Jai Long

Jai Long
General information
Path	Path of the Stellar Spear
Rank	Truegold
Faction	Jai Clan
First Appearance	Soulsmith - Cradle book 2
Origin	Black Flame Empire
Family
Siblings	Jai Chen

Child Star

Growing up in Serpent’s Grave, a large city in the Blackflame Empire, young Jai Long was the hope of his clan, a child with a bright future ahead in the sacred arts. His mastery of the clan’s Path of the Stellar Spear was impressive. He was only outmatched by the Patriarch himself, Jai Daishou.

Jai Long's affinity with the Path of the Stellar Spear was second only to the Patriarch's. At twelve years old, he sparred with disciples five years his senior. By thirteen, he had reached the peak of Jade, and could have broken through to Lowgold if not for the decree of the clan's elders. (Soulsmith ch 6)

Youthful Exile

However, he was attacked at age 14, along with his little sister Jai Chen, only six years old. Both of the Jai siblings were injured badly. Because of his own sudden facial deformation, incurred during the same attack that injured his little sister, he was exiled to the Desolate Wilds, despite his promise and ability. Still a child, little Jai Chen went “out west” with her big brother, because he wanted to care for her and seek treatment for her.

Desolate Wilds

In the Desolate Wilds, young Jai Long found a friend and a home in Sandviper Gokren, the chief of the Sandviper sect in the Desolate Wilds, and his son, Kral. For roughly eight years, the Jai siblings lived among the Sandvipers in the Wilds — a desert, with twisted black trees and numerous dreadbeasts. When opportunity arose, Jai Long and the Sandvipers sought the powerful Ancestor’s Spear in the ancient Labyrinth — the Transcendent Ruins. He was determined to care for his sister and to wreak vengeance on his unfaithful clan, especially on the Patriarch, Underlord Jai Daishou.

Age

Jai Long was 14 when he was attacked and then exiled because his face was disfigured. He is eight years older than his sister Jai Chen. By the time of book 2, Soulsmith, he might be about 22-23. By book 10, Reaper, he would probably be about 28ish.
"Jai Long had met the man before; he was early in his second decade and had already reached Highgold, which made him a peer with Kral and Jai Long." (Soulsmith)
Jai Long stopped his friend with a hand. “What is your name, elder brother?” 'Elder' brother might have been a bit much, in Eithan's opinion. Surely he didn't look much older than Jai Long himself did. But it was an expression of respect around here, so he smiled. “They call me Eithan.” (Soulsmith)

Appearance

Jai Long is slim and wiry. "He was roughly as tall as Lindon, but thinner, so that his build matched that of his spear" (Soulsmith)
Disfigured face: Jai Long has his head wrapped in scripted red cloth because his face is scarred to resemble a snake, as the result of a gold sign given to him by a remnant from a twisted version of the Path of the Stellar Spear. The gold sign is a hideous face. Jai Long does not like to think about it or deal with people’s horrified reactions so he covers it with red bandages.

Manic laughter: "His voice hadn’t changed, but his laugh. . .It rang out of him, wild and crazy, like the cackling of a deranged murderer. His usual voice was cool and composed, but when he laughed, he sounded like a blood-drunk killer. (Soulsmith)

He covers his face with scripted red cloths.

" He resisted lifting a hand to feel the strips of cloth wrapped around his head. The cloth was red, wrapped so tightly around him that not a hair or scrap of skin was visible from the neck up. Only his eyes peeked out of the middle, and if he could have covered those up without losing his vision, he would have. " ― Soulsmith (Cradle Book 2), Location 1048

Personality

Jai Long is hardworking, thoughtful, careful, determined, protective, and loyal. He can also be driven and vengeful, yet also grateful, forgiving, and merciful. Because his Jai family proved utterly faithless and fickle, he is slow to trust and quite cynical. He is learning to forgive and trust Lindon.

Path & Injury

In his youth, Jai Long’s affinity with his clan’s Path of the Stellar Spear was second only to the old Patriarch, Jai Daishou. Recognizing his potential and seeing the need to raise up a second Underlord as an heir to the aging Patriarch, Jai clan elders stalled Jai Long’s advancement at Jade until a suitable Remnant from the Path of the Stellar Spear became available. Ideally, a Jai clan elder would die and Jai Long would draw the sacred artist’s Remnant into his core, processing the power and advancing to Lowgold.

However, after an attack on Jai Long by a group of rebels practicing a warped version of the Path of the Stellar Spear, Jai Long was forced to capture and process the twisted Remnant of a defeated rebel Lowgold to protect his sister, Jai Chen. Jai Long easily broke through to Lowgold aided by the power of the processed Remnant, but had deviated from the Path of the Stellar Spear in doing so. Jai Long was marked with a Goldsign that twisted and scarred his face and the unusual ability to imbue Forged madra with temporary life, specializing in Forged snakes.

"Imbuing Forged madra with temporary life is an advanced technique, far beyond Jai Long. He can only produce this result because he absorbed a Remnant from a Path we’ll call.. .unnatural. Jai clan elders were horrified by Jai Long’s monstrous transformation; the next clan Patriarch could not have deviated from the Path of the Stellar Spear, and his face could not be hideous. A fallen star, Jai Long and his sister were quietly shipped away to the Desolate Wilds to support one of the Jai clan’s oldest allies, the Sandviper sect, where they could benefit the clan without bringing further shame. " ― Eithan Arelius, Blackflame Cradle Book 3, Location 1791

His Unique Path

Therefore, Jai Long’s current Path is a unique variation of the clan’s mainstream Path of the Stellar Spear. It is unfolding as he advances. In book 10, he advances to Underlord. See Path of the Stellar Spear, and see Path of the Stellar Spear (Jai Long) and see Path of the Stellar Spear 2.0. (Much repetition across these pages). Also see the original Path of the Broken Star.

Duel with Lindon

In the Desolate Wilds, Jai Long swore to duel Lindon for killing his friend, Sandviper Kral. A year later, Long is a Truegold in Serpent’s Grave. Jai Long and Truegold Sandviper Gokren, Kral’s father, first confront Lindon in the Serpent’s Grave training grounds. During this battle, Lindon and Orthos kill Gokren, while Yerin duels Jai Long, and meanwhile, simultaneously, Lindon advances to Lowgold. (see Blackflame).
Later, in the official duel refereed by Naru Gwei, Jai Long overwhelms Lindon. However, in gratitude for healing his sister Jai Chen, Long attempts to call the duel finished when Lindon is down. However, his Patriarch Jai Daishou forces him to continue, so he cuts off Lindon’s arm at the elbow. (Skysworn)

Retreat West

After the duel, the Emperor censures the entire Jai clan, because Patriarch Jai Daishou opened the western Labyrinth — which can attract Dreadgods and is off-limits. He also illegally retrieved and employed the Archstone, a restricted ancient weapon. Jai Long and his sister head west, towards the Desolate Wilds and beyond to Sacred Valley. Eventually, they meet Lindon’s sister, Wei Shi Kelsa, and Orthos

Advancing to Underlord

In book 10 Reaper, Jai Long accepts some advice and sacred treasures from Lindon. Some months later, with battle raging all around his camp, he accidentally comes upon his own personal Underlord Revelation, and soulfire renews him. He emerges from the transformation. . .unknown. . .to be determined.