You stop in your tracks. Turning back paralyzed by the booming voice, you see no one. Now more afraid than ever, you hear the powerful voice once again. "I'm down here! You shriveled piece of bacon!"

You look down and see a three foot monk with his arms crossed impatiently. "What do you want?" Amazingly enough, the massive voice is coming from the tiny man.

Not knowing whether to cringe in terror or laugh out with relief, you make a disgusting sort of snort. The small monk seems to be used to this answer and rolls his eyes. He roughly pushes you to a stone bench beside the wall and stands impatiently tapping his foot. Gaining control of yourself, you stutter out that you have come to see the Empress, Tian Tang. The eyes roll again.

"Look you little french fry! The Empress doesn't see visitors! Didn't you read the sign?" You look back and see a huge sign hanging on the wall. It reads "The Empress doesn't see visitors!" The munchkin monk nods his head. "That's right. Can't see her. Father's orders."

He motions towards the huge doors. Almost pushing you out, he smacks his forehead. "Oh yeah," he says, speaking as if he is quoting from a manual, " You can leave a message with me. I will see that the Empress gets it." The doors clang shut behind you.