He ducks his head just enough that a good portion of his hair swings around and covers his face, protecting it from the incoming rain. He might be glad for his clothing! Xiang shakes his head, though he doesn't look up or open his eyes. "You worry about you, and let me worry about me." He's a warrior and a man and it might not be exactly comfortable to be either looked after by a woman in battle, nor to be carried around by one!

It's an easy thing for Xiang Zhao to find his balance. In truth, he hadn't actually used all that much of his magic on this night. Not yet. Perhaps he'd been saving it for the battle he knew was to come. He take a step away to put some distance between them, just enough that she'd have to step closer to reach out and touch him. He shakes his hair out of his face and flips it over his shoulder with his hand. Then turns to watch.

It's not the big beast that comes first. No, it's the one that had been closest. It's twice the size of the first one Xiang had killed, but about half the size of the pack leader. It leaps from the closest building, scrambling a bit on the slippery stone at the top of the building they stand on. Xiang turns that way. He lifts his left hand and starts to write in the air, pale golden light appearing with the Hanzi he draws. And then he waits, for an opportune moment.

Wonder Woman has posed:
The Amazonian woman tilts her head a touch to one side as she looks over her shoulder towards him, and she gives a small nod to his words. Sometimes, people have issues with being protected. Especially by a woman. There is a whisper of a smile that finds the corners of her lips as her gaze turns towards the beast. "Of course," she says softly, a bit demurely. Whether or not things will play out that way, well... only time will tell. He is, after all, a warrior and a mage.

Diana seems to have no intention of trying to touch him again once she's released him. The storm likely causes some of her hair to get into her face, but she looks past it, ignoring it. And for the moment, she doesn't look towards Zhao, her gaze instead upon the beasts, and specifically to the one that approaches. He seems to have his magic in hand and to be ready to deal with it.

Diana steps up into the air, easily rising up from the roof. And her gaze turns towards the largest of the beasts, the one with the rider on it. That one has, perhaps, made itself her target simply by being the largest one. Sometimes, that's all it takes, for Diana. Keeping the sword in hand, and slightly adjusting it, she starts to fly off towards the beast, circling around to head for the left side of it.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
It's definitely being protected in general. Afterall, if whoever else is in a battle with Xiang Zhao is paying more attention to protecting him than having a care for their own lives... Xiang doesn't comment further. For now. He is a warrior and a mage. As such.. well. He'll do what he must.

His gaze doesn't follow Diana, but from how he's turned, he has to have seen she took to the air again. The beast that leaps up onto the roof is enough for Xiang to have to deal with. And he's busy dealing with it for a good bit of time, dodging and rolling and ducking behind things. Until, finally, he gets lined up right and releases the spell.

It streaks toward the beast even as the rain intensifies. Lightning flashes overhead. Thunder rolls seconds later. The storm is centered right atop them, it would seem. Xiang's spell hits the beast in the side, and slides right through it. The thing crashes to the floor of the roof without even a whimper, its light going out. Shortly after, its body turns to ash and floats away, those dark sparkles of its spirit floating along with it.

The rider atop the biggest of the beasts leaves it to fight Diana alone. He continues toward the tower and its now lone occupant.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Protecting has been a thing that Diana has been doing for centuries. It could perhaps be a hard habit to break. Zhao is a mage, and she knows that he knows how to use the fan that he carries, having seen it in the fight at the embassy. She has faith that he can defend himself. She doesn't look back to him, her attention instead held upon the beast and it's rider.

In the meanwhile, she'll do what she can to not be distracting to him. With the storm worsening, there's a brief thought as to if these creatures have anything to do with it -- and a small mental note to ask Zhao later about it, if he might know. That thought is tucked aside, for now. With the rider leaving the large beast, Diana's brow furrows slightly, her gaze flicking towards Zhao on the rooftop. She flies towards intercepting the rider however the beast has other plans for her. The beast pounces from the rooftop towards her. Diana turns in the air to be facing it, lifting her free hand to take hold of one of its horns when it tries to tear into her with it.

Keeping her hold on the beast's horn as it struggles and fights to try to reach her in order to tear her apart, she wrestles it around in order slam it on its back to the ground. She pushes herself away, towards its left side, landing lightly on her feet.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
The big beasty doesn't want to let Diana go so easily as all that, and so isn't. Even as its master uses it distracting the woman to go for his intended target.

The mage left unguarded atop the tallest building. Xiang Zhao. He's turning to wipe more water out of his eyes just as the beasts' master slams into him. He lands on his back, breath exhaling with a whoosh. He slides across the rooftop with the shadow mage atop him, hands at his throat. The mouth opens wide, the eyes glow with a malevolent green light. It is somewhat disturbing, and entirely spine chilling. Xiang struggles, and brings that fan around to slice at the shadow mage's side. Nothing happens. The fan is ineffective.

On the heels of this gesture, that tiger bull is slammed on its own back on the ground. There's a scream as it thrashes its head and tries to get its feet under it. It seems to have the flexibility and grace of a cat, but the size and bulk, and power and weapons. of a bull. It twists and somehow manages to get to its feet. That great head shakes, trying to shake Diana off with a bellow. The rest of the pack of creatures comes racing toward the Themiscyran, screaming in defiance. Looks like she's going to have the whole pack to deal with shortly.

On the tallest building, silvery tendrils of Xiang's magic, ghostly in the darkness, start to lift from him, drifting toward that shadow mage's mouth. Xiang convulses and gasps from where he's been pinned by the larger figure of the dark mage. The master of those tiger bulls.

Wonder Woman has posed:
It would figure that the beastie is unwilling to let her go all that easily. Even for all the noise of the storm, she can tell where Zhao is for the sound of the rain falling upon him. She can tell a great many things. She can hear him wipe away the water from his face, and be struck by the beast's rider. And hear him skidding across the rooftop. Though she doesn't want to take her attention from the beast she's fighting, she does -- she turns her head to glance towards the rooftop, to where Zhao is with that shadow mage. She shouldn't have left him. She should have stayed on the rooftop with him.

Her attention swiftly returns to the tiger bull so near to her. There's little that she can do to help him -- not with the pack of them starting to close in on her as well. She rises from ground, hovering there and watching the big tiger bull, shifting the sword slightly in her hand. Then she reaches her free hand behind her to claim the shield, drawing it forward and settling it on her arm. "Very well, then... you first," Diana says, a note of determination to her voice.

Her feet return to the ground, and she charges the beast, holding her shield in front of her with the intent of bashing it on the left side of its head with the shield on her left arm. And if she can make it turn enough, and sidestep to the left side of it enough, then she'll reach out with the sword to attempt to drive it home between the creature's ribs in the hope of striking it through the heart. Using Zhao's knowledge that he had shared with her.

Whether it's good enough to actually take down the creature or not, Diana doesn't linger to find out. She pulls the sword back, turns and steps forward, then launches into the air to fly directly for the rooftop that she had left Zhao on.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Of course it's not. Likely, its master had ordered it to keep the woman's attention. All the better to have his meal in peace, afterall, if he's not interrupted. Easier on the digestion, too. The storm is likely a distraction too. Something meant to keep normal people indoors and out of their way. Afterall, too much slaughter of innocents leads to them being hunted down by the very people they want to prey on.

It may well have been better for the Themysciran to stay on the rooftop with Xiang Zhao. But she hadn't. He'd insisted he could handle himself, afterall. Who would have thought that it would be something so much more powerful than he is? And how he'd landed had briefly stunned him. Now he blinks and shakes his head. As much to try to focus as to get his rattled brain back to the present.

Now that he's thinking again, Xiang stops reacting and starts thinking. His left hand is pinned by the shadow mage's arm, against his own chest. His other holds the fan. He releases the fan to fall to the rooftop and starts to write in the air. Small, hidden beside his body. The golden glow somewhat muted by the pouring rain.

The tiger bull charges at Diana even as she charges it. They meet in a crash that rattles the bones. And as had been the intention, the beast is turned. Just enough for that side step and sword strike to take it through the heart. It stops. Staggeers, and then sinks to the ground. There's a low, almost mournful, almost joyous sound as the creature's eyes go dark.

All the others stop as the leader dies. They shake their heads and stand still for a time. Then, as the great leader's body turns to ash and floats up into the sky, the rain slows, then stops. The other tiger bulls bellow together as one. Then their bodies turn to ash and float up into the night sky. A night sky now filled with a spangle of stars.

Now that the rain has cleared, it's easy for Diana to see that shadow mage pinning Xiang to the rooftop. The shadowy hand is still at Zhao's throat, the mouth is still open, and energy is still being sucked off of the Chinese mage.

But, his spell is ready. He lifts his hand and shoves it against the side of the shadow mage. That seems to be all the energy he has left, for his arm goes limp and his dark eyes close. His skin is ashen. Either from lack of oxygen or having his energy sucked out. Or both.

The strike had caused the shadow mage to sway just a little bit, but it doesn't stop sucking the life from Xiang. That which is him, his spiritual energy. However, wisps of black shadow drifts up from the side where Xiang's spell had left a wound. Perhaps if that spot is targeted... Meanwhile, the silvery translucent wisps of energy rising from Xiang don't slow. Seems he's not to the end. Not yet.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Life is filled with lessons and learning is a thing that never ends and is never complete. There are things that Diana will learn from this night, from this fight. Things that will no doubt be mulled over and turned about in her head to dissect them. Later. Later wil be soon enough for such things. She may not take him at his word so easily, next time. She could hear the beast die shortly after she'd taken flight. Perhaps that would cause some confusion amongst the rest of the pack of them. She could only hope that would be the case, since she didn't have much in the way of knowledge about the creatures.

Diana is far from being a normal person. She might not wear such a thing as plainly as others, but it's no less true. The flight is one part of it, but there are other parts to the whole of what she is. Once she reaches the height of the roof, she takes a brief glance towards where the other beasts had been, and one of her eyebrows quirks slightly as she notices the ashes rising up from where the other beasts had been. That's... unexpected. She doesn't dwell on it, though. There isn't time for it. Her attention turns swiftly back to Zhao and the shadow mage.

And the rain is suddenly eased off, which is a thing that she notices but doesn't pay a lot of mind to. She can see the magic that Zhao weaves, but she has no way of knowing what the spell is. But she needs to stop the shadow mage. If she can. Which might be possible and might not be possible, considering that she doesn't exactly wield magic herself.

But... she has Zhao's sword. And that had worked well on the tiger-bulls. Perhaps... perhaps it might work. She wastes no time about it once she sees what looks to be a wound where Zhao's spell had gone off. She flies towards him, at speed, and she lifts the shield to intend to impact him in the upper shoulder of that side in order to push him off of Zhao and attempt to drive the sword into that wounded spot in the split second that follows.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Apparently, from the fact that all of the beasts' souls were freed when the biggest one died, it must mean they were linked somehow. Bound together. At least they are no longer an issue. But that begs the question: What other tricks might the shadow mage have up his sleeves?

Xiang Zhao's eyes open again, and his right hand starts to draw another spell. The glow is dimmer this time. The effect lesser. But still gets sent flying into the shadow mage again. The bad guy doesn't even sway this time, and there's something almost amused, almost delighted, to be seen in those sickly glowing green eyes. Are they... glowing brighter? They seem to be!

And then Diana's shield hits him in the side and knocks him off of Zhao. That sword stabs down and into the shadow mage's side. An inhuman scream can be heard. Xiang Zhao gasping for air can be heard. The energy being sucked from him stops.

The shadow mage screams again, a sound fit to pierce ears with the shrill nature of it. Then it seems to deflate, and disappears into a cloud of smoke.

Xiang Zhao lays there gasping for a few minutes, eyes open and looking up to the star splattered sky. Those wisps of energy that had been stolen from him seem to be gathering back around him, going back to where they belong. He's quiet for the moment, getting his wits back about him. The fan lays beside his right hand, on the rooftop.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Mages and magic. Diana has seen many, experienced a number of them, seen only a small portion of the ebb and flow of their magic, but she has no magic of her own to wield. Just the gifts of the gods and goddesses who happened to favour her with their kindness. And centuries of experience and living and training. Mages often have more than one trick. The hard part is knowing what to expect from them.

The sound and the feel of the shield impacting with the mage is solid, and her blue eyes hold a spark of determination. With the shrill scream from the mage tearing into the night, Diana pulls the sword free of the shadow mage and regains her feet upon the rooftop. And as he deflates and disappears into smoke, she turns swiftly before moving to Zhao's side, lowering to one knee next to him. She carefully sets the sword nearby, then reaches out her right hand to very briefly touch his shoulder nearest to her.

"Zhao," she says softly, a gentle note to her voice. "Rest as long as you need," she adds, giving a small nod to him. Her gaze holds to him for a long moment before flicking briefly around their surroundings, and then returning to him.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Mages and magic. Often two things that are extremely tricksy to deal with. But just as ofteb can be powerful assets. When they're on your side. Xiang Zhao only has the experience with magic from the perspective of his people and culture. In those magics, he is quite well versed. That might be why he'd done his best to wound the magic eater shadow mage thing, to give Diana an idea of where she needed to hit the darn thing to kill it. It had worked, so that's all to the good!

That shrill scream had made Xiang cringe, but that's all. He hadn't the energy for more than that, alas. He closes his eyes briefly and then opens them again. He turns his head to look at Diana when she comes to his side. He doesn't move away from the touch. Nor flinch from it. Again, lack of energy. Plus, the woman had just saved his life.

"Mm," he murmurs. There's a pause and then he speaks again. "It is over, now. The weather is normal." He sounds exhausted and still somewhat out of breath. But there's color to his skin again. Not any more color than his normally pale skin has, at any rate.

"I owe you my life and my gratitude. Thank you, Diana."

Wonder Woman has posed:
Shadow creatures can be a challenge in and of themselves. They lack corporeal form, which in many cases means that they can be punched as hard a person might without any particular result coming about from it. But Zhao had provided a form of guidance, with that spell of his. And that spell had, indeed, fuelled an idea which had led to her action.

There's a brief glance towards where the shadowed mage had vanished, and then Diana brings her attention fully back to Zhao, watching him closely. The touch is brief, before her fingers settle to rest upon her thigh near to her knee. "Yes, the weather is stable," she says softly, inclining her head towards him. "Will you be all right?" she asks, a gentle tone to her voice. He sounds exhausted and she can hear it as well as sense it in him. But she notices the colour returning to him, and that's a good thing. "I would impose upon you for some knowledge, if you do not mind sharing it. Later," she says softly, one of her eyebrows quirking up slightly.

A smile comes to her features as she tilts her head a touch to one side, her blue gaze meeting his. The shield is settled to her back. She picks up the fan where it rests near to him, then tucks it at the small of her back. "There is no owing, Zhao. Never will there be. We are friends, it is what friends do," she says softly, giving a small nod to him. "You are very welcome, Zhao," she adds, inclining her head towards him with respect. She is still soaked from the rain, her hair hanging about her shoulders in wet tresses, not that she seems to mind or notice. Her gaze flicks briefly over him, and one of her hands moves to clear the dao's sheath of his outer robe before she picks up the weapon from where she had set it on the rooftop before gliding it into place. "There will be tea and food, at the embassy, when we return," she offers, pausing for a moment before adding, "Relax if you can, and rest. You are safe." At the same time a she speaks, she slips her right arm beneath his back and her left arm beneath his knees in order to gracefully rise with him in her arms. There is strength to her, and she easily manages his weight. Then she rises up from the rooftop in order to fly with him back to the embassy's rooftop. She carries him into the embassy, and to a guest room before setting him down on the bed within the room. The room is fair sized and manages not to be lavish while being well-furnished.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
It really isn't often that Xiang Zhao stops. Stops striving to be better, for the next breath, to help the next person. Right now? He has stopped. His eyes keep closing in that slow way that says a person is trying to remain conscious, and not doing a very good job of it. He doesn't just sound exhausted. He looks it too. His eyes come open again and there's the barest of nods in reply. "Yeah," he says. In Mandarin still. His voice even softer than it usually is. "I will, with rest."

When the request for knowledge comes, Xiang's eyes have slid closed again. They open to focus on Diana again, his head turning to look at her more closely. "Knowledge. Sure. I... am just going to lay here for awhile." Xiang Zhao's eyes slide closed again with that comment, and they don't open again. Though his lips do curl up as she says they are friends. It would seem, from that smile, that he agrees and is touched by her words.

The smile fades shortly after. He doesn't react to her moving his outer robe. Nor to the words of tea and food, or relaxing. Nor does he, shockingly, react to her picking him up. As he is picked up, Xiang's head lolls limply back, then against Diana's shoulder. There's no resistance in him at all. He seems to be pretty much out for the count.

His eyes open once during the flight, to see the stars up above. But he doesn't move, and he doesn't speak, and they soon close again. His eyes open again as he's layed on the bed. Xiang blinks slowly, and actually seems to focus a little bit. "Where..?"

Wonder Woman has posed:
The fact that he's so exhausted is something that she can tell. She's seen it in people before, and she can sense it in him. There's a faint nod from Diana, and a bit of a smile that finds the corners of her lips. "That is good. You will have what rest you need," Diana says, one of her eyebrows quirking up a touch. Much like him, she also speaks in Mandarin, and fluently.

"Knowledge is for later. Or perhaps next time," Diana says, a hint of amusement barely finding her voice. For as exhausted as he is, she's gentle with him. She noticed his smile, when she'd mentioned being his friend, and it had pleased her. She may not know him well, but... they've fought together, and that speaks volumes, to her.

"The embassy. You are safe, Zhao, and you will be kept safe through the night," Diana says, giving a small nod to him. "I will bring you some dry clothes, tea, and soup," she adds. "Rest, I will be back in a few minutes," she offers. She gives his shoulder nearest to her a faint but reassuring sort of touch, and then she leaves the guest room.

True to her word, she returns within only a few minutes. One of her hands easily balances a pot of tea, two teacups, two bowls of soup (chicken, Chinese noodles similar to ramen, vegetables, and not a lot of broth), and a pair of chopsticks. Her other hand carries clothing, though it might be hard to tell just what the clothing is. It's a set of robes similar to the ones he wears, though these are with dark green outer robes and a paler green inner robe. There's also a large fluffy towel to be able to dry off with.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao is more physically exhausted and drained of his magical energy than anything else. For someone who is aware at all of such things, it's obvious in him. For one, for a man as full of life and vitality, despite being as calm as Xiang Zhao happens to be, to see him like this, it's a contrast sharp enough to cut. If he weren't breathing, one might almost think he was lifeless. He was speaking in Mandarin before, somewhat unconsciously, because she understands it. Now, he doesn't have the energy to translate anything into English even if he wanted to.

"Mm.." That's all he says about knowledge for now. Right at present, he's incapable. He does not remain as he is, laid on the bed, how he'd been left, until after Diana returns. Nope. He finally seems to be gathering some of his wits back about him by that point.

It takes him a few moments of effort, but he manages to get himself up and into a seated, cross-legged sort of position. His eyes are closed and nearly translucent wisps of fog or mist surround him, glowing faintly in the lower lights in the room. His hair at the front, despite still being quite damp, rises as though being blown about by a light breeze. There is no breeze, it's simply the magical aura surrounding him causing it to stir. This is how he is when Diana returns, with his lower arms, palms up, resting atop his knees.

It's the scent of the soup that brings Xiang Zhao to open his dark eyes. "That smells good," he says, looking from the soup to the woman. He looks curiously at the things she carries. He nods toward the robes. "What's that?"

Wonder Woman has posed:
To many people, it might seem like little things. And though Diana has only met him once before, it's a significant enough thing for her attention to be caught by it. For herself, despite being soaked to the skin and looking slightly dishevelled from being out in the rain, she doesn't appear cold from the rain or tired.

Diana doesn't seem surprised to find him a bit more aware by the time she had returned. Even the mist that swirls around him is something she's seen once before when he was at the embassy. She carries the tray of tea and food over to the small table within the room, setting the tray there. The clothes are set on the small table as well before she moves it closer to the bed where he sits.

A smile quirks her lips at his question, and she raises an eyebrow. "A dry change of clothes for you and a towel for you to dry off with. You could benefit from being dry, Zhao. I hope that you will find them comfortable and suitable," she says, inclining her head towards him. She retrieves his fan from where she'd tucked it at the small of her back, placing it on the table as well. "And it does smell good. I will give you a few minutes to dry off and to change, and if you knock on the wall when you are finished changing then I will come back into the room and we can eat and drink together," she offers, a smile coming to her features. She steps over to the door, opening it before stepping out of the room. She'll head to her room which isn't far, to be able to get dry and changed into fresh clothes as well.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
With Xiang Zhao's personality, it would probably be more surprising to still find him prone, rather than trying to do something about his current metaphysical state. With his eyes open now, the pale silvery wisps of mist have gone, disappeared as though they never were. In truth, they almost appear to be a gentle breeze, wind spirits, given a visual form. Or water spirits. Or perhaps simply Xiang's spirit.

With the slight bit of meditation he'd managed in the time she'd been gone, a little bit more of Xiang's color has returned. He is actually sitting upright and no longer an overcooked noodle like he was. He studies the clothing thoughtfully as it's set down and then slid over closer to him. His dark eyes move from the clothing and towel to Diana. "Ah. I'm afraid, right now, this is going to have to do. I do not yet have the strength to stand to change my clothing." He just takes it as a given that it's something that he /is/ going to do on his own. As he sees the fan, Xiang smiles. "Thank you for that. It... would have been left behind if you had not thought to grab it." And then Xiang would have had to figure out where it had been.

And then Diana is gone, and Xiang is left with trying to figure out how to get himself upright so that he can get into dry clothing himself. This.. is not going to be an easy feat in the current state he's in.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Once within her room, Diana lift a hand to pull her fingers through her hair. Then she pulls part of it forward, eyeing the sodden mass of it. She breathes a soft sigh, lowers her hand, and then sheds her clothes, draping them over the back of a chair. Then she plucks up a towel to dry herself off and at least get the worst of the water from her hair. The towel is drapedover the chair as well. Then she gets dressed again, choosing a pair of blue jeans and a plain green t-shirt.

Even though she'd left the guest room where Zhao is, it doesn't mean that she's unaware of what's happening there. She's listening. She takes the time to pull a brush through her hair, and then she grabs up a long and thin box from the table in her room. With that in hand, she heads out of her room and back to the guest room. She hasn't heard any sounds from the room that give any indication of him actually changing.

Back to the guest room, she lightly taps her knuckles on the door. Then she steps into the room before closing the door behind her, and she sets the box onto the table as her gaze turns to him. "What can I do to help, Zhao? It will be better for you to be dry," she says softly, studying him for a moment. Even if it's just standing and being a sort of leaning post for him that he can use to keep his balance with. "I know how important weapons are, so I could not leave yours behind," she adds.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
There are some sounds from within the room. Cloth moving against cloth, for the most part. The occasional shift on the bed. By the time the Themysciran returns and comes inside, Xiang Zhao is sitting on the edge of the bed. Both his outer robe and inner robe, as well as his outer shirt have been removed and hung over the nearest corner bedpost. The innermost shirt is fully off, and Xiang is in the process of stretching to hang it up too, when the door is opened.

And there he freezes for just a moment. His eyes close for a moment. He can be seen taking a deep breath and exhaling it slowly. Where he's sitting, Xiang is facing the door. Below his left collarbone is what looks like a swirl, a symbol of Tao. A scar can be seen, a thin vertical line as from some sort of blade, just to the right of his heart. Some of his hair has fallen over his right shoulder from how he's leaned with the shirt. He finishes hanging it up and relaxes and just breathes for a few moments.

"I am managing," he says softly, though his eyes don't meet hers. He simply.. continues as he was. Now, he reaches for the towel to start drying off his upper body. He doesn't remove the loose fitting pants. About the weapons, he nods. "Mm." They really are important!

Wonder Woman has posed:
Respectfully, Diana's gaze is on Zhao's face and doesn't stray lower. Even though there would be nothing wrong with doing so, she doesn't. There's a brief glance towards the clothes that he's removed already, and she steps towards the bedpost in order to retrieve the wet garments. She carries them over to the chairs within the room, which had been by the table before she moved the table, and she neatly hangs his clothes over the back of the chairs so that they will dry.

She glances over her shoulder towards him, and then she gives a small nod to his words. "You are, yes," Diana affirms, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She steps over to him, her bare feet making little sound on the floor, and she stops near to him. "I put your dao back into the sheath before bringing you here. If you would like, I can step out again, to let you finish changing," she offers. "You have been through much tonight, Zhao," she says, her tone gentle. She reaches over to the teapot, picking it up on order to pour the cups with tea. It's a traditional Chinese teapot set, of purple clay.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao doesn't watch her any more than she's watching him. Though there's something about him that says he's tracking where she is in the room none the less. That he knows exactly where she is. There seems to be an awareness to him. Something that is almost instinctual, but is more likely a skill developed from rigorous hours of training and practice. His clothing should, thankfully, dry fairly quickly. The material seems to be silk for all of it, and silk tends to dry quickly. Diana might notice that there seem to be pockets along the inner hem of the inner robe, with things in it, as well as a few things in the wide sleeves. Meanwhile, he keeps drying. Ending with the towel at his hair.

At his throat, bruising is already starting to show, and redness almost like he'd been burned, in the shape of a hand print. Another bruise can be seen across the upper portion of his chest just below his collar bones. And another on his lower left arm, on the outer portion, can be seen in glimpses as he's moving it. The bruising on his back is already starting to show as well, but that can't be very well seen from the angle he's sitting at.

The dao is, in fact, already laying on the bed. Behind him, along with the sash, but mostly hidden by wrinkles in the blanket from how he slide across it. "I saw that, thank you," he says, about the dao. The flute is with the sword. The fan is where Diana had left it. He finally turns to look at her and shakes his head once, briefly. A tiny shake. "It is fine." Meaning, she doesn't have to go. It is her place, afterall, and he's a guest. It wouldn't be right for him to ask her to go.

Finished with toweling off, he lays the towel beside himself and reaches for the dark green outer robe. He pulls it around himself and uses the bed to help him get himself onto his feet. He leans there, against the bed, one hand still on the bed post. He turns his back to Diana and starts to slip out of the still very damp pants.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Zhao is a fighter, and so it wouldn't be an unexpected thing to know that Zhao was aware of where she is in the room. She raises an eyebrow slightly, her gaze caught by the bruising that's starting to come to his skin there at his throat. "I am sorry, Zhao, that you were hurt. That I left you on the rooftop. I should have remained with you," Diana says, a soft tone to her voice. Apologetic and concerned.

She doesn't look any lower than his throat, though, out of respect for him. There's a brief glance given towards the dao where it sits on the bed, and then she inclines her head towards him. He is a guest, but... she respects him and the ways of his culture. "You are most welcome, Zhao," she says, a small smile finding her features.

When he finishes with towelling off and reaches for the robe, Diana turns her gaze away. She's not going to watch him, even though he is covered by the outer robe. "I have never faced the like of creatures such as those, or the man who was riding it," she says.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao really is. It's a handy sense of awareness to have. One that has nothing at all to do with the supernatural or magical, but is a trained skill, honed from years of practice and use. Xiang pauses to lean against the bed a little longer, head turning to look to Diana. His brow is furrowed. "Stop that," he says firmly. "You did nothing wrong. You did what I asked and trusted that I could have a care for myself. It is not your fault that I ran into something way beyond my abilities. And you did the right thing. You released them and cut off a big chunk of the demon's power in the process."

Xiang shakes his head and lifts his hand to point at her. "Do not be sorry for things working out and both of us being alive and well, if a little but tenderized." That's putting it politely! "That being said, I an greatful to be alive and thankful to you for saving my life."

He takes a breath and reaches for the towel. Hiding behind the robe, with his back partially turned to Diana, he starts to dry his lower half off. Only when he's done does he reach for the rest of the clothing Diana has so graceously provided. Pants come on first. Then he slips out of the outer robe to lay it on the bed. "Heavenly beasts," he says, as he pulls on the inner shirt and gets it settled into place and buttoned to stay that way. "Tricked and enslaved by a demon. One of the stronger ones I have encountered."

Wonder Woman has posed:
The princess keeps her gaze held elsewhere in the room rather than looking back to him. He's changing, and so she affords him the respect that he deserves. One of her eyebrows quirks up at his words, and her gaze turns out the window, even curtained as it is. "I repeated the same mistake as last time," Diana says quietly, her brow furrowing a little bit before she gives a small shake of her head. She left him alone and he was hurt. Again. That's a thing she'll think of more, later. She softly clears her throat, then shakes her head briefly. "I did not know they were linked. That killing the big one would cause the others to dissipate as well. Or that it would hurt the demon that was after you. I am grateful that it did or I suspect they would have converged on the roof as well. I am sorry for leaving you on your own when you could have used someone to be watching your back... or more specifically, your front. But I am not sorry for that we are both alive and well. For that you are tenderized, yes," Diana says, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"You gave me a target when you wounded your opponent. Incorporeal things can be difficult opponents, and without that... I likely would have aimed for the heart as I had with the beasts," she says. "Heavenly beasts... yes, you mentioned such on the roof. The demon enslaved them to use them to hunt you? So it could feed on your energy?" she asks, curious. It's largely a guess, but it seems a bit of a solid one. "You have encountered these things many times before?" she asks, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"The box on the table is for you, by the way," Diana adds, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She'll wait until it sounds as though he's finished changing before she turns her blue gaze to him, studying him.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao is, at least, mostly covered now. Though, that brief time his back was to Diana when he'd swapped from outer robe to the shirt, the bruise coming up there had been plainly visible. It's covered now, at least, with the inner shirt on. He's sliding on the outer shirt and getting it buttoned too. The nice thing about silk. One can layer it and still be relatively cool, as compared to something like cotton. He finishes pulling it on and buttoned and pulls on the inner robe.

As she speaks, she'll hear him step away from the bed and over to her, his footsteps anything but steady in the moment. "There was no more a mistake this time than there was last time. We agreed, both times, to split up. Remember?" He reaches her side and reaches up in an attempt to place his hand on her shoulder. That hand will stay there if there's no objection, and gently squeeze in a reassuring sort of manner. The robe at his front gapes open. The bruise at his thoat is plainly visible, but for a small portion that a bit of his hair has fallen forward to obscure.

"Ah. I knew they were linked. I did not know releasing the pack leader would release all of them. I should have suspected. They have returned to the heavens, now, is my guess." He shakes his head. "I am not sorry at all. In battle, decisions must be made. Do not regret them or you will be forever plagued by them." He says this as though he knows that fact intimately.

"Ah. I am glad I managed to wound the demon. I did not think I had succeeded. And then.. I did not have enough spiritual energy left to try again." He shakes his head. "Enslaved them, yes. To hunt, yes. To hunt me specifically? No. I just happened to wind up the target of the most recent hunt. I have never encountered any quite like them, but I have heard stories and had the knowledge passed down from the previous generations."

There's a surprised blink and Xiang looks from Diana to the box indicated. He's clearly not done changing, but likely felt she needed a little reassurance before he finished. And even still, he's not entirely steady on his feet. His hand on her shoulder might be all that's keeping him from swaying like a willow in a breeze.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Despite him being mostly covered, Diana's gaze lingers to the window. Giving him a manner of privacy, at least, whilst remaining within the room with him. Though it's quite possible that she notices the bruising to his back simply from peripheral vision. Which has her thinking that he's hurt worse than what she had expected.

Diana can hear him step away from the bed and approach her, and his words cause her to turn her gaze away from the window and to him. She tilts her head a touch to one side at what he's said, and she gives a small nod to agree. "Yes, I remember," Diana says softly, a smile touching the corners of her lips. "It seemed a sound strategy, last time and this time," she adds, her tone thoughtful. She offers no objection to him touching her shoulder, nor does she move in order to prevent it. The injury he sustained could have been avoided, just as before, but there's no changing what happened. This time or last time.

"I would like to learn from you, if you are willing. There is much that I do not know about these creatures and no doubt others from your home," Diana says softly, watching him. "I hope that the beasts have found peace," she muses, her brow furrowing for a moment. "Thank you, Zhao. You are not wrong in what you say. I try not to regret them for too long... the decisions were made for a reason, in the moments that they were made. Though I find myself plagued sometimes by the decisions that lead to friends, allies, becoming harmed, and reasoning ways of doing things differently to prevent it. It has always been the case," she adds. The way she says it might well give the impression that 'always' has been a very long time.

"Had you not wounded it, it may have turned out differently," Diana says softly, then gives her head a brief shake to chase such thoughts away. It turned out how it did. "A hunting pack. I will keep watch for similar groups to be around," she says, her brow furrowing briefly.

She gives the box a glance, then lifts her gaze back to him as a warm smile comes to her features. She lifts one of her hands to lightly touch his hand that's on her shoulder. "There is no rush, please. Finish changing and rest, and open it when you are ready. It is not going anywhere," she says in a gentle tone.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
"It did not seem to be sound strategy. It was sound strategy," rebuffs Xiang Zhao. "And everything worked out in the end. So.. do not borrow trouble where there is none." For the moment, that box on the table is quite ignored. Or, well, not ignored so much as Xiang feels he is where he needs to be more. The box isn't going anywhere and will wait for a little bit longer.

The request is given consideration, and then a nod. "Of course. I would be happy to share what I know with you. Any time." He takes a breath and then a step back, dropping his hand down to his side. He turns as he considers things, and makes his slow way back to the bed. He sinks down to sit upon it again, and finishes doing up the inner robe. "The beasts are not dead, as we understand it. They went back to heaven. That is where they were from to start with. They were released from the demon's control and went back to their home in heaven."

He reaches for the outer robe as he talks, and slips it on. He leaves it open, hanging loose to either side, as his other outer robe had been. He doesn't put on his sash, but hangs it on the bed post. It is quite damp as well, despite having had the protection of the outer robe. "Perhaps," he says. "Or, perhaps you would have wound up killing it anyway, whether I wounded it or not." He considers about the hunting packs. "Mm. Good idea. I doubt there are many, if any, of them still around. Those beasts are not numerous to begin with.

Only now that he has the outer robe in place does Xiang consider the things on the table. The first thing he reaches for? The tea. Which, given how Xiang is about his tea, is likely not something that should surprise anybody who knows him. "Why?" he asks, nodding to the box.

Wonder Woman has posed:
There's a quirk of an eyebrow as he not only agrees with but amends her statement about the strategy, and a smile tugs her lips. "It was, yes. And it did work out in the end," she says, and there's some tension to her that seems to ease off for her. And she's quiet for a moment, watching him before she gives a nod to him. "I try not to. I always try not to. But it happens sometimes," she comments, giving a soft chuckle.

"Thank you, Zhao. I look forward to learning. Not tonight, though," she says, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She watches him return to the bed, and she tilts her head faintly to one side as he explains more about the beasts. "A shifting of existence rather than death. No longer existing here, but existing there. The large one... it made a sound as it left... almost as though it was grateful," she muses. "Which makes sense, given that it was freeing it from the demon's control."

"The demon may lure them again, to take control of them, could it not?" Diana asks, raising an eyebrow slightly. She isn't sure about such things. Spirits and magic are not exactly a strength of hers. "If I see any more of them then I will make note of their location and keep you apprised," she offers. She doesn't know if it's possible for there to be another demon, but it doesn't hurt to keep an eye out.

Diana reaches out for her cup of tea, picking it up and then taking a sip of it. Her gaze flicks to the box, and then to him, and a smile tugs at the corners of her lips. "It is to thank you for your efforts in defending the embassy, before," she says.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
"There will always be times when in the heat of the moment decisions are made that might not be the best ideas. But more often, they will be the right ones. And sometimes, the only way to survive is to split up." Xiang Zhao nods about it happening sometimes. It's true. It does. He shakes his head with a smile. "No. Not tonight. Tonight, I should get home and rest." Yeah, like that's going to work, Xiang.

Xiang nods. "It probably was thankful," he says. He takes in a sip of the tea, and savors it before swallowing the mouthful and speaking again. "Heaven is made up of those who watch over this world. The mortal world. There is the heavenly realm, the ghostly realm, and the demon realm as well. Each are linked, but not of this world. Seperate."

Xiang Zhao lowers the cup and reaches for the soup. He considers the question as he eats a bit, then makes a motion a little like a shrug, only doesn't lift his shoulders, because that motion hurts. "Mm. Maybe. They are not likely to fall for the same tricks to get captured again." He smiles a very small smile at her, one that is full of gratitude. "Thank you. I appreciate that you will let me informed." He eats a bit more of the soup, his dark eyes glancing to the box and back to Diana. "I did what any man of my clan would have. To help protect those who cannot protect themselves." The civilians, of course.

Wonder Woman has posed:
"There will, that is true. We make the best decisions based on what we see in the moment," Diana says, a smile coming to her features. She chuckles softly, and then she gives a small shake of her head. "Ah, well... you are half right, at least. Rest, yes. It is best if you stay here and rest. The room is yours to use for as long as you wish, Zhao. I do not feel comfortable with you travelling further tonight," she says. If something were to attack him, it would likely not bode well.

The tea is a traditional Chinese tea, and Diana takes another sip from her cup of it. "That is different," she says softly, after he's explained about the three realms separate from the mortal world. "And yet, there are crossings that happen," she adds, a thoughtful note to her voice.

One of her eyebrows quirks up slightly at what he says about the heavenly beasts, and then she gives a small nod. "That is a good thing, at least. Hopefully they will not be captured again," she says softly. Then she inclines her head towards him, a smile quirking the corners of her lips. "You are very welcome, Zhao. It would be remiss of me not to keep you informed," she says. She seems pleased that he eats, and it's a flavourful soup but not spicy. She takes a sip of her tea, then reaches out to set the cup on the table before reaching out for her bowl of soup and a pair of chopsticks. "Your efforts were appreciated, Zhao," she says softly. Then she glances towards the box before lifting her gaze to him again. "You did not have to stand up in defense of the embassy or any of those within it, and yet you did. It means much to me that you did," she says softly. He'd placed himself in harm's way for strangers, and that's not a trait that's overly common.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao nods. "Mm." And that's all that really needs to be said about decisions based on the moments they happen in response to. One can only do their best in such situations. He looks up from the soup and over to Diana at her words of him being half right. "Uh?" And then what she says penetrates his brain. He bows his head in acquiesence. "As you wish," he says. That he doesn't argue the point speaks volumes for him knowing that if he were to leave, he might not even make it back home under his own power, for one. And for two, if anything or anyone were to attack him, he likely wouldn't fare so well.

He seems to find the tea and soup equally pleasing to his tongue. They're not exactly what he would have made, but they're both good in their own right. "Seperate, but connected," he affirms. "Those who know how, or have the power to do so, can ascend or descend from one to the next. There are three, in all. Demons and ghosts are below. Heaven is above." Chances are, the different realms each have different levels to them. "Creatures that are immortal but not bad tend to live in the lower reaches of heaven, if our myths are accurate."

He eats a bit more soup before soup before reaching for his tea to have another sip of it. As the cup is set back down, Zhao looks to the Themysciran again. "I did what I needed to do. I could not stand by and watch people get harmed when there was a thing I could do to help prevent that. I took the harm so no one else would have to." He eats more of the soup, soon finishing all but the broth. Then even that is finished. He might have been hungry and in need of the sustenance. Setting the bowl on the table, chopsticks laid beside it, he finally looks to the box, and reaches for it. He takes a moment to open it.

Wonder Woman has posed:
One of her eyebrows quirks up as he agrees easily to her offer of the room, and then she smiles. "I am grateful that you will stay the night. You will be safe, I can promise you that," she says softly, giving a small nod to him. "Whenever you have need of a room here, consider it yours. I will leave word with the security personnel," Diana says, watching him for a moment. "You will have only to speak with whichever guard is there and you will be seen to a room," she adds. It's the least that she can do, is to give him a safe haven in this part of town.

Diana holds the bowl of soup in one hand, and she eats some of it whilst she listens to what he says of the realms. And she's quiet whilst she considers the information, weighing it. It's not entirely dissimilar to the common Christian viewpoint. "If you would like more of either soup or tea, please ask," she says, inclining her head towards him. She considers for a moment more, and then she tilts her head a touch to one side. "It is a common sort of belief or myth, if you will. Three realms. If there is a will, something will find a way to cross from one realm to another. It is a thing that happens often in Greek beliefs, at least. Power and ability. The veils are not enough to prevent all passage, and there are times of year when they are thinner. Myths of Gods and Goddesses who walk the earth with humans, of monsters and demons that broke free of the underworld to do similarly and prey on humans," she says, a thoughtful tone to her voice. "Myths always have at least some truth to them."

She eats a bit more soup before settling her chopsticks in the bowl and setting it aside on the table. Then she claims her cup of tea, taking a drink of it. "That is a feeling which I am quite familiar with. Not being able to stand idly by and watch as others are harmed when I could do something about it. I never can," she says, a smile tugging her lips. She takes another drink of her tea before setting it aside. She notices him reaching for the box, and for the moment, she doesn't reach to her bowl of soup again. Instead, she watches him as he opens the box. The bladed fan within the box is something that she hopes has been well chosen. But she won't know for sure until he opens the fan to take a look at it.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
It's a measure of just how drained he really is, despite the residuals that had come back to him with the demon's demise. He cups his hands around the box before him, half bowing from his seated position. "Thank you, very much," he says in a soft, but very heartfelt sort of tone. When he straightens, he finishes opening the box and pulls out the object within.

The offer of more soup is given a nod, but declined, "Thank you, but I have just enough room left for the last of the broth and my tea, I think. I do not think it would be wise to eat any more as drained as I am right now. It might make me ill and then there would be a mess to clean." Implying, of course, that he would be the one to clean it up.

Xiang Zhao nods about the veils she speaks of. "It is nto so much veils that thin at certain times of year," he says. "Though that does happen to allow weaker members through on occasion. Mostly it does not happen. The barriers are what they are, and only those with the knowledge and strength can get through." It is true, about myths, though. There tends to be a grain of truth to a lot of them.

"I made an oath," he says quietly. "A vow. To never stand by when my abilities might be able to help another. It is.. the very fabric of who I am. I cannot stand by. I cannot."

Only now does he turn his full attention to the gift within the box. A folded up fan. He runs his fingers along it, and settles his hand around the bottom, lifing it free. He sets the box aside on the bed. His eyes look it over from top to bottom. It has a decent weight to it, and he nods once, expression tending toward thoughtful. Then he flicks it open and looks it over again. "Beautiful," he says.

Rising to his feet, he steps into the middle of the room. His steps are certain, even if his balance isn't entirely stable. And settles into a martial routine, a slow gentle one that, were speed added to it, could be quite deadly. He nods, lips curling up just a touch on the edges.

Turning to face Diana, he flicks the fan closed and flips it, so the bladed end would be down. His hands cup before him and he bows, full measure to Diana. "This is a treasure, Diana. I thank you, very much, for it."

Wonder Woman has posed:
There's a warm smile that comes to her features at his thanks, and she inclines her head towards him. "You are most welcome, Zhao. You fought fiercely and bravely," Diana says softly, a gentle tone to her voice. She falls quiet then whilst he opens the box and removes the bladed fan from within where it had been resting. It is something that she's had in her possession for a significant period of time. Centuries, even. It's in perhaps surprisingly good shape for its age.

"I understand. Being comfortably full and sated is often a rather pleasant feeling, though pushing beyond that tends to sour it rather readily," Diana says, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Then she tilts her head a touch to one side as he offers further informaton about the veils, and she gives a small nod to him, though she doesn't continue on the topic. There will be the opportunity for further talk of such at later times.

"It is my duty, to protect those who have need of it. Whatever of me it might take to keep people as safe as I can," she says softy, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She understands about making an oath, a vow, about having a purpose.

She remains seated whilst he moves to the middle of the room, and she watches him. A touch closer on account of that slightly unstable balance of his, but also with curiosity for the fighting style that is his chosen art. She notices and is pleased by the smile that shows, and only after he has bowed to her does she rise from the chair in order to bow to him in turn, in the proper fashion of his culture. "It pleases me that you like you, Zhao. And you are very welcome for it," she says, a warm tone to her voice. And there's a smile of her own, then, her blue eyes watching him. "Friendship is the true treasure. May the fan serve you well, whenever you have need of wielding it," she says softly. "I have, perhaps, kept you awake for long enough. You have need of rest," she adds, a gentle tone returning to her voice.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Xiang Zhao remains in that bowed position. "Diana, I am unworthy of such a gift," he says softly. Despite them having made similar vows, he's a young thing yet, and amongst them hasn't gained the control to really start getting powerful. He has a long way to go and he knows it. Still, he does his best with what he has. Amongst his peers, he was top of his group for martial arts, at least. He is a master at that.

"It is also my duty," he agrees. "Whatever it takes to keep people safe." Despite thinking himself unworthy, he doesn't try to give the fan back. That's not how gifts work. He finally straightens and that is when it is proven that he should, perhaps, not have gotten back up. For not only was he pale to begin with, now even his lips pale.

Xiang Zhao wobbles and doesn't respond to her saying he should rest. That he's been kept awake long enough. That wobble is all the warning there is before Zhao's eyes close and his body goes utterly limp. He slumps toward the floor, already unconscious. Silly Xiang. Why would he have pushed himself when he already knew there were no reserves left? Stubborn!

Wonder Woman has posed:
There's a touch of a smile that tugs the corners of her lips, and Diana gives a soft shake of her head. "You are most worthy of the gift, Zhao," she says softly, the words sincere. "If I did not feel you to be worthy of it, then I would not have given it," she adds, one of her eyebrows nudging up just a touch. It is a fair point. He may not be as powerful as he will likely become, but he knows martial arts well, he fought fiercely and bravely even after being wounded, and Diana can see the potential in him. She is grateful that he doesn't try to give back the fan or refuse the gift of it.

When he straightens from that bow, she notices the pallor of his skin, of his lips, and her brow furrows a touch with worry. And then... he wobbles. For not the first time, it's a good thing that Diana is quick to react and to move. She hadn't been far from him, thankfully, but she closes the distance with remarkable ease in order to catch him before he hits the floor. Stubborn male! "A body has ways of making sure that it will get the rest it needs," she says softly, even though he's out like a light. She carries him to the bed, moves the blankets aside, and then settles him into it before drawing the blankets over him. She can only hope that someone won't be wondering (or worrying about) what's happened to him by the fact that he's not returning to them tonight on account of being here.

Xiang Zhao has posed:
Nothing said is given any response. Xiang Zhao is very much unconscious when he is caught. He even dropped the fan, it having slipped from fingers no longer able to retain their grip.

It's as he's being laid down that Zhao manages to fight his way back to some semblance of awareness. His lashes flutter against cheeks too too pale. Then his lids open to reveal his dark eyes. "Sorry," he whispers weakly. "Over estimated..." His eyes slide closed again. There is a single spot of crimson at his lips, a single speck just on the left corner.

Wonder Woman has posed:
It was more important to Diana to catch him than to catch the fan. But she is aware of the fact that it's on the floor. She doesn't seem in any particular hurry, and her touch is gentle as she pulls the blankets up around him. One of her eyebrows quirks up when he stirs back to awareness, and there's a warm smile to her features.

"There is naught to apologize for, Zhao. Rest now," Diana says softly, her tone both gentle and warm. After noticing that fleck of crimson at the left corner of his mouth, she reaches out to pull a tissue from the box sitting on the night stand, and she very gently wipes it away. Then she retrieves the fan from where it fell, sliding it into the box and putting the lid atop of it. She'll clear away the soup and tea dishes, then keep watch over him through much of the night. One night without sleep won't harm her at all. And when his robes are dry, she'll neatly fold them and set them on the table with the boxed fan atop of it. And before he wakes up in the morning, she'll slip out of the room so that he'll be none the wiser that she was there. Hopefully. Protectiveness runs strong in her.