Confucius Statue

You reach the reflection pool and see yourself staring back from the water’s surface. The Hero walks around through the bushes, securing the perimeter. “Close to home is where you’ll find the Leader of the Dark Legion,” you repeat.

You turn around to see the Confucius statue peering down at you over his beard, his many layered robes billowing around him and even he seems to judge you.

“I just don’t know what it all means,” you sigh, turning back to your reflection and kicking at it with your foot, the moment seeming apt for movie-moment dramatics. “And I’m meant to be the one with the brains! The Hero is relying on me.”

“Real knowledge,” the Confucius Statue starts up, “is to know the extent of one’s own ignorance.”

You are hardly surprised at this point by the talking statue. Knowing your ignorance in this situation isn’t helping you much though. “Do you have any useful tips for me?”

Confucius is silent for a moment. Thinking you’ve offended him with your rudeness, you turn to leave. “It is not possible for one to teach others who cannot teach their own family,” says the wise man at last.

You think for a moment. “Hey!” You call to the Hero, “Didn’t you say that your brother, the brainy one, works around here?”

The Hero meets your eyes and you both know that you’ve stumbled on the truth of the oracles’ rhymes.

“My brother is the Leader of the Dark Legion?” The Hero asks. “How on earth am I supposed to fight my brother?”

Confucius speaks again. “The man of courage is never afraid.”

“Of capturing his own brother? I am though! What will mum say!” The Hero is growing very upset.

“To know what is right, to not do it, is the worst cowardice,” replies Confucius.

“You’re a right know-it-all,” you snap, glaring up at the old Chinese man. “Here’s an old proverb for you: if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all! Now, do you have anything useful to say or not?”

The statue looks a little sheepish. “A dutiful son and brother is seldom fond of thwarting those over him.”

The Hero looks at you to decode.

“Perhaps your brother is not committed to the good cause as you are because he is just as jealous of your brawn as you are of his brains?”

The Confucius statue nods once.

“And because you’re so committed to promoting all things good, he decided to fight against you, spreading badness and darkness.”

“It makes sense,” says the Hero, “he always liked birds, evil little pecking ones.”

“And you said he works around here, but you weren’t quite sure what he does. Do you think he’s here right now?” You look around cautiously, suddenly feeling like the Hero’s evil little brother might be watching you from any direction.

The Hero sits down by the pool. “I have two options,” the Hero says at last. “I can face this head on and deal with my brother, or we can head back into the fray, fighting from the inside. It’s too tough a choice for me to make,” the Hero concedes, “I will leave it up to you, my Apprentice.”

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step,” offers Confucius handily.

You certainly hope your journey won’t be that long.

Do you:

One (Poetry Corner): Follow the sounds of seagulls and walk further East up the river path to the Poetry Corner, where the promenade ends in a row of poetic steps, a bank of green grass and a string of high-end restaurants. where the Hero knows his brother likes to have his lunch?

Or

Two (Immigrant Art): Walk back down the river, stopping at a likely Dark Legion attack point, the Immigrant Art at the top of the steps leading up to the Wheel of Brisbane?