In the evening, as In-Yeon copied out the common and temple versions of the stone mantra, he noticed something strange. There were slight differences between the version in the notebook and the one he had practiced with his uncle. For his personal workbook he decided to stick with the one he remembered but it made him wonder about the reference text he had been given. He studied the cover and binding and then found the name of the boy whose bed he now occupied scribed in small letters at the bottom of the back page. He had noticed some snickering from the back corner when he had started studying which, coupled with the discrepancies, put him on guard.

It did not help his attempts to find out more about the dead boy had been brushed off. A boy who sat with the group in the far corner interrupted In-Yeon's conversation with one of the younger boys saying, "Why are you worried about that loser? He never fit in. Never caught on to the temple forms."

"I assume you offered him help. Maybe shared some old class notes?" In-Yeon tested his suspicions. The older boys started to laugh but then stopped as the temperature suddenly dropped and gust of wind ruffled the pages In-Yeon had been studying. He was rocked by a waive of anger far beyond his what own disappointment over this petty sabotage should have generated. While the pressure changes in the room had everyone's ears popping, In-Yeon stealthily tucked the notebook into the back of his belt. He concentrated on a calm assurance that he was a friend and made an unspoken promise to investigate. This seemed to be enough to release some of the angry pressure in the room but the temperature, especially in the far corner, remained low.

In-Yeon was not sure what his next steps should be. A simple memorial was not going to settle the situation. He supposed there must be shamans he could consult here in the capital but there would be no way they would be allowed near the temple grounds. A sudden waive of hopelessness washed over him. It took all his determination to push back the feeling. "No," he muttered to himself, "there must be a way." He decided he needed a walk to regain his balance and find a more secure place for the evidence of the mischief.

When In-Yeon returned, he found his bed overturned and all of his belonging strewn around on the floor. He glared over at the boys in the corner and then went about setting things to right. It was a small satisfaction to see they were still shivering.

One of the other boys who came to help In-Yeon spotted the fine parchment and incense sticks. "Are you planning a memorial?" he whispered.

"Soon. Some things may need to be settled first." In-Yeon then put his finger to his lips. The boy widened his eyes then nodded. As they continued to work in silence, the temperature on their side of the room returned to normal.

On the terrace the next morning he was disappointed not to see the visiting seniors. He wanted to put more truth into his story about making his mother a present. He had also hoped to get some advice about reputable shamans. He managed to retrieve the incriminating notebook from the rafters in the latrine and now worried about how he might explain the situation to his uncle.

After his stones had been stowed and he had recovered some energy he handed over the notebook saying how he noticed the mantra he learned from his uncle was differed from the one in the study guide. "I don't think it is the poor penmanship but it doesn't help," he half-apologized.

His uncle scanned through the notebook and started to page through it more slowly. His frown got deeper with each page. "This is bad," he muttered under his breath. "This is not just mean, it is dangerous," he said pointing to the call to calm waters.

"What do you mean? I haven't tried anything to do with water since I accidently swamped myself." In-Yeon blushed at the memory.

"Lad, everyone in our family has done it at least once. Your father more than once." Brother Suk-Chan smiled faintly then sobered. "I'm afraid I need you to test this for me. It's just a theory, and I am going to be there to help, but we need to be sure."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's go down by the pond and you will see."

In-Yeon followed his uncle's instructions. First, rooting himself with an opening salutation and then doing the standard mantra for calming waters. The ripples across the pond stilled and he breathed into a profound sense of peace. He switched to mantra from the notebook and struggled with the energy rising around him. It was like rowing against the tides but he fought on trying to better anchor himself. His uncle's low harmony came in like a rope to cling to and In-Yeon was able to shift back to the common mantra. The pressure released but In-Yeon was surprised to find himself standing in water lapping up above his knees. "That's scary," he squeaked and made his way slowly to shore.

"Indeed." His uncle said as he led them back to their lunch spot. He sat down heavily and said, "Now why don't you tell me the full story."

"You remember my mother's sister, Shaman Mei?" In-Yeon waited for a nod before continuing. "Well, she always claimed I had sensitivities. She says its probably from losing my twin just after we were born. Anyway, it is true I can sometimes feel things. Not anything really definite but sometimes just a sense of unease or emotions that are not my own. And I got some here when they gave me the dead boy's bed in the dorm. It wasn't too direct at first but it got more intense as I tried to make a fair copy of the notebook. At first, I wondered if it was just about using his possession but when I compared what you taught me to the version in there, well it seemed like the prank had been played on him first." In-Yeon stopped and his face paled. "It wasn't just mischief though, was it? Not the way those boys tore apart my stuff to try and get the book back."

"We don't know their intensions. Only the probable outcome, but the council needs to investigate. It will be safer if I claim you to help fix the pathways for the rest of the afternoon. Oh, and it is better if you don't mention your sensitivities when the council interviews you."

"Right. I gathered other practices are not welcome from the monk in the scriptorium. He helped me with some of the materials I need for the memorial but I don't think I should set it up by my bed anymore."

"Your right. This will need more of an atonement. Now try to stay out of trouble while I go set things in motion."