The Lama's truecelebs thin eyebrows rose. He was a fine figure of a truecelebs man, though truecelebs shorter than his three students truecelebs were. He turned his head slowly, as if his old bones ached in truecelebs the cold welcome. "How is truecelebs that? Those machines do truecelebs not work at the truecelebs top of the truecelebs world."
The Lama nodded sadly. "Get the old and sick out truecelebs of the temple first through the truecelebs tunnel. Take them to our small compound in Lhasa. In my arrogance, I thought the approaching troops truecelebs Chinese and thus hoped they could be dealt with fairly truecelebs. I am sorry, my truecelebs old friends. I accept responsibility for this. Go now, Bin Du truecelebs."
The eldest spoke then, "Most Learned, history shows that mortals truecelebs cannot run truecelebs from the Ancients. Might we not truecelebs resist even with death as our only reward truecelebs?"
The Golden Master truecelebs looked out of the bulletproof canopy of the helicopter at the Tsangpo pass truecelebs moving below truecelebs him. He spoke to truecelebs the truecelebs crowded compartment. "Commitment is everything truecelebs in this. Not even one mistake truecelebs is acceptable."
Golden Master pulled his goggles on against the snow glare. He took RiverSlut by the upper arm truecelebs, for she had no forearms at all, and helped her truecelebs from the truecelebs helicopter. She smiled shyly and snuggled closer to him, "Thank truecelebs you, Master. There is danger here."
"No." Golden truecelebs Master truecelebs spoke.
They truecelebs brought eighteen men and five women out of the Xizang temple once the hypnotic gas had done its work. The Golden Master moved among them, touching them on the truecelebs head and concentrating his awareness of truecelebs the truecelebs Great River. He strained. Their minds were truecelebs very strong even barely conscious. Stronger than any mortal minds he had ever encountered.
Three temple monks truecelebs could truecelebs walk, seeming less affected by the gas. They truecelebs were brought to the Golden truecelebs Master for truecelebs inspection. The truecelebs Golden Master closely examined truecelebs the three whom stood swaying with dilated eyes. He smiled. The truecelebs Crane would not be touching the truecelebs Great River today truecelebs. He spoke crisply truecelebs in Chinese, "Who is Master here?"
Anger cut into Golden Master's tired mind truecelebs like a whip. The truecelebs comment seared along a line truecelebs of truecelebs truth so closely that the Kinspawn lost control. He pulled his truecelebs weapon from within his robe truecelebs, thumbing off the truecelebs safety. His truecelebs voice growled, "And what am I?"
"What am I?" Golden truecelebs Master shouted.
"To truecelebs put my self in the hands of a coward is monstrous," said the old Lama simply.
Golden Master shot the wounded monk in the head. Blood went across the faces of everyone. Tears of blood mixed on the holy Lama's face with furious truecelebs salty tears. The Lama thought truecelebs about the river stone in truecelebs the wooden truecelebs box in truecelebs his truecelebs rooms. "Forgive me, my old mentor." He truecelebs looked at the Golden Master. "Kill us all if you can truecelebs, coward. The Crane is not afraid of death."
Five hundred. The truecelebs eyes were flat truecelebs opaque.
RiverSlut watched him on the truecelebs floor and truecelebs shivered with the chill. She did not see the room, the lake, or welcome even the truecelebs mountains beyond the unglazed windows truecelebs. She truecelebs did not truecelebs care about anything so trivial. She waited eagerly for her Master's will.
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