《Trailblazers & Lunatics [Slice of life-Dramedy-Cultivation-Litrpg]》


 0-A Strange Dream

    0-A Strange Dream


    "Uhhh, my head...What the f..."


    These were the first words Ben managed to groan out upon regaining consciousness. He tried to sit up, but a shooting pain radiated throughout his head. A muscle spasm made him slip back down, provoking another wave of resounding pain. After a few very uncomfortable seconds, the pain died down enough for him to start thinking more coherently again. This time, he decided it would be wiser to remain still in his bed and take things slowly. His decision was immediately tested as a seemingly foreign decor revealed itself to his partially opened eyes.


    Damn, this doesn''t look like my dorm room or Meg''s couch...How much did they make me drink last night?


    Ben closed his eyes again and tried to chase the fog out of his mind, retracing his steps one by one.


    Ok, so first I got my suit on, headed down to the dorm hall, got into the party, and met up with Meg near the entrance. Check. Then I spotted Emi near the self-serve bar, sneakily enhancing her drink with whatever she''d filled her trusty purse flask with. I remember refusing her offer to spike my drink, so they must have gotten me later...Professor Anders then showed me off like a prized pony for some kind of competition the faculty were having on the side...


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    In Ben''s memories, the atmosphere had been rather pleasant and he''d had a few interesting conversations. His cousin Megan had made him promise to finish up the designs for her custom mountain board and he''d accepted one drink from his friend Emi, but nothing strong enough to put him in his current state. The evening had progressed without any major incident, as one would have expected for an end-of-semester gathering where one had to be invited by a professor to attend.


    and then...


    The next thought caused a searing pain in his forehead, akin to a hot iron spike piercing through between the lobes of his brain, making what he felt earlier seem like naught but an itch. A wall broke down and his mind collided with what had been on the other side. Like the door of a teenager''s closet bursting open, a mental deluge of images and sounds crashed into his brain. Ben let out a loud guttural scream as he did his best to hold on, but the clash was too strong and he could feel his mind losing cohesion. His thoughts slowed and started to jumble as they became weighed down by the foreign debris. He could feel himself losing the battle but a brief glimpse of a scene finally popped into his mind before it shut itself down in self-preservation.


    ...I was born?


    A door burst open, revealing a dimly-lit silhouette in the doorframe.


    "Doro!? What''s wrong?"


    The owner of the panicked voice rushed towards him, but by the time they made it to his bedside, Ben was already completely out for the count.

 1-This towns a different town today

    1-This town''s a different town today


    2/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut - Mid-morning


    (Second-Day of the First-Decan of the Fifth-month of the four thousand three hundred and fifty-third year of the Modern Akashic Calendar)


    Doro was lying in bed as the morning sun filtered through his bedroom window. The young boy had gone to bed as Doro Gal Khetepsa, but that had somewhat changed overnight. Children his age did tend to change quickly, lose teeth, and grow hair where there had been none before, but whatever had happened to Doro was more profound and life-altering than even puberty could be.


    Doro stirred awake but stayed silent underneath his covers with his eyes still shut, slowly leaving the most vivid dream he''d ever had.


    Is something wrong with me? Why do I still remember every detail? You are meant to forget dreams quickly after waking up right?


    The sound of rustling fabric and a quiet sniff brought his thoughts to a stop instantly. He tentatively opened his eyes and saw a young, brick-skinned woman sleeping. Her upper body was hunched over the foot end of his bed as she knelt on the floor.


    Why is Mom sleeping here?


    As those thoughts crossed his mind, the image of another woman appeared unbidden. A Dark-skinned lanky woman with a pained expression on her face. The image started becoming somewhat clearer as aftershocks of his headache reverberated throughout his head. His expression shifted into a look of sudden realization as the events of the night caught up to him.


    This is strange. During my fever, I thought I was this Ben guy from a place called Earth. You''re not supposed to remember fever dreams right? at least not this clearly...Also...why am I reasonably trying to figure this out and not freaking out? I''m an eight-year-old kid... and I am fairly sure someone that age should be unsettled and crying after having had a nightmare.


    What gives?


    Wait a minute, if I''m an eight-year-old kid, why the hell do I feel as if I have outgrown that perspective? Why do I feel dismissive of the mental stability of someone my age as if it didn''t apply to me? Am I actually Ben and Doro is the illusion? Am I dreaming right now?


    Doro looked at his mother, the room around him, and finally at his hands.


    Nope. That is definitely my mother, Suyum. This is our home on the outskirts of Niwut. These are the hands of a child. Maybe I am going crazy from the fever after all.


    Suyum shifted , put a hand behind her back, and let out a small groan as she stretched and opened her eyes. As they settled on Doro, she approached him and put her forehead against his.


    "Good the fever is down. How are you feelin''?"


    Silence followed for a few seconds before Doro replied with a small voice


    "I am fine.....mom....thanks"


    That appeared to have been enough to reassure her as Suyum proceeded to leave the room after giving him a light peck on the forehead.


    Ok, Ben can''t have been a dream. Why can''t Ben have been a dream? I''ve been thinking in friggin English instead of Imperial common! I shouldn''t even know what English is, since I''m fairly sure you can''t just invent a whole language based on an entirely imagined culture in your sleep. Or at the very least not in a single night''s worth.


    Doro stayed in bed for the next few hours, trying to come to grips with his situation. How could he be both Ben and Doro? He was growing more secure in the idea that Ben was real because there was no way that yesterday''s Doro had the imagination to come up with the amount of information that he was slowly recollecting. Although he''d at first thought it might have simply been a strange dream, the details he remembered were both too vivid and too plentiful for that to seem plausible. He sat there going through his newly acquired memories, trying to make sense of it all.


    Alright, not much I can do about it for now. Guess I''ll have to test out some of this knowledge to confirm it. If I don''t want to go crazy I need to think differently. I am now neither Ben nor Doro, but an amalgam of both. I feel emotions for both of their families, have the knowledge that each had, and feel curious about the same things as they did. I am, however, In Doro''s body and surrounded by the world Doro knew. I guess I''ll just think of myself as Doro 2.0 and try to fit in somewhat...Worst case, if I end up being wrong, I''ll just blame it on a childlike flight of fancy- And here I go again thinking about children as if they were a group I don''t belong to...


    What were once two separate identities were slowly transitioning into one and the hours went by as Doro felt like he was close to getting a grasp of the situation when-


    GRWGLGL


    Doro hopped off his bed and made for the door with all the speed he could muster whilst keeping his knees tightly locked together. He awkwardly waddled through the corridor and into the bathroom. The sounds of an epic and gruesome battle could be heard from outside, and as the battle went on, the scent of death permeated the land of porcelain. After leaving the battlefield, victorious but ashamed at the shitshow the battle had been, Doro made his way towards the kitchen to resupply his armies. As Doro reached the kitchen, a small draft unluckily picked up the aftermath of his struggle and followed him in.


    Suyum, in the middle of preparing lunch, turned toward Doro with a smile as she noticed him walk in, but then her nose wrinkled and her smile took on a forced quality.


    "Thank the Thermaens for comin'' up with indoor plumbin''."


    Suyum failed to repress a giggle as she poked fun at her son. She then motioned towards the table where a lukewarm bowl of salted boiled grains and leek awaited him.


    "Your royal repast is served my Lord, may it fortify you and help you defeat the ills you are battlin''."


    She then gave Doro a full-blown smile followed by a hearty laugh as he sat still, waiting for the torment to be over. As If Suyum''s laugh had been a lunch bell, a short, extremely dark-skinned man with cropped silver hair walked into the room with an expectant look on his face. He then glanced at Doro slowly eating his boiled grains and the expectant look on his face seemed to turn into one of resignation.


    "Boiled grains and leek? It smells....appetizing, this will definitely stick with me and give me the energy I need this afternoon, thanks Suyum!"


    Doro started wincing. His father''s acting skills left a lot to be desired.


    "Don''t be daft Khetep, Doro was sick last night so I cooked up somethin'' easy to digest for him. Made somethin'' with a lil'' more kick for us."


    Suyum then proceeded to bring out two clay bowls, filled with a thick spicy goat meat stew, and a stack of circular unleavened bread. She then picked up a little clay pot which she put next to her dish before joining them at the table.


    "Have at it, it might be a bit hot. I used some Ashraman curry leaf and other spices to add a kick to the stew"


    Doro looked at the stew with envy but the rich smell of the spices and the gamey nature of the goat meat was nearly enough to make his stomach revolt. He did not want his earlier battle to devolve into an all-out war, and so wisely stuck to his own fare. Beads of sweat materialized on Khetep''s brow in response to the spice. He put down his dipping bread and started making conversation as he reached for the water pitcher.


    "Why are you so quiet? Still unwell?"


    Doro looked at his father and answered after a couple of seconds.


    "Nah Dad, I''m better now."


    A moment of silence passed as Khetep waited for Doro to elaborate. Doro wasn''t quite sure what to add, but as he was about to try to come up with something, his mother spoke up.


    "He''s probably just bein'' nervous ''bout tomorrow. I was so nervous the decan before my first Choice that I could barely sleep. In the end, I was so tired that after choosin'', I barely had the energy to do anythin'' and went straight to bed after gettin'' home. Didn''t get to try out my skills until I woke up the next mornin''."


    Right...days are grouped in ten-day decans instead of seven-day weeks here. At least the year is still twelve months long, each just divided into three decans instead of four weeks. Makes the conversion simple.


    With the events of the previous night, Doro had all but forgotten that tomorrow was his Choice Day and he couldn''t help but feel excited at the prospect.


    "Yeah, my first Choice, that''s probably it. I wonder what options I''ll get. It would be awesome if I get something to do with crafting."


    Even after the whole ordeal, Doro knew crafting was still the route he wanted to take. His old self enjoyed working with his mother''s ceramics and found the things people made from his father''s materials wondrous. Ben''s aspirations had been closer to Khetep''s. He was a student of materials science and engineering. Finding new materials to improve machines and other contraptions had been his passion. He had dabbled in actually building things to test out his ideas, and all the crazy prototype demands his cousin had badgered him to build over the years had gotten him some experience and appreciation for the field of manufacturing.


    And it''s not like the two are mutually exclusive. Maybe I can find something that will let me do both. Like an artistic engineer? Ok, that just sounds like one of those wonky architects...


    Doro started to question his identity again after noticing how verbose his train of thought had just been, filled with concepts still foreign to him the previous day.


    That won''t do, I decided I was both, and that''s how it has to be.


    As a look of resolve settled on Doro''s face, his father, who seemed to have misunderstood, spoke up again.


    "Ah, have you made up your mind already? Not waiting to see your options?"


    Doro thought over his answer for a second before responding.


    "Nah, not really. I just decided that it didn''t really matter what options I end up getting. What''s important is that I make the most of whatever choice I take, my actions will define who I become, not my Choice."


    I mean, Choices seem awesome and magical, but at worst, I always have good old science to rely on.


    Both Suyum and Khetep reacted by looking straight at their son. The silence continued as the pair wore expressions of mild shock on their faces. After an awkwardly long amount of time had passed, Suyum looked back towards Khetep.


    "Honey, I never realized how amazin'' we were at parentin''! Can you imagine either of us sayin'' somethin'' that made this much sense at his age?"


    Here we go again...


    Doro knew how this was going to progress, he''d seen it often enough. As he feared, his parents started openly flirting in front of him. They were so drawn into it that he may as well have already left the room. He loved his parents and was pleased that they got along, but he wondered if they really had to act like newlyweds when they had been married for close to ten years. As he went over such thoughts, his father stood up and headed back towards his workshop as his mother started clearing the table.


    "Help me clear this out and then go out to breathe some fresh air. Might help settle you."


    Doro nodded and began helping out. Doro found the relatively monotonous task to be a welcome distraction from the chaotic jumble of thoughts going through his mind. As time went by, and the task neared its end, Doro looked up at his mother.


    "After I take a walk, can I ask you for a bit of help? there is something I would like to try making."


    Suyum looked back at her son with a pensive expression before answering.


    "You know what? I should be able to get most of the work I was plannin'' to get done by the end of the afternoon. If you come find me around sunset, we can work on your thing until dinner since it''s your dad''s turn to cook tonight."


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    Having cleared the table, Doro went back to his room to change. He opened his closet to find a couple of loose belted tunics and a small pile of loose cloth pants. Doro chuckled a bit at the sight of the pants. Until yesterday they had seemed completely normal to him, but as he put them on today, he couldn''t help but feel like he was getting into an Aladdin costume. Doro scanned his room slowly and noticed that many things he had considered usual until recently now appeared somewhat exotic to him. Many things he had taken for granted and not questioned now started to seem more interesting and deserving of scrutiny. Doro had never really wondered why his clothing was designed the way it was or cared more about the fabric than how it felt on his skin. Now, he saw the flared sleeve of his tunic and noticed three little hoops of cloth sawn on the inside, from the cuff to the shoulder. Doro knew those were added so that the sleeve could be rolled back and tied, to not get in the way of manual labor, but only now did he understand why the sleeve got gradually wider as it reached its cuff. If not for that bit of design, when rolled up the sleeves would get tighter the further you rolled them up. He could now see this was needed because the cloth used here was rather coarse and had very little elasticity.


    I could get used to this! Everything I remember seems more wondrous now, almost like I''m really seeing things for the first time.


    Doro was not wrong, all the new knowledge and perspective he acquired from his memories as Ben allowed him to understand and think about things more deeply. Doro hadn''t been stupid, his father wouldn''t have let his only son grow up to be a dunce, but he hadn''t been far above average in that department. He had always been rather quick to understand things that were explained to him, but his nimble fingers and his coordination had always been his strongest points. Unlike his father, he didn''t really have the spark of curiosity that causes the scientifically inclined to question things and search for ways to improve them. Like his mother, however, he had creativity and enjoyed playing around with ideas and experimenting. The sheer spectrum of his creativity had gotten him banned from cooking after the first time his parents had tasked him with making lunch. Ben had had that spark though, and it made Doro feel as if a mist was lifted. For the first time, he could truly see the world. The other reason for that change in perspective was the knowledge he had acquired. All the knowledge of a 22-year-old, modern American university student, who had focused on academic achievement most of his life, was nothing to scoff at and would be enough to change the way of thinking of any 8-year-old, even if an entire person''s worth of emotions and memories hadn''t come along with it.


    This walk might actually be really cool, I wonder what other kinds of stuff that I never really noticed before will pop out.


    Doro headed out of his home and onto the street. His family lived in Niwut, the capital city of the Duchy of Manzat in the Akashic Empire. He didn''t know much about the geography of the Empire, aside from the fact that its capital was situated in the Plateau of Origin at the center of the continent and that the great river of Manzat found its source there. From there, the Great River flowed southwards, splitting the desert in two and creating the flood plains, and into the Inland Sea at the foot of the Sutai mountain range. You could find Niwut on the western shore of the inland sea at the mouth of the Great River. Densely built and metropolitan, it had grown for over three millennia and absorbed the towns that had sat between it and the western desert to become the Empire''s second Great City.


    Doro''s family wasn''t poor, but it wasn''t quite rich enough to live in the bustling central district. They lived in the industrial district, a section of the city between the central district and the less affluent agricultural district, where many small workshops, refineries, and smithies made loud noises and had extremely hot fires burning all day. It wasn''t a particularly nice place to live, hotter than any other part of the city, often smokey, and it was filled with sweaty people going about doing physically demanding work. However, if one would care to look deeper into it, one would find out that although the environment was inhospitable, its people were quite the opposite. Unlike in the competitive central district where great families and companies fought tooth and nail for control over the market and guarded their secrets like dragons guarding their hoards, the people of the industrial district treated each other like extended family. They banded together to survive in the harsher times and cheered when one of theirs made it big and moved on to greater things. It wasn''t devoid of self-interest, of course, as who would a newly successful artisan hire if not for the capable people who supported them through their lows and celebrated their highs, but it was more than just that. The people of the industrial district tended to be dreamers who shared a passion for their respective crafts, from old smiths still trying to come up with something new to put their name down in the books instead of retiring to the agricultural district and smaller towns, to younger artisans opening their first workshops and trying to make a name for themselves, as well as all the stages in between.


    Those that were content with their skills and just wanted to work for pay didn''t last long there, they found better living conditions and better pay in smaller cities and towns in the Empire. Those who stayed were those who saw the value in the community. The value of having rivals and friends, helping and inspiring each other, ready to talk out any crazy idea one might have and see if it was realizable. As one could expect, this willingness to experiment and take risks also resulted in many explosions, accidents, and other types of misadventures, leading to the district''s nickname, "Boomtown", and fueling stereotypes about the people of Manzat throughout the empire.


    The part of Doro that used to be Ben could not help but stare at each new thing entering his field of vision as he walked down the narrow street. Grey cloth hung high above his head, forming a canopy over the street and letting rays of light through some small tears and patches where the weave was coming loose. At first, he thought they were only there to provide shade, but then he noticed their color and realized they were also there to stop soot and ash from drifting down onto the streets from all the active chimneys that sprouted from the workshop rooves.


    Doro studied the people working in some of the open workshops and smithies, as well as passersby on their business. The majority of them looked somewhat like his father, and himself now that he thought about it, in that their skin was extremely dark, to the point that only under direct light could one see they were a very dark shade of brown instead of charcoal black. Their hair ranged between silvery-white and ashen gray and they had sharp and well-defined features, to the point where he thought he could have used some of the chins and noses he saw as pickaxes. Although they made up a bit over half of the people he saw, many other different types of people were present with varying shades of skin tones and hair color. Doro even started spotting quite a few people who stretched, or outright contradicted, Ben''s definition of human, as befitting one of the Great Cities of the Empire.


    Doro only now noted that in his memories as Ben, all other people had been Human. He had noticed earlier that in his newly reacquired memories, there were no concepts of things like the Choices and Abilities outside of fiction. Not only that but in his old world, there had not been any Akashic energy, or at least they hadn''t found the means of harnessing it. On the upside, they hadn''t needed to deal with Maya, the corruption it could cause, and the monsters it could create. If he didn''t have his memories as Doro, he would probably be jumping for joy at magic being real and spending hours staring at one of the older smiths hammering at the white-hot metal on his anvil, bare-handed, and pinching out the ends with his fingers, but the more mundane and practical aspects of Energy had always been part of Doro''s everyday life. The prospect of using it himself soon was enough to make him rather giddy though.


    Doro continued his walk through the industrial district and the more he saw and thought about, the less he found himself worrying about his situation. The two perspectives were slowly fusing and his memories were getting intertwined. Without really noticing when it exactly happened, he shifted to referring to both identities as "me", and Ben''s life as "my old life" by the time the sun began to move closer to the horizon.


    Feeling more relaxed, Doro visually loosened up, as if a weight had been removed from his shoulders. Even with Ben''s adult perspective and emotional stability, the merge had come as a shock, not only physically but also psychologically. It had increased his stress levels, scaring him and putting him in a state similar to fight or flight, but with the afternoon progressing, and seeing nothing horrible was happening, Doro finally felt some sense that things were going to be alright.


    Doro skipped home whilst whistling a tune that had never been heard in this world before, not that anyone would notice considering that if there were any people who believed they knew every song ever played, they definitely wouldn''t just be casually strolling around the streets of the industrial district.


    Tell everybody I''m on my way....something something to see, with something something yes I''m on my way, and there''s nowhere else I''d rather be!


    Doro came to an immediate standstill mid-skip and nearly toppled over forward.


    Crap! I don''t remember the lyrics. I can''t ever listen to it again or look up the lyrics. This is the most complete version of this earworm I''ll probably manage to remember.


    Doro''s expression morphed into an annoyed frown as he realized how irksome this, and similar occurrences down the line, were going to be. He surmised that he could at least try to record important things before he forgot details over time.


    Damn, I remember getting annoyed when I couldn''t look up stuff because I had no internet on holiday, and that was knowing that at worst I could search something up when I got back home. I don''t think this world has Google or Wikipedia...........oh libraries and encyclopedias are probably a thing, although I haven''t seen any before. My parents have books and I''ve seen bookstores, all is not lost.


    Doro took two steps before his newly returned smile turned back into a frown.


    Dammit! That only solves the issue for stuff from this world.....so, if I want books containing knowledge from my old world, I''d have to write them myself. I don''t want to become an effin'' scribe, spending all day alone in a dark room, writing until my hands cramp up for something I might be the only one to ever read. Who''d enjoy that kind of life? Guess I''ll have to limit it to important things like alloy make-ups, formulae, and other things that could come in handy, and I guess maybe a few of my favorite songs just to make sure.


    "Hey yer'' Khetep''s kid, right? Dodo? What''s got ya all thoughtful like? Ye''ve been standing there with yer face shifting like them dunes fer the last two minutes lad"


    Doro looked around to see where the voice came from, only to find a blood-red-skinned mountain of a man towering more than twice his height, even though Doro was on the taller side of the average for his age. Doro immediately recognized the man, it was easy since he had only ever spoken to one Thermal before. Due to their constitution, they needed to consume a lot more food in hotter environments, and therefore, the few who were rich enough to afford the ridiculous amount of food they needed on a daily basis in this kind of environment tended to live in the central district.


    "Greetings Captain Aonghus, have your journeys been pleasant? If you are here in this part of the industrial district, would I be wrong to assume that you are on your way to my family''s workshop? If so, it would be remiss of me, Doro, were I not to extend our thanks for your continuous patronage, on behalf of my family, and accompany you to our home forthwith."


    Doro greeted the airship captain, trying to be as polite as possible towards his father''s biggest customer, in both senses of the word, but forgot to take into account his newly improved linguistic faculties as he overshot by a mile. He wasn''t speaking English but Imperial Common, and Doro had known all those words before, but didn''t have much knowledge of etiquette, and hadn''t known how to weave words into more than simple sentences. However, his previous life''s high school English classes had been enough to allow him to express his thoughts in a much more complex manner than would be expected for a child of his current age, in either world.


    "Ye stop that right now ye hear me? It''s making me spine shiver! Yer making me feel as if I''m speaking to yer old man and he''s shrunken from his already wee size. Didnae I speak to ye but six months past? Did yer dah feed ye a lexicon while I was away? Dispense with the formality, I''ve known ye since ye were but a twinkle in his eye."


    Doro wasn''t quite sure how to respond but tried adjusting his speech to sound closer to what he had in the past.


    "My bad captain. Please don''t call my dad small in front of him, he might cry when no one is looking. Also, if you''ve known me this long, why''d you get my name wrong?"


    Doro responded, adding a bit of cheekiness to his reply, hoping it might mitigate the damage. Aonghus looked back at him and guffawed.


    "He''d cry twice as hard if I told him ye said that lad. Sorry about yer name, but dinnae take it personally. The other day when I got back I realized I had forgotten it was my bastard''s birthday. I quickly returned to me ship to see if any of my trade goods would do and picked up a small Ashraman tambourine. When I got to him. I gave him the gift and said I was sorry I was a day late but that I had just arrived. I kneeled and opened me arms, thinking I''d get meself a hug. In return, he slugged me in the nethers and walked off. Been giving me the cold shoulder since, which must''ve been hard as he''s a thermal like his dah, and we tend to run hot around these parts. I think he is around yer age, he turned 9 sometime last month methinks. Ye see, turns out that I not only got the date wrong by a decan, early, but I''d forgotten I''d already given him the same gift two years ago after a similar blunder."


    Doro answered without thinking it through first, getting caught up in the banterous mood.


    "I''m on your son''s side on this one. You really gave him the old one-two, like throwing salt in the wound after stabbing someone. That''s one you might want to ask his mom about before acting next time, before he finds out and decides he needs another go at your dangly bits."


    Aonghus''s expression shifted to what could only be described as poorly faked shock.


    "Ay lad, at first ye impress me by sounding all smart like yer dah, then ye act witty fer a bit, and now ye speak of me dangly bits? It''s like one of these stories where a well-to-do lad falls on hard times and takes to the sea. Except in those stories, the changes happen over decans, nae over one conversation! Is this the effect I''m having on ye? Maybe I ought to spend less time around children lest I make their parents mad."


    Doro decided that he was enjoying the banter and decided to throw Aonghus a bone.


    "Don''t worry Captain, it''s not your fault. All the damage you could do has mostly already been done by my mom. Remember she is originally from Gallia and wears the last name of Gal. Due to their favorite swear, dangly bits might have been my first words."


    "Too true lad, yer mah does have a mouth on her, that she does, and nae much filter between it and her mind."


    "Ah, does she now?"


    A woman''s voice came from just ahead of them, and as the laws of the universe dictated, that woman just happened to be Suyum.


    "I finished my work early because my cute son asked me to, and set out to find him so we could start on his project, only to find him, and my dear husband''s patron, agreeing on my lack of decorum, within earshot of my neighbors? You know what I''ve got to say to that?"


    Aonghus suddenly looked very nervous, looking as if he was about to face an army or a mighty beasts, not an unarmed woman over two feet shorter than he was. He had seen how fiery Suyum could get when she got angry, drunk, or heavens forbid, both. Doro, however, knew his mother quite well and had an inkling as to what was going to happen. As if to confirm that her son did indeed know her well, Suyum took a deep breath and shouted at the top of her lungs.


    "BIG HAIRY JIGGLY BOLLOCKS!"


    Aonghus turned beet red, or he would have were it not already his base skin tone in this weather. His expression betrayed how embarrassed he was getting over someone else being even louder and cruder than he''d feel comfortable acting on the streets, which was a decently high bar to surpass. Suyum, on the other hand, stood there with her hands on her hips and a wide smile on her face, in a full-on power pose.


    "Mom, maybe don''t embarrass one of Dad''s biggest and oldest clients in the middle of the street, he might not dare come back next time, and where will that leave Dad?"


    Suyum''s power pose crumbled and her smile turned into a guilty grin.


    "My bad Captain, I might have gone a bit too far with this one. How about you stay over for dinner as an apology, and you can talk business over the meal and relax?"


    "Ye know, why nae? But are ye sure it''s nae too much work? It takes a small mountain of food to feed one of my kind in this climate."


    Aonghus replied, tentatively accepting the invitation, but Doro answered before his mother could.


    "Don''t worry about my mom captain, she knows it''s my dad''s turn to cook tonight, and that''s probably why she invited you so easily. She plans on dumping any extra hassle onto him."


    Rather than being offended, Suyum looked pleased by her son''s answer.


    "Ah see, I''m proud of you my son, you might have inherited your good father''s looks, but if you can understand my schemes this well, then you got my smarts!"


    At this point, Aonghus seemed close to leaving and trying his luck another day, but before a chance to make his exit could present itself, the trio arrived in front of the workshop in time to spot Khetep closing down the shop front.


    "If that isn''t three of my favorite people I see coming! Greetings Captain Aonghus, have your journeys been pleasant? Let me once again thank you for your continuous patronage."


    Aonghus and Doro both stiffened and held back a laugh as Khetep greeted the captain with nearly the same sentence his son had used earlier. Well, at least Doro held it back, as Aonghus let out a chuckle causing a look of mild confusion to appear on Khetep''s face. Deciding to let it go, Khetep continued.


    "How about you stay over for dinner tonight? We can talk business over the meal and relax?"


    The duo couldn''t hold it in anymore and they both burst out laughing as a confused Khetep tried to calm them down. The puzzled look on Khetep''s face as he attempted to understand what was going on, and tried to calm them down, had the opposite effect causing their laughter to redouble. After taking a few moments before managing to stop, the two stood there panting a little, but finally quiet again. Aonghus then decided to let his friend out of his misery.


    "Dinnae worry old friend, we are nae laughing at yer expense, just amusing coincidences but matters nae. I will gladly accept yer invitation if ye''ll allow me to return the favor when I return from me next trip."


    Mollified, Khetep gestured toward the door and ushered them inside. In the end, Suyum helped Khetep out with the dinner preparations. Considering Aonghus ate as much as the three of them combined, and then a bit more, her help was not unwarranted. Doro sat quietly at the table as his father and Aonghus settled the delivery for his last order before talking over the purchase for his next journey.


    Aonghus was originally from Thermae, in the far northwest of the continent, and he constantly traveled between there and Niwut by way of the Duchy of Ashrama. He only stayed a decan or so at each of the three capitals to sell his cargo, recuperate, restock, and depart again. He had started with one small airship a bit over 9 years ago, and in that time had grown his fleet to eight small and one large airship. Khetep had been instrumental to the success of his first trip, and thus, even now that Aonghus mostly dealt with big companies and noble houses, he still came in person to place an order with Khetep every four months or so. As the evening progressed, Aonghus started saying his farewells and prepared to leave, but signaled Doro to come close first.


    "Hey lad, your dah told me yer first Choice was tomorrow. Here''s a little present, use it to celebrate, cause some mischief, or experiment with whatever Abilities ye end up with, nae need to tell yer parents."


    He whispered into Doro''s ear and winked conspiratorially, slipping a heavy metallic coin into his hand.


    "Dinnae go spending it all at once, or do as long as it''s nae on something daft, or save it fer later, but I give yer Dah enough of me coin already, so do spend it on yerself or yer friends ye hear me? Next time I come, ye can keep me entertained by telling me what ye did with it."


    Doro looked into his hand and gasped before closing it tightly, deftly slipping it into his pocket. Aonghus had given him an imperial gold mark, more money than Doro had ever held before, excluding the credit cards he''d had in his previous life. It was no small sum. Although it wouldn''t stretch far in some of the establishments of the central district, it could pay for half a month at an average inn, meals included, or it could pay for a serviceable weapon, shield, or light armor. Doro knew his parents would try and get him things he wanted if their budget permitted, and maybe he could convince them to spend a gold mark on a big occasion like his first Choice, but they would have to approve of its use. This, however, he had freedom with. He could even go and buy a barrel of beer with it, not that he would.


    "Thanks a lot, Captain, I''ll try to do something interesting with it so I won''t bore you with a story of how I got myself sick by spending it all on candy or something."


    "Ye say that as if it would be boring. Nah, I would laugh and tease you until the lesson sank in, and that would have been a lesson learned, maybe one worth a golden mark."


    Aonghus replied with a wise look he hadn''t shown Doro before.


    "Alas, I must depart fer I am leaving fer Ashrama soon and I want to enjoy the bed of me goddess of fortune while I still can."


    With these parting words, Aonghus''s figure faded into the night, seeking the comfort of his warm bed and an even warmer woman, back in the central district.


    By the time Doro turned back, his parents had sneaked into their room, together, to do things Doro was actively trying not to think about. With the hour getting late, Doro headed towards his room and into his bed, exhausted from all the thinking he had done that day, and from the accumulated stress of the previous tumultuous night. Tomorrow, he would get to make his first Choice, but by the time his head lay on his pillow, even those thoughts were not enough to keep him awake. Doro slowly drifted into a deep restful sleep, a content smile on his face.

 2-Otherworldly Lecture

    2-Otherworldly Lecture


    3/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut - Early morning


    Doro would normally wake up shortly after sunrise to have breakfast with his parents, clean up after them as they headed off to work, and then be free to roam about. He would usually go out to join up with some of the neighborhood kids and play around until he had to be home for lunch. After eating with his parents, he would do some arithmetic and writing exercises using chalk on a slate board for an hour or two. Then, he would join his mother in her workshop to help her with some menial tasks or play around with personal projects.


    As one of the Yerkan, his mother had an innate connection to clay and ceramics. Her name had started becoming famous around the industrial district over the years due to the delicate and elegant nature of her pieces, and due to the vibrant colors achieved using the glazes her husband produced. His father''s workshop was deemed too dangerous for a child due to it having the kilns used to fire the ceramics, a forge, and a large counter covered with vials of strange powders alongside heavy lumps of metals and minerals.


    To finish off the day, Doro would have dinner with his family and his father would test him and set some new exercises for the next day. Doro would then go to bed early, only to repeat the same general actions the next day. Today, however, was not a typical day. Today, Doro turned nine, and at noon, his life would change drastically.


    Doro opened his eyes and then immediately shut them again.


    Why is it so bright? did I oversleep!?


    He slowly opened his eyes partway and squinted toward the source of the light. He noticed his shutters were open and his door was slightly ajar. Doro heard the sound of footsteps approaching and sat up, got his feet onto the ground, and waited for his parents to come in.


    "Mornin'' Doro! The sun is up and you should follow its example."


    Suyum opened the door and walked into the room closely followed by Khetep.


    "I''m up Mom. Thanks for making sure I didn''t oversleep too much."


    Doro looked up at his parents and saw they both wore large smiles on their faces. His father held a wide and shallow polished wooden box in front of him as he began speaking.


    "Son, at noon you will officially turn nine and make your first Choice. I have tried to prepare you as best I could, and you have not let me down so far. When it comes to reading, writing, and arithmetic, you have met the standards I saddled you with. When it comes to academics, know that you are roughly equal to the children of the central district, only those rich enough to have full-time tutors or the naturally gifted might prove themselves significantly more adept. Your mother and I want you to head to the Imperial Complex with your head held high and know that whatever happens, we will accept you when you return. Your mother and I thought that you might feel out of place and nervous in the central district, surrounded by the well-dressed folk while wearing your usual clothing, and as you know business has been going well lately, so we have a gift for you to celebrate your birthday."


    Khetep Approached Doro''s bedside and put the box down.


    "With this, you will not only be their equal in education, but also in appearance. Your mother will help with your hair after you put it on. Go on, open it."


    Doro opened the box carefully and put the lid down to one side. The box held some deep black cloth embroidered with silvery thread that matched his hair color. He pulled out the contents to find two separate pieces of apparel. One was a Pair of black pants with silver decorative stitching along the seams. They were shaped similarly to his everyday pants, but with a narrower leg that didn''t flare out as widely. The second piece was a tunic with a slit on either side and straight cuffed sleeves. Unlike the pants, it was quite heavily embroidered with a motif loosely based on rivers and waterfalls, giving the impression the silver was liquid due to the light reflecting off the shiny thread. Doro held it in front of him and inspected it.


    This looks kind of like one of those long tunics characters wear in movies set in ancient china. Not exactly the same but similar enough. Feels super soft though, also hurray for straight sleeves that don''t get in the way! uh? Wait, isn''t this a bit too big for me?


    Doro looked up with a smile and thanked his parents


    "Thank you, it looks amazing! It feels super soft, what is it made of?"


    Suyum''s smile grew even wider as she answered.


    "Behold! This is high-quality silk from Baisheng, all the way to the north of the continent. Aonghus found some durin'' one of his trips to Ashrama a year ago and was kind enough to sell me enough for this outfit at cost when I told him what it would be for. Your father treated the string to give it its silvery shine, and then I worked on it a few mornings with old lady Natam, seamstress Ati''s retired mother. Her eyes might be getting worse but her hands sure didn''t lose their touch."


    Suyum admired the stitchwork that made up the motifs she had designed for her son as he set out the clothes. Doro changed into the outfit, and as he had expected, the tunic was too long and went past his knees, and although the sleeves were straight, they were quite wide.


    "I love it Mom, but I think you got some of the sizes a bit wrong."


    "Nah, I heard that''s how they wear it up in Baisheng, and as you grow its proportions will be more like the tunics we have around here, that''s also why the sleeves are wide. Look, the cuff can be unstitched to lengthen them. I asked Natam to make it this way so that we can easily resize it, and you can keep wearing it until you become an adult. That''s also why the sides are split and tied with string, so that when you grow you can keep wearing it with an undershirt."


    Doro looked himself over and decided that he enjoyed this outfit as is, even though it was designed for him to grow into. He felt like he should do a flying jump kick while making some kung fu movie noises, but didn''t want to rip his pants by accident before his big day and kept himself in check. He settled for putting his arms together in front of him with one hand shaped like a fist, cupped by his other hand, and gave a half bow as he had seen done in Chinese movies.


    "Father, Mother, I shall go to the central district and bring honor to our family, I will endeavor to reach the greatest heights so as not to shame you and the trust you have put in me!"


    Doro wore a serious look on his face that slowly broke into a grin seeing his parent''s apparent confusion at his change in demeanor.


    "So how was it? I thought that if I looked the part, then I should try seeing if I could act like it."


    Khetep looked rather proud at the display but Suyum replied with a concerned expression.


    "Yes Doro, you look like a well-dressed rich boy and you can sound like one of them, but promise me you are not gonna act like them. Not all are bad, but a lot of them are born with an easy life and don''t understand what it means to be privileged. They look down on those of lower standin'' than themselves because they don''t understand the hardships of others. They have their own set of worries that come with privilege and sometimes it makes them forget what the common people go through, and in the worst cases, they grow to feel like they are better than others just because of who they were born as. I have made sure you are aware of how good we''ve got it compared to some others, even here in Boomtown. If you do well today and they sing your praises, remember this. Those who don''t do as well as you might not have had the same opportunities. Don''t judge someone until you know the effort they put in and the obstacles they had in their way. Sorry if things got a bit heavy but I love you and I know you will do us proud."


    Suyum then gave him a peck on the forehead as she waited for his response.


    "Don''t worry Mom! I''ve got too much work to do on myself to spend my time judging how other people are doing."


    Doro answered happily, somewhat missing the point. Suyum then started playing around with his shoulder-length hair. Eventually, she seemed to have settled on a plan and started to brush Doro''s hair to make sure to get any knots out. She then started massaging a small amount of oil that smelled like lemongrass into his hair, giving it a nice scent and a more reflective luster. Suyum then went to fetch two black lacquered wooden sticks from her room and pulled the front half of his hair backward and into a half-bun, using the sticks to secure it. She then took out a polished bronze mirror and handed it to Doro.


    Oh damn, I look pretty good! There is a certain subset of anime fangirls that might willingly risk prison time if they came across a kid like me.


    "That looks pretty good, I might start wearing it like that more, keeps it out of my eyes too."


    Doro smiled at his reflection while thanking his mother.


    "Third bell should ring soon and the lecture starts at fourth bell. You have a bit over an hour before you need to be there, but bein'' a bit early can''t hurt. I made you a few surprise buns, have a couple on the way, and keep the others for lunch. Careful, one of them is really spicy, and another extremely sour."


    "Thanks but did you really need to make those two if you need to warn me about them?"


    Suyum just chuckled and did not attempt to defend her choices. Khetep put his hand on Doro''s shoulder and looked into his eyes.


    "They would just be normal buns then, not as fun. Jokes aside, do your best and we''ll be waiting here for you, now off you go in case you get waylaid."


    "Alright, Mom, Dad, I''m off to conquer the world!"


    Doro had a wide grin on his face right until the moment his mother flicked him on the forehead.


    "Ok, let me try again. I''m off. I''ll try not to die."


    He ducked out of the way before his mother could flick him again and dashed out of his room with his lunch in hand before shouting back.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll be fine. What''s the worst that could happen?"


    Doro continued on through the front door of his home and onto the streets leading to the central district. He walked through the industrial district for about ten minutes while nibbling on a couple of buns and got lucky. One had been filled with date jam and the other spiced carrot paste, leaving four buns, two of which were trapped.


    I wonder if all the carrots in this world are purple or if it is just the local variety. I''ve only ever seen purple ones in this world as far as I can remember.


    The streets around him were slowly becoming wider and collections of small buildings started giving way to larger and taller walled complexes. The canopies covering the streets shifted from the dirty greys and beiges of the industrial district into all shades of vibrant colors, some even bearing extravagant motifs. The rough sandstone buildings were replaced with ones made of smoother stones and with more intricate cemented brick layouts. There was no exact demarcation between the central district and the industrial district, but he felt as if he had definitely crossed over.


    In the distance ahead of him, Doro could hear the bell tower in the imperial complex ringing third bell. A short moment later the smaller bell towers on the periphery of the central district rung closer to him. He then listened carefully and heard the bell towers in the industrial district picking up the signal.


    Huh? I never realized all the bell towers worked in a relay. I guess it saves each one from needing someone to check the sundials and flipping the hourglasses on cloudy days.


    The days and nights in Niwut lasted about twelve hours each, no matter the season. The sun rose around six in the morning and every hour on the hour, the bells would ring until they did so a final time at six in the afternoon when the sun dipped below the horizon. Most people started work around third bell and took a break when the sun was at its zenith, at sixth bell. They would then return to work until shortly before twelfth bell and head home.


    Third bell ringing meant that Doro had one hour before he had to be at the Imperial Complex, and at the rate he was going, he would be there in another twenty minutes. Deciding that the heart of the Central District would be even more interesting, Doro kept up his pace and tried to avoid getting sidetracked.


    It only took Doro fifteen minutes to make it to his destination. The crowds were less dense and the wider streets of the central district resulted in less cart traffic to slow down his progress. When he arrived at the central plaza, Doro spotted a group of children clustered around some benches in a small garden area attached to the side of the Imperial Complex.


    There must be at least thirty of them. Do we all share the same birthday? Niwut has around three million inhabitants, or so I heard, I guess it''s not that big a number considering. Maybe it''s even a slow day.


    Doro approached the garden and noticed three groups had loosely formed. The largest group consisted of seven human girls and nine human boys, dressed in clothes that were even thicker and more worn than Doro''s usual getup. Many of them seemed to have come a rather long way judging by how tired some looked.


    These are probably kids from the agricultural district. Most are probably from farming families. Although, the agricultural district is kind of like a collection of small villages, so maybe there are some smith kids and the such.


    Doro then shifted his attention to the second group. It was made up of two Yerkan boys, four human boys, and three human girls. They looked more similar to the kids Doro was used to spending time with in the industrial district. Their clothes were slightly thinner and less worn, showing they didn''t spend their days working outdoors, but some had damaged clothing, dirtied by soot. Doro didn''t spend long on this group as they appeared commonplace to him.


    Finally, his eyes settled on the final, and smallest, group. Two human girls, one Yerkan girl, and two human boys. They all wore high-quality clothing of different colors and fabrics. One of the human girls was wearing an inordinate amount of jewelry for her age, well any age, if Doro was going to be the judge.


    Wow! I''ve never seen someone with a ring on every finger before, and her arms look rather dainty, can she even lift her hands with those and all her bracelets and bangles?


    Doro entered the garden area and before he could head toward the industrial district group, one of the finely dressed boys waved at him.


    "Oh, is that some Baisheng silk? Quite high quality I see. The string used in the embroidery is rather exquisite, and the way it catches the light makes the entire motif feel as if it were slowly flowing. Impressive!"


    The other boy butted in before Doro could respond.


    "Yes, that is quite a nice dress. Maybe the two of you can have a tea party while you wait."


    Doro looked at the second boy and the smirk on his face confirmed that he was picking a fight. At first, Doro thought the boy had a sword at his belt, but upon closer inspection, he saw that it was a prop made of grey-painted wood. The boy then proceeded to continue speaking without waiting for a response.


    "My father is a knight in service to Count Amon and one of the captains of the Niwut Guard. Too bad you two seem more interested in clothes than the sword, I had hoped to meet new sparring partners but neither of you appears to be carrying a weapon."


    As the boy finished his brag, he tilted his head back and looked down at the other two haughtily. The first boy appeared to take offense and responded immediately.


    "A knight you say? Correct me if I''m wrong but I do not believe that is a hereditary title. Wouldn''t that mean that until you prove yourself worthy of an appointment in adulthood, you are a commoner like me? However, unlike yours, my father''s estates and company are both hereditary and so my worth, and future, do not hinge on knowing how to brandish a pointy metal stick skillfully."


    Doro slowly stepped away from the two boys as their argument started heating up, in order to avoid being dragged into it. He somehow found himself standing next to the three finely dressed girls.


    "....and he said that if I accepted his proposal over my other suitors, he would treat me like a princess and make sure our children and I never need for anything. Then he gave me this ruby-encrusted ring. It might be weird being married to a man older than my father, but he wasn''t too bad looking and if he passes his next threshold by the time I am of age, then he''ll be in peak condition again."


    The girl with the ring-covered hands was showing off one of her favorites while recounting the events behind its acquisition.


    Man... Mom wasn''t kidding, some of the rich folks of Niwut are quite something.


    Doro quickly decided he would rather not get involved in this conversation either, judging by the forced smiles the two other girls were wearing whilst listening to the ring-clad girl recounting the story behind yet another of her accessories. Doro was about to try his luck out with the agricultural group but as he walked by, one of the girls in the industrial district group looked at him and spoke up.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Hey! Wait! Sorry if I''m wrong but you are Doro right?"


    Doro blinked a few times but then he managed to place her. She was the younger sister of one of the older boys who used to join the neighborhood kids Doro played with in the mornings.


    "Sarima right? Addat''s little sister?"


    Sarima looked pleased at being remembered and gave him a small smile.


    "So you are Doro! You look amazing! Did your family move to the Central District?"


    Doro could tell that she was confused by his new look and responded truthfully.


    "Nah, my folks and I are still down in Boomtown, same as ever, but business has been good lately. The outfit is something my mom made with old lady Natam, and she got the cloth at cost from one of my dad''s customers. A traveling merchant."


    Doro thought that this would explain everything, but she still seemed somewhat confused.


    "Why were the rich kids talking to you like one of their own then?"


    "I guess that between my new outfit and my hairdo, they must''ve made a mistake. I went along with it because I wondered how the kids from their part of town were. Turns out a couple of them were quite something."


    Doro and Sarima both giggled a bit as they peeked at the two rather interesting scenes being displayed by the group of kids from the central district.


    "Your dad is a blacksmith, right? Are you hoping for a smithing related Choice or something different?"


    Sarima pondered over her response with a pensive expression before answering.


    "If I get a related choice, I can learn from my dad and help out. My brother went and chose something completely unrelated so I know my dad would like the help. The thing is, I don''t hate forging. Sure it''s a bit tough but Abilities can help. I''m just not sure I''m very suited for it. I can never really tell when the metal is at the right temperatures to forge or cast, and I''m not great with the heat coming out of the forge. I''d rather get a Choice that lets me take care of the storefront and deal with customers. I mean, my dad is good at making things, but selling them is not his strong point. What about you?"


    Doro was surprised at how much thought she had put into this and started feeling a bit inadequate considering his chosen approach had been not to overthink it and adapt after knowing his options. He decided he needed to reevaluate his opinion of Sarima. Doro had only met her a few times when she was sent out to retrieve her brother because he''d played for too long and was late for lunch.


    I always thought she was just an agreeable but timid and indoorsy girl, but she seems smarter than I''d given her credit for. Maybe the reason she didn''t come out to play was that she was busy studying and helping out around the house. Her mother died when she was really young if I remember right. I''d better not bring it up.


    "Honestly? I''m just hoping for a Choice that is either crafting or refining related, like my parents, but if those options aren''t available I''ll just pick whatever feels right."


    Having some time to waste before the lecture, Doro decided to change the subject to keep the conversation going.


    "If you want to work the storefront, are you also staying behind after the Choice to take some of the imperial certification exams?"


    Sarima looked somewhat taken aback at his question.


    "Wait, you are aiming for some of the certifications? Weren''t you out with my brother and his lot every day? You do know that they need quite a bit of studying, right? Don''t worry lots of people don''t manage to get certifications until well into their teens."


    Uh what? Is she calling me stupid, if somewhat politely?


    "It is true that I usually spend a few hours with them in the morning, but I spend an equal amount of time every afternoon working on my letters and numbers. My dad has been tutoring me ever since I turned five, and he is a certified third-tier scholar. I am more than confident in achieving at least the first-tier scholar and merchant certifications."


    Doro smiled, trying not to take her previous comment personally.


    Not like I can really complain, I didn''t know her well and had some mistaken assumptions of my own.


    "Third-tier? Couldn''t he get a job in the Central District then? Also, the merchant certification is one thing, but even I''m not confident I could pass the scholar certification and I study nearly all day! Is your tongue as silver as your hair?"


    Instead of getting angry at being called a liar, Doro giggled inwardly for a few seconds at the turn of phrase.


    "Sarima, you work all day on your own without a teacher to check on your progress and to assign new tasks. That you managed to teach yourself enough to be confident about the merchant certification is by itself worthy of praise. Yes, my dad could work in the Central District, but he would work on someone else''s research and experiments, he wanted to be his own boss so he decided to start his own venture down in Boomtown. If he hadn''t pushed me to learn and helped me along the way, I would probably not be ready for any certification as of now, but I got lucky. Also, nice insult!"


    Sarima appeared a bit flustered, but she seemed to have cooled down a bit after having all her questions answered satisfactorily. The expression on her face suddenly shifted as she seemed to come up with an idea.


    "Ah, then if you do better than me at the certifications, I can just have you teach me! You wouldn''t force me to learn by myself after telling me how important being taught is? Right?"


    She then proceeded to tilt her head forward a bit and looked up into Doro''s eyes, her bottom lip protruding a little.


    Oh wow, she''s giving me the puppy eyes treatment. Even though wolves and dogs don''t seem to be native to this continent, some things appear to be universal.


    Doro looked Sarima over for a minute or so while thinking over his options. Unlike Doro, Sarima did not look like the typical people of the Manzat Basin. Her mother''s family had been an Origin Human, that is to say, she had been from the people from the Plateau of Origin. She had the olive skin tone and softer rounded features typical of her mother''s people, but not their famous wavy black hair. Instead, She had straight, bright titanium-white hair tied in a ponytail, reaching down to the small of her back, with straight bangs that reached just beneath her eyebrows.


    Doro looked back at the memories of his previous life and he had to admit that folding to the whims of cute girls had been a recurring trend. Between his cousin and his best friend, both of whom had been objectively attractive young ladies and had known it, he had a history of being cajoled into doing things by the exact same methods Sarima now applied.


    Weird. I don''t know if it''s because I haven''t hit puberty yet, or that I have memories of life as an adult, but I feel absolutely no physical attraction to this cute age-appropriate girl. I don''t want to commit to something that could be a huge time sink though...


    As Doro was trying to reason why he should not accept her request, he noticed that a part of him was feeling guilty. After a couple of seconds, he managed to piece together why.


    Damn, it would seem that even though I''m still a kid myself, when a friendly kid asks for my help, the adult part of me wants to support them...I can''t catch a break...


    Sarima finally reached her limit and broke out of her pose.


    "I get it, you''ve got your own studies, and then you''ll have your Choice to work on. Sorry for being a bother."


    Looking dejected and apparently taking his silence as a refusal, she turned around and was about to start walking away when Doro spoke up.


    "You know where my house is? I''ll give you 30 minutes after breakfast every morning if you come around second bell. I''ll set some tasks and exercises for you which you will bring back to me the next day so that I can make sure you understood the topic."


    Doro noticed Sarima pumping her fist and saying "score!" softly under her breath before turning around with an innocent look on her face.


    I heard that!


    "To make things clear, during those 30 minutes we will not be friends but teacher and student. You will have to listen to my instructions. If you do not wish to do as instructed, you may end our arrangement and walk away. If you stop putting in the minimum effort I expect from you, I will put an end to your lessons. I am not interested in romance so don''t expect that being a cute girl will allow you to manipulate me, or make me take it easy on you. Are we in agreement?"


    Sarima started blushing and nodded her head.


    "...yes."


    After answering, her blush deepened as she stood there quietly, fidgeting a little.


    "Uh are you alright? I didn''t mean to scare you. It''s not like I''ll be needlessly mean or anything..."


    Doro tried to calm her down, confused at her reaction, but then Sarima answered a bit hesitantly.


    "Well...It is the first time a boy tells me I''m cute and asks to be my friend. I''m just a bit embarrassed is all..."


    Doro stood still as a statue for a long moment while his brain tried to process what he had just heard.


    What!? That''s what she heard? When the hell did I say those things!?


    He was about to start speaking again, to try and salvage the situation, when a tall bearded man wearing a long white robe walked into the garden. Doro looked in the man''s direction at exactly the right moment to catch the sun reflecting off the man''s bald head, momentarily blinding him. After blinking a few times, Doro regained his vision, but before he had the time to inspect him closely, the man began to speak.


    "Greetings children! My official title is Imperial Enumerator but you may call me Scholar Atwut if that is too much of a mouthful. First things first, I''m sure some of you are nervous and have questions. That is normal as you will all only ever have one first Choice. I, however, go through this every day. Trust that I will tell you what you need to know and don''t interrupt. I will leave a few minutes for questions before sixth bell, but until then follow me inside so that I can tell you a story."


    Most of the children quieted down and prepared to follow the scholar but the pair of central district boys were still arguing loudly and appeared to have either ignored or failed to notice him.


    "What does it matter if your purse ends up fuller than mine if any thug or brigand can easily take it off you?"


    The knight''s son smiled triumphantly as if convinced that this latest comeback would assure his victory. The merchant''s son, however, was not out of tricks quite yet.


    "If I have enough coin I can hire strong people to protect me. You do know that, basically, a knight''s job consists of guarding his boss or territory for payment right?"


    The knight''s son''s smirk crumbled at this, likely unable to find a way out of this impasse.


    "Ahem! It is good to show passion boys, but whatever your goals are, they''ll be easier to achieve AFTER you make your first Choice. Follow the other children''s example and be quiet so as to not make my work harder than it needs to be."


    The Scholar''s kind smile still remained on his face but his eyes and tone betrayed that these two were beginning to try his patience. Scholar Atwut turned towards the entrance and led the children inside. They headed straight down the main corridor and into a large circular room with tiered seating surrounding a dais on which stood a lectern and a large slate board. The room looked like a cross between a lecture hall and an amphitheater. Scholar Atwut gestured toward the seating area directly facing the board and spoke.


    "Children, please be seated. Fill out the front rows first."


    He waited a moment for the children to settle down in their chosen seats before starting his lecture.


    "Today, your helpless years are coming to an end and you will be registered as official citizens of the Empire. Akashic energy will suddenly become available to you and your lives will change greatly. However, that is not what you are here to learn about this morning. Before you go through your Choice and get registered, it is important you know some things about this world we live in and about the Empire. Some of you may already know a portion of what we are going to talk about, but for the benefit of the whole group I will assume that all of you are new to this information."


    Scholar Atwut bent over and retrieved a bundle of scrolls from beneath the lectern and spread one onto the board.


    "This is a map of the continent, also known as the Motherland."


    The map was not very detailed and seemed to show natural features rather than territorial borders.


    "First, as you can see, there is a somewhat circular mountain range in the center of the continent that surrounds a large flat expanse. Those are the Crown Mountains and the Origin Plateau. That is where the imperial capital stands. The plateau is the only place humans could originally be found, split into nomadic tribes with no access to Akashic energy. Little is known of these early people, that is until the empire was founded by Akasha the Unifier and the first generation of Blessed. Histories credit Akasha as being the first to use Brahman in its all-encompassing form, to tame the Maya. This resulted in a form of energy that living beings could easily master without being corrupted themselves. Akasha then devoted his life to research and teaching. He created the first Akashic Beacons to continuously convert Maya into Akashic energy thus giving everyone access to the Akashic network and Choices. To put it simply, at first there was the complex but stable Brahman that naturally resists change but sometimes reacts strongly towards a concept, matter, or elemental force and becomes easier to work with. The downside is that in that state it will corrupt the user over time due to its instability and chaotic nature. That state is called Maya, and it is how monsters are created from beasts, men, and other things. Akasha discovered a method using understanding derived from the Brahman to tame the Maya, removing its chaotic tendencies and making it compatible with the Brahman again. That is what we call Akashic energy and it is what fuels Abilities given out by Choices. You should know that purposefully allowing Maya to corrupt you is forbidden in the Akashic Empire. There are some methods that allow beings to use Brahman, but although not forbidden, they require very rigorous long-term training and often require expensive resources so unless you somehow end up with a Choice that specifically helps with the process, you might not want to bother with it."


    A lot of the children were wearing utterly confused expressions on their faces, but a few, Doro and Sarima included, appeared to still be following, if somewhat struggling.


    I wish I had something to take notes on, this is quite a lot of info and it doesn''t seem like he''s finished yet...


    As Doro had predicted, scholar Atwut took a swig from a gourd he brought out from somewhere inside his loose robe before continuing with the lecture.


    "Let us move back to the map for a little bit, as it seems the topic of energy is losing some of you. To the south of the plateau is a large desert split into two halves by a large river. That is the Duchy of Manzat, the capital of which is the city we are in right now, Niwut."


    Scholar Atwut then pointed to the west of the plateau and continued.


    "This here is the Duchy of Ashrama. Its center consists of fertile rolling hills and its south-western portion houses a thick jungle that gives way to a dense forest in the north, on the other side of which lies a large salt marsh. Next, north of the plateau is the Duchy of Baisheng. The southern half consists of wide fertile plains with many small rivers coming from the Crown mountains and from its northern half. The Northern half is a dense temperate forest with hundreds of small mountains creating even more numerous valleys some of which house rivers that flow into the plains."


    Scholar Atwut then coughed loudly once, startling one of the farmer children who appeared to have been falling asleep.


    "You look like you came from the agricultural district, so I won''t take it personally, seeing you walked multiple miles in the early morning to get here, but please focus just a bit longer. The next duchy is the last and I will not cover the three vassal states too thoroughly."


    Scholar Atwut then gave a little chuckle before continuing with the lecture.


    "Now to the East is the Duchy of Olmani, this one is a bit more complicated. it would normally cover Both the arid plains in the north and the huge rainforest in the south but due to reasons I will not expand on, only the plains are officially part of the duchy. The rainforest has a complicated history but basically, it is treated as an extra vassal state since they have their own particular laws and were granted the right of home rule like the other three vassal states. "


    Scholar Awtut took a deep breath and let it out slowly.


    "Finally we have the vassal states. Umayer, a tribal confederation south of Manzat on the other side of the Sutai mountain range. The Breakaway Islands, an archipelago directly off the coast of Olmani, governed by a merchant republic. Finally, on the western side of the Ashraman salt marsh, only connected to the continent during low tide, are the Thermaen Highlands. They are ruled by an assembly of noble families. In practice, they are basically a collection of independent Baronies that make collective decisions instead of having a centralized ruler. The Vassal states have their own power structures but the empire has control over some of their policies and some of their laws. That concludes the topic of geography."


    Finally! I got the picture but I''ll probably forget the names of half the places he mentioned by tomorrow.


    "Now back to the topic of energy and history for a bit and we will be done with it, try to pay attention just a bit longer."


    Gahhhh....come on Doro you can do it! You''ve been through worse lectures before!


    Doro decided that his brain needed some more fuel and tried to discretely nibble on one of the four buns he had left.


    Yes! it''s not trapped, spiced carrot paste again.


    Whilst Doro rejoiced over his good luck he paid less attention to concealing his actions. When he looked up, he saw that scholar Atwut had paused and was looking straight at him.


    "I never specified that you could not eat during the lecture, but you could at the very least offer to share some with this caring scholar who is currently working on your behalf. No?"


    Scholar Atwut approached Doro and spotted the bag whence the bun had been produced.


    "Scholar Atwut, my apologies but my mother made these and-"


    Doro tried to warn the scholar but was interrupted by the very man he wished to save.


    "Your mother eh? I can''t remember the last time I had something cooked by mine. Oh wait, that''s right, I''m the fifth child of a noble, my mother probably never bothered cooking anything for me. Would such a friendly-looking and finely dressed young lad, with such a caring mother, deny this old scholar something he hasn''t had the chance to experience before?"


    Well, he did say he was seeking "something he hadn''t experienced before", which technically covers either outcome.


    Doro nodded and offered the bag to the scholar.


    Still, only 3 buns left and the two trapped ones remain...maybe he''ll get lucky.


    Scholar Atwut put his hand into the bag and randomly picked one bun. He thanked Doro and returned to the center of the dais.


    "Alright moving on. Here is a simplified version. The world we live in is not the first to exist. Eons ago, nobody knows exactly how far back, the whole of reality was one complete world. That world gave birth to two sources of Maya that grew so powerful that they corrupted nearly half of the Brahman in existence each. However, the two represented opposing concepts and a balance could not be achieved. The clash between the two forces tore reality apart into pieces and exposed it to the void outside. At that point, the five most powerful entities from that world put their differences aside and knit reality back together by expending all their power, however not into one single piece. Don''t worry if you don''t understand everything, even we scholars are still trying to understand it."


    "The Five ancients isolated the two beings in their own worlds, separating them and ending the clash of energies. They then stitched together most of what they could salvage around the source of Brahman in hopes of recreating the world in its uncorrupted state. They finally took the remaining smaller pieces and created much smaller linked universes so that they could remove themselves from the world and not become sources of corruption that would clash against one another. We live in the world that was created around the source of Brahman, and so we call it "The Growing World". I''m sure you all already know about this, but if you reach level 100, you will ascend to the celestial realms. What you might not know is that the celestial realms are the collection of small universes where the five ancients still live. The reason behind ascension is so that beings in this world can never reach the heights that would cause them to start corrupting the world to the same extent, in order to avoid this world ending like the previous one. I know that is a lot, but we are nearly done with this topic."


    Scholar Atwut cleared his throat and put on a serious expression before continuing.


    "The other two worlds are cut off from the source and we call them the "Waning Worlds" as they will eventually die out when they run out of energy. There are some speculations but not much is known about them. Now down to the last topic, Imperial history. I know that the next part is a chore but we will go down the list of emperors and what they are remembered for."


    Scholar Atwut pulled the map down and rolled it up, replacing it with a long list of names each accompanied by a set of dates and a small representational drawing. He then took out the bun and bit into it as he began speaking on the last topic.


    "So first came Akasha the Unifier. He was known for being.....HOT!"


    Scholar Atwut reached for his gourd and took a huge gulp of water, draining it in the process. He tried speaking again, his voice coming out scratchy and husky as he pointed at Doro with a betrayed expression.


    "Child........why!?"


    Those two words were the only two he managed to let out before running out of the room as fast as his robe would permit, while screaming for someone to fetch him some water. All the other children turned to stare at Doro in shocked silence.


    "Well... My mother got some spices from Ashrama and.....I tried to warn him. I guess we won''t have to do the history of the emperors now though."


    The children''s attitude shifted as they realized Doro had just saved them from the part of the lecture even the scholar had admitted to being a chore. Each child, from the agricultural kids to the ones from the central district, proceeded to give him a slap on the back or a thumbs up depending on how far away they were seated. The group was left to their own devices for approximately thirty minutes until scholar Atwut finally returned, still wheezing slightly.


    "It would seem that due to some unforeseen circumstances.."


    The scholar paused and gave Doro a pointed look before continuing.


    " ...we have run out of time to finish the lecture, or to go over questions. Sixth bell is about to ring and we need to head to the Akashic Beacon if we are to remain on schedule, follow me."


    That is how Doro spent the final hours of his helpless years. Soon he would be able to wield Akashic energy and the thought of it was making him jubilant. He followed the group into a room at the heart of the building, in which stood a pillar with a large crystal, emitting a beam of energy straight out of a skylight in the ceiling.


    Scholar Atwut sat down behind a desk off to the side.


    "Form a line then touch the pillar, one after the other, with the palm of your dominant hand. Your options will be displayed by illusions that represent what you might become if you choose them. If you inspect an option, you will instinctively know its name and general purpose. Don''t rush your decision. Even if it feels like you are in there for hours, only about a second will actually go by. Once you have chosen, line up in front of me so that I can register you."


    The children had needed to get in line to walk through the corridor leading here and after hearing that others would take at most one second to choose, none had tried to push their way ahead as they approached in the same order they had entered.


    Ok, it''s nearly my turn! From this moment, my new life begins. Doro? Ben? It doesn''t matter, I am me, and now I will get to see what "me" I can become!


    Doro''s turn had come up and he put his hand onto the crystal with determination beaming in his eyes. The world turned black for a second and then Doro stood in a white void. In front of him was a large and muscular man, dressed in fine clothing resembling a toga.


    Wait, am I only getting one Choice option? Also, this doesn''t look like me, what kind of choice would make me turn into that? The beard is 10/10 though.


    Doro was getting confused, this wasn''t what he had been told to expect. Before he could try to come up with an explanation, the man in front of him spoke up. As it turns out, he was no mere representation of an option but an actual person.


    "Hello, nice to formally meet you Ben. My name is Gallius and I am one of the Ascendants of the Growing World. There are a few things that I need to tell you, the first of which is that this is a memory I attached to your soul when you reincarnated and thus I cannot react to anything you say or repeat myself if you stop paying attention."


    But...but...my Choice...dammit!

 3-Visions and Decisions

    3-Visions and Decisions


    3/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut - Noon


    The man calling himself Gallius wore a pleasant expression on his face. Doro had heard the name Gallius before but doubted that it could be the same person.


    "I''ll try to be quick. First, I originally came from Earth and was reincarnated in the Growing World, just like you. By the time you see this message, you might already know what a Blessed is. However, the mortals of the Growing World may not have the complete picture. Every few hundred years the Ascended and the five Ancients have the ability to ferry a number of souls from Earth into the Growing World. In order to let you keep your memories and be compatible with the new world, one of us will sponsor you and give you a sliver of our soul. This sliver will merge with you and give you a Second Choice based on what kind of person you were, as well as increasing your energy proficiencies slightly."


    Gallius paused for a second as he took a dignified pause, puffing out his chest.


    "I, Gallius The Proliferous, founder and first Patriarch of Gallia, am your sponsor. Rejoice! This is normally the part where other sponsors would give you some sort of goal, task, or mission to achieve or strive for. I''ll save that for when you see the next part of this message if you pass the level 29 threshold. Since you only got a meager 22 years to live your first life, take your time to discover this world and live a pleasant life. Try to do the things you wished you had done the first time around. I''ll make sure you are born to a decent descendant of mine so that you don''t have a difficult start."


    Oh, so it actually is him! Mom''s ancestor! The reason why people wearing the last name of Gal exist throughout the entire empire. Gallius the studhorse as Mom calls him.


    "Now on to two pieces of good news, and one sad one."


    Gallius''s tone turned somber as he continued.


    "Your life as Ben is indeed over. An earthquake caused a gas line to rupture and explode, setting what remained of the building you were in on fire after making it collapse. Some of the people in the second-floor dorms survived, but everyone in the hall where the soiree was ongoing died in the process. In order to avoid mental scarring, we erased the last moments after the earthquake from your memories."


    Having delivered the bad news, Gallius''s smile returned and his tone became more upbeat.


    "Now for the first bit of good news. When a wave of new Blessed is chosen, they all have to have died in the same general area over a short period of time. Therefore, a number of people you were acquainted with will have been reincarnated as well. If you find yourself within a hundred feet or so of another blessed, you will be able to sense their presence. This means you have a decent chance of finding and identifying old friends who also made the journey. The second bit of good news is that I am not sending you in by yourself. As you get incarnated, I have the ability to take a larger sliver of my soul and merge it with a sliver of yours to incarnate a second being into the Growing World. From the moment you make your first Choice, you should start being able to work on feeling a connection to that being, along with the ability to sense in what direction they are. If that being dies, its memories and the sliver of soul will return to me, improving my understanding of the world through a new perspective. If they manage to ascend though, I will adopt them as my child here in the celestial realms. If you can help and support each other, it would be appreciated. On this note, may we meet again if that is the direction your life takes you in. For now, just go out and enjoy your life without responsibilities. If you reach level 30, I will give you some general directives in the next message. Time for you to make your Choice, Have fun!"


    Gallius gave Doro a wink and a thumbs up as both he and the white space faded away over the course of a few seconds. Doro now found himself in a pitch-black expanse without any borders in sight.


    Well, that happened... Where am I now? Is there even a floor or am I just floating?


    Doro tried to hop and wave his hand around his face, but he couldn''t even tell if his limbs were actually there. He wasn''t even sure if he was breathing, and when he tried to speak up, he couldn''t even hear the sound resonating in his head.


    Oh right! This is all technically in my mind, I guess I am just a mental construct and nothing is physical.


    A second later he tried to send his thoughts outward and felt multiple things in front of him. Changing his perspective, Doro tried feeling instead of seeing, and mental images started forming. The images were not defined and some were hard to put into focus. Some even appeared to be shifting and changing slightly beneath the blur. It felt like trying to remember the face of someone you haven''t seen in a long time and trying to imagine how they would look in the present, ending with both images shifting blurrily over each other.


    Guess those are my Choice options. Sure would be nice if Gallius told me what my Blessed choice was, but I''ll just have to guess. I''ll work under the assumption that I already have a crafting or scholarly choice so I''ll try and pick something that isn''t purely either of those.


    As those thoughts crossed Doro''s mind, a large number of the images flickered out of existence.  He noticed that out of those that disappeared, one had appeared as a traditional smith wielding a hammer while another wore a university professor tweed jacket and spectacles.


    It seems the options respond to my thoughts. Let''s try this then. I do not want a purely combat-related Choice.


    A second group of options flickered out, although fewer than the first time.


    Makes sense, as either Ben or Doro, I never really practiced much combat, well apart from that one month-long kendo workshop Meg coerced us into signing up for when we went to spend the summer with Emi in Japan.


    Doro tried to look over his options again but decided that there were still too many left.


    I need to filter out some more. What is something I wished I could do in my previous life but either didn''t or couldn''t do? I wasn''t super fit but I was healthy enough, as long as I put in some effort, I can build my current body into something respectable. I wasn''t ever that artistic but I could tell when something was aesthetically pleasing and was handy enough to reproduce designs so that''s also fine. Filter out all options primarily focused on literature, music, arts, or sports.


    This time a smaller number of options than the first group, but larger than the second, dissipated. There were still a lot of options remaining and Doro decided it to give it one more filter.


    I guess that''s what I get for having 31 years of combined experience and two very different lives. Ah, I know! If my Blessed Choice doesn''t have anything "magical" and I pick a Choice that doesn''t either, that would suck. It would be a waste to be reincarnated in a world with magic and not be able to at least dabble. I want a choice that focuses on Magical abilities.


    As Doro made that decision, nearly all of the images started flickering out. A moment later only seven remained. Doro was puzzled, however, because some of the images that flickered out had definitely appeared to be magically inclined.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Weird, maybe they only appeared magical but were focused on something else? Anyway, let''s see those seven options.


    Doro proceeded to check over each option briefly to see what he had to work with.


    Metal Meister, Phase Meister, Mineral Meister, Dune Magister, Lava Magister, Earth Magister, and Ferrous Sorcerer. Those do sound magical. Let''s check those over and see if I can figure out the difference between a meister, a magister, and a sorcerer.


    Upon trying to inspect his options more thoroughly, Doro noticed that instead of text popping up or a voice speaking out as he had expected, he just suddenly knew the broad directions these choices would take him in. The Magister Choices seemed to focus on abilities that would allow them to use energy to control the forces or matter they specialize in on a large scale and in great quantities.


    So Dune Magister would ultimately allow me to create large sandstorms, quicksands, and the such...could be useful in the desert but...Nah. Lava magister could have interesting applications but, well, I''m not sure I want to play with fire quite so literally. Earth Magister though... I could create earthquakes, but that''s a bit overkill for any situation I can think of. I could quickly build large structures though....that''s pretty nifty.


    Doro made a decision and both Dune Magister and Lava Magister flickered out.


    Now on to the Meisters. Somewhat similar to Magisters but they trade out their focus on large scale and quantities for much greater control over what they specialize in. That seems better suited to me. This Mineral Meister Choice would also allow me to build things, just not as many in one go. However the quality of the building would end up a lot better and more detailed, I could even make realistic statues if I focused on control. Metal meister could be even better. Forget buildings and statues, I could make armor, vehicles, and a ton of gadgets that I could control at a distance.


    As Doro was thinking over his options, he decided to drop Mineral Meister causing the image to flicker out.


    Phase Meister? What kind of specialization is "phase" anyway?


    He focused on the image of the Phase Meister and noticed it looked very similar to the Metal Meister. However, as Doro was studying the image, its equipment started becoming amorphous and rearranging itself differently before solidifying again. Then he noticed the two metal swords that had been sheathed on the image''s belt floating alongside it, going through their own transitions from sword to hammer and then merging together before splitting apart as eight throwing knives.


    Ah, I see. Specialized in phases of matter with Abilities focused on inorganic matter. Might get fewer metal-specific abilities than Metal Meister but being able to change solids into liquids and back should allow me to use control to work on shaping a lot more than a traditional meister. Plus this would give me a broader range than just either mineral or metals. I could do so much with this. I''ll check out ferrous sorcerer quickly but this is gonna be hard to beat.


    Doro moved his attention to the Ferrous Sorcerer as the image of the Metal Meister and Earth Magister disappeared.


    Innate intuition based on being one with your specialization, super focused on Iron and its alloys, some abilities geared toward spellwork? Yep, that one is out as well. The others didn''t mention spellwork so maybe it''s a specific approach, but Iron is too limited. Maybe the magical-looking options that I made disappear earlier were spell-focused. Could be that because I used the term "Magical Abilities" it showed options that had inherently magical Abilities instead of spellwork-based Abilities, whatever that means.


    The image of the Ferrous sorcerer faded away leaving Doro in front of the last option he hadn''t rejected.


    Alright, phase Meister it is then. I could reset the filters and go check more but this one really speaks to me. I can use it for crafting, magic, and probably even for refining. It also appears to have some combat potential which is honestly a good thing considering this world is a lot more dangerous than my old one. There may be something more overpowered that I didn''t notice, but I''m already getting two separate Choices instead of one so I don''t feel like I need to min-max. I will be a Phase Meister!


    His Choice finalized, Doro suddenly found the image of the Phase Meister rapidly being sucked into the hand with which he had touched the crystal.


    Into my hand? Wait! I got hands again!


    He realized that his eyes were closed and that he was once again standing in front of the Akashic Beacon, having not noticed the exact moment the transition took place. Doro stepped aside to let the next person make their Choice and noticed how Scholar Atwut had tricked them. Yes, the choice only took a few seconds and that first line moved swiftly. The registration process, however, seemingly took more than a few seconds. A new, much slower-moving line was forming behind the scholar''s desk and the children were now stuck waiting in the order they had made their Choices.


    I reckon I''ve got a few minutes before my turn, might as well check my Sigil while I wait.


    Doro opened his right hand and looked at his palm.


    Nothing? Do I need to activate it somehow? I don''t remember my parents saying anything special when they showed me theirs so it must not be verbal. They weren''t making any unusual movements either so it''s probably not somatic. Maybe its thought based. SIGIL!


    Once again, Doro inspected his palm.


    Still nothing!? What gives? Did I get a busted Sigil?


    Doro moved slowly forward as he pondered over the issue intently. He was so deeply entrenched in his thoughts that he failed to notice that he had made his way to the front of the line.


    "Ah, it is your turn then. I guess I''ll finally learn the name of my would-be poisoner."


    Scholar Atwut added a little laugh at the end of his sentence to indicate that he was joking. Doro wasn''t convinced, but before he could formulate an apology and an explanation, Scholar Atwut started his census.


    "Let us proceed. Give me your name, your parents'' names, your place of birth, and your place of residence. In that order, please. "


    Doro ordered the answers in his mind and then started responding, trying not to make a mistake.


    "Doro Gal Khetepsa, son of Suyum Gal and Khetep Amhansa. I was born in Niwut and I live in the industrial district under the care of my parents."


    "Good, no problems there."


    Scholar Atwut dipped his quill into his ink pot and quickly wrote down the information.


    "Ok now for the interesting bit. What Choice did you make? Assassin?"


    At least that made it clear, Scholar Atwut still blamed Doro for the incident and hadn''t truly let it go.


    "Ah...no...not assassin. I am a Phase Meister."


    Doro answered sheepishly, trying to avoid feeding the scholar''s anger with any new fuel.


    "Well, it''s not that I don''t trust you, but you''ll have to prove it with your sigil as per the norm. If you want to admit to being an assassin before I catch you in a lie, now is the time. First, think the word "Akasha" to make the sigil appear. Second, think of the word "Choice" to display your choice and level."


    Doro had to force himself into not rolling his eyes at the petty scholar.


    Damn, I was on the right track I was just not thinking of the right word.


    Akasha.


    A glowing sigil instantly appeared on his open palm. Like the Sigils that he''d seen before, his was made up of three segments representing the three base attunements. An empty Square surrounded by a wavy circle with straight lines going outward from its exterior.


    Choice.


    The Sigil dissipated as a line of letters appeared on his palm in Imperial Common. He was happy to see it only displayed the Choice he had just made and not his blessed one. Doro put his hand flat on the table in front of Scholar Atwut.


    "Phase Meister. As I said. Anything else?"


    Scholar Atwut''s eyes widened a bit as he read Doro''s palm.


    "Oh, Sorry for doubting you. A Phase Meister indeed. I''ve registered a few Meisters before but that is a variant I haven''t come across before. Interesting. That will be all, you can go. Wait at the entrance of the room for the others to finish. Next!"


    He then noted down the information on the form and Doro noticed him taking out a small notebook on which he scribbled something quickly.


    That bodes well...


    As the minutes passed and Doro waited, he tried thinking over a few different keywords while checking his palm for changes. By the time the census was over, he had figured out two more prompts.


    So if I think "Abilities" the level one abilities granted by my choice appear. If I think the word "Blessed" before "Choice" or "Abilities" then my second choice or its abilities appear. I''ll check my abilities after the certification exams otherwise I''ll want to test them out straight away. Materia Synthesist sounds awesome though. Right up my alley.


    When he figured out the keyword needed to display his blessed Choice, Doro gained an innate understanding of it as he had when studying the options during his First Choice. It turned out that his old self had been best suited for a Choice called "Materia Synthesist". This Choice was focused on breaking down matter into its components and then combining them in different ways.


    This will probably synergize well with my other Choice. One Choice to make specialized materials and one to shape and use them. I can work with this.


    Scholar Atwut picked up his forms and rejoined the group of children waiting at the entrance.


    "We are going to head back out toward the plaza and then you will be free to return to your homes. Those of you who wish to take certification exams will follow me back in to be tested after you''ve had a small break and have stopped by the bathroom."


    I kind of feel like a cheater...This test is probably going to be way too easy for me...

 4-Even good eyes do not always recognize Mount Tai

    4-Even good eyes do not always recognize Mount Tai


    3/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut - Early Afternoon


    Scholar Atwut led the group of remaining children back to the auditorium as the ringing of seventh bell started resonating in the building. Doro counted as they walked in and only nine other children had stayed behind, Sarima included.


    Doro wasn''t surprised to see that all the children from the central district were in attendance. That there were only three from the industrial district wasn''t too strange as the Empire did not force, but merely encouraged people to have at least the first-tier mercantile certification by the time they reached adulthood. Passing the certification at the age of nine helped to find early apprenticeships in the industrial district so it was still worth giving it a try if one thought themselves ready.


    To the children of the central district, not passing the first-tier mercantile district now could result in negative consequences for their future. Younger siblings might be more heavily invested in or even replace them in the line of succession of their noble houses. Rich merchants and crafters might think twice about giving out responsibilities or eventually handing their companies, to a child unable to do at least this much. Due to this, the group from the central district had their battle faces on, brimming with determination. The knight''s son appeared to be psyching himself up as if he was about to face a great Spirit Beast instead of a sheet of paper.


    The children from the industrial district appeared to be a mix of nervous and hopeful. If they could achieve this, they would get a leg up on the competition and be more likely to be picked for better apprenticeships. Were they to fail, however, they would get another chance for free when they turned twelve, fifteen, and finally eighteen.


    I''m surprised one of the kids from the Agricultural District stayed behind, he kind of sticks out by himself.


    Doro approached the boy and gave him a pat on the back.


    "Hey, good on you for giving it a try. Trying to qualify for an apprenticeship outside of the agricultural district?"


    The boy smiled back at him and nodded. He might have gone on to introduce himself but it seemed not to be fated as Scholar Atwut chose this moment to begin.


    "I assume you are all here for the merchant certification exam. Please step forward and pick up a piece of paper, an inkpot, and a quill from the table before taking a seat. Leave at least one seat open in every direction surrounding you. That means behind you, in front of you, and the diagonals. You wouldn''t want your eyes to wander and for your certification to be denied due to accusations of cheating, accurate or not."


    Scholar Atwut then waited by the table for the children to come up and gather their materials. Doro was going to walk forward and discreetly request to take the scholar certification exam but before he could go ahead with his plan, Sarima spoke up.


    "Scholar Atwut? Doro wants to take the scholar certification as well. Isn''t that right Doro?"


    Is she trying to mess with me or is she just trying to be helpful? I can''t tell...Well, if I''d been bluffing, I''d be in a bit of a pinch right about now.


    Scholar Atwut turned to face Doro directly and the other children followed suit. The children looked at him, probably expecting him to deny Sarima''s word and say it was a joke. Their expressions turned to either pity or admiration as each made their own assumptions as to whether he had a chance. The fact that he was dressed like a rich kid from the central district probably helped. Had everyone known he was in fact from the industrial district and had not had a professional tutor, the few that gave him looks of admiration would probably be displaying expressions of pity or derision as well. Scholar Atwut, on the other hand, looked like a child in a candy shop.


    "Ah Doro, I see you are a smart child. You obviously feel bad for nearly putting an end to my long life and wished to give me an opportunity for payback to settle the balance. Is your plan to suffer through an examination you are unprepared for, just so that I can fail you and quench any ill will that may remain from the earlier mishap? I appreciate the sentiment, but how about we just say you failed the test to save time and resources?"


    Midway through his rant, his joyous expression turned into a patronizing sneer. Doro had tried to play nice, but enough was enough.


    "Apologies, Scholar Atwut, but I am quite confident in attaining the certification, so if you could please get the exam set up, it would be greatly appreciated. If the journey to retrieve the needed materials proves too arduous due to your advanced age, I am more than willing to go fetch them for you. My mother has always taught me how important it was to be mindful of the elderly."


    Ha! Considering he brought up his "long life" first, it could be argued that I''m just trying to be polite and helpful. At least most of the children here would buy that. I''m fairly sure Scholar Atwut caught on to the thinly veiled insult though, judging from the grimace he is making.


    Indeed, Scholar Atwut''s face was pinched in what was probably an attempt to stop his anger from showing. The effectiveness of that ploy was however lessened by the large vein bulging on the right side of his forehead, which was visibly pulsating steadily faster and faster.


    "Don''t make an invalid of me yet child, I am still healthy as an ox as long as someone doesn''t succeed in poisoning me due to my kind and trusting nature."


    Scholar Atwut appeared not to enjoy being challenged in front of the other children and his reply came out louder and harsher than Doro had expected from him. The scholar had appeared a bit self-important but had managed to remain calm thus far, at least outwardly.


    It would seem that if feeding him the spicy bun wasn''t enough to truly anger him, questioning his abilities has done the job. Maybe a bit too well.


    "I apologize. My mouth moved faster than my thoughts. I don''t react very well to people making erroneous assumptions about me and it would appear I have made some about you myself."


    Doro tried to backtrack and apologize after realizing that making an enemy out of the person who would score his exam might not be the smartest move. He even tried to get Scholar Atwut to relate to him by coming up with the excuse of "erroneous assumptions" to act as a mirror to what he thought he had done to set the scholar off. The plan had appeared sound to Doro, but it backfired immediately.


    "Erroneous assumptions? That I made? So you apologize for putting my physical fitness into question by saying that it was in reaction to my failing to evaluate you properly? When that is literally my job as an Imperial Enumerator? You haven''t broken the law and I am not petty enough to let my emotions affect my grading, but if you are so sure that the scholar certification is that easy and that I am such a failure in my position, why don''t we make it interesting? How about this, If you pass, I will let bygones be bygones and accept that you are indeed competent enough. If you fail, you will come here every Seventh-day at seventh bell for a season and be tasked with scrubbing all the toilets in the Imperial Complex clean until you are done, or eleventh bell rings, whichever comes first."


    That doesn''t seem right. If I pass the exam then I automatically get the certification, and that proves my competence already. The only upside to winning the bet would be the forgiveness he claims to be the prize. At one day per decan and three decans per month, that means I would be risking a total of nine afternoons.


    Doro''s eyes met with the piercing stare Scholar Atwut was directing at him, but he kept eye contact, unwilling to accept the current terms.


    "The prize and punishment don''t seem to be quite equal. You could always claim to forgive me but still hold resentment for me. How about a small modification to the prize? If I were to fail, I will do as you stated. Were I to succeed, I request that you accord me the same amount of time you would have me spend cleaning toilets either acting as my tutor or allowing me to use the Imperial Complex library. I think we can both agree that the terms still favor you, but at least I get a potential reward to go with the risk that I am taking."


    Scholar Atwut''s anger appeared to lessen somewhat after Doro made his counteroffer. The vein on his forehead was visibly deflating and the beat it displayed started slowing down.


    What happened? How did that make him less angry? I apologize and he gets mad, I argue over the conditions of the challenge and somehow that makes him less mad. I''m missing something but hell if I know what it is.


    "I accept your terms. I will go fetch the exam materials for the scholar certification. You will sit the exam while I oversee the merchant examination for the others. I will judge whether you qualify for the merchant certification from the knowledge you display in your Scholar exam, pass or fail."


    Scholar Atwut left to fetch the missing materials, leaving the children alone in the auditorium. Doro noticed that all of the other children were giving him a wide berth and avoiding eye contact, except for Sarima who was giving him a worried look.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    They probably want to avoid getting involved so as to not sink with my ship if I fail.


    Scholar Atwut returned to the room with a stack of paper in his hands and a halfway-eaten biscuit secured between his teeth. He plopped the stack in front of Doro and made his way to the slate board.


    "Quiet down children. I will ask you questions and you will do your best to answer them on your sheet. You will be judged on your ability to write down common words, your grasp of basic arithmetic, and your ability to fill in a simplified ledger. Do your best to avoid spelling mistakes and double check your numbers. You are allowed one mistake on the final ledger, any more and you will fail this sitting. "


    He paused then turned in Doro''s direction.


    "In your case Doro, it is expected of a first-tier scholar to be able to do basic research, more complex mathematics than the merchant equivalent, and to have a solid grasp of language and sentence structure. Therefore, your examination includes being able to understand the written questions. Since you appeared so confident, I am sure that will not be a problem. Too late to back down now. Every four questions you answer correctly will gain you 1 point and every one you fail will lose you 1 point. You will fail this sitting if you can not manage a positive score."


    Without waiting for Doro to respond, the scholar turned back to the other children and started asking them questions. Doro listened to the first merchant exam question out of curiosity. Scholar Atwut started listing common goods and their cost followed by the price at which said goods would be sold. He then asked the children to draw a simple leger and work out how much profit each item was making. He then asked them to calculate how many units they would need to sell for the profits to add up to the cost of one unit of said item.


    I see... With this, he tests them on addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division by changing the formulation of the questions here and there. He probably has an example ledger already made up and will be able to easily compare them. Pretty efficient. He might be an old crank but it seems he is good at his job.


    Having satisfied his curiosity, Doro put the cover page of his exam to the side and began to read the first question.


    Reading comprehension huh?


    In front of Doro was an excerpt from a history book, covering a conflict between two noble houses of Baisheng, written by an imperial scholar. At the bottom of the test was a series of questions asking for various details found in the text.


    Alright! That was easy. I probably could have passed it even before my memories came back.


    The second page proved a bit more difficult than the first, but Doro made it through without having to rely on his previous life''s knowledge. The questions covered slightly more advanced mathematics than those Scholar Atwut was testing the rest of the children with. Doro had struggled a bit with fractions in the past but the questions were of a level that he felt he would probably have gotten right before. The questions also covered percentages and decimal places as well as some very simple geometry.


    Well, this is going pretty well. Next question is... Ah! I see, this part is probably what trips up a lot of the kids.


    The next set of questions were practical application word problems.


    At least since they don''t have trains here I won''t fall on another variant of that uninspired question.


    Doro read the first problem carefully.


    An unladen Manzat swallow flies from point A to point B in twenty-four hours of uninterrupted flight, covering two hundred and forty miles. The same Manzat swallow, carrying a coconut, in the same weather conditions, flies twenty percent more slowly and has to rest for ten minutes every sixty miles. How Long would it take the Coconut laden Manzat swallow to make the trip from point A to point B?


    "Pfft!"


    Doro could not hold his laughter in completely and let out a chuckle at the question. Ben had been a self-professed nerd and as he read this question, Doro could not help but imagine it was a medieval Frenchman asking him from atop the battlements of a fort.


    "Doro you are free to crack under the pressure if you realize you are out of your depths, but please stay quiet and do not get in the way of the merchant examination."


    He''s got a point, but I bet he smells of elderberries!


    After getting slightly side-tracked, Doro completed the page of word problems. As he turned to the next page, Doro was getting slightly confused by the topic. It appeared to be reading comprehension again, however, this time there were three texts covering another battle of the conflict mentioned earlier. As Doro read on, he noticed that the three texts contained conflicting statements. At the bottom of the page, the questions no longer asked for readily available information in succinct words but instead asked for opinions and elaboration. The final question on the page asked Doro to identify which of the texts were written as propaganda by the opposing noble houses, and which was written by an unbiased imperial scholar.


    Well, the level just went up. Not sure I would''ve been able to do this without the memories I just regained.


    The following page was another repeat subject.


    Back to maths again? Ooh damn, there are even some solve for X algebra questions. Yep, ok, I get why people seemed to think this was too much. Back on Earth, most 9-year-olds would not be able to answer these, even with compulsory elementary schooling.


    The questions involved linear equations, more complex geometry involving calculating angles, and some exercises on simple probabilities. Doro had to start heavily relying on his old memories to progress through this page. The memories from all the way back in his years of middle school that is.


    A normal kid might get tripped up by those, but I have a bachelor''s in materials science and engineering, so middle school or high school math isn''t gonna trip me up.


    Doro breezed through the questions with renewed vigor now that he had begun relying on his previous life''s knowledge and made it to the next and last page.


    As I guessed, the word problems are back. Sadly, no more coconut-laden swallows.


    The questions on this page were more complex and involved mathematic principles that had been tested on the previous page. None of the questions were laugh-worthy this time around and Doro finished them with moderate ease. He then returned his quill to his holder and started checking through his answers thoroughly with the time he had left. A handful of minutes went by and just as Doro finished going through his answers for the third time, eighth bell started ringing.


    "Alright, that was the last question, and just in time. Come line up in front of me and I will check your ledgers. If you fail, you are free to leave and make your way out on your own if you would rather not stay. Those of you who pass will follow me after and we will get your certification marks added to your sigils. Doro, you have thirty minutes left, so keep going until I come back. I haven''t seen your quill move for a few minutes so if you''ve already given up, just spend that time preparing yourself mentally for more toilet scrubbing than you''ve ever imagined."


    Doro, having already finished his exam, decided to observe the results of the other group. Sarima had passed and her expression was shifting between a smile over her achievement and a worried look as she glanced over at Doro. He gave her a thumbs up to reassure her, but she must have misunderstood it as a congratulation, as Doro could make out her mouth forming the words "Thank you" silently. Only one boy from the industrial district had failed, but Scholar Atwut gave him a pat on the back and told him it had been a close call, and that should the boy not let up on his efforts, he should be able to pass it the next time he tried. The group then headed out of the room, leaving Doro alone.


    Citizens of the Empire could technically pay to take the examination at any time, but most people outside of the central district didn''t have the leeway to try too often. The Empire gave four free chances before adulthood so many did not feel the need to rush. It was expected of citizens to reach at least the first merchant certification by the age of eighteen, whatever field they may work in. There was no law you would break by failing, but not many people were willing to employ or trade with someone who could not read simple words or do basic arithmetics.


    Doro was not having much fun waiting and even considered twirling his quill around his hand as he used to do with ballpoint pens. He decided that he had already annoyed the scholar enough and that splattering ink all around his table, if things didn''t work well, would not be in his best interest. Thus, Doro spent a good ten minutes twiddling his thumbs in silence before realizing that he could have been checking out his new Abilities. That thought happened to coincide nearly exactly with the moment the doors swung open and Scholar Atwut trotted back in.


    "So, Are you ready for your judgment boy?"


    Doro stood up and brought his answer sheets with him to the lectern.


    "First, don''t be too hard on yourself. I played a little trick on you. I thought you seemed a bit too sure of yourself and I decided to teach you a small lesson in humility. The second half of the exam I gave you was actually the second-tier scholar exam. Don''t worry, our little bet will only cover the first half as I am a man of my word. I just wanted to give you a chance to reevaluate the depths of academia since you appeared to have underestimated them. Alright, let''s get to marking, good luck."


    Scholar Atwut chortled and tried to take the answer sheets. Doro held on, his hands gripping the pages tightly.


    Uh crap! I''m fairly sure I passed both...If I come back home as a second-tier scholar, my parents will have a lot of questions. I am not sure that I am ready to answer them. Some of the questions were indeed a bit more advanced than what Dad taught me but I thought I was expected to make the points up with the other questions since he appeared confident I might be able to make it.


    Scholar Atwut took advantage of Doro''s panicked thoughts to give a sharp tug on the papers, managing to pull them out of his grip.


    "Where did all your bravado go? Too late to back out now! Just to prove that I am not dealing in bad faith, I will use one of my abilities to grade your paper. Here, read my palm."


    He put his hand forwards and the name of an ability showed up.


    [Impartial Scholar''s Focus]


    "It lets me put aside all emotion in exchange for speeding up my thought process and reading skills. It puts me into a sort of trance, so don''t speak to me until I am done."


    Before Doro could figure out a way to get his answer sheet back, the scholar''s demeanor changed in the blink of an eye. His eyes narrowed and his pupils moved from side to side at a rapid pace as he muttered words like "correct" and nodded as he read some of the answers. Fewer than five minutes went by before the scholar looked up, still suffering from the tail end of his ability''s effect.


    "Congratulations. Full marks. You qualify as a second-tier scholar and have won the bet."


    The look of intense focus left Scholar''s Atwut eyes as it was slowly replaced by a look of utter shock and horror.


    "Full marks? Second tier...? This nine-year-old from the industrial district?"


    His own verdict was leaving him flabbergasted.


    "I mean, in 85 years in this position I''ve only seen one person pass this certification at age nine, and that was the duke''s eldest son. Not only was he considered gifted, but he also had multiple professional tutors from infancy. You though? How?"


    Dad, I''m sorry, but I''m gonna have to fib and hope you''ll play along if it comes up.


    "Well, my father has his third-tier scholar certification and when I was young, he noticed I was rather quick at understanding things, and so he has been giving me private lessons while he worked ever since I was old enough. Whether he is a great teacher, or I am naturally gifted, I couldn''t say."


    Some of the shock disappeared from the scholar''s face at this explanation and his expression started morphing once again.


    "Well, it would seem that I have lost the bet. I will accept that I have underestimated you. Well, you know about your reward...there is something a little...."


    The Scholar trailed off while squirming a little.


    "What? Don''t tell me you are not going to follow your end of the deal! You promised to either give me private tutoring or give me access to the library!"


    Doro was getting annoyed again but upon looking up at Scholar Atwut''s face, he noticed the old man acting suddenly shy.


    "Well, you know, I am a bit embarrassed to say this after all of what happened today but..."


    Scholar Atwut suddenly put both hands together and bent forward at a 90¡ã angle.


    "...Please become my formal apprentice!"


    Become your what!?

 5-Promises, Secrets, and Subterfuge.

    5-Promises, Secrets, and Subterfuge.


    3/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut - Mid-Afternoon


    "Your formal apprentice? Um, although I appreciate the offer, I don''t really have plans on becoming a professional scholar. I just studied and took the examination because having the certification would be useful, make my father proud, and would teach me some useful things. I am probably going to end up doing a lot of research and experimentation in the future, but mostly so I can make the things I come up with. I thought I could have you act as an advisor for the next season and that I could get access to the library for research materials."


    Doro tilted his head down a bit and then added to his response hurriedly.


    "If I was looking into becoming a professional scholar, I would accept your offer on the spot."


    Scholar Atwut straightened his back and chuckled a bit.


    "Doro, I am not offering you discipleship, don''t worry. An apprenticeship under me would just make me your teacher. Officially I would be tutoring you for the next stages of the scholar certification and giving you some minor tasks to help you practice and aid with my research. I would get a lot of social credit in scholarly circles if one of my apprentices were to pass his third-tier examination by the age of twelve. My position is rather elevated but the scholars who are more focused on research than teaching or administration tend to dismiss me as a paper-pusher and minder of children. Teaching you could help me shut them up a little, if you were to succeed."


    Scholar Atwut took a breath and then clapped his hands together.


    "You won the bet so if all you desire is access to the library and for me to act as your advisor for one season, that is what you will get. If you accept my offer and work towards getting your third-tier certification by the time you become twelve and get another shot at the free examinations, I will extend your reward duration from one season to three years. In exchange, you will do some minor tasks to help with my personal research here and there and call me Professor, at least when in the presence of others. What do you say?"


    That actually seems to be a pretty good deal. His motivations are arguably petty but it doesn''t seem like he is trying to trick me. Guess I''ll ask him another question or two and then decide.


    "Scholar Atwut, before I make my decision, I have two questions for you. First, What is the field of study in which you conduct your research? Second, if I come to you with ideas for inventions and discoveries that I would rather keep quiet, is there a way to protect me from you or another senior scholar running with the idea without crediting me or keeping me involved?"


    Scholar Atwut had a grave look on his face as he answered.


    "I shall answer your second question first. There is a form of contract that we could sign that would forbid us from sharing any information about a project we both work on without the approval of the other party. This is normally used when multiple scholars collaborate on a large project that involves multiple fields. There is a contract apprentices and discliples have to sign normally but it only works to protect the teacher. If we make your apprenticeship into a collaboration, on paper, then we could sign that contract instead and it would protect you from leaking my research to others and vice-versa. Seeing as it would be beneficial for both of us, I have no issue with signing such a contract. One addendum is that if either of us is breaking an imperial law then the other is allowed to divulge information on that matter directly to the authorities or to the Scholarium. As for your first question, I specialize in advanced geometry and architecture. Most of my research involves figuring out new ways to build structures and refining older techniques. I do believe that the abilities you will develop as a meister might be helpful."


    Oh, so it isn''t just my exam scores. He also took my Choice into consideration before making his offer. His field of study seems pretty compatible though. I think we can both benefit from this so, why not?


    After thinking it through for a few moments, Doro nodded in acquiescence.


    "I accept your proposal, Professor."


    Doro grinned and put his hand out. Scholar Atwut returned his smile and clasped the hand with both of his before shaking it once.


    "Let''s get your certification marks added to your sigil and then I''ll see you on Learning-day at eighth bell. My position as Imperial Enumerator has me occupied between second and eighth bell. If you need my counsel, you are free to hop in any day after I switch to my personal research, at the risk of being put to work."


    Scholar Atwut led him back to get his new certification added. Doro tried to ask the scholar to only give him the first-tier certification but he refused.


    "I apologize, but since I gave you the test and you passed it. I am duty-bound to record it in the registry and to give you the equivalent mark. I should normally also be giving you your second-tier merchant certification since you proved your grasp of the knowledge required and that was the deal I had given you. However, the second-tier merchant certification allows you to work in positions that may be responsible for significant amounts of money.


    Therefore it is restricted for citizens below the age of twelve."


    The scholar then showed Doro the way to his office and bid him farewell. He handed him a token and told him that it would identify Doro as his apprentice, thus allowing him to make his way around some of the restricted parts of the imperial complex, including the library.


    "Don''t go wandering around or exploring quite yet, I''ll give you a small tour of the areas you have access to and the rules when you come back in four days. Go have fun testing out your new abilities in the meantime."


    Scholar Atwut then closed the door to his office, leaving Doro standing on his own in the corridor.


    Time to go home. How am I going to explain all this to my parents? I guess if I manage to get Dad alone, I could tell him the truth about me being a Blessed and ask him to play along. He might agree. The problem is Mom though. If she gets drunk, there is no way she isn''t going to start boasting about her son being a Blessed. If it becomes public knowledge, things are going to get troublesome. Some random holy men making a pilgrimage to my home and worshipping me would be annoying as hell, but that would probably be the best-case scenario.


    Doro started walking out of the complex while trying to come up with a plan. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn''t notice Sarima waiting for him outside until she patted him on the back.


    "Don''t worry too much about it, I''m sure there aren''t nearly as many toilets in the complex as the scholar made it seem."


    Oh right, she probably thinks I failed. I was quite deep in thought and probably looked troubled as I walked out.


    "Hey Sarima, Congratulations on passing! So... don''t freak out, but check this."


    Doro held his hand in front of him, with his palm facing Sarima, and displayed his Sigil. Two new marks had appeared in the square. The first was the same one that Sarima had just acquired, a white symbol of a weighing scale with a black outline. The other was a picture of an open book and a quill, however, this one was bronze-colored. The Certifications were color-coded, the first tier was white, and second was bronze. Sarima smiled at him as she saw he had passed, but her eyes widened as she noticed the color of Doro''s scholar''s mark.


    "Wait you passed!? That''s amazing! Remember our pro-"


    Sarima nearly choked on her words as she studied the mark more closely.


    I guess the meaning behind the color just sank in.


    She managed to sort herself out after a couple of seconds and questioned Doro intently. He relayed part of the events of the day to her, using his premade excuse about his father preparing him, and leaving out any bits about being a Blessed. At the end of his story, she was looked at Doro with eyes wide open and straightened her posture.


    "I know I am the one who asked, but are you sure it''s fine for me to take lessons from you for free? You have a second-tier certification and you are the apprentice of an Imperial Scholar now, and I don''t have anything I could trade that would be worth your time-"


    Doro interrupted her to try and avoid her self-confidence taking a hit from the direction she was taking the conversation in.


    "Don''t worry about that. You never know, I might piss him off again at some point and he''ll kick me out. If you really feel bad about doing it for free, how about in exchange I give you some of the things I make, and you sell them for me alongside your father''s wares in your shop, on consignment? As long as your father is ok with it."


    Sarima brightened up at the prospect but then started looking troubled again.


    "But don''t your parents also have a shop? You don''t really need me for this, you are just trying to be nice..."


    "Nah, we do have a shop if you wish to be very liberal with the term, but my parents deal with direct orders. The only things on display in the shop are some example pieces of my mother''s ceramics and some of my father''s metals and glazes. It is not the best setup for selling things off the shelves."


    "Ok deal, don''t worry about my dad, he''ll accept. I''m the one who feeds him after all."


    Sarima gave a mischievous wink at Doro but he wasn''t quite ready to believe she was only joking.


    She''s dangerous that one. Better not put myself in a position where I become a target of her ire. Wait a sec, if she wants to be useful to me to pay me back for my time, maybe I could use her to distract Mom.


    "Sarima? You know, there is something I could really use your help with right now. You see I want to surprise my mother with my results. If you could get her out of the house for thirty minutes so that I can talk with my dad in private and decide how we are going to tell her, it would be really helpful."


    Doro tried his best to act nonchalant as he asked for her help but he was not a proficient liar. He probably hesitated too long as he was coming up with his excuse and Sarima appeared to have picked up on something.


    "You are up to something! Aren''t you? Well as long as I don''t get in trouble for it, why not? What excuse could I use to get her though?"


    The pair continued talking as they walked back to the industrial district. At some point they decided to act like Doro had forgotten the bag with his two remaining buns and to have Sarima go to his house to return it. At that point, she would let it slip that her father recently bought some tasty foreign liquor on the cheap. She would then offer to lead Suyum to the merchant from whom her father had procured it. Sarima didn''t seem convinced at first, but after Doro told her a few stories to illustrate Suyum''s love of alcohol, she agreed that the plan would probably work.


    "Plus, if you are going to start showing up at my house every morning, it won''t hurt for you to win some points with my mom through booze. By the way, I completely forgot to ask but what was your Choice? I ended up as a Phase Meister, pretty happy with it."


    Sarima froze in place as he asked and her expression became difficult to read. She seemed to have resolved herself to answer his question as a look of conviction appeared on her face.


    "It is complicated. To put it simply I ended up picking Store Manager. However it was strange, I ended up with two options representing Store Manager. One of them came with an extra hidden bit that I can choose not to display. Before I tell you though, I need to ask you a question."


    Huh? She can''t be a Blessed or I would feel it, unless Gallius lied. No, I don''t see any reason he would have. Curious, I wonder what kind of hidden Choice she found.


    "Doro, are you a Ble-"


    Doro''s hand snapped up and covered her mouth before she could finish the word.


    "Damn it! How!? Whisper the answer to me, we are in public and we don''t know who could be listening in."


    Sarima''s face had betrayed her rising anger at being interrupted but she visibly calmed down as he explained himself. She then approached and whispered into his ear.


    "Well, The full name of my Choice is "Blessed''s Store Manager". It would seem that our deal outside unlocked a special Choice. It seems to be the same as a normal version of the Choice to start with but comes with an extra focus and Ability. The Ability is "Teachings of the Blessed", it should use a small amount of energy to allow me to remember any interaction with the blessed I am linked to. At least that''s what the description said."


    She then looked pointedly at Doro as if to indicate that he was the one she was speaking of.


    "The focus seems to have also been influenced as I got a focus on exotic materials. My dad uses standard-quality iron, steel, and bronze. Nothing exotic about those materials. So I guess that is a direction that your Choice leans into."


    Doro looked at her and could do nothing but blink in silence as he realized that this girl had picked a Choice that gave her Abilities entirely reliant on his input.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    She was intelligent enough to piece the clues together but it would seem she can be quite reckless. If I decided not to help her out, she''d be shit out of luck. She doesn''t have a Source of exotic materials, and she will lose out on one of her base Abilities entirely if I don''t teach her. Then there is no telling how many more of the Abilities she gets as she levels up will depend on me. What if I get run over by a cart and die?


    Doro''s befuddlement slowly turned to disbelief and then to irritation as he realized how hasty she had been.


    "You do understand that by picking that Choice, you might as well have sworn a lifelong oath to me. If your choice revolves around me, what if we became enemies, or I just went off and died? Where would that leave you? Not only that but there are two sides to an oath and I did not know that by accepting to give you some quick lessons, I would end up bound to you and in a way responsible for you as long as we both live. If I was a lord it would be like I gave you a small task and you somehow managed to turn that into becoming my sworn knight without my input. Your Decision affects both of us! What if I turned out to be evil? We barely knew each other before this morning and now we are tied together for the foreseeable future..."


    Doro''s irritation fizzled out by the end of his rant. he was finally calm enough to observe Sarima''s reaction. She was red as a Thermal in the desert as she began muttering.


    "lifelong oath....tied together.....like a couple?"


    Doro did a spit take, which was quite an achievement considering he had not been drinking anything.


    "Wha in the what!? No! The example I used was a lord and his knight, I don''t know what adult novels you got your hands on, but lords and their knights aren''t normally romantically involved. Also, for the second time today, let me say it again so that it truly sinks in this time around. I HAVE NO INTEREST IN ROMANCE! Any ideas you may have of us being together should be nipped in the bud before they have a chance to grow and make things awkward. I promise not to fall in love with you and I will request you to do the same."


    Sarima''s face was still entirely red, but for a completely different reason now, she was nearly fuming.


    "Wow, someone''s too big for their briches. I''m not in love with you, we barely know each other. You know? you are right! I understand how rash I was to make this Choice now. I had no idea you could be such a big-headed arse."


    She then turned around and started stomping away.


    Oops... I may have messed up. I still need her to help with Mom so I better apologize and stop her now.


    "Wait Sarima! I''m sorry, I may have run my mouth off. My bad. Please don''t go, I actually need your help with my mother. Also, you are the only one who knows my secret so I would say we are a little bit more than strangers."


    Sarima stopped and waited for a second as if she was pondering whether to forgive Doro. She then turned around and beamed at him.


    "Too easy! And you said I wouldn''t be able to manipulate you when we talked this morning. Guess you and scholar Atwut have the same weakness. You shouldn''t underestimate people Teach''. Don''t worry, I''ll go take care of your mom now and I''ll see you tomorrow bright and early!"


    She then sprinted away while cackling loudly before Doro could really comprehend what had just happened.


    Dammit, I really thought I would kick this weakness to the curb. It would seem I''m weak to women manipulating me even if I am not attracted to them. Well, I''m still young. I just need to work on picking up when I''m being messed with. If I''m gonna interact with Sarima on a daily basis, that should cover my training in this area.


    Doro chuckled to himself, accepting his defeat. He waited five minutes to give Sarima a head start then made his way back home. He had decided that he would tell his father the truth and let him decide if, or in what way, they should let Suyum know.


    Doro continued to make his way home but his footsteps were growing heavier. He knew that his father was a man of logic and hoped that he would understand. Even with his memories as Ben returned, Doro still existed. He really wished he could make his father understand that his son hadn''t been replaced, only that he had become more than he was before.


    Man, this is gonna be awkward.


    Doro eventually made it back to the front door of his home, so concerned with how to explain himself to his father that he forgot to check if his mother and Sarima had gone. Luckily, before he opened the door, he heard Sarima let out a high-pitched giggle. Doro dashed to the narrow space between his house and the neighboring one as the door swung open.


    "Miss Suyum, that sour bun was evil! You have to teach me how you made it so I can trick my father... and brother if he ever comes back."


    Victim number two! I better make an offering to RNGesus to offset the luck I just expended. I wonder how my D&D buddies are doing. Emi died alongside me so they lost both their bard and their artificer. My Choices aren''t an exact match but I somehow ended up with a similar power set to my character. Maybe Emi is out there somewhere being a bard, I''m sure she''d love that. Wonder if the campaign continued past our deaths. It would be funny if it turned out my character outlived me. That''s a bit dark, moving on.


    By the time he finished reminiscing, Suyum and Sarima had walked onto another street and he was free to make his way in. Doro walked to the Door and took in a big breath. He slowly let the air out of his lungs causing his muscles to relax slightly and his tension to ease.


    I never really got the whole clearing your mind part of meditation, but the breathing exercises really do help. Alright, I only have so much time before Mom comes back.


    Doro walked in through the door that led to the kitchen. He didn''t find his father at the table, so he went to the corridor and continued walking until he arrived in front of his father''s workshop. Doro had been forbidden from entering until he was old enough and even though it hadn''t been outright stated, he had assumed that meant until his first Choice.


    Still, better not to test the waters before the conversation. Don''t want to risk making his mood worse.


    Doro knocked on the door and waited. He could hear his father''s footsteps becoming steadily clearer as he approached. Khetep opened the door to find his son waiting for him, exuding a serious aura.


    "Hey Son, you''re back! Did something go wrong? Oh, did your stomach troubles from yesterday return?"


    Khetep had come to the wrong conclusion, not that the subjects were completely unrelated.


    "Dad, we need to talk about something important before Mom comes back. It might be best if you sat down."


    Doro turned around and walked back toward the kitchen, motioning his father to follow. The two reached the kitchen and sat down across from one another.


    "What is it Son?"


    Khetep appeared worried by the way Doro was acting and those feelings were carried in his tone.


    "Well, Dad, before I get to it, how much do you know about the Blessed?"


    Khetep did not seem to expect this topic as he blinked a few times before answering, in a slightly confused tone.


    "Probably a little more than most but not much. Your mother, and all other Gal family members, share an ancestor who was a Blessed. She told me a couple of stories, but aside from them having two Choices and their habit of changing the world by coming up with new knowledge or achieving mighty deeds, I do not know much."


    "There is something else you should know about the Blessed before we move on. Each of the Blessed, at some point in their childhood, before their first Choice is made, has a very lucid dream. In that dream, they see scenes from another world called Earth. They see it through the eyes of one of the denizens of that world, going through their daily lives with them. Sadly, those dreams end with the early death of said denizen, waking the Blessed up from the dream. The thing is, after they wake up, the dream doesn''t fade. They remember all the knowledge of the denizen of Earth they incarnated, as well as their emotions. Then, when they make their first Choice, they see a message from one of the ascended telling them that Earth was a real place in one of the two waning words and that the person they had dreamed of had actually been the previous incarnation of their soul. That is why the Blessed have two Choices. One of them is the Choice that would have been the most suited to them in their previous life."


    Doro paused and observed his father''s reaction but all he could see was a slightly confused look on his face.


    "Did they teach you that during the lectures? That is interesting and all, but what does that have to do with anything?"


    Guess I''ll need to say it outright. Me being a Blessed appears to be so improbable to him that he isn''t jumping to the obvious conclusion.


    "I''m telling you this because two nights ago, I had that dream. Yesterday, I remembered my previous life. Today, Gallius spoke to me and I was given a second Choice. Dad...I have awakened as a Blessed."


    Doro was nervous. he had done a lot of planning but this was the moment of truth. Would his father understand that Doro was still there, or would he treat him as a stranger responsible for his son''s disappearance? As it turns out, Khetep''s reaction wasn''t one he had planned for.


    "Ha haha...ha. Nice one Doro! You nearly got me going. Okay Suyum you can come out now! This was a good attempt, but you should know I''m not that gullible."


    Silence hung heavily as Doro kept eye contact with his father. After a minute of Suyum not appearing, Khetep''s eyes widened and his mouth opened half-way. He remained in this pose for a couple of seconds before gathering his wits enough to ask a question.


    "Do you have proof? Are you sure that person calling themselves Gallius wasn''t an impersonator? You seem to believe what you are saying, truly..."


    "I could show you that I have two Choices, but you could think it was trickery. I''ve got an idea!"


    Doro showed his palm to his father and made his sigil appear.


    "As you can see I passed the second-tier scholar certification. No one knows my academic level better than you, my teacher. Do you believe that I could have achieved this without having become a Blessed? You know that last


    decan I would have barely been able to pass the first-tier exam. If you think I somehow cheated on the exam, go ahead and ask me questions to test my knowledge until you are satisfied."


    Ten minutes later, Doro started regretting his choice of words. His father had been testing him for the entire time and the scope of his questions had progressed beyond what had been in the second-tier exam.


    "Dad, I''ve answered more than enough to prove myself. Can you please stop and just accept it already!"


    Doro was getting a bit annoyed, but his father''s response made keeping his temper under control a real challenge.


    "Oh, I believe you. I did after about a minute. I was just wondering how smart you got and got carried away."


    He even chuckled in a relaxed manner as he said that. Doro was getting a bit angry and confused at his father''s reaction.


    Is he in shock maybe? Why the hell does he seem so cool with it... I haven''t reassured him that I am still his son and view him as my dad yet. This is not going according to my carefully crafted plan at all!


    "What gives!? shouldn''t you be acting more worried, asking me if I am still really your son, Doro? Or even accusing me of having taken your son away from you and demanding I return him as he was. I''d like to point out that I still see myself as Doro by the way. What I felt before,I still feel now. There is just more of it."


    Khetep just chuckled again before speaking up.


    "I figured you were still my son. You said this happened two nights ago right? Well, we have been living our lives for the past two days, and aside from you being a little tense, you''ve still been acting pretty much like my son. The fact that you came up to me and told me the truth and that you seemed so scared of my reaction just reassured me of that. If you weren''t my son and had just replaced him, you wouldn''t care about how I reacted since you could always just reveal yourself to the empire and have them take great care of you in the Imperial Capital instead of staying in our sooty home. The fact that I can see you are scared and anxious of my reaction in itself is proof enough of your feelings. Let us not tell your mother just yet though."


    Doro visibly deflated as he finally managed to relax a little.


    "We should tell her you have been secretly tutoring me more than she knew, to explain how I managed to get my second-tier certification. Oh, by the way, I became the apprentice of the Imperial Enumerator who registered me. I am to report to him every Seventh-day afternoon. Before you ask, he doesn''t know. Only you and Sarima do."


    "You told Sarima? Why? It''s not like I ever saw you playing with her. What made you decide to trust her? Also how much did you do today!?"


    Doro could not help but let out a deep, tired sigh before he answered.


    "I didn''t exactly tell her. Before we made our Choice we spoke a little and she badgered me until I agreed to give her a bit of my time every morning to help with her studies. It turns out that it managed to fill in some unknown requirement that allowed her to get a special Choice option. She is a Blessed''s Store Manager. She was smart enough to put two and two together and she outright asked me if I was a Blessed on our way back. Couldn''t come up with a good excuse so I ended up with no choice but to trust her. To be fair, with the Choice she picked, it is in her best interest not to make an enemy out of me so I believe she should be trustworthy for now. If only out of self-interest."


    Khetep nodded along and as Doro finished the story, his father started displaying a saccharine smile.


    "Doro! My favorite son! You do remember that I have been somewhat stuck at my threshold for the last year and a half right? Maybe if you were willing to teach me some of your otherwordly knowledge, I could pass the bottleneck and get a special Choice on my thirtieth level. Now that you are old enough, there is no reason you shouldn''t spend your time in my workshop for some quality father-son bonding time instead of always being in your mother''s right?"


    "....Dad? Please stop speaking to me as if you were trying to sell me a second-hand cart with a hidden defect. It''s creepy. Of course, I''ll help you out. Luckily for you, it turns out that my Blessed Choice is right up your alley. If you study hard enough you might even qualify for a version of it. I do believe it is probably a new Choice. Have you ever heard of a Synthesist?"


    Khetep pinched himself before answering.


    Yeah, I get it. From his end, it must feel like winning the lottery. His son who always spent time with his mother and had more of an interest in art and crafting than in the sciences has suddenly become a Blessed. If that wasn''t enough, his son now shares his interest in the sciences and is willing to teach him advanced scientific theories from another world. I''d probably think I was dreaming too.


    "If Mom asks why you are wearing this huge, stupid grin on your face, tell her it''s because you are proud of me becoming a second-tier scholar. I would tell you to stop grinning altogether but as I am saying this, I realize you aren''t listening to what I am saying anymore and simply nodding along, stuck thinking about all the crazy things you might achieve. Keep nodding if you are a stinky baboon with a bald butt."


    Khetep kept nodding for a few seconds before his gaze focused again.


    "Uh, what was that? No, you are the stinky baboon with a bald butt!"


    Too frazzled to find a better comeback, this lame response was the best he could come up with. Sadly for him, that is when his wife chose to open the door and walk in.


    "Sweety? I''m proud that you seem to finally be willin'' to work on banter, which in your own words was "too vulgar for your tastes". However that particular insult was just... Did you hit your head and become a kid again while I was away?"


    Khetep would have blushed if his skin tone permitted it. He immediately threw Doro under the bus to try and save himself some shame.


    "Ah, you are back. Don''t worry, Doro came up with it. I was just returning it to him, so to speak...."


    Khetep fidgeted a bit on the spot, hoping this excuse would save him from his wife''s teasing.


    "Yes Mom, I came up with it. But even though Dad is a super smart adult, the only comeback he could think of was to add the words "No, you are..." before repeating the insult a nine-year-old child came up with."


    Trying to put the heat on me was a bad plan Daddy-O, now suffer for your transgressions!


    Suyum bent over laughing and slapped the table hard, repeatedly.


    "I thought you were meant to be his teacher. How come he''s the one who just schooled you?"


    After managing to let out these words in between fits of laughter, Suyum just kept on laughing.


    She seems to have done a bit too much liquor sampling wherever Sarima took her.


    Having been soundly defeated, and without an ally, Khetep stood up and made his way back to his workshop with the sounds of his wife''s laughter acting as musical accompaniment. Doro could not help but imagine his father channeling a certain 2D, red-jacket-wearing, fat kid from Colorado as he hurried off.


    "So Doro. Did you end up with the Clown Choice? Good for you. You know how I feel about laughin''."


    Doro gave his mother a pity chuckle before responding.


    "Nah, I got something better. Pretty sure you''ll agree. The name by itself is pretty neat. You now have the honor of being allowed to call yourself "Mother of the Great Meister of Phases"."


    Suyum flicked Doro on the forehead, causing him to change course slightly.


    "Ouch! I was just joking! Well not about being a Phase Meister, but the delivery."


    "A Meister eh? That''s a nice one. Should be a boon to your craftin'' and let you do a bunch of fun things to boot. What is a phase though? Like the moons? That doesn;t sound very useful."


    Alright, I better explain this with an example rather than technical terms with her being somewhat tipsy and all.


    "Phases as in materials. For example, think of steel. When you heat it enough, it gradually goes from hard, to soft, and then to liquid. I can use energy to affect matter in the same way without using heat. In practice, I should be able to take one of your finished products, soften a portion of it to change its shape, and harden it again without having to use a kiln or new clay."


    Suyum had a predatory smile on her face by the time Doro understood the mistake he had just made.


    "Uh but of course, that will probably take a lot of energy and as a level 1, I only have meager amounts at the moment."


    "That is true, that is why you will be needin'' a lot of practice! I think I have a few ideas as to what you could practice on."


    Doro wasn''t listening to his mother anymore. The excitement of the day had caught up to him. With all the ups and downs, as well as the many curveballs life threw at him today, his nine-year-old body just couldn''t keep up anymore. He tried to keep his eyes open, but with his hands busy holding his head up, he was fighting a losing battle. As the edges of his vision started to become blurry and darkened progressively, one last thought went through his mind.


    Wait...I wanted to check out my new abilities...


    Doro tried to put his right hand onto the table, palm up, but before he could activate his sigil, his head dropped forward and his forehead connected with the palm of his hand as he fell into a heavy sleep.


    Sometime later, Suyum stopped speaking as she saw that her son was remaining motionless, face-first on the table.


    "Eh? Like mother like son I guess. I can wait until tomorrow before puttin'' you to work."


    She carefully picked up her son and carried him into his room. She placed him on his bed, gingerly, and kissed him on the forehead before closing the door.

 6-A star is (Re)Born/Player 2 Start

    6-A star is (Re)Born


    3/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Unidentified Forest- Early Afternoon


    The midday sun shone brightly above the trees, but very few of its rays managed to pierce through the dense canopy. An owl was perched on a branch in a small pocket where the foliage was less dense, sleeping the day away and waiting for the sun to come down. Slowly the owl started loosening its grip, drooping forward until it laid flat on its belly and its weight was distributed precariously between multiple small and brittle branches.


    My head hurts...I don''t wanna go to lectures...Did Meg leave the curtains open when she left this morning?


    The owl readjusted and a few branches gave off small cracking sounds as its weight shifted.


    Oh wait last night was our end-of-semester party...no lectures today. I can just close the blinds and go back to sleep.


    As the owl opened its eyes, it saw that all that stood between it and an 80-foot drop was a network of tiny branches that had already slowly started to give in.


    What the hell!? Why am I in a tree? Shit the branches are cracking! I''m gonna fall! Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!


    One of the larger branches, on which a lot of the weight had been settled, gave way with a loud crack and the owl started plummeting toward the ground in a discombobulated flurry. Memories started flooding the owl''s mind. The arduous training it had gone through to take its first flight, the first time it had soared above the canopy, and the first time it had successfully swooped down and caught its prey, all came back to its mind in flashes. With only a dozen or so feet remaining, the owl spread its wings and beat them down in graceful yet powerful strokes, arresting its descent and managing to land on its feet, unharmed.


    What..the...hell..was..that..?


    The owl stood on the forest floor with its eyes closed as the sound of its panicked heart and its ragged breath filled the small clearing in which it had landed. It remained like this for a few minutes until its heart settled and it once again opened its eyes. After giving the surrounding forest a quick scan, it looked down towards its feet.


    Yep, those are definitely not human feet...kinda suspected something was up when flapping my arms stopped my fall...Can''t complain too much though. At least I''m not a sword or a vending machine...I''ve read enough isekai light novels to know I''m either dreaming or was reincarnated. Although, if this is a dream, why am I a bird and not a dragon or something cool? Also, I''m sure my imagination wouldn''t skip the trope where I meet with a deity and they give me a cheat skill. Heck, if this was a dream he would have been a hunk and I would have wished for him to be my guardian as my cheat skill like in that one trashy isekai anime. I''ll assume this is real for now, maybe one of the prayers I made to the anime gods when I was a teenager was heard or something. So, what kind of bird did I become...


    Emi looked down at her legs and could see two powerful feathered thighs that ended in sharp serrated talons. She then spread her wings wide and saw their span was larger than she was tall.


    Maybe some sort of eagle? Don''t know much about eagles but at least the dark brown feathers fit, not sure about the dark purplish tint on some of them though. Maybe the tail will give me more clues.


    Emi spun her head 180 degrees and looked down at her majestically fluffy tail and her mouth hung open in shock.


    A peacock!? Really?! At least brown and purple are less gaudy than the bright blues but....Wait...What did my head just do?


    Emi started spinning her head around horizontally, testing her limits in each direction. After a few tests, she tried to swivel her head vertically and it didn''t stop until it was nearly upside down.


    Oooooh! I must be an owl! That''s not too bad, that''s like an eagle of the night. Weird ass tail for an owl, it almost looks like a harp or a lyre...Wait a second! A tail in the shape of a lyre? That reminds me of something. Let''s check how lucky I got.


    "Ahem, Ahem, testing. One, two, one, two. Sally sells seashells by the seashore. Polly wants a cracker!"


    Yes! No cheat skills but at least I''m one of the varieties of birds that can make complex sounds. Need to work on the voice a little though... that really didn''t sound like me. Can I push it further?


    Suddenly Emi stopped speaking words and her mouth started letting out sounds that wouldn''t have been out of place in a horror movie soundtrack. After a few attempts, the sounds she was making started shifting into clean musical tones reminiscent of a Violin.


    Heh, even without hands or a violin I can still play Vivaldi! Oh crap! That''s right I don''t have hands..How am I gonna make a fire or build a shelter without hands? Hell, I can''t even wipe...


    If I rush and find a human settlement, I''ll probably be captured and made into an exotic pet. Although, it might be safer than sticking it out by myself in the wild. I don''t even know if I''m on Earth or in some fantasy world in the first place. Maybe I died and was just reincarnated as a bird somewhere on present-day Earth. If I''m in a fantasy world, there may even be monsters, or no humans at all.


    Man, I''m more clueless in my situation than the majority of the isekai main characters from the stuff I read, except maybe the one with the spider in the labyrinth. Could have a worse start but can''t get complacent. This isn''t an anime and it doesn''t look like I have any blessings or cheat skills from a god, so probably no plot armor either. First, I need to get accustomed to this body and find shelter, then I need to find food and water, the rest can wait.


    *****


    Flying is awesome but taking off or going up steeply is tiring as hell...I feel kind of bad though...I get to know how to fly right off the bat but the owl had to train and learn with a growing body...Actually...I don''t feel guilty about it but rather annoyed on behalf of the owl...strange.


    Emi had taken a few hours to move about and feel more at home in her new body, but thanks to the owl''s memories, she now felt strangely at ease. By the time the sun was approaching the horizon, Emi had managed to make it to the top of the canopy by flying up to it and then climbing through the denser portions of the foliage using the powerful grip of her talons to secure herself to sturdy branches.


    Toto, I''ve a feeling we''re not in Kansas anymore.


    Emi looked up to the darkening sky away from the setting sun and her eyes picked up a large shape flying down and swooping through a flock of tiny birds.


    Holy shit! That thing is bigger than an ostrich!


    Even with her newly improved vision, Emi couldn''t make out all the details due to the distance, but some large eagle-like bird of prey was swooping through what appeared to be tiny songbirds in comparison. Only, after observing intently, she realized that the smaller birds were larger crow-like birds, and the predator was at least double the size of any eagle she had ever seen.


    Yep, back down we go. That thing could eat me for breakfast, and be hungry again by lunch. My owl memories tell me the forest floor can be dangerous as well so... I guess I''ll find a nice spot in a tree hollow or thick branches as a base for the time being. Let''s keep the flying to below the canopy for now just in case. I''m not looking forward to my first meal though. No fire, tools, or hands means I''ll have to feed the owl way for now, and judging by my memories...


    Emi shuddered as she gripped the branch beneath her tightly. She had not followed a vegetarian diet, and being a half-Japanese girl raised in Tokyo, she was no stranger to eating raw protein, however, this was not going to be sashimi prepared by a skilled chef into bite-sized pieces of the most tender cuts. Emi had shuddered as her owl memories reminded her of how the ribcage of a rodent giving way under the pressure of her beak, and the foul explosion of flavor in the resulting bursting of its guts into her mouth felt like.


    I wish I could be like a certain lion prince and not worry about it, but once I''ve assured my safety, fixing the food situation has to be my main priority. Can owls eat fruits and nuts? Let''s search my memories for a bit.


    ***


    Well, at least I don''t think I''ll have any appetite tonight.


    After searching through her owl memories Emi had seen flashes of various dismembered and partially eaten lizards, smaller birds, rodents, insects, fish, and even the occasional bit of meat from large mammal carcasses that hadn''t yet completely rotten. What she had not seen, however, were fruits, nuts, or vegetables.


    Sure is useful to have learned from anime that if you do not let the blood out of your kill it will taste like shit, when I can''t figure out how to start a fire to cook it in the first place. I can only use one talon at a time otherwise I fall over, so rubbing sticks or striking rocks together is gonna be hard, if not impossible. Don''t have any glass either...Shit! Aside from a freak accident, like lightning hitting a tree, I can''t figure out any way of getting fire. Still, between being an owl and the faint glow the mushrooms growing out of some of the trees were giving off, I should be all good for light even if most of the moonlight is blocked.


    As Emi made her way through the canopy and continued thinking of a solution to her fire problem, she spotted a promising area where three thick branches split upward from the trunk of a large tree creating a small indented nook, a bit larger than her body.


    This should be large enough and because it is kinda shaped like a bowl, I shouldn''t fall if I turn in my sleep. Now I need to find a water source nearby, let''s see if I can remember any.


    Emi was puzzled when after a few minutes she realized something.


    Dammit. It''s one of those koala situations where I get most of my water from the stuff I eat, isn''t it? Only this time it is not moisture from eucalyptus leaves but the fresh corpses of small animals...This sucks. I know I dreamed of an isekai adventure my whole life but I''m going to be living a barebones dangerous life without anything to look forward to. This is gonna be worse than when Dad made me join his recruits for an orienteering boot camp in the mountains.


    "Whatever god or being out there did this, please send me back. Please send me back to my friends and family. I don''t want to live out here on my own stuck like this. I know I wasn''t the most amazing person in the world but... I was good enough. What did I do for you to decide I deserve this? Please.....send me home...I...I..."


    Emi trailed off as she looked toward the sky beyond the canopy and nothing but the sounds of the forest answered her plea. She had dreamed of an adventure like the ones she had read in books and seen on screens her whole life, but as the reality of the situation hit home, a wave of sorrow washed over her. Her eyes started to moisten and her vision blurred as tears began falling down her feathery face.


    Guess owls can cry...Sorry Dad, I don''t think I can come back. Sorry Ben, I can''t help you keep Meg under control anymore. Sorry Meg, I know how much me being your friend meant to you, but I hope you''ll find some other girls who get along with you.


    After crying silently for a few minutes while thinking back on the people she had left behind and the lonesome life awaiting her, Emi took refuge in the last thing she still had. She began mimicking a violin with her voice and made it play the melody that reflected her feelings the most accurately. The soft and melancholic sound of the violin spread throughout the canopy to the tune of "I Dreamed a Dream" from "Les Miserables" as Emi tried to express her sadness in an attempt to get through it.


    *thock**thock**thock**thock**thock**thock**thock**thock**thock*


    Emi didn''t notice it at first because she was focused on her performance, and the beating being in rhythm with the song made it feel almost natural. A little while after she had begun, the sound of two sticks hitting each other had joined in. Her song faltered as she looked up further into the canopy toward the source of the sound.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    A white monkey?


    As Emi''s eyes settled on the monkey, she stopped her song altogether from the surprise of having an audience. As Emi blinked, the monkey in front of her seemed to suddenly disappear without any movement. After searching a bit more, she was able to make out the outline of the monkey in the shadows but his white fur now looked like dark green leaves. If not for the superb low-light vision she had recently gained, she would have been completely fooled. The monkey didn''t seem aggressive, however, and just waited there with sticks in hand, observing.


    He was in beat with the song...Let''s try a different one and see if he can match it. A song about a monkey? Maybe a song from the Arctic Monkeys since he is a white monkey. Don''t want to mess up so I''ll stick with the violin voice for now, can''t try out other instruments and fail now that we have an audience, can we?


    Emi started singing a violin cover of one of Arctic Monkey''s older songs where the singer complains about not being able to get a propeller spinning by himself.


    Can you keep up with a faster slightly more complex beat Mr.Monkey?


    *thock**thock**thock**thunk**thock**thock**thock**thock**thunk*


    The monkey shifted back to white and immediately got into the rhythm, only this time he added a bit of flair and incorporated a whack against the thick trunk of the tree into his routine. Having found a distraction from her worries, Emi started playing with the monkey. She alternated between musical genres and after the first hour, the monkey began trying to take the lead with his own beats as if challenging her to follow him instead.


    Hah! You dare challenge me! You are a hundred years too early. Don''t you know who I am? I have trained with access to YouTube and Spotify for nearly as long as I can remember and only so many beats exist! Cheat skill activated! Ok, I''m mixing tropes here but this ain''t an anime or a xianxia anyway, so what do I care about staying within my genre?


    Emi used her extensive experience, of listening to random music while wasting time, to match every beat the monkey sent her way with a matching melody. To his credit, after a few songs, the monkey stopped trying to trip her up and just began jamming with her, as if to tell her that she had passed his test. Emi decided it was time to take a break and stopped singing, only this time the monkey did not shift to green. Instead, he approached her tentatively and then sat on the fork between two of the three large branches that split off from Emi''s current home.


    "Hey there Mr.Monkey. It was fun playing with you. if we are going to hang out I''ll need to call you something else than Mr.Monkey. How do you feel about "Arctic"?"


    Arctic mouth dropped, as if in shock, but no sound came out. He then began doing a series of gestures and then waited for a response. As Emi stayed silent, he performed the series of gestures once again, but the first time had been enough. The reason why Emi had remained silent was that she just couldn''t believe what she saw.


    Okay, the options for this setting are narrowing. No way in hell is a random wild monkey from Earth both this musically gifted, and capable of using his hands to sign in a way that I can somehow understand...Either this is a Planet of the Apes situation, or I really am in a fantasy world.


    Arctic had finished repeating the gestures for the second time when Emi''s mind caught back up with what was happening. Arctic looked like he was about to give up but he started to go through the gestures once again, more slowly. This time Emi was observing closely as Arctic pointed at her.


    "Me?"


    Emi pointed one of her talons at herself and excitement crept onto Arctic''s face at the gesture. He then brought both hands under his mouth and spread them forward palm up.


    "Voice? song? words?"


    Arctic continued by pointing at himself.


    "You"


    Emi pointed back towards him and the corners of Arctic''s mouth began forming a smile as he continued. He then shook his head from right to left before tapping his temple twice with his index finger.


    "No brain? Wait, no, if I put all of it in order... You, voice or song, me, no brain..ah! You don''t understand my words...if that is the case, let me try to use your language. If you somehow know that shaking your head from left to right means "no" then you must have learned from humans at some point and you should know how to sign yes and maybe some other gestures will also translate to this world, or time, or whatever."


    Arctic''s smile dropped as Emi began a long rambled sentence, probably assuming it to be gibberish, but then his smile grew much wider than it had first been at what she did next. Emi pointed at Arctic and then tried to replicate the gesture for words with her wings, as well as they would permit. She then nodded her head up and down and tapped her head twice before finally using her talons to try and mimic what she would have done with her thumb and index finger to convey that something was tiny.


    Arctic jumped around a bit but stopped when one of the branches started creaking and started another series of gestures. He pointed at Emi then made his index and middle finger walk across the palm of his other hand before pointing at himself and moving his flat hands to make two diagonal lines that met above his head.


    "Follow you to your....roof...shelter...home? Fairly sure normal monkeys don''t have houses with slanted rooves, but they don''t usually use sign language either, so surprise me."


    Emi signed back as well as she could to say she would follow, but she had to replace the sign that indicated walking with a few actual steps due to her physical limitations. Arctic moved a few feet deeper into the canopy and looked back at her. When Emi followed, he went further in and waited a few feet away.


    Can''t be worse than being on my own...


    *****


    Dammit Arctic... it''s been easily over two hours and all you tell me is "quiet" and "follow". How far is your nest!? Wait, why am I calling it a nest?


    Arctic was slightly larger than Emi but he moved through the canopy as if he were built for it. Emi, on the other hand, was having trouble keeping up since she had to rely on her two relatively short legs and could only really use her wings or beak to try to keep herself balanced. She suspected that the journey was a short one at monkey speed, and so she didn''t voice her frustrations at Arctic, since he kept waiting for her when he could long since have been home.


    We''ve been moving in a roughly straight line in the opposite direction from where the sun set earlier. If things work the same as back on Earth, we are headed east from where I started. No clue if we have been going North or South and it''s not like I measured the exact direction the sun was. My mental map kind of sucks though, so far it''s just a straight line of temperate rainforest surrounded by the unknown. My owl memories are too disorganized and random for me to get any help from...It would seem she had been hunting the same perimeter since she was old enough to leave her parents, who hunt an area close by. Luckily I survived long enough to...I mean she survived long enough for me to...


    Emi''s minor identity crisis was brought to an abrupt end as Arctic stopped and signed for her to stop and not follow. He motioned toward a hollow in a nearby tree and signed for her to stay there. He then signed that he would go and then come back because Emi was...Emi had some trouble figuring out the last word, but when she did she turned her body around in indignation while keeping her head facing him and brusquely nodded before facing away. Emi fumed for a few minutes in her hollow before realizing Arctic had slipped away.


    Wait here because I''m too slow? I can friggin fly! If I knew where we were going I''d be there first...stupid genius monkey.


    *****


    He went to sleep, didn''t he...That little...


    Emi was getting tired. Even though owls slept during the day, her sleep had been interrupted early in the afternoon and she had spent a portion of her night going through what amounted to one of the adventure courses Megan had forced her into back on Earth. As the sun began rising, Emi regretted that she hadn''t taken a nap. Arctic hadn''t specified when he''d return but she had assumed he would be back soon.


    I hope he is fine. I left him to travel alone during the night in a place where wild beasts roam, and I don''t think he can see in the dark as well as I can. Hell, I''m pretty sure most monkeys are active during the day, maybe he was so tired that he slipped and had an accident...or got home and decided I could wait until he had a rest...


    Emi kept flipping between being worried for and annoyed at Arctic. She wasn''t ready to be alone again now that she had found someone else, even if that someone was a genius monkey who could only communicate through gestures. As Emi was peeping out of her hollow in the direction she assumed Arctic had gone, she caught a glimpse of white fur on the forest floor.


    "Arctic! I was worried! you better not have...."


    Between her lack of sleep and the anxiety she had been feeling from suddenly being alone again, Emi had nearly reached the ground by the time she noticed the glaring differences between Arctic and what awaited her below. She tried to swoop up and regain the canopy but as she reached the lowest point of her arc, the white-furred figure below threw a net in her path, forcing her to arrest her momentum or hurtle into it and get tangled. She wasn''t sure whether she would survive unharmed if she got tangled and crashed with her current speed, so she slowed down with a few powerful strokes of her large wings. The lack of food and her fatigue fought her with every wingbeat, and with all her momentum gone, she didn''t think she''d be able to make it back up to the canopy.


    He''s got a spear but he is not trying to throw it at the moment. Do I try to go back up in the canopy and risk falling to my death if I run out of juice, or do I risk my fate below...This guy is a lot bigger and less friendly-looking than Arctic, but maybe it''s his big brother or something?


    As Emi was struggling to make a decision, Arctic burst out from behind her assailant and frantically began jumping in front of him while waving his arms to make him stop. Seeing that, Emi decided not to risk the climb and used the last bit of strength left in her wings to land safely behind Arctic.


    This guy is nearly as tall as an adult man...Also sign language is one thing but since when do monkeys wear polished wooden pieces of armor or carry stone-tipped spears!? Are you related to Sun Wukong!? Did I end up in a world full of powerful sects and ancient Chinese immortals?


    *bonk*


    A hollow sound resonated from behind the armored white monkey as the tip of a carved wooden staff made contact with the wooden circlet he wore as head protection. The hit had been weak but the armored monkey moved aside and cast his eyes down to the floor as if to show deference to his admonisher.


    If the armored guy could be Arctic''s older brother, this one could be his great-grandpa!


    A thin and frail white monkey in a loosely woven, belted, linen robe stood in front of Emi with the aid of the wooden staff that he used as a cane. He may have once been as tall or even taller than the armored monkey, but was now hunched over. The slits on the sides of his robe revealed bent legs that appeared to struggle under his weight. His fur looked similar to the others but the length and bushyness of his eyebrows were only second to those of his beard. As he studiously observed her, Emi could not help but note that the bits of his eyes that weren''t covered betrayed deeper thought than the other two monkeys. He pointed at her before turning to Arctic who then nodded in confirmation.


    At least it doesn''t look like this one is going to attack me.


    The robed monkey approached Emi and stopped a few feet in front of her before using the pointed end of his staff to draw a long line in the dirt. He then quickly drew what Emi thought could be a cow, or a deer, on one end of the line. Next, he moved a few inches and began drawing a crow-like bird, then a bit further, a quick sketch of the armored monkey. He then looked a bit troubled for the next, but he made a small mark an inch further than the previous one and pointed at Arctic before shrugging. The robed monkey went another couple of inches, nearing the end of the line, and made a mark that looked like a small human. At the very end of the line, he drew what appeared to be an adult human and then pointed at himself before making a mark between the child and the adult. The robed monkey finally pointed at Emi and then at the drawing, staring at her intently. Arctic started moving his arms to say something but the robed monkey put a hand out, palm outward toward him, and Arctic froze. Everyone''s attention was now on Emi as they waited for her to make a move, but to the apparent surprise of the three, she pointed a talon at Arctic then scratched a new mark further up the line for him.


    That''s right! This guy was able to jam with me, no way he is that far down the line. Now for me. I don''t know how smart people are in this world, but I''d like to believe I''m slightly above the average back on Earth. Not quite Ben''s level but that guy is an outlier. I mean, if I never got bored when learning tedious stuff, I could probably compete. To be fair, if I use Ben as the norm then at least 90 percent of the population is below average.


    Emi approached the line and pointed her talon at herself before letting it hover over the line. She first let it hover around the child mark but then she kept going. The left eyebrow of the robed monkey raised slightly as her talon slowed as it approached his mark. The inquisitive look turned into one of disappointment as she passed his mark and then the end of the line before putting her talon back down where she was standing. The armored monkey began showing his teeth to Arctic, in what Emi could only see as a malevolent smile. The robed monkey sighed audibly, the first sound she had heard any of them make so far, and turned toward the other two. The robed monkey was starting to move when Emi mimicked him by putting her leg out with her talons outstretched, approximating what he had done toward Arctic earlier. The armored monkey''s face immediately displayed his anger, and Arctic looked like he was an inch away from having a little accident, but the robed monkey''s curiosity was piqued once more.


    If you aren''t your own supporter, then who will be!


    Emi walked to the end of the line but instead of making a mark, she used her talons to extend it a couple of inches then made a mark at its end before proceeding to stand above it. Emi then puffed her tail to its full size and tilted her head as far back as she needed in order to look down on the old monkey.


    *THUD*


    Emi heard a loud sound behind her. She tilted her head even further back and looked up to see what was happening behind her. Arctic was clinging to the armored monkey''s torso and immobilizing him as they were both tangled into a pile on the floor.


    Did my show piss the armored dude off so much Arctic had to stop him from attacking me? Was I too much? Meg always said I thrive on drama. Or was it feed? Not important. Now the ball is in your court old guy. Am I going to be your dinner tonight or did I pass your little test?


    The robed monkey tilted his head back and started heaving with a large smile on his face and his free hand against his stomach. At that moment Emi truly understood why she hadn''t heard any of them make sounds so far. It hadn''t been because they were of a quiet nature, they literally couldn''t. Aside from the absence of a well-defined tongue, now that she could see the inside of one of their mouth, she could see that their rectangular teeth went much deeper than she had expected and the back of their throat seemed much narrower than it would have been on a human of the same size.


    Yeah...Not a creepy way to laugh at all. Downright standard if you ask me. Not the type of laugh anyone would have while thinking of the best way to roast you over a pit...At least it seems to have stopped the struggle between the other two before Arctic got himself beat up.


    The Robed monkey started scratching something on the ground and to Emi''s surprise, she was able to make out what it said.


    MAJVSCVLVS


    Majvscvlvs? At least I can read the letters but that''s a lot of consonants. Is it not a world of Chinese immortals but some Welsh fantasy world? Wait! I may be talking out of my ass but didn''t the Romans write the letter U as V?


    "Majusculus?"


    The robed monkey nodded, surprise apparent on his face, then pointed at himself. Emi walked up next to the word and scratched the letters E M I under it and then pointed at herself.


    "Emi. That is my name. Although I don''t think you''ll understand English, maybe hearing me put a sentence together will convince you of my abilities."


    Majusculus''s eyebrows rose so high that Emi thought they would fly off his face. He then quickly started scratching out a sentence below and with each subsequent word, Emi started doubting her sanity further and further.


    WELL MET. HOW DOST THEE SHABERI BRIHONIAN. THE OTHER FUTARI WAKARI A SMIDGEON OF IMPERIAL, NONETHELESS ORESAMA DABBLED IN THE BRIHONIAN TONGUE. PRAYTELL WHERE HAST THOU LEARNED A TONGUE THAT HAILS FROM SUCH A TOOI KUNI? MOST INTERPELLING DE GOZARU. LET US HOST YOU IN ORESAMA NO MURA. FORTUITOUS THAT ORESAMA HAS MADE THE ACQUAINTANCE OF A GENTLEBUSHI ON ORESAMA NO JOURNEYS DE GOZARU.


    Keep a straight face and don''t laugh! Seriously though, the hell? Gentlebushy? Brihon? If I was online, I would think someone messed up and input Japanese samurai movie scripts alongside some badly modernized Shakespearean plays into the training data of an ai chatbot. How the hell does something like this develop organically? Guess I''ll just do each sentence in both languages and hope Majusculus can figure it out.


    "I am hungry. I want to sleep. Let us talk tonight. Onaka ga suita. Netai. Konya Hanashimashou."


    Too tired to try and make it ancient-sounding, but since I kept it simple, I hope the message got through.


    Majusculus gave a second rendition of his peculiar laugh before nodding and signing something to the other two, too quickly for Emi to catch, and then motioned for her to follow. Emi took a step in their direction but the edges of her vision started closing in. A step further, her legs began to wobble. As she set her talon down for her third step, her body lost all its tension. The small amount of momentum she had gathered, and the top-heavy nature of her body, sent her falling face-first onto the forest floor. Arctic and Majusculus started panicking until they saw the peculiar owl was still breathing. Arctic gingerly picked Emi up and followed Majusculus as the armored monkey covered the rear, his eyes boring a hole in the back of Arctic''s head the entire way back to their home.

 7-Tag Team Knockout

    7-Tag Team Knockout


    4/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut - Dawm


    "...Stop it Mom...no more energy....full of food......can''t...eat... more!"


    Doro was mumbling in his sleep as his nightmare reached its final resolution. He suddenly woke up and started pressing against his stomach with his right hand.


    Oh good, that was just a dream. If it turns out this world has foie gras, I''m not having any in solidarity. Damn, won''t be able to fall asleep again like this. What time is it anyway?


    Doro stood up and opened one of his window shutters slightly to see outside.


    Might as well stay awake. Shouldn''t be too long before first bell.


    The sun hadn''t risen yet, but the sky was turning a noticeably lighter shade of blue around its eastern horizon. Doro estimated it would be less than an hour before first bell rang and decided he might as well get dressed. It was still dark in his room and he realized that he had no candles there. If he had gone to sleep late, he might have brought a candle into his room, but he could not remember exactly how he had gotten there.


    I must''ve fallen asleep in the kitchen. I need to get into better shape if I''m going to have to go back and forth between here and the Imperial complex at least once a decan. Or build a bike...that might be a good idea but probably not feasible for now. Guess I''ll have to go at it the traditional way.


    Doro had never been exceptionally fit in his previous life. He had been in slightly better shape than most of his indoors-adapted peers, but that hadn''t been a high bar to pass. He went jogging for twenty minutes every morning, with his cousin, and did some stretches before going to bed every night, but he had never had a gym membership and had never really been into sports. Doro started thinking about what kind of training regiment his cousin would have recommended. Sadly, he had had no interest in the subject and as he tried remembering specific information she had told him, very little came up.


    That''s what I get for not paying attention when she started going on one of her fitness rants. I could always go with the One-punch man method. A few sets of push-ups and sit-ups in the morning and the evening and some jogging for cardio. I''ll increase the number of reps in each set and my running distance gradually and build up to larger numbers. I may have the body of a nine-year-old child but it''s not like I need to be able to run a marathon. As long as I can walk around ten to twenty miles, carrying some light stuff, throughout the day without crashing like yesterday, it would be enough for now. I can always try for more later.


    Doro started positioning himself to start doing some push-ups but stopped as he put his palms on the floor.


    Oh right, my Abilities! Damn it... It can wait ten minutes. I literally just decided I needed to show more workout discipline, I can''t bail before I start doing my first set.


    Ten minutes later, a sweaty Doro was panting on his bedroom floor. Push-ups had proved too tough for high reps and so he had needed to do them on his knees. Sit-ups had been doable, but he hadn''t gone all the way up until his chest touched his knees. He slowly lifted his torso most of the way up, held a moment, and then slowly returned to his starting position without letting gravity drop him back. That was one of the few tips he''d remembered his cousin telling him, and he''d incorporated the idea into his stretching routine even back then.


    My arms are fine but my abs and pecs are a bit sore. Maybe I should go lower on reps and do a minute of planking instead. If I remember properly, slower-paced resistance-type exercises are better for building endurance than things like pushups. Enough exercising, time for my reward! Ability time!


    When looking at his options, Doro had only been able to see the general purpose of a choice but not the actual Abilities. A person''s Abilities weren''t set, they were produced through the interaction between a person''s personality, how they used their Choice, and so many other factors that it was considered an entire field of study. As far as Doro knew, too many potential variables existed and no real consensus had been publicly reached.


    Doro crossed his legs and stayed on the floor to avoid getting sweat all over his bed. He flipped his hand over and had it display the Abilities for his Phase Meister Choice. Luckily for him, the display glowed faintly, like his sigil had, allowing him to read it in the dark.


    [Phase Meister 1/3] appeared along the top of his palm, beneath the base of his fingers. Below, the name of an Ability and its description took up the central portion of his palm.


    1/3? does this mean I''ll only ever get 3 abilities? Nah, that''s dumb, don''t panic. That probably means I have three abilities to start with, and it is displaying the first. Alright, what did I get?


    [Phase Meister 1/3]


    [Phase Transition (Solid<=>liquid)]


    Control the solidity of inorganic matter without affecting its temperature. When the energy imbued is expended, retrieved, or dissipates naturally, the affected matter will return to its natural state. Energy expenditure is variable.


    Awesome! No jail cell will ever be able to keep me in! Muhahahaha! ...Except if it''s made out of wood....or bone, or cloth, or leather, or, uh, even meat I guess? I guess you could say a hug is a meat prison...Or if I got swallowed by a whale? Well, it should be fine anyhow. Manzat doesn''t really have a thriving lumber industry, or whales, being a desert surrounding a freshwater sea and all.


    Doro was having fun thinking of crazy stunts he should be able to perform, not that he planned on trying most of them. As it turns out, Doro''s creative tendencies had meshed with his old self''s practical academic approach and created a potential mad scientist.


    Science! Or is it magic? In any case, I approve! Alright, onto the next goodie.


    [Inorganic Kinesis]


    Ability to move, lift, throw, shape and affect inorganic material at a distance by expending energy. Energy expenditure is variable.


    Ooooooh. Sweet. And combining the two I could go all " You want a crown of gold?" then throw a blob of metal at my enemy''s face before hardening it. Meh, I don''t really have any enemies, and the Game of Thrones reference would be wasted. Damn, the main reason I spent so many hours watching that show in the first place was so that I could get all the references people were making. Better not start thinking about that last season or I''ll start losing my good mood. Next Ability!


    [Somatic Support]


    Kinetic Abilities, spells, and techniques can be supplemented by physical effort and motion to reduce energy expenditure and assist with control.


    Doro remained silent for a moment as he reread his third Ability to make sure he understood it.


    This is gonna be super useful. Guess I''ll scrap my exercise plan and just use this since it will let me practice with my other Abilities more.


    Doro regretted his earlier decision to work out as his core muscles felt rather spent.


    Phase Meister gave me some pretty cool stuff, but I''ll have to experiment quite a bit to figure out what " Energy expenditure is variable" really means. I''ll worry about that after breakfast, still have my Blessed abilities to go through.


    [Materia Synthesist 1/4]


    [Matter Analysis]


    Ability to circulate your energy throughout abiotic matter to understand its elemental make-up and properties. Energy expended is returned. Results are affected by knowledge and understanding.


    Knowledge and understanding? As far as I know, this world hasn''t really formalized elemental theory or come up with a version of the periodic table of elements yet. Dad''s books feel like a mix of Renaissance alchemy and old Greco-Roman philosophical sciences. I think I''ll be fine on that end. An ability that doesn''t use up energy is nice to have though.


    [Matter Isolation Field]


    Ability to create a field where abiotic matter can be suspended and broken down into the compounds and elements it is made of. All abiotic matter will remain inert and in stasis as long as the field is maintained. Energy expenditure is variable. Results are affected by knowledge and understanding.


    Again with the variable expenditure line? And with the whole knowledge and understanding bit too? I have a feeling I am going to start disliking those two sentences intensely. I mean, they barely mean anything... The ability itself is pretty useful though. Being able to use energy to bypass the need for specialized equipment and reducing agents is going to come in very handy considering how finicky some metals are. With this, I won''t have to wait for ages before I''m able to refine metals like titanium and aluminum. Farewell Bayer process, I won''t have to figure out how to pull you off with this world''s tech level. Still, might be useful for iron extraction too. Even though Dad already has the gear, if the energy cost is low enough, it might be worth it. It says abiotic rather than inorganic so I guess it should work on anything that isn''t alive at the time of use.


    [Compound Synthesis]


    Ability to synthesize abiotic matter by using elements or compounds available inside of the [Matter Isolation Field]. Energy expenditure is variable. Results are affected by knowledge and understanding.


    Yep, these two sentences popped up again. Nevermind that. Another useful Ability but... is this choice turning me into a glorified material recycling machine? Insert trash> analyze> break down > isolate> recombine from available materials? Maybe I''m finding this less fun because it doesn''t feel as new to me. Meister feels like magic and new possibilities. For the moment, this feels more like shortcuts to let me cheat my way into bypassing this world''s tech level. I''m only level one though, and maybe I''m underestimating it. Maybe I''ll figure out a way to get creative with them. One more ability to check. Come on, be something cool and new!


    [Persistent Memories of the Blessed]


    Ability to use a minute amount of energy to access soul-bound memories and create vivid and detailed recollections of specific events.


    If I hadn''t been told that my abilities and their descriptions were a construct of my subconscious trying to interpret the Akashic Network and its effect on me, I''d think someone was messing with me...Well, I guess it doesn''t cost much energy and will let me remember specific formulas and the such so that''s cool. Also, maybe I can use it to make sure I don''t forget anything about the people that were important to me back on Earth. Gotta say though, it''s a good thing I have nine years of memories of being part of this family. If I was alone I''d probably be mourning, feeling alone and isolated. Weird though, not sure I can call it mourning when they are alive but I died. Maybe homesickness? Well this Ability doesn''t seem that fun but at least it''s gonna be quite useful. I won''t need to spend so much time writing down Earth knowledge-


    Doro stopped his train of thought as it reminded him of what he''d been thinking about two days prior, just before bumping into Aonghus. Doro tried thinking about an animated movie he had seen multiple times as a kid. It was about a hunter being turned into a bear and adopting the cub of a bear he had hunted down. The movie had marked him because it was one of few movies made for children that he felt had real emotional depth. Doro then thought hard about a very specific scene and all of a sudden he felt a tiny tingle journey from the center of his chest, along his spine, and into the back of his neck.


    Woah, was that energy? Wait, the memory is becoming clearer.


    The scene he was trying to remember started steadily gaining clarity. All of a sudden, Doro could smell, feel, see, hear, and taste that moment from his youth as if he were right there living through it once more. The scene finished replaying in his mind as Doro''s expression turned into a joyous smile.


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    YES! It worked! I have all the lyrics to the damn song! My sanity is saved. Let''s try this again a few times to see if I can get a better feel for energy.


    Doro indulged in his old memories for what felt a lot longer than the one hour he could tell had passed from the increase in the amount of light entering through his window. Although he didn''t think he had made much progress on sensing his energy, he felt a lot more relaxed. As Doro let out a contented sigh, he heard first bell start ringing in the distance and looked outside.


    The sun is coming up, Better clean up a bit and get dressed before breakfast...Wait...first bell? I''m sure I watched well over an hour of memories, shouldn''t it be second bell? Neat, I can rewatch a whole movie or reread a whole book and waste barely any real time.


    Doro went about his usual clean-up routine and then headed to the kitchen for breakfast. His parents were both sitting at the table, in silence, with their eyes trained on Doro.


    "Finally out of your room, I see! So, out with it. You barely told me anything yesterday."


    Khetep made eye contact with Doro and gave him an apologetic smile as Suyum began her interrogation.


    Bet he decided to play it safe and acted like he didn''t know anything. Sadly, I can''t do the same.


    Doro proceeded to explain what being a Phase Meister entailed, continuing with a description of its three starting Abilities. What he had feared was seemingly coming to pass. Judging by the too-wide a smile his mother displayed as he explained how he could substitute energy by exerting himself physically, Doro could imagine what she might be planning. He rushed to explain that he believed that it only applied to his [Inorganic Kinesis]. He also added that he didn''t think he could solidify her unfired pottery with his [Phase Transition] since it wouldn''t actually bake the clay and would return to being soft once it ran out of energy. Doro started feeling guilty as his mother''s smile slowly disintegrated. With each point that he made, the plans he suspected her of having, using him as free labor whilst calling it an apprenticeship, visibly shattered bit by a bit. Doro eventually dropped his guard as he told her that he could still work on already fired ceramics that needed repairs or modifications.


    "Ah, then how about you come to join me officially as my apprentice? You won''t have to go around competin'' with others for a spot and you won''t even have to leave home in the mornin''. Isn''t that a sweet deal?"


    I knew it! Time to show my get-out-of-jail-free card and get Dad to earn the knowledge he wants from me.


    Doro put his hand on the table, palm up, and displayed his sigil and certification marks.


    "Sorry Mom, but I qualified as a second-tier scholar and was taken as an apprentice by the Imperial Enumerator. He wants me to study under him every Seventh-day afternoon."


    Although his mother looked like she was about to give up when he brought up his apprenticeship, a thoughtful expression had appeared on her face by the end of the excuse.


    "Congratulations! That is great and all, but doesn''t that mean you are still free every other day? Nothin'' stops you from takin'' two apprenticeships if they don''t get in the way of each other."


    Think you got me cornered? I was ready for this! Sorry Dad, but I''ll definitely pay you back by helping you through your threshold, no matter how long it takes.


    "The thing is...he said that even though he was too busy with his duties to teach me every day, I should work on my studies during the rest of the decan. Then he added that since Dad has a third-tier scholar certification and works as a refiner, I should learn from him and help him with his work during the rest of the decan to familiarize myself with practical applications."


    His excuse delivered, Doro turned to look at his father. Khetep froze, his mouth agape and his eyes open wider than Doro had ever seen before. Doro could empathize with his father, but he decided to cut off any chance of retreat with his next statement.


    "Now that I am finally allowed inside, we should head to your workshop so that you can deliver on the quality father-son bonding time you promised me yesterday. Mom? If Sarima drops by, can you send her our way, please? I said I would help her with her studies for a bit in the mornings if she came around."


    Doro stood up and took his father by the hand, leading him toward his workshop. He glanced back at his mother and it would seem his plan was successful. Suyum was boring a hole into the back of Khetep''s head with her glare, a betrayed look on her face.


    Blame redirected. Mission accomplished. Let us have a moment of silence for the one casualty. Sorry Mom but if I have to keep half my abilities, and how capable I am, hidden for the moment, I can''t go around spending all day under your scrutiny.


    As the door to Khetep''s workshop closed behind them, he turned around brusquely to face his son.


    "Do you realize what you''ve just done? I sleep next to her! She cooks half of the meals I eat! And you made it seem as if I was the reason her master plan fell to ruins. She will try and get back at me and you know it. Just so you know, I''m trading plates with you every time she cooks for the foreseeable future."


    "Fair, fair. That seems like a good trade for my freedom. Don''t worry, we''ll get you past your threshold with the knowledge from my previous life and she''ll be so proud of you that it will hopefully overwrite her anger. I guess there is little chance for a younger sibling to be made during the next few decans though."


    Doro put a hand on his father''s shoulder a nodded while giving his father a pitying smile.


    "Eww! Stop that! I get that you have memories of being a young adult, but with your looks, that smile, and those words, you are creeping me out. I guess a bit of marital friction is worth your help though."


    Doro couldn''t help himself from one last joke at his father''s expense before moving on.


    "I thought that we already established that with Mom as angry as she is, there is little chance of "marital friction" any time soon."


    He then proceeded to give his father an exaggerated wink.


    Khetep looked like he was about to complain about his son''s humor again, but both he and Doro went silent as they heard a knock on the door.


    "Doro? Are you here? Please let me in!"


    Sarima''s voice could be heard from the other side of the door and her words carried a noticeable tinge of panic.


    "He is here, come on in. The door is unlocked. Be careful and do not touch anything without asking first."


    Khetep invited her in and she entered the room, closing the door behind her as quickly as she could.


    "Uh, Doro, Mister Khetep, good morning. Any reason why Miss Suyum looked like she was about to throw me out the window when I asked her where I could find you? She just pointed down the corridor while mumbling curses under her breath. Did I annoy her yesterday?"


    "Nah don''t worry, she''s just annoyed because Dad thwarted her plans of using me as free labor by teaching me during the rest of the decan while Scholar Atwut is busy. At least that''s the excuse I made up so that I could teach you and my dad without being stuck working with clay all day, everyday. Oh yeah, I told him about my secret and now he wants to try and get a special Choice like yours. Please treat him well as your junior student."


    Khetep choked a little at those last words and pleaded with his son.


    "Surely, as her elder, and your father, I would be the senior student?"


    "Sorry Dad, she became my student first. that is how seniority works. Tell you what, since you follow the same field of study as me, you can have the title of "Head Disciple" if you want."


    Doro couldn''t keep a straight face at the awkward, perplexed look his father was giving him and gave up on the joke.


    "Just joking dad, I may have accepted her as a student first but you are both taking your first lesson this morning, and you will be working on much more complex stuff than Sarima anyway. Although if we are going to do this every morning, do you mind if Sarima calls you something simpler than "Mister Khetep" for efficiency?"


    Sarima jumped in and made some suggestions.


    "Oh I know! Would you like it if I called your dad "father-in-law"?"


    As if he had always known how to do it, something clicked in Doro. He reached in the direction of a pebble on the floor and performed a flicking motion in the air. The little pebble flew straight toward the middle of Sarima''s forehead and bounced off, falling back to the floor.


    Sarima yelped in surprise.


    "Ow...I was just joking...Nice new trick though. Ok, scrap that last idea. How about "Uncle"?"


    Doro nodded, seeing no issue with it. Khetep on the other hand appeared slightly conflicted.


    "I''m barely thirty...Being called uncle feels a bit...but it''s not like I can think of something more appropriate. Sure, let''s go with Uncle for now."


    "Dad, do you mind just doing your own thing for ten minutes while I get Sarima set up?"


    Doro led Sarima to the counter and pulled a stool over, for her to sit on. He then spent five minutes explaining the basic principle behind percentages and fractions by using the profit calculation questions that Scholar Atwut had used the previous day as an example. As Sarima had a solid grasp of division and multiplication, she caught on quickly. It may have also been her learning Ability showing its effect for the first time. By the time ten minutes had gone by, Sarima was ready to work on exercises by herself and Doro had written down a series of questions for her on some of his father''s spare paper.


    "Try to answer the questions by tomorrow. You are free to work on it at home. You can stay and listen to what I am going to teach my father, but please don''t ask questions. If you find what I teach him interesting, then I''ll cover it with you properly after you learn the prerequisite knowledge. Show me that you can do what we just covered and we''ll move on once you have mastered it."


    Sarima fidgeted a bit as if she was unsure of what she should do.


    "Well, I guess I''ll go home for now and work on it as I prepare lunch. I''ll be back tomorrow though, and you''ll teach me more right?"


    Doro made eye contact with her and decided he should try to reassure her.


    "Don''t worry, we have time. As long as I teach you a little bit each day you should be more than fine in three years. You seem to have understood the subject quickly today. Come back with your answers tomorrow so that I can make sure you got it. Tell you what, if you get them all right, I''ll give you a small reward."


    Properly motivated, Sarima left the workshop with a new goal. Khetep approached his son and then nudged him with his elbow.


    "A reward eh? Are you gonna give her a peck on the cheek?"


    Doro decided it was a good time to practice and flicked the air behind him. Khetep was grinning as he teased his son and did not see the pebble flying toward his temple before it hit. This time, Doro had tried to apply a tiny bit of energy, focusing on the feeling he had earlier that morning. The pebble''s momentum increased slightly as a result. Still, the pebble was light and was still going relatively slowly. It bounced off Khetep''s head harmlessly, nothing more than a minor annoyance.


    "I got your message. Stop it or you might tickle me."


    Khetep shrugged off the attack and sat down on his stool, ready to learn.


    "So...What are we going to be working on this morning?"


    Sorry Dad, but I was taking it easy on Sarima because she is only nine. I''m skipping straight to high school physics and chemistry with you.


    Doro mirrored his father''s smile as he began his lesson.


    ***


    By the time sixth bell could be heard ringing, Khetep''s demeanor had gone through a complete reversal. Doro had started the lesson with a generalized overview of elemental theory. He explained that all the matter in the world was made through interactions between a limited number of base substances. This concept had not been entirely foreign to Khetep due to the nature of his profession and he understood what Doro meant when pure gold was used as an example of a substance that could not be purified further. This theory did exist in some form in the Growing World, but it hadn''t been accepted as a universal truth and was still in its infancy. The few attempts at making a table or list had ended up missing the majority of elements and included entries such as water, salt, and other common compounds.


    Doro had then proceeded to explain the concept of atoms and atomic structure so that his father could understand why elements were different from each other and how their structure could give clues on their properties. That was when Khetep''s real struggle had begun. Until then, Doro had been able to use Khetep''s life experience to give him easily understandable examples, but this topic had turned out a lot more abstract.


    Khetep had tried asking a few questions but Doro told him that they were just covering the concepts this lesson and would work on the details in the future. Doro then spent the rest of the morning explaining how atoms formed different types of bonds and how they could react to each other and form molecules. It was conceptually easier to grasp than the previous topic, but the complexity of the forces that could create or split bonds, and the vast number of possible resulting substances and compounds had proved too much for his father.


    Realizing that he might have overdone it, judging from his father''s glassy eyes, Doro decided to help him to the kitchen. Khetep followed with a vacant stare, mumbling complicated terms from Doro''s lecture every few steps.


    I think I might have fried his brain...Hopefully, food will fix him. In hindsight, maybe I shouldn''t have kept going for nearly five hours without a break.


    Khetep was so despondent that he didn''t even react to the glare Suyum gave him as he entered. He sat down in silence and started eating slowly as if his body was acting on muscle memory.


    "Doro? What''s wrong with your dad?"


    Suyum''s angry stare had left her face, replaced by a concerned expression.


    "I think I asked him too many complicated questions and exhausted him maybe?"


    Doro knew that was a weak excuse, but at the moment, he could not come up with a better one.


    "No, not that. I mean I put enough spices in his portion that he should be beggin'' for a drink at the very least, but he is still goin'' at it..."


    Beads of sweat were forming on Khetep''s forehead and his nostrils flared as he kept eating spoonful after spoonful. Eventually, the heat built up so much that Khetep''s survival instincts kicked in, shooting adrenaline through his system and returning his clarity.


    "Aaaah! What the!? Am I on fire?"


    Khetep''s confusion at the current situation showed on his face as he started panting uncontrollably. He frantically searched around the table for water and drank straight from the ceramic pitcher.


    "Aha! Success!"


    Suyum laughed as Khetep coughed and sprayed the water all over the table. As it turns out, the water had been spiked as well. After a few moments went by, Suyum put a glass of milk in front of her husband.


    "I''m not fully forgivin'' you cuz'' you kept stuff from me last night, but with this, I reckon the scales are closer to bein'' balanced."


    Khetep might have responded to that last statement if only he hadn''t passed out, face down on the table. The combination of mental and physical distress had proved too much for him. Suyum and Doro exchanged guilty looks silently.


    "Uh, Mom? I think we might have both gone too hard and broke Dad...You know how bad he is with alcohol...What did you even put in there?"


    "I mixed some clear grain alcohol in the water pitcher, but I split it fifty-fifty"


    Doro smacked his palm against his forehead. Doro had never experienced it himself but from what he could gather, the liquor she had used was about as strong as commercial vodka back on earth.


    So what''s in there is still like twice as strong as wine? Dad can''t even handle a full glass of beer without falling asleep...


    "Yep, that''ll do it. Guess he''s out for the day then."


    Suyum nodded and asked Doro to help her get Khetep to his bed. They put a cold damp towel on his forehead and left him to recuperate.


    "Since I knocked out your dad, I''d better be extra productive to make up for him missin'' half a day of work. Come dampen the towel once an hour until he wakes up please."


    Suyum left for her workshop and left Doro standing at his father''s bedside.


    Well, crap. Probably overdid it with the lessons this morning. I need to work on my teaching skills... With Dad out of commission, Sarima studying at her place, and Mom working, I should be able to check out my abilities uninterrupted. Silver lining?


    After checking over his father one final time, Doro returned to his father''s workshop to experiment with his new Abilities.

 8-No Jail will ever hold me

    8-No Jail will ever hold me


    4/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut - Early Afternoon


    Alright, time to experiment!


    Doro closed the door to his father''s workshop as he headed to the large counter and took a seat.


    Better try the Abilities that don''t cost much energy first. [Matter Analysis] seems like a good place to start.


    Doro picked up a lump of unprocessed iron ore from his father''s stock and placed it in front of him.


    Let''s see what this is made of.


    Doro put his hand onto the lump and waited for a few seconds.


    Nothing happened.


    Huh, how do I put my energy in there?


    Doro attempted to sense his energy to send it in, but he could only barely perceive it.


    Maybe the only reason I was able to control that pebble so easily before was because of [Somatic Support]... Do I need to meditate and train until I can sense my energy before I can use it? Like some sort of monk? Nah, someone would have told me something like that.


    Doro pondered over the issue for a few minutes before he came up with an Idea.


    Maybe it''s like when I display my sigil, I just need to think about the name of my ability and focus on it. I mean Abilities are supposed to be easy to use but hard to master. Well, I''ve got nothing to lose by trying it.


    Doro put his hand on the lump again and focused on his Ability.


    [Matter Analysis]


    Doro could sense his energy flowing into the lump of ore, but could not affect its flow. As if it had a mind of its own, the energy circulated through the ore before returning to Doro. As the energy reentered his body, a mild pain radiated throughout his head as bits of information hit him all at once.


    What the hell? What is this gibberish?


    The bits of information slowly started coalescing into something Doro could understand and the pain in his head gradually died down.


    There was no writing appearing on his palm, but Doro felt that he now knew the information, as if he had just read it.


    Hematite (Fe2O3)


    Iron 67% Oxygen 32%


    Impurities: Silicon <1%


    Doro could have delved deeper into the information he had received, and he felt that he could have used his knowledge to extrapolate more out of it, but he decided this was enough for now.


    Alright, as long as I am familiar with the elemental or mineral structure, the Ability translates the information automatically.


    Content with his first experiment, Doro felt ready to move on to the next Ability. He wanted to check his energy levels, to make sure that he had not spent any, but he didn''t have a solid enough grasp to sense it and confirm.


    Damn, I was hoping I could figure out what the variables for the energy costs of some of my abilities are, but If I can''t get a good sense of my energy expenditure...Maybe I''m missing something... but Dad is KO''d and Mom is busy so I can''t ask anyone for now. I''ll just have a bit of fun this afternoon and ask tonight.


    Doro decided to test out his [Inorganic Kinesis] using his [Somatic Support].


    I might not be able to study the expenditure of my other Abilities for now, but this one should be doable.


    Doro had surmised that since [Somatic Support] allowed to replace energy expenditure with physical exertion, he should be able to judge the increase, or decrease, in expenditure by the change in physical strain. Doro picked up the piece of hematite in his left hand and held it out in front of him. He then made a small lifting motion with his right hand and the hematite started floating.


    Hold for a little. Alright, my arm is getting more tired from the strain, but the weight isn''t increasing. So the relationship between the duration and expenditure should be constant. Keeping something aloft for one minute should cost sixty times more energy than keeping the same item up for one second.


    Doro then picked the hematite up with his right hand normally to see if the effort needed was the same as when using his skill. Doro decided that the ore was maybe slightly lighter when lifting it normally, but if it was, the difference was so small that it didn''t matter at this scale.


    I''ll just consider the input and the output to be roughly equal for now.


    The next test Doro performed was to check if the elevation was a factor. He floated the ore at different heights and held it there for a few seconds at a time. He was getting ready to write it off as a factor until he tried levitating the ore higher than his head.


    Huh? It is starting to become incrementally heavier. But why not from the start? Why only after a certain height?


    Doro thought over the issue for a minute or two and came up with a possible explanation. To test it out, he repeated the same test horizontally, starting with the ore a foot behind him.


    Ahah! Called it!


    The ore had grown lighter as it floated closer to him and then grew heavier as it gained some distance. He tested it out for a few more minutes and got a better feel for the effect of range on expenditure.


    So when the object is approximately ten feet away from me, it feels twice as heavy, and at twenty feet, it feels like three times its weight. Every foot of distance results in a non-compounding expenditure increase of ten percent. The distance seems to be calculated as the shortest route between the object and the nearest part of my body.


    Doro felt it was safe to assume that the weight of the object would also affect expenditure accordingly, and decided it would be a waste to test it out for now.


    How am I going to test the expenditure of motion though? I already felt that the weight increased depending on the speed at which I was moving the ore, but without having numerical values for the expenditure and velocity, I don''t think I can come up with a working equation...


    Feeling like he was reaching the limits of what he could test without spending energy, Doro decided to move on to the last test he could think of for his [Inorganic Kinesis].


    Time to try to move stuff with just my mind and energy.


    Two trips to dampen his father''s towel and two bells later, Doro was staring intently at the unmoving ore. He had run out of patience a while ago but stubbornly refused to give up.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    I need a different approach, this is not doing anything.


    Doro blinked as an idea popped into his head. He decided that if he could not figure out how to initiate it without using motions, he might be able to sustain it once he had gotten it started. As he made his attempt, he managed to slowly transition from using his muscles to using his energy. It took a few seconds but Doro was eventually able to let his hand rest while keeping the ore aloft. He let it drop after another few seconds, so as not to expend too much energy, not knowing how long he could have kept up before his meager store of energy ran out.


    I can work on initiating it with only my mind later, no reason I can''t use training wheels for a bit. I''ve got to make a decision now though. Do I try [Phase Transition] or my Synthesist Abilities? I''m fairly sure that I don''t have enough energy to test out both more than maybe a tiny bit.


    After mulling it over, Doro decided that he could try out his Synthesist Abilities with his father present, and he could just have some fun with [phase transition] until his energy ran out.


    I did promise Sarima a reward and I feel bad for the state Dad is in, so I could make him something too. Time to bust out my knowledge of modern contraptions and make both of them something useful. If I can figure out [Phase Transition], I should be able to make something quite decent considering it would let me cold-work metals and bypass melding.


    Doro thought of a few useful things he could potentially make but most of them required things he didn''t have on hand or needed overly precise components.


    I''d need to come up with a way to make a perfect sphere for a ball-point pen, but I could maybe make a fountain pen. Not sure I could make a good one though, the tip needs to be very precise. Also, I''m fairly sure fountain pens are already a thing here but are just expensive. I don''t have any metals suited for making springs, so anything needing those is out. Oh, I could make a modernized chemistry set for Dad by improving some of his old glassware. A few test tubes, a couple of beakers, and a simple condenser. Well, I''ll go one item at a time in case I run out of energy.


    Doro felt that he had come upon a great idea until he remembered Sarima.


    Yeah, that won''t work for her. Something for a student or a merchant? I could make a pocket abacus, but that''s a bit lame. I''m not sure I could pull off a scale overnight, if it needed to be accurate, and it would be too bulky... Oh! I could make a ring binder. Would be useful for her studies and she could have fun decorating it. I can make a nice wooden one with simple hinges since I don''t have any Soft plastics for the casing. All I need to make is three long, thin metal plates with hinges and to fit four split rings on the center plate. I don''t need to make any special mechanism if I''m okay with the rings being open whenever the binder is. I can always improve it later. Then all I''ll need to finish it off is a decent piece of wood for the casing.


    Now with a plan, Doro went about his father''s workshop to gather the materials he needed. He found a small crate filled with damaged vials and beakers that his father had retired from service over the years and picked a few of the most damaged ones. He then went to a shelf with multiple vials and used [Matter Analysis] on a few until he came across what he was hoping to find.


    Ha! I knew Dad would probably have some form of Boron Oxide for his ceramic glazes, with this I can improve the glass and make it into borosilicate glass. Might need to try out my [Compound Synthesis] sooner than planned. Alright now for the stuff I''ll need to make the binder.


    Doro then picked out a small steel ingot, choosing one of the milder types of steel his father had in store, hoping it would make his Ability more energy efficient. He then retrieved a rolling pin and a knife from the kitchen before placing all his gathered loot onto the counter.


    Which should I start with? The binder is a bit more complicated from an engineering standpoint but probably simpler when it comes to using my Ability. Probably best to start with it. Now I just need to figure out how to soften the ingot and then I can use the rolling pin to flatten it.


    Doro put his hand on the steel ingot and tried to will energy into it. The energy circulated and returned, bringing back information with it.


    Damn, I just went and used [Matter Analysis] automatically. Let''s try this again. This time I''ll actively try to think about [Phase Transition].


    Doro tried to move the energy from his body into the metal whilst focusing on his Ability. This time, he could feel a strange sensation growing through his body. The energy that permeated his body had been flowing slowly and his attempts at moving it had thus far been fruitless. Now, the flow began speeding up and flowing out as if a small breach had opened on the surface of his palm. He could sense the energy rapidly entering the steel and diffusing itself through the material. Doro stopped imbuing the ingot after he felt a significant decrease in his energy levels.


    Can''t tell exactly how much, but if I started with ten energy when I was full, I think I put somewhere between two and three points into the metal. It doesn''t look as though the energy is dissipating, or at least not quickly, and it isn''t circulating like when I use [Matter Analysis].


    Studying the arrangement of the energy, Doro noticed that it didn''t diffuse itself uniformly. The energy seemed to gather itself into a multitude of tiny densely packed nodes, each linked by lines of energy. It reminded him of lattice structures and molecular models but the nodes were about the size of rice grains and were distributed evenly throughout.


    It kind of looks like 3D graph paper with little balls at the intersection. Much too big to represent molecular structure though. Probably a framework like those in 3D modeling or graphic design software. If that''s correct then maybe I can...


    Doro followed his hunch and focused on one of the outermost nodes in the framework. He then started directing energy into the lines connecting the node to the rest of the framework. Expecting the same amount of difficulty he''d had when trying to move the energy within his own body, Doro was surprised when a large portion of the energy in the node instantly flooded the bonds and broke them apart. As a result, a small portion of the ore containing the node started slowly dribbling down the side of the solid metal clump. As it made its way down, the energy in the node steadily decreased and ran out by the time it had made it approximately halfway. As the node ran out of energy new lines reached out from the closest nodes and locked it in place. Doro then felt a small movement in the framework as some energy diffused back into the emptied node until it reached equilibrium again.


    Ok, that was pretty cool. Now, let''s see if I can control the output a little better and just make the metal soft by allowing a smaller flow of energy into the bonds...


    Oh nice! It''s like some of those metal clays they use for shaping jewelry.


    Ooh, With a bit more energy it becomes more viscous, kinda like tar or slime, but less sticky.


    Doro Continued experimenting with the flow on single nodes for a little while to get a better handle on his control without expending too much of the infused energy. By the time he felt ready to try and affect the whole framework at once, the ore''s surface had become a misshapen mess and reminded Doro of microwave-related YouTube videos he had seen.


    Oh crap, with Meg, Emi, and I all dead, there is no one left to take care of the brand channel. I hope Dad and Uncle Marc figured something out. I know I can never go back, but it would be nice to know that they managed to get on with life after our deaths. Mom probably got over it rather quickly with the support of her new family, and Uncle Marc has Aunt Sally to lean on, but I hope Dad got on fine without me.


    Doro spent a couple of minutes in a melancholic mood, imagining how the people he had left behind on Earth fared over the last nine years. Ben''s father, Jason, had been an extreme sports athlete throughout the 1990s, during his early twenties. He had been a rather successful pro surfer, skater, and snowboarder but had also traveled a lot to participate in extreme cross-country marathons or to find beautiful and remote locations for base jumping and other such activities. He had hired his indoorsy older brother as his manager on the condition that they would travel together and that he would act as his cameraman.


    It was on one of these many trips that Ben''s parents had met, according to what his father had told him. Jason and Marc had gone down to South Africa for a month to prepare for, and compete in, a Pro surfing competition in the winter of 2000. He had met Ben''s mother Amara there while she was on holiday between semesters of her last year at the University of Johannesburg. They had enjoyed the southern hemisphere equivalent of a summer fling over the winter and parted ways amiably when the two brothers returned to California after the event. Unbeknownst to his father, Amara had given birth to Ben nine months later.


    Amara''s father was a powerful banker from a well-established family and didn''t approve of Jason, seeing him as an athlete on the tail end of his career, and thus not a good enough prospect for his daughter. However, by the time Ben was four, his grandfather had found a good match for Amara among the financial elite of Johannesburg, and Ben had become a potential obstacle to his plan. After being convinced by her father, Amara took Ben to Los Angeles to meet his father at his place in Venice Beach. Three days later, she returned to South Africa alone leaving Ben with a confused and panicked Jason.


    Luckily for the pair, Marc and his wife Sally agreed to help and merged their households. They had gotten married and had a child of their own who was only a few months older than Ben. After a few months, Jason decided to retire because he hadn''t felt right taking long trips and large risks with Ben waiting at home. He, Mark, and Sally then used some of their savings to start up a brand of custom-made outdoor sporting equipment for professionals and skilled enthusiasts. The early years had been touch and go but Ben had a lot of fun with his new family despite their finances being often strained as their brand was being established. Being in California, Ben didn''t get the worst treatment that the USA could offer to children of mixed heritage. Considering the complicated history of his country of birth on this particular issue, he had not felt worse off, aside from being somewhat ridiculed by other children due to his accent for the first few years, that is.


    By the time Ben and Megan had become teenagers, the brand had stabilized, thanks to Jason''s old connections and the quality of their products. The company grew and they hired a few more people to work on the manufacture and bought an old factory that they converted into a dedicated workshop. They hadn''t really become famous at large but they were becoming well-known in professional circles.


    Ben and Megan had then gone off to university and met Emi. The three of them had become fast friends and by the end of their first year, they had come up with an idea. The three of them started a YouTube channel to try and spread the family brand. Ben would do the research, get the gear sorted, and organize their travels. Megan did stunts and on-the-field demos. Emi would film, edit the footage, and compose the musical tracks on her PC. At first, they only made promotional music videos for the brand and it worked pretty well, but over the years his cousin Megan got a fan following and the videos started becoming more character-centered as the videos took more of a v-log documentary style. Ben and Emi had started getting involved in the videos as well, to give different perspectives. By 2024, they had managed to gather over 1 million subscribers and had even been invited to collaborate with Megan''s favorite channel, Yes Theory. Their effort had brought a new market to the brand and it had been picking up in popularity with amateurs.


    Ahh, Meg must be so mad we died before the collab since she had a huge crush on that Swedish/French dude. Well, that''s enough reminiscing for now. I still have things to do.


    Doro took a deep breath to clear his mind and then inspected the lump of ore once again. He noticed that the amount of energy in each node had decreased a bit since the last time he had checked. Between what he had used during his experiments, and what was naturally lost over time, only about half of the energy he had invested remained.


    I can''t really tell how much just dissipated and how much I used. I''ll have to come up with some experiments to figure out the dispersion rate of infused energy. For now, let''s try to soften all the bonds at once.


    Doro concentrated on the lump in front of him and tried to activate all the nodes at once, starting with a very slow flow. All the nodes activated and slowly fed energy into their bonds. With everything going according to plan, Doro slowly increased the flow until the metal had an unfired-clay-like consistency.


    Ok, I can probably keep it in this state for around a minute with the energy that remains, better get moving.


    Doro put the lump of unprocessed ore aside and retrieved an ingot of steel before infusing it with energy. He picked up the rolling pin he had prepared beforehand, activated the energy he had invested, and quickly flattened the ingot into a quarter-inch thick sheet. He then carefully used the knife he had set aside to cut out the components needed for the binder. Doro finished his last incision as the last remnants of energy were expended causing the metal to instantly return to a solid state.


    Great! That pretty much worked as expected. I need to spend a tiny bit more energy to turn a couple of those strips into pins for the hinges, and into rings, but that should be negligible.


    Doro spent the next few minutes rolling some of the strips into cylinders and bending them into their required shapes before proceeding to assembly. Once he was done, Doro looked down at the mechanism he had made with pride.


    Not bad! If I dare say so myself. No way I could have done that without a few power tools and a lot of specialized equipment back on Earth. Now I just need to get some decent wood for the covers and attach them. My energy feels roughly three-quarters full so I''ll switch to making the glassware for now and go ask Mom for the wood when I run out.


    Doro set aside the components he had just finished shaping, having done all he could for now, and turned his attention to his other project.

 9-Having a smart mouth will make you go Bald

    9-Having a smart mouth will make you grow Bald


    4/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut - Late Afternoon


    Glass eh? Didn''t use much of it at the family business since it''s so heavy compared to resins and other polymers...Good thing I paid attention in class.


    Doro had more experience working with polycarbonates than glass, but he''d picked up some tips and tricks from some of his courses. He picked up a thick rag and wrapped a few old vials inside. Doro wrapped a cloth around the lower half of his face, squinted his eyes, placed the bundle onto the anvil, and smashed it repeatedly with a hammer. Doro kept going until the glass stopped making loud sounds as it shattered. He then emptied the contents of the rag into a mortar and ground it up with a pestle before repeating the process with more of the old glassware.


    That should be enough for now. Gotta make sure not to breathe any in. It''s so fine that it would do some bad things inside my lungs. [Phase Transition] can probably be used to meld it back together, but since it bypasses temperature altogether, I don''t think I''d end up with borosilicate glass if I just mix the glass powder and the boron powder. Guess it''s time to try out [Compound Synthesis]. I''ll just refresh my memory on the ratios first.


    Doro activated [Persistent Memories of the Blessed] and recalled one of the lectures he had attended back on Earth. With the ratios fresh in his mind, he started weighing out the ingredients before mixing them together. He then set two small portions aside to start figuring out the process.


    So, I meld the first sample together and keep the second one loose. Then I try [Compound Synthesis] on both and see if there is a difference. As long as I keep it to the size of a kernel of corn, I shouldn''t waste too much energy.


    Doro tried to do as he had done with his other Abilities before. He concentrated on the melded sample while bringing his Ability to the forefront of his mind. He could feel some energy make its way into the pebble, but it only managed to react in some small portions of the sample. Doro used [Phase transition] to liquefy the sample and [Compound Synthesis] finally managed to work on its entirety.


    Ok. So, it doesn''t work well with melded solids but does in liquid. The Choice didn''t come with any Ability that allowed to liquefy matter so I reckon it should also work with the loose sample. If it works then it would be a lot more efficient energy-wise if I can avoid the expenditure required to turn the glass liquid first.


    As Doro had expected, [Compound Synthesis] worked on the powdered sample, albeit slightly less efficiently than in the liquid form. Doro took a few more samples and played around with his procedure while paying attention to the energy he spent. In the end, the most efficient method was to use [Compound Synthesis] right after melding the glass powder together, using [Phase Transition], and quickly letting it solidify again.


    Time to stop the tests and do the thing! I''ll need to make a flat square tray with raised edges to serve as a sheet mold, but I can already compound and meld the glass now and reshape it later. [Compound Synthesis] seems to be my most energy-hungry Ability so far. I''m not sure I''ll be able to do it all in one go anyhow, so let''s do it pound by pound.


    A few minutes later, Doro sat in front of five large lumps of glass, his energy entirely depleted. There was still about a pound and a half of the glass powder left, but he was happy with the five pounds he had managed to process before running dry.


    Considering that I was somewhere between half and three-quarters full before I started, it is currently costing me a bit more than ten percent of my energy for each pound I process with this method. For simplicity''s sake, let''s just call 10% of my current maximum capacity 1 energy point from now on. Out of juice for now, though. Gotta wait until I regen a bit. If I remember correctly, it takes five hours to fully recover. It''s not long before ninth bell right now, so I should have somewhere between seven and eight points of energy to work with after dinner. I should go for a run and practice my kinesis using [somatic support] while I''m tapped out. I''ll try to do some moderate jogging for an hour or so and work out my upper body by keeping a few rocks aloft.


    Keeping true to the resolution he''d made, Doro headed out of his house and went for a slow jog. He picked up a few stones along the way and shifted the position of his arms now and then to work on different muscles. Some of the postures he was making looked silly enough to elicit a few giggles from bystanders prompting Doro to switch out of them earlier than he would have had otherwise. Aside from that bit of mental damage, his plan worked out well, and after an hour of effort that left his body feeling as spent as his energy had been, Doro made his way back home and got cleaned up.


    Doro could hear the tenth bell ringing outside by the time he was done getting clean. He went back to his father''s bedside to check up on him and found him sleeping peacefully with a better expression on his face. Doro made his way to the workshop and sat down. He rested for the next hour while leisurely writing up a lesson plan for his father and Sarima. Feeling slightly refreshed, Doro then headed to his mother''s workshop to get some help with the wooden elements needed for his project.


    Mom should have some wooden boards. If I go help out for a bit, maybe she''ll have the time to help me with my stuff.


    Suyum was in the midst of shaping a lump of greyish-white clay on top of her kick wheel as Doro entered the room.


    "Can''t stop now. Give me a couple minutes."


    Doro watched the clay spin and change shape as his mother applied pressure to the exterior of the lump. Suyum dipped her hand in water, before shaking off the excess, and gave her wheel another few kicks to get it spinning faster. The clay lump inched slowly higher and she started using her thumbs to create a depression in the center. Doro thought there would be no magic involved, but the clay responded to his mother''s every touch as she drew the vessel''s sides upwards by gently pinching the edges.


    Maybe she''s got some sort of Ability that lets her get greater control over friction, or something, because that wheel seems to keep spinning for quite a long time and her shaping of the clay doesn''t appear to be slowing it down much.


    Doro kept watching as the clay spun. The wheel produced a constant low-pitched droning sound as his mother turned what had just been a misshapen clump into what Doro guessed would be the base for a vase or pitcher. He relaxed for a few minutes as his mother applied her finishing touches. Suyum picked up a thin metal wire and wrapped both its ends around her index fingers, securing them with her thumbs, and carefully pulled it along the surface of the wheel to detach clay.


    "How is your father doin''?"


    Suyum looked guilty as she asked Doro for news of her husband.


    "Don''t worry Mom, his fever broke but he is still asleep. It wasn''t all your fault though. I think I was a bit too much of a handful this morning."


    Suyum smiled at Doro''s attempt to reassure her and she couldn''t help herself from making a small joke.


    "Alright, alright. If anyone asks I won''t forget to give you half the credit for knockin'' your dad out. Maybe Aonghus''ll be so impressed by your prowess that he''ll hire you as a guard when I tell him."


    Doro dodged to the side as she attempted to pinch his cheek in the most condescending way possible.


    That''s what I get for worrying about her...


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "Stop that Mom, I''m not a toddler anymore. Remember, I had my first Choice yester-"


    Halfway through his complaint, Suyum made a second attempt but this time she went for the kill and quickly grabbed Doro by the shoulder before he could escape her reach. instead of pinching his cheek though, she proceeded to wrap one arm around his head and rubbed her knuckles quickly against the top of his head.


    "What are you sayin''? You''re still my itsy bittsy little boy, and considerin'' your dad''s height, you might always be! Also didn''t I tell you that sons who talk back to their mothers end up going bald?"


    Doro managed to slip away and instantly retreated whilst giving his mother a cold glare.


    "Of course, I''ll go bald prematurely if you keep using your knuckles to start a fire on top of my head. I guess you are right though, as an itsy bitsy little boy there is no way I could be of any real help to you here. I was wrong to think I could come and help you finish early. I''ll just be on my way and play with other young kids outside then..."


    Suyum clapped both hands in front of her face and tilted her head downwards.


    "My bad. You are nine now, nearly a full-grown man. It seems that it may be time to explain some things to you. So, you and Sarima seem to be gettin'' along well, but before you two start-"


    Suyum was back on the offensive and her new strategy was super effective on socially awkward types. Thanks to the memories of his previous life, Doro could tell where this was going and decided to surrender preemptively, to avoid the embarrassment of it all.


    "You win Mom. I''ll stay and help without talking back anymore but please just ... don''t."


    Suyum chuckled a bit and let the subject go.


    "So, any of your Abilities useful for this?"


    "I tapped out my energy reserves earlier and am still recovering. I need to keep most of it for something I want to do after dinner, but I have an Ability that doesn''t cost energy and could come in handy."


    Doro went on to explain how his [Inorganic Kinesis] and [Somatic Support] worked, and how he could probably handle unfired pieces without warping them or leaving fingerprints behind.


    "Once I become more skilled, I reckon I will be able to use it to throw pots, or other pieces, more effectively than with my bare hands. I need to practice my control first, luckily with somatic support I can keep working on it even when I have no energy left."


    Suyum nodded along, as if to show that she was keeping up with his explanation. Once Doro was done, she stood there with a pensive expression for a few moments.


    "Bit late for it now, but you could help me by preppin'' batches of clay. You can use your Abilities to moisten and beat the air out of it without makin'' as big a mess as the manual way. For now, though, I''m done with the wheel for the day. Help me roll up a few handles for today''s pieces and then I''ve got an idea as to how I can put your Abilities to use."


    The two of them spent the next fifteen minutes hand-shaping some handles as Suyum hummed some songs from her homeland. Suyum had left her homeland of Umayer and made her way north to Manzat in her late teens to find a new home in which to pursue her profession. Umayer was the birthplace of the Yerkan race, and thus it was home to many people with a natural inclination toward clay. It wasn''t the easiest place for someone to start a career as a potter. At least that was the official story, but even before Doro''s perspective had been affected by the memories of his previous life, he had found the lack of details fishy.


    Doro had never really questioned other races being a thing before recovering his memories. His mother being a Yerkan, and having been acquainted with Aonghus since as far back as he could remember, Doro had always accepted other Races as something normal. Now though, the memories of his previous life made him see his mother in a new light. Doro glanced at his mother''s arms, and upon close inspection, he could see the slight graininess of clay rather than the normal pores of human skin and noticed there was no sign of hair follicles. Looking up towards her shoulder, he could see where the flesh-like clay gave way to more regular skin.


    "Mom? I was wondering but are the Yerkans born without arms and legs?"


    Suyum stopped humming and blinked a few times before answering.


    "Well, yeah. But we only spend a couple of hours in that state. When a new baby is born, he is first cleaned up and any blood and fluids are collected. Then what was collected durin'' the birth is mixed into a batch of clean clay and the baby is laid to rest on it. The baby then starts gatherin'' some of the surroundin'' clay instinctually and forms simple arms and legs over the course of a few hours. It can take anywhere between a few decans and a few months for the baby to form his hands and feet fully though. Why are you askin''? Even though I am a Yerkan, you were born a human. Any babies you make with Sarima, or any other human, should end up human as well. Or are you aimin'' to change races with one of your future Choices? If you do, Yerkan ain''t a bad one, just don''t go Thermal, or any of the aquatic races, if you plan on stayin'' in Manzat in the long term. Nothin'' wrong with stayin'' Human either though."


    "I was just curious, but please stop it with the Sarima thing. We are becoming friends, but I''m not looking for anything more with her, or anyone else at the moment. Romance can wait until I''ve gotten a couple of thresholds behind me. It would suck if I spent all my time finding someone to love now only to get stuck at a threshold because I didn''t do enough, and not get to enjoy a long life with my loved one. Once I''ve put in the work and have the skills I need to make enough of a living to survive, and have increased my lifespan at least two-fold, then I''ll think about romance, maybe. I''m saying this now to make sure you understand, but do not expect any grandkids from me until I am at least past level 30. If that is a problem for you, then you might want to get started on getting me a younger sibling."


    "I think I''ll need to wait for your dad to recover a few more hours first, I don''t think he is quite up to the task right now."


    Suyum gave Doro an exaggerated wink causing a look of exasperation to appear on his face.


    "Come on Mom, can''t you imagine how you''d feel if your own mother told you something like that?"


    "Yeah. Why do you think I went ahead and moved to the opposite side of the largest mountain range in the known world? Well, that wasn''t the only reason, but at least when I speak to her by letter, I can skip the sentences I don''t wanna read. Too bad for you but it''ll be at least another few years before you can use that option."


    Suyum grinned widely, like a large feline having cornered its prey without leaving it any exit strategy. Doro understood that he had lost the battle and gave up with a sigh.


    I need to make sure Sarima doesn''t spend too much time with Mom, or she''ll pick up some bad habits. One person like her in my life is the most I can handle. If her personality spreads to too many others, the empire might be doomed.


    "You are just like your dad, with all your plans and logic. Just remember one thing, you can''t really plan for emotions. Unless you think your dad believed that marryin'' me, a lower-level young foreigner without a coin to her name, was the best move to make. Fairly sure I hooked him by the heart and not the brains. And no, however many times Aonghus might repeat it, I did not use my superior strength and size to bully your dad into marryin'' me."


    "Well, sure. If it just happens, then it happens I guess. I''m just saying I''m not going to waste my time and efforts trying to make it happen instead of focusing on more productive stuff. Also, I don''t think love is as hard to dodge as you imply, considering all the single aunts and uncles around the district who wouldn''t mind getting hitched. I''m done with my last handle, how about you tell me about the idea you had earlier?"


    Doro made an attempt at changing the subject to a more productive topic and was surprisingly successful.


    "Right, right! So I was thinkin''. You said your Abilities worked on liquids as well as solids right? Do you think you could dip pieces into glaze baths and make sure the coating is even, without trappin'' air bubbles? If I was just doing some cheap bowls for home use, I could get away with using the dippin'' technique myself, but with your Abilities, I think we might be able to use it and get results equal to or better than when I brush it on carefully. Well, maybe once you get a little practice."


    "I think it might work, but get me started on the most basic pieces first, in case I need some practice to get it right."


    Doro and Suyum spent the next forty minutes glazing some orders that had already been fired over the previous night. Doro had a bit of trouble, at first, but grew more proficient with each piece. Ultimately, he was able to produce a similar result to that of his mother''s brushwork, in a fraction of the time.


    "Alright, from now on you''ll be in charge of applying both the base coat and the final clear coat. I''ll still take care of the patterns and colored details but your Ability will save me a lot of time. It should only take you a few minutes twice a day now that you''ve got a hang of it. Since it doesn''t cost you any energy and didn''t seem too tirin'', I''m sure you won''t have a problem with it right?"


    "No worries. I can do at least this much. Once I''ve leveled a bit and increased my energy reserves, you can also put me in charge of attaching the handles or other detailed bits you fire separately. I should be able to fuse them as if they had been fired in one piece for a minimal cost. Sadly, with my current energy reserves, it would still make a significant dent and stop me from practicing efficiently. Taking that into account, you should be able to make some more intricate pieces that would otherwise be too fragile to get away with firing in one piece."


    As Doro and his mother started putting things away for the day, twelth bell began ringing outside, signaling the end of the workday for most people. Doro stopped his mother as she was about to leave the workshop, and asked her for some help sourcing the wood he needed. She brought out a lacquered board of a dark, almost black, wood and helped Doro cut it to the size he needed for the binder. In the end, he had two rectangles, slightly larger than a sheet of paper, and a narrower one to serve as the spine. Having practiced with controlling liquids and applying even layers, Doro''s confidence in his control had grown and he decided that he wouldn''t be needing a sheet mold for his project any longer. Suyum then left for the kitchen to prepare something while Doro headed off to wake his father.


    I''ll need to make something for her as well, so that she doesn''t feel excluded, but I can think about that later. Let''s just wake Dad up and have dinner for now.


    Doro brought Khetep back with him to the kitchen and the three of them settled down to have dinner. Suyum joked around a bit asking Khetep if he felt well enough to give Doro a new sibling, making both father and son nearly choke on their food. The rest of dinner went by without incident and Doro''s parents made their way to their room.


    Alright, I should be able to make the test tubes and beakers in under an hour easily. The binder should only take a couple minutes to assemble. The condenser might take a bit longer since I''ll need to make a thin spiral tube and make sure the fittings are airtight. The flask for the condenser will be the easiest bit of it. I''ll figure out the fractionating column another time as it might not be as necessary. Shouldn''t take more than two hours to finish everything.


    With his energy levels nearly back to full, Doro entered his father''s workshop to finish up his presents.

 10-Egotistic birds of an irritating feather

    10-Egotistic birds of an irritating feather


    4/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Unidentified Forest - Late Afternoon


    Now what? If I go along with the tropes, this pure white expanse can only mean one thing. Isn''t this a bit late though? I''ve already been isekai''d for a day.


    Emi was sure she had been asleep and dreaming until a moment ago. Had she awoken in the apartment she shared with Ben and Megan, she might have begun questioning the reality of the last day''s events, but this was the last confirmation she needed.


    If I''d been dreaming all along, then this is a step too far. I would have gone to sleep during a dream, only to have a dream within a dream. This is worse than Inception...If I take me being isekai''d at face value though, what should come next is...


    "Emi Emerson! I once again congratulate you for your good taste in choosing me as your sponsor. You should have regained the memories of your first life by now, but your first meeting with my glorious self will sadly never be restored. Worry not little one, for this tragedy has a silver lining. You, my dear, get the rare pleasure of making my acquaintance not once, but twice. Let us now have a moment of silence, so that you may have the time you need to process my greatness and compose yourself."


    A man in a shining golden robe embroidered with intricate multi-color designs had appeared in front of Emi. She guessed he was a man from the timber of his voice, but his flawless porcelain-like skin, the number of decorative ornaments in his long silky hair, and the gracefulness of his slim figure made the word "beautiful" a more appropriate descriptor than "handsome".


    "Are you a god? You sure look pretty but we''re all good, you can keep going."


    The man did not react to her words and just stood there waiting, a serene smile on his face. After a minute passed without the man appearing to react, Emi attempted a different line of questioning.


    "So...are you here to give me a cheat skill or something? Do I get to Pic-"


    The man standing in front of Emi interrupted her mid-question, as if he hadn''t heard her, and resumed his monologue.


    "I am sorry but that is as much time as I can afford to gift you with to admire my beauty, since this message has to remain short. I''ll have to give you an abridged version of the less interesting information."


    Uhhh...Sure...So this is just a message. Is this guy right in the head? Let''s see what he has to say.


    "I am Sundar The Beautiful. I was once a Blessed, like you, but I reached the final threshold and ascended over two thousand years ago. Your first world is a dying shard of the original world, but luckily for you, your soul has been brought over into the Growing World. It wasn''t exactly compatible, so I replaced a small portion of your soul with a sliver of mine. I then used more of my soul to build around the nugget I took from you to create a new soul. It was quite depleting but nothing a few centuries won''t fix. To make the boring stuff short, there was an earthquake, a gas pipe in the building you were in exploded, and most of the people in the vicinity died. I have checked into it and yes, the two friends you asked me about also made the trip."


    Ben and Megan were also isekai''d!? I shouldn''t be happy that they died, but if it means I get to be with them again, I won''t complain. Also, not everything that doesn''t pertain to you is "boring stuff". Give me the over-a-minute of info you skipped to let me admire you!


    "I haven''t got long left for the last few tidbits. When this message is over, you will have a Choice to make, but as a Blessed you will get a second Choice based on your previous life. If one day you reach the last threshold, you will leave your body behind and join the Ascendants in the celestial realms. I''ve left a few other messages but you will only see them as you pass further thresholds. For now, just do your best to survive and grow. Now for the last thing, I will incarnate the second soul into a beautiful bird, in a large forest to the North-West of where you will be born. I''ll leave them a similar message, telling them to do their best to survive and to seek you out if they need help. If you work on your perception, you should be able to feel the link that connects the two of you. That''s all we have time for, I hope you enjoy the land of Ashrama that I helped settle. I will be taking a nap for a few years, to help my recovery, but I will be keeping an eye on you once I wake up. I won''t be able to interact but I will hear any prayers you wish to send my way, as long as you speak them out loud. Toodles."


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ...Toodles!?


    "Wait! You messed up! I''m the one you put in the owl!"


    "Nearly forgot! If you want to find your friends, your father should lead you to at least one of them."


    Emi was about to start hurling a series of expletives at the man who had called himself Sundar, but he and the white expanse started fading away before she had the chance. The white expanse was replaced by a darkness so thick that Emi couldn''t tell if it went for inches or miles.


    Damn, I can''t even see my hands...Wait a second, I don''t have those anymore. Still, now that I think about it, it''s not only that I can''t see myself, I can''t feel myself either. It''s like I''m floating in a warm fluid and I can''t tell where my body ends and where it starts.


    Emi then realized that she hadn''t been breathing, but she didn''t feel as if she was suffocating. Before Emi could further investigate her state, a series of blurry images of varying shapes and sizes appeared out of the darkness.


    What''s that? They don''t appear to be moving. They might be dangerous, but where could I run away anyway? Might as well see what you are.


    As Emi focused her attention on the first image, she felt as if a small packet of information had just been opened in her head.


    Oooooh! That must be the Choice Sundar talked about. So these are like a class or an evolution path. This first one is not a good fit though.


    The first image she inspected did not inspire Emi at all.


    [Phantom Owl] seems to be the equivalent of a stealth assassin build. So basically just making me a better owl...However, the information held some nuggets. It would seem I am something called a lyre owl, and that on top of the voice ability I already figured out, my tail has some strange ability to completely negate the sounds I make while flying. Let''s move on to the next one though, becoming a more efficient owl is not my idea of fun.


    As Emi started focusing on the next image, she noticed that the one representing [Phantom Owl] had faded away.


    [Rapid Raptor] huh? Focus on flight speed and my natural weapons? Again, this is just another way to make me into a more efficient owl. I want something that will bridge the gap between what I was and what I am.


    I want hands again goddammit!


    Emi hadn''t taken the time to count the images, but that last thought made the vast majority of them fade out of existence. Only five options remained, but rather than bringing Emi down, the revelation that there were five different options for her to regain her upper limbs made her elated.


    Yes! I can haz arms! What''s the first option? [Shifting Owl]? Oooh, shapeshifting could work. Ah shit, conservation of mass seems to be a thing. I''m really large for my weight, being an owl, so If I try to shift into a human, I''ll be toddler-sized...There seems to be possibilities for partial transformations but even if I try to go halfway I''d still end up a lot smaller than I already am. I won''t reject it just yet but I hope something better comes along.


    Emi focused her attention on the next image but the name and the first sentence made Emi recoil in disgust.


    [Carrion Animator]... No way in hell am I becoming some sort of necromantic parasite hell-bird that inhabits corpses. NEXT!


    [Garud Owl]...who comes up with these names, the others were fairly dry so why is this one a pun? A giant muscular owl that can carry heavy things long distances? So kind of a mix between a hippogryph and a roc? Maybe Meg would go for this but...It has arms that end in talons, not quite opposable thumbs, but probably the next best thing. Considering the wingspan I have at my current weight, how huge would I need to grow to fly with a heavy load? Badass but I won''t be able to go into buildings anymore...Short of a large cave I''ll be able to say goodbye to shelter.


    After Dismissing the two previous options, Emi was left with [Shifting Owl] and two other options that she was yet to inspect. Her mood was getting less enthusiastic as she thought she might have to settle for the shifter option. She decided to quickly move on to the next images. After seeing the name of this option, she had to take a moment to settle herself.


    Ok so I learned Brihonian was a thing, but this...[Fukuro Tengu] is just a karasu tengu with the "crow" bit replaced by "owl"! Seems to be the fully feathered kind with a beak and no giant nose though. So, still mainly bird but with more human-like proportions, and arms with actual hands. This might actually be better than [shifting owl] though. It seems to focus on wind-controlling abilities to allow it to fly while having a body nearly as dense as that of a human.


    The image representing [Shifting Owl] faded away as Emi turned her attention to the last option.


    The tengu option sounds pretty good, so no problem even if the last one isn''t great. Now, let''s see...Oh no...It''s another pun-based name...Although...


    Emi looked over the last option for a few minutes. her mind was in turmoil as she tried to reach a decision. This last option seemed close to perfect, but between the pun and the fact [Fukurou Tengu] was also fairly close to her best-case scenario, Emi couldn''t quite make her mind up.


    [Harp Owl]...Social and emotion-type powers would match with me more than air-based ones. It can morph between two forms. One an owl, the other something akin to a Harpy. The Harpy form seems to start off pretty similar to the tengu but will grow more human-like. Only one issue, it seems I would keep my hollow bones and low weight in harpy form. Even if I can eventually look really similar to a human, I won''t be very strong or sturdy. By the looks of this, I''ll probably weigh 70 to 80 pounds at most while in harpy form, and at least 15 of those pounds will be in the wings. I''m going to be quite frail if I pick that option.


    As long as I get out of this forest alive and find Meg and Ben, I won''t really care about combat potential as much...[Karasu Tengu] seems to be the best option if you look at my immediate circumstances, but [Harp Owl] should be a better fit in the long run...Guess I''ll rely on my new monkey friends for protection.


    As soon as her decision was made, Emi returned to the deep sleep from which she had been interrupted.


    ***


    Why am I all sticky?

 11- Shot through the heart and youre to blame

    11- Shot through the heart and you''re to blame


    4/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Great Western Rainforest - Dusk


    Emi woke up and had yet to open her eyes, but she could feel that most of her feathers were covered with some sort of sticky residue.


    At least it smells good... Actually, why does my mouth taste fruity?


    Emi slowly opened her eyes, only to see a wooden floor less than an inch in front of them. She could not help but feel grossed out as she stood up and gradually got herself unstuck from the floor, leaving a handful of feathers behind.


    So... I passed out in the forest and now ...


    Emi looked around herself in pleasant surprise. She had somehow woken up in a fairly spacious wooden cabin, furnished with simple wooden furniture. It had probably been clean at some point, but some wild beast appeared to have broken in and ravaged the section of the room that contained the pantry. Food was strewn all over the floor and some had even splattered onto the nearby walls. A large puddle, of what appeared to be honey, had thickened on the floor in front of an overturned clay pot, around which a plethora of smaller empty clay pots could be seen, colorful residues dribbling out of them. Emi might have started to worry for her safety if she thought the beast that had done this might still be in the room with her. The large owl-shaped imprint on the honeyed floor painted another picture, which made her worry for another reason altogether.


    Did I do this? I''ve heard of sleepwalking before but never of sleep-eating! Am I going to be ok? It looks like I ate a ton, and none of the leftovers look like something an owl should eat. I need to check the damage though, with how sticky I feel, I must be coated like a candied apple.


    Emi looked down at her body but the state of her feathers was pushed to the back of her mind as she realized something else was a bit off.


    Huh? Why does the ground seem further away than yesterday? I''ve heard of growth spurts but-


    Emi''s train of thought was interrupted when she saw the cabin''s front door begin to open. Her brain began to frantically search for a believable excuse for the situation, but there was not enough time. Majusculus stood in the doorframe with eyes wide open and directed straight at Emi, who began to squirm in place.


    "Hum, would you believe me if I said I have no idea how this happened and that I just woke up?"


    Majusculus blinked twice and started looking around the room, registering its state for the first time. He began a series of signs, but to Emi''s amazement, each sign produced a word appearing in her mind. Furthermore, the words were arranged in sentences that made grammatical sense to her. The strangest part of this situation was that she could understand what some of the signs represented visually, but what got picked up by her brain had more complex meanings than these simple gestures should have allowed. Even stranger was that her brain was picking up the signs and rearranging them in an order that made it easier for her to understand.


    Oops, I was so busy trying to figure out what was happening that I actually didn''t pay attention to what he was saying...


    Emi signed for Majusculus to stop, spreading her talons out as if to mimic an open palm. She pointed at her ear once and then shook her head to communicate that she hadn''t heard.


    "Let me try again. I was saying that I didn''t care about the room. Are you fine? You nearly doubled in size since I left a couple of hours ago, and your feathers have changed their color and pattern. Had you not immediately tried to communicate with me, I would have thought a larger owl had come in and eaten you...Not that I have seen any owls that look like you do now."


    "Majusculus? Are you using some translation magic? I can hear you speak in my language right now."


    Majusculus''s eyebrows tilted in a confused expression as he replied.


    "I am just using my hands and face as usual... Also, you are the one who just suddenly started speaking Imperial Common to me. Which begs the question, why were you speaking to me in a strange Brihonian dialect earlier if you understand Imperial?"


    What the hell is going on? Am I the one doing this?


    Due to the strange situation she had awoken in, Emi hadn''t had the time to process what happened during her sleep, but it was at this moment that memories of her choice and Sundar''s message resurfaced in her mind.


    Oooh! So that actually happened? It wasn''t a dream? Maybe this power is something that came with my Choice. That would also explain why I feel bigger, and why Majusculus says I look different.


    "Well actually, I had a strange dream while I was asleep. To make it short I had to pick something called a "Choice" and-"


    Emi was going to keep going with her explanation but when she said the word "Choice", Majusculus began to sign at a frantic speed while stomping on the ground repeatedly, as if to show his frustration.


    "What!? You got a Choice!? That''s so unfair! I''ve been doing my best for over three hundred years to become a true Spirit Beast and you just get to become one like that!? You are still so young, and I can''t feel any significant reserves of Vitality in you... How did you do it!? Tell me!"


    Emi was startled by the sudden liveliness put on display by Majusculus, who had acted in accordance with his aging appearance thus far. Not only was he acting more vivaciously than she had assumed him capable of, the aura of elderly wisdom that he had previously exuded began to seem like naught but a distant memory.


    "Calm down. I''m not sure what exactly happened. I don''t even know what a Spirit Beast is. All I know is that some guy who said he was an Ascendant, from thousands of years ago, talked to me in my dream and said I would get to make a Choice. Are you sure I am a Spirit Beast, whatever that is? The man in my dream called me a Blessed. Is there such a thing as a Blessed Beast maybe?"


    The color drained from the small patch of skin that wasn''t covered by Majusculus''s abundant fur. He hurriedly went down to the ground and kneeled in front of Emi.


    "This one apologizes for his outburst, oh great Blessed. This one is not worthy and implores you for your forgiveness. This one would not have dared question your intelligence through such a farcical test had he known of your status. Might this one know which Ascendant had the foresight and good judgment to offer their patronage to such bright and promising a personage as yourself?"


    What now...? He is going to regret kneeling when he calms down and realizes that he did so right in the puddle of honey...


    "Could you please maybe...Not? I don''t know what a Blessed is, and until I woke up yesterday, I was just a somewhat normal 21-year-old woman. Please stand up and talk to me normally because this is just awkward. To answer your question, the one who showed up in my dream said his name was Sundar."


    Majusculus exhaled deeply and Emi only now noticed that he had been holding his breath for the last while.


    "Oh good. I was scared it was going to be one of the scary ones. If I remember properly, Sundar is one of the Ascendants venerated by the Ashrama of Inspiration, and most of them aren''t violent or warmongering types. Sorry, you said you didn''t know anything about your situation so you might be confused. History has proven that, in most cases, the personality of a Blessed doesn''t stray too far from that of their patron. Some Ascendants were quite the characters, so depending on who yours was, I might have needed to sound the alarm and have the tribe scatter in every direction to make sure at least some of us survived."


    Not sure I agree that my personality is similar to that of the over-decorated Christmas tree who serves as my patron, but it seems I could have picked a lot worse.


    "I don''t think you need to worry there. I don''t particularly like fighting. By the look of my patron, I believe he would rather have a scented bath and a massage than a battle. Although, he would have probably enjoyed the way you spoke to me earlier, that self-important prick."


    Majusculus looked up toward the ceiling and winced visibly at that last bit.


    "The Ascendants cannot affect the world directly, but you might want to avoid insulting them. If you ever ascend, you will have to live out your immortality alongside them in the celestial realms. Also, if you piss one off enough, they might send a Blessed after you in one of the next waves."


    "Oh, don''t worry, I think he is having a long nap. I can''t wait to say it to his face though. You want to know what that buffoon did? First, he spent nearly half the time he was given to tell me what I needed to know posing silently so that I could "take in his beauty". Second, and that one is a doozy, he was supposed to incarnate me as a Human. He told me he would incarnate a second soul in a pretty bird in a nearby forest. As you can see, he fouled up somewhere in the execution."


    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Emi spread her wings wide to illustrate the point she was making.


    "...Indeed, that is pretty bad. I mean, I''m not quite a human myself, but my body is not that different. Not sure how I would react if all of a sudden I woke up in a fragile bird''s body. On the upside, flying must be pretty nice?"


    "I''ll let you know when I can fly freely without the fear of giant predator birds making a snack out of me. With all the tree trunks and rogue branches in the forest, picking up any speed makes it too dangerous to enjoy. One lapse of attention and splat, no more Emi. On the other hand, if I don''t pick up enough speed to glide, I can only fly a few minutes at a time before I get exhausted."


    Majusculus shrugged and started standing up, only to finally realize the mistake he had made earlier. A look of determination spread across his face as he braced himself for what had to be done.


    "One, two, Thr-OUCH! Note to self, don''t kneel in a puddle of drying sticky liquid again. Still, I''m even more jealous now. You are not a Spiritual Beast that has One Choice, but a Blessed with two of them. Think you can share the wealth and send one of the two my way?"


    "Even if I wanted to, not quite sure how I would do that. Also, I have no idea what my other Choice is since I only got to pick one."


    "Well I don''t personally have one but, as far I know, everyone that has a choice, Spirit Beasts or people, can make the sigil of the Empire appear somewhere on their body and have it display information in a way that they can understand. From what I gather though, one does not actually need to see the sigil, as it is supposedly just a reflection of the information the Akashic Network sends to your mind. Mind you, these are things I have uncovered in my quest to attain a Choice for myself."


    "Status! Open Status! Stat Screen! Character sheet!...Menu?"


    Majusculus developed a hint of a smile as Emi started yelling out a series of words to try and make her sigil appear. After a few attempts, she quieted down and looked at him sheepishly.


    "Don''t worry. I have heard people say it enough throughout my travels to remember the key. Concentrate on the word "Akasha", say it if you need to. Do the same once again when you want to dismiss it. While it is active, concentrating on the word "Choice" should give you the information you want"


    Yup, would have taken me a while to figure that one out on my own. Feels like something that would take well under a minute to explain in a certain message...Let''s do this. Akasha!


    Emi gave herself a quick once-over, getting her first good look at her new coat of feathers. She looked where she could, which with the neck of an owl meant pretty much the entirety of her body, but she still could not locate the sigil. She did note that her feathers seemed to have shifted in color, the lighter browns had developed a slight golden hue, and the darker browns had grown closer to black. Furthermore, what had once been a hint of purple had now spread and grown more saturated.


    "Hum....Emi...The sigil would appear on your skin and, well, you are entirely covered in feathers. Give me a second."


    Majusculus went to the carved holes in the walls that served as windows and pulled a pair of wooden shutters closed. With the last rays of the setting sun now mostly unable to enter, Emi noticed a peculiar glow coming from where her solar plexus would have been, were she still human.


    "Ah, smart. Am I going to need to pluck my feathers to read it though? That doesn''t seem like a good time."


    "Don''t worry. From what I understand, anything displayed on the sigil is just mirroring what is in your mind. Once you make it display something, the knowledge should be at the forefront of your thoughts. I''ve heard it described as feeling as if you just remembered something you hadn''t previously known."


    He said my next prompt was the word Choice, so let''s give it a go. Choice!


    Emi immediately tried to peek down at her upper chest, but a message popped into her head before she could get frustrated by the obstructing feathers.


    Oh, it''s kinda like when a random song lyric comes to mind out of nowhere. Like he said though, remembering something you didn''t know feels pretty strange.


    [Harp Owl 1/3]


    [Comunicative Intent]


    Ability to understand and convey the meaning behind attempts to communicate. Expends negligible amounts of energy but requires the ability to hear, see, or smell the target depending on the means of communication.


    Well, that explains the last few minutes. So, three Abilities, and the first is a universal translator? Going by anime tropes, are the other two an item box and an appraisal ability?


    [Anthropomorphic Form]


    Ability to morph into a humanoid form of the same mass. Morphing is not instantaneous and requires energy. The humanoid form reflects the ideal of the user but is limited by skill and knowledge.


    Okay, now we are talking. With these two I should be able to look and sound relatively human, fewer chances for random hunters to target me out in the wild. With these two Abilities, I should be able to have some sort of normal life once I reach the empire Majusculus spoke of. What''s next?


    [Reciprocal Empathy]


    Ability to perceive the emotional states of others and convey your own. Expends negligible amounts of energy but requires the ability to hear, see, or smell the target.


    That sounds like one of the crappiest esper powers I have ever heard of... Better than nothing though. Between that and my first Ability, I should be able to express myself very well. Also, if someone''s emotions don''t match their words, then I''ll be able to tell something is off. Maybe it will get better as I level and turn into full-on telepathy or mind-reading.


    "Alright so I was able to check my Choice and it looks pretty good. I have a translation Ability, one that will let me change my shape to be more human, and one that lets me see the emotional state of others. No info on my second Choice though. Any ideas?"


    "Those Abilities don''t seem like they will help you survive in the wild...Hopefully, your second Choice comes with some Abilities you can use for survival. As for your second choice, I am not quite sure. Why don''t you try different word combinations like Second choice, secondary Choice, or extra Choice. Pretty sure it should involve the word Choice."


    Okay, buzzkill...I''m not Meg though. There is no way I would be happy with a set of Abilities that transformed me into Rambo. I''m okay with not being able to wrestle a bear. I don''t have much of a choice for now but I''m not planning on living in the forest permanently. Let''s see what kind of Choice my previous life earned me.


    After a few unsuccessful attempts, Emi managed to find the right key phrase and information started appearing in her mind.


    Onomancer? So like pyromancer or necromancer but I control...ono? Oh...A choice that specializes in controlling sound waves? Promising! Hopefully, the Abilities are good.


    [Onomancer 1/4]


    [Persistent Memories of the Blessed]


    Ability to use a minute amount of energy to access soul-bound memories and create vivid and detailed recollections of specific events.


    If Soulbound memories refer to my previous life, then that is not too shabby. With all the media I consumed, that is a huge library of music and sound effects constantly at my fingertips. I would need 100''s of hard drives to store all of that data and finding the right sound in all of that would be a nightmare. Souls are high-spec!


    [Wave vision]


    Ability to visually perceive and interpret sound waves. Energy costs are negligible and the range is dependent on sight.


    Damn, my eyes are also super high-spec! I started with owl eyes that are as sharp as a hawk''s and have great dark vision, and now they can see both sound waves and emotions. I hope there isn''t some bigshot out there with a magic eye collection or he might try to pluck mine out.


    [Onomancy]


    Ability to create and modify sound waves in a small area surrounding the user. Allows control over frequency, wavelength, amplitude, time period, velocity, and the direction of propagation. Energy expenditure is variable. Results are affected by knowledge and understanding.


    ....How is that a level 1 Ability!? I mean, the shape-shifting Ability also seemed to be quite big for a starter set but this? I thought this is what my whole Choice would be able to do, later down the line, after I gained more Abilities. This Choice might be even better than I thought if all of that came in a single Ability. Who needs an editing set up on a PC when you have this? Goodbye Cubase! Goodbye Protools! You two have been replaced by big brother Onomancy. Plus this Choice came with four abilities so I have one left.


    [The world is a Soundstage]


    Ability to create energy nodes that allow the use of their creator''s Sound-based Abilities in their vicinity. Nodes cost energy to maintain and use up stored energy to serve as sources of sound. The nodes can be used at any distance but are only mobile as long as within the range of the onomancer. Energy costs are variable.


    It even comes with its own home theater surround sound setup!? This starter package would be worth thousands of dollars of gear back home...More if you consider the price of high-end audiophile equipment and software subscriptions. Plus, none of this is digital, so I''m not going to have to worry about interference or compression. All I need is a projector and I could run a badass movie theater, and thanks to my translation Ability, I wouldn''t even need to worry about subtitles.


    "Did you forget about me or..?"


    "Sorry Majusculus, this second Choice came with a lot more information than the previous one and I got lost in thought."


    "So, what did you get? Something that lets you fly better? Hunt? Hide?"


    Emi thought over the question before answering.


    "Well...I''m sure some of these abilities might help me be more stealthy if I use them a certain way. Don''t think they''ll help with flying, but they could help with hunting, if not directly. It should help me spot prey and maybe herd them where I want them to go."


    "Well, that''s better than nothing. So what is it?"


    "It''s called [Onomancer] and seems to use energy to produce and control sounds. It gave me an Ability that lets me see sound, one that lets me produce and control sound around me, and one that lets me make energy constructs that I can use to make sounds at a distance."


    Majusculus''s face scrunched up as he put a hand on his chest.


    Don''t know why but that provoked quite a reaction. Good timing.


    [Reciprocal Empathy]!


    Oooh! It worked!


    A translucent aura appeared around Majusculus, extending about a foot away from him in every direction. The aura seemed to be unstable as greyish blues and yellowish greens danced about languidly with little accents of crimson red appearing sporadically. As if by instinct, Emi could roughly match the colors with a corresponding emotion.


    So that greyish blue should be some sort of sadness and that yellowish green is a mix of jealousy and...annoyance? Pain? With a splash of anger for the crimson red.


    "Hey Majusculus? I wasn''t quite sure how to read your expression so I tried one of my Abilities. Would it be accurate to say you are feeling envious, sad, annoyed, and a little angry?"


    The Aura around Majusculus shifted as the greyish blues were overtaken by more crimson reds and yellowish greens.


    "Ah, wait, forget the sad part. The anger, jealousy, and annoyance seem to be taking ove-"


    Majusculus slammed the bottom of his staff onto the ground, making a loud thump, and began signing with wide and exaggerated motions.


    "OUT! My heart can''t take any more tonight. Not only do you naturally have a voice that you can use to communicate, and a translation ability, but now you tell me you can even use energy to produce sounds while keeping your mouth shut. In three hundred years of hard work, I managed to learn how to read and write in multiple languages, but speaking still eludes me. Your Abilities make all my hard work seem like a joke...Go find the little one if you want, but don''t bother me until tomorrow. My heart needs to recover."


    Without waiting for a reply, Majusculus shoved Emi out of his cabin and slammed the door behind her.


    "Yeah... with how ancient he is I should be careful not to give the old monkey a heart attack."


    Something heavy hit the door from inside the cabin making Emi scamper away hastily.


    Oops. Was still within earshot. Maybe I should avoid seeking death for now. I''m still a lowly level 1 after all...Now, where is Arctic?

 12-Beware magical eye collectors

    12-Beware magical eye collectors


    4/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Great Western Rainforest- Late Evening


    "Woah. This is bigger and better built than I expected..."


    After being kicked out of Majusculus''s cabin, Emi had expected to find a bunch of shoddy huts, built haphazardly between trees, but that wasn''t what was waiting for her. From the looks of it, the monkeys had made a large clearing, in what had once been a dense part of the forest, and had repurposed the wood into lumber used to construct the imposing log cabins. The windows were not glass-paned but were covered with simple wooden shutters, aside from that, these cabins wouldn''t lose against some of the better mountain shelters she had seen back on Earth. Looking toward the edge of the village, Emi was surprised to see that the monkeys had filled up the space between the trees with a log wall surrounding the entire perimeter.


    Man, that wall must be nearly twenty feet tall...Don''t think much can jump over that. They even have rope bridges between the trees they incorporated into the wall to act as causeways.


    Emi flew to one of the causeways to get a better view. The village seemed to consist of a ring of cabins nearly identical to the one Emi had just left. The ring of cabins surrounded a much larger barrack-like cabin and a big communal fire. It reminded Emi of the Obon festivals she had attended while growing up. A series of different storehouses-like buildings and workshops filled the space between the ring of Cabins and the outer wall, as if to add another buffer between the living quarters and the wilderness outside.


    I wonder how many of them live here. Might be more than a hundred if the cabins average out to two a piece. Gotta say though, I love these eyes. Even though the sun set a while back, I can see clearly across to the opposite walls. I can even make out the individual ropes as if I were just a few feet away. Let''s try my last eye trick.


    [Wave vision]


    Suddenly, three-dimensional ripples started appearing in some areas, gradually becoming less visible as the distance between them and their source increased. Quieter sounds, like leaves falling to the ground, left quickly fading barely visible ripples. A wooden shutter slammed closed in one of the surrounding buildings, leaving the largest ripples that Emi had spotted thus far. Emi reactivated Empathy to test something out.


    As I thought...Turns out that, unlike a certain Kryptonian, I can''t see through walls.


    Emi had confirmed that she could activate both Abilities simultaneously, but both seemed impeded by walls. She could see ripples leaving some of the building''s windows, and she could see the emotional aura of the monkeys who were out in the open, but physical obstacles seemed to block both to varying extents. While looking around, she noticed an aura of mixed greys and bright sun-like yellows closing in on her position.


    Oh? Seems I''ve got company. They seem...tired and...full of conviction? Determined? Stubborn maybe?


    "Good evening. What can I do for you?"


    The armored monkey, who was currently climbing a rope ladder attached to the closest tree, was visibly startled by Emi''s question. To be fair to him, the sun had set and his fur had shifted to match the color and pattern of the tree he was climbing. He had probably assumed he was as good as invisible. One of the drawbacks of sign language was that it made it rather hard to carry out a conversation while climbing a tall ladder. Unless one was fine with that conversation being rather brief and possibly ending with their death, or at the very least some injuries. The armored monkey calmly continued making his way to Emi as she drifted off into her own world.


    I might have brittle bones, but with these Abilities and my flight, it''s going to be hard to sneak and close in on me. Although, now that I''ve grown bigger, I''m probably less nimble in the air and make for a much better arrow target...In D&D terms, low HP, low AC, low Con, low Str, and middling Dex, but high mental stats with all my skill points in perception and charisma-based skills...


    It''s like I went full caster but my only spells are [Ghost Sound], [Sense Emotion], and [Comprehend Languages]. I hope Choices don''t rely on combat XP or else this build might be doomed.


    "Hello. Leader say you understand and speak good now. Sorry attack before. I quick act bad thought. Complicated. Have time talk?"


    Huh? Seems like Majusculus is indeed quite smart for his kind. I guess the difference is that he learned languages that used complex grammar. I reckon this guy is probably only fluent in their sign language. That would explain why [Communicative Intent] is making him sound like a stereotypical caveman. Maybe he is learning a language from Majusculus though. There seems to be a bit more than just the words he seems to be signing. His aura doesn''t feel aggressive... guess I''ll give him a chance for now.


    Emi nodded and the armored monkey approached before sitting down, cross-legged, beside her.


    "If we are going to have a conversation, it might be easier if you introduce yourself first. As you know, I am Emi."


    "Only leader have Empire name in tribe now. If no learn write no can use with hands so no need. I tribe name strong armor spear. Number two in tribe. Leader more smart. More strong before. Now me number one strong maybe but smart still become big. When learn write over I have Empire name."


    "Oh, so you are the next in line to be leader?"


    "No.Yes. Other become more strong more smart before leader die no. Leader die now yes. Me not ready. Good leader live more long. Me wait good. Better leader born good. Tribe good me good."


    "Understood. So, Strong Armor Spear, what did you want to talk about? I am quite new to this situation, so I am not sure what I could help you with."


    Strong Armor Spear seemed to think over his reply carefully as he sat still, a faraway look in his eyes, for over a minute.


    Okay, you''ve built up the tension, now spit it out already. Too much suspense is bad for your heart.


    "You stay here much time?"


    That''s his question? There has to be more to it after all the time he spent thinking.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    "I don''t know. This place is better than the forest but I want to head to the Empire Majusculus told me about."


    "Forest is Empire. Tribe is Empire because leader big smart. Trade with human outside forest."


    "Oh. In that case, I will probably only stay a little while and ask the humans who come trade if I can go with them."


    "Human come tribe rare. Forest danger human no know. Die easy. Tribe send things out forest come back with other thing. Journey often. When want leave you follow. Stay ok. Eat tribe food be useful. No eat do what want. You good eyes. Look night danger useful."


    "That''s fine, I can keep an eye out and try to make myself useful while I''m here. I have a feeling that isn''t what you wanted to ask me though."


    "I favor ask you. Want become tribe then no can do. You leave can do favor."


    "Ok, that makes sense. I''ll most probably end up leaving eventually, so I can at least hear you out. What kind of favor are you seeking from me."


    "Before answer have question. How you feel about small one?"


    Wait, is he gonna propose!? I''m not ready to be a mother. Also, I''m pretty sure my current species reproduces via eggs. If this guy tries to fertilize my egg, will it turn to stone and birth a monkey god? Wait no, he said I could only do the favor if I left, so that can''t be it.


    "Small one? Do you mean children?"


    "No. Small one find you in forest."


    "Oh, you mean Arctic."


    The aura around Strong Armor Spear started growing red, little whisps of black peeking through here and there.


    Anger and hate? Did I seek death by accident?


    "No name. Small one no big. No big no name. When big choose name if good at skill. Empire name only when smart grow big. This small one no deserve."


    Ok, I see what I did. At least the emotions don''t seem to be directed at me.


    "I was alone, sad, and scared. The small one found me and tried to cheer me up. He then risked the dangerous forest all night to help get me to the safety of your tribe. So if you ask how I feel about him, then I''ve got to say that I like him a hell of a lot better than you, after the way I''ve seen you treat him. In fact, if the favor you want from me is something that would go against his best interest, then my answer will be no."


    "Good."


    Emi blinked for a handful of seconds. That last word had thrown her mind for a loop.


    Good? Well, he is not sticking to the script I imagined. I thought he saw how smart Arctic is and wanted me to help eliminate the competition. Maybe he is a better guy than I gave him credit for.


    "When leave tribe. Please you take small one. Small one leave more good him. More good tribe."


    My faith in humanity just took ten damage. Or should it be Monkeynity? Monkeyhood?


    "Hey buddy, the small one is one of your tribe members, even if you don''t like him, don''t try to say you want to banish him for his own good. Or did you mean that as a threat? If that is the way you are going to treat your tribe members then you definitely should not be a leader!"


    Oh shit...Got too heated and forgot my filter again. This was a short adventure. I wonder if I''ll keep my memories next time. I don''t remember what my first death felt like, but hopefully it''s one of those things that hurt less the second time around...


    Oh...? I''m still alive?


    Emi had closed her eyes as she braced herself to welcome death anew, but after still being alive a few seconds later, she tentatively opened them to see what was taking so long.


    Why isn''t he all black and red?


    Strong Armor Spear''s aura had shifted after her outburst, but it had become varying shades of greys and blues instead of the crimson Emi had expected.


    Different shades of sadness with a dash of exhaustion?


    "You right. I no ready be good leader. Now dead big brother ready before. He most strong. Most smart. Most kind. Leader say he become greater than leader and replace soon. Not die before big brother make tribe best tribe in world. All tribe love big brother."


    "Okay...So your big brother was a great guy, maybe the greatest to ever come from your tribe. He sounds great, but what does that have to do with you and the small one."


    "Problem no me only. Small one problem many. Long before big brother watch danger. Normal day all small one inside wall practice and learn. One small one go sneak out wall. Big brother watch danger hear loud animal see small one outside wall. Go save but noise big panther. Fight complicated. Big brother save small one kill panther but big scratch on stomach. Day after scratch bad blood. Big brother feel no good. Try tribe cure. Scratch worse. Bad blood grow. I go trade human cure. Slow. When home big brother dead."


    "So you are saying that your big brother died saving the small one I met. That big brother was truly loved by the whole tribe, and so you all started blaming the small one for his loss...I''m not sure how long ago this was, but he was still a kid, and it was because your brother was a kind guy that he risked death to save him. It wasn''t the small one''s fault. The panther killed your brother, not him."


    "Understand here. Here no change. Try but fail."


    Strong Armor Spear first pointed at his head then at his heart before continuing.


    "I think Brother die small one try hard replace brother. After brother die small one hide still break rule. No practice skill. Just sneak forest eat fruit come night. Also big one fault. When other small one see big one not like small one they stay away. Problem grow bad. Small one stay alone. Tribe but no really tribe. Normal when grow big send other tribe no problem. Small one no work no try but good smart. Maybe one day smart grow more big me. Small one become leader tribe heart not accept. Many go. Tribe split become weak and danger. Maybe war. If small one die big brother die for nothing. If tribe see small one bad act but become leader heart hurt big. Small one die, heart hurt. Answer small one grow happy outside forest. Tribe no see. Small one forget tribe have more good life. Tribe no see small one remember big brother die less. Tribe sad less. Me no see small one heart grow kind less walls. Me want become kind like big brother but small one action make bad thought grow heart hurt. Please take small one when leave for all more good."


    "Okay, I think I get the gist of it. You understand that the way you and others have been treating the small one isn''t right, but even after trying to forgive him, you guys had already entered a vicious cycle. He got more rebellious as he felt left out, which caused your negative feelings to keep growing. You want him to have a happy life elsewhere because otherwise, your brother''s death would have been a waste. Worse he showed he had potential, and you are scared that the tribe might break apart if he turns out good enough to be the next leader since you, and others who loved your big brother, can''t accept him. It would be so much easier if you were just a bad guy scheming for the leader position, but this situation is more complicated than it first seemed."


    "What I say before...Also you owe small one. He help you when feel alone sad. He life is alone sad. You help small one help tribe. Tribe owe you after. I owe you after. Need talk with leader and small one before answer. Please no think me much bad. Me try be better. One day maybe heart more strong can forgive. Favor and apology make maybe."


    Emi found herself not knowing what her best course of action was. She thought that it would have been best if they could just forgive Arctic, but it appeared that wasn''t going to happen. The negative feelings had festered so long that they poisoned the proverbial well. She wasn''t even sure whether Arctic would be willing to forgive them for having been made into a pariah for all these years. She decided that she could not make a decision rashly and that she should first talk with Arctic since it would affect his life.


    "I''ll think it over after talking to the small one and your leader. If the small one wants to follow me, and your leader accepts, I might accept."


    "Thank you."


    Strong Armored Spear gave Emi a small bow and left for what Emi assumed would be his bed, as his aura was now close to entirely grey.


    This conversation seems to have taken quite its toll on him. Honestly, it would be so much easier if I could just hate him, but after all this, I can somehow understand his situation. Arctic could return one day after he''s grown up in a better environment, but if he stays here, it doesn''t look like things will get better. Poor kid, his situation really sucks...


    The conversation also had quite a draining effect on Emi. She stood silently on the causeway, looking out into the night, peering through the shadows cast by the towering trees. Even with her new eyes, the amount of moonlight the canopy let through didn''t allow her to see as if in broad daylight. Still, between the faint light emitted by the fire at the center of the village, and the clearing in the canopy above, there was enough light for her to make out the exterior perimeter of the village fairly well. The density of the vegetation proved to be more of an obstacle to her than the low-light conditions, as there was no angle from which she could see anything past a hundred feet away without some section of the foliage obstructing her sight.


    I imagine it is past midnight at this point, better talk to Arctic in the morning as he is probably asleep. Also, I''m not sure I''m up for a second heavy conversation right away. Now that that''s done, time to resume practice.

 13-Nocturnal Blood Carnival

    13-Nocturnal Blood Carnival


    5/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Great Western Rainforest- Past Midnight


    Emi observed her surroundings. She hadn''t been concentrating much before, but she now focused on the ripples produced by sounds too far away for her to hear.


    Alright, that''s pretty cool. Even though I can''t actually hear it, my mind is able to pick up on the shape of the ripples and figure out what it sounds like. Let me try something.


    Emi started trying to reproduce the same patterns as faraway sounds by modulating her voice. it was difficult work at first, but after half an hour of trial and error, Emi had managed to get the knack for it. It now took her less than a minute to reproduce most sounds from the ripple shapes alone. Each time she thought she had it, she would compare the sound she made to what her mind had interpreted, and make sure the two matched.


    I, the majestic Emi, cannot be bound by such trifling things as Choices or Abilities. My natural talents are overflowing! You gave me [Onomancy] but I was able to develop my own limited version before even using the ability. Plus it didn''t cost me any energy! Still got more Abilities to try. Maybe I can do something useful while I try them out.


    ***


    And that one makes 30! This self-imposed extermination quest is going a lot better than I expected.


    Emi had often enjoyed stories where someone would be reincarnated, or transported, into a fantasy world. Now that it had happened to her, she decided to treat tropes like a bucket list. Since she was asked to make herself useful, she''d defaulted to one of the oldest plot lines; vermin extermination.


    Emi didn''t know if Goblins lived in this forest, or if they even existed in this world, but she decided that they would still be too difficult a challenge for her to deal with in her current state. She thought Slimes might have been doable, but the same problem applied. She wasn''t keen on venturing out into the forest by herself either, so neither of those options appealed.


    The village didn''t seem to have a sewer system, so Emi had to get creative. She spent the next hour checking the granaries, compost pile, and other storehouses for mice. Emi used her newly acquired Ability, to visually perceive sounds, to hunt down the little pests mercilessly for about another hour.


    After her tenth kill, she started to experiment with [Onomancy], using it to negate any sound she made. Her new stealth approach proved very efficient, allowing her to exterminate the next ten in half the time it took her for the previous batch. The surviving rodents seemed to have caught onto the danger and hunkered down in nooks and crannies that were inaccessible to her.


    Emi then resorted to a dirty trick to remedy the situation. It took her a few minutes to come up with the plan and make sure she could carry it out, but after that short respite, death had once more been coming for the tiny thieving rodents. Emi used [The world is a Soundstage] to place small energy constructs in their hiding places, making them broadcast snake-like hissing sounds.


    Yup, the first twenty took a while but having the last ten all run together straight into my trap was extremely satisfying and a lot more efficient. I should come up with a new proverb about herding mice with snakes. Why am I so hyped for this though..? Is the part of me that used to be an owl affecting me? I wasn''t particularly against sustainable hunting, but fairly sure I would not have enjoyed a mouse massacre before. Not sure I could have gone through with it if I left my emotional and intent perception Abilities on. I''m not back on Earth, can''t afford to get soft until I reach proper safety rather than a walled spot in the middle of a dangerous area. Acknowledge the issue then stuff it into a mental box until I can deal with it.


    Emi''s contemplative look firmed into one of resolve as she decided to leave the thinking to her future self. She was satisfied with her work and proceeded to pile the rodent carcasses on the doorstep of the cabin she had seen Strong Armor Spear retire to.


    There you go buddy. Even though you are not as outright evil as I thought, I''m on little Arctic''s side. Have some harmless vengeance! I should stake out the entrance when dawn comes, I''m sure his aura will show me a nice display of colors. I might even see some new ones. Break time!


    Emi flew back to the causeway to relax for a bit. She had been physically active for a little more than an hour as she completed her quest, but she still felt quite fresh. Thanks to her Abilities allowing her to walk about quietly, she hadn''t needed to fly much, and her perception Abilities had helped her find targets one after the other, helping her cut down on wasted movement.


    Still, I think my transformation might have boosted my stamina. I don''t think I would have been as exhausted as when I passed out earlier, but I would have probably felt a bit tired after moving around this much. Considering I nearly doubled in weight, I''m sure that extra stamina is going to come in handy as soon as I try flying more than a few dozen feet.


    Wait... I''ve been using [Onomancy] and [The World is a Soundstage], so I must have been using some energy. I wasn''t suddenly unable to use them, so I probably didn''t empty my reserves but...how can I tell how much I have left? Also, how do I regen? Do I need to sleep at least 8 hours like in D&D, or do I need to drink some mage water like in some MMOs? Do I need to meditate in an energy-rich place like in Xianxia and cultivation novels? I doubt this world has a Google or Wikipedia equivalent, but it sure would come in handy...Hell, I''d settle for a "Choices for Dummies".


    The sky was already past its darkest but Emi estimated that she still had at least a few hours before dawn. With Majusculus asleep, Emi decided she might as well experiment on her own in the meantime.


    Must be a different world though. I''m fairly sure there were a lot more stars in the sky back in Earth''s sky. I''m not a space buff, but if not a different Universe, I am at the very least in a different Galaxy. This kind of stuff can wait though, these kinds of answers won''t do me much good now.


    So...how do I do this? Meditation maybe? Never been very good at it, and getting in a cross-legged, or seiza, position in this body might not be doable...


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Emi carefully dropped down to the boards that made up the floor of the causeway and rested her back against them. She closed her eyes and started taking slow, deep breaths. She remained in a near-motionless state for over half an hour as she attempted to sense her energy.


    Energy, Energy, Energy, Energy, Energy, Energy, Energy, Energy!


    Ok...This is not the way...My body structure is making it hard to concentrate in this position, the base of my wings feel like they are poking into me. Time to try another approach.


    Emi stood up and started concentrating on a point in space, a few inches ahead of her. Less than a second later a tiny pale hazy orb appeared.


    Alright, so if I understood [The World is a Soundstage] properly, then this little ball should be made of energy.


    Emi tried to touch the orb with the tip of her wing, but it offered no resistance.


    I should be able to move it, according to the info I got from the Ability, but it doesn''t look like I can do it by hand. Or should it be "by wing"?


    Emi left her wingtip in the energy ball for a few minutes as she tried to focus on it.


    Yup, like it''s not there. Can''t feel a thing.


    Emi let out a small sigh and decided to dismiss the ball.


    Wait...I felt something!


    Because Emi had spent the last few minutes trying to feel her energy, she did not miss the slight tingle that the dismissal of the ball had produced as it returned to her body.


    Oh...Let''s make a bigger ball and try again. Seems I recover the energy if I dismiss it anyway.


    This time Emi did her best to try and make the ball appear and grow as slowly as possible, paying close attention to it. She stopped when the ball had grown to double the size of the previous one, and then dismissed it at once.


    Yup, there is definitely something there. I could barely sense something flowing out of me when I was slowly making the ball. When I dismissed it though, it felt a lot clearer. Felt like a small static shock traveling back up my arm in the opposite direction.


    Emi spent the next hour making little energy balls pop in and out of existence. Not only did she have a bit of fun in the process, but she also gathered some new insights by the end of the exercise. She figured out that the energy would travel through her body, starting from the center of her chest, and head to the part of her body that was closest to the energy node. Using that revelation, Emi started making energy nodes appear in all manners of locations to try and map out her energy pathways. This also let her figure out her effective range, as she found herself unable to make energy nodes appear further than about ten feet from her closest body part. Eventually, she noticed that if she dismissed the nodes while they were out of her range, only a portion of the energy would return.


    After getting accustomed to energy flowing in either direction, Emi attempted to see if she could do both at once. When she tried it on two separate nodes at the same time, she found that there weren''t any issues. When she attempted to both increase and recover the energy in a single node concurrently, something like a static link formed. She found that as long as she maintained the link, she could move the energy node anywhere within her effective range.


    Alright, so the energy reserves feel like they should be somewhere around my heart. Don''t know that much about veins and arteries, much less in an owl''s body, but I think the energy pathways might be mapped out in a similar way. Maybe it follows the central nervous system instead, since I do feel it as a tingle, but then it would probably be centered around the brain and not the chest. Meg would probably figure it out instantly, with how in tune that fitness freak is with her body.


    Emi started a series of small tests to try and grow accustomed to the movement of energy. She tried to sense the movement it as it attempted to leave her body and become an energy node, but then dismissed it before it could do so. She repeated the process, over and over, focused inwardly with her eyes closed.


    I''ll need more practice, but I think I should be able to move my energy around without having to use Abilities at some point. At least I''ve made some gains. Figured out my range, how to move the balls, and it feels like I''m able to make them appear slightly faster than when I started. More importantly, I can feel my energy reserves with a little focus, now that I know what I am looking for.


    Emi had begun suspecting that her energy reserves were either slowly replenishing on their own, or as a side effect of circulating her energy. For the last while, she had been experimenting with moving her energy around without letting it leave her body. She felt confident that, over time, the energy that was returning to her core was becoming more abundant than when she had started with. Emi decided it was time to take a break so she opened her eyes, stretched out her wings, and gave her feathers a vigorous shake.


    Urgh, I''m still filthy...uh?


    Emi had been so focused on what she''d been doing that she hadn''t noticed how much time had gone by. Judging by the color of the sky, she thought the sun was probably about to breach the horizon.


    Well, with the tall trees surrounding the village, it''ll probably still be a little while until it feels like morning. I''m not too tired but I think I''ve been up for around twelvish hours, so I''ll probably feel like going to bed in a few hours tops. I really want to get somewhat clean before then. At least that timeframe was true when I was a human. Even if I knew about the sleep cycle of a normal owl, I doubt that I qualify as normal anymore...


    Wait... I don''t actually need to be nocturnal, do I? I''ll go get cleaned up quickly, then I''ll go have a snack and nap. If I ask Majusculus to wake me up around noon, I should be able to hold until sundown.


    With a plan in mind, Emi made her way to the closest of the two wells she had spotted during the night. Her plan quickly crumbled as she came to a sudden realization.


    Yep, this is gonna be hard to do without hands...


    Emi had grown significantly, as a result of her Choice, but that still left her about eye level with the handle she needed to spin to get the bucket out of the well. She attempted to grab the handle with one of her talons, but it was too high for her to reach. She jumped up and latched onto the handle with her beak and managed half a revolution, but then ended up stuck on her tiptoes with the handle less than a third of its way back up.


    ...Shit! I can''t bend my knees fully to jump without releasing the handle! I didn''t really think it through, if I want to get it to the top then the highest point is too high...


    Emi tried using her wings to generate enough lift to push the handle back up, but the weight of the water in the bucket, and her awkward position, made it very difficult. She kept making it a bit over half of the way back up, but as soon as her legs stopped providing support, she would quickly stall and drop back down. After her fifth unsuccessful attempt, Emi let the handle go, allowing the bucket to drop back down the five inches of elevation Emi''s struggles had achieved.


    Time to try my last Ability I guess. Shapeshifting feels a bit scary so I was putting it off, but I need the hands now.


    [Anthropomorphic Form]!


    Emi waited for a few seconds but nothing happened.


    "Uh....[Anthropomorphic Form]?"


    Again, nothing.


    "Moon Prism Power, Make Up!"


    Yeah, kinda happy that last one didn''t work...Maybe I can get more info if I manifest my sigil again.


    Emi spent the next few minutes trying to figure out why [Anthropomorphic Form] form wasn''t working, but nothing in the information she received with the Ability gave her a clue. When Emi inspected her Choice more closely, however, she discovered something.


    What''s this? Oh...yup! That could explain why my Ability is not activating.


    As Emi inspected her [Harp Owl] Choice more closely, a small extra bit of information popped up into her mind.


    [Evolution in progress]? Does that mean I need to level up? If so, why the heck did it give me an Ability I need a stable form for at level 1? Or...maybe it was just too much to do in one night, and it will resume the next time I sleep? Welp, guess I''ll need to find some help for now.

 14-Destructive eruption nurtures future growth

    14-Destructive eruption nurtures future growth


    5/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Great Western Rainforest- Early Morning


    The morning had finally come to the monkey village, and a few signs of activity could be seen. The wooden shutters of a few cabins were opening, but other households still appeared to be asleep. Emi flew over to Majusculus''s cabin and noted that his shutters were still closed.


    Late sleeper? Oh...I never helped him clean up since he kicked me out...He probably had to spend at least an hour or two to mitigate the damage before going to bed.


    As Emi decided to let Majusculus sleep in, she noticed a smaller monkey making his way toward her.


    Arctic? I haven''t seen the other little ones yet so I don''t know how alike they look, and with my change in height, my scale is a bit off. Let''s play it safe until I confirm it, I don''t want to come off as some sort of racist tourist.


    "Good morning small one. Slept well?"


    The colors making up the aura around the smaller monkey abruptly shifted.


    Surprise or excitement, then a mix of happy and sad?


    "Hello. I slept good. You look different. I can understand you now. Why? You can understand me? Please call me by the name you used before, I don''t like small one."


    Emi blinked a few times before replying, surprised by how much more clearly he came across than a certain other monkey.


    Better grammar and using the past tense properly? Arctic V.S Strong Armor Spear 1-0!


    "Ah. I met Strong Armor Spear last night. He told me about your past, and he said that the village rules say you can''t have a name before you grow up,-"


    Emi didn''t need to look at Arctic''s aura to see him grow visibly sad and apprehensive as a result of her words.


    "-but I think he is a big stuck-up doodoo-head and I am on your side. So, if you like the name Arctic, then that''s what I''ll use!"


    Emi tried to give Arctic a big grin, but she had no clue how it came across with the facial structure of her newly acquired avian face. Luckily, her words had been enough to reassure the young monkey as his face, and his aura, both revealed how happy and excited he was once more feeling. Only this time, some bright white accents were flaring up in places; hope.


    "I have a favor to ask. You can say no if you don''t want. Before I ask, can you keep a secret?"


    "Sure, go ahead and ask. I won''t tell the others, even if I refuse."


    Arctic''s expression grew more serious as his resolve bled out into his aura.


    "I plan to escape from the tribe soon. I want to find a better place where others don''t hate me. I have been hiding and avoiding the training for the small ones but while they think I go out and play, I hide and listen to the leader teaching the older ones. They are too slow so I use the time they waste taking bits of food that last long and hide them. Pots of jam, dried meat, fruits, and other things too. Some days I go out and bury them in my secret spot. I have enough, maybe, but I was waiting to grow stronger. The forest is dangerous. If you come with me we can look out for each other. Tonight, or tomorrow, come with me when I escape. The world is a lot bigger than the forest and I want to see it. I want to meet other people like you, who don''t become sad or angry when they see me. Even the leader. He tries to hide it and is nice to me, but I can see it in his eyes."


    Emi was torn between two emotions. She kind of wanted to laugh, because both parties wanted the same thing to happen and were making separate plans to achieve the same result. On the other hand, the resolve Arctic was showing, and the deep sadness that overtook his aura towards the end, resonated deep inside her heart. It reminded her of the way her father had sometimes looked at her after her mother''s death. Emi hadn''t been responsible for it in any way, her mother had died of a post-op infection after she''d had a malignant tumor removed. After her death, Emi could tell that every time her father saw her, he would have this sad look in his eyes. This was one of the main reasons why Emi had chosen to apply to a university in the USA. The other was that with her father being a Navy officer on permanent deployment to the U.S base in Yokosuka, she had had access to significant financial aid. Her family hadn''t been poor. Her father had a fairly well-paid position, that included accommodations attached to the base, and her mother had been a substitute violinist in the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. Two years of medical expenses to fight her mother''s cancer, and the loss of a second income, had been enough to strain their finances enough that her college fund had dwindled.


    "Your secret is safe with me. I am saying yes for now, but give me a day or two. I might have a better way of doing this. For now, though, I need your help with something."


    ***


    "Aaaaaaaah...That''s better."


    Emi was lying in a large wooden washtub she suspected was used for laundry, half-filled with water slightly warmer than lukewarm. The village did not have running water and, as it turns out, the wells were connected to a stream that ran just outside the village walls. This meant the water was fresh, in both senses of the word. Emi had sent Arctic to boil a large pot of water and add it to the cold water in the basin. After having a tub somewhat filled with water that wasn''t unpleasantly cold, Emi had to get creative. With no hands or washcloth, she lowered herself to the bottom of the tub and rolled around in the water vigorously while repeatedly spreading and clinching her feathers in an attempt to shake off as much of the sticky grime as possible. After a few minutes of this strenuous exercise, she stayed still on her back with her wings spread, soaking it all in, so to speak.


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    "Thanks Arctic, I needed that. Uh? What are you doing? I didn''t think you were a pervert."


    Arctic was sniffing her bathwater with a pensive look on his face.


    "Pervert? What is that? I was just thinking that the water smells a bit like the hot leaf juice the leader drinks. Too bitter. Fruit juice is better."


    Hot leaf juice? Tea? Well I lived in the trees and I was covered in honey so...


    Emi sniffed her bathwater and chuckled.


    "Yeah, I kind of smell like an earthy cup of tea don''t I? Just a hint of mouse blood. I hate that it''s making my stomach rumble. This is gonna suck, but I need to rinse off. Can you get a bucket of fresh water please?"


    Arctic nodded and went to fetch some water from the well just as Majusculus entered Emi''s view.


    "Hello Emi. Did you decide to turn yourself into a chicken stew? I don''t think the water is hot enough for that."


    "Good morning tribe leader. I apologize for my insensitive words last night, and for letting you clean up on your own. I got so carried away with all the new stuff I was finding out about that I wasn''t paying attention to how I was coming across or affecting you."


    Majusculus had a pained expression on his face as he replied.


    "Please, just call me by my name. I am not your leader. I appreciate your apology but it is not needed. In truth, I believe I am the one who owes you an apology. I let my insecurities get to me and I lost my temper. You are young and confused, and you were alone until recently, but I just yelled at you and kicked you out. I was still angry as I was cleaning up, but by the time I got to bed, I realized I had erred."


    Emi kept staring at Majusculus as he waited for her to respond. After about a minute, his nerves seemed to run out.


    "Come on, say something."


    "Well, I don''t blame you for last night-"


    Majusculus looked relieved but then Emi finished her sentence.


    "-but honestly I''m not sure how I feel about you after hearing of little Arctic''s situation, from both sides. Let us speak of it privately, later. Arctic is about to come back from the well. And before you decide whether you should correct me, and have me call him "small one", I ain''t gonna do that."


    Emi''s apologetic attitude disappeared as cold, seething rage replaced it. As if by instinct, Emi activated the part of [Reciprocal Empathy] that let her share her emotions for the first time. The pain she felt for Arctic, and the anger at how the adults had handled the situation, mixed with the unspoken accusation inside of Emi''s heart. Boundaries blurred as she let the wave of emotion break free. Majusculus was standing in front of her, but at this moment, Emi was seeing her father.


    The two of them, failing to get past their grief, forcing us to make the hard decisions because they decided it was too hard to deal with themselves. Making us feel like we were the problem, and pushing us into running away.


    Then, Arctic came to her mind and her feelings grew exponentially. She was not him. He had endured more, much more. She had only lived a sliver of what he had to live through, and that might have been enough to break her if she had not met Ben and Meg. Arctic had none of that. All those feelings were getting magnified and in her anger, Emi failed to feel her energy reserves rapidly draining.


    Something was bubbling inside of her, something she could no longer ever share with its original target, a world away. The maelstrom of feelings brewing inside of her mind and the energy inside of her core continued merging until they could no longer be contained. When it finally made its way out, it wasn''t as an explosive storm.


    A single word came out of Emi''s beak.


    Not a yell, for a yell wasn''t enough to truly convey her rage.


    Instead of a yell, one word. A word barely louder than a whisper.


    One word, carrying all the indignation, the anger, the sorrow, and the accusations of a young woman and a little monkey.


    "Understand!?"


    An accusation, a statement, and a question. As if it were begging for an answer. One that was sorely needed.


    The word had started barely above a whisper but traveled without dissipating, resonating throughout the village. In the end, it wasn''t one Ability that Emi had activated but three. The word did not only carry emotion, it was also filled to the brim with intent. What she had packed in that single word conveyed more than a sentence, more than even a paragraph. Emi had limited energy due to her low level, and so, after a couple of seconds, the word finally dissipated. The cabins were still standing and nothing appeared to be damaged, nothing physical at least.


    Emi let out a deep breath as the weight of the pent-up emotions, ones she had never put into words before, left her. She felt lighter, better, until she heard the thunk of a heavy bucket making contact with the ground followed by the sound of splashing water. There stood Arctic, a smile on his face, his eyes moist with tears. His aura was too complex to put down in a few words, but Emi could feel one thing above all. The young mute monkey felt heard, understood, for the first time in a long time. Emi rushed to embrace him, wrapping her soaked wings around his upper body.


    "Don''t worry. You are not alone anymore. I promise."


    Arctic cried silently into her wings, but he was not the only one to react. In fact, every member of the tribe had heard that single word. Even those that had been up late guarding the village, or speaking to visiting owls, had woken up and heard it. They had all felt it. Not truly, not all of it, but enough. Enough for every single member of the tribe to appear sapped of will, a look of shame on their faces. The few monkeys that Emi could see had much less complicated auras than Arctic. The auras appeared as if they were resonating as the monkeys made eye contact with each other, before looking away. It would have been easy to push the blame onto others, or even onto a single armor-clad monkey, but that would just repeat the cycle. The auras grew as they interacted, and soon it felt to Emi as if the whole village was consumed by an aura of deep blues and pale reds, mixing into a washed-out purple. Shame and sadness were the first two colors, and they may have faded in time like most emotions are want to do, however, they combined to make something harder to get over; Regret.


    Near the center of the village though, a little monkey was bathed in a white aura as he sobbed. Emi held him tightly, to assure him that she wouldn''t disappear. Right now, she had to be strong for him.


    Ben and Meg gave me a new family when I needed one. Now, it''s my turn to do the same.


    Majusculus stood just there, a pained and guilty expression on his face, as he watched Arctic cry. He walked away, slowly, leaving the pair undisturbed.

 15-After the Quake, the Aftershocks

    15-After the Quake, the Aftershocks


    5/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Great Western Rainforest- Mid Morning


    Emi felt somewhat ashamed at her loss of control and the resulting outburst, but a glimpse at Arctic, still nestled between her wings, brushed all that away. Emi''s plan for a nap had been thwarted by the fallout of her actions, but she felt she would sleep better now that the boil was lanced. Arctic kept softly sobbing into her wings for a good thirty minutes before Emi saw the first true signs of change.


    It wasn''t the adults. It appeared that the idea that children were more adaptable than adults carried over between worlds, and species. The older monkeys were coming to terms with the morning''s events, some trying to come up with excuses, others trying to tell themselves that they hadn''t been the worst offenders. The youngest children, who were too young to remember the incident, or weren''t yet born at that time, looked towards the adult with confusion. Had they been wrong?


    The first to truly do something were the teenagers who were close to Arctic''s age. One after the other, they approached Arctic, apologized, and walked away after looking him in the eyes. They didn''t make excuses, took their share of the blame, and expressed their regrets, as well as their intentions to do better. As it turns out, however much they were loved, every teenager could relate to the feeling of being different, and not belonging, at least to some extent. They seemed to understand that what mattered wasn''t the blame, and they could imagine what they would want in this situation better than the others. Not placating words, but actions.


    That is what Emi saw in each of their eyes as they apologized. Not just an admission of guilt, a promise. A will that showed they understood better now, and would change. Not just that they should change, which was still the stage at which most of the adults were stuck. An hour and many tears later, Arctic fell asleep with a peaceful expression on his still-wet face. Emi left him to nap in peace. She needed to have a conversation.


    The root of the issue wasn''t solved, and however big Arctic''s heart may be, it was hard to truly forgive people who had wronged you for most of your life. Now, they were fully aware of the results of their actions. Whether they would manage to change was still unsure, but most seemed at least to have the will to do so. Emi felt that even if Arctic decided to leave with her, this was better than simply going with one of the two options she had been given to choose from.


    I went with option 3. Ben would have been scary in this situation though, he can be a bit ruthlessly pragmatic sometimes. He would have gone with options 1 and 2 with extra addendums.


    "Want to exile the kid and for me to take him? Sure, actually he asked me to run away with him with the stock of pillaged food he hid. But here I was thinking, you have done psychological damage to the kid and this would cost, I don''t know, a lifetime of therapy to even have a chance of resolution? Let me just finish what he started and take more compensation."


    He would have just left them enough food and necessities to make it to the next harvest, threatening them with science and logic if they didn''t comply. Then, he would have sold off all the plundered possessions in the next town to start a college fund for Arctic. Actually, his way might have been kinder to the tribe. Between being made to realize how horrible the things they''ve been doing are, and losing a bit of material wealth, the second sounds less painful.


    Emi was about to peck at the door of Majusculus''s cabin, but then changed her mind and called out.


    Stupid. I''m the one that needs to see him to hear him. If he can hear a knock, he can hear my voice.


    "Majusculus? Are you in? We need to talk."


    Emi heard the sound of approaching footsteps coming from inside. As the door opened, Emi thought that Majusculus looked tired, defeated. He motioned her in before closing the door behind her.


    "I always thought that I was being a fair leader, maybe even a good one. I knew there were some issues with...Arctic...But I thought that if I treated him like the others, the rest of the tribe would eventually follow suit. I should have done more, but I''m not sure what. I know it doesn''t mean much, but I am sorry for what Strong Armor Spear and some of the others were doing. I will make sure that they-"


    "Stop."


    Emi was doing her best not to let her emotions overwhelm her as Majusculus started pushing all the wrong buttons.


    "Majusculus, you have been kind to me and helped me understand my situation. I may be biased in this matter, because of my past, but please hear what I have to say. Strong Armor Spear, as much as he has done, isn''t the problem. Arctic isn''t the problem. You are. You are their leader, yes, but you are also their family. In my old world, there was a saying that I didn''t like;" All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.". The reason I didn''t like it, and still don''t, is that it is too reductive, too simple. I don''t believe that any person is fully good or fully evil. People are more complicated. You cannot expect a good man to drop their whole life and wealth to fight a faraway evil that dwarfs them. I do believe, however, that if people who have the ability to stop evil within their reach choose to remain spectators, then they have no right to call themselves good. Even now, you focus on whether you, personally, failed as a leader. On who you should blame and punish. You try reassuring yourself that you just didn''t know what was the right thing to do at the time. None of that helps those you have let down."


    Emi stopped to take in a breath, but she was not quite done yet.


    "Not only Arctic, but Strong Armor Spear as well. I spoke to him last night, and honestly, I feel like even though he was a large part of the problem, he understood that what he was doing was wrong. He was just too weak. He tried to make the situation better, but kept failing at keeping his emotions in check. He needed you to be a leader, and keep him in check. He needed you to help him grow past his shortcomings. Were you so invested in trying to prolong your life, and becoming a Spirit Beast, that you didn''t have the time to take care of your successor?"


    Emi thrust her right wing forward, its tip pointing straight at Majusculus.


    "You used the word "fair", but I think the word you were looking for was "detached". You say that you treated Arctic like any of the others? Were any of the others in his situation? Being fair doesn''t simply mean treating everyone the same. I only have 23 years of memories as a person, and you have lived for hundreds! You probably forgot as much if not more than I have ever known. As I said earlier, I am biased. I don''t mean to insult or anger you, but you need to stop and look around you. Your tribe needs you to be their leader. Strong Armor Spear needs you to help him become a better person, he has the will. Arctic needs you to help the others process their regrets, and shame, so that one day he can feel like this village is a home to him again. The past is behind you, you cannot fix it. Look at what you can do for your tribe going forward. Otherwise, things are not going to get better for anyone. Punishments and apologies will not fix this issue. I have no power over you, and I know I am being preachy as fuck right now, but someone had to try to break you all out of your stupor, or you guys were about to reach a point of no return. You don''t have to do it on your own, I will help if I can, but it is important that you involve yourself. Now, I''ll find an out-of-the-way place to nap, since I don''t think you want to see my face right now. I''ll be back in a few hours, you can decide whether to run me through with your staff then."


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Emi hopped out the open window before Majusculus had a chance to finish processing her tirade. She quickly zipped around a corner, so that he could not easily follow her, then headed for the opposite side of the village.


    Damn, [Reciprocal Empathy] seems to have deactivated when I emptied my energy reserves earlier. [Comunicative Intent] seems to reactivate on its own as soon as my energy begins replenishing though. Good to know that I need to reactivate some ongoing Abilities if they stop.


    I''m not really sure how Majusculus is going to react. Worst comes to worst, Arctic has an escape plan ready. Might as well be rested if we need to make a quick getaway.


    ***


    Emi stood up and yawned. She had just woken up from a nap, high up in the foliage of one of the trees incorporated in the village wall.


    Huh? I wonder, do I yawn because I used to be a human, or do birds actually yawn?


    Emi was still drowsy and she could feel that she needed more rest. From the position of the sun, high up in the sky, Emi thought that it was probably a couple of hours past noon.


    I don''t think any of the isekai anime or movies I saw ever had to deal with jetlag. Good thing that Trans-Pacific flights prepared me for this. Not sure exactly what time it is, but I must have slept at least a few hours, probably three or four.


    The village seemed more active than it had in the early morning, but many of the adults seemed preoccupied as they slowly went around doing their work.


    Well, I don''t regret what I did but I really killed the mood, didn''t I?


    Emi''s stomach grumbled loudly. Emi looked around her and noticed that a lot of the leaves and the smaller branches around her seemed to have been ravaged. She then noticed a strong bitter taste in her mouth, alongside a small stinging sensation on her tongue. Her muscles still felt stiff and she barely felt rested. Emi decided that she should make her way back to the ground while she was still steady enough.


    Why am I feeling worse than when I went to sleep? I get that I would get more hungry over time, but my body feels as if I''ve been going around jogging instead of napping. Also, I thought I was carnivorous. The honey and preserves in Majusculus were one thing, but why the heck did I start eating twigs and leaves in my sleep?


    Emi hadn''t quite put two and two together, as her mind was still a bit fuzzy, but she understood what happened as soon as she landed.


    Oh...[Evolution in progress]...right. Guess whenever I''m asleep, it uses what I''ve eaten to continue evolving me, then seeks out the closest sources of "food" once it runs out.


    Emi had noticed that she had grown at least another four or five inches throughout her nap, as the ground had, once again, gotten further away from her head.


    I guess twigs and leaves aren''t as nutritious as a ton of honey, so that''s probably why I feel like shit right now. Huuuuuh...Now I''m going to have to shamelessly ask for food from the people I blew up at earlier...I feel like a teenager again...


    As Emi walked toward her destination, she noticed that most of the adult monkeys avoided making eye contact with her, while a select few did the opposite. They didn''t glare at her though. The look they gave her reminded her of the few times Meg had gotten so drunk Emi had to forcefully stop her from doing something stupid. A look that said "Thanks for stopping me" and "Sorry you had to do it". Emi had always been a rather social person, but she noticed that she had become more perceptive than she used to be. Understanding other humans was hard enough at times, and these monkeys had some peculiarities of their own.


    I guess [Comunicative Intent] is more far-reaching than I thought. Or maybe it is because I also have [Reciprocal Empathy], but I''m reading body language far better than before. I could just be imagining things though.


    As Emi approached Majusculus''s cabin, she noticed the door was open. she decided to silently make her way to the door, staying out of sight of the occupants. As she peeked inside furtively, she noticed that Strong Armor Spear, Majusculus, and Arctic were sitting in a circle, on the floor. In between them was the small varnished whittled wood statuette of a smiling armored monkey, holding a spear high above his head. The life-sized version of that same spear was laid across Majusculus''s lap, split in twain two-thirds of the way up the shaft.


    "You both need to understand something. Hanu did not die because he failed. He succeeded, then died. Strong Armor Spear, you weren''t with him in the end, you were trying to find a way to save him and had not given up hope. Hanu knew he was dying, and that you wouldn''t make it back in time. I stayed with him for his last hours. He held no regrets. In his last day, he smiled through the pain because he knew he had done well, because he knew that you would grow up to fill his role. He loved you more than anyone in the tribe, even me, and he believed you would surpass him someday. In the end, he kept going in and out of consciousness as his mind got fuzzy. There were three things he kept asking me though, every single time he woke up. The first was asking if he had managed to save the small one. The second was whether I was proud of him. The third was a request. He asked me to make sure you were okay after he was gone, and to help you become who he believed you could become. I answered yes each time, to all three questions. It would seem that I have failed to keep my word. This was his beloved spear, it broke as he stabbed it into the heart of the panther that killed him."


    Majusculus stood up and put the spear on the table behind him. He retrieved a small metal chisel and used it to pry off the head of the spear. He then took a hammer and used it and the chisel to split the head of the spear in half, before handing the other two a piece each.


    "You two keep these and carry on his legacy. I will keep the shaft as a memento of my lost son. Keep these two pieces of stone and remember him. Not your regrets, not your guilt. Remember him for what he was. The kindest and bravest member this family ever produced. I will be sending you both out on a journey of growth. Come back when you are able to look at this stone and smile. I believe it would be best for Arctic to stay with Emi. Strong Armor Spear, the first step in your journey is to accompany them out of the forest, and to protect them until you have all reached the human village. Where you go after is for you to decide. This is not an exile or a punishment, this is a chance to grow for both of you. Whatever happens, remember that you are members of this tribe and this family. You can come back and visit, or rest a while, but don''t come back for good until you feel it is right. I will keep the tribe safe and look after everyone in your absence. Are you okay with that Emi? Will you look after Arctic for us?"


    Emi was startled. She thought she had done a good job of remaining unseen, but it was difficult to see where Majusculus was looking, thanks to the bushy eyebrows that covered his eyes. Strong Armor Spear and Arctic both turned towards the door and saw half of Emi''s head peeking from the side of the doorframe.


    "If Arctic is fine with it, then so am I. How about it Arctic, want to become my little brother and go on an adventure with me?"


    Arctic Stood up as fast as he could and nodded his head so fast Emi was scared he would become dizzy and fall down.


    "Then Emi, you are now part of this family as well, even if by extension. If the rest of our world turns out not to be to your liking, feel free to come back to us. If anyone is stupid enough to try and trouble you about what happened this morning, or bother Arctic before you leave, send them this way and I''ll channel your spirit and give them a good talking to myself."


    Majusculus made eye contact with Emi, and she could see that same look she had gotten from the some of the others.


    Oh good. Honestly, I thought there was at least a 50% chance of me getting kicked out today...


    Emi was about to say she was thankful for the offer, but as her beak opened, her stomach decided to make itself known again. A loud rumble escaped from the depths of her stomach. Strong Armor Spear grew an evil smile as he began signing.


    "You Hungry? You lucky. I find many mice. Most good. Some crushed."


    Strong Armor Spear pointed to his boots, which he''d had to leave at the entrance, so as not to track any blood and viscera inside.


    "Oh crap! Uh...you''re welcome?"


    Three monkeys and a strange Owl began to laugh together. It was a complicated laugh, loaded with many different feelings. Amusement, hope, sadness, and yes, quite a bit of unresolved pain, but above all was relief. A dark cloud, that had hung over the tribe for years, had finally begun to dissipate. Emi stopped laughing and put on the most serious expression she could muster.


    "...but seriously, I''m starving. Got any food?"


    The three monkeys just started to laugh even louder as Emi looked around for something to eat, only to realize she had emptied his stocks the previous day. Arctic quickly dipped out of the house and returned with some of the dried fruit he had stashed away.


    Emi looked down at him and smiled.


    Maybe this world isn''t so bad after all. I think I can work with this. I''ve never had a little brother before.

 16- The gift of knowledge, and proper gifts too.

    16- The gift of knowledge, and proper gifts too.


    5/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut - Morning


    Six hours! Six friggin hours!


    Doro had just woken up from what had been a shorter night than expected. The previous night''s project had taken a lot longer than he''d anticipated. Sure, the binder had been quickly assembled, and some of the simpler glassware had gone according to plan, but the final detail work had proved a lot more finicky than he''d expected.


    The tube inside the condenser was delicate work, so I had to take it slowly, but making sure those damn fittings were perfectly circular and fitted each other was mental torture.


    Doro had needed to redo the fittings and connectors multiple times before he managed to get an airtight seal. It took him a lot of effort before he finally got perfect circles down, but he eventually came up with a workaround. Doro had found out that while using his [Somatic Support], he could make a near-perfect circle by putting an arm straight ahead before spinning on one foot.


    Hopefully, I''ll be able to do it without aid soon, because this looks rather silly...


    The last obstacle had been unexpected. Doro had assumed that replicating the texture of ground glass joints would be simple, and require little energy. He''d been wrong. Getting the texture right was difficult, and because of the scale, a lot of the energy he used ended up getting wasted. The smallest area he could control using nodes was the size of a large raisin, or a small grape, and he needed to expand the same amount of energy whether he wanted to change it in its entirety, or just the fine layer on the surface. The final nail in the proverbial coffin had been that unlike for circles, he hadn''t been able to find a motion to help him get the texture right, and his [Somatic Support] turned out too inaccurate for such small-scale work. He was forced to use his kinesis purely mentally and thus had to use more energy than he''d saved up for those final steps. In the end, he had to take a few breaks, to regenerate energy, and let the headache that built up as he focused on the detailed work subside.


    And then after getting washed up and ready for bed, I only had 5 hours left before I needed to wake up. One short night shouldn''t be enough to stunt my growth to Dad''s level, but damn am I tired. At least, I finished what I set out to do last night, and I''ve got fun presents to give. That should help my mood. Maybe I''ll...no stop it Doro! you just decided to do daily workouts yesterday, you can''t give up on day two just because you are a little bit tired. Guess I''ll just manage myself a bit more than yesterday.


    Doro put his casual clothes on, washed his face, and left his room to join his parents in the kitchen. Upon arriving, he was pleased to note that his father''s state appeared to have returned to normal, as both he and his mother were setting up the table while chatting away.


    "Hey Dad! Sorry about yesterday, guess I was a bit too intense. I made you a present to apologize. I''ll show you after breakfast."


    "Don''t worry, I lost focus yesterday and your mother finished me off. Not all your fault."


    Suyum chuckled and couldn''t help herself from going for the low-hanging fruit.


    "Well Doro said he wanted a younger sibling, so if I finish you off, It would kind of be his fault."


    Khetep''s eyes widened as his gaze shifted from Suyum to Doro repeatedly.


    "First thing, please don''t speak about this in front of me, or at the very least not as we are having breakfast. Second, we only talked about that after you nearly sent Dad off to his final rest."


    Suyum seemed to disregard his admonishments entirely, as she just kept chuckling at the effect her joke had on Khetep.


    "Also Dad, I just told her that if she wanted to get grandchildren any time soon, it would probably be quicker for her to get started on a second child, considering how little I am interested in romance. Let''s just say that the present will also serve as an apology for the unintended consequences of that conversation. Good luck! Don''t let her down or she''ll try to make sure Sarima and I get married-"


    Doro and his parents froze up as the sound of something dropping on their doorstep attracted their attention.


    "Damn it, maybe they didn''t hear it..."


    As Doro walked towards the door leading to the outside, he could hear the muffled voice of a little girl on the other side. He made sure to take the last few steps quietly and opened the door quickly, in a single motion. Sarima nearly fell into the room with her face turned to one side, but managed to regain her balance after stumbling a few ungainly steps.


    "Eavesdropping isn''t a very polite thing to do, Sarima."


    Sarima chased the surprised expression from her face and assumed an innocent look as she responded.


    "Eavesdropping? Me? Nah, I just tried to hear if you were inside before knocking on the door, I wasn''t snooping or anything. Uhhh....but I couldn''t hear really well. What were you saying about making sure you and I got married?"


    "Ahah! So you were eavesdropping!."


    Doro had his hands on his hips and his head held high as he savored his victory, not noticing the shade of tomato red that Sarima''s face had taken. He only realized something was wrong when his mother started cackling loudly behind him. Replaying the conversation in his head, Doro came to the most logical explanation.


    Shit, she didn''t hear the first half of that sentence, and I just confirmed that she didn''t hear the second half wrong. Without the first bit about Mom wanting grandchildren, it would come across as if I planned on marrying her.


    "Yes as I was saying to Dad, he needs to get me a younger sibling so that Mom doesn''t try to pair the two of us off, in her quest for grandchildren. Because I Don''t plan on wasting any time on romance for the foreseeable future."


    After finishing his explanation, Doro noticed that Sarima had regained her normal complexion, but did not seem let down by the news.


    It''s better this way, I need to make sure she doesn''t see me as a romantic interest. It would be unethical with my mental age, and me being her teacher. Whatever happens, age-appropriate girls will probably keep giving me that feeling for at least a few years, I reckon. Better if I could get her to think of me as something akin to an older cousin, or something along those lines. Just got to make sure she doesn''t start calling me oni-chan, or this world''s equivalent, otherwise I''ll never hear the end of it if Emi or Meg find out.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    "Alright, should we get headed to Dad''s workshop so we can get this morning''s lesson underway?"


    The trio left the room and went into Khetep''s workshop.


    "Did you complete the questions I assigned yesterday?"


    Sarima nodded and Doro turned to pick up the binder from the counter.


    "Well, here is a gift to aid with your studies. I made it last night. Give me the notes I made you write yesterday, and the page of questions you answered."


    Sarima handed the two pages to Doro and paid close attention to his demonstration.


    "This is a ring binder. When you open it, as you can see, the rings attached to the spine split open. Be careful, the ends of the right segments of the rings are sharp. You carefully take a page, press the sharp ends gently until the points barely poke through the paper, and then close the binder. When you open it again, you will see neat holes will have been punched out of the page, allowing you to slide the page down and secure it with the rings."


    Doro went through the motions with the page of notes, before urging Sarima to do the same with her homework.


    "If it ends up getting too full, we can retrieve notes on subjects related to each other and bind them together into simple books, using string. When moving around, remember to secure the clasp on the right slide of the cover to avoid it opening by mistake, and it should make it more convenient for you to carry your notes around. Feel free to carve anything you want on the wooden covers. When we are not using it for lessons, you can also use it as a surface to write on when you don''t have a table."


    Sarima looked happy as she accepted her gift and started trying out the clasp.


    "Before we move on to your lesson Sarima, I also have a gift for my dad. I kinda owe him one for multiple reasons. Dad, I hope you like your gift, I stayed up late to finish it, and it turned out to be a lot harder to make than I expected."


    Doro retrieved the case in which he had stored the glassware, and brought it to the counter. He set up the boiling flask on a small tripod to the left, and a flat bottom flask on the right. He then connected the two with the condenser, but then realized he had forgotten to make a grasping stand to hold it in place. Luckily, after asking his father, it turned out he had something that he used to hold up boiling flasks that could be easily adapted to do the job. After securing the condenser in place, Doro placed half a dozen vials and test tubes alongside a pair of measuring beakers.


    "I remember you were complaining about your glassware, so I repurposed some of your broken pieces to make this for you. I took a bit of another material from your reserves and made a type of glass used back on Earth. It is called "Borosilicate Glass" back there, and it is a lot more heat resistant and solid than your previous glassware. These should prove more durable and allow you to work at greater temperatures than before. I''ll explain how the weird tube-like piece in the center works after I''m done with Sarima''s lesson. I should be done in thirty minutes to an hour."


    Khetep looked like a child who had just received a puppy on Christmas morning, and all but jumped for joy.


    "Can I play with it while I wait? I love new equipment, but I always end up buying second-hand to save on costs."


    "Sure Dad. But be careful with the condenser, the middle piece, until I show you how to use it. It''s fragile."


    Sarima blinked a couple of times at the exchange between father and son before letting out a tiny giggle.


    "It''s like Doro is the dad."


    The father and son pair bristled a bit at the comment but decided to let it go. Khetep made his way to the kiln in the corner of the room, in order to get some work done, as Sarima got closer to Doro to whisper into his ear.


    "With his height, in ten years people might actually mistake him for your son."


    As Doro pictured it, he couldn''t help but feel bad for his father because he thought her joke might very well end up becoming a reality. If he managed to help his father get past his next threshold, Khetep''s lifespan would increase another fifty years or so, and it would be dozens of years before he would start aging past his physical peak.


    "Alright, let us speak of something more productive, and less pitiful. First, let me check the answers you gave me, and I''ll point out the errors you have made, if any. If you got them all right, we''ll move to a different exercise tomorrow. If not, I''ll set you another series of questions for tomorrow, and each subsequent day until you get them all right. We will repeat this process anytime I teach you a new mathematical topic."


    As he had expected, Sarima didn''t quite manage a perfect score. However, she had gotten enough questions right to show that she understood the subject.


    "Don''t worry about it. Practice makes perfect. If you are unsure of your answer, try and think it through practically, using physical examples. You''ll see that it will often let you spot when something doesn''t make sense. Percentages are important, the better you understand them, the easier it will be for you to understand the next subject."


    Sarima looked a bit miffed at having gotten some of the answers wrong, but the encouragement seemed to help prevent her mood from turning sour.


    "Anyway, there is something else that I want to discuss today. Can you tell me what "profit" means for a merchant?"


    Sarima thought the question over for a second before answering with confidence.


    "Profit is the difference between how much you bought something for, and how much you manage to sell it for."


    "Ah. Not a wrong answer per se, but not quite complete either. The price you pay to acquire an item isn''t the only potential cost. We''ll assume that you are a self-employed merchant, dealing in non-perishable goods, without any employees. You just bought an expensive item at a store, but it happens to be too heavy for you to carry. Transport becomes an additional expense. Now imagine that the item doesn''t sell for a while and deteriorates. Metal products rust or lose their sheen for example. That adds maintenance as another potential cost. Now imagine you have other products that sell faster and more regularly, but your shelf space is limited. The entire time that bulky item goes unsold, it is taking up space that could produce more money if stocked with something else. That''s another potential added cost through loss of revenue, even if you own your shop and don''t have to pay rent. When choosing what you are stocking up on, and where to acquire the wares that you want to sell, you will need to take all these factors into account."


    "Yeah, that makes sense. So transport, maintenance, and uh...shelf space? popularity? Well I get it, kinda."


    "Until the end of the decan, I want you to think through these factors and see if you can apply any of them to improve the profits of your father''s store. You don''t have to put your ideas into effect quite yet, just let me know what potential improvements you spot and we''ll talk about them together on First-day morning. Until then, feel free to ask questions, but we will be working on mathematics during our lessons."


    Sarima nodded and spent another couple of minutes writing down her notes. Doro spent the remainder of the lesson giving her more concrete examples, before sending her on her way.


    "My turn then? Please go easy on me, yesterday was a bit much."


    "All good. Yesterday was just to help you get the big picture, from now on, I''ll focus on things one at a time."


    Khetep let out a relieved sigh at his son''s response, waiting for him to continue.


    "Today, I''ll teach you how to use the condenser and the theory behind it. You already have some knowledge of the principles involved. We will mostly be going into the details you don''t know about, and correcting false assumptions you may have. First thing, I''m sure you''ve noticed how different metals melt at different temperatures, and that if an ore contains two different metals, one may melt before the other. Well, liquids can also react in a similar manner by turning into gas. You probably had already realized that due to your line of work, right? Like ice to water and then steam. Sorry if I explain something you already know, just want to make sure there are no holes in your fundamentals."


    Khetep nodded in confirmation and Doro proceeded with the lesson.


    "Well, the condenser can be used to collect the gases and cool them down. This will let you gather the separated substance in the adjoining beaker, by controlling the heat. If the original liquid is an emulsion, a mixture of different substances, or even a compound, heat may be all that is required to separate it. Sometimes heat isn''t sufficient and you will need to use a reagent, a substance that will react with the substance you are trying to isolate, or with whatever else is present in the compound it had formed. Then, by controlling the amount of heat you apply to the boiling flask, you can separate the components of the mixture one after the other, by incrementally increasing the heat and switching collection beakers."


    "Alright, I understand the principles, it isn''t that far off from some of the reductions I do to get the materials for my glazes and pigments. But how does the condenser turn the gas back into liquid form?"


    "Ah my bad, I kind of skipped that part. Do you see those two little nozzles on the outer casing of the condenser? Well, you pour cold water into one end and let it drain out of the other. The spiral tube on the inside is shaped this way to allow more surface area to come into contact with the cold water, and to increase the distance the gas travels through it. I could have made it straight instead, but then I would have had to make the condenser a lot longer to keep the same efficacity."


    Doro coached his father until fifth bell, showing him how to use the new equipment by performing simple experiments. First, they drew water and oil out of some of the liquid pigments his father sold, turning them into pigment powder. Then to show liquid interactions, they separated a mixture of oil and water until it appeared most of the water had travelled to the other side. To show his father the importance of safety, he then asked his father to take a sip from the water, so he could taste that it wasn''t quite pure. Although the olive oil required close to double the temperature water needed to evaporate, some of its components were more volatile, letting them make their way through the condenser alongside the water vapor.


    "You see, vegetable oils aren''t exactly compounds, they are more like fairly homogenous mixtures. Even if the oil itself doesn''t appear to boil, some of its components may still undergo a phase change, in this case, it would mean going from liquid to gas."


    He finished the lesson by explaining to his father why it was important to do multiple passes, and not to assume everything had worked just because the result had the expected color and viscosity. Khetep then left to get lunch ready and Doro found himself with an hour of free time, his energy levels topped up.


    Guess I could go for my daily run now. I still have most of my energy, so I can afford to spend about a fifth of my reserve and still be back to full after lunch. Since I''m still a bit tired, I''ll go slow and add some shaping exercises using [Inorganic Kinesis] and [Phase Transition].

 17-Mind Tripping Over Body

    17-Mind Tripping Over Body


    5/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut - Late Morning


    Doro picked up a small lump of steel and prepared for his workout. He decided today''s training would focus on wasting less energy when inducing phase transitions.


    Since I''m trying to change the shape of the surface, I could concentrate on just infusing the outer layer, but with the jogging and kinesis practice, it might be a bit much. On that note, I should also limit myself to one lump for now, since I just started working on my shaping skills.


    Doro jogged through the streets of the industrial district as he practiced. After a few attempts at shaping the lump mentally, while keeping it aloft and maintaining his running form, the exercise proved more difficult than he''d expected. It reminded Doro of the few times he''d made attempts at juggling in the past. When he gave his shaping exercises enough attention, one of his two other activities would suffer.


    He had previously set the lump floating in front of him, using [Somatic Support], but since he wasn''t out of energy like the previous day, he attempted to keep it aloft with his mind alone. The problem showed itself as soon as Doro started diverting his attention to the third task. Either he would concentrate on the two mental exercises, only to find out he had slowed to an intermittent walk, or he would concentrate on running, and find himself trying to shape a solidified lump to no avail.


    Maybe I''ll be able to do it this way if I practice enough, but this is not doable for now. I need to find a workaround.


    Doro continued his practice while trying out different ideas he had come up with to solve his issue. At first, he experimented with [somatic support], using one arm to keep the lump floating. This proved insufficient however as whenever he attempted to shape the lump, his issue would crop up again. He then tried to use motions to help with the shaping, but having one arm encumbered, holding up the lump, made this exercise rather awkward.


    I wonder...I''ve been using my arm to keep it aloft, but I can use other parts of my body to carry stuff normally, like balancing something on the top of my head. If I was seated I could use my lap, If I was standing still, I could raise a knee and keep something on there. If I hunched over enough, I could probably lift something with my shoulders but that wouldn''t be a good posture for running. I guess the only thing that would work while running would be managing to keep it on my head.


    After a few tries, Doro managed to achieve the results he had pictured. In truth, it had turned out better than expected, as the lump seemed anchored to the top of his head and responded to its tilting without slipping and falling off.


    Ok, that''s pretty cool. If I had to fight and my arms were incapacitated, I could just shake my head like a metal fan at a concert, headbanging people at a range with....heh...metal. Actually, scratch that, seems like it''s making my neck muscles work so, large violent movements might not be advisable.


    Doro chuckled to himself at the lame almost-pun he had thought of, and attempted to put his new understanding to use. As it turns out, Doro found it much easier to keep two physical and one mental task running concurrently, instead of the inverse. After a few minutes, Doro grew more comfortable with the exercise and started trying out different motions to help with his shaping, to find some that wouldn''t get in the way of his running.


    Alright! This works for now. But liquifying, shaping, and then solidifying the lump, might not be the most mentally efficient process. It might prove easier if I got a softer material for practicing. I could infuse it with a lot of energy and set a small constant flow to keep it malleable until it runs out. With this, I wouldn''t have to pay more than very minimal attention to [Phase Transition]. However, It would probably slow down my improvement with it. Guess I should bring two different lumps with me, and switch between the two exercise variations from now on. I''ll keep going like this for today and I''ll go find a softer metal for the second lump this afternoon.


    ***


    Doro started jogging back towards his home as he went through the different motions he had come up with. Making a perfect sphere was slightly too difficult for him at this point, but he had found a way to make a decent one, by cupping both his hands together and turning them as if he were polishing off a snowball.


    Snow...there wasn''t really that much back in California, but Manzat is on another level. If not for my previous life''s memories, I''m not sure I could even picture it. I imagine sandball fights wouldn''t really work. Maybe mudballs? Meh, the adults would get mad at the cleanup.


    Even though he had the memories, and could live through them again thanks to his Ability, Doro could not help but want to have some fun in the snow firsthand. The memories of his previous life had changed Doro greatly, but part of him still remained a nine-year-old boy.


    Back when he had been Ben, people had teased him, by saying that he had a Spock-like quality. Ben had been very level-headed but had needed to plan everything ahead of time to feel comfortable in a situation. He understood social queues to a sufficient extent, so as to not be considered too much of a weirdo, but he wasn''t very at ease around strangers, especially in large gatherings like parties.


    Doro, however, originally had no such issues. One could say that he was a friendly and passionate little boy. After recovering his memories, he still kept his friendly disposition, and all the new information only served to make him more curious and outgoing.


    Well, I had a lot of people that I was friendly with as Doro, but unlike in my previous life, I don''t have any really close friends, like Meg or Emi. The way it is going, maybe I''ll grow close to Sarima, but it wouldn''t really be the same. Maybe when we grow older, and she graduates from my lessons, we can be close friends. Until then I am somewhat responsible for her development, so I can''t really just chill. I want to find Meg and Emi, but they could be anywhere and it will be at least a few years before I''m able to go traveling on my own to find them.


    Doro realized he had gone off on a tangent and resumed his run. As he kept going, he started performing quick plucking motions, grasping the air between his thumb and forefinger, before sharply pulling. With each pluck, conical spikes grew from the steel orb, their lengths proportional to the pulling motions. The quicker and larger pulls created thin and long needle-like spikes, while the slower and smaller ones created shorter and thicker cones.


    Damn, this ball is basically a steel urchin now. Wouldn''t want to step on it, or get it thrown at me. Better make it into a safer shape before I trip and hurt someone...or myself.


    Perfectly straight lines also proved rather difficult to pull off with the steel urchin floating in mid-air. When crafting the binder, he''d used flat surfaces like the countertop to flatten what he needed, and then used a knife and ruler to cut straight lines. At first, he''d thought he could pluck out a hair and pull it taught, to serve as a guide, but after feeling the small spike of pain from pulling the first one out, he decided it wouldn''t be a good long-term solution. Eventually, he found that he could get fairly good results by aligning his fingers with his palms, to make his hands as straight as possible, and then connecting both hands at the fingertips. He then used the point at which his hands met as an axis, allowing him to get corners sorted out easily, and to roughly control their angles.


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    Alright, that''s squares, rectangles, parallelograms, and a bunch of other polygons sorted. If I make a cone first, I can also use this to make it into a pyramid easily. Still, my angles and lines aren''t super accurate so past a hexagon, it becomes really obvious the sections aren''t uniform. That''s fine though, I made a lot of progress in the last hour. I must look ridiculous though, like a mime learning how to Vogue.


    Doro''s stomach growled at him and he started picking up the pace. He was happy with what he had achieved and focused on making his way back home as quickly as he could, to satiate his hunger.


    Doro opened the door to the kitchen and tried sitting down at the table, but Khetep sent him off to wash up first. Doro headed to the bathroom and gave himself a quick wipe-down, with a wet towel, before returning to his room to get a fresh shirt. While there, he slipped his hand underneath his mattress until he felt a cold round disc.


    Thank you for your investment Captain Aonghus. I''ll try to spend it productively. May you make it back safely so I can return your goodwill.


    Doro pocketed the Gold Mark and clapped his hands once. Doro had never really been superstitious, in either of his lives, and whatever loose religious beliefs he had held previously were mostly voided by the insight he''d gained from Gallius''s message.


    But yeah, magic is a thing here. Maybe thoughts and wishes carry something more than they did back on Earth. Doesn''t cost me anything but a few moments. I can definitely spare that on the off chance it helps.


    By the time Doro made it back to the kitchen, both his parents were seated and the table was set.


    "Ha! That''s my son! You tryin'' to get fit for the young ladies of Niwut? Don''t worry if you don''t manage to grow a bunch of muscles, some of us ladies are more than happy with softer men. I married your father, Didn''t I?"


    Suyum gave a small laugh at the mildly offended glare Khetep directed at her in response to her comment.


    "Nah, Mom. Seeing as I have to make my way to the central district once a decan, I thought I''d build up some stamina. Well, that was the initial reason. It turns out that increasing my physical strength will come in handy for some of my Abilities, so I decided to work on my fitness in general."


    "See, Suyum? Give our son a little bit more credit. He wouldn''t go through all that effort just to try and attract girls. Also, I''m not sure he is even at that stage yet, hairless as his body is."


    It was now Doro''s turned to look mildly offended.


    "Uh, Dad...If you are going to take shots... I happen to think that being fit could only help me look better, and be in better health. Maybe you should join me sometimes, it might help you survive Mom''s attempts at giving me a younger brother or sister."


    Suyum burst out laughing and started patting Doro on the back. Khetep''s eyes were wide open, in fear, as he looked at his wife and son across the table.


    "Oh no...there''s two of them! Son! I thought you were on my team?"


    "Nope. I''m on my own team, and if you want more collaboration from my end, maybe avoid calling me a hairless wonder next time."


    "It would seem, sweety, that you underestimated our son this time. Although his idea isn''t bad. Like that, you could get some father and son bondin'' done as well as....extra benefits."


    Suyum winked seductively at Khetep. Doro lowered the spoon that he was in the process of bringing up to his mouth.


    "Instant Karma, ugh! I regret my decision greatly. Dad, will you let me back on your team? I don''t want those images in my head as I eat."


    Khetep wiped a non-existent tear from the corner of his eye and spread his arms wide open before replying in such a melodramatic way that Doro thought he deserved a Razzie.


    "My son, you have seen the light and returned to your senses! Quick, rejoin me on the team of propriety and logic, before your mother''s jokes pull you deeper into the dark side. I forgive you for erring and welcome you back to sanity!"


    The dark side heh? No, if I start Palpatine''s speech on the dark side of the force in front of Mom, she might get inspired. Gotta hold back.


    Suyum flicked a small balled-up piece of bread into Khetep''s mouth mid-speech. It hit the back of his throat and stopped him in his tracks as he coughed.


    "Yeah? I might not be as "sane", but at least my team has all the fun!"


    Suyum looked back at Khetep with an unconvincing pout, before letting out a small chuckle.


    "Actually, there is something I wanted to ask. I want to go practice one of my Abilities and I need to find a lot of minerals and ores to look at. Where do you think I should go?"


    Khetep drank a glass of water to help him clear his throat before replying.


    "Well I usually go to specialty stores, because I need very specific materials, but if all you want is a large variety, the market at the edge of the industrial district is what I would recommend. That is where the nomads set up temporary stalls to offload their latest haul. Since they have mining villages working on both the mountain range to the north and the one to the south, they should have the greatest variety, aside from the larger stores in the central district. The large stores also deal in foreign goods, and rare stuff, but they would probably chase you out after a few minutes if they realized you weren''t there to buy anything."


    "Alright, thanks Dad. Also, Mom, I''m sure you overheard me speaking about the gifts I made for Dad and Sarima this morning, but I''m also planning on making you something nice. To that effect, could you let me know if there is a specific color you would like it in? I won''t tell you what it is until I give it to you, but I''m sure you''d like it better if it was a color you chose."


    "Really? I was startin'' to feel left out you know, with you spendin'' your whole mornin''s with your father and the two of you actin'' all buddy-buddy lately. What color though? Lately, I''ve been missin'' some of the vibrant greens I used to see around springtime back in Umayer. For a month, the great lakes flood the lower plains because of the meltwater from the mountains. Then, after the water returns to normal levels, dark green mosses and other fast-growin'' plants cover the plains. So, yeah, a vibrant green, or deep green color would be nice."


    "Green eh? Thanks, that is actually one of the easier colors you could have asked for considering my plans."


    "Well, that''s lucky. So, how long do you think it will take you?"


    "It depends on how lucky I get at the market, but it should be ready in a few days if I find certain things. Since Mom wants green, I might plunder a bit of copper from you, Dad. Is that fine?"


    "Eh, not too much alright? I have a bit in stock, more than I need for my current orders. Just don''t go overboard. Copper is not as cheap as it was before the Empire started using it to implement Thermaen plumbing on a large scale, since it doesn''t rust like steel or iron."


    Okay, that settles it, I really need to refine some chromium. It''ll not only get me a nice shade of green for Mom''s present, but with it, I''ll also be able to make stainless steel. I really need to figure out if this world has patents, or something similar, because this could really make me rich. Another Blessed might get to it before me if I don''t do it quickly, so I''ll try to get the info from Scholar Atwut.


    Doro finished his plate as fast as he could and stood up with his mouth still filled with the last portion he''d shoveled in.


    "I''mf off to fhe mawquet. Shee you laher!"


    By the time Khetep and Suyum figured out what he was trying to say, Doro had already slipped out the door.


    "Uh, Suyum?"


    "Yeah?"


    Khetep turned his head toward the sink.


    "Is it me, or did he just skip out on his chores? Guess we''ll have to clean up after ourselves today."


    As Khetep finished his sentence, and looked away from the dirty pots Doro had left for them, he noticed that the seat across from him was strangely empty.


    "Ugh, never mind. I guess I will be the one who cleans up. She may act like she''s the head of this family, but this house would burn down without me around, even if it is mostly made of stone. I don''t want to imagine what would happen if I died first and she was left in charge of the kiln. Niwut might never recover...Wait, I''m alone, who am I even speaking to?"

 18-Just a Leisurely Shopping Trip?

    18-Just a Leisurely Shopping Trip?


    5/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut - Early Afternoon


    I''m off to see the market! The wonderful market of ores!


    Doro made his way to the market with a full belly and an even fuller wallet. He was in such a good mood that he could not help himself from humming a song from one of Emi''s favorite musicals, albeit with slightly modified lyrics. With a spring in his step, he made his way to the market. He wondered what new resources he might be able to get his hands on and what he''d be able to turn them into.


    Just imagine. Someone could be sitting on some rare earth metals, or some other useful resource that hasn''t been properly utilized here yet. They''d just think they are some interesting junk if they haven''t figured out any of their potential uses around here, and might sell them for dirt cheap. Meh, dirt is actually a valuable commodity here in Manzat due to the ongoing efforts to expand the farmable lands. I need to look around before settling on any purchases, there may be some hidden gems, literally.


    Doro chortled at his lame pun before coming to an abrupt stop.


    Now that I''m thinking about it, was it a good idea to come out here on my own with so much money? Even though I''ve been working out, and am on the taller side for my age, I''m still a nine-year-old boy carrying something akin to a monthly paycheck. If there are Choices or Abilities that help with pickpocketing, I have to be even more careful than back in L.A.


    Doro put his hand into his pocket and closed his hand around the gold mark, clenching it tightly as he walked. After a few steps, he realized that his unnatural posture would probably give away the game, and that it would be as good as wearing a sign saying he had something precious.


    Well, it is mostly made of gold, I could use [Inorganic Kinesis] and anchor it somewhere inconspicuous underneath my clothing. Since it is light and I''ll be keeping it against my body, the cost should be easy to sustain for a long while, even with my 10 energy. Or I could always use the trick I came up with earlier, and place the stress on top of my head, like this if someone somehow notices it and tries to pickpocket me, I''ll have physical feedback since it''s anchored.


    After fiddling for a few seconds, Doro moved the gold mark below his tunic and anchored it between his shoulder blades, toward the top of his back.


    Between the rough fabric of my tunic, and my long hair, people shouldn''t be able to see the outline.


    Feeling some pride toward his thief-proofing, Doro relaxed and let himself enjoy his good mood as he approached the outskirts of the market. He made his way from stall to stall, inspecting any mineral and metal that caught his eye, and checked the prices of those that he could think of a use for. [Matter Analysis] returned the vast majority, if not the entirety, of the energy it used, and therefore, Doro thought he could swiftly make his way through the entire market. However, his plan had come up against an obstacle.


    The first stall had been a breeze, and the second had gone by pretty quickly, but by the time Doro was finishing his inspection of the third, he started developing a headache. He tried to push on to the fourth, but the headache worsened and Doro started feeling as though his head was getting filled with water, the pressure inside his skull increasing.


    Owowow....shhhhhhh.....my head...I need a break. Even though it doesn''t consume energy, the flood of information is doing my head in. I need to find some shade to sit in for a bit.


    Determined to take his time and be more selective about what he would inspect afterward, Doro found a small side alley with crates and boxes piled along one wall. He slipped inside and sat on one of the smaller crates, taking deep breaths and attempting to keep his head clear. Doro had never really tried any form of meditation, in either lifetime, but he tried to apply some of what he had heard secondhand. After a handful of minutes, the headache started subsiding, and Doro lost some of the tension it had caused.


    Better. I''ll stay another five minutes or so, and I''ll go see some of the other stalls after.


    Doro put both hands behind his head and leaned back against the wall to get more comfortable. So comfortable, in fact, that he failed to notice a trio of men making their way into the alley a minute later. Because Doro had leaned back against the wall, a stack of crates hid them from view, but not from earshot.


    "I''m tellin'' ya idjits my ability went off. Should be some gold real close around. In one of dem crates or somethin''. With nobody keepin'' guard, mighty dumb to leave things around fer anyone to nick."


    Two other voices joined in as the three men shared a sinister laugh.


    Oh lord, did I really come across stereotypical fantasy thieves? At least I''m not a girl, so I''m probably less effed if they find me, literally. Damn it, no time for dark puns. Focus. They haven''t noticed my feet, their eyes probably haven''t adjusted to the shade yet. I have three options.


    Option 1: I try and pull my legs in and try to remain hidden. Seems they have a way to sense the gold mark though, so even if they start at the other end of the stack, if they aren''t interrupted by something, they will eventually make their way to me.


    Option 2: Try to make a run for it. That would only work if I''m confident I can outrun three adult men. In addition, they are between me and the closest exit, so I''ll need to outrun them for at least 90 feet into another alleyway and hope there is another exit nearby. Even if they didn''t catch up to me immediately, it probably wouldn''t work.


    Option 3: Fight my way through them and back onto the crowded market street on the other side. Or in other words, assisted suicide. I don''t even have any metal with me, aside from the mark, so I can only use the stone and dirt around.


    Doro furiously tried to come up with a plan as his time unnoticed was running out. If he waited much longer, they would inevitably spot his feet. As Doro heard the trio pry one of the first crates open, he decided he would need to go with the fourth option.


    Option 4: Stall and bullshit my way into gaining more time to come up with an actual plan! Here goes nothing.


    Doro Yawned loudly and stood up. He stretched his arms upward, as if to make a show of having just woken up. He then rubbed one of his eyes as he attempted to, nonchalantly, make his way past the trio.


    "Oh. What d''we have here? A pipsqueak taking a nap in the shadows? Got anything interesting on you?"


    The man Doro had previously heard shifted to block his path to salvation.


    I know I shouldn''t judge by appearances, but hell. Not only does this guy speak and act like a stereotypical low-life, but he also looks the part. Is he actually human, or is he some sort of shaved ratman?


    The man barring Doro''s way was rather short, barely a head taller than Doro. His frame was wiry but the wicked glint in his eye and the sharp dagger he had used to pry the crate open sufficed to put Doro more on edge than any muscles the man could have had.


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    "Oh me? Nothing sir. I was just taking a break while my parents are buying some ore for their work. I should really make my way back to them, I didn''t plan on falling asleep and I''m not sure how long I''ve made them wait."


    Doro turned his pockets inside out as he replied to the rat-like man, to show that he really had nothing on his person.


    "Dekt, how about we let the boy go? Not worth the trouble if he ain''t got nothin''."


    "Yeah boss, I''m sure this Boy is smart enough to keep his mouth shut if he knows what''s good for him."


    The other two men spoke to the rat-like man called Dekt, who turned out to be their boss. The two of them appeared to be middle-aged and had rather large builds, with as much muscle as fat. Unlike their boss, they wouldn''t have looked too out of place working on a farm.


    Yeah, too late for a name now. In my mind, you are registered as Ratman forever...I need to keep stalling, I''m nearly there.


    As it turns out, Doro had slowly been infusing nearly his entire reserves of energy into the ground below the three men''s feet as the conversation went on, and he held it there while waiting for an opportunity to arise.


    "Eh, always ruinin'' my fun, but ya idjits are right. Move along boy."


    Huh? Damn, I spent all my energy for nothing. Better not complain about getting lucky. When you think about it, they marked me because I was carrying a mark. If they had grifted me as well, I would have been marked because of a mark and then picked off as a mark. Not worth the risk of staying behind and recalling my energy.


    Thinking he had made it home free, Doro relaxed a little as he walked past Dekt.


    "My apologies for interrupting you. Have a good day."


    Doro had made it three feet away from Dekt and his thugs when he felt a sharp point against his back.


    "Boss? I thought we were lettin'' him go? Not like we can easily sell ''im off now that they are crackin'' down on our friends workin'' the docks."


    The thug with the thicker accent spoke up as Doro froze in place.


    "Nah, somethin'' smelled fishy. The boy was too calm. Thought somethin'' was off so I used my Ability again. Guess what? The gold moved when he did. That''s why I''m the boss, and not the two of ya idjits. Ya would''ve let ''im go along with our payday. Also, wise guy, you let my name slip. Ya don''t survive long in this business without tyin'' up loose ends."


    Shit! Shit, Shit, Shit! Don''t tell me I somehow got reborn into a second life, only to die at the age of nine in a back alley...Wait! I still have like one or two points of energy and the dagger is made of metal. If I activate my trap and put all my remaining energy, as well as my physical strength, to stop the dagger from moving, I might be able to make it the 12-ish feet between me and the street. No time to waste, it''s now or never.


    Doro used [Phase Transition] to instantly liquify the ground below the three men''s feet and used his remaining energy to stop the dagger from being thrust into his back. The three men began to sink as though they were standing on water, for the 5 or so inches that Doro''s meager energy reserves had allowed on a surface of that size. He had set the energy flow as fast as he could and the energy expended itself in under a second. The energy gone, the ground in which their feet had sank returned to its solid state instantly. Doro lunged forward, hoping that his trap would hold. After taking two steps, Doro heard a large grunt as one of the thugs managed to pull a foot out of the packed dirt that had solidified around their ankles.


    Why couldn''t the floor be stone like in the main street?! It should slow them down enough for me to make it out though. Don''t look back! Keep going before they can break out and catch up.


    Doro took his final step out of the shadows and into the sunlight.


    I made it! What do you say to death? Not tod-


    As Doro rejoiced over his successful escape, he felt a sharp tug on the back of his tunic alongside searing pain coming from his shoulder. His momentum completely arrested, he felt another pull and was jerked back into the shade of the alleyway before he was able to yell out in pain. Between the pain and the jolting motion, Doro got disoriented for a moment and found himself lying back on the floor with Dekt kneeling on his stomach. One hand was busy keeping his mouth shut, the other holding onto a grappling hook.


    Damnit, you are not Batman, you are Ratman! Why the hell do you have a friggin grappling hook! My Shoulder hurts like hell, I can''t scream, and I''m out of energy...fuck! What do I do? What do I do? What do I do!?


    Doro panicked and tried wriggling free, but Dekt''s weight was enough to secure him, and Dekt himself was still anchored to the ground by Doro''s trap. Dekt threw the grappling hook to the side and recovered the dagger he had dropped.


    "Now boy, keep yer yap shut or I''ll have some fun cutting yer fingers off, one by one, and then I''ll chop off the pathetic little worm between yer legs before I kill you. If you save me some time and tell me where you hidin'' yer gold, I''ll be kind and slit yer throat now."


    Dekt moved his hand away from Doro''s mouth to let him answer.


    "Help! Guards! Anyo-"


    Dekt slammed the pommel of his dagger into the side of Doro''s face, making his vision swim.


    "Good try kid, but I have an ability that''s stoppin'' any noise from leakin'' out. Can''t ya hear the silence from the market street? I made our lil'' party here private. And let me be clear, when I''m done with ya, ya''ll wish that you hadn''t tried that, ya little shit."


    "Uh, boss? By definition, I don''t think you can hear silence."


    "Shut up and move to the other side to shield us from view while I have my fun. I think I''ll start with your pinky. I might take my time to enjoy myself and have some fun with your teeth and tongue after I''m done with what I already promised. Choking on your own blood as a fingerless, toothless, and dickless lump of meat feels like a good punishment for tryin'' to pull that stunt. Don''t worry, I''ll break a few bones so that ya can''t squirm too much."


    Doro noticed the two thugs shudder as they saw their boss move the dagger closer to Doro''s hand. The one that had spoken up previously turned to face the market street to follow his orders, but did not step forward. Instead, he froze as all the color drained from his face. Doro could not see what had made the thug react that way, but an ember of hope rekindled in his heart. Dekt, however, was so focused on his upcoming playtime that he failed to notice any of the changes.


    "Blame your rotten luck that I don''t have a way to sell you off. Since ya can''t bring me any profit alive, I''ll just have some fun instead. One...finger...at...a...time.


    As Dekt was occupied forcing Doro''s hand open, Doro saw a flash of silver fly a foot above him, straight into the left side of Dekt''s face. Dekt was lifted and jerked backward at a surprising speed, but instead of being thrown back further into the alleyway, his trapped feet acted as a fulcrum and swung him back into the floor, smashing the back of his head against the floor. Unlike a stand-up punching bag, Dekt did not bounce back to right himself but stayed crumpled on the floor, twitching. Doro looked up, and the silver streak had stopped in place, where Dekt''s face had been but a moment ago.


    A steel gauntlet? The thing that him like a truck was a punch!?


    Doro blinked a few times, trying to make sense of what had just happened, as the two thugs turned tail to run. The hit he had received on the head, and the panic he was feeling, made everything seem jumbled and out of focus.


    "Shit, he got Dekt! Scramble, we can''t fight a dude in full armor!"


    The thug, who had let Dekt''s name slip, had managed to run to the other end of the alleyway and turn the corner. His colleague, the first one to spot the armored man, wasn''t as lucky and received a massive punch in the gut before he could turn to run. The thug released what appeared to be the entire content of his digestive system, from both ends, as he crumpled onto the floor, convulsing.


    "Heh, You decked Dekt. Ha.....ha..haha..ha..."


    Doro let out a quiet, manic laugh as tears of relief flooded his vision.


    "Hey kid? Are you okay?"


    "T''is but a scratch! Just a flesh wound, sir knight."


    Doro''s laugh trailed off as relief flooded his body and his woozyness worsened.


    It''s over. I''m safe.


    The events of the day caught up to Doro and because of his physical exertion, his lack of sleep, and the emotional upheaval of the attack, the relief washed over him like a tide, pulling his consciousness along as it ebbed. Before passing out, Doro heard a last few words coming from his savior.


    "Tom! Get over here quick! The boy is injured and delirious, he might have been poisoned. He needs your help."


    As the darkness closed in around him, Doro felt a strange sensation growing steadily stronger, but he was on a one-way trip and reached his destination before his brain could try and process it.


    "How now! Has it already been this long?"


    The man, apparently called Tom, sounded surprised as he approached, but Doro was already out by the time he arrived.


    "Would you kindly move aside and let me attend to the young lad? You''ve expertly done your part, as always, old friend."

 19-The Heavy Steelclad Juggernaut

    19-The Heavy Steelclad Juggernaut


    5/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut - Afternoon


    Doro woke up feeling inexplicably good. Although he was lying down on a hard surface, his muscles felt loose and he could not feel pain of any kind.


    Did I actually fall asleep and dream the entire encounter?


    Doro tentatively opened his eyes and noticed he was still in the alleyway. He was sleeping on his side, facing the wall, on top of what appeared to be a large brown cloak. He turned gingerly, expecting to feel pain coming from his shoulder, but to his surprise, it never did. Now facing the opposite side, Doro saw a wall of steel. At least that was his first impression, but after blinking a few times he realized that what he was seeing was the back of an enormous armored man.


    Is this a man or a golem? I see no exposed skin, and he is positively huge. It could be a Thermal, but they don''t usually like full armor since their muscle and fat volumes change so often. They usually wear an assortment of separate adjustable pieces instead.


    GRwRwRRwwwGRw


    A rumbling sound came from the man''s direction and resonated inside his armor. Doro briefly thought some hidden beast had growled, out of view, on the other side of the large person. After a second though, he realised it was coming from inside the armor. Upon paying closer attention, he recognized the nature of the sound.


    Well, he sounds hungry, so at least he is not some form of golem or automaton. So, probably either Human or Yerkan. Maybe something else. Doesn''t matter though, they saved me and it seems they kept guard over me while I was unconscious. Whatever, whoever, they are, I owe them my life.


    Doro cleared his throat audibly, in an attempt to catch the armored man''s attention.


    "Hello. You are the one who saved me right? You have my gratitude."


    The man jostled and turned around to face Doro, at a speed that seemed incompatible with the man''s size and encumberment. Furthermore, his motion had been strange. He''d been sitting cross-legged on the floor and appeared to spin 180¡ã, seemingly without moving a muscle.


    "Ha! You are awake! How are you feeling? Your shoulder okay? Need a drink? Help to sit up? You were in a mighty scary situation, but you are safe now. My friend took the bad guys to the guards. Thought we''d spare you getting involved with all that stuff after what you''ve been through. I''m Dhruvah, Decanus of the Free Legion. Well, I say Decanus since it''s my rank, but my squad just went through some *ahem* trouble and now I only have one free legionnaire under me, and well, being a Medicus, he is an irregular. That probably doesn''t mean much to you though. Oh yeah! What''s your name? Are your parents around? How old are you?"


    The man started shooting questions like bullets out of a machine gun, leaving Doro no chance to answer any of them, and causing him to forget half of them before it was over. His voice was higher-pitched than his size implied, and Doro could hear how worried the man was from his tone.


    "Sorry to cut you off but, I''ve already forgotten a few of your earlier questions. Maybe you could slow down a little? I''m Doro, nine years old, and my parents are at work. I don''t feel any pain anywhere. Also, I feel a lot more relaxed than I have any right to be, after what just happened. Honestly? I feel as though I should be shaking, crying, or something else of the sort normally, but I feel...alright. Thanks."


    "Oh yeah, that''s probably because Tom gave you the works as he dealt with your injury. I also used one of my Abilities, one that helps with the physical recovery and the morale of others when I keep watch as they rest. Very useful to keep up your squad''s morale up on extended missions or multiple-day battles."


    Man, they could have used one of him in every Veteran care center, or VA medical center, back on Earth.


    "Sir Dhruvah, I don''t think I can ever repay your kindness in full, but if it isn''t beneath you, I''m sure my parents would at the very least want to invite you for dinner, to thank you in person."


    "Really!? That would be a lifesaver! Also just call me Dhruvah. You are not a legionnaire under me, I am off duty, and I am not a noble."


    "Surely you jest. I appreciate your attempts to avoid making me feel indebted, but a simple meal can in no way make up for what you have done for me."


    "Uh? You said you were nine right? Anyone ever tell you that you speak weird for a nine-year-old. I''m not exaggerating though. I don''t have a squad anymore because they all just quit yesterday, and went looking for another squad to join. We took a job to protect a merchant caravan from Ashrama, but along the way, I got swindled by one of them. He proposed a deal where he would sell us some of his surplus wares for a low price, saying that we would make a profit if we sold it here in Niwut. The merchant had been really friendly during the trip, and said he was doing this for us as a favor, so I trusted him. I put in the pay for this mission, as well as the small amount of money I had saved up, to try and get us a higher payday. I should''ve checked up with the others first, I know, but I trusted the man."


    "What happened? Were the goods counterfeit? Oh I know, he sold you stuff that would deteriorate on the journey at fresh prices?"


    Dhruvah froze for almost a minute, and since his visor was down, Doro could not see the man''s facial expression. Then out of nowhere, he struck his fist onto the ground to his side. Doro felt the ground below him shake. As Dhruvah lifted his hand, Doro could see a small crater had formed at the point of impact.


    "Sorry! Didn''t mean to scare you. It''s just that this really hits home. See, my squadmates left saying I was unfit for a command position outside of war. That I was too gullible, and that I didn''t think things through enough before making important decisions. When deployed as part of a Century or Legion, where I have superior officers, I do very well. Not boasting, but if it were just based on combat potential, I would have been made a centurion long ago. Tom is the only one who sticks with me long-term when doing off-duty missions, but that''s because he is a friend and independently wealthy. The only reason he enlisted was so he could travel to help the sick and wounded. That''s why you shouldn''t expect him to make you pay for the healing he performed. In fact, he might feel insulted if you offered actual payment."


    "I''m sure your squad mates were too hard on you. You made a mistake but people in leadership positions often do."


    "Nah, they were right. The proof is that the only thing I did was check that the goods were actually at market price, or lower, and that they were in good condition when I bought them. The reason I got angry was that none of the other possibilities you mentioned even crossed my mind. He could have tricked me with any of those. In this case, though, it was a different one. "


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    The armored man took a few seconds to compose his thoughts before continuing.


    "He officially made the deal with me in an area that only had imperial tax applied, at the border between Ashrama and Manzat. Then he sold me the goods at the low end of their market price in Niwut. What he didn''t tell me was that I would need to pay local taxes, at the checkpoint, before we entered Niwut officially. After that, we ended up in a situation where we would need to sell four for the price of five, just to get back our investment, and that is if we sold at the high end of the market price. In the end, we weren''t able to make our investment back. Because it was my mistake, I split the money we made between everyone, except me, and it covered just a little under what they should have normally been paid. I also made other smaller mistakes in the past, but this one turned out to be the final one for them."


    "What a bunch of whiners! I''m sorry Dhruvah, but you didn''t get any of them killed, injured, or even destitute. You may not have been great at making them money, but you were willing to forego your own share, as well as the money you had personally invested, to apologize, and they still blamed you before leaving. Give me their names so I can give them a piece of my mind if I ever come across them."


    Doro stood up as he defended his savior''s honor. He puffed his chest out and put his fists on his hips in a power pose. Dhruvah guffawed loudly before pulling up his visor to wipe away a tear.


    Huh, thick eyebrows and facial hair, and this hard-to-describe skin tone? Dhruvah is definitely human, and probably from Ashrama. Back home I would probably think he was a mix of Pacific islander and south-eastern Asian, not quite sure what countries though. Humanity seems to have developed quite differently from back on Earth. I mean, I have features that look Northern European, and skin as dark as any sub-Saharan African I''ve ever seen. No established cultural group looks quite like that back there. Taking that into account, he''d fit in a lot better than the current me.


    "Thanks, kid. I needed a laugh. You may appear in good shape and all, but I wouldn''t recommend confronting any adult with fighting experience. You nearly managed to escape this time. Lucky you did though, because that is the only reason I noticed you, when you were pulled back into the shadows. Don''t get me wrong, I don''t think my old squadmates would do much to you, certainly nothing like the trio from earlier, but better not tempt fate. Use the scar as a reminder before the next time you decide to do something dangerous ."


    "Scar?"


    Doro tried to inspect where the wound had been, but it was just out of sight. When he stretched his neck as much as he could, he noticed the pointed end of three greyish lines extending further than he could see.


    "How bad is it?"


    "Don''t worry, it healed up well. You should be able to pass your hand over it and not even feel as though there was anything there. Visually though? It looks impressive!"


    Dhruvah gave him the first gauntleted thumbs-up that Doro had ever seen. Between the friendly gesture and the even friendlier smile, Doro could not help but grow fonder of the man.


    He is like a giant nervous teddy bear. Or like a naive kid in an adult''s body. Well, he could also blow my head off with a single punch. Wait, he finished both dudes with one punch each! Has he been doing a hundred situps, pushups, and squats every day for three years? The ten-kilometer run too? Heh!


    "The hook didn''t quite cut cleanly and tore at your skin. It kinda looks like you got mauled by a three-clawed beast. Or a very enthused three-fingered lover!"


    Dhruvah laughed for a second before stopping abruptly.


    "My bad I kind of forgot you were only nine because of how you express yourself. To tell you the truth, if you were to tell me you were an adult of some new shorter race I didn''t know about, I might just buy it. Huh, well crap. Maybe my squadmates were right when they said I was too naive."


    "Don''t worry, my mother will probably make the same joke within minutes of seeing the scar, she deflects with bad jokes. Also, wait until you see my dad then. He is a full-grown adult who often gets mistaken for a younger teenager, due to his height and youthful face. I warn you though, if you tell him I said that, I will deny it. Whether you are my savior or not!"


    Doro flashed a mischievous grin at Dhruvah and the large man started laughing again.


    "I have an offer for you though. I have quite a bit of money I received from a family friend on my Choice Day and came here today to spend it on supplies to help me train and experiment. I think Dekt, the first man you punched, had an Ability that let him detect it. I had taken precautions against thieves, but I hadn''t planned for that kind of Ability. If you wouldn''t mind, I would like to hire you as a bodyguard for the rest of the afternoon, while I finish shopping, until we get back to my home for dinner. In exchange, you can pick some food from the stalls to keep you going until then, and I''ll pay you enough coin for a night at one of the more decent inns around my house. Like that, you can come back for breakfast and start your search for new income well-rested and well-fed."


    "Nah, I''ll do it for something to eat, but I wouldn''t feel right taking anything more from you."


    "Nonsense! These funds were given to me to do as I saw fit, and the man who gave them to me is wealthy enough not to miss them in the least. The only stipulation he gave me was to do something interesting with them and tell him all about it the next time we met. If I hire you with part of the funds, then the attack and the subsequent rescue would fill this requirement, and I could spend the rest on stuff that might be considered boring."


    Doro gave a Dhruvah a wink, hoping the man would go with the flow and not poke holes into his flimsy reasoning.


    "If you don''t accept payment for a night at the inn, believe me when I say that no matter how strong you are, my mother will not let you leave our house until you accept either her hospitality or the coin. However, my funds are purely extra, but the coin my mother gives you would come from our family finances. So in effect, it is more beneficial to me if you were to accept payment from me instead."


    "You''re as bad as Tom! Too bad he left to hand the prisoners off to the guards, you two would have gotten along. You seem to have the same tendency toward being stubborn and making up logical arguments, until one sticks, to get your way. Have it your way, I''m too hungry to waste time on an argument I probably won''t win."


    Dhruvah smiled and pulled his visor back down before turning towards the market street.


    "If I''m on guarding duty, visor comes back down. Well until we get some food that is. Not many types of food fit through the air holes. You ready? My stomach is!"


    Doro was happy that he had at least been able to cheer up his benefactor, and decided not to keep his new friend starving any longer.


    "By the way, I forgot to ask, but how old are you? With the power in your punch, you must be at least level 30, or even higher, right?"


    Dhruvah stayed silent for a moment, before answering with barely contained laughter almost escaping between each word. However, the sound of clanging metal coming from his pauldrons, caused by his trembling shoulders, made his amusement more than obvious.


    "Level 30 or more? Ha! Let me tell you how good of a deal you made. I did tell you that if we were judging by pure power, I would have been a centurion long ago. I could probably even be a match for some of those in charge of the cohorts. For a night at an inn, and some street food, you hired yourself a 411-year-old, level 64 [Heavy Steelclad Juggernaut]."


    "What!? Over four hun-"


    Doro tried to take a step forward but tripped on the back of his other foot and started falling face-first toward the ground. Dhruvah spun back towards Doro fast enough to become a blur and stopped his fall harmlessly.


    "Wait, what does [Heavy Steelclad Juggernaut] even mean!? That sounds like an armored vehicle, not a person. No offense meant."


    "I started as an [Armored Warrior] which is pretty generic, but the name of my Choice changed after some of my thresholds. You think I like being reminded that I''m fat every time I check my Abilities?"


    "Wait, you''re fat? I couldn''t tell with all the armor."


    "Well, I''ve got a ton of muscle as well. It''s just beneath it. I''ve always been rather big, so I often say that I''ve got a double layer of armor. The first layer to repel most attacks, the second to repel most ladies."


    "Not sure whether I should laugh, cry, or pat you on the back. Not that I could reach it."


    "Laugh. It''s their loss. If they can''t see past it, the few lovely ladies who do will get to enjoy my inexhaustible stamina instead. If I can march at double pace for hours on end wearing all of this, imagine how long I can last naked!"


    "I''d rather not imagine your naked, 411-year-old, well-preserved grandpa butt, thank you! I''m still too young to be scarred for life. Well, aside from my shoulder that is. But this would be worse."


    Dhruvah let out a loud laugh and a clang as he slapped his armored leg with his gauntlet.


    "I like you kid, but you really have balls. Not many full-grown adults would dare tease me while knowing my level and rank. Also, did you call me a grandpa? I''ll have you know that I have a descendant six or seven generations removed, somewhere, I think. I kind of lost touch after I spent a hundred or so years going on adventures outside of the empire, with Tom and some of my other old friends."


    "Damn, that sounds pretty awesome. Alright, we''re getting to the stalls I haven''t checked yet, let''s get shopping. I only have a gold mark on me so we need to make a sizeable purchase to get smaller coinage they''ll accept at a food stall. One last thing though. If you like me because I''ve got balls, you''ll love my mother. I got them from her after all. Unlike the thing about my dad, you can tell her I said that. She''ll love it. Well maybe try not to say it in front of my dad though."


    The pair shared a conspiratorial look before laughing together at the prospect. Well, Doro shared a look with the visor, but he felt certain that Dhruvah shared the sentiment nonetheless.

 20-Why is Shakespearean weeb a thing!?

    20-Why is Shakespearean weeb a thing!?


    5/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut - Afternoon


    Is that what I think it is?


    Doro approached a stall that appeared to deal with unrefined iron ores. Iron was easy to find, and his dad had quite a bit back home, but that wasn''t what had piqued Doro''s interest. The ores on display were small, dark, and roughly spherical in nature. Some of them seemed to have bits of a brick-colored mineral stuck to their surface, and that was what had attracted Doro''s attention.


    "Good afternoon. I was hired by this out-of-towner to help him find his way around, and buy what he needs. He asked me to inquire as to the origin of your ores."


    Doro lied through his teeth, but Dhruvah''s impressive figure was so distracting that his acting skills, or lack thereof, proved more than sufficient. For his part, Dhruvah nodded his head silently. Well as silently as could be expected from a man wearing a visored helm, a mail coiffe beneath, and a gorget to boot.


    I''m surprised that he is even able to nod at all, considering all the interlocking pieces of armor he has on . Also, how has he not been boiled like a lobster in his shell wearing that getup in these temperatures, strolling under the sun?


    "I welcome you to my humble establishment, Sir."


    The man behind the stall wrung his hands and hunched his back slightly as he addressed Dhruvah respectfully.


    "I apologize for not mentioning it but my employer is not very fluent in Modern Imperial, and thus, would rather have me deal with conversations. He comes from far abroad, you see?"


    The shopkeeper bristled a bit at that last comment. Doro could see the subtle changes in the man''s facial expression before he responded.


    "Aren''t you a bit young to be working? Can you even do sums properly? And you say you speak another language too? I don''t mean to be rude but this seems highly unlikely. Is this one of those new city scams the other nomad traders keep telling me to look out for?"


    Doro activated his sigil and presented his hand to the man, palm up.


    "No offense. I can understand that this might look strange, but see? I have my first-tier merchant and second-tier scholar certifications. I''m just a quick learner. Don''t worry, we are not here to scam you, just to spend some coin in exchange for some of your wares. If we can come to an agreement on price that is. Otherwise, we''ll just part ways peacefully and try our luck elsewhere. No pressure, no threats."


    As he finished his attempt at reassuring the shopkeeper, Doro realized he was now standing in the shade. He looked up and nearly jumped straight back into Dhruvah. The large man stood silently as he peeked down at Doro''s hand from behind him.


    "Alright, my bad. I wish my son was as smart as you. He is nearly twelve but still struggling with simple math. To be fair though, he is great at taking care of our sifters, and at driving the sand sled, much better than I was at his age at least. So you wanted to know where my ores came from?"


    The man pulled up a melon-sized stone from under the counter and put it on the table.


    "You see this stone here? It is found in great quantities at the foot of the Sutai mountain range, all the way to the Southern end of the desert. To be honest, it is one of the cheapest sources of iron because there is a lot of it, and it is not particularly good. It is fine for cutlery, nails, and the such, but isn''t great for making arms or armor. Still, it''s popular with the caravans, because the stone casing is lighter than most other iron-rich stones, and the iron is concentrated in small darker round bits in the stone. The stone is also not too resistant and can easily be chipped away with a small hammer and chisel."


    Score! This is great. I was hoping to find some aluminum-rich minerals. Since it was one of the most commonly found elements back on Earth, I expected to at least find something. But if I''m not mistaken, this stone must be bauxite, and that means possible trace amounts of gallium as well. I don''t remember the exact numbers, and don''t feel like checking now, but it would only be in trace amounts. Not even sure I would pick it up with [Matter Analysis].


    "There may be a technical name but we call it "Dotted Sandstone", because it is not too different from sandstone, and has a bunch of iron-rich dots. If you need large quantities of metal, and don''t care about it holding a good edge or being particularly strong, this will do the trick. We are not really sure why, but the Iron and steel processed from them is sometimes a bit lighter than others."


    Yup, definitely Bauxite. Even if this kind doesn''t end up having much gallium, that is still a really good source of aluminum. Finding something with small amounts of titanium might also be doable, but what I really need now is some chromium.


    Doro approached Dhruvah and spoke to him, in English.


    "This should do the trick to fake a foreign language. Hey, big man! I know you can''t understand me, but I''ve got to say something to keep up the ruse."


    Doro waited, expecting Dhruvah to answer with some gibberish or a nod.


    "Eh bikurishta! Thou knowest to Brihonian shaberi. T''is slightly heta but understand somewhat dekiru."


    Am I having a stroke or did he just speak to me in Shakespearean Weeb?! How the hell does such an abomination exist here? I''m sure I heard at least one Japanese word in there...


    "Huh......we ...uh, shouldeth speaketh? speakest? At a later time. Yamete for now?"


    Dammit, I only know a few words in Japanese, and I''m not a friggin lit major. Aside from a couple of Shakespeare plays, and dubious usage in Game of Thrones or Monty Python, I have no clue how to speak any other English than the modern kind. Let''s put that aside for now and get a deal sorted.


    "My employer wanted to know what you did with all the rock you chipped off to get the iron-rich bits out."


    "The rock? We usually throw it out in the desert as it builds up. Some mix it in clay to give it a darker orange color, but it isn''t that popular, and other pigments give better results."


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "My employer is interested in acquiring some. How much do you still have, and how much would you be willing to sell it for? Considering you just said that you usually dispose of it, and we''d be saving you the trouble, I''m sure you can give us a good deal."


    ***


    Twenty minutes later, Doro left the merchant''s stall in high spirits. As it turns out, the merchant wasn''t overly greedy and even offered to collect more from some of his acquaintances in the market. After a bit of friendly haggling, they had settled on ten librae for a silver mark, and Doro decided to get three hundred librae for thirty. He was going to pay an additional fee to have it delivered, as an imperial libra turned out to be roughly three-quarters of a pound, or a third of a kilogram. To his surprise, Dhruvah just picked up the package, one-handed, and held it up onto his left pauldron, keeping his right arm free.


    "Instead of paying a delivery fee, just let me do it and get me a bit of extra food. Also, I''m surprised you know some Brihonian, the language isn''t very widespread due to Brihon''s insular nature and youth. I mean, the country is nearly a hundred years younger than I am."


    "Uh...yeah...I picked some up from a sailor...?"


    "Doro, if you want to keep things secret, it''s fine, but please don''t lie to me needlessly."


    "My bad, but how come you know Brihonian?"


    "Ah well, my friends and I spent a few years in Brihon during the tail end of their revolution. Then once more , in the aftermath, the Free Legion was called in when one of the three resulting factions of Brihon broke multiple rules of engagement and committed war crimes against the Majaya Archipelago a century or so ago. It''s because we went and protected them from the Brihonians that the Majayans have such close ties to the empire now, and basically operate as if they were one of the empire''s vassal states, with slightly more autonomy. My friends and I spent a few years in each country, and well, you pick things up."


    "That''s cool and all, but I only know about the Empire and the official vassal states really. You could be telling me about make-believe places from some children''s story and I would be none the wisest."


    "Don''t feel bad, it took me over two hundred years before I felt ready enough to go any farther than the coastal waters of the Motherland myself. I mean, can you imagine if I fell overboard in all that armor? Won''t happen now unless the ship gets destroyed though, I have a pretty nifty Ability that lets me use energy to root myself to the ground. I''ve stopped a cannonball with my chest, and my feet never left the bridge. I say that though, but that''s mostly because a chunk of the bridge got torn off and stayed stuck to my feet. luckily the railing caught me before I could fall into the water but yeah, I''d say that counts as ship destruction."


    "Not sure I can wait that long. There are a few things I need to do out there in the world, and I''d like to achieve them before two centuries have passed. Don''t worry though, I don''t plan on attempting an ocean crossing as a kid below level 10."


    "Oh yeah, I never asked but, What are your Choice and level?"


    "I''m a level 1 [Phase Meister], my Choice Day was...Damn, it was only two days ago! I guess so much new stuff made it feel like longer."


    "Only two days ago? You should have said so earlier. Happy belated Choice Day, how about we get some food to celebrate?"


    "Aaah. I see what you did there. No worries. Now that we''ve made a purchase, I have 70 silver marks in change and we can finally get some food in you. Sorry for the wait."


    "Good lad. I''m famished"


    Dhruvah slapped Doro on the back with his free hand, almost sending him sprawling onto the floor. Doro managed to regain his balance before reaching the point of no return and started to look around for something Dhruvah might like to eat.


    ***


    "Ah, that hit the spot. Nothing better than bits of spiced meat on a skewer. I swear they''re all pretty much the same, but every large town or city keeps telling me it''s a local specialty. Am I missing something?"


    "What are you asking someone who''s never left this city for? Anyway, I''ve found one of the three things I was looking for. One of the things I''m looking for would probably either show up as a fine bright white powder or a somewhat reflective opaque black stone with dark orange or rust-colored veins."


    "White powder? Like chalk or flour?"


    "Nah, even brighter white."


    "Oh, like sifter sand."


    "Like what?"


    "Sifter sand. You know, the bright white sand that can be found on the outskirts of the desert, where sifters roam? If you keep walking past the farms and to the edge of the desert, it''ll be as far as you can see for a day''s journey."


    "Ah, I''ve been to the Farms once when I was younger, but never up close to the desert. Do you think they''d sell some here, I could check it out."


    "Sure, they use it to make white paint or cloudy white glass. Plus, it''s cheaper than dirt around here. Well, actual dirt, not the poor excuse for the stuff you guys have in the area. I mean, back home in Ashrama, a field of the same size can support more than four times as many crops. No wonder food is so damn expensive here. Also if you check in the cracks of my armor, you might find some. Only arrived yesterday and had to trek through the stuff for a while before getting here."


    "If we can''t find any in the stalls, I''ll check. The other thing that I''m looking for is probably rarer. If we are lucky, we''ll find it as a deep green powder, nearly emerald colored. If we are even luckier, we''ll find it as an opaque black mineral. It''s slightly different though. It should be more reflective than the first and uh, instead of the veins being dark orange or rust colored, they would be a darker reddish brown. Also, it may or may not have a slightly greenish hue, sometimes. Damn, my bad, I hadn''t thought about how similar they appear."


    Damn, ilmenite and chromite are very visually similar now that I describe them out loud. Chromite would come in clutch. Well to be fair two of the biggest sources of chromite on Earth were Kazakhstan and South Africa, two arid regions with large deserts. Not sure under what conditions it forms but if it''s anywhere on the continent, it will probably be either in Manzat or Umayer. Plus nothing says that chromium is not more abundant on this planet.


    "No worries, dark black stones with orangish streaks or bright white or green powders. Simple enough to remember."


    ***


    "Damn, that ended up being expensive! I''m happy we found it as, well as another nifty thing I wasn''t actively looking for, but it ended up costing more than I expected."


    Ilmenite had been a bust, and the nomads had laughed at him when he''d asked if they had any sifter sand. One of the kinder merchants had told him that no nomad would bother traveling hundreds of miles to try and sell something found at the doorstep of their destination. His hunt for titanium had ended in failure up to that point, but he had still been hopeful that he could get his hands on some sifter sand soon. By the time tenth bell had rung, Doro had been about to give up for the day until he''d spotted a stand that appeared more solid and permanent than most of the others he''d seen thus far. It was decorated intricately and the man behind the counter was equally well adorned.


    It was there that Doro had gotten lucky, and his funds had dipped dramatically. He found chromite ore, but it had been extremely expensive compared to his previous purchase. As it turned out, it was one of the preferred sources of iron for high-end smiths because they had noticed that iron extracted from it had the tendency to resist rust slightly better. The good news was that it was rather abundant. The bad news was that the closest mines were in Umayer, on the other side of the Sutai mountain range. Due to requiring a journey by boat before reaching the nomads, and needing to be brought over from the western coast of Manzat, the price had been understandable. After haggling as much as he could, to little avail, he ended up buying sixty librae for a total of thirty silver marks. He had almost left with his purchase but at the last second, he noticed something in another section of the display.


    The merchant had a small number of precious gems on display in a glass case, and next to them were an assortment of large uncut crystals and split geodes. What had caught his eye was a large cluster of black crystals, which he had confirmed to be manganite after closer inspection. Luckily it turned out that they were only considered semi-precious, and were routinely mined in the crown mountains, to be used for inexpensive jewelry and decorative pieces. The merchant even cut him a good deal due to the volume of his previous purchase, and Doro left with another hundred librae of raw materials, his pockets another twenty silver marks lighter.


    "Thirty at the first stall, two at the food stall, and fifty at the last one. With the three I''m giving you for the night at the in, that leaves me with fifteen for the sifter sand, if it turns out to be what I''m looking for."


    "You know, that''s a lot of money to spend this quickly for a boy your age. You don''t have to pay for my room if you ended up spending more than you expected."


    Doro laughed at his savior turned bodyguard turned pack mule.


    "I''m even making you carry an amount of weight fit for a camel. You deserve at least this much, even if we don''t take everything else you''ve done for me today into account. Don''t worry! With all this stuff, I should be able to practice my Abilities and turn a huge profit. I''m not boasting or being naive. I know exactly what I can turn a lot of this stuff into, and I''m fairly sure they''ll go for good prices. Sorry, I can''t tell you much for now, but I''ll have a small gift for you tomorrow if all goes according to plan."


    "I guess I''ll just have to believe you at your word then. At least this time, if I am being lied to, I''ll end up with more money instead of less, unlike with the last person I trusted. "


    "Yeah, doesn''t this young level 1 boy''s mysterious get-rich-quick scheme just fill you with confidence? Wait, I just thought of a dumb prank we could pull on my mother. You interested in having a bit of harmless fun?"


    "Probably gonna regret it, but sure. If it''ll make you happy, I''ll go along with it."


    "Are you only doing this to help me keep my mind off the....incident from earlier? If you don''t feel like it, it''s all good."


    "Aah, don''t be like that. Tell me what you are thinking about, I might be more motivated once you tell me your plan."


    "Alright, so we are still about ten minutes away from my house. When we get there, this is what we''re going to do..."

 21-Processing materials instead of trauma

    21-Processing materials instead of trauma


    5/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut - Evening


    "MOM! Can you open the door, please? I bought some things and my hands are full. I can''t quite get it open."


    Doro shouted from behind the door that connected their kitchen to the side street. He heard the noise of a chair moving inside followed by approaching footsteps.


    "I was busy makin'' dinner, couldn''t you just have put the stuff on the floor, and then opened the door?"


    Suyum complained as she approached, making Doro even more pleased about his upcoming prank. Suyum opened the door, only to freeze as she found herself face to helm with the enormous armor-clad man. Suyum frantically looked around for her son, but could not spot him anywhere.


    "Uh Mom? Are you gonna keep standing there all day? I can''t come in if you don''t move. What''s wrong?"


    Doro''s voice spoke again. What was worse was that his voice seemed to come from inside the helm and even resonated a bit.


    "D....Do...Dor...Son is that you? What kind of cursed Ability did this to you!? I need to go get your dad, he''ll know how to help you!"


    Suyum was panicking and the color drained from her face. The failing light from the setting sun gave the street an eerie atmosphere as Doro spoke again, trying to push the creepiness to its maximum.


    "Help me? No, I don''t think so. I feel better than ever. Why don''t I help you...Help you become one of us. Muha, muhaha, muhahahaha!"


    Suyum was mid-turn, about to bolt as fast as she could, but Doro broke character and started giggling as he dropped down from his position. Dhruvah also began to laugh as he stepped aside to reveal Doro. Doro had been clinging to Dhruvah''s broad back, using gaps where some of the armored plates connected as handholds, and had been speaking directly into one of the small ventilation holes on the backside of his helm.


    Suyum seemed to realize she had just been had, as the color of her face didn''t simply return to normal but continued turning redder and redder.


    "Why you little...you nearly made my heart stop!"


    Suyum took a deep breath and her demeanor seemed to shift again as a smile cropped on her face.


    "I''m going to have to get you back for that one, just you wait my dear son. I know where you live."


    Doro gulped audibly as Dhruvah''s laugh increased in volume at the situation, but then Suyum turned abruptly toward him.


    "And you sir? I don''t know you! What makes you believe it is acceptable to do such a thing? If it didn''t have a chance of blowin'' back on my son, I would be warranted in callin'' the guards on you."


    Suyum advanced on Dhruvah and started poking his armored chest forcefully.


    "Just consider yourself lucky it wasn''t my husband here instead. He is a nine-foot-tall Thermal, a master of the Warhammer. He might have driven its spike right through your armor before you let up on your little joke. You know what, I''ll call him, he still might. Honey, get over here!"


    Doro had given Dhruvah too much information for this joke to work.


    "Do you mean your five-foot-tall human husband with the scholarly Choice? Or do you happen to have a second husband? I wouldn''t blame you though, you seem to be quite a woman, and I could understand how more than one man might be interested. If you are looking for a third though...Wink."


    "Uhhhh , maybe you don''t hit on my happily married mother in front of me, you elderly perv. And did you just say the word "wink"!?"


    "Well, it''s not like she could see me winking with my visor down and all. My apologies Doro. Ma''am, I will refrain from flirting with you...in front of your son at least."


    "You do realize that the last bit counts as flirting right? Don''t make me go get my dad. Sure he doesn''t have a combat-related Choice, but he is a [Refiner] and can hit you where it would hurt you the most. If you piss him off, your armor might just rust off your body in seconds if he throws one of his vials at you."


    "Noooo! Not in the armor!"


    Suyum gave a short sigh before interrupting the comic duo.


    "Alright, alright. Let''s stop with the jokes for now, I need to finish cookin''. Why don''t you introduce me to your new friend while I do?"


    Doro answered his mother with a quiet voice, not exactly sure how he would bring up the subject.


    "It''s better if we get Dad first. Stuff happened and it''s quite...well...I''ll explain over dinner. For now, Mom, meet Dhruvah. He is a 411-year-old, level 64 [Heavy Steelclad Juggernaut] and a Decanus of the Free Legion, off duty. I''ll go get Dad while you wrap your head around that."


    ***


    "How did Aonghus think it was a good idea to give a gold mark to a kid...I''m happy that he favors us enough to give you such a present, but couldn''t he have given you silver marks instead?"


    As they were having dinner, Doro gave his parents the background information behind the incident, but let Dhruvah cover the matter of the attack. The two had left out some of the more gruesome details, to avoid alarming Suyum and Khetep.


    "Dad, I know he is a Thermal, and kind of huge, but with the amounts of money he deals with, silver marks would be impractically heavy. He probably didn''t even think of it as strange, you know?"


    "Yeah but still..."


    "Dad, just wait until you see what his gold mark got us before you get too mad."


    With the change of topic, their curiosity started replacing the unease caused by the previous topic. Doro first opened one of the bags containing some of the three hundred Librae of dotted sandstone he had bought and handed it to his father.


    "Son? I think you''ve been scammed. This material produces something we call dot iron, and it isn''t great. Furthermore, it seems someone has already harvested the iron-rich sections. You''d be lucky to get even 5% of its total weight in iron with the state it is in."


    Doro chuckled and assuaged his dad''s fears with a smile.


    "You got it wrong, Dad. Iron isn''t what I got this for. I need to experiment a little but I should be able to extract a metal you''ve never seen thanks to my Abilities."


    Suyum looked skeptical, but Khetep knew that Doro had memories from a previous life in a more advanced world and thus, he was more easily convinced.


    "So, what else did you get?"


    Doro retrieved the sixty librae of chromite and plopped it onto the table.


    "Ooh, that''s some good quality Umayer Iron ore. I sometimes process some into powder form for black pigments. It is too expensive to use on its own for most orders, but mixing some in helps give more depth. So that is the one you got for iron?"


    "Wrong again. Sure I''ll get the iron out of it and use it too. Otherwise, it would be a waste. Again though, there is another metal I should be able to extract from it. The metal itself won''t be very useful on its own, but it should let me make great alloys. The same holds true of the third thing I bought. Another source for metal that''ll let me make some other nice alloys."


    As he uncovered the crystals, his mother''s hand immediately shot forward and grabbed one of the smaller clusters.


    "Yoink! I''m stealing some of this to carve small decorations for my pottery. We''ll call it punishment for scaring the life out of me earlier."


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Sure Mom, have it but don''t act as if it buys me safety. You''ve never needed an excuse to prank me, or Dad, whether we had it coming or not."


    "Here, here!"


    Khetep joined in and showed support for Doro''s statement, before pouring a couple of glasses of the distilled fruit liquor he made as a hobby to the adults around the table. Khetep''s alcohol tolerance was too low to enjoy most readily available drinks, so he had resorted to making his own, about half as strong as beer, but a lot tastier. It was weak enough that he sometimes allowed Doro a sip on special occasions.


    "It just kind of sucks that we weren''t able to find sifter sand considering it should have been the easiest thing to source."


    "Yeah, after trekking in the stuff for days, I''m surprised it was so tough to find anyone selling it."


    Suyum and Khetep shared a look and a smile before clearing up the situation.


    "Well yeah, of course. The stuff is basically free. When people need some they either go get it themselves, or pay some person with a cart to go get some for them. If there is any in a shop, it''s because it got tracked in on people''s shoes, and they haven''t swept the floor in a while. We probably have a few bags left in the cellar since I use it in the white base coat your mother applies to her pottery before the glazes."


    "Wait, those bags aren''t filled with chalk? I always assumed."


    "Now, why would we waste money on good chalk when this works as well and is basically free."


    Well, damn. I wonder what else I''ve wrongly assumed. At least, if it works well as a white pigment, it is even more likely that it contains titanium oxide of some sort.


    "Would it be fine if I took one of those bags to run some tests?"


    "Sure, take all you want. I''ve already processed a bunch in advance, so I won''t be needing any of it for a while."


    "Thanks Dad!"


    Dhruvah downed his third bottle of fruit liquor, earning Suyum''s respect and Khetep''s worry. Dhruvah had tried to be reserved at first, but every time his drink was empty, Suyum would refill it before he could protest. Even though it was weak, the quantity seemed to have been enough to affect the man''s mood. Dhruvah quietly stared at the liquid he was swirling in his cup, a complicated look on his face.


    "Well Doro, at least you seem to have a loving family. Makes me feel nostalgic for the old days. That''s the problem with living longer than the people around you, you can''t really force them to keep up with you. Even some of the friends I went adventuring with eventually retired and stopped trying to get past their next threshold. Not to count those who die from accidents or diseases. I''m actually here in Niwut to visit one of my old friends whose lifespan is running out. We are not sure exactly when, but he has given up on passing his next threshold, and only has a handful of years left. He could try to spend the money he''s accumulated to find ways to increase his lifespan if he hasn''t reached the limit, but he decided that he was happy with the life that he''s led and would rather spend the end of his life with his descendants, passing on some of his teachings to the younger generation, and leaving them his wealth. He left us twenty years ago. Now that Tom and I are back on the continent, we decided that we should visit him, in case it is the last time we could."


    The mood around the table grew more somber as Dhruvah told his story.


    "Ah, is that where Tom went? If I''m the reason you are not visiting your friend yet, I''m sorry."


    "Don''t worry kid. Despite his age and physical state, he is a very busy person, and his schedule is always packed. Since we showed up unexpectedly, he wasn''t able to reschedule some obligations and sent us a letter telling us to go see him in two days, at twelfth bell. On this, I think I may retire for the night. I will see all you lovely people in the morning."


    "Be sure to come back, I want to make you a little something to help you out. Also, I think your armor could do with a little polish and detailing before you meet your old friend. My dad and I can give it a look tomorrow morning."


    "I wouldn''t feel ri-"


    Druvah tried to politely decline, but Suyum interrupted him.


    "Nonsense, You saved our son and even accompanied him all afternoon before makin'' sure he got back home safely. That is the least that we can do."


    "Yeah, although my mom is showing her bad habit of volunteering for my dad, don''t worry about it. Plus, I''ll do most of the work myself. You can consider it helping with my training if it helps."


    "I give up. You obviously won''t drop it until I agree...I really wanna wash up after my trek in the desert, so I''ll head off now before I drink any more and my legs stop working"


    Dhruvah left his chair and it released a series of creaks, as if it were sighing in relief at being given a respite from the large man''s weight. He pulled up his thick canvas hood and mail coiffe before putting his helm back on. Doro accompanied him outside to give him directions to a nearby inn before returning to the kitchen a couple of minutes later. As he entered, he noticed his parents were no longer in the room. On the table, among the remnants of dinner, was a small scrap of paper.


    Doro,


    You skipped the clean-up after lunch, don''t forget this time.  Don''t come into our room tonight unless you want to see how a baby is made.


    Love, your mother.


    Doro smacked his palm against his forehead, in reaction to his mother''s antics, and started clearing the table. He spent another ten minutes scrubbing the plates in the sink until they were spotless.


    Well, whatever bad jokes she makes, she beats out my previous mother. After she left me with Dad, she only sent me a letter a year and visited once for my high school graduation. At least, little Thabisa and Farai were happy to have a big brother, and called me all the time to chat when they could hide it from their father. I think the two of them might be the most affected by my death on that side of the family. I hope it didn''t scar them too much. Damn, Dhruvah''s story put me in a weird mood. Let''s go play with my new toys to change my mind before I go to bed. There is still one Ability I haven''t put to the test.


    Doro went to retrieve a bag of sifter sand from the cellar before making a few trips to bring all of his materials into his father''s workshop.


    Ok, energy levels are nearly full, let''s have some fun! First, let''s give the sifter sand a looksee.


    [Matter Analysis]


    What the hell!? This stuff is 40% titanium dioxide! The rest appears to be mostly Silica ,but it seems there is nearly 2% of varied trace materials, each in small enough quantities that I can''t pick up what they are.


    Doro grabbed a small handful of sifter sand and deposited it on the counter. He wasn''t sure how the Ability would function, and so decided to skip straight to trying to activate it automatically.


    [Matter Isolation Field]


    Woah!


    Eight golfball-sized orbs of energy exited from Doro and arranged themselves into a cube on the counter. Doro saw straight, fine lines of energy form between the orbs and waited to see if anything else would happen.


    Hmm...I can''t really feel it draining any energy except for the bit that originally formed the spheres. Ah, it seems that I can store more energy into those nodes for later use. How is this a field though, it''s basically just eight balls stacked into a cube...Wait, don''t tell me-


    Doro had a flash of insight and tried to move the nodes apart. As if he were using a drawing program on a computer, he mentally dragged the nodes as if they were the corners of a selection box. The nodes separated and ended up marking the corners of a cube, the lines connecting them extending proportionately.


    Ah, now it''s draining a tiny bit of the energy from the nodes, must be passively doing something inside.


    Doro tried to follow the energy flow, and instantly realized what it was doing.


    Oh! It''s passively using [Matter Analysis]. I can tell what is inside the field, I''m even getting information on the makeup of the air. But it''s actually expending energy unlike when I use the ability alone, I wonder why...Oh! I get it. if the information about the air composition isn''t changing, then there must not be any exchanges between the air inside and outside. I need to test it out, but I reckon the field must somehow act as a container separating the inside from the outside.


    Doro performed a few tests to confirm his hypothesis, and found out he wasn''t quite right. The field was not acting as a container, per se, but was outright holding all the matter in some sort of suspension while keeping exterior matter from entering. In essence, it was more than a simple container but did not have physical boundaries. Doro performed a few more tests and found that it was also stopping any matter from reacting naturally.


    Alright, let''s try the sifter sand.


    Doro moved the field over to the small pile of sand he had prepared previously and reduced the size of the field to make it slightly taller than the pile of sand and twice as wide. The small energy drain lessened as the field decreased in size. Doro started picturing the components of the sand in his head, using the information coming from the field to help him. He imagined the silicon dioxide and the titanium dioxide dissociating in a single grain of sand and saw it break apart. He then attempted to do the same with a dozen grains at the same time and noticed that aside from the two piles, a minuscule amount of something else remained where the grains had originally been.


    Must be the impurities and trace elements, better be careful with how I handle those when I don''t know what they are. I don''t actually care about getting pure silica right now though, so maybe I can just separate the titanium dioxide and leave the impurities with the silica. Might save a bit on energy expenditure too. If I''m not wrong about the field stopping reactions, I should be able to stop the titanium from reacting to the oxygen and oxidizing before I can clump it back together.


    Doro shifted his process and ran a few more tests before deciding that he was ready to start on a bigger scale. He measured out three librae of the sand to allow him to easily convert to metric units. Doro wasn''t against the use of pounds and miles, or in this world librae and miles, but when it came to science, he found the metric system easier to work with thanks to it working in 10''s.


    Doro then proceeded to isolate the titanium dioxide. Once separated, Doro repeated the process to separate the titanium from the oxygen before using [phase transition] to meld the resulting fine particulates of titanium together. After taking note of how much was left in his energy reserves, he proceeded to also meld the silica together to avoid the possibility of something like glass lung occurring. He let his field drop and inspected the results.


    Yes! Titanium metal successfully unlocked! Seems the silica turned into fused amorphous quartz glass instead of crystals though. Still, a nice material but since I''ve already gotten borosilicate glass, crystals would have been cooler. I reckon that it took about a fifth of my energy, so 2, to process this sand, without counting melding the silica. I''m a bit over three-quarters full, so I should be able to repeat this three more times, maybe four if I try to streamline the process and start from full.


    Considering the molar mass of silica and titanium, and that they are both bonded with an equal number of oxygen atoms, if they were distributed 50/50 in composition, then I should end up with a bigger portion of the weight on the side of silica. Considering the sifter sand was slightly above 40% titanium dioxide, I should be able to recover a bit over one-third of the original weight in titanium dioxide. Let''s call it one libra for the three librae of sand.


    Titanium dioxide is made up of two atoms of oxygen for every atom of titanium. The molar mass of oxygen is nearly exactly a third of titanium''s, so that becomes a fairly simple formula. If we count the one titanium as three oxygens, then it should account for 3/5th of the weight, or in other words, approximately 60% of the total mass of titanium dioxide should be comprised of pure titanium.


    Thank Akasha that this Ability seems to allow for lossless extraction, unlike Bayer''s process. If I am correct, one libra, or 333 grams, of titanium dioxide should yield approximately (333/100) x60 grams. Considering I was conservative with my estimates, I should get around 200g of Titanium for every kilogram of sifter sand.


    Doro weighed the ingot of titanium, to test out his math, and was pleased to see that he''d been right. He simplified the math now that he knew the result, and it turned out that sifter sand would yield approximately 20% of its weight in titanium. He repeated the process a second time and recovered nearly the same amount of titanium.


    Ok. The titanium content can vary from batch to batch, but it seems to be by such a small amount that it doesn''t matter much at this scale. It should cost approximately 10 energy to recover 1kg with my current Abilities. Let''s see how the chromite turns out.


    Doro spent the next thirty minutes repeating the process he had just gone through with the sifter sand and double-checking the math behind the conversion. The chromite, or Umayer Iron as his father had called it, turned out to be quite similar to his previous project. It also ended up requiring a two-step process. He could first separate it into ferrous oxide and chromium oxide, both of which could be used as pigments since ferrous oxide created a deep black color, and chromium oxide was responsible for giving emeralds their green color. He decided not to extract the iron from the ferrous oxide, to conserve energy, and proceeded to remove the oxygen from the chromium oxide. After weighing the resulting ingot and doing the math, Doro concluded that this type of chromite would yield 50% of its weight in pure chromium.


    Well, that makes the math easy.  These sums were starting to do my head in. Also, it would seem that most of the energy I had saved, thanks to the chromite being less evenly split, was spent removing oxygen from a larger portion of the total material. Both the Umayer iron and the sifter sand seem to take me two energy per kilogram of base material when only extracting the relevant metals, different yields though. I''ll do one more Chromium extraction and use whatever energy remains to clean up. I''m getting tired and the math isn''t helping.


    Doro stored the 400 grams of titanium and the kilogram of chromium he had managed to extract and collected the ferrous oxide for later use. He then threw the fused Silica into the box in which his father kept his broken glassware.


    All done here! I''m gonna sleep like a log tonight.


    Proud of his accomplishments, Doro returned to his room to change out of his clothes. He was so drained by the day''s events that he fell asleep mere moments after settling his head onto his pillow.

 22-Pimp My Ride (Niwut Edition)

    22-Pimp My Ride (Niwut Edition)


    6/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut - Before Dawn


    Doro woke up in a frenzy, his sleepwear soaked in sweat. The sun had yet to show any signs of appearing and it was not the only time he''d woken up in this state that night. Distorted versions of the assault had been replaying in his head as he dreamt. Versions where Dhruvah never appeared to save him, versions where Dekt had turned out to be a disguised monster and had defeated Dhruvah before clawing Doro to death, and multiple other versions he couldn''t quite recall. The only things he could clearly remember from all of them were the sense of powerlessness he had felt, his life being at the mercy of the whims of others, and all his resistance turning out to be futile.


    The part of Doro that had still been a child a mere four days earlier had been greatly affected by the encounter, but surprisingly, it was the part of him that had been Ben that was the most shaken.


    I need to get stronger. Or at the very least, find a way to protect myself in the future. I need to start coming up with ways to use my Abilities to help me survive and incorporate the findings into my training. When I made my Choice, I dismissed most combat-related options because my life had felt safe, but now that I''ve seen how powerful Dhruvah is, even when he was probably holding back... It might have been a mistake...


    After his heart rate had settled down, Doro fell back to sleep as his thoughts trailed off.


    ***


    Yes! Level up!


    As he woke up, Doro noticed that his sigil was glowing and checked it. The notification showing him that he had gained a level washed away the dark thoughts that had made his night so restless.


    Let''s see if my new Abilities give me some extra survivability.


    After changing the display and looking through the update to his Abilities, Doro could not help but feel mixed emotions.


    [Phase Meister 4/4]


    [Minute Expertise]


    Allows Abilities to affect inorganic matter on a smaller scale by increasing their precision. The minimum scale may vary based on knowledge, understanding, and the affected Ability.


    Dammit. This is good, and will probably let me be more efficient, but I can''t really see any way this would help me in survival situations... Never mind, I can use this for other stuff. Let''s check my Blessed Choice, maybe that one got something that could help.


    As Doro changed the display to his Blessed Choice, he noticed that the number of Abilities hadn''t increased. He checked over his Abilities and noted what had changed.


    [Matter Analysis+]


    Ability to circulate your energy throughout abiotic matter to understand its elemental make-up, properties, density, volume, and structural ordering. Energy expended is returned. Results are affected by knowledge and understanding.


    Well, shit... Makes sense though, I used it a lot more than any of my other Synthesist Abilities except maybe for [Persistent Memories of the Blessed], but I think that one is a special case, probably. Seems like it now also gives me information on the structure, volume, and density of what I use it on. Not useless, but a bit underwhelming...


    Doro felt a bit down until he remembered that he should now be able to store up to 20 energy, according to the metric he had used thus far.


    Ah, well, this is the only level-up that will ever effectively double my energy stores, so it still rocks! Plus, also the only one that will double my energy regeneration as well.


    His mood salvaged, Doro put on his clothes, washed his face, and made his way to the kitchen. His parents were already there since he had slept in a bit past first bell. They appeared to be preparing a pancake-like dish from his mother''s homeland. One she seldom made since its preparation was quite involved compared to most of the breakfasts they usually had.


    "Good mornin'', did you sleep well? How about you come over here and chop a cabbage or two for me? Your dad is lighting the oven."


    Doro decided not to worry his parents and forwent telling them of his nightmares as he nodded and picked up a cabbage from the pantry.


    "It''s been a while since you made those. I''m sure Dhruvah will enjoy them."


    "Well, we don''t often have guests over for breakfast, and it was the only thing I could think of that was a bit better than just porridge, eggs, or cured meats. Didn''t feel like grillin'' fish in the mornin'', so that was also out."


    The trio worked together and by the time Dhruvah knocked on the door, they were nearly done setting the table. Doro went to open the door for his savior and was surprised to find the man out of his armor.


    He looked Dhruvah over and was once again impressed by the size of the man. Doro had assumed that a lot of Dhruvah''s bulk came from his armor, but now that the man appeared even larger without it, he understood that it had acted as some sort of corset. Doro thought Dhruvah had exaggerated when he''d joked about being fat the previous day and was not mentally prepared.


    Damn, all the sense of danger and power he exuded while in armor is gone. I know there must be a lot of muscle under there, but he looks so smooth and bouncy now. If not for one or two puncture scars I can see on some of his exposed skin, I would not think him a combatant. He kind of looks like a mix between that one big guy in Mulan and the Hawaiian dude who sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" while playing the ukulele.


    "Are you going to invite me in or just keep staring?"


    "Uh, my bad. You seem a lot more harmless than I expected. It''s hard for me to associate the two images in my head, even though you still have the same face."


    "Don''t worry, you are not the first to tell me this. At least I don''t have one of those warrior faces that scare children and small animals. Smells really good though, what did you make?"


    Doro led Dhruvah to the table where a tall stack of thin pancakes was surrounded by four small bowls containing sour goat milk cream mixed with chives. Khetep started serving everyone a portion of crispy bacon as Suyum explained the dish.


    "So, you take some potato flour, eggs, and a bit of milk and you mix it up hard. Then you chop some cabbage, onions, and a few fresh herbs. After mixin'' everythin'' together, you spread some in a large skillet and put it in the oven for a couple of minutes. Then repeat the process until you run out of batter. I recommend puttin'' a bit of the sour goat cream, and a couple bacon strips, on it and then rollin'' it up like a carpet. It is a bit different from how they are made back home since I can''t get the same fresh herbs or yak cream here, but I reckon I did a good job."


    "Ifw fewy gooh!"


    Dhruvah tried to compliment the dish verbally, but the gusto with which he was eating made his words barely understandable. Luckily for him, the speed at which he was downing his first pancake conveyed his feelings in a rather obvious manner.


    "Here, a whole one is a bit much for me so early in the morning. You can have half of mine."


    Doro ripped his rolled-up pancake in half and pushed it onto Dhruvah''s plate.


    "I made a couple of extra portions since I wasn''t sure how big your appetite might be, but it seems I may have underestimated you."


    Suyum laughed as Dhruvah got started on his third pancake, not counting the half Doro had given him.


    "Don''t worry, the truth is that I''ve already had enough, but I thought it would be criminal of me not to enjoy an opportunity to eat your delicious food."


    Khetep cleared his throat loudly.


    "Mister Dhruvah, although I enjoy the compliments, it would seem as though you are makin'' my husband self-conscious."


    "My bad, my bad! The food really was great though."


    Doro decided to try to help his father out by giving him a chance to shine.


    "Hey Dad, how about you show Dhruvah to your workshop so we can give his armor some maintenance? I''ll clear up the table and join you in a couple minutes."


    "Good idea. Follow me Mister Dhruvah, the sooner we start, the sooner we''ll be done."


    Dhruvah picked up the sack in which he was carrying his armor and followed Khetep out of the room.


    "I should start workin'' too. Come by at some point this afternoon, I have a bunch of handles and other bits I need you to attach with your Ability."


    Suyum then left for her workshop as Doro finished clearing the table. When he rejoined his father and Dhruvah, he saw that they had spread the pieces of the armor out on a cloth.


    "Ah, here you are. So, I was thinking we give it a good scrub with a rust remover and then oil it up. What do you think Doro?"


    "I think I have a better idea. We''ll finish with you oiling up the armor but I think I can use one of my Abilities to clean the armor. Let me show you."


    Doro activated his [Matter Isolation Field] and levitated one of the pieces of armor into it, using [Somatic Support]. He then spent a tiny amount of energy to deoxidize the outermost layer of the steel.


    Okay, [Minute Expertise] is already paying dividends. I was too focused on yesterday''s incident, this Ability is much nicer than I gave it credit for.


    "See, since it''s only the surface, it barely costs me any energy, and this should be even more effective than what you normally use to remove rust. Ah, there are a few scratches on this one. Dad, do you mind if I take a tiny bit of steel? I''ll trade you some Umayer iron I made yesterday in exchange."


    Doro handed his father one of the vials he had filled with the ferrous oxide he''d extracted the previous night, and Khetep accepted the trade with a smile. Doro then liquified a very small amount of steel and used it to fill in all the damaged sections. Thanks to [Minute Expertise], he not only fixed the larger scratches, but also the nearly imperceptible ones, making the surface extremely smooth. After repeating the process on the rest of the armor, a full half hour had gone by, due to the number of pieces, and Doro''s motivation to perform at his best. The door brusquely opened and Sarima ran into the room.


    "Sorry, I''m late. My dad tore his work pants and I had to patch them before coming. Woh!? who''s this, and why is there armor all over the place?"


    "Hey, I got in a bit of trouble yesterday, and Dhruvah here saved me. Dad and I are giving his armor some maintenance as thanks. Dad, would you mind checking over Sarima''s homework? Could you also write up a few new exercises for her while I finish this? Sorry Sarima but I''m a bit busy today. You can stay and watch if you want though."


    "Why not, I only need to be back home early enough to cook lunch so I can stay until fourth bell."


    "Ah in that case don''t worry about it Dad, we should be done more than early enough for me to help Sarima."


    Khetep looked at the armor that his son had restored and whistled.


    "Aside from the one or two dents, this armor looks as good as new. Don''t try to buff them out though, we are not armorers and might end up fixing them wrong. Shape is as important as the material, and I only know about the latter in this case. Should I start polishing and oiling it up now?"


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "Not yet. Now comes the exciting part. We are going to make something new!"


    Dhruvah gazed happily at his cleaned-up armor as he spoke up.


    "This already looks better than I expected, what else would you possibly do?"


    Doro went to retrieve one of the small titanium ingots he had made the night before and presented it to the others.


    "Here, I extracted this metal yesterday. Please check it out and tell me if you''ve ever seen something like it before."


    Doro handed the ingot to Sarima first, since she was the least involved in the process and he wanted to avoid making her bored.


    "Ooh, it''s super light and feels pretty tough. Don''t think my dad has anything like this."


    Sarima handed the ingot to Dhruvah, who inspected it for a few seconds before trying to smash it hard against what remained of the steel ingot Doro had used to fix his armor. The titanium was unalloyed making even the middling quality steel, that this world considered high-end, able to break off a small chip.


    "Pretty darn strong for its weight too. Never seen it before, and I''ve been around. Not as resistant as steel but I had to hit pretty hard to damage it, considering how well I know effecive attack angles. I do end up on the receiving end of a lot of them after all."


    Dhruvah then handed Khetep the ingot in turn. Khetep picked up a small stone and attempted to scratch the surface. When that didn''t leave a mark, he started trying different materials.


    "Pretty hard, doesn''t scratch easily. Not quite as good as steel when it comes to toughness, but harder and lighter. Never seen it either. Doesn''t seem to interact in any special way with energy though, so not a new holy metal. What do you call it?"


    Doro thought for a few seconds but couldn''t decide on how to answer. If he named it titanium, it would be broadcasting to the other Blessed of his generation that he was one of them if he started selling the metal and it gained fame. It could make meeting up with Emi and Meg more likely, but once the cat was out of the bag, it wouldn''t be possible to put it back in.


    Better play it safe for now. Titanium oxide is white and seems to be used as a pigment around here. It comes from sifter sand. Its main properties are its light weight and resistance to corrosion. What name would fit? Something to do with clouds maybe because it doesn''t corrode in water?


    After making the trio wait in silence, for over a minute, Doro gave up on finding a new name for it and decided to call it titanium for now.


    I suck at naming things, I''ll just have to sell it anonymously or something.


    "I call it Titanium. You might be interested to know that I extracted it from sifter sand. Please don''t spread the name around for now, I might change it. The source doesn''t have to be a secret though, I doubt people can work out how to extract it through mundane means before I have a plan for its release."


    The three looked at Doro dumbfounded. Khetep was the first to recover and asked Doro to clarify.


    "Surely, you mean that you used sifter sand to help you extract it from something else, right?"


    "Nope, it is made entirely of the white powder that you extract from sifter sand for Mom. Just had to use my Ability on it to get it back into a metallic form."


    "How many bags of the stuff did you have to use?"


    "Bags? This ingot is what I was able to make from three librae of the stuff. I made two of them last night."


    Khetep expression changed as his excitement kept growing.


    "Even if it isn''t quite as strong as steel, you are saying that you have basically an unlimited supply of the stuff!?"


    "Well, it takes about a tenth of my energy to process each ingot, so I''m somewhat limited."


    "Yeah, but your energy stores will grow and your energy costs should decrease if you get efficiency Abilities and the like. Ten ingots though? That is some scary efficiency for someone at level 1. Even one or two ingots would be pretty good."


    "Oh my bad, forgot to mention it. When I woke up this morning, I was level 2. I could make five ingots at level 1."


    The trio got thrown for another loop at that statement. This time, Dhruvah was the first to recover.


    "Didn''t you make your first Choice only three days ago? Maybe not the fastest I''ve ever seen but you are definitely in my top 3. Although, if you just go by stories and claims, everyone and their grandmother leveled up in a day, heh. The other two were pretty special cases though. My friend who healed you was one of them, I was there when he reached level 2, with about the same timing as you. Tom was actually slightly faster, but that''s because we were lost in a forest and didn''t sleep for two nights straight. When he woke up for the first time after he made his Choice, he had already gained a level. Considering I''ve lived 400 years, top 3 is still quite a feat."


    "Thanks for the compliment. Hopefully, Sarima follows suit, we made our Choice on the same day after all."


    Sarima pouted in response, her jealousy obvious to anyone who cared to look.


    "Give me a minute though, I need to do something with the titanium before we move on to the next step."


    Over the next couple minutes, Doro put up his [Matter Isolation Field] and started extracting nitrogen from the air trapped within it. He then liquified some of the titanium and used [Compound Synthesis] to merge the two into titanium nitrate.


    Let''s see how far I can push [Minute Expertise].


    After a few attempts, Doro managed to use his kinesis to form a sheet only a twentieth of a millimeter thick, about the thickness of the thinnest of hairs.


    That is still thicker than recommended, but I can''t think of any way for me to go thinner for now, not that it is a requirement for it to work. When I look at the sheet from the side I can barely even see it is there even when squinting. A bit of extra thickness is worth it to avoid having to deal with cathodic arc deposition. Not sure I could even make a setup for it. Still thin enough a layer it shouldn''t make it too prone to flaking.


    Doro carefully applied the layer of titanium nitrate to the surface of the steel, taking his time to make sure no air was trapped and no steel was uncovered. Dhruvah was so entranced by Doro''s fine control that only after Doro had treated the third piece did he realize that the treatment had some pretty flashy side effects. Not only did it make his armor a lot more reflective than it had been, but it also changed its color to a very shiny golden hue.


    "Uh Khetep, please tell me that color is not going to be permanent."


    "Sorry, but I have absolutely no idea what my son is doing right now. He is working with stuff I have never seen before. We can try to stop him if you want, but he''s just finishing the cuirass as we speak, so it might be too late to intervene. Unless you think having half of your armor being golden at random would be better than it being entirely golden, we''d better let him finish."


    Five minutes later, Doro was done and the steel had been uniformly coated. The application hadn''t ended up using much energy, so aside from the energy he had expended to get the nitrogen and merge it with the titanium, it turned out to be a fairly economical use of his Abilities. Considering the entire project had used less than twenty grams of titanium, even the energy used for its extraction didn''t amount to much.


    Churning out metals, or alloys, in large quantities is still out of my means considering how much energy the process costs, but I could literally do this close to the entire day, even with my current reserves.


    "Doro? Why is my armor golden now?"


    "Oh, well that''s just a free side effect. Looks nice and shiny though."


    "Yes, shiny. Extremely shiny. So shiny, in fact that, it would make polished gold look somewhat dull in comparison."


    "You''re welcome."


    "I wasn''t thanking you...Please tell me there is an upside to this or I might start crying. I already stand out enough as is."


    Doro chuckled at the large man, who was old enough to be his ancestor yet still acted like a big kid.


    "Like I said, the color was a side effect. Now that your armor is coated, it has much higher abrasion resistance and lubricity. In other words, the steel won''t cause as much friction when it rubs against itself, and will not damage itself as much from the rubbing. It will also increase the lifespan of the steel, by at least four times, by greatly increasing its resistance to corrosion and oxidation. Lastly, look at this."


    Doro proceeded to get a steel chisel and dragged its sharpened end roughly across the armor, not leaving any scratches behind.


    "It has really high hardness and should prevent your armor from getting scratched up as often. It is really thin, however, and will not help resist impacts any better. Weak attacks that would have made a small scratch in the steel won''t anymore, but any significant impact might crack or chip away very small portions of the coating. Since I applied it well, even if it cracks, it should remain and do its job to some extent but some of its properties won''t work as well if it lets air contact the steel below because of fissures."


    "Okay, I have to admit that if what you say is true, it is well worth any embarrassment the color may make me feel."


    Doro had an evil smileon his face as he turned to his father.


    "Hey, Dad? Time to break out the oil and polishing cloth. By the time we are done Let''s get this armor to be twice as shiny for our big friend."


    Dhruvah''s face blanched as his face shifted into an expression that reminded Doro of that one famous painting of a screaming man. Doro, Sarima, and Khetep could not contain their laughter when presented with this situation.


    As Khetep was putting the finishing touches on the armor, Doro decided to make one last thing. He took out one of the chromium ingots he had made, as well as what remained of the steel ingot he had taken from his father, and took a portion of each ingot before alloying them using [Compound Synthesis]. He then made a flat rectangular plate out of the resulting alloy and rolled it into a wide straw, its diameter a tad narrower than the ventilation holes in Dhruvah''s helm. He then carefully bent the top quarter of the straw sixty degrees, making sure to draw out the bend over an inch, to make it rounded and prevent it from growing narrower in that area.


    And now I have Stainless steel! It''s already highly resistant to corrosion and oxidation, but might as well give it a coating to match the armor since titanium nitride is also food-safe.


    Doro treated the metal straw, giving it the same bright golden sheen as the armor, and presented it to Dhruvah.


    "Here, I think you''ll probably appreciate this more than the armor upgrade. I made it as wide as I could while still being able to fit through the ventilation holes of your helm. You should be able to use it to eat soup, porridge, or even stew, as long as the pieces of food are either soft or small enough. You can also use it to simply drink water or other liquids too. Now you won''t have to worry about having to compromise yourself when you want a quick snack or drink on the job."


    "How did I never think of that!? Khetep, hurry up! I want to put on my armor so I can try the straw out!"


    Doro giggled as Sarima approached him and whispered into his ear.


    "Your new friend has a strange sense of priorities. You made his armor better, but he is more excited by a small metal tube."


    "Well, Sarima, this can be a teachable moment. If you get to know your customers well, you''ll be able to understand what makes them tick. See, if he was here shopping and saw that armor, he might not buy it, finding it too gaudy for his tastes, but this straw solves a problem he has been struggling with. What you, or the majority of people, consider to be important may not specifically apply to all of your customers."


    "Ah, so you mean that what you did to his armor was an upgrade, but the straw completely solved a problem he had no answer for? I think I get it."


    "Don''t worry about it too much for now. I will tell you the idea behind it in the future, when we cover market research."


    Khetep finished the final piece of armor before asking Doro to help him put it on the large man.


    "Let me do it, I have a pair of Abilities that let me put it on by myself."


    Doro looked in Dhruvah''s direction, half expecting the pieces to fly onto him as if he were Ironman. What happened was a lot less magical. In under three minutes, Dhruvah swiftly and precisely donned his armor, piece by piece. Doro couldn''t tell exactly how, but as Dhruvah slapped on each new piece, they proceeded to secure themselves, seemingly of their own accord. As he neared the three minute mark, Dhruva lowered his visor and gave his spectators a gauntleted thumbs up.


    Not quite Ironman, but if I''m not wrong a full set of armor usually takes well over ten minutes to put on, with at least one other person helping. At least I believe that''s what Will ruled it as for our campaign.


    The three clapped for a few seconds while admiring the armor''s sheen. Doro shielded his eyes with one hand, as if he were looking toward the sun, and spoke up.


    "Wow, I know it might be boasting, but I think I did a brilliant job. You may have the most well-polished Armor in Niwut. This will definitely let your virtues shine. Fits your bright disposition and beaming smile. I know you might not be sold by the new color, but please just reflect upon it, or on it. I''m sure that if you meet them wearing this, Tom and your old friend will see you in a whole new, possibly golden, light. Maybe your higher-ups will even promote you just so they can nickname you "The Solturion"."


    Sarima, Khetep, and Dhruvah all had slightly different reactions to the barrage of puns, but the last one had all three break down in some form of laughter or another.


    "That was so corny...but Sol-turion though...."


    Sarima chuckled a bit, but her face was slightly pinched as if she had just bitten into a lemon. Khetep, for his part, was wincing as he muttered something about teams. Dhruvah just let out an amused, but tired, sigh.


    "If this coating delivers on even half of what you claim, then it''s worth it. At worst, I''ll need to endure a few jokes. Not like I was very stealthy to start with. I need to drop by the Niwut Free Legion HQ to give notice of my squad''s dissolution, so I should head off. I don''t really know how long Tom and I are going to stay here, but I''ll make sure to drop by before we leave. I was glad to meet you and your family, Doro, and thank you for the gifts."


    Doro tried to reply but he stuttered. After gathering himself for a moment and fighting off the tears that were threatening to form at the corner of his eyes, Doro looked up and tried again.


    "If not for you, I would be dead now. Worse, my last moments would have been the stuff nightmares are made of. As far as I am concerned, I owe you more than a meal and a small upgrade to your armor. If there is anything I can ever help you with, don''t hesitate to ask."


    "Don''t sweat the small stuff, we''re friends now, and friends don''t keep score."


    Dhruvah posed for a second, to add to the manly atmosphere, and turned to leave in style. Sadly, he was so concentrated on trying to look cool that he didn''t take the fact that the door was appropriatly sized for Khetep into account. He dinged his head on the doorframe, slowly turned back to see if his blunder was spotted, then quickly left before anyone could start laughing.


    "Well, that was quite the strange man. I like him though. I could do without him flirting with my wife, but since he saved you, I''ll overlook it."


    Doro spent the next fifteen minutes talking with Sarima and corrected her homework before sending her away, to work on a new set of questions. Only Khetep remained in the room with Doro, and it looked like he wanted to discuss something.


    "Hey Doro, are you okay? I didn''t tell your mother, but I heard you screaming in the middle of the night. Nightmares?"


    "Yeah. Even with the memories I have of my previous life, I wasn''t prepared. I''ve been in dangerous situations before, even in this life, but this was the first time a person was actually trying to kill me. How do you do it? How do you live in a world where there are people walking around who could destroy an entire village by themselves if they felt like it. How do you feel safe?"


    Khetep paused before answering.


    "You have faith in the law, and in the people administrating it. I believe that people are innately moral and that for every bad apple, at least one good one will exist to balance it out. Yes, there are people who could be considered evil at every level of society, but there are many that could be considered good. Most people are more complicated than that, but having lived in Niwut my whole life, I trust that most people will abstain from acting out their worst impulses. If they don''t, they will get alienated from the community, or caught by the authorities. Sure there are still some people who will do horrible things, but then there are also people like Dhruvah who will go above and beyond to help others."


    "I understand what you mean, but that won''t protect you when someone does decide to do you harm, only make it less likely they are able to do it again if they get caught. When I ran out of energy and was pinned to the ground, there was nothing I could do. I kept trying to think of a way out, but I came up with nothing. If Dhruvah hadn''t shown up just in time, I would have died helplessly."


    Khetep''s expression became graver as he listened on and saw the look on his son''s face.


    "I was lucky enough to never end up in that kind of situation, the worst I got was combative drunks trying to take a swing at me because I look like an easy target and sound like an intellectual. I decided to stay away from those situations. That''s why I''m okay without any real means of defense. I''m not a fighter, I use my head to avoid putting myself in situations that could lead to violence, but I do have one or two Abilities I can use to help me escape. I never go out of the house without my satchel, and it contains a few substances that I could use on such occasions. Your mother has a lot more Abilities that can be used in combat than I do, probably a result of her lack of filter. Did you know she has an ability that lets her use energy to prevent ceramics from breaking? I''m fairly sure she got it because of her habit of throwing pots and cups at people who pick fights with her when she goes out drinking."


    "So what you are saying is I either need to be mindful of my powerlessness and plan around it or, like mom, I should find ways to develop Abilities that I can use for self-defense if I plan on being headstrong?"


    "Pretty much, and if that isn''t enough to make you feel safe, you can always try and change direction toward a more combat-oriented Choice when you overcome a threshold. If you get creative though, that shouldn''t be necessary unless you plan on becoming something like a soldier or an explorer later on."


    "I guess you are right, I''m sure I can come up with a couple of tricks with my current Abilities if I practice with those applications in mind. Until I''ve become a bit stronger though, I''ll avoid side streets and try to avoid wandering around outside the neighborhood on my own. I still need to make my way to the central district tomorrow, and every Learning-day after that though. If I stick to the main streets and don''t carry any marks or precious stuff on me, I reckon it should be fine, but any chance you could accompany me tomorrow?"


    Khetep thought for a moment before accepting.


    "It wouldn''t hurt for me to meet Scholar Atwut, but in that case, I need you to help me with work this afternoon so we can knock out tomorrow afternoon''s share ahead of time. If we get started now, we might still have some time for you to teach me tomorrow morning. Your new metals are making me quite curious."


    "Sure, I''ll help out. I might have to head off to help Mom for a bit too since she asked me first. Guess I''ll take a break from practicing energy-hungry Abilities for the next two days. I''ll use whatever spare energy I have on ingot production until then. Tomorrow should be another full day."

 23-A Shift in Priorities

    23-A Shift in Priorities


    7/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut - Late Morning


    "Alright, we''ve done enough to make up for an afternoon''s work. We still have a bit over an hour before lunch, want to show me your new metals?"


    Doro and his father had worked diligently the previous afternoon, but Suyum had been more productive than usual, thanks to Doro''s help, and the two had needed to put in a bit more work the next morning to keep up. They would head to the central district after lunch, but for now, Khetep requested a lesson.


    "Sure, I''ll even do you one better."


    Over the next hour, Doro showed his father how he had extracted the two metals, as well as the intermediary substances. Most of the hour was spent getting Khetep to understand Doro''s process of estimating the yields. The math itself was simple but Doro had to explain how chemical formulae translated into the real world. Eventually, Doro had to use his Abilities to make some simple molecular models to help Khetep fully understand the concept.


    "See, the numbers show the relative quantities of each element found in a substance. If you use the figures I gave you for the weight of the elements in question, you can figure out how much of the mass of something consists of a particular element. We''ve done enough for this morning, but I''ll write up a periodic table and I''ll record the information I can recall on each element at some point. Luckily, this was important to the field I studied in and I should have most of the relevant data available if I use my memory Ability."


    "I think this might be enough for today. If you keep going, we might have a repeat of our first lesson, and I''d rather not have my brain fried when I meet your new teacher this afternoon. We really should come up with a name for your metals though. We wouldn''t want the Empire, or some zealots, to take you away and try to use you if they find out you are a Blessed. Not that I can say much, considering I''m having you teach me, but better keep it a secret until you have enough power to guarantee your freedom."


    "On that note, I spoke with Scholar Atwut about signing a confidentiality agreement, and I plan on letting him in on the secret if we do. He will be useful when it comes to finding ways of keeping my identity secret. Until we have something binding though, don''t let it slip. I''m going to bring a billet of both metals, and a bit of the titanium nitride coating, to serve as an excuse for the contract."


    Khetep nodded and told Doro that he thought it was a sound plan. The two cleared up the workshop and Khetep left to prepare lunch.


    I still have the bauxite to process in order to get aluminum, but I don''t really need it for now. Better save my energy for this afternoon and do it tonight before bed. Not gonna bother with the math this time though, since it''s made of a bunch of different aluminum hydroxides.


    Dad raised a good point, what the heck am I going to name them? This world doesn''t seem to have developed elemental theory, or the idea of a periodic table, so their naming seems all over the place. I could call them something like mythril, adamantine, or after one of the other fantasy metals, but again, other Blessed might catch on. Luckily, it seems that modern imperial follows a lot of trends from Latin, probably due to the same ancient Blesseds who made Libra the standard unit. I think the least suspicious thing would be to come up with something random and add -um to the end to stay similar to latin. I mean, the words they use for gold, silver and iron are aurum, argentum and ferrum. The word for white sounds like alba, so maybe I can use albium for titanium. In keeping with this naming sense, chromium makes a green pigment so virid becomes Viridium...wait, that''s already an element. I got it from Umayer iron so Umayum would work. I''ll figure out aluminum later. I still have at least fifteen minutes before lunch so maybe I should get a bit of prep for mom''s present done.


    After spending a few minutes thinking up names for the metals, Doro went to change into his silk tunic and rejoined his father. Lunch went by without any surprises, and Suyum sent the two of them off after the meal.


    "Don''t do somethin'' dumb, yeah? I''ll have dinner ready just after sixth bell so don''t be late. Good luck."


    "Don''t worry Mom, Dad is coming with me."


    Suyum turned to address her husband.


    "Don''t do what I would do and make sure you two stay out of trouble alright?"


    "You know me, I don''t take any unnecessary risks...outside of the workshop."


    Suyum and Doro giggled at the second half of Khetep''s statement, remembering random explosions and smoke clouds that had originated from Khetep''s workshop over the years.


    "We should get going, better not be late for my first lesson."


    The father and son pair made their way toward the central district while discussing the names Doro had come up with. As it turns out there was already a metal known as albaurum, white gold.


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Doro deduced it was probably platinum after his father told him of its properties. The two decided that the name "Albium" was different enough to avoid confusion, and was close enough to normal naming conventions that it wouldn''t stick out. Khetep approved of Umayum as well, although he seemed to find it a bit unimaginative. As the pair grew closer to their destination, Khetep asked his son for more information about the scholar.


    "Well, he seems to be a dedicated and intelligent man. He can be a bit petty, but it should be fine. Just treat him respectfully, and try not to question his worth, he seems to get a bit prickly when that happens. If you disagree with him, try to phrase it in a non-confrontational way and all should be well, I think. If you don''t feed him one of Mom''s super spicy buns like I did, by mistake, you''ll be fine."


    "Good thing you didn''t ask your mother to come instead then. You two might have been thrown out less than a minute into the conversation."


    "Considering he knows Mom was the ultimate culprit behind the spicy bun incident, he would have probably tried getting payback in some way. Knowing Mom''s answer to confrontation is to outdo whoever is coming at her, I agree. Bringing her would have been disastrous."


    The two shared a laugh as they continued making their way to the plaza. As they entered it, Khetep singled out a large complex to one side and told Doro it was the Niwut Free Legion, HQ where Dhruvah had headed off to the previous day.


    "Could we stop by the free Legion HQ for a minute? We managed a better pace than I expected and there is something I want to check out."


    "Sure. What do you have in mind?"


    ***


    "Excuse me sir but do you have a moment? I would like to make some inquiries about the Free Legion, if it isn''t too much of a bother."


    Damn, Dhruvah seems to be the exception and not the norm. Some of the guys around here have some rather scary faces...and that receptionist...


    Back in his old life, Emi had gotten Doro to watch a couple of isekai anime with her, and so he had subconsciously assumed the receptionist would be an attractive woman. The appearance of the receptionist sitting on the other side of the counter turned out to be quite a departure from the image Doro had in his mind. The man sitting there was stout and muscular, and judging from the greying in his hair and the thickness of his beard, Doro assumed he was quite old. The scars visible on his exposed skin, and the metal prosthetic he wore where his left forearm and hand ought to be, made the man''s situation clear to Doro.


    Makes sense. Why would you go hire a bunch of young people to sit behind desks when your organization produces veterans who may be unable to do field work anymore? Gotta watch out. Don''t know how many stupid and illogical anime tropes Emi got burned into my brain.


    "You can be as polite as you want, little one, but the minimum age to join up is twelve, and that is not something that can be easily waved."


    What kind of meathead anime protagonist does he take me for? Why the hell would I want to join this world''s equivalent to an adventurer''s guild while this young...Maybe if you didn''t have such an intimidating scowl, I would be a bit more at ease...


    "Understood. This is not what I came here for, but it is good to know. I was wondering how one went about posting a request."


    The man behind the counter looked like he was about to shoo Doro away, but he then noticed Khetep standing behind him and his attitude became more welcoming.


    "Is this your son? What can I do for you today? If you tell me what kind of request you have in mind, I can let you know if it is feasible, and what kind of reward should be offered if you want someone to pick it up."


    "My son is the one with the request, I am just accompanying him. However, please be assured that I will guarantee any payment he offers as long as I agree with it."


    The receptionist gave a small sigh before his gaze returned to Doro.


    "Alright boy, what do you need?"


    Man, I know I''m a kid but maybe show a little more enthusiasm...


    "I was attacked in an alley the other day, as I was out on my own, and was saved by a passing legionnaire. I live in the industrial district but I have to make my way here to take lessons from a scholar every Seventh-day afternoon. However, I don''t really feel safe going out alone so far from home since the incident. I want to post a request for someone to come train me in self-defense on Seventh-day mornings, and accompany me to my lesson and back. I do not require their time during my lessons, so they would be free to spend that as they wish. I was planning on offering a homecooked lunch and dinner, and then negotiating a payment depending on the going rates."


    The receptionist''s expression took a more sympathetic turn as he heard Doro''s request, his reply was a lot friendlier than it was before.


    "Yeah, you can''t always expect someone to be there to save you, so training yourself is not a bad idea. Sorry to hear you got attacked, but it is nice to hear that one of my brethren was there to do the right thing. Tell you what, I reckon just having an adult with you should limit the chances of being attacked, and since you are inexperienced, even the freshest recruit should be enough to train you initially. Some of the young ones might be willing to take a safe steady job like this just for the food if they don''t have any other job planned that day, but please a least offer a small monetary reward regardless so the legion can take their 10% fee."


    Guess he knows his stuff. I''ll just leave it to him then.


    "Doesn''t seem like a problem. How about we guarantee a minimum of one silver mark as payment with room to negotiate? You can leave it open to legionnaires of any level, but please specify on the offer that I am looking for defensive training. How to block, dodge and deflect attacks. Maybe someone skilled with shields or light armor would be nice considering my Choice."


    "Alright, I won''t put anything specific on the offer, but I will let anyone who tries to accept the job know of your preferences. Anyone who has gone through basic training should know enough to teach you for the first few decans, at least. Since you are still young I recommend making your payments through the HQ to keep whoever we end up sending your way honest. You can offer them a bonus, off the books, but make sure to post the job and pay the agreed-upon fees through the HQ. Any unregistered deal you make with off-duty legionnaires will be your private business, and the Free Legion will not guarantee anything. Please give me your address so that I can direct applicants your way."


    The receptionist scribbled down the address and retrieved a small object from his desk drawer. He then wrote a matching series of numbers on the back of the object, and on the top of the page he had been using to take notes.


    "Here take this token. Give it to the applicant if you are willing to have them come back the next decan. If they don''t show it to me, I will know to put your offer back on the listing without you having to come by in person. You will have to pay for the request in advance, but if there is an issue with the service you can come here to make a complaint. Depending on the nature of the problem, we may offer up to a full refund or even extra compensation."


    Khetep stepped forward and handed the receptionist a silver mark. The receptionist put it away in what appeared to be a half-step between a cash box and a simplistic cash register, and proceeded to slip the page he had been taking notes on into a filing cabinet.


    "If no one takes the offer for a while, feel free to drop by and increase the reward. Things are pretty calm at the moment though, so I don''t think it will be a problem for now. That wraps up everything we needed to get sorted. Good luck with your training Kid."


    The father-son pair bade their farewells to the receptionist and headed off to resume their afternoon plans.

 24-Final preparations before ramping up production

    24-Final preparations before ramping up production


    7/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut - Early Afternoon


    Doro had been occupied with other thoughts the last time he''d come to the imperial complex, and hadn''t been able to appreciate the sheer size of the plaza.


    Damn, must be over three hundred feet across, maybe even four hundred. The central fountain''s statue must be at least fifty feet tall. Even Dhruvah and Captain Aonghus would look tiny next to it.


    The hour of their meeting fast approaching, the two made their way across the plaza and headed into the imperial complex through the public entrance. The hallway was wide and clean, frescoes covering the walls on either side. Doro spotted a scholar sitting behind a desk, close to the entrance, and headed in his direction.


    "Excuse me, mister scholar? My father and I would like to meet with Imperial Enumerator Atwut. He should already be expecting me."


    The man peeked up from the book he was reading to inspect his visitors. He appeared fairly young, but Doro couldn''t quite guess his age due to the variable life expectancies in this world.


    "Let me see..."


    The scholar retrieved a gilded tome from his desk drawer and spent a few seconds skimming a section a few pages in.


    "I don''t see any sign of a meeting having been arranged. Since he doesn''t seem to have anything else scheduled, I can send a message to see if he is willing to meet you nonetheless."


    Doro was about to let the scholar proceed when he remembered something.


    "Sorry, maybe I should have shown you this first."


    Doro slid the token that scholar Atwut had given him during his last visit onto the table and waited for the scholar to inspect it. The scholar picked it up and examined it for a few seconds before letting out a tired sigh.


    "Kid, if you are his direct apprentice, you don''t have to come through the public entrance. Although, if your father wasn''t expected, someone would have needed to check with scholar Atwut to see if he was permitted entry anyway. What was your name again? Give me a moment."


    Doro introduced himself to the scholar, who quickly jotted down a few words into the gilded tome before staring at it for a minute.


    "Excuse me, but shouldn''t we send someone?"


    The scholar chuckled before explaining that each page in the gilded tome was linked to one in the possession of another scholar, and that any changes to one would be reflected onto the other.


    "Just wait a minute or two, we should have a reply soon. I could just let you through alone to ask him directly, but odds are this will be faster. Since you won''t be needing to use the public entrance in the future, we might not see each other much, but the name is Fadir. If you need to find someone here, feel free to drop by my desk and I''ll try to help you out. I''m here most days between seventh and twelth bell. Ah! Scholar Atwut replied and gave the go-ahead for your father. I assume you know where his office is?"


    "I think I remember, thanks for the help."


    "Don''t mention it, I''m still a junior scholar myself. Wasn''t too long ago that I was in your position. Good luck."


    Fadir gave Doro a friendly smile as he closed the tome and picked up the book he was previously reading. Doro glanced at the book''s spine and stifled a chuckle as he read the title.


    Heh! "The erotic adventures of Gallius". This guy''s got balls to be reading smut in the open like this. Actually...from the little I''ve gathered about Gallius, this might actually just be an accurate biographical account, in which case I guess maybe it would qualify as history and not erotica?


    Doro collected himself and led his father down the main corridor and into the inner area where scholars'' labs and offices were located. After a couple of turns, they arrived in front of scholar Atwut''s door and Doro knocked on it gently.


    "Enter. The door isn''t locked."


    Scholar Atwut was seated at his desk and seemed to have been hard at work on a blueprint. He started putting away his ink and dip pen, as well as what appeared to be some sort of triangular protractor, before motioning at a pair of stools across his desk.


    "Ah, well done for being on time apprentice, keep it up. How about you introduce your father since you brought him along."


    "Good afternoon scholar Atwut, this-"


    Scholar Atwut coughed into his cupped hand, interrupting Doro, and gave him a pointed look.


    What? I literally only said five words, how did I mess up already?


    After seeing the look of confusion on Doro''s face, scholar Atwut spoke up.


    "You are my apprentice now, so you shouldn''t be calling me scholar Atwut. Pick between professor, teacher, or master. Choose one and stick with it. You should still refer to other scholars the way you have previously been addressing me though. On my end, assume that I am speaking to you when I use the word "apprentice" without any name added, since you are my only direct apprentice at the moment. Other scholars will refer to you as "apprentice scholar" or "apprentice scholar Doro" depending on whether they know your given name. The academia is rather stiff in that regard. Scholars only really use their last names in published research, otherwise, it is considered uncouth. This is in order to avoid scholars from noble or rich families from trying to use their societal clout all willy-nilly. Saddly, some still dress gaudily or wear jewelry to show their standing. Remember to keep you token displayed while you go around the complex without me, it serves to identify your rank in the Shcolarium and shows that you are under my instruction."


    "Doesn''t cost me anything, so why not? I''ll go with "professor" then. This is my father, Khetep Amahnsa, Refiner by trade and by Choice. He is a third-tier scholar specializing in specialty metals, mineral pigments, and ceramic glazes. Dad, this is my professor, Imperial Enumerator Atwut. He is in charge of leading the children of Atwut through their first Choice and examinations, among other similar duties. He is also an active member of the Scholarium and pursues research into architecture in his own time."


    Scholar Atwut nodded as if to show that he approved of the introduction, and put his hand forward in Khetep''s direction. Khetep grabbed his forearm and the scholar reciprocated.


    "Well met fellow scholar. You may not be attached to the Scholarium, but your son''s education is proof enough of your value as a scholar. Send some samples of your metals with your son the next time he comes. I''ll test them and see how they perform compared to my current supplier. Depending on their quality and price, you might be able to count me as one of your clients. I often act as a consultant for large construction projects in the city, so impressing me might be more beneficial to you than you expect."


    This dude really likes to make himself seem important, doesn''t he?


    "It is an honor that such an illustrious personage as yourself would be willing to spare some of his precious time on the likes of my son and I. I can''t tell you how much I appreciate the knowledge you are willing to bequeath him. We will endeavor to meet your expectations. I feel that it is a great blessing to have the chance of making your acquaintance."


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Oh crap, I know I told him to be respectful, but he is laying it on so thick. Scholar Atwut is bound to get angry at such obv-


    "Don''t fret. I find it to be my civic responsibility to spend some of my time imparting my vast knowledge to others, so that they may better the empire and themselves. I immediately noticed your son''s potential and thought it would be a waste not to test it. I gave him the second-tier exam, and he exceeded my expectations by getting full marks. When imagining the heights he could reach under my tutelage, I couldn''t justify not offering my help."


    Doro tried to hold on to his smile, but each word the scholar added made it tougher for him not to falter.


    That is so not how it happened! Also, didn''t you already admit to me that you took me on because you thought you could get me to pass the third-tier exam when I turn twelve, and that it would give you something to shut up the haters with? How vain can vain get? At least Dad''s ass-kissing seems to be working. Yup, I really need a proper contract before I reveal my status to him, or he will try to find a way to use me to elevate himself. I''m not against helping him, but it will be on my terms.


    "I happen to have some strange metals that my son and I were able to extract thanks to his new Abilities. They are still experimental, but maybe you will find them interesting."


    Shit! I should''ve been paying attention. I only wanted to show them after we''d discussed a contract... I need to do some damage control.


    As Khetep fiddled with the knot he had tied his sack with, Doro quickly interjected.


    "Proffessor? Wouldn''t this be a good opportunity to teach me how to use contracts to protect my research? We could sign the contract we spoke about last time. Considering these are just experimental products, and probably not worth much, it would mostly serve to make sure that I can''t steal your personal research anyway. I am sure that the sooner you can trust me, the faster I will become of use to you."


    Will he take the bait? If he suspects that I''m doing this to protect my own stuff, he might try to dig deeper into it before accepting. With how self-important he must be feeling after Dad''s little number, I hope he falls for it.


    "It would be better if I didn''t have to hide sensitive materials when you were around, and it is true you could try to pass off some of my discoveries as your father''s. I''m not saying the two of you would do such things, but please understand that someone in my position must take extra precautions. In fact, I already had one made after our conversation last we met. Since you''d requested one that went both ways because you also work for your father, it will work for this situation. I was originally going to start our meeting with it, but your father''s unexpected presence changed my lesson plan a tad."


    Hurray for paranoid scholars! Gotta keep a straight face.


    "I understand. I am sure it will make having me around your office easier on you, and I won''t have to worry about seeing anything restricted by accident and bringing suspicions on myself."


    Khetep stopped retrieving the metal billets to look at what was happening. Scholar Atwut spent the next few minutes covering the terms of the contract. Doro paid close attention to the wording, but it seemed rather straightforward. As the scholar had promised, the contract had the same terms for both parties. In effect, the contract served as proof that both parties had access to each other''s research and that any attempt to steal the other party''s research would result in punishment, as determined by a Scholarium tribunal. Depending on the severity of the breach, the punishment could include financial restitutions, public apologies, expulsion from the Scholarium, and even removal of scholar certifications.


    These scholars don''t mess around with plagiarism, and the next bit definitely covers my ass.


    The contract went on to expand on what was covered by the non-disclosure agreement. Doro was happy to note that it extended to special Choices and Abilities used for a party''s research.


    Considering that I use two Choices for my work, and that some of my knowledge comes from being a Blessed, If he ever reveals my secret, we should be able to fight back. I just need to make sure to let him in on the secret after he asks how I made the metal so that he can''t argue that the information wasn''t part of our deal. If he only finds out about it because of research covered in our agreement, I should be safe. The more details I manage to put in during our talk about the metals I extracted, the harder it will be for him to argue. I think just the possibility of losing his station and certifications should be enough to keep him in check though. He seems to care a whole lot about them.


    "The contract is linked to a copy in the Imperial Scholarium''s main campus, in the capital. Once you are ready, you just need to bring out your sigil and press your palm above your name, at the bottom of the contract. Like a fingerprint, every sigil is close to unique due to the variations between people''s energies. This contract is coated in a substance that reacts and makes an imprint. Even after the energy dissipates from the material, all you need to do is take a new imprint and compare it to the original to prove that they match. Some factors can cause a person''s energy signature to shift distinctly, in which case you must register a new imprint with the Scholarium, so that it is added to your file."


    After demonstrating the process above his own name, scholar Atwut handed over the contract to Doro. Doro pressed his palm on the aforementioned area and felt his energy leave an imprint.


    "Now that this is done, let us show you the samples we brought."


    Doro nodded at Khetep, who proceeded to take out the three billets they had brought along.


    "What I am going to tell you now should be covered under the contract''s clauses, so I won''t hide anything. I named the first metal "Albium". It has a very high strength-to-weight ratio and can compete with common steel, at about half of its weight, while being a lot more resistant to corrosion. It can be refined into a white pigment, used as is, or worked into alloys. It is very hard to work with, and extract, without using abilities, but I know of a procedure that should work if we come up with the right equipment. Here, you can inspect it while I explain the properties of the next one."


    Doro had dropped all pretenses and was talking with all the confidence he had acquired from the many presentations he had given during his university days. Scholar Atwut seemed not to have noticed, at first, as his attention was taken by the new metal, but at some point during the explanation, his face had shifted to a puzzled expression. He accepted the titanium billet but kept looking at Doro with narrowed eyes.


    "I named the second Umayum, as I found it in high concentrations as a byproduct of Umayer iron ore. It has high corrosion resistance, resists tarnishing, and is highly reflective. While not being quite as reflective as polished silver, it is a lot harder to scratch or deform. It has some uses by itself, but the main reason I believe it to be important at the moment is that, if used in certain quantities when making steel, it can impart some of its corrosion resistance to it, making it suitable for use in piping as a replacement to copper and bronze. Unlike Albium it isn''t too difficult to work with and should be easier to extract without Abilities."


    Doro handed the chromium billet to scholar Atwut and was about to start explaining the properties of the next billet, but it appeared that the scholar had had enough.


    "Mister Khetep, you do realize that the contract does not guarantee my silence if you are trying to swindle me. I don''t know how many times you made your son practice this little speech here, and why you''d think I''d fall for it, but enough is enough. I gave you the benefit of the doubt for the first one, but there is no way that Doro could have managed to not only discover these new metals, but also test out their properties this thoroughly in the few days since he made his first Choice."


    Khetep''s face started paling slightly, but Doro was unperturbed.


    Now that he said this, he can''t argue that me being a blessed isn''t related to the metals. Whatever excuses he might try to come up with, this exchange seals it.


    "Calm down Professor, there is a simple explanation. Here, look at this and you will understand."


    Doro activated his sigil and thrust his hand forward.


    "You are just a kid, Doro. I won''t blame you for your part in this but stop trying to protect your father. I will inspect the billets but if they turn out to be some cleverly disguised common metals, then I will have to...to...to...to...to...to..."


    Scholar Atwut repeated his last word like a scratched CD as his eyes focused on Doro''s palm. The words [Materia Synthesist 1/4] and [Persistent memories of the Blessed] were displayed in glowing letters, clear as could be.


    "As you can see, my father isn''t trying to trick you. I am. Sorry about that, but now that I have revealed my secret in these circumstances, you are legally bound to keep it. Since you are an intelligent man, I wasn''t sure how long I would manage to keep up the pretense if I were to be your student, and although I respect you, I wasn''t too keen on wholeheartedly trusting you after that little prank you pulled on me with the certification exam. Still, you are only the third person to find out, and I would like it to stay that way for a while. Please don''t feel too insulted by the precautions, we haven''t even told my mother yet."


    Scholar Atwut sat down in his chair, his body going limp, akin to a puppet cut loose from its strings. His shoulders started trembling and a quiet sob left the man''s lips. More sobs followed and were joined by slightly manic giggles as he stared at the contract he had signed earlier.


    "A Blessed...I took in a Blessed as my apprentice, and I can''t tell anyone about it. All the good it would do to my reputation and standing in the Scholarium would be moot if I was immediately kicked out for revealing it. You can be sure they would throw the maximum possible penalties at me in order to get in your good graces. I give up, you win... Go ahead and use the library when you want. I assume this whole thing was so that you could get access to the Scholarium, and you were just using me..."


    Scholar Atwut retrieved a bottle filled with an amber liquid from inside a drawer, uncorked it with his teeth, and took a large swig before smacking it back down on the table as he exhaled alcohol fumes.


    "Professor? Well, I was interested in the library, sure, but that''s not why I accepted to become your apprentice. I may have a lot of knowledge that may seem advanced here, but when it comes to this world, I only know what an average kid knows. If you remember, I requested that you act as my advisor as part of our bet. That was because I really needed one. I don''t know how the empire deals with intellectual property or how to get new discoveries certified. No one is going to believe a nine-year-old kid claiming to have fancy undiscovered metals unless I reveal my secret to them. The contract is the stick, but the truth is I plan on using you and my father as a way to shield my identity. I want both of you to share credit for the things I come up with to shield me from suspicions. Pretty good carrot no? You said you were tired of being seen as a minder of children. Wouldn''t making multiple discoveries help change that image? Sure, you''d get some clout if people knew you were teaching a Blessed, but wouldn''t that just reinforce the image you are trying to break? Also, since we will be counting on you for all the official paperwork, and to help with methodology, you will really be involved in the discoveries and won''t just be stealing credit. We''ll just keep my name out of it until I''m old enough for it to not be suspicious, and then we can share the credit three-way."


    As Doro finished speaking, he noticed that scholar Atwut hadn''t blinked in a while, and as he got closer, he started hearing a faint sound coming from the man.


    "ZzzzZzzzZzzz"


    A bit of drool started dribbling down the corner of scholar Atwut''s mouth as Doro realized he had somehow fallen asleep in a drunken stupor, his eyes wide open.


    "Hey Dad, looks like I broke him too."


    Khetep wore a complicated smile, as he was no doubt recalling his own prior experience. He then sniffed the bottle from which the the scholar had taken a drink and understood what happened.


    "Man, even Suyum doesn''t mess with this stuff. Alcohols that are 100 Proof or higher are not meant to be accessible to the public, you need a permit to legally store them, so you might not have come across it before. Honestly, I don''t see the appeal."


    "I''ll leave the billets and write their properties on a note, in case the alcohol messes with his memory."


    Doro spent the next few minutes jotting down some notes on a spare piece of paper he''d found on the desk and placed it in front of the sleeping scholar.


    "It is a bit earlier than we planned, but should we head home? I''m itching to get productive."


    Man, I''m treating older men like Collectible Monsters?. Not only am I collecting them, seems like I keep getting them KO''d. Still, now that I''ve got this covered, time to ramp up production and prepare to make a splash.

 25-The Assassin and the Romancer

    25- The Assassin and the Romancer


    7/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut - Afternoon


    "Hey! Tom!"


    Tom turned around to look for Dhruvah, recognizing his deep timber and friendly tone.


    "Ah there you a-"


    The bright golden armor that his friend was now wearing caused his line of thought to falter.


    "Uh, Dhruvah? Correct me If I am erring, but wasn''t your purse rather light, if not outright empty?"


    Dhruvah nodded in confirmation, causing the afternoon sun to reflect on his helm and dazzle Tom. After blinking a handful of times, Tom continued speaking.


    "Then, pray tell, how did you get yourself a golden armor? Also, isn''t gold too soft for armor?"


    "Check again. It''s the same armor you left me wearing. Doro, the kid we helped yesterday, turned out to have a couple tricks up his sleeves, and his father was a refiner at the peak of the mortal realm with some interesting products. They gave my armor the works and then coated it with something. The color is a result of that."


    Tom thoroughly studied his friend''s armor and found a few dented spots where he remembered Dhruvah taking some rather big hits.


    It would seem the young one is not wasting any time, but this is a bit too flashy. Might need to go have a chat with him before we leave Niwut after all.


    "Well it would seem fortune has favored you. You were due some luck after that rough turn of events. I am aware that wealth has its importance, but it would be nice to find some new recruits who won''t forsake us over such mundane matters."


    "Alright Tom, give them a break. Not everyone has a rich family to fall back on, also a couple of the guys were sending their pay home. They could have been nicer about it, but yeah, to them it was a job. I sorted everything down at the HQ while waiting for you. For now, it''s just the two of us, just like old times."


    "It was fine back in the day because you were still leveling and putting your first full set of armor together, but I don''t think there is much left on the mainland that poses you a threat. If it is just the two of us, I would feel rather unneeded. Unless you want to take on the Sutai Mountains, but count me out of such an endeavor. At least when training new recruits, my services as a physician are required every now and then. If we enter a battle with just the two of us, I''m basically just throwing knives and watching your fists reach our targets faster than they fly..."


    "Let me shine in combat, won''t you? Fighting and lifting heavy things are probably the only two things I can outdo you in. You do realize no one is good at everything in every situation right? We''ll see if the others didn''t tank my reputation here too badly. We might be able to recruit a few squadmates before we leave."


    "Well, it is true that your skillset, outside of combat, is rather limited, but you more than make up for it with how skillful you are at setting up camp, and with your recovery Abilities. If we don''t want to be late, we should really get going. You know how Percy is with punctuality."


    "Yeah, well, time is his business after all."


    The pair arrived at their destination ten minutes later. In front of them stood a large walled complex comprised of five buildings. The public entrance led into one of those buildings, a very large store with the word "Chronos" displayed in bold letters above the doorframe.


    "Well, Percy seems to have been busy! Look at all those clocks and pocket watches. Lucky for us they don''t seem to have been wound up, can you imagine the ticking?"


    "Don''t complain, you are not the one encased in a metal shell, I''d also have to deal with the echo."


    A pained expression appeared on Tom''s face as he thought over his friend''s situation.


    "That would be quite horrendous, wouldn''t it? We still have a short while before our appointment, we may as well entertain ourselves by perusing the goods on display."


    "You go ahead and do that. Reckon it won''t be much fun for me considering I''m tapped out on funds. If we don''t find a job soon, I might need to rely on you for a few meals."


    "Makes sense. At least you have tonight''s dinner covered, and there might be a few surprises. Let''s just say that I came across a bit of information that, I believe, may motivate Percy one more time. Even if it doesn''t, I need to make some new plans around it. I''ll have to tell Percy all about it as well, so wait until dinner if you want an explanation. "


    "I''ll go outside for some fresh air, I''ll come back when I hear the bells."


    As Dhruvah headed back out the door through which they had entered, Tom went around to take a look at the timepieces.


    Oh? These don''t look like Percy''s work. They look well-made, but not quite at his level. An apprentice''s work maybe?


    After looking around a bit more, Tom noticed that only a handful of the most expensive pieces appeared to have been the work of his old friend.


    Seems he has been busy. Busy training the next generation that is. I still pocess the pocket watch he crafted as a farewell gift before leaving us, twenty years ago, so I don''t really require a new one. I''ll beseech him to give it a tune-up while we are here. Still, I can barely believe it finally happened. It would appear that the world is about to get hectic once more.


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    Tom looked around and saw that the shop was decently busy for a place that dealt in luxury goods. Timepieces were useful, but most people didn''t require knowing what minute it was. Most people in Niwut would make do with the bell system and a one-hour hourglass with markings that they would flip every hour if they needed more precise information. Taking that into account, Niwut might appear to be the worst place to open up a clock shop. While all that was true of the populace, who tended to be active during daylight and didn''t have a large amount of income to burn through, matters were different when it came to people of means. The lords and ladies of Manzat, as well as other wealthy citizens, would socialize after sundown. That particular crowd found timepieces very useful when it came to getting to gatherings on time, as well as being yet another fancy trinket they could show off. Taking into account that new technologies and custom pieces were always in fashion in Niwut, there probably rarely was day that went by without a noble, or wealthy patron, ordering a custom mantle clock or pocket watch. Niwut''s large pool of skilled workers, as well as the access to varied materials in the local markets, made it an extremely convenient place for manufacturing.


    It seems Percy is doing quite well for himself. I rather want to give him a good kick in the arse to get him motivated again though. If I have not erred in my calculations, he should only have a handful of years left at the most. Honestly, I am apprehensive. To see what state he is in after twenty years of aging. He was the first of our merry band to pass the level 50 threshold. No one would have foreseen he would stay stuck at level 59 so long that he would capitulate and retire. I know Dhruvah said he went out for some fresh air but, knowing him, I reckon he doesn''t know how to face Percy. The protector in him can defend us from a lot of things, but every time one of his friends dies from something like aging, it really hurts him. Hopefully, once I tell Percy abou-


    Twelth bell began to ring, ushering the end of the day and distracting Tom. Dhruvah came back into the shop and followed Tom to the counter.


    "Excuse me, but twelth bell has just rung, so we are going to be closing the store. If you haven''t made your choices yet, may I kindly ask you to come back another day, during our business hours?"


    "My apologies, we are not here as customers. We are acquainted with your patriarch and are scheduled for a dinner with him. Could I ask you to take this to the private estate, and to relay that "Thomas and Dhruvah have arrived as requested", please?"


    Tom presented his pocketwatch and popped its cover open. The bespectacled man behind the counter inspected the pocket watch before nodding.


    "I will send someone right now. I apologize for not going personally, but it is my responsibility to close the store."


    The man turned around and opened a door, behind the counter, that led into an adjoining room.


    "Rana! Take a break from the repairs for a minute. I need you to pop into the estate and check something with Grandpa."


    A young girl stepped out of the repair room, an annoyed look on her face, as she untied her curly hair and removed what appeared to be a pair of magnifying glasses from atop her nose.


    "I was in the middle of a repair...Couldn''t this have waited Uncle?"


    The bespectacled man handed Rana the pocket watch, seeming unaffected by her complaints, and relayed the message. The girl''s eyes shot wide open as all previous traces of annoyance left her face. She turned towards the visiting pair with a large smile adorning her youthful face.


    "Are you Dhruvah and Tom!? Grandpa''s old adventuring buddies? You look like he described you in the stories, but I thought you would be a lot bigger mister Dhruvah."


    Rana had a mischievous grin on her face as she looked at Tom.


    "My apologies young lady, but I happen to be Thomas. Although I imagine you already guessed that."


    "Way to go Tom...Jokes are always funnier when they are explained, aren''t they?"


    Dhruvah gave Tom''s back a small slap. A small slap according to Dhruvah''s definition. Tom lurched forward while trying to regain his balance and glared at his big friend.


    "Yup. Uncle, they match the descriptions Grandpa gave in his stories, and they have one of his watches, so I''ll just lead them to the estate. Should be fine. Alright, please follow me."


    Did he have to slap me that hard? His gauntlet is tough...Might as well move on. I wonder what matter of stories Percy told her about us.


    As the two followed Rana to the estate, Tom decided to find out what his old friend had blabbed about.


    "So...You said your Grandfather told you some stories about us?"


    Rana looked thoughtful for a moment and then giggled.


    "Yes, he told me quite a bit. Like how you are secretly a ruthless assassin who knows how to kill a man in a thousand different ways. Also, that you are a master of torture who never travels without a bunch of small knives and other sharp implements, that you use to cut into people. Finally, he also said that you were great at using and making strong poisons that could cause all manners of ailments."


    Tom stared at the young girl, dumbfounded, his mouth agape.


    "Hahahaha! Funny thing is that all of that is kind of true! Tom the Assassin, I like it."


    Tom did not find it funny and rebuked his friend.


    "What do you mean by "kind of true"? I tend to save lives rather than take them. You know that the few times I''m caught up in the fights I aim at incapacitating, unless there is no alternative. Also what torture devices and poisons? These are my surgical tools and medicine!"


    "Exactly! You really need to stop explaining jokes or little Rana here will really start to find you boring. So what did he say about me?"


    "He told me that you were the reason why he and his friends were able to survive despite all the dangers you had to face. That you would not back down in front of any threat, as long as the others were in danger. Also that you ate enough to increase travelling cargo by a lot, but made up for it by pulling your weight. Literally."


    "See, he was a lot kinder with you. Could he not have said something about me bringing you all back from the brink of death more times than I care to count?"


    "Wait mister Tom, I wasn''t finished. He also said that despite saving them from danger, Mister Dhruvah was often the cause of it. That he could get tricked into having his candy stolen by a baby, and that he had a taste for flirting with the wrong women. Is it true that Mister Druvah got you chased out of a region of Brihon because he got caught romancing a warlord''s fiance, the day before her wedding? He said that he probably still had a bounty in that region, because of that incident, and that at the time, you had to ride through the night to escape the warlord''s bannermen."


    Dhruvah went silent as Tom started smirking in vindication.


    "Ok, fair is fair. We''ll just have to drown out our pain with Percy''s expensive liquor, won''t we? He cannot stop both of us at once."


    Rana chuckled as she opened the door to the large residential building they had arrived at, and proceeded to lead the pair up the main staircase.


    "The bottom floor is where the employees live and where we have the communal dining room, the second floor is the family quarters, and the third is split between grandfather''s quarters and the guest quarters. That is where you will be sleeping if you stay the night. There is a large communal Thermaen-style bath in the basement, the left door is for the men. Mister Dhruvah please make sure not to "accidentally" walk into the wrong one."


    Dhruvah, who had not spoken since his romantic exploits had been discussed, decided to defend himself.


    "I am not a peeper...Sure, my resolve is weak when it comes to beautiful women, but I think your grandfather did me a disservice if you really think that about me. Also, should he really be telling stories of such nature to such a young lady?"


    "I was just joking...geez. Also, I may be short but I''m thirteen. I''ll be an adult in less than two years."


    "Alright, I may have overreacted. Thirteen, huh? What do you think Tom, isn''t she about the same height as Doro?"


    "I''d say that''s about right, why?"


    "Well, his Choice Day was only three days ago. That makes him nine."


    Dhruvah looked Rana up and down and continued in a mocking tone.


    "Don''t worry. You are only thirteen, there is still hope for growth."


    "Stop acting like a child Dhruvah...Not everyone desires to be too tall for standard doors... Or too wide"


    "Hey! Low blow tiny man!"


    "Six feet is only considered tiny by you, you lumbering monolith."


    Rana laughed at the exchange between the two and they both smiled back at her.


    "Alright, please wait here for a moment, I will get Grandpa."

 26-A Whiskey Tinged Reunion

    26-A Whiskey Tinged Reunion


    7/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut - Evening


    Rana entered her grandfather''s quarters, leaving the pair of visitors waiting. After a minute or so, Tom heard footsteps approaching from beyond the door, accompanied by a ticking sound that seemed too loud for a clock. Rana opened the door and stepped aside to let her grandfather through. Dhruvah and Tom froze as their old friend stepped out of his quarters. The keyword in this instance being "old".


    Oh lord, it''s worse than I thought. I cannot use my Abilities to check on his wellbeing without him noticing. I don''t dare push my luck and sour his mood, so that is out for now. I don''t need my Abilities to tell that he is worse off than I have ever seen him.


    Percy took another step and brought the tip of his cane down, for support, causing a loud click on the tiled floor. He was hunched over with his back at a 50¡ã angle and his other arm behind him, pressed against the base of his spine. His hair had thinned out but his eyebrows had grown enough to cover the top half of his eyes.


    I know that most grow old and die someday, but I haven''t given up on Ascension. Dhruvah is still with me, but I really need to get Percy back on board. I know he has it in him. If we were to just find the right push. I need to be really convincing tonight.


    "It has been too long you two. Nearly 15,000 revolutions of my clock by my count. You don''t look like you''ve aged a minute though Tom. I''d say the same for Dhruvah, but I can''t see his face clearly from way down here, on account of my worsening vision. Then there is also the helm. Am I going senile or is he wearing gold armor?"


    Alright, his eyes still look focused. His voice is a bit raspy, but his speech is clear and fluid.


    "Would you answer instead of diagnosing me Tom? Or have my looks aged so well that envy consumes you? Well too bad for you, takes years of hard work to get this sort of result."


    "I missed you Percy. I try, but you are way better than I am at banter. Tom is too good with his words and outmatches me too often. Nice to have reinforcements."


    Tom chuckled, letting the nostalgia wash over him as his two friends conversed.


    "You say that Dhruvah, but you just lack motivation. I''ve seen how well you can turn a phrase when wooing the fairer sex."


    "Yeah Percy, but my poetry comes from the heart, it needs inspiration. Your ugly mugs just don''t do it for me. How about a drink? Might make the two of you easier to look at."


    Tom joined in, realizing he had yet to speak.


    "We might get more attractive with drinks, but get enough into us and we might mistake you for the sun and think we''ve drank ourselves into the next day."


    The three men shared a hearty laugh as an amused Rana spectated over the exchange.


    "Why don''t the three of you get into the quarters and catch up? I''ll go downstairs and tell them to send dinner for three up to your dining room."


    As Rana left, her grandfather told her to come back after dessert. A few minutes later the three were seated in piles of plushy cushions around a coffee table, on which sat an intricately crafted glass bottle filled with a clear amber-like liquor.


    "Percy? Is this what I think it is?"


    "Yes, I finally managed to get it made. Took me four years after retirement to source the right materials and get the production set up correctly, but this bottle comes from the first successful batch. I present you with Akashan whiskey, aged sixteen years in a cask made from Baishen oak and smoked with peat from the Thermaen highlands. It was made With yeast and malted barley from Ashrama, and water from the Crown Mountains. Dhruvah, you''ll finally get to taste what Tom and I have been comparing all other liquors with this whole time."


    "So this is the magical Wiskee the two of you used to drink back on Urf?"


    Tom chuckled and corrected his friend on the pronunciation.


    "I can''t believe it. How?"


    "During the end of our involvement in Brihon, I met with the chief cook''s aid from the Unicorn. I can''t tell you much because he has managed to remain undiscovered, and I promised to keep his secret. I can tell you he was living as the owner of a successful restaurant and had passed the level 40 threshold when I met him. Luckily, one of his passions had been alcohol and he told me what he knew of making French wine and Scottish whiskey, in exchange for timepieces with timers and alarms to help him cook. I set up a small company to import the ingredients and put a former employee, who wanted a change, in charge. I gave him ownership of the company in exchange for four casks a year until my death. I''ll tell you where you can buy it if you want more, but it''s expensive because the ingredients come from multiple duchies, and the youngest batches he is putting on sale only finished aging last year."


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    The three men took a sip and two of them sighed in contentment. Dhruvah made a noise that was closer to that of a babbling brook as he let the amber-colored liquid dribble out of his mouth, his nose scrunched up.


    "Sorry Percy, but I think your Wiskee might have gone off. 16 years might have been too long. Tastes like burnt medicine... Got any water?


    Tom and Percy glared at Dhruvah so intently that the big man appeared to shrink as he sank deeper into his pile of cushions.


    "Don''t listen to him! This is grandiose! I thought I would never get to drink whiskey again, but you went and made it better than I remembered you old sod. Bravo I say."


    "...Blessed weirdos..."


    "Percy might be getting hard of hearing, but I caught that."


    "I said my sight was going. My hearing is fine thank you."


    Dhruvah decided to team up against Tom and joined in.


    "Yeah, like he said!"


    Percy cupped a hand to his ear in Dhruvah''s direction before nodding with a serious look on his face.


    "Indeed, life is sad..."


    Percy gave the other two a wide grin and the three men burst into laughter.


    Lord, I missed this. I''ll wait until we are having dinner to make my bid, let''s just enjoy it for now.


    The three men shared a few more drinks, and after a couple of attempts, Dhruvah''s distaste for the drink lessened somewhat, to the point where he was able to stomach it. Ten minutes later, the door opened, and an automaton carrying two large platters entered the room. The gears that were visible beneath the automaton''s butler outfit came to life, causing the automaton to walk toward the table and set the platters on either side of the bottle. His task accomplished, the gears started spinning in reverse as the automaton replicated his motions in the opposite direction.


    "Made some progress on that one, but the instruction set was too long to input a return trip. I had to make it go in reverse. That''s why all the doors on the way here from the kitchen can swivel both ways. That is fully mechanical and automatic by the way, none of my puppeteering Abilities are involved."


    "Impressive but not very useful. You sure haven''t changed despite what your appearance might indicate."


    "I think it''s nice. Now if you put him in armor and teach him how to hold a shield and thrust a spear, the free legion might want to order a few of them."


    "Thanks Dhruvah, but they are quite brittle. They wouldn''t have too much problem with stabbing, or slashing, unless the shock displaced essential gears, but impacts will cause cracking and warping. Maybe my successor will one day find a workaround, but I don''t think I''ll be able to go much further with this project."


    Percy''s countenance shifted as he started exuding an air of seriousness around him.


    "On that note, I have a big favor to ask."


    "Anything for you old friend. What can we help you with?"


    "Well, I finally found a worthy successor, and have been training and educating them for the last eight years. The thing is, I fear my life will run out before I am done teaching them all I can. I haven''t told the others, but my last check-up wasn''t great. Some of my organs are showing the first signs of failing and I feel more tired every day. My physician told me that without treatment, I have maybe a year left. If I change my diet and take some medicine, he said that, with his skills and Abilities, I might survive double that. I really need at least three years to finish teaching them and record what they will need further down the road once I am gone. The Slow Death has already kicked in so lifespan-increasing elixirs or treasures won''t cut it anymore, my organs would keep dying at the rate they have begun. My only options would be to pass my threshold, which I have given up on, or hire an absurdly high-level physician to attend to my health every day. However, three years of that would destroy my finances and I might even need to sell Chronos to afford it."


    Percy picked up his glass and downed what was left of whiskey in one gulp before slamming it back down on the table.


    "I have an offer for you. Stay here with me for three years, and prolong my life as much as you can during that time. In exchange, I will give you joint ownership of Chronos, with my part going to my successor after I die. You will also get the guest quarters that mirror my personal quarters permanently. I know you could get much better offers elsewhere, and that this would take three years away from the time you have to achieve your next threshold, but consider it my dying wish if that helps you make your mind up."


    Silence stretched for a few seconds and Dhruvah started to look uneasy as Tom delayed his answer.


    "I have a counteroffer, but I need to let you in on something first. Before that, is there any way I can convince you to give breaking through another serious try? In twenty years, have you really not grown any closer? Have you truly given up? "


    A conflicted expression appeared on Percy''s face as Tom waited for a response.


    "I have reached my limit, I think. Maybe I will come across a discovery, or suddenly gain some insight that opens up possibilities for me, but I have been on the lookout for the last twenty years and haven''t achieved either. Unless I feel confident in my odds, I will not make an attempt. I will not end like Yasumasa, my soul corrupted by the Maya, and forcing you to put me down."


    Tom stared into Percy''s aged eyes, looking for a spark of hope.


    "Percival?"


    A moment passed but Percy did not look away. Instead, a pleading look appeared on his face.


    "Thomas..."


    Nope, not gonna break me that easily. Give me what I need to have faith once more.


    Dhruvah decided it was the right moment to chime in and attempt to cut the tension.


    "Dhruvah!"


    Tom and Percy broke eye contact to turn and glare at Dhruvah in unison.


    "What? I was feeling left out, and you guys were being weird. Tom, this looks like a difficult decision for him. Why don''t you tell us what you have to tell us first? Maybe it''ll help Percy make a decision."


    Well, I did not want to give Percy regrets, in case he did not appear to have the will to keep living even if hope existed, but I have to tell him and hope that it pushes him into making the correct decision.


    "Percy, we have made it. A new wave has come. We are no longer the latest generation of Blessed."

 27-Making Deals Under Duress

    27-Making Deals Under Duress


    7/1/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut - Evening


    Percy''s eyebrows rose so high that his eyes were fully visible for the first time that evening as they started glossing over and tears started dripping from their inner corners.


    "Tom, this is better than a chance. Ancients know how many of our seniors managed to get through a threshold thanks to members from our generation. If Earth kept developing, maybe one of them has knowledge that will open up new avenues for me. Are you sure though? How many have you found?"


    "Yeah Tom, when did you find one? You never said anything."


    "Not outright, but didn''t I tell you that it was important that you made sure the boy was fine when he woke up, and to get him back to his home safely?"


    Dhruvah dropped the chicken leg he had grabbed from one of the platters as he turned to Tom.


    "Wait, you mean Doro? That makes so much sense! He did come across as older than he looked, and for some reason when they upgraded my armor, it was him and not his father who was giving the instructions. Also explains why a young boy was able to come up with two metals I''ve never seen, as well as the golden stuff he applied to my armor. If it was only one of those things, then I could explain it away as a coincidence, but it piles up. Plus, if you got your Blessed tingle, that probably confirms it."


    "Please don''t call it my "Blessed Tingle"..."


    Percy''s tears seemed to have stopped, but Something Dhruvah said caused a spark of hope to ignite a large fire inside him as he stood and straightened his back.


    *Crack*


    "Oh crud! I got too enthusiastic and it appears I may have slipped a disk. Tom, would you be a dear and fix me up?"


    An evil grin appeared on Tom''s face.


    Oh Percy, how sweet of you to increase my bargaining power whilst we are still in negotiations.


    "We haven''t made a deal yet, let me tell you my counteroffer and then you can decide if I will be your physician. First, let me give you a quick check-up with my Abilities to see exactly what I can offer you."


    "Would you really take advantage of an injured elderly man?"


    "If his name is, or ever was, Percival Stanley, then absolutely."


    [Sense Ailment+][Sense infection][Sense Vitals+][Sense injury]


    Ok, let''s see...Inflammation in the joints. Brittle bones. No infection or infectious disease that I can see. Blood pressure is slightly low but heart rate is steady. Lungs show small signs of deterioration but the kidneys and liver seem to be the worst off. next!


    [Informed Diagnosis++] [Prognostic+]


    Two years? Weak! Just with my Abilities, I can push to nearly three. At least his diagnosis was accurate. No ailments or diseases are to be found. His organs have started responding to his dwindling lifespan though. I can slow it down, but as far as I know, only passing a threshold can stop the process now that it has started. Rheumatismus can be alleviated with medicinal baths, and I can make some bone-strengthening elixirs to help with his brittle bones. Let''s see what I can do for his failing organs.


    [Memories of the blessed][Mental Dispensatory][Simulated Alchemy]


    If I do my best with what I have and easily accessible ingredients, maybe five years. Closer to six if I can come up with a few rare-ish ingredients and fine-tune the medicine. Let''s make an offer.


    "I will be your physician for five years, and not only let you live that long, but also greatly improve your physical situation in the meantime. In exchange, I want you to devote half of each day to seriously work on breaking through your threshold. You can keep your company, but I will take the guest quarters. You will also have to soak in a medicine bath for half an hour each day, but aside from that and your training, you are free to spend the rest of your time training your successor in preparation for the worst-case scenario. After five years, I may be able to keep you living a few months longer, but your state will deteriorate rapidly. While you are still in relatively good shape, unless you can convince me that the chances are too low, you will attempt to break through your threshold at the end of the fifth year at the latest. If you succeed, you can have a year to finish training your successor before rejoining our party and making a serious attempt at getting to the next threshold for the following twenty-five years. That will leave you with an extra twenty-five years of life or so to enjoy a second retirement if you want to give up again at that point. Be aware that as long as you don''t give up, new offers will be coming from me. I would not care to lose you too."


    Tom took a deep breath and kept going before Percy could begin formulating a response.


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    "To sum it up, the quarters, half of your time every day, you attempting to pass your threshold in five years'' time at the latest, and spending at least half of the life expectancy you will get from passing your threshold trying for the next one with us. In exchange, I will make sure you have the time to finish training your successor while keeping you healthier than you are right now. I will tutor your successor while you are busy making progress, and I will arrange for you to meet Doro if he is willing. Since we saved his life, I believe he will at least accept to meet you once if we were to ask."


    "Deal!"


    Tom was startled by the sudden response. When they had last separated, none of his entreaties had managed to sway Percy, and so he had expected his work to be cut out for him.


    "Wait really, no negotiations or anything?"


    "Nope, really. You gave me all I wanted and more at a lower immediate price. Also, you''ve been talking for ages and my back is really throbbing."


    "Oh...Yeah. It slipped my mind, let me fix that."


    [Realign Bones]


    Tom put his hands flat on either side of Percy''s spine, on his lower back, as he activated his Ability and applied pressure. The bones responded to his input and shifted back into position. Tom decided to make his way up to the shoulders and the neck to alleviate some of the hunch his friend had developed, and help the treatment he would give him for his rheumatoid arthritis be more effective.


    "Now that you two have hashed it out, and Percy is no longer stuck on the floor, could you tell me what I am meant to do for five years? Let me remind you that my purse is empty and I have no job lined up at the moment. A day or two is fine but I eat a lot and I would start feeling bad about being a leech fairly soon."


    "Dhruvah, stop being so down on yourself. With your level, and your work ethic, you can easily find employment in Niwut. Maybe you could even go work at the HQ. Aside from Niwut''s Head Centurion, you may be the highest-level active legionnaire in the city. People our level rarely come back to the mainland for significant amounts of time except for retirement after all. I''d say you are top ten at the very least."


    "Yeah, they could hire you as a drill instructor. If they send potential recruits to you, the ones without the right stuff will piss their pants when they see your bulk in full armor. Those who don''t run away with urine-filled boots might make for good legionnaires. Well, I''m jesting, but I''m sure you could find some work as a bodyguard, or as a combat instructor for some young lordling. I could inquire with some of my clients."


    "Let me check out the HQ first, I''ll get back to you on that. You don''t mind if I stay with you in the guest quarters Tom? I''ll sort out my own meals with how pricy food is in this region, but I''d feel left out in an inn somewhere with the two of you living it up over here."


    After a short while Rana entered the room, bringing the desserts along with her.


    "Ah! Rana, come sit with us for a little bit. You met Rana earlier, but let me officially introduce her. This is Rana Chronos, one of my youngest descendants. I call her my grandaughter, but I honestly don''t know the exact number of generations that went by during our adventure outside the empire. I was lucky enough that my descendants still went by the name I picked, and that they were still active in Niwut. Good thing I came back when I did because the family had dwindled and they were only a generation or two away from losing the shop and having to move to boomtown. They were competent, but they hadn''t made any real innovations and had lost some of my techniques. I decided that I would stay and help them out, but if I wanted Chronos to outlive me and for the family to continue growing, I needed to train a successor. After looking for a disciple outside the family for about a year, I found a suitable candidate. He was a passionate young man that had the spark that my descendants seemed to have lost, and he gave me hope for the future of Chronos. I was a strict teacher, spurred on by the knowledge that I would only have a decade or two to train him, and so I kept pushing him."


    Percival glanced at Rana and then continued in a more somber tone.


    "Unbeknownst to me, one of my granddaughters had fallen in love with him, a love that produced fruit a few years later. Soon after he found out, he decided to try and pass the level 29 threshold, telling my granddaughter that he would use his success as an opening to ask for her hand in marriage. It would seem that I hadn''t done well enough at conveying how impressed I was with his growth, and he feared that I might not acquiesce to his request considering he was asking for permission after doing the deed, so to speak. I wish he had come to me then, for in truth, I would have been overjoyed that he wished to join my family in more than just name. That would have reassured me that he would stay and take care of my family after my passing. Instead, he rushed and tried to pass his threshold before my granddaughter could no longer hide her condition from the rest of us. He wasn''t ready. Luckily he wasn''t taken over by the Maya and turned into a monster, but his failure caused a lot of internal injuries. He died two days later with my granddaughter and me at his bedside. Six months later, Rana was born. This little gear devil helped us regain morale and as she grew up, she started showing an incredible amount of potential when it came to machines. In memory of her father, I decided to take her as my new successor as early as I could, and have been doing my best not to waste the limited amount of time I have left."


    "Sorry you two, Grandpa tends to ramble on when he''s had a drink. I don''t think you guys needed my whole life story."


    "Rana, show them a little bit more respect, please. They are going to live here for the next five years and Thomas is gonna be tutoring you while I undergo treatment and cannot do so myself."


    "Five years!?"


    Rana started wiping at her eyes as tears formed in their corners. She jumped at Tom and gave him a tight hug while sobbing.


    "Th-ank you so much...the last doc-tor said grandpa only had two left at the mo-ost."


    "There, there. If all goes well, five years is just a start. We managed to convince your grandpa to give breaking through his threshold another serious shot when my treatment has reached its limit. Be warned, we plan on stealing him away if he succeeds, so we can try to drag him along to the next threshold. Basically, we are forcing him out of retirement in exchange for our help. Use the next five years to learn all you can, because either way you are taking over as the head of Chrono then."


    As Tom patted Rana on the head, she calmed down and dashed away from him.


    "Sorry about that, I''m just so happy that I lost control a little. I''ll do my best, and if Grandpa leaving for a while increases his chances of staying around longer later, I''m all for it. I''m planning on taking what Grandpa teaches me to surpass him someday, so please force him to be as high a target for me as you can."


    Dhruvah, who had remained silent for the last few minutes, decided to participate.


    "Don''t be too happy just yet. Your grandpa offered half of his company in exchange for Tom''s help but Tom refused. You see, it has been a couple centuries since Tom has taken a wife, and if you were going to inherit the company, rather than take 50%, he might as well marry you and become co-owner. Your grandfather agreed, and so now you get to know your betrothed during tutoring sessions until you come of age. Sorry that you got betrothed to the prissy old fart."


    Wait what!? What in the heavens Dhruvah!? I need to quickly put an end to his joke be-


    "As long as you don''t expect me to become a housewife, and you wait until I am an adult, then I guess that''ll be the price I have to pay. At least you look rather good considering you are the same age as this old geezer who sold me off without asking my permission first."


    The three old men blinked a couple of times and laughed in unison after sharing looks.


    "Sorry, I was just pulling a prank. I thought that with you being a teenage girl and all, a surprise marriage to an old man you didn''t know might create a funny reaction."


    "Honestly I don''t really care about marriage. The only requirement I have is that my future husband, if I ever get married, doesn''t get in the way of my work. Gears and screws are where it''s at! Maybe I''ll build an automaton so advanced he''ll gain sentience, then I won''t need a husband!"


    The three men''s laughs intensified, making Rana visibly annoyed.


    "Ugh. I''m going to bed."


    Rana stomped out of the room, but with her small frame and light weight, the effect was greatly reduced, adding to the three men''s laughter. The rest of the evening went by as the three friends spoke about their near future while enjoying some food and drinks. For the next few decans, Tom would get his old friend''s treatment started, but once that bit was settled, he would need to go and formally meet a boy called Doro.

 28-This isnt even my Final Form yet!

    28-This isn''t even my Final Form yet!


    1/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Great Western Rainforest- Mid Morning


    [Evolution Completed]


    Finally!


    It had taken six long days but this message finally signaled the end of her nightly growth spurts. Emi had grown afraid of what her final height would be when she passed the six-foot mark, but she let out a sigh of relief when she saw that she had settled just a bit under seven. She recalled the ostrich-sized eagle she''d seen the first time she''d made her way above the canopy and realized that she might have caught up to it in size.


    Well...shit! With this, I definitely can''t fly under the canopy anymore...It was already getting near impossible when I made it past five feet, but now...?


    Emi spread her wings and winced at what she saw. Her wings had grown so large that if she tried hugging Arctic again, she would be making him a rather spacious tent instead. They were at least eighteen feet from end to end, maybe even twenty. Her tail, shaped like two harps stuck to each other by their shorter ends, had also grown to an impressive size. When Emi flattened it behind her, images of bridal gowns with long trains came to her mind.


    Yup, I''ve outgrown my environment. Good thing we''re heading off soon because in a forest this dense, I''d need to find a large clearing just to spread my wings wide enough to take off.


    Emi decided to see how her final size impacted her flight and started a short run-up to help her take off. Ever since she had passed the six-foot mark, taking off from a stand-still had become harder and harder and she had found that building a bit of momentum on the ground helped reduce the effort she needed. Emi climbed as high as she could before her muscles demanded a break, at which point she spread her wings out as wide as she could and started gliding.


    Damn, I can only fly up like 50 feet before I need to take a glide break...


    As her size increased, she found that actively flying had become a lot harder, but in exchange, she found herself able to sustain a glide with about as much effort as it took for her to remain standing. The sheer size of her wings compared to her relatively lightweight body, thanks to her hollow bones and the amount of her volume that was made up of light feathers, had also improved her gliding efficiency. She lost less altitude over the same distance and updrafts carried her further up than before. The wind got caught in her wings and made them billow like sails, allowing her to maintain her altitude with a scant few flaps of her wings a minute as she glided in gentle circles around the circumference of the village.


    Man, that''s one huge shadow...Let''s see how long I can keep it up.


    After about thirty minutes had gone by, Emi went down for a well-practiced landing as her muscles began growing sore from her sustained efforts. Emi thought she might be able to hold out for much longer if she went further up and caught the powerful winds above the canopy, but she didn''t feel like risking an encounter with something like the giant Eagle she had seen. She''d had to change her way of flying to accommodate her new body and did not feel confident confronting anything in the sky in her current state. She felt lucky that she didn''t have to hunt for herself because she was now way too large to hunt below the canopies the way she did in the memories she carried of her life as a regular-sized owl. With how broad-stroked and clumsy her flying had become, hunting smaller, more agile, birds above the canopy also seemed out of her reach. As she landed, a group made up of Arctic and a dozen younger monkeys crowded Emi, jumping about in excitement. These children had taken a liking to Emi''s songs and enjoyed watching her flying practices over the last few days, they had even copied Arctic and begun calling her "big sister".


    "My, isn''t someone getting popular? I might be just a bit jealous. How goes the practice?"


    "Hey Majusculus. Good news, I finally finished evolving. Any more than this and I would have needed an airport."


    Over the week she had spent in the village, Emi had talked with Majusculus about Earth. He had been curious about a lot of things Emi would say as offhand comments and had found her description of airplanes particularly interesting. He had told her that this world had multiple means of flight, but that the only mundane means he knew of were some kinds of hot air balloons that could only go where the winds led them.


    "Oh! So you can finally try that Ability of yours, the one that you were saying was useless until now."


    Emi had complained about [Anthropomorphic Form] for the last few days since she''d still been unable to activate it. Between learning about this world, preparing for the journey, and the two new Abilities she had gained when reaching level 2, she had only thought about her inactive Ability at times her lack of hands proved problematic, but that still accounted for over two dozen instances daily.


    "Thanks for reminding me. Can you guys give me a little bit of space? I''m gonna try something out. You see, I have been hiding my true form! Are you ready?"


    The young monkeys surrounding Emi took a few steps back and stared at her intently, their curiosity piqued. Emi closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she focused on picturing what she had been like in her previous life as a human.


    "[Anthropomorphic Form] !"


    Oh? I feel someth-


    Emi had just begun to feel a strange shifting sensation in her spine when her thoughts were abruptly brought to a stop; her consciousness extinguished like a suddenly blown-out candle. Outwardly, she simply appeared to be standing still with her eyes closed, but beneath her feathers, [Anthropomorphic Form] started doing its work. From the perspective of the surrounding monkeys, Emi remained standing still for nearly ten minutes with close to no perceivable change in her demeanor. The only noticeable shift was that her spine seemed to gradually straighten at a barely perceivable rate, losing a few degrees of the natural forward tilt of her avian body. The change was so minor, however, that it simply seemed like Emi was growing uncomfortable and correcting her posture.


    -ing weird. Huh? Did it stop?


    Her ability seemingly ran its course, and Emi''s thought process resumed as if it had never been interrupted in the first place. Emi inspected her core and saw that her Ability had spent a bit over half of her previously full reserves.


    Ok, so it activated. It didn''t stop by running out of energy, since I''m not tapped out, so it should have worked.


    Emi opened her eyes and craned her neck as she gave herself a once-over.


    Must have failed somehow. I look exactly the same.


    "Something wrong? Is it still not working?"


    As Emi had opened her eyes, Majusculus seemed to assume that she''d given up and decided to take a break.


    "I''m not sure. it consumed half my energy instantly and then didn''t seem to do anything else."


    Emi started scratching the top of her head as she tried to figure out what had gone wrong. A moment later she noticed a look of surprise on the faces of the surrounding monkeys as they openly stared at her, their mouths agape.


    "What''s wrong? Did I miss something?"


    Majusculus, Arctic, and the young monkeys surrounding her all pointed toward the top of her head in unison. A very human-looking forearm was peeking out from her coat of feathers, ending in a fully functional hand that was in the process of scratching her scalp.


    Ooooh Yeah! I got hands Again! Although, how the hell is this anthropomorphic!? I literally just grew a pair of human arms from my bird body. I look like that little owl-girl from that one Anime about wars in ancient Chinese wars. Think her name was Karyo-something or other.


    The surrounding monkeys started chuckling as they saw what Emi had claimed to be her true form.


    "If you hadn''t told me you used an Ability, I''d have thought you were just hiding those underneath your feathers for the last week."


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    The crowd of monkeys redoubled in their laughter at that last comment, prompting Emi to defend herself.


    "What do you know? This isn''t even my final form! Probably..."


    Hehe, forget being a magical girl, I''m playing the part of a shounen villain. But now that I pay closer attention, I feel like my balance has shifted a bit.


    With the addition of two arms to help her counterbalance, and the shift in her posture, Emi found herself a lot more stable on the ground. She ran around a bit and jumped a few times before attempting some sidesteps.


    Not quite back to human, but this is a lot more comfortable. As long as I keep my wings tucked in, they don''t throw me off too much. Good thing I got a set of thick-ass thighs, otherwise I''d be a bit top-heavy with these new arms.


    "The village will get quieter after the three of you leave tomorrow. It''s a year or two earlier than I normally would have it, but since Arctic is leaving tomorrow, I have a lesson for him. Please come along as well, it will prove beneficial to you."


    "Sure, is Strong Armor Spear coming along as well?"


    "No, he has other duties that need tending before he leaves, and I already gave him this lesson when he came of age."


    Emi and Arctic left the other youths and followed Majusculus to his cabin. Majusculus and Arctic sat down as Emi discovered another upside to her recent change. Her hip bones and spine seemed to have either become more flexible, or to have rearranged themselves slightly, and she could now sit on the floor by bending her knees and hugging her legs with her newly grown arms. To her dismay, Emi had only managed to find two comfortable positions to be in as an owl. She''d had to either remain standing upright or lying face down on her stomach. Any other position had turned out either too impractical or uncomfortable to maintain for any significant amount of time. She had tried sitting on a stool Majusculus had provided a few days earlier but her body shape had proved incompatible. She now had an actual way of sitting without putting strain on her legs as she found herself able to transfer her weight to her bottom without her tailbone causing her pain.


    Maybe I just couldn''t see it because of all the feathers, but [Anthropomorphic Form] seems to do more than just give me arms. I never thought I could have missed sitting this much though. Chairs are still out of the question, because of my tail, but maybe I can try using the stool again.


    "Alright, settle down and pay attention. In this world, there are different types of energies. Depending on the definition, and on who you ask, there are between two and four. Out of the four, three can be argued to be different aspects of the same thing."


    "Bhramic, Akashic, and Maya. Bhramic energy is the pure energy that fills the world and Maya is what it becomes when it gets corrupted by strong natural or physical forces. Akashic energy is the result of using Bhramic energy to stabilize Maya into a form that doesn''t corrupt. Akashic Energy is only available to those who have been linked to the Akashic Network and have made a Choice. So out of those three, for Arctic, there is one that is incredibly difficult to use, one that would turn him into a monster over time, and one he doesn''t have access to. I don''t think I need to say it, but just in case, never try using Maya. Even if just a little bit might not seem to be a problem, if you start using even a bit too much, then you are bound to eventually lose yourself entirely. There are ways to use pure Bhramic Energy, but they are difficult to learn and those who practice them tend to guard their secrets well. If you get the opportunity, it may prove very useful to learn."


    "You might have noticed that there is still one type of energy I have not yet mentioned. That is Vital energy. Vital energy is produced by all living things, in varying quantities. This is the discipline I have strived to master. It is part of what has allowed me to live hundreds of years instead of the few dozens most members of our species last for. For those who don''t train with it, Vital energy reflects one''s physical state. If someone is sick, exhausted, or injured, it is reflected in their Vital Energy''s quantity and quality. For those who train it, the capacity and production rate can be increased. This helps practitioners enhance their physical state, be more resistant to disease, increase their stamina, speed up their natural healing, and lengthen their lifespan. Adept practitioners can also use their vitality to drastically improve certain physical abilities for short periods or single feats. Are you both still following?"


    "It''s a lot but yeah."


    Emi nodded but Arctic yawned as he answered; one of the benefits of using sign language.


    "Yes, I know all that already, I spied on you giving this lesson a few times already. Are we getting to the part where you put your hand on our backs yet?"


    Emi could see the frustration invade Majusculus''s aura as, once again, Arctic revealed how much he had been hiding. It turns out that none of the adults had caught on to the fact that Arctic had been training in secret, and that he''d had a habit of sneaking into the cabin where Majusculus kept books and other records. After finding out that he was leaving, Arctic had ceased all pretense and Majusculus had been shocked at both how much he had failed to notice, but also at how adept Arctic had proven to be with the Modern Imperial language and letters.


    "Patience! This is all new to Emi, if not to you."


    "Actually, it is not entirely new to me. Back on Earth, there were philosophical and religious groups that claimed similar things, although none of them lived for multiple centuries as far as I know. In fact, one of the lands neighboring my mother''s homeland made that concept one of their favorite genre of fiction. They called it "cultivation", but not as in tending to the fields."


    "Oh? Does Earth have Cultivators? Cultivation is one approach to Vital Energy indeed, although not one I can use. I don''t know how it was in your world, but Cultivators here are actually adept at using Bhramic, Akashic, and Vital Energy together. If you want to be a Cultivator, you either need to find a master, or get accepted in one of the Thousand Sects of Baisheng."


    Emi blinked a few times, deciding that this couldn''t be a coincidence. The name of the duchy, and the fact this world had a match for the Chinese concept of cultivation, made her suspect that at least a few of the Blessed that had made their way to this world had come from ancient China.


    "Well, let''s not get sidetracked. Although there are many approaches to Vital Energy, everyone starts the same way. You first have to learn how to sense your vital energy and how to stop your body from letting it slowly release into your surroundings. To help you learn how to sense it in a short time frame, I will be putting my palm on your back and I will send some of my own vital energy into your body. Emi, since you have access to Akashic energy, you don''t have to depend on vital energy and you could just focus on your Choice, but I would still recommend training with Arctic. In your case, Arctic, this is what you need to focus on if you want to grow stronger and live long enough to maybe become a spirit beast in the future."


    Hahahahaha! Oh my god, I''m getting flashbacks. This is basically "Nen" isn''t it? With this, will I pass the unofficial second part of the Hunter exam?


    "I don''t know what you are thinking about, but stop grinning and come here. You too Arctic."


    "Osu! Sorry Master Wing."


    Majusculus had a confused expression on his face as Emi said yet another thing that was incomprehensible to him. After half a decan''s worth of interactions, he had learned better than to waste his time asking for an explanation; he''d been burned by hour-long descriptions of unrelated tidbits that had popped into Emi''s mind. Emi''s ability to communicate through intent was working, but she had found that it did nothing to help others catch on to her pop culture references. In fact, she''d had to make sure she didn''t try to communicate anything too complex or abstract if she wanted to be fully understood by most of the tribe members. Majusculus positioned himself behind the pair and placed a hand on each of their backs. He frowned for a second as he struggled getting his hand through Emi''s dense feather coat and reassumed a concentrated expression.


    "I know you can''t answer me right now since your hands are occupied, but could you tap once with one of your fingers when you start, please?"


    Emi immediately felt a small tap on her back and started focusing inwardly.


    I don''t have an Ability I can use to trick my vital energy into moving on its own, like I do for Akashic energy, so this might end up being harder. I need to really focus on-


    Emi started feeling a strange heat diffusing through her back. It didn''t actually feel hot though, not even warmer than her body temperature, but she somehow felt as if the comfortable feeling was spreading. The slight strain she''d had in the muscles at the base of her wings ever since she''d finished her flying exercises grew less noticeable with every passing moment.


    Ok, maybe it is going to be easier than I thought.


    Emi started cycling her Akashic Energy toward the area where she was feeling the strange cozy sensation, but it didn''t appear as if the two interacted at all.


    Maybe because it''s a different type of energy they don''t interact? It could just be that you can''t control someone else''s vital energy. Let''s try a different approach. I should already have some vital energy in my body according to what he said. Rather than concentrating on where Majusculus''s energy is spreading, I should focus on the rest of my body.


    Emi focused on the parts of her body that hadn''t been affected by the warm feeling and started searching for something similar. Emi was so focused that she started reaching a sort of meditative state. All of her attention was directed inwardly and external stimuli started becoming something akin to a slight background noise. Ten minutes went by as Emi focused, but she was unable to tell if she had been at it for a minute or an hour. Emi had managed to reach this state a couple of times while practicing her Akashic Energy cycling, but due to the nature of this state, she wasn''t sure of the exact number. Sometimes she would feel as if she dozed off for a few seconds, only to realize that she had spent nearly an hour cycling. At other times just a few seconds had gone by and she wasn''t sure if she had even entered that state or just had a lapse in concentration.


    Wait, is that something?


    Emi''s meditative state came to an end as she found something. Maybe it was because Emi had identified vital energy as a sort of warmth, or because blood and Vital Energy were somewhat linked in her mind, but her blood was where she started noticing something. As blood left the area under the influence of Majusculus''s vital energy, Emi could feel it slowly return to its normal state. As she focused on the gradual decrease in the warm sensation as it traveled away from the external source, Emi was able to sense the moment his energy had completely dissipated, but she could still faintly feel something. It was hard to feel clearly, and it took her utmost concentration to keep it in focus. It wasn''t nearly as potent as what she was feeling from Majusculus, and it felt lighter, less constant. As she focused again, she could sense the faint warmth diffusing from her blood and into her muscles, then out to her skin.


    Oh? Oh! Did I do it?


    As the bit of Vital Energy she had been focusing on left her body, Emi immediately lost track of it. She did not feel down, however, as she was nearly immediately able to find more warm specks within her. Now that she had been able to sense her own Vital Energy properly once, she knew what to look for and managed to repeat her success with minimal effort. Finding herself not needing his energy as a reference point anymore, Emi took a step forward and broke contact with Majusculus''s hand.


    "Do you need to take a break? Or do you have a grasp on it already?"


    Now with a hand free, Majusculus found himself able to communicate once more.


    "I can sense little bits of the energy everywhere in my body, but it''s different from yours. It doesn''t feel like one thing but like a bunch of little independent clusters. Also, yours feels a lot...thicker? Stickier maybe? If yours is syrup, then mine feels more like dust bunnies, or dandelion seeds."


    Majusculus nodded and gave her a smile.


    "Good. Your impressions are correct, there is a qualitative difference between our Vital Energies because I have trained hard for a long time. Now try to gather those "dust bunnies" together in the center of your body. Concentrate and breathe deeply. Imagine each inhalation gathering them closer to the center of your body, then try to stop them from moving back as you exhale. Once you''ve managed to clump a few together, they should stick to each other and should start feeling heavier. Once you''ve stuck a few of those clumps together, the mass should be relatively stable and anchored. It will then start absorbing any new Vital Energy produced in that part of your body as long as you keep it there."


    "Now concentrate on keeping that mass stable, and keep sending any "dust bunnies" you can find in your body into it. You will need to keep this up until, eventually, your whole body is filled with one large cluster. That is the start of the road. Depending on the amount you practice, how healthy you are, how naturally inclined you are, and the quality of your environment, it can take anywhere between a few days and a few years to achieve. Don''t worry though, it is usually at most a matter of months, if not decans, for anyone who puts even a little bit of effort into it. For now, try to get a nice clump going somewhere as central as you can in your body. Don''t worry if it takes a few days, Strong Armor Spear is extremely talented in this aspect, as opposed to his studies, and will be there to help you practice for the first leg of your journey."


    Emi made a complicated expression as she thought over the last statement. Her relationship with Strong Armor Spear was still somewhat uneasy, and she just hoped he and Arctic would be able to get along well enough on the journey to avoid worsening their already strained relationship. Arctic could probably tell that something was going on around him, but if he did, he had decided to keep focusing on his own endeavor.


    "Alright, I''ll give it a shot. Sounds straightforward enough."

 29-Well, Ill be a Monkeys Sister!

    29-Well, I''ll be a Monkey''s Sister!


    1/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Great Western Rainforest- Noon


    "You did this on purpose, didn''t you? Was it revenge for eating all your sweet things my first day here?"


    Emi was flopping around on the ground like a fish out of water. As it turns out she was either a natural at this, or her practice cycling Akashic energy had given her a headstart, but she had managed to gather her vital energy very efficiently. In truth, she had been a little bit too efficient. She had reached her meditative state once again, and after gathering for a bit over an hour, her legs had given out. The problem had been that she had sapped away all the vital energy from her limbs as fast as it was appearing. While that was fine for her other limbs, her leg muscles had been under constant strain as she had been standing up the whole time, and the lack of vital energy had stopped them from recovering properly, resulting in the current situation. Arctic and Majusculus were chuckling as they saw Emi wiggle on the floor and Majusculus used his hands to explain what had happened to her.


    "Oh...Well, that makes sense. You said that keeping our energy from escaping would increase our stamina and natural healing, so if I kept emptying my legs before they could use any, it makes sense the opposite would happen."


    "It is also a bit my fault, I didn''t expect you to take to it this quickly. When you do this, you want to leave at least a bit behind in your extremities, and more importantly your head. It is not good to keep your head empty of vital energy for more than a couple of hours. You won''t have to worry as much about it once your cluster has spread through your entire body, as you will be able to easily move your vital energy about at that point. For now, since Arctic also finished the first step, let''s take a break and have lunch. If you stop gathering your Vital Energy for a little while and have some food, your legs should start to recover."


    Majusculus took a key out from inside a drawer and made his way to a small locked cabinet. He unlocked it and retrieved a jar filled with small orange lumps that looked similar to sugared dates. He then gave one to both Arctic and Emi, but told them not to eat them straight away.


    "Eat these after lunch and practice hard this afternoon. They don''t really do that much at my stage, but these should let you produce between five and ten days worth of your natural vital energy production over the following six hours. I would normally make you wait at least, a day so you could practice a bit more. If you can''t gather it fast enough it will leave your body on its own and just be wasted. In your case, Emi, it should be fine, but Arctic will need to try his best not to let too much go to waste this time around. I will give you both another to take with you on your journey. With these, you should easily be able to get to the first stage by the time you get out of the forest, as long as you don''t get too lazy. Let what happened serve as a lesson though. Unlike Akashic energy, you don''t have Abilities or the Network to help you. If you are not careful, you can cause yourself some serious harm. Don''t try to do anything else with your vital energy until you have learned more, and even then I recommend being careful when you proceed with something new. Until then, just practice gathering. If you want to jump ahead a little bit, then you can experiment with moving the vital energy within your cluster, but nothing else for now."


    "Gotcha. Actually, now that I have hands, why don''t you let me prepare lunch as thanks? I can do at least this much."


    ---


    "Not too bad, if I dare say so myself. Fairly simple, but I''m sure Meg would approve."


    Emi had told Arctic and Majusculus that the first and main goal of her journey was to find her two friends who had also been brought to this world. Emi hadn''t really been into cooking and had relied heavily on the convenient and cheap nature of Japanese fast food and convenience stores for most of her previous life. After they had moved in together, Megan had not approved and had made sure that Emi could at least cook some simple healthy dishes. The tribe having so many competent farmers and gatherers meant Emi had a lot of different herbs, vegetables, mushrooms, fruits, and nuts, but she had one major limitation. As it turned out, the tribe did not raise any cattle because they attracted large predators. That meant no eggs, no dairy, and that the only meat available came from wild game. She found that out when she learned that they would not have horses for their journey as the tribe normally pulled carts loaded with trade goods by hand, all the way to other settlements.


    After spending half a decan in the village, she had learned more about their culture. As it turns out, their species was known as "Mimic Macaques", and this was not their only village. The Majusculus tribe was one of the few that maintained relations with the Empire; they served as a trading link for some of the other tribes deeper in the forest. Majusculus had told her that if she went far enough south, the forest would turn into a tropical jungle, but that even there some tribes had managed to flourish, although their culture was slightly different as they had been forced to assume a nocturnal lifestyle to survive. On the other hand, if she went west in the opposite direction from Ashrama, she would reach a deadly salty swamp that their species had not managed to survive in. If she went North instead, she would spend weeks traveling through the dense forest until she either reached a huge river or the ocean it flowed into. This information reassured Emi that going East into the Duchy of Ashrama, and the Empire proper, was not only the safest option but also the one most likely to help her with her goals.


    "Not bad. I wasn''t sure about it when you started crushing the walnuts, but I like the result."


    Emi had used some vegetable oil, flour, and crushed walnuts to lightly coat thin slices of venison. She had then put a thin coating of vegetable oil inside what looked like a stone wok before sauteing some sliced mushrooms and diced onions inside of it. After a couple of minutes, she pushed the contents of the wok away from the center and started frying the coated venison slices in the space she had cleared up. While she''d waited for one side to cook, she''d picked a large cabbage and chopped it up into thin strips. After flipping the pieces of meat and waiting for them to cook evenly on the other side, she plated them and added the crunchy cabbage strips on top before squeezing a small citrus fruit onto them. She then placed the onion and mushroom medley next to the coated venison.


    "What do you think Arctic?"


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Arctic had been opening up over the course of the week, but he was still getting used to people involving him in conversations. When the two of them were alone, he was very talkative, but as soon as other people were around, he would take a step back and observe. Emi decided it would be in his best interest if she were to try and involve him more in group conversations.


    "It smells nice. Better than when I try. I''ll tell you more after I have some."


    Majusculus and Arctic started eating the dish they had been presented with and it appeared they were enjoying it by the speed at which they were eating it.


    Not bad but I could really use either some mayonnaise or some miso. No eggs though and I only vaguely know how miso is made. Not like I saw any soybeans or have the time for the process. At least all the ingredients are fresh and I didn''t mess up anywhere, so this turned out pretty nice. The venison is a bit strong, but the cabbage and that lime-looking fruit are helping. Other spices like pepper could have helped, but at least they had salt and flour.


    "The mushrooms are okay but the meat is super tasty. I really like how crunchy it is with the nuts and cabbage on top."


    The great thing about talking with sign language was that a mouthful of food was in no way an obstacle. Emi had been surprised by how quickly the tribe went through meals when she first noticed it. Since they did not need to stop eating to have a conversation, they naturally took fewer breaks from eating as they were able to keep talking unimpeded.


    At least Arctic is pleased enough. Let''s see how a three-hundred-year-old who has traveled this world reacts to my cooking.


    Emi started staring at Majusculus intently until he seemed to catch on to what she wanted.


    "Yes. Arctic is right. I like the crunchiness too."


    Guess three-hundred-year-old people are just people huh? Way to destroy the image I had of immortals.


    Because Emi looked let down by his comment, Majusculus decided to praise her some more.


    "Yes, I would say this is quite flavorsome. You did very well."


    Majusculus had no way of knowing it, but that had actually contributed more to the issue. She had expected Majusclus to say something like "You have some potential but this cannot match..." or something else along those lines. Maybe she had watched too much anime and her expectations were warped, but Emi felt that he had been a bit too easy to please.


    "Thank you. I just did a version of a dish from my homeland with the ingredients I had at hand. Turned out quite different from usual, but I''m happy that you both like it."


    "Let me give you some information while we eat. Once you leave the forest you should end up in a village under the jurisdiction of the Ashram of Inspiration. it is one of the five great Ashrams that govern the Duchy of Ashrama. Since I am technically a registered citizen of the Empire, and the leader of this village, we are currently under their jurisdiction right now. Since the other tribe members aren''t citizens, and I don''t personally produce anything, we aren''t taxed, but we actually don''t count as a settlement of the Empire. The way the Empire sees it, I am an old hermit who lives in the wilderness with his pets."


    "Since you are a true spirit beast and were born in the Empire, you will also be granted citizenship if you request it personally. However, you will only be granted the same rights as a child at first. If you wish to enter a major settlement of the Empire, you will need to find a guarantor who will be legally responsible for you until you prove your capacity to follow the laws. The only requirement for quasi-spirit beasts and true spirit beasts to be recognized by the empire as more than simple beasts is to have the ability to request it. That can be done in writing, by voice, by telepathy, or by any other means as long as you can express you have the desire to do so, and the mental faculty to understand what that means. Even as a true spirit beast, you will require a guarantor for your first nine years living in settlements. The same nine years children of the Empire spend before being given the same right, only you start that countdown later in life. As a Blessed, that wouldn''t normally be a problem, but here''s the catch. You didn''t really have much of a choice when it came to me, but I have kept the fact that you are a Blessed secret from all but Strong Armor Spear and Arctic. You could become a full-fledged citizen immediately if you disclosed that bit of information, but I recommend you keep your identity a secret and try to act as if you were a normal spirit beast."


    "Not many would do you harm simply because you are a Blessed, but many would attempt to capture you and try to take advantage of your knowledge. It is a well-known fact that Blesseds have memories from a life spent in one of the waning worlds and tend to have knowledge new to this world. Some cannot resist the temptation. I will write a letter for you and give you a token. If you show them at the Ashrama of Inspiration, or one of their settlements, they should register you as a member of my family. The letter explains that I have taught you to some extent. As long as you don''t mess up too much, it should help explain how you are already familiar with the way people behave. Spirit beasts who make contact with people for the first time don''t usually have your knowledge of civilization."


    "Leader. Both Emi and I finished eating a few minutes ago. Are you going to keep telling us stuff for a long time or can we go back to practicing?"


    Majusculus put his hand on his face and sighed as Emi stifled a giggle.


    "Patience is important Arctic. This information is necessary for Emi and you to travel safely. I will also have a letter and a token for you to register with. I also have one for Strong Armor Spear, but I need to finish it once he has decided on an official name. I''m going to put in "Emi" and "Arctic" for the two of you, is that fine?"


    Oh right, I don''t actually have to stick with "Emi" if I don''t want to. I could register as "Chuck Norris"...


    "Big sis gave me this name. I like it. No problem."


    "I''ll go with Emi as well, maybe it will help my friends find me."


    "Oh and also, since you will be registering as members of my family, you will be given my family name."


    Emi was curious because she didn''t know Majusculus had a last name.


    "What is it?"


    "Majusculus."


    "Oh Sorry, I thought I was calling you by your first name this whole time. So... what is your name?"


    "Majusculus."


    Emi blinked in confusion as Majusculus smiled at her.


    "I am registered as "Majusculus Majusculus, leader of the Majusculus tribe"."


    "You do realize ink isn''t free? My hand is cramping at the thought of having to sign a large contract with that name. My homeland is pretty famous for having some names and titles that are quite a mouthful, to the point it was common for families to have a stamp made, but you are putting up a good fight. At least my name is only three letters, Emi Majusculus is a more reasonable length."


    Emi tried to keep her tone light as she made a few jokes, but inside, her emotions were in turmoil. She''d enjoyed the younger monkeys calling her "Big Sister", but she had not expected how much being officially adopted into this family would mean to her.


    Hold back the tears! It is Arctic''s Last day before he leaves home, let''s not make this about me.


    "Anyhow, we can talk more over dinner so I''ll let you both get back to practicing since Arctic seems motivated. If your legs are still recovering, the candied kumquat should help. I will go make myself useful around the village, you two stay in here and work hard over the next six hours."

 30-Look at my hands when I sign to you!

    30-Look at my hands when I sign to you!


    1/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Great Western Rainforest- Evening


    "What is Arctic doing?"


    Majusculus had returned to his cabin, after approximately six hours had gone by, and looked perplexed by what he came upon. Arctic was vigorously doing jumping jacks with his eyes closed as Emi cheered him on. Emi was currently using her voice to play the baseline of "Eye of the Tiger" as Arctic did his best to match the rhythm. Emi stopped her accompaniment as she noticed Majusculus.


    "Keep going bud, the effect of the kumquat should end soon since it stopped five minutes ago for me. Hey again Majusculus, how was the afternoon?"


    "Busy but productive. Would you care to provide an explanation as to what Arctic is doing?"


    Emi chuckled as she explained what jumping jacks were. Majusculus seemed not to feel that this answered his question appropriately, so Emi went on to explain what had happened more clearly.


    "Well, we decided I should take my kumquat first so that I could tell him what to expect. About ten minutes after I ate mine Arctic took his, but it was too effective for the speed at which he was able to gather. Then, I had a thought. If he was going to lose the surplus energy anyway, he might as well try to take advantage of it another way. So I taught him a simple exercise that he could do while he concentrated on gathering, and he has been doing them for nearly six hours. He was doing them a lot faster at first but he ended up slowing down as his gathering sped up."


    Majusculus facepalmed as her explanation ended, an aggrieved look on his face.


    "Seriously? What is the one thing I told you? Don''t try to get creative and just gather for now. Luckily this isn''t going to be a problem, but honestly, do you even look at my hands when I am talking?"


    Emi started feeling a bit guilty as she got admonished, but she could not help from being amused by how [Comunicative Intent] had translated the last sentence.


    "Oh...uh...my bad?"


    Emi attempted to take a cutesy pose as she tilted her head to one side and put a hand to the side of her head, but it didn''t appear to be working, judging by the unchanged expression on Majusculus''s face. Emi straightened up and decided to take it more seriously.


    "Yeah, no. Sorry. I thought it was safe but you''re right. I''ve just learned how to sense my own vital energy so I should listen to you since you have a lot more experience. There could have been something I didn''t know about and I could have made Arctic waste the kumquat, or worse. I''ll be more careful."


    Majusculus''s expression softened as he put a hand on Emi''s shoulder.


    "As long as you understand. It might have wasted a bit of the kumquat, but nothing too drastic. In truth practicing how to gather while moving is a good exercise as eventually, you will have to learn how to gather without thinking about it. Also, and please see this, do not eat the second kumquat before at least a full day has gone by or you will dearly regret it."


    Majusculus put a thumb up and closed his other hand around. He then pulled the thumb out and fluttered his hand while blowing a raspberry. Emi shuddered as [Communicative Intent] translated that gesture for her, although she would have understood what it meant without its help.


    "Yup. Not gonna do that."


    Arctic suddenly stopped doing jumping jacks and sprawled himself out on the floor, panting heavily.


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    "Good work. I imagine the two of you must be hungry after all that effort, especially Arctic. Why don''t we go have dinner with some other member of the tribe outside, the sky is clear and it''s quite warm by the fire in the center of the village. Let''s have a nice meal outside as a send-off."


    Emi felt hesitant at the suggestion. She got along well with the younger tribe members but most of the adults still seemed to avoid her somewhat.


    "Are you sure? I think I still make some of the others uneasy. I''m fine here with just the three of us really."


    "Nonsense. Yes, some of the tribe members don''t really know how to act around you, but that is mostly because they are ashamed. They don''t have a problem with you, it''s more that they feel guilty you had to step in and yell some sense into us. Even Strong Armor Spear told me he doesn''t dislike you, so don''t fret."


    Emi looked down toward Arctic, but the young monkey didn''t seem to care either way.


    "I want to be with big sis, but I''m ok with eating outside."


    I still feel awkward after what I did on the first day, but if Arctic is willing to brave the tribe, what excuse do I have? Plus, he won''t get to see them for a long time after we leave tomorrow. Maybe this is not a bad idea.


    Emi resigned herself and nodded once.


    "Let''s go then. Even though I was mostly sitting around, gathering made me quite hungry, so I imagine you must be close to starving after all that jumping around."


    Arctic smiled and nodded back at her as Majusculus started making his way to the door. Arcti and Emi followed him out the door and, immediately, Emi could tell something was off. The village was quiet, too quiet. It was still early in the evening, and the sun had yet to completely set, but Emi could not see any movement around them other than that caused by the wind. Emi''s heart rate sped up and her body produced a spike of adrenaline as she began imagining the worst. One look at Majusculus''s back was enough to snap her out of her paranoid delusions. His aura was oozing giddiness, and she was able to imagine the impish grin that was hidden from her and Arctic.


    Oh? A surprise party? You may be three hundred, but you are a hundred years too early to pull one over me. Just you wait and see...hehehe.


    Emi tried to act as casually as she could, so as to not let on that she had figured out the surprise. She had an evil plan in mind and it required them to believe they had gotten her, but truth be told, she also didn''t want to ruin the surprise for Arctic. Emi readied herself as the trio rounded the corner of the last cabin blocking the center of the village from their view. Suddenly a large number of monkeys, some small, some big, some in between, stomped down on the floor with all their weight as they stared in the trio''s direction with smiles on their faces. The synchronous stomp made a tremor run through the ground, that traveled up Emi''s legs, followed by a loud audible thump nearly immediately after. Arctic appeared to be startled for a brief moment of surprise before the beginning of a smile started forming on his face.


    That was when Emi struck.


    "AHAaaAAahhhhh!"


    Emi let out a loud scream as she theatrically clutched at her chest feathers and jerked backward. She did her best to remain as rigid as she could, resolved not to visibly react to whatever small amount of pain her fall would cause, and forced her eyes to remain as wide open as they could as she let herself fall back flat on the floor. Then, for the final touch, she stuck out her tongue and let it drop limply to one side.


    Huh? That was less painful than I expected. Guess that even though I''m so big, I''m still pretty light, and between my feather coat and my wings, I had a lot of cushioning. Still, I think I pulled off the Wilhelm scream magnificently if I dare say so myself.


    Emi was motionless on the dirt, a vacant look in her eyes as she focused on a faraway patch of the sky, keeping her beak slightly open. She held her breath and waited. At first; complete silence. Everyone was apparently so shocked that they had frozen in place, smiles still awkwardly on their faces. Then she heard footsteps approaching, a lot of footsteps, rapidly. The sounds of the tribe panicking reached her ears as Majusculus kneeled to her side with his aura and his face both displaying terror. Emi was going to keep it going a few more seconds but then Arctic came into her view. His eyes were starting to glint and Emi could see he was on the verge of tears.


    Shit! Didn''t think that one through. I thought most would catch on to the joke. I mean, I''m literally clutching the chest feathers on the outside of my coat. That''s like half a foot away from my actual chest.


    Emi decided she had to cut her act short and blinked once before getting back on her feet nonchalantly. Slowly, the panicked faces of the tribe started changing as they realized Emi had been putting on an act. A few looked amused and smiled. Some looked tired, as if the wind had suddenly been taken out of their sails. Many just seemed relieved and ready to move on. The problem was that some did not fit in any of these three groups. Those were the ones who felt irked that their plan had backfired, and those who were angry because they had genuinely been scared. Emi decided to try and play it off cool.


    "So, uh, what''s for dinner? I''m so hungry I could...die?"


    Emi saw a tomato arc its way through the air toward her, but it was too late for her to dodge. She tried putting a hand up to catch it before it could splatter on her face, but she was suddenly hugged from behind, her arms pinned down. The Tomato flew true and hit its mark before splattering its gooey guts all over Emi''s face. Emi slowly turned her head around, an exaggerated look of shock plastered on her face. Arctic was standing there with a smile that showed how pleased he was with himself.


    "Sorry big sis, you made me think you died. I was so sad that I needed to hug you when I saw you were alive."


    Emi wasn''t sure if he was doing something with how he was signing to indicate it, but her Ability was translating that last bit with a thick layer of sarcasm. Having enjoyed a bit of schadenfreude, the rest of the tribe seemed to return to a jovial mood as Emi did her best at scraping the tomato off her face.

 31-Is it Copyright Infringement if in another World?

    31-Is it Copyright Infringement if in another World?


    1/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Great Western Rainforest- Evening


    "So, you made us eat the first kumquat today to buy enough time to set this up? How shrewd."


    Emi was looking around at what basically amounted to a festival, her belly full and her spirits high. All the tribe members had helped set up the farewell dinner. Some had gone from cabin to cabin to get tables to arrange them around the bonfire while others were busy preparing their specialty side dishes. A group, led by Strong Armor Spear, had gone out to hunt and had brought back two large boars which another group butchered before converting the bonfire into a grilling pit. It had reminded Emi of the handful of family backyard barbeques she had attended after moving to America. Emi nibbled at the last bit of her honey-roasted potato and decided she couldn''t swallow another bite.


    "This was great Majusculus. I''m happy I was able to get along with some of the adults that were dodging me. Honestly, it actually makes me look forward to visiting in the future. So...what do you have planned for entertainment?"


    Most of the tribe members seemed to be in about the same state as Emi, and although a few were grouping up to play a dice-like game with small animal bones, most of the others seemed content with sitting back and having slow discussions.


    "Well, you can always play bones if you feel so inclined. I''m going to have one of the few cigars I saved up and drink some of my special tea. If you ask around, I''m sure you can find some homebrewed fruit alcohol, some in the tribe enjoy it occasionally."


    Since Arctic had jammed with her during her first night in this world, Emi had originally assumed that the tribe had some sort of musical culture despite their lack of voice. It turned out she had been wrong. It wasn''t that music was forbidden, but the inability to sing or hum seemed to have impeded their cultural development in that regard.


    "Hey Majusculus, do you have two empty pots, two ropes, and some deerskin laying about?"


    Majusculus seemed confused by Emi''s shopping list but sent someone to fetch the items she requested.


    "What are you going to do with those?"


    "You said Mimic Macaques were good at picking up skills quickly, so I am going to teach you all something that can make nights like this more fun in the future. With Arctics''s help."


    A pair of tribe members approached the table, a few minutes later, with what Majusculus had sent them to fetch.


    "I normally use the deerskin to make vellum for my books. This one hasn''t gone through the whole drying process yet so it should still be somewhat flexible. We don''t have any raw deer hide at the moment, but I do have some fully processed vellum if that is better."


    "No, I think this will do the trick nicely. I''m not making something permanent just showing you a basic version. If you like it, I''m sure you can figure out improvements. Can you stretch the deerskin over the opening of the pot, please? Pull it tight but be careful not to rip it."


    Majusculus did as instructed and Emi started using the rope to make a series of criss-crossing knots to hold the deerskin in place while losing as little tension as possible. The second pot being identical to the first, Emi repeated the process after filling it part way up with water, to produce a different sound. Emi then called Arctic over and showed him how the sound would change whether he struck the rim, the central section, or the section between the two.


    "I''m not sure how tough these skins are, so use your hands instead of sticks for tonight, it will be softer, but at least you won''t pierce through by mistake. I''ll give you a couple minutes to get used to it then how about you help me with a song?"


    Arctic nodded and spent the next few minutes discovering his new instrument.


    "Drums? I''ve seen smaller ones that are carried and played while marching, or much larger sideways drums, but I have to admit I haven''t seen drums paired up like this before."


    "Well these are a bit big since I didn''t specify the size of pot I wanted but this is my take on bongos. An instrument from Earth that is often played outside around bonfires. Although they are usually meant to be small enough to be carried on your lap. what mood are you in for the first song? Something slow and peaceful, or something more lively?"


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Majusculus seemed to think it over but then just told Emi to go with her gut. Arctic gave her a sign, to tell her he was ready, and the two approached the fire before turning their back to it.


    "Alright everyone, gather up on this side of the fire! Arctic and I are going to perform a few songs for you."


    The occasion kind of calls for "Furusato", "Save Tonight" by Eagle Eye Cherry, and "Country Roads" by John Denver, but those are better saved as a finisher. I''ll tweak some lyrics here and there like "West Virginia" to "West Ashrama" and it should fit just right. What to start with though? I kinda want to bring the mood up a bit, and maybe have a little bit of dancing before I break out the nostalgia bombs. Oh wait, I know an upbeat song that fits this situation.


    Emi popped a node into existence above her head, using [The World is a Soundstage], and used [Persistent Memories of the Blessed] and [Onomancy] to have the node begin playing an instrumental track that had never failed to put a smile on her face. While practicing with her Abilities over the last six days, she''d noticed that although she needed to remain concentrated for the whole duration she was using [Onomancy] on its own, she could queue songs into the node like a karaoke machine. This freed her attention and allowed her to use [Onomancy] to add effects to her singing on the fly.


    "I want to thank you all for taking me in when I was alone. I have a song from very far away that I believe you can all relate to right now. This song represents the glimmer of hope one sees after getting over difficult times."


    The node started playing the bass line to " I Can See Clearly Now" and Arctic tentatively started getting in sync with the rhythm as Emi began to sing.


    Damn....! Is that really me singing?


    Emi had always been fairly talented when it came to singing, but she had never put in enough structured practice in her previous life. Between learning how to play different instruments, how to compose music on the pc, how to do audio post-production, and how to work recording and broadcasting equipment, Emi hadn''t had a lot of time left to take proper lessons under a vocal coach. She had a good ear and a lot of musical knowledge, that made up for a lot of the training which she didn''t have, but some of her soloist friends had put her to shame. Now though? Emi sang with a voice that she might have maybe achieved had she given up all those other skills and concentrated on singing alone. She was amazed by the sounds coming out of her, but that was nothing compared to the reaction of the tribe.


    [Communicative Intent] was functioning at full force, the meaning of her song was clearly translated, and one the new Abilities she had gotten from reaching level two was working overtime. [Share my joys, Share my pains] allowed Emi to project her current emotional state and induce it in willing targets. Although Emi had never been as good at some when it came to singing, or playing any one specific instrument, there was one thing that she had always excelled at. Emi knew how to truly feel her music. She would let herself get swept by the emotions that the music was creating within her and let that trance-like state enhance her performance. She wasn''t at her technical best during those moments, but her performances felt more real, more heartfelt than many of her more skillful peers. Now though, she had the best of both worlds, and the crowd was caught in the emotional current with her.


    ---


    So much for dancing...


    Emi had lost sight of her original plan and followed " I Can See Clearly Now" by a couple songs that Phill Collins had written and performed for a Disney movie. At some point, she noticed that her energy was starting to run low and decided to finish the evening with the three songs she''d thought of earlier. While her version of "Country Roads"; "Forest Roads", and the unchanged "Save Tonight" had been popular with the crowd, her last song was the biggest hit. "Furusato" was a song that nearly every single Japanese person had learned as a child, and it was the one Emi had the strongest emotional attachment to. As she sang the song, she remembered scenes from her childhood. When her mother was still alive and her father had yet to escape from reality by burying himself into work. Back when her maternal grandparents had still been alive and well in a small village deep in the mountains of Izu. The carefree happiness she had felt then, and the knowledge that it was doomed to remain nothing but a distant memory, had mixed and turned into a bittersweet feeling that traveled through the crowd. Arctic had needed to stop playing before the song was over because his tears were getting in the way, forcing him to wipe his face more and more frequently.


    After Emi finished her performance, the tribe of sniffling monkeys made their way to their respective cabins and turned in for the night.


    "Big sis, I''m going to spend the night with the other young ones since I won''t be seeing them for a long time. Thank you for the songs. The truth is I was happy about leaving because I don''t have many good memories in the tribe, but thanks to tonight, I''ll have at least one great memory to make me wanna come back someday. Goodnight."


    Emi patted Arctic on the head and sent him on his way before heading back with Majusculus.


    "There is a lot we could still talk about, and a lot of questions I''d like to ask about your old world, but the hour is getting late and you are starting a long journey tomorrow. You should turn in for the night, I still need to finish writing the letters, but I won''t be long either."


    "Sure, but I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate all you have done for me. I was lost and alone in this confusing world and although I can be a handful at times, and that I caused a bit of a mess, you and Arctic still helped me out. You are even accepting me in your family without asking for anything in return. While I''m on my adventure with Arctic, I will keep an eye out for any information I can find that might help you transition to a full spirit beast. I can''t promise I''ll find anything, but if I do I will send you word immediately."


    Majusculus looked away from Emi so that she couldn''t see his face anymore and replied.


    "You really are intent on making a grown monkey cry, aren''t you? I appreciate your feelings, but you earned a spot in this tribe. Not only did you help us out of a tricky situation, but you also made me realize how much I was missing. What is the point of living hundreds of years if I don''t go about actually living? Also, you are the one who accepted taking care of my grandchild without asking for anything in return, so I am the one who owes you thanks."


    A young owl and an old monkey walked side by side in silence, looking away from each other to hide the tears that were streaming down their faces, both underestimating how much what they had done meant for the other.


    After splitting from Majusculus, Emi decided that a short stroll would help with her digestion and headed back toward the center of the village.


    *scritch*


    "Show yourself, I know you are following me!"


    Emi spun her head until it faced directly behind her. One of the younger adult monkeys, who looked like they had just recently come of age, smiled at Emi with a toothy grin. He started sloppily performing a series of signs and all sense of urgency left Emi as fast as it had come.


    "After-Party? Secret stash of booze? Show me the way!"


    As they say, old habits die hard. It turns out that even dying at a party had not sufficed to make Emi change her ways. As she was oft to do, she would regret her decision in the morning, but that was tomorrow''s Emi''s problem.

 32- In civilized company, cover your Twig and Plums

    32- In civilized company, cover your twig and plums.


    2/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Great Western Rainforest- Late morning


    "Strong Armor Spear! You three are leaving in an hour, you need to choose a name so I can fill out the last bit of the letter!"


    Quiet down Grandpa! My head.....Shouldn''t have gone to the afterparty.


    The three had finished packing up and loading their provision onto a pushcart and were just getting the final preparations out of the way, so that they could be ready to leave after a quick meal, when Majusculus came running in.


    "Emi you choose. You choose for Arctic so can choose for me. Or leader choose. Can''t decide."


    "Well I can give you some ideas, but it would be better if you decided on one yourself. I''m still hungover from last night, so might not be too helpful. What kind of feeling do you want your name to give."


    Strong Armor Spear scratched his head as he pondered over Emi''s question.


    Well, if you left it entirely to me, you''d end up with a pun, or reference, for a name. I would have taken it more seriously for Arctic if I had known it would become official. Luckily he likes it.


    "Not sure. Something strong but kind. Like Big Brother. Also, headache your fault. Need be stupid accept drinking duel with Iron Liver. He strongest stomach in tribe, test for poison when need."


    "Yeah, I know now, he only introduced himself after we''d started. At that point, I was already too drunk to make good decisions. When it comes to your name, to tell you the truth, the first time I saw you I was reminded of an old legend from my homeworld. There was this powerful monkey who had a flaw in his character that brought him great trouble. He was forced on a journey where he had to protect a monk on his mission and grew into a kinder, better person. I can''t remember the original ending, but I think he eventually became a benevolent immortal after finishing his journey. His name was Sun Wukong, the monkey king."


    Strong Armor Spear''s eyes started to twinkle as he listened to Emi with rapt attention.


    "I choose! My name is Sun Hanukong!"


    Sun Hanukong wrote the name down in the dirt, using the butt of his spear, as he had no way of spelling it with sign language. At this point in time, Emi was unaware of the cultural atrocity she had just committed, as she didn''t know of the legend of Hanuman from which Hanu had originally chosen his name.


    "There you go, getting another of my descendants to pick a strange name..."


    "You are one to talk, your name is Majusculus Majusculus... I''ll admit Sun Hanukong is a bit more peculiar than I''d anticipated, but it''s in no way worse. Nothing wrong with Arctic as a name either, well aside from it being a bit hard to pronounce. If we left it to you he would have ended up being called something like "Minusculus"."


    "Yes leader. I choose. It is done. I don''t want the name Emi say last."


    Majusculus face-palmed and then told the three to follow him back to his cabin.


    "We trade goods directly for other goods, so I don''t have many Imperial Marks left, but here is something to help you start your journey."


    Majusculus handed a gold Imperial Mark to each of his young charges as he explained that it should cover somewhere between one and two months of food and lodging each, if they were to spend them intelligently. He then retrieved a newly bound vellum booklet and handed it to Emi.


    "This contains the next steps in your lessons on body tempering, some general information, and the common price of a few different items to help you understand the value of currency, so you don''t get scammed. I know you don''t speak Imperial yet, and that your translation Ability only works on text while you see it being written, so have Arctic read it and sign it out for you. Now for the last thing."


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Majusculus retrieved three sculpted wooden pendants attached to silky thin white ropes.


    "This is the symbol of the Majusculus tribe, a capital M with an open book underneath and a pair of scales above. The rope is made from my fur and treated with vital energy. It is quite strong and will become almost invisible when worn, taking on the color of what is beneath it. It isn''t anything fancy, but a reminder that you all have a home waiting for you here when you need it."


    "We did enough crying last night old man, don''t get us started again."


    Majusculus smiled at Emi as he set three wooden bowls filled, with some root vegetable soup, and a loaf of dark bread on the table.


    "Too true. Here have lunch and be on your way. You need to leave soon if you want to make it to the first shelter by nightfall. It would normally take a fully loaded convoy a full day to get there, but, since the three of you are only taking basic necessities and rations for the journey, you should be able to make it there faster. One last thing."


    Majusculus turned towards Arctic and tossed a simple linen robe and a cord to him.


    "Put that on and tie the robe around your waist with the cord before you get to a settlement. Emi is fine because her feather coat covers all the important bits, and more, but your fur is not long enough to hide your growing twig and plums. The people of the empire tend to frown upon people not covering their lower bits, at the very least. Strong Armor Spear is an adult, so he and I already had the talk, but I''m sure you noticed all the adults start wearing a loincloth after they come of age. Things can get distracting and in the way of work otherwise. Here are also some sandals for you. You haven''t journeyed long distances on foot before, if you don''t wear those, your feet are sure to get very sore."


    Yeah, he''s got a point. People in an inn might not enjoy seeing his sausage and beans swinging as they have their meal. Gives "dinner and a show" a whole new meaning.


    "Anything else any of you want to say before you go?"


    Emi thought for a second and then answered.


    "Yes. You just called Sun Hanukong "Strong Armor Spear". Since he chose a name, you should use it. Sorry, just being a bit difficult so you don''t miss me too much after I''m gone."


    "Think you are smart? I can''t call him by that name with my hands because we haven''t had the time to come up with a unique sign for it. Come back when you''ve grown at least half as smart as me and not before!"


    Majusculus teased Emi a bit as she winced.


    Damn, he got me. I hate leaving on a loss...but we gotta go.


    Emi had thought that they would be able to simply leave at this point, but most of the tribe members who weren''t attending to time-sensitive tasks had grouped up for a last farewell. Their plan for a tear-free farewell had failed, as by the time they had passed through the gate and into the forest, the three travelers all had watering eyes.


    "I no cry...Is dust."


    "Sure, sure, big guy, and I got attacked by onion-cutting ninjas."


    Arctic turned to Emi, his eyes now filled with as much glittering excitement as tears.


    "Wait! Big Sis''s world has ninjas too? So cool!"


    Did he just say "too"!?


    "How do you know about ninjas?"


    "Our leader told us a story where he met one on his travels, and one of our tribes of cousins in the jungle train in something called "Ninjutsu". Maybe we''ll see a ninja on our adventure."


    "Meh. If we see them, then they can''t really be that good at being ninjas right?"


    "Even a bad ninja is more interesting than just another warrior with a spear."


    Sun Hanukong appeared to take offense to that statement as he took a brief pause from pushing the cart.


    "Stop talk stupid or you want take turn push now? Then I walk behind show you if spear too boring for you. No worry I no use sharp end."


    Arctic turned toward Emi, hoping that she would come to his defense, but this time she decided to agree with the enemy.


    "You know, he has two good points. First, I''d rather have to fight a bad ninja I can see coming than a good warrior with a spear. His second good point is at the end of his stick."


    Sun Hanukong smiled and pulled the cart with a little more pep in his step, until Emi continued speaking.


    "Then, since he already has the pointy spear bit covered, you should start worrying as soon as he becomes a good warrior."


    Sun Hanukong nearly tripped as this sudden betrayal hit him right in the vanity. The vindicative smile on Arctic''s face betrayed exactly how he felt about this exchange.


    "I can say what I want. Since I''m not strong or heavy enough to pull the cart, you can''t threaten me with that punishment."


    Sun Hanukong''s aura started displaying signs of exhaustion as Emi found a loophole in what was probably his only plan for retribution.


    "I''m just teasing. Don''t worry I''ll make sure that Arctic and I don''t slack off in our body tempering practice, so you won''t be the only one working hard. Arctic, get ready, since we are not using our arms, we have no excuse for not gathering as much as we can from them for now."


    Thus, the strange trio made their way east through the forest. One of them was preparing himself for the challenges ahead. Another was imagining a new world he had only ever dreamed of before. The last? She was busy checking over her shoulder every few minutes, just to make sure ninja monkeys weren''t secretly following them.

 33-This Uncle wants me to call him Elder Brother?

    33-This Uncle wants me to call him Big Brother?


    2/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Great Western Rainforest- Afternoon


    "Damn you Iron Liver!"


    Arctic chuckled at his big sister''s self-inflicted condition as he pulled the cart. Emi appeared to have recovered from the previous night''s festivities before they had departed, but the sustained physical effort had proved too much for her weakened state and the symptoms had reappeared.


    "Your fault. Stop cry and walk. You no have to pull, easy life."


    "Meh, would you rather I leave you and Arctic alone? I''m the all-important buffer I''ll have you know! With all the mental fatigue it is causing me, feel lucky I don''t jump on the cart and have you pull me. Are we stopping for a rest soon?"


    A vein started throbbing on a section of Sun Hanukong''s forehead that wasn''t covered by his fur as Emi pushed his patience to its limit.


    "You stop asking. Take rest when stop for day. You see shelter? No ask again until answer is yes."


    "Shelter? Fancy. Thought we were going to be roughing it."


    "Forest floor dangerous at night. Tribe build shelters and path. Lots of work keep good during storm seasons."


    Emi remembered some scenes from back on Earth that showed unpracticable forests. Between huge swathes of fallen trees, flooded lowlands, and unpredictable mudslides, storms could cause a lot of damage to this kind of environment. Emi sidled closer to Sun Hanukong and used one of her newly reacquired hands to pat him on the head.


    "Thank you for your efforts Uncle Hanukong. Without the road, this would be a much tougher journey. Also, have you been studying extra hard in preparation for our journey? I feel like you got more fluent. "


    Sun Hanukong jerked his head to the side and looked away, avoiding eye contact. The blood rushing to his face turned his complexion into a healthy shade of pink, matching the color of the aura he was exuding at the moment.


    Man, this guy is such a softy. Is this what they call "gap moe"?


    "Please call me "Big Brother" not "Uncle". I only 25. You say you over 20 yes?"


    Emi nearly stumbled as Sun Hanukong dropped that bombshell of a request.


    He wants me to call him "oni chan"? My opinion of him did improve, and I was technically adopted into his family...ooh I know!


    "Sure, I''ll call you "Big Brother", if you start calling Arctic "Little Brother". Since he started calling me "Big Sister" first after all. Also, avoid asking ladies about their ages, unless you want to offend them."


    Sun Hanukong''s face started twisting upon itself, like a rag being wrung out.


    Heh! That''s a real Sophie''s choice I left you with. No sweat off my back either way.


    ***


    "Are we there yet, Uncle Sun?"


    Arctic winced as Sun Hanukong stopped pulling the handcart and turned toward Emi with an annoyed look on his face.


    "You see shelter? If no, not there. Stop with uncle, I will call little brother. Because one always pull cart, no can talk together until arrive. I keep speed to arrive when sun go down, look at sun if want know distance left."


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    Sun Hanukong got back into position and the three resumed their journey.


    "Hey, Arctic, if the forest is dangerous at night, why were you outside when we met."


    "Glowing mushrooms make enough light and I can move in the treetops faster than what would hunt me. Also, it was close to the village and the adults hunt in the area, so less dangerous animals around."


    "Huh? You guys keep the road in order, upkeep the shelters, and keep the dangerous wildlife in check? You should really get the Empire to pay you for your services. Back where I came from, that was a fairly well-paid job called wildlife ranger."


    "We don''t get paid, but we do get gifts from border villages when we go to trade, and they always give us good deals. Even when they need help during the harvest season, those who work get paid in whatever crop they helped harvest or in tools."


    Sun Hanukong stopped their proceedings once more, this time to inspect some disturbed ground and bushes on either side of the path. He bent down and picked up a handful of the displaced dirt and let it sift through the opening between his fingers.


    "Boars came through. Now is safe. Track at least 2 days old. Dirt dry and no bugs."


    Sun Hanukong remained standing for a few seconds until Emi understood what he wanted. She walked up to him and patted his head once more.


    "Good job Big Bro Sun, well done spotting the potential danger. I can see you are trying hard at your mission of keeping us safe."


    Sun Hanukong appeared to be enjoying the attention, until he spotted Arctic staring at them, his eyes wide open in shock. This time, his complexion turned a mix of pink and red as anger and embarrassment competed for control over his emotional state. Arctic, being the smart monkey that he was, rushed to the front of the cart and started pulling before his Sun Hanukong could draw him into an argument. Sun Hanukong walked to the front of the carriage and started shuffling his hands together, an annoyed expression on his face.


    Heh! That''s funny. My ability is translating his hands shuffling as an unintelligible grumble.


    "This is getting boring, how about I sing for you two?"


    "No singing! Have to listen danger. Talk is ok today because close to village. Next days silent, attract danger if no."


    "Gah, I''m gonna concentrate on gathering my vital energy then."


    "No eat cumquat yet. Less than full day between give runny poop. Runny poop and lot of walking make painful bum."


    "No wonder you don''t have a romantic partner yet, if this is the way you sign to the ladies, you might grow as old as Majusculus without finding one for yourself. You obviously spent too much time with the guys, I''ll give you a crash course until we split up."


    Emi was thankful that Sun Hanukong could not see emotional auras the way she could, because it took all of Arctic''s self-control to stop himself from showing how amused he was at the moment.


    "Is fine. I find wife after become leader. You smart, make good wife. Maybe ask you then."


    Emi thought it was a good thing Arctic did not have eyes behind his head because that last statement would have probably shocked him so much that he and the cart would have gone off-roading.


    No. Stop it brain. I don''t need you to replay the intro from Monkey Magic. There shall be no monkey born from my eggs! If I even make those. Would I be on some sort of monthly cycle, or more like a chicken? Wish I''d read up a bit more on owls before becoming one.


    "Nah, too late dude. If you ever ask me, I''ll just remember this conversation, with the whole bit about runny poop included. Don''t worry Big Bro Sun, I''ll help and be your matchmaker. Lesson 1 : Avoid asking a Lady about her age, sizes, or weight. Lesson 2: Be delicate in cases where you need to speak of anything a body produces and can''t avoid it. Lesson 3: Show interest in her instead of showing off. Instead of enjoying his torment, you''d better be listening Arctic. This advice should also help with your future prospects."


    As the journey progressed and the sun grew closer to the horizon, both monkeys were growing extremely tired. While one might think that this fatigue had been brought on by the strenuous exercise they had kept up throughout the afternoon, the truth was a lot dumber. While at first the two monkeys had relished their turns away from pulling the cart, they now considered it a welcome break from having to interact with Emi and her dubious romantic advice. They knew she meant well, but they could tell that she had not spent a significant amount of time with females of their species, and therefore had no idea how far off the mark some of her advice was getting.


    "Lesson 46: Always keep good table manners. Use the right cutlery for the dish, keep your mouth closed when you chew, and avoid pungent foods during romantic meals."


    Before Emi could think up the content of lesson 47, both monkeys let out a sigh of relief as the shelter that marked the first pitstop in their journey appeared in the distance. As the first day of their travels reached its end, Emi started dreading the silence that was imposed throughout the rest of their travels. Unbeknownst to her, both her companions were extremely pleased that her lessons would be coming to an end.


    "No worries, we can always keep the lessons going while we prepare for sleep and have our meals."


    The two monkeys started ferrying the contents of the cart into the shelter as Emi continued, undisturbed. While reaching this place had been their foremost goal, Emi''s companions could no longer wait to be back on the road in the morning.

 34-If it is against the rules, Ill change them!

    34-If it is against the rules, I''ll change them!


    5/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Great Western Rainforest- Early Morning


    The trio woke up in the shelter which marked the halfway point of their journey as the light started peeking through the canopy. The road had been tough, as it was, in truth, little more than a path that weaved through the forest cleared of undergrowth by the repeated trampling of monkey feet and rolling of wheels over the years. They had not encountered any dangerous wildlife on their journey, and the weather had remained clear, so things could have been much worse. What had been the hardest for Emi was the boredom. Had they not passed multiple shelters on their way, Emi would have thought that they were walking in circles. The trees didn''t seem to change much, and they could rarely see more than a few dozen feet on either side of the path due to dense foliage. The silver lining was that without anything to divert her attention, she and Arctic had diligently worked on their body tempering. As they had not had a chance to bathe since their journey began, the scent produced by the days-old sweat that clung to all of them had invaded every corner of the one-room building throughout the night. Emi was just about to point out the smell when she noticed something else that annoyed her.


    I thought he understood when I turned him down a few days ago, but I might have to be more blunt.


    "Hey! My eyes are up here buddy! Do you not remember lesson 6?"


    The interior of the shelter was very dimly lit as the windows were small and the sun was still low at this hour of the morning, but Emi could clearly see Sun Hanukong staring at her chest with a confused expression on his face.


    Wait, I''m an owl right now, I don''t think I have boobs. Even if I did, there''s like a foot of feathers in the way so...


    Emi craned her neck forward and tilted her head down to see what he was staring at. Emi saw a soft glow emanating from between her feathers, above the center of her chest, and realized the monkey was not being lecherous.


    Ooooh! I leveled up again! If this was Pokemon, then my level 3 Ability would probably turn out to be "Gust" or "Peck". Luckily, it ain''t so.


    "I know your eyes is up there but why your chest is glow? Also, you say lesson 6 was make sure you not too smelly."


    "Yeah, Big Sis, the one about not staring at chests and bottoms was rule 4."


    Huh, how did they remember that? Just figured that one would have come early so randomly picked a number between 1 and 10. Meh, not ready to lose face. Time to twist it around.


    "Ah yes, sorry, mixed them up as I was also going to point out that you two are failing on that end as well right now."


    Arctic walked closer to Emi and sniffed her feathers before straightening his back and tilting his head slightly backward.


    "You are one to talk, Big Sis, you smell as bad as the two of us! Can''t blame us if you still stink even though you don''t help pull the cart."


    "It is fine. If you no find a husband because you smell too bad, I accept you anyway. Just need make plug for nose and no problem."


    Sun Hanukong had been making some progress, when it came to language, thanks to Emi and Arctic''s help. As evident by his last sentence though, his romance lessons were going rather poorly. The three had discussed what they were going to do once they left the forest after stopping at a shelter for the first night of their journey. Emi and Arctic had decided they would try to track down the man who was supposed to have been her father, had there not been a mistake, by finding the person who Emi was meant to have been reincarnated as. Sun Hanukong had decided he would split from the other two and head south to leave the area under the jurisdiction of the Ashram of Inspiration. He had opened up about being confident in his strength, but that he felt lacking when it came to education after seeing how far ahead of him Arctic was while being under half his age. He had decided he would head south, to the lands of the Ashram of Innovation, and then keep going further east to reach the Ashram of Diligence, where he would settle down and study for a while. After hearing that, Emi and Arctic combined forces to help him make some improvements during their downtime. Emi couldn''t actually speak Imperial common, but she had been a student most of her life so she had been able to help by giving study tips and finding ways to improve the lessons.


    "It seems I leveled up. Small tip though, you might want to avoid telling a woman you''d "accept" her. Kind of gives douchebag vibes. But yeah, if you want to avoid getting slapped, or getting a drink thrown in your face, don''t stare at a woman''s chest."


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    "Even if it is glow? What is word before vibe? Your power no work on it."


    "Yup. Just one of the many usually unspoken rules of society, but since all the women in your village are either your sisters, your nieces, or your family''s life partners, I''m not surprised it hasn''t been a sticking point until now. Also don''t worry about that word, there probably isn''t an equivalent here."


    Emi had been afraid that the tribe was a hotpot of inbreeding at first, but Majusculus had laughed and assuaged her fears. Every ten years, many of the mimic macaque tribes met up and held a week-long festival that was half NFL draft pick, half speed dating. They used the festival to allow new adults to find partners, but also to negotiate which tribe the new couples would end up in. Majusculus had a pained look on his face when he explained that the leaders would be stuck in never-ending negotiations at those times, as new couples were used as means of bringing new skills and trades to their tribe since each tribe had its own specialties.


    "You say you level up? Good Abilities? Happy for you but I am jealous. You are two times spirit beast and I still try to be. I am good at body tempering so I have long time, no problem. Rest this morning we continue after eat lunch. Eat your kumquat now. Help recover and waste less if you can concentrate."


    "Sure. Give me a few minutes though, I want to check what I got for leveling up, and Arctic still looks half asleep."


    Alright, what did I get? [Borderless Empathy] and [Isolate Sound] huh? Both seem fairly straightforward and useful. [Borderless Empathy] takes the guesswork out of [Reciprocal Empathy] and lets me experience the emotions firsthand, even if I haven''t felt them before. I can see how that could come in handy. [Isolate Sound] sounds pretty cool though. It should let me be able to hear quiet things even when they are being drowned out by loud noises. I should even be able to isolate instruments and voices from complex sounds, like undoing a mix and getting separate audio tracks. Nothing amazing, but neither seems to need much energy, and both look pretty convenient. The more I level in [Onomancer], the more I feel like I''m turning into a walking editing rig. If this keeps going I''ll turn into a one-woman recording studio.


    Arctic poked Emi''s shoulder, bringing her out of her introspection.


    "I''m ready to start, and I won''t lose this time."


    "Not a competition buddy, but if it helps you do your best, then you can keep thinking it is. Tell you what, if you manage not to waste any Vitality this time around, I''ll come up with a reward for you."


    ---


    "Hey, Big Bro Sun, got a minute?"


    Sun Hanukong, who had been working on his body tempering alongside Emi and Arctic for the last two hours, opened his eyes.


    "Concentrate. Do not waste the Kumquat."


    "It''s fine. Because I practiced gathering while moving for the last few days, I learned how to split my attention. I couldn''t walk, talk, and gather properly at the same time at first, but all three together is fine now."


    Sun Hanukong''s eyebrows rose to show his surprise as he cleared his throat.


    "Good effort. What you want?"


    "I wanted to ask you about that thing you guys do with your fur. You can change its color completely, and you can change its texture to some extent, yeah? Can you do it only to some parts of your body selectively?"


    Sun Hanukong''s left arm shifted from its natural state to an oaken brown and took on a bark-like pattern.


    "It do not become hard but yes can make it look like this on all body or only piece."


    "Could you make it even smaller, and could you make more than one area change?"


    Sun Hanukong concentrated for a few seconds and his body became a patchwork of colors and textures.


    "More difficult, but yes."


    "Ok, well here is my idea. Could you make black patches, in the shape of letters, and use your fur to write?"


    Sun Hanukong''s eyes opened wide and he immediately attempted Emi''s idea.


    "How we not think of this!? One cousin tribe good at make drawing but just to look good, we never think use like this. Most tribe only use for hide or for....find mate..."


    Sun Hanukong made his fur shift into a collection of what reminded her of Polynesian tribal tattoos, only in many different vivid colors. He stopped signing for a few seconds, preening for Emi''s sake.


    Oh, please no... He is literally peacocking...


    As Emi appeared unimpressed by his display, and Arctic had begun glancing at him with pity in his eyes, Sun Hanukong quickly shifted his fur back to a simple white, his new name written across his chest.


    "When tell leader, he smack his head for not think this before. Most other tribe no write so have excuse, but we do not have excuse."


    Sun Hanukong''s aura was showing a mixture of shame and excitement as he wore his new name proudly on his chest.


    "You can stop getting the butt of your spear dirty every time you want to write something now. Also, according to one of the letters we carry, I am now part of the tribe, so you could argue that this is a discovery made by the Majusculus tribe and you won''t be lying, but it also means you and I cannot happen. You wouldn''t try to break Majusculus''s rules now, would you?."


    "Big sister? Can you stop doing interesting things until I''m done with the kumquat please?"


    Arctic complained with his eyes still closed and Emi chortled in response. She returned her attention to gathering as Sun Hanukong continued practicing his new skill to the side with his back turned to her. She was slightly worried by the colors his aura was displaying.


    Damn stubborn monkey with a one-track mind. I just turned you down, why is your aura shining with determination!? Probably thinks he can make an exception to the rule if he becomes leader...

 35-Pretty Colors Forewarn of Potential Dangers

    35-Pretty Colors Forewarn of Potential Dangers


    5/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Great Western Rainforest- Early Morning


    "If I keep going at the same rate as the last few days, I should be done in a day or two at most. How is it looking on your end Arctic? Don''t worry if it is longer, you had to waste some of the first Kumquat, and you had less unspent vitality since you take turns pulling the cart."


    "I still need at least four days, maybe five. Unless we get stuck somewhere, we''ll be out of the forest already when I finish."


    "I''ll wait for you to finish so don''t worry. I''ll just practice circulating until you catch up so we can start the next step together."


    Sun Hanukong approached Emi and Arctic and handed out their share of the travel rations. The journey was going to take less than a week so they had been able to take some fresh fruits and vegetables along with them, but the bread was starting to grow hard enough that Emi thought she might be able to use it as a weapon by dinnertime.


    "From here is most dangerous. Until here beasts know smell of tribe and stay away because we hunt many. From here on we do not hunt, too far. So more beasts and not afraid. Last day safe again because humans hunt. Today and tomorrow we need be careful."


    "What kinds of beasts?"


    "Panther, big boars, really big deer, small but dangerous badgers, and many more. When hunt in group danger is small. Climb tree work for other but not big cats so danger is big. if only one, and not monster, I can kill panther alone. Maybe small wound but survive. If many, or is monster, or is very big, maybe we die. No worry much, panthers are rare in day and big or monster panther even more rare. Also adult panther most time alone. If careful and sleep in shelter no big danger. Carry water if need leave cart behind. Can live no food three days but no water too long. Understand?"


    Both Emi and Arctic gave him a thumbs up and the trio packed up to resume their journey. Their pace was faster than the usual trade caravan the tribe ran, and so they were usually able to skip about half of the shelters, but since they''d taken the morning to rest and and work on gathering, and the area was dangerous, they pushed extra hard to make sure they would reach the next shelter before sundown. An hour after their journey had resumed, Emi spotted something that caught her attention as she kept an eye out for potential threats.


    "Hey! Look! There are a bunch of pretty colorful stripes on those trees."


    Emi pointed to the left of the path at a group of brown trees with patches of stripes ranging between greens, yellows, oranges, and reds. Sun Hanukong looked at the trees, his aura suddenly overwhelmed with anger and fear.


    "No Stripes. Scratches, Panthers. Not there month before. Make territory bigger and come here? Scratch not so big. If only one is fine can deal with. No need risk. Make no noise and move fast."


    "Don''t worry about noise, I can control sounds around me and silencing small noises takes barely any energy now that I can isolate them from the ambient noise. As long as I concentrate on that instead of gathering, we can move full speed and not have to worry about being silent."


    The trio had been moving briskly before, but now they were pushing what the cart''s wheels could handle on this bumpy road without the aid of any suspension. Arctic took hold of the right shaft as Sun Hanukong shifted to the left, to give him some space, and they both started pulling the cart together, fast enough that it launched upward upon hitting pot-holes or bumps on the path. Emi took position behind the cart and kept running while doing her best to push it forward. They gained so much speed by working together that they had to slow down at a few sharp turns or risk crashing into the large trees that made those turns necessary in the first place. Emi was surprised when, not even three hours later, the shelter came into sight.


    Damn...We planned on taking nearly six hours to get here but it must have been three tops, judging by the sun.


    Like the other shelters so far, the walls were sturdy and the thick wooden door could be secured with two large planks from the inside. The anxiety Emi had been feeling disappeared as she could not imagine even a tiger could easily break in. As the trio entered the shelter, her anxiety came back twice strong. It had not been visible from the front, but a large branch had fallen from up above in the canopy and had made a large hole in the roof. The branch had broken through and a portion of it had made its way through the ceiling to the floor, like a slanted fireman pole. Arctic climbed up the fallen branch and made it through the hole with space to spare, causing Sun Hanukongs expression to show worry.


    "Not good. Very not good."


    "This must be pretty recent since there is no sign of rain having leaked through. The damage is big though. It would take us more than the few hours of sunlight we have left to fortify it, even if we had the tools. Do we try for the next shelter, and risk traveling by dark for a bit, or do we stay?"


    "Panther ambush in dark. If it pick up our scent it faster than us. If outside, can hide and attack from any place. Here, only one place it can attack from. Outside, danger is more big."


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    Emi didn''t need to use any of her Abilitie to see that Sun Hanukong was ill at ease. His eyes darted from side to side as he signed, and his stance made it seem as if he was ready to dodge an incoming attack any second. Arctic, on the other hand, had a completely different reaction. Emi could see that his entire body was slightly trembling and that small beads of sweat were forming on his brow. It was late Spring and the afternoon was pleasantly fresh, but even though they had just been exerting themselves, Emi suspected that this sweat had a more sinister origin. Emi took a step forward and put a hand on their shoulders.


    "Alright. We''ll make our stand here. If the three of us work together, a big cat or two is nothing."


    Emi pulled her hands back and made a show of flexing her feeble, hollow-boned arms in an attempt to bring some levity to the situation. Her companions stared at her with unconvinced expressions, visibly writing her off as a combat asset in their minds.


    Well, that backfired...Guess I''ll have to put my Abilities to work.


    Aside from the hectic rush of this afternoon, the journey had been fairly monotonous so far and Emi had ended up with a lot of thinking time on her hands. She decided that it was now time to try out a combination of Abilities she had thought of during that time.


    First, I need to instantly relive a powerful memory with [Persistent Memories of the Blessed] to shift my emotional state. Then I''ll quickly use [Reciprocal Empathy] and [Share my joys, Share my pains] before my emotional state returns to normal to bluff and inspire them. As long as I can convince them that I feel a certain way, and make a decent speech, even if they resist the second Ability, I should still be able to affect them somewhat. Now I need to decide what emotion would be fitting, and find an appropriate memory.


    Emi had never really had to fight oppression or bullies in her previous life and thus didn''t have any personal memories she deemed powerful enough for this occasion. Having grown up in the Yokosuka base with her father as a stationed officer, she had been treated well by her community and had avoided most of the issues that women had to face in Japan. Not that her other homeland was perfect, but older ideas of what women ought to do hadn''t managed to persist as thoroughly across the Pacific. Even though she had been of mixed Heritage, her dark hair, brown eyes, and the fact that she had been raised in Japan from infancy, had mitigated most of the issues she might have otherwise faced. Her friendly and outgoing personality, combined with the confidence she had gained from living surrounded by soldiers, had saved her from becoming the target of any of the bullies that had been in her surroundings. Although she had been blessed with features that others found rather pleasant, she hadn''t stood out enough to incite much jealousy from her peers. Ultimately, her life had been devoid of any truly significant hardships until her mother''s health took a turn for the worse during her last years of high school. Even then, the struggles she''d had to overcome afterward didn''t quite match up with her current situation.


    Nothing? No problem. I lived vicariously through thousands of characters. I just need to remember a scene or song that got me going. The speech from "Braveheart" isn''t quite right. I need something about overcoming a challenge or a foe. Hamilton? Nah...I need something that also brings hope. Something with hope despite the odds. Something that reminds you there is something worth fighting for on the other side if you can overcome an old enemy...Was there something like that in "The Lion King" maybe? Oh, I''m dumb! I was just singing a song from "Les Miserables" the other day and there is one song in there that should work quite nicely. If I think of the panthers as predatory French nobles, and of us as the people they oppress, then it fits rather well.


    Emi''s eyes appeared to lose focus for a fraction of a second as she activated [Persistent Memories of the Blessed]. During that short moment, Emi was back home, sitting on her couch between her parents and facing their television. Emi was thirteen years old again, and her attention was focused on the screen in front of her. When the first man began singing, Emi couldn''t help but think the costume department had given the actor clothing that was a bit too stylish for a character who was meant to be a commoner. Then the musical accompaniment grew in volume and all such thoughts vanished as she stood up and stared at the screen with her fists clenching. As the people on the screen started storming the procession, Emi was so enraptured by the scene that even the stifled giggle coming from her mother could not break her out of it. As the song and the scene reached its climax, Emi returned to the present and her thoughts resumed.


    Still feels weird. While I''m in flashback mode it''s not like I''m watching a movie, or remembering something, but like I''m there living through it again. Mom was there, but I felt like it was normal. Let''s not dwell on it too much now or I''m going to get stuck in nostalgia and I''ll have to hype myself up again. Onto step two.


    Emi activated [Reciprocal Empathy] and [Share my joys, Share my pains] as she straightened her back and stared at her companions. She made a node appear next to her and started playing "Do you hear the people sing" while using [Isolate Sound] to remove the vocals, leaving only the instrumental track.


    I''ll keep the volume low to avoid spending energy needlessly since I might regret it later otherwise. This new Ability is pretty convenient though. Alright, time for a speech!


    "We might have to fight tonight, but it''s not just any enemy. We are headed towards our new lives, but your old foe stands in your way. A panther was at the root of why both of you ended up having to leave your home. Will you let another panther block the path you have finally found? I say enough is enough! This might not be pleasant, or safe, but it is fitting. Use this to harden your resolve. Tonight we are no longer helpless prey. Let''s show those bullies that we are no easy meal, and that we will not let them live rent-free in our heads. We have a few hours before nightfall, enough time to make some barricades and arm ourselves as well as we can. If they come and we fall, we''ll at least make sure they regret it! For Hanu! For the Majusculus tribe! For a brighter tomorrow! Are you with me!?"


    With this, even if we fail and die, our last few hours should be less miserable.


    Emi gave her companions a once-over to see if her speech had worked. Arctic''s aura still contained some traces of fear, but most of it had been replaced with determination, anticipation, and not just a little bit of righteous anger. The speech had different results on Sun Hanukong, but he hadn''t been in quite the same emotional state to start with. He started laughing with his mouth open wide, making quiet noises that sounded like small coughs.


    "If weak little sister is no scared, shameful if I am. No worry, I kill panthers before. With group because not stupid, but have you two this time."


    Sun Hanukong slapped Arctics back and then gave him a broad smile.


    "Tonight we fight as tribe. You still bit young, but if live I call you brother. Last time you see panther, you still very little and more weak than little sister so no can help. Brother Hanu was strong but alone. I have both you. Also this."


    Sun Hanukong went to one of the two crates that they had been traveling with. They had yet to open this one, and as far as Emi knew, it contained replacement clothing, some tools, and some other useful items like extra rope and other random bits and bobs. Their journey having been so uneventful so far, they''d only really needed to open the provisions crate which contained the food, a pot and laddle, three wooden bowls and a fire-starting kit. Sun Hanukong took a bundle, wrapped in thick leather, and opened it up. Once unfolded, Emi could see it contained a needle and some fine string in the left section, a bundle of gauze-like loosely woven clean fabric in the center, and four small clay pots strapped to the right.


    "After Brother Hanu death because no medicine, I prepare. Tribe pay human healer come and teach. Now never travel without taking kit. In pot is honey for clean wound, special tea to down fever, plant paste to stop bleed, and a sleep tea if pain too much. If one of us hurt, with this can get to human village alive. I explain so if I get hurt, you heal. If you get hurt I heal and carry on cart. If one hurt we go to human village fast. Have money leader give before we leave, can use for healer."


    Arctic looked up at Sun Hanukong, blinking, with a look of surprise and grudging respect on his face. Emi couldn''t help but smile as she recalculated their odds and decided they were more likely to survive than she had first assumed.


    "That''s great! Give me a few minutes to look at what we have to work with, then we start shoring up our defenses."

 36-Stacking up the Odds (and bits of wood)

    36-Stacking up the Odds (and bits of wood)


    5/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Great Western Rainforest- Late Afternoon


    There were still a few hours of sunlight left, but with the pressure of the looming danger, minutes felt as though they lasted a mere handful seconds. The shelter was not overly large, but it housed a large table around which a dozen stools were placed, and still had enough space left over for a dozen bedrolls to be laid out, if one was smart with the placement. It wasn''t a living space, and aside from a very large pot, Emi could not see any wardrobes, cupboards, or other large pieces of furniture that could be used to build a barricade.


    The hole in the roof covers between a quarter and an eighth of the surface and is in a corner... We don''t have the time to secure the hole entirely so we either need to barricade ourselves in the opposite corner or we need to make a kill box underneath the hole. The kill box would work better because if we turtle up in a corner we lose our numbers advantage. Between the table, the two crates, and the stools, we should be able to make a fairly sturdy obstacle for one side, but that would still leave the kill box with one wall missing...


    Emi''s eyes first drifted to the door but she realized that adding another entrance would defeat the purpose of the kill box.


    "Hey, quick question. We are a bit over halfway right? If we only take the food and water we need, along with the bare essentials, could we carry them without the wagon?"


    "If it''s three day''s worth, I can carry my share without slowing down. Will you be fine though? It might be a bit too heavy but maybe I can help carry some of your share."


    "Thank you Arctic, but I think Sun Hanukong might be less affected by a bit of extra weight, unless he feels like admitting that you are stronger than him."


    Sun Hanukong reeled back with a look of pure disbelief on his face.


    "No problem for me. I can carry you share and you without go slow. If no cart and go a bit fast, we can be at human village in two days or less. If keep cart we have things to sell, also cart, so better if we keep. Not enough time to run so why ask?"


    "Not for running. We might need to break the cart for my plan to work. I just wanted to make sure we could keep going without it. Let me explain."


    ---


    "That took a bit of effort but it turned out better than I had hoped."


    The corner of the room directly beneath the hole had been turned into a death trap. The Majusculus tribe was quite proficient when it came to carpentry as the sturdy build of the shelter indicated. With the help of a wooden mallet, a few knives,some rope and a small hatchet, the two macaques had pulled the large branch in and split it into sections usable for their impromptu wall. As it had been built by the tribe, disassembling the cart had proven a much easier task than Emi had expected. Slotting all the pieces together and tying them with rope proved to be the most time-intensive segment of her plan, but they had managed to pull it off with over an hour to spare.


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    "I underestimated you guys. Great job! We have a few stools left over, can you two sharpen their legs and put them upside down on the floor inside the trap? When you are done, please fasten the two knives to some sturdier branches you broke off so that Arctic and I can also have a weapon. We shouldn''t need them for building anymore."


    As her companions followed her instructions, Emi made a node appear and started dumping all her energy into it. Her energy reserves had been fully replenished over the last hour, as she hadn''t been using her Abilities extensively, and she fed it all into the node. Since her last level up, Emi now replenished more energy than her nodes spent passively to sustain themselves, so she decided she might as well start setting it up now to see how big she could manage to make it grow. Over the course of the next ten minutes, Emi kept feeding any surplus energy she recovered into the node.


    Diminishing returns? Ever since the node got bigger than my maximum energy reserve, it feels as if every bit of energy I add has less effect on its growth...I still can''t sustain the cost to upkeep two nodes without them losing energy over time...Guess I''ll just keep this one as is and use whatever isn''t spent on its upkeep to refill my reserves a little. My recovery might be slightly worse than back at level 1 but if we get attacked, it might not be until late into the night, so I might still be able to get a decent amount back.


    As Emi finished her personal preparations, she noticed that the other two were just about finished with their own tasks. It was still somewhat light outside, and according to what Sun Hanukong had told them, panthers waited for total darkness before setting out on their hunt, so Emi tried to think of what else they could do during the bit of time they had left.


    After making the spears we are low on rope, but we still have the large tarp we used to cover the cart, four wheels, a somewhat blunted stone hatchet, and some spare linen tunics and loincloths...Oh! I know!


    "Hey guys, could one of you two climb up on the roof for a minute?"


    Sun Hanukong looked like he was about to volunteer, but Arctic got in between him and Emi before excitedly signing that he would do it.


    "I''m light and I don''t wear armor. Let me help, I''m really good at climbing!"


    "Sure, shouldn''t be dangerous so no problem."


    Arctic made his way up to the roof and Emi handed him the large tarp and the four wooden wheels, with Sun Hanukong''s help.


    "Spread the tarp over the hole then put a wheel on each corner to weigh it down. Unless we get strong winds, or something heavy is placed on it, it should hold. Might give us the element of surprise if a panther falls through without knowing we are ready and waiting."


    Arctic finished his task quickly and climbed down the exterior wall before coming back in through the door. With this last addition, their kill box had turned into an above-ground tiger pit with sharp wooden spikes at the bottom. The Impromptu walls they had put up wouldn''t hold out as well, or as long, as the traditional underground variant but they had gaps from which they could stab at the victim in exchange.


    When Emi realized how proficient the two were when it came to woodworking, she had suggested using the table to fix the roof directly but Sun Hanukong had told her it was a bad idea. When her Ability had translated the name of the animal into panther, Emi had imagined something along the lines of a black leopard, but his description hadn''t really matched with that picture. Now, she expected something larger and more powerful, more dangerous. After putting the descriptions together, the image of a large black feline somewhere between a large mountain lion and a tiger had coalesced in her mind.


    If what Sun Hanukong said is correct, these barricades will only hold a minute or two at the very best. We''ll need to try and do as much damage as possible during the first few seconds of confusion to weaken it. Man, I kinda feel bad about all that mouse hunting I did now that I am the one being hunted. The panthers aren''t evil, they need food to survive like everyone. I hunted the mice because they were tainting the food storages, and the tribe isn''t averse to eating rodents so it was similar for me, but they are dedicated carnivores so if they want to live, they don''t have a choice.


    We are not back on Earth though, and without the safety of an apartment in the city, I can''t afford lofty ideals when it comes to animal protection. Plus you could argue that I am an animal as well, so those rules shouldn''t apply to me anyway. I am am not at the top anymore but just another link in the food chain, I don''t think anyone could blame me for fighting back in order to survive. I wouldn''t complain if the panther found some other prey and didn''t show up tonight though...

 37- Spear Shaft of the Brown Star!

    37- Spear Shaft of the Brown Star!


    6/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Great Western Rainforest- Hours before Dawn


    Is it because the hole in the roof is causing a strong draft maybe?


    As Emi was the least tired of the trio, and she wasn''t expected to carry much the next day, she had volunteered to keep watch until sunrise. She had either slept too soundly the previous nights, or this was the first such occurrence, but she could not help but notice how loudly her two traveling companions were snoring.


    At least I managed to keep them motivated. If we die tonight, we''ll at least have had some fun working together. Still, for a pair of mute monkeys, they sure can snore loud.


    Emi knew it must have been around 5 hours since she''d started keeping watch as her energy was nearly back to full. Keeping the node she had created with [The World is a Soundstage] topped up did require a small upkeep, but after she had stopped trying to increase its capacity, the cost ended up being less than 10% of her natural recovery rate. Emi isolated the soundwaves caused by the snoring and silenced them to allow her to concentrate on her task.


    Man, I''m not quite at Daredevil level, but my hearing did get a lot better. Back on Earth, I would have just heard the general sounds of nature and gotten bored because "nothing was happening". Now, I can hear little scratches and cracks up in the trees, telling me some little rodents are probably nesting up there. Now, if only those damn bats would shut up!


    To the human ear, bats can already be rather noisy and annoying. To Emi and her [Wave Vision] though, the ultrasounds they used to echolocate themselves created something akin to a snowstorm. Luckily, sound past a certain frequency has close to little penetrating power, so the nuisance was limited to the exterior. Still, that did knock out one of her more useful surveillance tools and limited her to using traditional hearing and her superior dark vision.


    Dammit, shut up or I''m holding "rat murder party 2: now with wings!".


    Emi had had enough of the little nocturnal nuisances and decided to get even. One of the dozen of bats that seemed to call the overhang of the roof its home headed back toward the shelter, a large berry in its clutches. As it shot out a series of ultrasonic waves to calculate its approach and come in for a precise landing, Emi redirected the point at which they impacted, and the angle at which they reflected back.


    *SMACK*


    The bat flew straight into the wall at full speed, flattened itself against it, slid down a few inches, and then fell the rest of the way onto the ground, a pool of oozing red liquid spreading around it.


    Oh shit! Didn''t mean to kill it...Unlike the mice back in the village, they aren''t a health concern. Guess I''ll bury it in the morning as an apo-


    The bat stood up, shook its head a few times, and noticed what remained of its bounty beneath it. The berry had been completely crushed and all that was left was a sack of skin attached to a small stalk. There was some more, but it was either covered in it, or stepping in it.


    Heh! Nice, don''t have to feel guilty now. The punishment is a better fit for the cr-


    A large shadow passed over the grounded bat, or at least that was what had appeared to happen to Emi until she realized the bat was no longer anywhere to be seen. She quickly pulled he head back, so that the few inches that were peaking out of the high-window were now safely back inside. Straining her ears, she barely heard a tiny high-pitched deathcry and then silence. The rodents had stopped scurrying above in the branches, the bats had flown off, probably as a result of their brethren''s death, leaving only silence where their voices and the flapping of their wings had been. Emi had been annoyed by the bats, but the sudden death followed by the silence put her a lot more on edge.


    Gotta wake them up!


    Emi set up a perimeter around her two sleeping companions, to stop any sound from leaking out, and immediately shook them awake while shouting in their ears.


    "It''s go time! Get your weapons set and get in position. Death is a possibility, but let us not sell our lives cheaply!"


    Music once more accompanied Emi''s speech as the two monkeys, still half asleep, blinked at her while trying to get their brains online.


    Nope, can''t let you get your bearings, need you in full adrenaline mode.


    "We have a plan, we have completed our preparations, and we have the most splendid example of a warrior we could hope for..."


    Emi punctuated her last point by handing Sun Hanukong his Spear and slapping his forehead protector on. She then turned to Artcic.


    "...and also the smartest little monkey in the world, who would already be dead if getting killed by a panther was his fate..."


    Emi placed the makeshift spear, the one they had crafted by tying the knife to one of the stool legs, into Arctic''s hands, and gave his hair a ruffle.


    "Lastly, we have...me? I may not be much use in a fight, but having a pretty lady to protect is sure to make healthy young males like yourselves raring to show off. Am I right?"


    Sun Hanukong''s haze cleared and his warrior switch got triggered, along with another less relevant of his switches, and his posture instantly solidified into the stance Emi had seen him using when practicing. No, she had not been observing his gleaming, sweaty, and engorged muscles, primarily because they were covered in fur, she had been interested in seeing how well their protector handled his spear-


    Oh shit, that might have been too effective.


    Arctic started looking around the room in an exaggerated fashion.


    "Don''t worry bud, nothing made its way in yet."


    "Was looking for that pretty lady you said would motivate us."


    The cheek on that one!


    "Save those lethal hands of yours for the upcoming fight instead of dishing out emotional damage to your own companions."


    *THUMP* *thump*


    Something had just landed on the roof, letting out a loud thud followed by a quieter one. Emi could picture the panther landing on its forelegs to cushion the impact, its hindlegs following with less force. She was slightly underwhelmed by the amount of noise though, she had expected the panther to be quieter based on how stealthy they had been described to be. Her companions were going through no such useless thoughts as they inched closer to the killing pit they had fashioned, their spear and makeshift weapons inserted through some sections that were strategically left clear.


    Please just leave, neither of us needs to die tonight...


    Seconds passed but nothing appeared to change. The eery silence disturbed Emi who knew how alive this forest sounded even in the dead of the night.


    *crack*


    A small crack came from the wooden boards that made up the ceiling. Emi could see the exact point from which they emanated and pointed at it. Whatever was on the roof slowly crept toward the damaged corner and Emi adjusted the aim of her arm to keep her companions updated.


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    *Humph*


    A weird grunt-like noise came from whatever was above their heads and a wave of relief washed over Emi. She turned to tell her friends that she must have jumped to conclusions, as that sound seemed like it would be more likely to come from something ursine or porcine in nature. The fear in their auras had regained ardor and the hope, motivation, and resolve she had instilled into them was at risk of being overwhelmed, putting her assumptions in doubt.


    Guess it is a panther, was expecting something more like a lion''s roar, or a cat''s hiss. Well...crap!


    The panther had just about reached the hole when it stopped. A scratching sound came from about a foot away from the edge of the hole as the three readied themselves.


    "Damn! Must have noticed the tarp...Hopefully we stretched it far enough, and tied it down well enough that it withstands a bit of minor inspection"


    Emi used her Abilities to make sure none of her words leaked out, and waited for the moment of truth.


    Between our sweaty bodies and the tarp that soaked in the smell of our rations, even if it can''t hear us, it knows there is food around. At this point, a fight will be inevit-


    *Sliiip* *CRASH* *Squelch*


    three seconds, three different sounds, and three spikes of adrenaline later, the fight appeared to be over.


    In front of them now sat a jumbled-up tarp with wooden stakes protruding from some sections. Unlike with the bat earlier, the proximity allowed Emi to fully appreciate the viscosity of the liquid that was pooling below the skewered bundle, as well as the distinct metallic odor that was associated with it. There could be no mistakes this time, this was blood.


    The large bundle started showing signs of movement, but before Arctic and Emi could react in fear, Sun Hanukong had already stabbed thrice into it with his spear. Sure that whatever was inside must now be dead, Emi approached the bundle. A few moments earlier, this would have been made a bit difficult by the shoddy barricade that had been in the way, but because of the angle the fall had taken its victim, it now lay either strewn about the floor or lodged inside of their invader.


    It is gonna be gruesome, but it was kill or get killed. Still, gotta confront what we did.


    Emi took a final step and quickly used her knife to make a tear in the tarp.


    What the hell? This must be one of the monster ones, or the abnormally big ones Sun-Sun said were rare.


    The contents of the bundle revealed an extremely large feline, about as large as the tigers Emi had seen at the Ueno Zoo with her parents. It was pitch black, had no markings, and its individual claws seemed larger than her fingers. Emi started bending over, intent on inspecting the mouth of the beast, now that she could see it was not showing signs of breathing. The lighting inside of the shelter had gotten just a bit brighter after their trap had been triggered, leaving a hole in the ceiling, but for some reason, Emi noticed that it was getting slightly darker again as she looked at the corpse on the floor ahead of her.


    Before her mind could start trying to process this new piece of data, Emi felt a sharp tug from behind her and got pulled back abruptly. As her mind went back into danger mode from the sudden motion, a set of even larger claws than those wielded by the corpse at her feet slashed a few inches in front of her wide-open eyes as a second, even more fearsome-looking, panther landed from where she had just been standing. Although the panther had pounced from Emi''s blindspot, directly above and behind her, Sun Hanukong had still been on high alert and had noticed the incoming attack in time to pull her out of harm''s way, although a few of her feathers did end up crumpled or ripped out by his strong grip.


    Holy crap that was close! 2 landing noises... and the grunt... I should have guessed there were 2! I''m such a moron!


    Emi , Arctic, and Sun Hanukong retreated from the center of the room and repositioned themselves in one of the adjacent corners, the one that put the last remaining wall of their barricade between them and their aggressor. This gained them a few precious seconds as the panther landed and had to reorient itself in this foreign environment. Unluckily for them, the first panther had either been impaled by, or knocked over, every wooden stake or otherwise pointed piece of wood they had laid out in the landing area, allowing the second panther to land unscathed.


    Dammit! Dropped my knife when Sun saved me...Don''t want to just be a damsel in distress, but not sure my talons will do much again this friggin thing.


    The panther rounded the corner, reaching the center of the room and spotting its prey once more. Arctic was the first to move and stepped in front of Emi, pushing her further into the corner and hiding as much of her as their mismatching heights would allow.


    "Get out of the way Arctic. I already died once. I''d rather die again than watch you die for me!"


    The panther did not seem like it was going to let them have a conversation as it lowered its head parallel to the ground and bent its hind limbs in preparation for a pounce. As the panther launched itself forward, Emi''s panicked mind experienced an instant of clarity. She suddenly remembered that she had Abilities, not only that but-


    Too little, too late, too slow.


    This wasn''t one of those animes where characters would have entire conversations and exchange backstories between every move of their fight, but real life. This was the land of split-second reactions, fast decisions, and instinct. There was no time for someone to come with a complicated plan and communicate it. No time for flashbacks. The panther was now in mid-air, hundreds of pounds of fur, muscles, and claws launched in her direction, nothing but an extremely courageous, but rather flimsy, monkey in the way. In that moment of realization, Emi only had the time for one silly thought.


    Now that I see its open mouth, yeppers, no need to keep wondering if their fangs were as large as their claws. Guess I''ll find out firsthand.


    The only reason Emi was able to finish that rather useless thought was that split-second reactions, fast decisions, and instinct were Sun Hanukong''s forte. That, his testosterone-fueled bravado, and his strong sense of responsibility would not allow him to simply watch and let this happen.


    Sun Hanukong, with his armor and spear, must have struck the most fearsome figure of the trio as the panther followed traditional feline hunting techniques and went for the easy prey first. When one is used to everything running away, that isn''t a bad plan, but in this situation, against a well-experienced opponent willing to put his life on the line, it can yield sub-optimal results.


    From the panther''s perspective, when the weakling was pushed out of the way of its claws, making them land in the alpha of the herd instead, it must have seemed like a pretty profitable trade. That is, for the instant it took its brain to register a foreign body had just invaded its thoracic cavity, nicking its lung on its journey, and was remaining stuck fast.


    Arctic, from his position, had not clearly seen what had happened in the moment, but he stared at Sun Hanukong and the panther with eyes wide, his shoulder sore from impacting the opposite wall after being launched out of the way. His greatest enemy of many years was kneeling on the floor, holding on to one half of a broken spear for balance, one side of his body covered in his blood, the other in the panther''s.


    From her position, Emi had been able to witness the whole exchange. When it looked like Arctic was about to get mauled, Sun Hanukong had tackled him out of the way using his left shoulder and taken his place between Emi and the panther. Then, instead of dodging and leaving Emi to face her death, he had purposefully stepped forward into the path of the attack and used his body to shift the trajectory of the pounce, making the panther lose a few feet from the span of its leap in exchange for receiving the attack without deflection.


    Even in the middle of all that, he still managed to stick his spear in. No time to review, need to help! I still have most my energy and my filled-up node...


    The panther and the monkey were both low to the ground, locked in a staring contest as they tried to judge how bad their conditions were, and how badly they had wounded their opponent. The panther was panting heavily, and the wound around the spear shaft was slowly seeping some blood, but it didn''t look out for the count. Sun Hanukong, on the other hand, was barely managing to stay up in a kneeling position, swaying from side to side. The expression on his face showed that he was resolved to fight to his last breath, but his body was visibly betraying him. As Emi tried to come up with a means to use her energy to make a difference, a piece of wood flew at the panther and bounced off harmlessly. It was enough to make it glance in the direction it had come from, and what it saw there visibly enraged it.


    Arctic had dashed to the first panther''s corpse and done the first thing he could think of to enrage the other panther. Going for option number two would have taken too much time, and would have left him too vulnerable, so he opted for the number one option. Luckily, even though he was now forced to wear clothing, the lack of underwear and the tunic-like nature of his garment allowed him to go number one on the corpse with barely an inconvenience.


    What the hell is that idiot doing!? He is going to get himself killed.


    Sun Hanukong''s sway intensified, he looked like he was about to topple over at any moment, and so the angered panther turned its attention to Arctic with a loud roar. Emi repositioned her node between the pair and started running forward as the panther started charging at Arctic with much more speed than one would imagine it capable of with a spear sticking out of its chest. Emi Snatched the broken shaft from Sun Hanukongs hand as she went by, making him fall flat on the floor, unable to keep himself upright by his own strength.


    The Panther got back into pouncing position as it took the last step of its charge, bringing its head just a few feet away from Emi''s node.


    Make it or break it time! If I save energy by going at a very low frequency, I can use the saved up energy to boost the volume even more.


    The panther released the potential energy stored in its limbs to pounce forward just as Emi activated her node. She''d decided to add emotion and meaning to the sound in hopes that it would add to the disorientation, and let loose without any of the restrictions she had subconsciously imposed on herself for safety.


    "FU-"


    Emi had not realized how powerful the sound would be, and it took nearly all her remaining energy to shield her party from its effects even though it lasted a fraction of a second before the node ran out of energy. The fleeting low-pitched sound hit like a shockwave, making the shelter vibrate as if an earthquake had just hit it and making Emi thankful for the lack of glass-paned windows. The panther appeared to have slipped due to its disorientation, aborting its pounce, but as Emi continued her sprint forward, she noticed blood was trickling out of its ears and it was struggling to regain its footing, as if the world was swaying.


    Great! Must have burst its eardrum. Now this ain''t going to be pretty, but I''m not strong enough to pierce through its body in a conventional way, at least not with a random broken stick.


    Emi finished her approach and got into striking range of the panther. The panther, being disoriented, wounded, focused on trying to stand up, and probably deafened, was not able to detect Emi as she pulled the broken shaft back and thrust forward with all of her limited might. Her lack of strength did not prove to be much of an obstacle as her thrust hit the mark, the one shaped like a brown star. The panther reared on its front legs as it experienced a new sensation for the first time, the sensation of the shaft splintering and breaking up upon entry, driving sharp shards in every direction from inside the weak point.


    Don''t think that will be enough to kill it, but at least it might give Arctic time to run away as it tries to get its revenge on me.


    Emi had underestimated the amount of pain her attack would cause, the panther raised its head and howled loud enough that blood from its injured lung started spurting out, blinded by pain and deafened by Emi. Arctic chose that moment and lunged forward with his makeshift spear, landing a hit on the underside of the panther''s now-exposed jaw. The bindings tying the knife to the shaft broke off, but not before the knife pushed through and impaled itself to the hilt, passing through the soft tissue where the back of the mouth and the beginning of the throat meet.


    The panther crumpled to the floor, like a puppet cut loose from its strings, and started giving off small sporadic spasms. The knife had either damaged the panther''s brain or its spine, but one thing was sure, it was down for the count. Arctic''s hands trembled as he held onto his headless spear, witnessing the results of his actions.


    Need to keep his mind off the killing until we can process it calmly or- Oh shit! Sun-Sun!


    "Arctic, no time to rest or celebrate! Come, we need to help Sun Hanukong or he''ll die!"


    Shit, there is so much blood, where even do I start?

 38-Soft monkey, warm monkey, little man of fur...

    38-Soft monkey, warm monkey, little man of fur...


    6/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Great Western Rainforest- Hours before Dawn


    "I need some light to see clearly, my dark vision isn''t cutting it. Get the fire starting kit and sort it out while I get what I need from Sun Hanukon''s first-aid kit."


    A bit under a minute had passed since the panther''s demise, but Arctic and Emi couldn''t rest on their laurels quite yet. Upon making her way to Sun Hanukong, Emi found their protector unresponsive, his clothing and fur saturated in a worrying amount of blood.


    Still, silver lining, looks like he is breathing.


    Emi quickly unfurled the first-aid kit and spread out its content as Arctic rejoined her to start working on a fire.


    First, I need to strip his armor around the wound to have a better view of the damage.


    Emi picked up the knife she had dropped during the combat and made a large cut above Sun Hanukong''s ribs. It took longer than she would have liked, but as Arctic was not done with his task, she took her time cut away at the ties as gently as she could.


    Emi felt a last bit of resistance as she pulled off the left pauldron and was easily able to finish cutting away the strings that fastened the damaged wooden cuirass. Arctic finished sorting the fire and brought Emi a lit torch.


    "Will he be ok!? It can''t happen again...Please tell me he isn''t going to die because he saved me!"


    Arctic was shaking as he handed over the torch, a look of desperation on his face as he started imagining the worst outcome. Emi didn''t need any special powers to understand that the situation was triggering something along the lines of a phobia or post-traumatic stress disorder for Arctic.


    "He is still alive, and we have resources. Trust me, he''ll be fine!"


    Emi brought the torch closer, and what she saw did not look promising. Three of the panther''s claws had managed to penetrate his wooden armor, leaving a large and deep gash running the length of his shoulder''s socket, where it connected with his pectoral muscle.


    Shit, what do I do? I need to stop the bleeding, but I''m fairly sure the shoulder is dislocated, and some ligaments look like they were torn or ripped. Do I put the anti-coagulant ointment first, or the honey? Stopping the bleeding is the first priority, if it stops the honey from working well as an antiseptic, at least we''ll have that anti-fever tea to try and get him to hold on until we find a proper healer.


    Emi positioned her knife on the edge of the fire as she picked up one of their gourds and started washing the wound, temporarily speeding up the rate of blood loss by washing away splinters and slightly congealed blood.


    "Arctic, sit on his chest and keep his left arm still. Do not let him move if he wakes up."


    Emi inspected the wound once more and saw that the largest blood vessels in his shoulder had been severed, the dislocated shoulder pulling both ends an inch apart.


    I have no idea how to get his shoulder back in position...and with the speed at which he is bleeding out...Shit, gonna have to use the blade to cauterize both ends before I use the ointment, the two ends of the blood vessel are too far apart for it to work on its own and I can''t risk having to wait for the ointment to take effect as I watch him slowly die.


    Arctic winced and grimaced as he saw Emi bring the heated knife in contact with Sun Hanukong''s flesh. Sun Hanukong could not scream, and he had lost enough blood that his limbs felt like lead, but his now wide-open eyes, the crazed grunts coming out of him, and his twisted expression betrayed how much pain he was going through.


    "Hold on Big Bro Sun, resist the pain. If you move, it might get worse, do your best to bear with it."


    Sun Hanukong gritted his teeth and did his best to remain immobile as Emi moved the knife to the other end of the torn blood vessel. The smell of burned flesh, fur, and blood turned Arctic''s stomach and he turned his head to the opposite side as he began to throw up, all the while keeping a secure hold of Sun Hanukong.


    "Done! Breath deeply and slowly to try and lower your heart rate while I spread the ointment and the honey. Arctic, you can let go now, good job bud. Now, go cut out a long strip out of one of the spare tunics."


    Emi started singing a gentle lullaby-like song as she gingerly spread the ointment, taking great care to avoid getting any of his nearby fur matted into it. Emi brought an old memory, of her mother nursing her when she''d caught a fever during her childhood, to her mind and transmitted the emotions through her song in an attempt to appease Sun Hanukong and make the treatment more tolerable.


    "Soft monkey, warm monkey, little man of fur..."


    ***


    Emi''s treatment was nearing its end as the first hint of the morning sun began seeping through the canopy. Emi retrieved the straps of cloth that Arctic had cut, from the pot of boiling water she had placed them in, and wrung the now tolerably warm water out of it. Emi applied a coat of honey to one side of the cloth strip before wrapping his injured shoulder in what ended up being 5 layers of the makeshift bandage.


    "Here you go, will this help?."


    Emi quickly noticed that Arctic was badly affected by the situation, as his condition had deteriorated whenever she''d left him to his thoughts, so she had decided to keet him busy with a project. Arctic offered Emi the sling he''d been making with two loops of ropes and a few sticks, according to her instructions, and she inspected it thoroughly.


    "Yeah, this plus the bandage should help limit movement and keep weight off his shoulder. He lost too much blood to walk on his own for now, so let''s have a big breakfast, since we won''t be able to carry much food, and then we''ll quickly sort out some sort of stretcher. If we want to avoid shaking Big Bro Sun too much on the journey, due to chances of his wound worsening, we''ll have to leave before lunch to make it to the next shelter without rushing."


    ***


    Sun Hanukong had been waning in and out of consciousness over the course of the day as his companions did their best to get him to the next shelter as comfortably as they could. Luckily, the forest had been as good as deserted and no nasty surprises had cropped up along the way.


    Emi had taken the lead position to keep watch over oncoming dangers from either side of the road, but it had turned out wholly unnecessary. During the previous days of their journey, Emi had often noticed small animals scampering away from the noise of their convoy, dashing deeper into the forest using the undergrowth as cover, but not today. Even the few peckish mosquitos that had often been attracted to the scent of their sweat were nowhere to be seen.


    Strange... Smaller animals running away after a panther moved in makes some sense, but why even the bugs?


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Emi was starting to feel like something was off, making her grow more nervous with every passing minute, but as the shelter came in sight with a bit over an hour of sunlight left to spare, and no new signs of nearby predators, Emi let go of her tension as she decided she was just being paranoid.


    This time, the shelter was sound, meaning the trio would finally be able to catch up on a night''s worth of missed sleep, with all the fatigue they had accumulated through the fight for their lives and the subsequent journey. Upon getting themselves settled, Emi decided to give Sun Hanukong a once over and was not pleased by what she saw.


    Although they had done their best, between the movement from the travel and the lack of sutures, Sun Hanukong''s wound had apparently seeped enough blood throughout the day that a red section had started appearing on the outside-facing layer of the bandage. She put her hand on his forehead to check for temperature, but the dampness of his facial fur, his bloodshot eyes, and the labored quality of his breathing, all gave her a good enough idea of his situation before her hand could make contact with his skin.


    "Arctic, set some water to boil, I need to make the special fever tea. Also, we are out of cloth for bandages so we are going to have to boil these and reuse them, so we need the fire for that too. This part of the forest seems pretty empty of danger, so I''ll quickly scout around for some food or water before I completely run out of stamina, since we''ll be running low on water after cleaning the bandages."


    ***


    After an hour had passed, and the sun was once again dipping below the horizon, Emi returned from her trip without any water but with an armful of what she had decided were very plump and juicy-looking mango-like fruits. The eery feeling had crept up again and Emi felt a tingle at the back of her spine until she was once again safely within the confines of the shelter.


    Am I being stalked by something dangerous everything else but me notices? Where are all the critters gone?


    "How about this? Any good? Please tell me they aren''t poisonous because aside from a selection of dubious-looking mushrooms and this, I couldn''t find anything else. "


    "There is a lot out in the forest, you just don''t know how and where to look. No problem though, this is good and should be enough until tomorrow. How is Big Bro doing? Is he going to be fine? "


    Big Bro? Good job Sun! Guess life and death moments can be worth months of natural development when it comes to affecting relationships... I don''t know if he''ll make it through, and if he''ll get full use of his arm again if he does, but Arctic doesn''t need to know that.


    Although she had mostly been part of the technical crew in the school plays she had participated in while growing up and in university, Emi channeled all the limited acting experiences stemming from her few on-stage appearances to lie as convincingly as she could.


    "Now that he''s had the tea, he should be fine. we should make it out of the forest in a day or two at most, I am sure we can keep him well enough that a doctor can properly fix him when we get there. Have a bite to eat and then go to sleep, I''ll do the same after changing Sun Hanukong''s bandages."


    Sun Hanukong kept drifting in and out for the evening, and even though he hadn''t managed to regain a bout of clear coherence, the tea appeared to have had a noticeable effect as his sweating and shivering reduced drastically. After seeing the state of the wound as she changed his bandages, Emi had a sinking feeling that the tea was only helping fight the symptoms but not the root cause. Sun Hanukong''s wound had developed a distinctive foul odor coming from a yellowish milky fluid that was seeping from the inflamed edges of his wound.


    That is definitely infected...Come on buddy, if you can make it through the night, we might be able to get you to a healer in time...Don''t give up now that you are finally fixing your mistakes!


    ***


    *BANG* *BANG* *BANG*


    The sounds of something hard hitting the door three times in quick succession jolted Emi awake with flashbacks of the panther crashing into their shelter the previous night. As she looked around and saw nothing was amiss, she let out a sigh of relief, hearing nothing but the falling rain, thinking the sound must have been part of a nightmare.


    *BANG* *BANG* *BANG*


    Emi jumped to her feet and Arctic shortly followed suit, the two staring at the door with trepidation. Sun Hanukong was still in his makeshift cot, apparently too deep in sleep for the out-of-place noise to wake him. The door handle started rattling as someone, or something, on the other side attempted to make its way in.


    "Hello!? Anyone in here? Please let us in, we are two two forest rangers and five free legionnaires out on assignment. We won''t harm you or steal from you, we just want to shelter from the rain and get a few hours rest before we move on."


    "Oy ranger, you sure there is someone in there? Maybe the door is just stuck, I could always give it a good shove."


    "Don''t, this shelter belongs to the guardians of the forest. They can''t speak, that''s why they aren''t ans-"


    Emi chose that moment to interject.


    "DO YOU HAVE A HEALER WITH YOU!?"


    In her excitement, Emi failed to adjust the volume of her voice accordingly and screamed her question through the closed door. The ranger who had started the conversation was perplexed by the situation. He respected the guardians of the forest and often worked with them, but he had never heard of one that could speak, let alone scream. The legionnaire behind him chuckled at the timing of the answer.


    "I am the Decanus of this contubernium, we don''t have a general healer but we do have a Medicus with us. Let us in, I am sure we can come to an arrangement."


    The Decanus then continued in a quiet enough voice that he obviously thought Emi could no longer hear him.


    "Are these guardians of the forest rich? Wouldn''t say no to a little bonus payday if we get our medicus to work."


    The ranger replied in an equally quiet voice, Emi smirking on the other side of the door at the uselessness of their precautions.


    "Nah, not in coin. They are quasi spirit beasts of the monkey kind, they usualy trade in labor, mundane crafts, food they forage, hunt and grow, or in rare resources from the forest. Still, since they normally can''t speak, reckon it is a human or other sentient species in there. The guardians leave the shelter free for everyone''s use after all."


    Emi pulled the lock bar away from the door and opened it a crack, the emotional auras surrounding the people outside seemed to match their words, and she could see no sign of violent emotions from them. In fact, most seemed to have their auras made up of the dreary grey Emi had begun to associate with extreme fatigue. Emi pulled the door open the rest of the way, using one of her feet, after slipping her arms back beneath her feathers.


    "Greetings weary travelers, please come in and share our fire for the night. Please do what you can for my guardian friend over there, I don''t really have anything worth trading as far as I know, but we can come to an arrangement."


    The newcomers found themselves face to face with what had to be the biggest owl they had ever encountered, and none managed to quite hide their surprise.


    "I thought you rangers were supposed to be our guides on this assignment...Mistaking a giant dark purplish owl that talks for a mid-sized mute white monkey...Better buy me a drink if you don''t want me to start spreading your blunder when we get back."


    Emi remembered that Arctic had taken a memento from the larger of the two panthers and went to retrieve it.


    "Well, we don''t have much because we got attacked last night and had to ditch most of our supplies at the previous shelter to carry our injured friend here. It might not be worth much, I have no idea really, but we do have these four large panther fangs."


    Emi forgot that she had been keeping her arms a secret and lifted one up to offer the fangs to the Decanus. Everyone one in the room suddenly gasped in shock as they looked at her hand.


    "Oh yeah, I''m a full-on spirit beast, the arms are just part of my Abilities."


    The Decanus reacted to Emi''s justifications with a mild look of confusion on his face.


    "Nah Owl-Lady, your arms do look weird, but that''s not it. You came from the next shelter over and you killed the panther that attacked you there? These are its fangs?"


    "Yeah. I thought we were gonna die, and Big Bro nearly did, but we barely managed to get it in the end."


    The mood in the room suddenly turned somber as the legionnaires started a chorus of complaints upon realizing that somebody had already completed their assignment and that they were going to be missing their payday.


    "We left our mounts outside but we rushed here today. There had been reports of the markings of a large panther found the area further down the path, but it was unconfirmed and a few days away from the forest''s edge so the job was considered low priority. Two nights ago, these two rangers were out scouting for dangers when they barely heard the tail end of an enormously loud animal''s roar and then all hell broke loose as a mass stampede of the animals in the area started forming as they ran away in fear. We have three other contubernia dealing with the displaced panicked critters that are leaking out into the neighboring farms. We were sent to take care of the source to avoid a repeat incident."


    Oh no! The panther isn''t the one they are after, I am! Guess my "big boom" traveled a lot further than I thought. Now that I think about it, if I was nearby and I head such an impossibly loud voice carrying emotions that literally translate to "fuck off", I''d also run for the hills. Gonna have to be careful with this use of the Ability.


    "Oh yeah, It did make an extremely loud noise after I....."


    Emi just realized that the excuse she had come up with would require her to reveal her deep dark secret, what exactly she had done to the panther when all sense of right and wrong had gone out of the window and survival had become her only worry.


    "...stabbed it in the backside with a pointy stick..."


    Emi said the second half of her sentence so quietly and timidly that only the decanus was able to clearly make out what she said. He obviously found the situation a bit too much fun a he immediately feigned ignorance with some of the worst acting Emi had seen in a while.


    " After you what? Sorry, couldn''t quite catch that. Can you repeat it, louder, so everybody can hear."


    Well, if I give him this win maybe he''ll be less pissed off that he moved his team for nothing.


    "Fine, I used a splintered spear shaft to skewer it from behind in the one weak point I could find! Yes, you can call me "Spear of the brown star"! Happy that you made me reveal my shame!? Now, please, save my brother! I''ll let you have the fangs and claim the bounty on the panther if you do."


    The Decanus gave Emi a large smile as as his entire contubernium, the rangers included, doubled over in laughter at the revelation, their mood lightened up from both the joke and their renewed hope for remuneration.


    With the medicus, whatever that is, and their mounts, we might just manage to save Sun-Sun.

 39-Sects of battling mountain farmers?

    39-Sects of battling mountain farmers?


    7/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut- Mid-Morning


    "Dodge!"


    Doro put his left foot back and shifted his body into a side stance, letting the padded projectile skim off his chest.


    "You were a blink too slow on that one. If it had been a bladed weapon, it might have made enough contact to draw blood. Again!"


    Doro was growing sweaty as the training proceeded. He was somewhat accustomed to physical exercise by now, having started his stamina training over a decan earlier, but the pacing of the effort being dictated by another party was a new experience to him.


    Damn, every time I try to move away to catch my breath, she somehow stays the exact same distance from me.


    When the relatively young scout had first shown her face that morning, Doro had greatly underestimated her. Upon seeing her lithe frame, the thin leather protections she wore as armor, and her apparent lack of weaponry, Doro had assumed that she couldn''t be more than the freshest of recruits, still saving up for decent equipment. He''d been quite a ways off the mark.


    "Ouwww! Ahhhh...fff...ahh...ff...ahh..."


    Doro had attempted to duck to dodge a projectile that he''d anticipated would be aimed at his head, but he had been a bit too early. To his instructor, and all of her actual battle experience, the target that Doro offered, by bending his knees and spreading them apart to crouch, was too tempting an option to let go. As she finished the flick of the wrist that sent the projectile flying forward, she let her fingertips trail and catch its tail end, drastically changing the angle with which it ended up leaving her hand. Doro remained squatting, breathing heavily, a look on his face that betrayed that he was currently oblivious to anything else than the throbbing pain below his bladder.


    If they''ve already descended, that might have sent them back into hiding for a few years.


    "...And that''s what happens when you dodge too early. Dodging is the simplest of the three defenses, if you get the timing right, and your body can follow. You don''t need as much physical strength as for blocking or parrying, and you can do it without an armor or a weapon. Do it too early though, and your opponent will change their attack. Too late, and, well, you get skewered."


    Doro had tried to change his instructor''s lesson plan at first, thinking that he would probably end up wearing metal armor in the future, making dodging the least practical skill of the three, at least in his mind. He''d also believed that dodging was simple and that he already had a grasp on it, thinking it was as simple as just moving out of the way of an attack. He now knew better.


    "The trick is identifying the moment at which your opponent can no longer significantly alter his attack, and then employing any movement you are capable of to get your body out of its path. When you get better, you can start doing more acrobatic movements, and try to use your dodge to either put more distance between you and your opponent, or to close in for a counter. For now though, just focus on trying to stop my attacks from touching you, without your movements leaving you off balance and making you an easy target for the next one."


    The instructor''s words sparked a wicked idea in Doro''s head, but Ben''s maturity did not put up enough of a fight against Doro''s childlike mischievousness to ensure that it remained there. Doro Picked up one of the small sand pouches, that he had been on the receiving end of, and slipped a larger pebble into it.


    "To help me pick up on the timing, mind letting me have a go so I can see when you start moving?"


    The instructor looked pleased by Doro''s initiative as she smiled at him, probably eager to show off her skills.


    "Go for it. Let''s make it interesting. I''ll give you ten throws, and I will tie both my ankles together to limit my range of movement. If you manage to hit me once, you can have the dessert from the lunch your parents are paying me with. If you fail, I get yours. Deal?"


    Guess it is my turn to teach her a thing or two. Payback time!


    "What if I manage to hit you more than once?"


    "Let''s not get cheeky, Pipsqueak. Hit me once first and then we''ll see."


    Doro brought his right hand, with which he was holding the pouch, behind his right ear as he faced the left side of his body in the direction of his target. He lifted his left knee as he pulled his weight backward, and brought his left arm back to meet his right.


    "Planning on using your left hand to hide your right for a couple extra moments of surprise? Not a bad plan, but not gonna be enough to bridge the gap bud."


    Guess I must look like I''m trying to pull some fancy trick, Baseball is most probably not a thing here, so this style of windup must not be common.


    Doro shifted his weight forward, stepping hard with his left leg, his left arm making an arc ahead of him as his semi-extended right arm pivoted from behind him. Doro''s hand-eye coordination was a lot better than when he had been Ben, but his lack of interest in sports had made his form all manners of wrong. For one, his throwing arm was too straight, making his pitch more of a cricket balling form, and for two, his wrist remained stiff for the entirety of the movement.


    Doro was not trying to throw particularly hard, or at least not as hard as he could, and so was able to keep the throw somewhat on target, not that it mattered in the first place. The pouch flew true, but as Doro looked at his target, he realized she was not there anymore.


    in the split second between the pouch leaving Doro''s fingertips and the time it had made it a foot away from him, she''d already gotten herself 3 feet to the left, in the middle of a side roll. She got back on her feet just as the pouch flew through where she had been moments prior, a smirk on her face.


    Doro made a fist and slammed it into his other hand, as if to make a show of how annoyed he was by his failure.


    "Damnit, I was nowhere near!"


    As Doro put on his act, his hand motion caused the pebble inside the pouch to make it do a U-turn further down the backstreet, sending it back on its way toward him. His instructor took a couple hops forward and put a hand up as if to pat him on the head, in what Doro supposed was an attempt to cheer him up.


    Heh, don''t bother!....Two....One...


    The corners of Doro''s lips started to raise as his guided missile was but inches from his target''s back, but then the world spun. In fact, the world did not actually spin, but the instructor''s hand had grabbed onto Doro''s collar, and she had nearly instantly swapped their position in an expertly performed maneuver, making Doro feel as if the world had just spun about him.


    *Thwap*


    "Ouch!"


    Doro got hit in the back of the head by the pouch, but its relatively low speed should have normally made it less painful than the other times he had gotten hit. It was not. By using the large pebble to drive the sand pouch, it had wormed its way to the surface as it pulled the bag behind it by pushing on the leather from the inside. That meant that upon impact, Doro first felt a sharp hit from the pebble, then had it driven hard into the back of his head by the compacted sand that was following closely behind, the pouch stopping the sand from exploding outward and dissipating its energy.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    "Hahahaha...aw man, I got you good. You are not the first one to try something like this. This tip, if any, is the one that will be most likely to keep you alive. The moment you think you have it all in the bag is the moment you are most at risk. In the real world, there isn''t an attacker and a defender, but two people fighting. We are practicing dodging, the moment you saw me close the distance between us and bring my arm forward, you should have dodged, or attempted to maintain your distance."


    "Shhhhhh......my head still hurts, maybe wait a few seconds before lecturing me? Also, you said I could try to throw it at you, you never said I should still be practicing how to dodge!"


    The instructor pointed her nose up, as if her superior height was not already enought to look down at him, and then gave him a three-stage villain laugh.


    "Ha..HahaHA....HAHAHAHAHA, the way to the perfect dodge is built upon millions of tiny dodges. I have set you on the path, but don''t simply walk it, "dodge" the distance with every step! If you can only dodge when you know you are warned, ahead of the attack, you''ll die at the first sneak attack that comes your way. Now that I have started teaching you how to dodge, the lesson only ends with your death. Until then, consider yourself to have a passing mark. I did say I would give you ten tries though, want to take them or are you ready to surrender your dessert in defeat? Guess I''ll aknowledge you though, the name is Karo."


    ***


    Yup, I''m an idiot. My plan might have worked against a guard, or some other kind of warrior, but for a clumsy sneak attack, a scout''s senses are by far my worst match. Shit, just the fact that she could see the energy strands linking me and pebble while I was controlling it was enough to foil my plan entirely.


    "If I had known that you could see it, I would have tried things differently Miss Karo. What level are you even?"


    After failing on all nine subsequent attempts, Doro brought his instructor inside their home for lunch, and the two told Suyum and Khetep about their morning''s worth of effort over some well-deserved food.


    "Isn''t someone nosy? Why? Are you interested in me and trying to find out our age gap maybe?"


    Suyum laughed at their guest''s joke as Khetep gave his son a supportive look.


    "Even though I don''t plan on sticking around in the mortal realms forever, I am still only level 19. I have been putting off passing my threshold while I train in body tempering and vitality manipulation."


    Khetep and Suyum nodded with a look of understanding on their faces, but Doro was confused.


    "What are body tempering and vitality manipulation? And why would you need to push back passing your threshold?"


    Karo seemed perplexed by Doro''s confusion until she clapped her hands together as if to punctuate her sudden realization.


    "Oh right, food is super expensive here, so it is not weird that an average kid hasn''t heard of it even at your age. Basically, all living things produce vitality, and by learning how to manipulate that vitality while doing various different kind of exercises called body tempering, one can grow a lot tougher, stronger, faster, or limber. The issue is practitioners tend to need more food than the average person, and that the further you go down that path, the worse it gets. Also, unlike with Choices, the network isn''t there to hold your hand, so you can do yourself some serious harm if you mess up."


    "Alright, that is mostly new info to me so thanks, but you haven''t explained why you are postponing going through your threshold."


    Suyum interjected and answered her son''s question, letting Karo continue eating uninterrupted.


    "If someone is practicing vitality, and purposefully preventin'' themselves from passin'' their threshold, it is safe to assume that they are preparin'' to climb a mountain."


    Khetep eyed his wife dubiously and picked up the explanation.


    "By climbing a mountain, your mother means one of the thousand peaks of Baisheng. It is code for joining a sect and becoming a cultivator. The sects will accept promising prospects that are low enough level and train them in secret vitality techniques, provide them with body tempering supplies, and even teach them the basics of alchemy and brahmic spell-work to unlock specific rare Choices, if they pass the entrance tests or get a referral."


    "Why would you need to be that powerful to farm on a mountain? Is it some really fertile land that has a lot of monsters?"


    The three adults laughed in unison at Doro''s misunderstanding. Khetep was about to interject but his wife composed herself first.


    "Well, the land up there is so prized that cultivators will fight one another to claim better-positioned plots of land on the mountains."


    Khetep looked at their guest expectantly, making her pause between two mouthfuls.


    "Meh, that is kind of right. Good enough to get the basic idea, but yeah, we cultivate ourselves, not the land. The higher you rise in a sect''s ranks, the closer your residence will be to the peak. The goal is to try to achieve the greatest level of power possible, and to live out all one thousand years of our allotted time before attempting ascension."


    "Thanks for the explanation, my mom can be pretty difficult when she wants to be."


    "I stopped listenin'' after ''pretty''."


    "See?"


    Karo laughed at the comic duo and a bit of food flew out of her mouth and onto Doro''s face, who complained indignantly.


    "What are you complaining about? I should be sending you to run laps for failing to dodge that, but since I''m already stealing your dessert, I''ll let it go this once."


    Friggin dodge freak! I have to admit she is a pretty good teacher though. I''d expected a much greener recruit.


    Doro fished around his pocket for the token the receptionist had given him, and made to hand it to Karo, but she shook her head as she refused it.


    "You are a nice kid, and if I was sticking around I wouldn''t mind making this a decanly thing, but I''m leaving the city this decan. I''m heading to the Ashram of Diligence, to work on body tempering and to learn the basics of Brahmic spellwork in preparation for the sect entrance exams. Since the caravan I am joining leaves in two days, I only had the time to pick up a small job."


    "No worries, I get it. Not much career advancement opportunity in sticking around to teach me. Tell you what, since I''m not having dessert, I have a couple extra minutes of free time on my hands."


    ***


    Karo''s throwing knife reflected the sunlight as she sent it spinning up in the air again, an evil grin on her face. She had not been able to stop herself from playing with her new toy as she accompanied her charge to his lessons.


    Man, peculiar kid. Might become something in the future, no idea what though. Might be worth keeping in contact.


    As Karo had been enjoying her double ration of desserts, the peculiar boy had gotten to work. He''d asked for her camping knife, and she''d assumed he would just oil it up and polish it for her, but what happened next was a lot more interesting. First, the boy retrieved an ingot of steel and a small rectangle of some strange golden material she had never seen before. Then, he swiped the blade onto the ingot, once on each side, and declared the blade repaired. Upon inspecting the blade, it turned out he had not been lying. The tiny chips in the edge, as well as the many little scratches that had accumulated on the sides of the blades from wear and tear, were nowhere to be seen. The edge was as sharp as before, sharper without the imperfections, and the knife looked as good, if not better, than the day she had bought it. What came next was what really piqued her interest though.


    The young boy had taken the knife back a second time and started applying the thinnest of layers of his strange material all around the blade. The golden glint was attractive, but Karo was afraid it might have made the blade worse. Upon hearing his explanation of her knife''s new properties though, Karo had begged him to also do the same to one of her two throwing knives.


    "Damn, Kid! You do some good work. The balance hasn''t shifted at all. If I throw this flashy knife with my right hand, no one is going to notice this one coming from the left!"


    Karo stowed her golden throwing knife and retrieved a tarnished-black one, aside from its razor-thin silver edges. For this one, the boy had done something with an acid in his father''s workshop, to darken the steel, after protecting the edge with some of his mother''s clay.


    "Happy you are happy. Don''t worry, this was pretty quick and cost me barely any energy or materials, consider it a good luck gift. Be careful with the golden one though, with repeated impacts the coating might flake off or crack, won''t make it worse than it originally was without it, but a blacksmith won''t be able to fix it and might need to do a bit of extra work to remove it if you need them to do some work on the knife."


    "Meh, these were decent knives, but nothing special until you got your hands on them anyway. Well, I think that''s you. What time do you need me to come pick you up?"


    "Honestly? Today might be weird. My dad and I might have sent him into a drunken stupor last week. Not sure what to expect."


    The kid seems trustworthy, I''ll just lend him one of my sympathy stones. Worst case, I know where he lives, and the other stone could lead me back to it anyway.


    Karo removed a necklace, that had been tucked inside the brown camisole she wore beneath her leather protections, and took one of two circular stones stones dangling from it. She handed the stone to Doro and went on to explain its use.


    "The two stones are connected, if you input a bit of energy in one, both will start glowing for a little bit."


    She then took a few steps away and had Doro repeat the process.


    "See. Now that I am further away from you, only roughly half of the stone is glowing. The further apart the stones, the narrower a section will light up. If you move it around, you will notice the glowing side will keep pointing in my direction. When you are ready for me to come fetch you, come back here and activate the stone every few minutes until I show up. S''that fine?"


    "Sure, that''s a convenient little thing."


    "Don''t have any ideas, eh. If you try keeping it, I''ll know where to find you. They work both ways. Also, these are fairly cheap ones, and only work within about 10 miles of each other, so you won''t make a crazy amount by selling them either. Still, be careful with it. This one used to belong to my father so it is precious to me."


    The young boy straightened his posture and gave Karo a no-nonsense look she hadn''t expected to come from someone so young.


    "Don''t worry, I can tell it''s important to you, I''ll be careful with it. I''ll see ya later, gotta go face a possibly grumpy, possibly hungover, old scholar."


    The young boy retrieved a simple linen handkerchief and wrapped the stone in it before storing it safely in the inner breast pocket of his silken tunic. Karo kept an eye on the boy until the door of the scholars'' entrance closed behind him.


    Yup, definitely keeping an eye on this one. I have a feeling that he might grow into a tasty meal if I give him some years to finish cooking. Not like I have the time to look around for romance until I get myself into one of the sects anyway, but by then he might already be an adult. Well, it''s not like I''m that hard up on that front anyway, but maybe I can plant a couple of seeds and see if something grows in time.

 40-How to best benefit (from) my apprentice?

    40-How to best benefit (from) my apprentice?


    7/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut- Afternoon


    Any minute now!


    Scholar Atwut paced around his office, his patience wearing thin. His mind had been in turmoil for the last decan, ever since his new apprentice and his father had dropped a bombshell of a revelation on him.


    If I play this right, the sky is the limit! I have to make sure not to waste this opportunity.


    Scholar Atwut had made use of some of his saved-up favors to get another scholar to substitute for his morning responsibilities and spent the entire decan studying the metals Doro had left behind and coming up with ways to profit.


    With these strength-to-weight ratios, if we can mass produce these, we can progress mundane architecture leaps and bounds.


    Impressive buildings had been a thing for most of the empire''s history, but most had relied on special Abilities, Brahmatech, or Artifact materials that needed to have their energy replenished. Scholar Atwut''s main field of study was finding mundane means to allow for the construction of such buildings, and these metals appeared to him as the keys to his future.


    ....And the alloys! Oh, the alloys! Who knows how these metals might improve the characteristics of those we already use for building? Hopefully, this Celestial-sent blessed does!


    Scholar Atwut could not stop himself from dancing a little jig in excitement, showing himself to be more limber than one might have expected from his rather aged appearance. He took one last lap around his office and then stopped in front of his slate board.


    How to best benefit from my apprentice?


    This sentence was written across the top of the slate board in his office, multiple bullet point lists, broken up into categories, filling the space beneath it.


    Might want to erase that "from" bit before he shows up.


    Scholar Atwut was about to fetch a wet cloth when someone suddenly knocked on his front door. He hurriedly rubbed off the word "from" with the corner of his sleeve and dashed back behind his desk.


    "Come in!"


    C''mon Atwut, time to sell yourself like never before!


    ***


    Doro knocked on the door of Scholar Atwut''s office and waited to be called in. He heard a flurry of movement from the other side, followed by the sound of approaching footsteps a moment later. Scholar Atwut opened the door and stood there, a nervous smile on his face as he motioned Doro inside.


    "Good afternoon to you my dear apprentice. I see your esteemed father has not blessed us with his presence on this occasion. Please relay my utmost apologies for my behavior last we met. My lack of decorum was most shameful, and I would hate for it to prevent our burgeoning friendship from blossoming."


    Doro did his best to keep a deadpan expression, but the saccharine words and shamelessness of the scholar''s reversal in attitude made it a more difficult challenge than he could handle. Doro winced as the scholar''s cringe overwhelmed his tolerance, and it did not go unnoticed.


    "Uh....Professor? Could you please...stop?"


    The scholar''s face went pale as beads of sweat started appearing on his brow. The visibly panicked scholar plunged forward to the ground, prostrating himself in front of Doro.


    "Oh please don''t forsake me! I didn''t know! Please give me another chance, I swear I can make myself useful!"


    Scholar Atwut accompanied each statement with a smack of his forehead against the hard ground, leaving visible marks behind as physical manifestations of his contrition. Doro was about to speak up, in an attempt to stop the scholar from abasing himself further, but Scholar Atwut moved on before giving him the opportunity. The scholar wormed himself another foot forward while remaining prostrated as low as he could, and began blubbering as he grabbed onto Doro''s ankle.


    "I know I messed ub *sniff* but blease dont forsake meeeeeeee!"


    Huh?


    Doro was struck speechless by the display, the self-important image that he''d established of the Scholar crumbling into a million tiny pieces.


    "Professor...please stop. I don''t know what you''ve cooked up in your head, but I wasn''t planning on ''forsaking'' you. Was just gonna tell you to speak to me like you normally do, this whole business is super awkward. Also, I think you are getting snot on the hem of my pants, and silk is a tough fabric to wash..."


    ***


    "Ah....that''s better."


    "Mind telling me what got into you? Are you in some sort of trouble or something? I know we''ve just met a couple times, but..."


    It had taken a few minutes but Doro had managed to calm the scholar, who was regaining a modicum of composure after blowing his nose and drinking a glass of water.


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    "Sorry about that. I''m usually better at controlling it, but I have some deeply rooted self-worth issues, my usual facade is mostly bluster. Remember what I told you about my familial situation? Well, it was quite a bit worse than I let on. You might not be aware of the details, but noble titles aren''t strictly hereditary in the Empire. Sure, the heir of a noble often succeeds him, but the Empire ties noble titles with specific responsibilities. For the Empire to allow the passing of the title, the successor has to prove they are able to take over the accompanying tasks. My family title comes with the responsibility of managing the flood channels and waterways on the western side of the Manzat River, both a prestigious and important task."


    The scholar took a deep breath to resettle himself before continuing.


    "I had no talent for it whatsoever. I followed the same studies and training regimen as my older siblings, but when my Choice day came, not only did I not get the option of our family''s Choice of predilection, but I also did not have any options that came close to it in function. Upon that revelation, my relationship with my siblings and my parents deteriorated rapidly. You have to understand that this meant that I would not have a chance to inherit, but I would also not be able to help the successor with his task, or have the opportunity to start an official branch family. When the situation at home grew untenable, I found an apprenticeship in the Scholarium and flourished, but the wounds I still carry from that period sometimes get the better of me."


    Oof! Yeah, no wonder he''s got some hang-ups, that''s a lot of baggage.


    "Look. I''ll be honest, I thought you were some useful but self-important prissy egomaniac who I could trust to act in their own best interest. I was willing to work with you as long as I thought I could control you. I never expected that this whole thing would affect you this much. I''m sorry about the way I handled our last meeting. To tell you the truth, I also had a similarly complicated situation with one of my parents in my previous life, so I get it. I got lucky this time, well, you know, you met my Dad."


    "Yes, seems like a good man. Please do apologize to him on my behalf, I did accuse him of being a con man when you came last decan. I felt bad about coming to the wrong conclusion, so I spent last decan making plans. Here, look at this."


    Scholar Atwut gestured toward the slate board on his wall, showing the fruit of his decan ''s worth of mental labor. Doro once more felt that he had misjudged the scholar, who had shown more goodwill than he''d expected.


    How to best benefit my apprentice


    Damn, I didn''t give him enough credit. I didn''t think he''d already be hard at work trying to help me.


    "I''ll give you the quick rundown. I did some research in the library, reading through some blessed autobiographies, and came to one conclusion. If you want to profit from your knowledge, you need to do it before another Blessed beats you to the punch. First, we need to identify useful knowledge you have, then we need to make categories. All good so far?"


    Doro nodded and waited for the scholar to continue.


    "For the sake of simplicity, let''s make three categories. "Sealed", "Personal", and "License". "Sealed" is simple to explain, that is where we put any bit of knowledge that could have negative repercussions that you don''t think you can keep a handle on. "Personal" is for anything you want to use yourself, but you want to remain in complete control over. The last one is where it gets interesting. As a level 1 nine-year-old boy, if you don''t make the fact that you are a blessed public, between your lack of credibility and low energy reserves, it would be tough to move forward with any real momentum."


    "I''m actually level 3 now Professor, but please continue."


    Scholar Atwuts''s eyes opened wider at that statement, but he managed to remain otherwise unbothered by the correction as he kept going, his speech obviously practiced.


    "The answer I came up with is simple but should be effective. We create a consortium. We find appropriate professionals, get them to sign a non-disclosure contract, help them carve out their niche, and take a cut of their profit in exchange. If we manage the consortium well, we''ll be able to use it as a network of professionals you trust with your secret, as a source of income for your future projects, and as a front to hide that you are at the origin of all the innovations. Obviously, your father and I would be the first members. Between you assisting your father and being my apprentice, you will have a reasonable reason for being involved. What do you think? Also, congratulations on leveling twice in such a short amount of time."


    "Thanks. Your plan sounds good, I was planning on just repeating what I did with you, but setting up an organization might be better. Wouldn''t you need a company to join a consortium though?"


    "Is that how it works back in your old world? Consortium here basically work like sub-guilds to the merchant guild. Consortium usually develop around a specific resource or a specific industry, but anyone from people harvesting the required resources to the people selling the final product can join without a company, unlike the merchant guild."


    Scholar Atwut started squirming in his seat as if he needed to be excused for a bathroom break, but it turned out to be caused by something else entirely.


    "Sooooooooo....How about you flip that board so we can start listing potential breakthroughs for the "license" section?"


    At least it seems his mood got better but...What''s up with this dude and all his mood swings...Still, I can understand why he''d be so excited, hell, if he knew of all I know, he''d be overwhelmed by happiness, on the floor, foaming at the mouth.


    Doro approached the slate board and put a hand on either side. Before he pulled it off the wall to flip it, a strange gap between two words in the heading caught his attention. The area between the words seemed to have a bit of residue left over, hastily rubbed out. Although his eyes couldn''t make out the shape of what had previously been there, Doro had an idea.


    Let''s see if this works...[Matter Analysis+]


    Doro imbued the trace remains of the white powder that remained on the board and was surprised to find it was not chalk. The white powder seemed to be a mix of clay and sifter sand, but its makeup wasn''t what interested Doro. He had recently realized that with the upgrade he had gotten to his Ability, he could gain much more precise information on the shape of an object than with his other senses, and with his [Minute Expertise], he could measure differences as small as one micrometer in size. Upon studying the resulting shape, Doro''s heart felt like it was being wrenched away.


    How to best benefit ''from'' my apprentice?


    I''ve been had...He is as bad as I thought. No clue how much of today''s whole ordeal was theatrics, but I reckon at least part of it was. This piece of...


    Doro felt as if he had just fallen for a con, and that did not sit well with him. He decided he might as well get a little payback as he slowly traced the shape of the word anew with a new stick of the chalk substitute.


    Scholar Atwut''s formerly excited face was showing a whole other type of emotion as he realized his mistake. His face went pale as the now-completed sentence betrayed his motivations. Before he could open his mouth to try and come up with an excuse, Doro smacked the white stick back on the table, smashing it into pieces upon impact. The young boy turned to face the old man, an extremely wide smile on his face. It was obvious, however, that the scholar did not feel any warmth coming from it as he seemed to shrink back in his seat.


    "Oh? My apologies, it would seem I was mistaken once again. Guess I''ll go back home for today, I clearly didn''t leave you enough time for your "preparations"."


    The tone with which Doro spoke was polite, but the pulsating vein on his forehead and the fire in his eyes betrayed his anger, the scholar picking up on all of it as he tried to get out of his seat in a panic.


    "Oh, please don''t bother and remain seated. I do not require an escort. On this note, I bid you a good day sir!"


    Doro slammed the door behind him before letting up the act, a cheeky grin on his face.


    If he is gonna be like that, gotta keep him on his toes! Hahaha. His face was priceless. I''ll let him stew for a decan and see what he does to get back in my good graces. Now, let''s try out the item Karo gave me.


    ***


    "There you are. Back home, safe and sound. It was a pleasure kid, thanks again for upgrading my knives."


    "No worries, you taught me some good, if somewhat painful, lessons. Here is your silver mark. Good luck with the exam prep."


    "Hehe, yeah, sorry. I know it''s a cheap shot, but as they say, keep your jewels secure. Here I''ll tell you a little secret tip to help you improve faster."


    Karo bent at the waist to whisper something into Doro''s ear, but at the last second, she went in for a peck on the cheek. Doro was still wired from their morning''s practice, and his trust had been tested by her cheap shot that morning, and by his professor after, and so he noticed her last-second course correction and sent himself into a sideways roll to avoid the kiss. Sadly, he had not learned that particular move and had hastily tried to reproduce it from his memory, only to end up with his back flat against the floor, a puzzled Karo looking down at him.


    "Huh? Good to see you are serious about practicing, but why did you dodge? Was just giving you a peck on the cheek to increase your motivation."


    Doro stood up and brushed off the dust from his tunic.


    "Well, your kiss attempt did motivate me to dodge, so consider your goal achieved. It was nice meeting you, now let me just put this door between us before you can try again."


    Doro dipped into his home and quickly closed the door behind him, leaving Karo blinking, speechless, on the other side.

 41- A roughshod interrogation

    41- A roughshod interrogation


    7/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut- Morning


    "Morning Dad!''


    Sarima opened the shutters of her father''s bedroom window, letting the soft light of dawn fill the room.


    "Uhhhhh.......Morning Sari. I''ll be out and about in a minute. Just let me stretch right quick."


    Sarima left her father''s room as he began grunting from the strain of the exercises.


    Just gotta finish making food, then I can head over to Doro''s place.


    Sarima took out a stone bowl and put it on top of the small clay oven in her kitchen. After filling it partway with water, she added some lentils and let the bowl sit on the small opening at the top of the oven. She then retrieved a thick piece of pork belly, scored it, and massaged some oil and dried herbs into it.


    "I finished the prep! Can you come light the oven?"


    Sarima''s father entered the kitchen a few seconds later and proceeded to use an Ability to ignite the coals that were sitting below the raised grill. He prodded the coals with a metal poker and spent the next minute stoking the fire.


    "Alright, That looks like it''s good to go. I''ll go wash up while you finish."


    Sarima placed the pork belly onto the grill and the dripping oil hitting the fire, instantly started filling the room with a hunger-inducing aroma. She waited a few minutes to let the bottom get a good sear before flipping the meat over. While she waited for the other side to get nice and crusty, she diced two onions into little pieces and added them into the bowl.


    The meat should be about done. Careful with the fire and sputtering fat...There! Dad likes it a bit chewy so let''s cut thick pieces.


    After cutting up the pork belly into small rectangles, she went ahead and added them to the other ingredients in the bowl.


    Alright, now I close up the front of the oven to turn off the fire and let the heat from the coals finish boiling off the water. I''ve got a bit of time now so I should look over the homework Doro gave me. I made enough for lunch so I don''t have to worry about getting home early if they let me stay.


    ***


    "That was great. Your mother would have been proud. You might remember her cooking fondly, but when I first met her when we were teens, she could barely boil an egg. The first time she tried to cook food for me, she tried to make some biscuits-"


    "-but not only did she burn them, they also all exploded into little pieces while they baked. You ate them without a complaint and helped her learn how to manage a fire. Then the two of you started dating soon after. You tell me this story all the time..."


    "Yeah, sorry. You just remind me of her more and more every day. I know these last three years must have been hard on you, and you''ve done your best to fill the void she left. Honestly, I would still be a wreck if you hadn''t been around. I am happy that you started making friends and are spending more time having fun these last few days. You may not have noticed it yourself, but you''ve been looking a lot happier, back like before your idiot brother ran out on us..."


    Well done Dad, way to ruin the mood by bringing him up... It''s true I''ve been bored since that idiot went off on his adventure... But my life has gotten more interesting than I could have ever hoped for since Choice Day. Gotta make sure I try my best during lessons and keep Doro''s secret.


    "You are in a good mood so let''s not speak about him. Thanks though. I made friends with Doro, Khetep''s and Suyum''s son, and we have been taking lessons from his father every morning. I''ve been learning more complicated math, how to keep ledgers, and other useful things so that I can help around with the shop and work on my Choice."


    "I don''t know Khetep well, but Suyum is one of my drinking buddies. Don''t let her mess with you too much, she can be a bit evil at times, but she''s a nice lady overall. Don''t think I ever spoke with their son though. What kind of boy is he?"


    "Doro is more like his dad than his mom. He is serious, focused, and easily messed with. It''s fun to tease him. By the way, I promised him that I would show you the items he makes and sell them in the shop as long as you approve of them. He became a Meister and can control metals so he has been practicing hard these last few days outside of our lessons. He even made me this so that I could keep notes."


    Sarima showed her father the ring binder Doro had made and he put on a puzzled expression after inspecting it for a few moments.


    "You say a nine-year-old made this? The steel hinges and rings are really smooth, and I don''t see any fractures or dents in the metal. It looks cast due to how even it is but I don''t see any of the marks or imperfections a mold would leave behind. Hell, it seems smooth and uniform, but I can tell it hasn''t even been sanded. Also, isn''t the metal a little high quality for something like this?"


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    I didn''t quite catch all of that but Doro seems to have impressed Dad. Or at least confused him.


    "It seems I must definitely go and visit soon. Maybe I can get him to become my apprentice...then if he is good enough I can get him to marry Sarima and be my successor...hehehe."


    Sarima smacked her palm on her forehead and let out a large sigh.


    "You are saying your thoughts aloud again...You really need to start spending more time around people. You are starting to take on bad habits. Also, not only is Doro not interested, he isn''t my type. He is too polite and serious. If I ever get together with someone, I want them to truly love me, like how you felt for Mom. I don''t think Doro is the kind of guy who can feel that way."


    "Well, it seems you also share your mother''s tastes. Not sure I should take that as a compliment, or be happy about it though. Any fool can fall head over heels in love with someone, please don''t go for the first idiot who professes his undying love. Also, I can be refined and polite too, watch me!"


    Sarima''s father picked up his glass while extending his pinky finger and sipped some water quietly while trying to keep a composed expression. He then flexed the muscles of the arm he was lifting the glass with and gave her an exaggerated wink.


    Hehe! That''s bad...


    "Be careful your majesty, your silk shirt might rip from your oversized muscles. Alright, I''m heading off to Doro''s place, I''ll be back later. Have a good morning Dad."


    Sarima stood up and gave her father a peck on the cheek before picking up her binder and heading out the front door.


    ***


    "Mornin'' Sarima! How are you doing today? We are runnin'' a bit late and are still eatin'' breakfast, come sit down with us. "


    Sarima took a seat at the table and waited for the three to finish their bowls of spiced oatmeal.


    "By the way, mind stayin'' behind for a minute, I''d like to speak with you privately for a bit."


    Suyum''s unexpected request seemed to surprise her husband and son as they took a break from eating and looked up at her.


    Privately? What does she want with me?


    "Sure, I don''t mind. What do you want miss Suyum?"


    "Let the boys finish eatin''. I''ll clean up today Doro, so you can head off with your dad when you two are done."


    Khetep and Doro shared a worried look before shifting their gazes to Sarima.


    Why do they look so worried?


    Her father''s description of Suyum was brought back to her surface thoughts for an instant, and she started feeling a bit worried. She met Doro''s gaze questioningly, but he looked away as if he was too ashamed to meet her gaze.


    Ok, seems like the guys are not going to be any help. Miss Suyum is one scary lady though, she''s even got my dad intimidated...let alone these two.


    Doro and Khetep finished their meals and quickly left the room, giving Sarima an apologetic nod as they left the room. Suyum started clearing the table as she began speaking.


    "So. You and my son have become good friends I see. Happened so quickly it is a bit strange, isn''t it? I wonder what could have formed such a bond between the two of you so quickly."


    Wait, this is what this is about?


    "Yeah, we became friends quickly, that''s true. We''d seen each other before but we never spoke until our Choice Day. Doro is my first real friend, except for my stupid runaway brother, so I don''t know if it''s weird or not."


    Sarima''s posture softened a bit, but her line of questioning did not subside.


    "Well, if the two of you had a crush on each other, it could make sense, but that isn''t what is happenin'' here, is it?"


    "I don''t think so. He said he wasn''t interested in that type of thing, and I don''t really see him that way anyway."


    Suyum nodded along to Sarima''s answer as if to show that this was the response she had expected.


    "Look, Doro told me everything. As long as you keep his secret and don''t try to blackmail him, we''ll get along fine."


    Sarima let out a deep sigh of relief as Suyum''s goals finally became apparent.


    "Oh great! they finally told you? Sorry for keeping it a secret but I promised Doro I wouldn''t tell anyone. Don''t worry, I won''t tell anyone about his second Choice, or about the hidden part of my Choice, unless he tells me it is ok."


    An evil-looking grin materialized on Suyum''s face as she listened to Sarima''s response.


    Huh? Why is she reacting that-


    "So that was what these two were hiding from me! I did have my suspicions, but I thought I was just letting the stories I heard as a little girl get to me. So my son is a Blessed huh? Hahaha, if my family back home found out, they''d have a heart attack. To think that of all the Gal women, I was the one who ended up givin'' birth to our family''s second Blessed....Hahahahaha."


    Sarima blinked a couple times before the truth hit her like a truck. It had barely been two decans and she had already failed Doro. He had only asked one thing from her in return for his help and friendship, and she had already messed it up. Tears started welling up in her eyes as she realized what she had done. A second later, it looked like the whole of Manzat River was running down the length of her face.


    As Suyum saw the results of her interrogation, the expression on her face morphed into one of guilt as she no doubt realized that she had gone too far.


    "Blease, don''t tell him I f-ailed...I don''t want- to be alone- again...I am sorry for keeping it segret - but it was *sniff* the only thing he asked from me!"


    Snot started dribbling out of her nose as she spiraled in a panic. She hadn''t truly realized how important her new friendship was to her. In truth, it had filled a hole that had been left in her heart when her brother had run off. She''d busied herself with her studies and making sure her father didn''t let himself go, helping her hide her loneliness away into a corner of her subconscious, but the thought of losing Doro like she had her brother broke a dam and released all of her pent-up emotions.


    Suyum could indeed have an evil streak, but the scene in front of her must have been completely different from what she''d hoped to achieve as she immediately knelt and hugged Sarima, using a cloth to wipe away the snot and tears from her face


    "Sorry. I won''t tell, I swear. It can be a secret between us girls. Please stop cryin''. I didn''t mean to make you feel this way. I am not angry that you kept it a secret from me, I am annoyed at them, but it wasn''t your decision to make."


    Sarima''s sobs became more spaced out as the river her tears slowly became naught but trickling stream over the next few minutes. Suyum''s assurances and apologies did help calm her down, but the real clincher had been the hug. She hadn''t known how much she had missed it, but being hugged by Suyum brought back warm feelings from the depths of her heart as memories of her mother resurfaced.


    "Come now, it will all be fine. Let''s go wash your face and then you can go see the boys. Please don''t tell them I made you cry, it wasn''t on purpose, and I don''t think they''ll let me hear the end of it."


    Sarima nodded quietly as she did her best to get her emotions back under control.

 42-A covetable Ability requires discretion

    42- A covetable Ability requires discretion


    8/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut- Morning


    "So, yeah, I leveled up again..."


    "That''s great, why do you not sound more excited?"


    "Well, I am excited, but I''m feeling a bit guilty."


    Khetep raised an eyebrow and waited for his son to elaborate further.


    "I mean, Sarima is still level 1 and all. I''m supposed to be teaching her, but with only me leveling, the optics don''t look great. I don''t want her to feel like she''s falling behind, or to think I''m holding out on her."


    Khetep patted his son''s head as he let out a chuckle.


    "You worry too much. Put yourself in Sarima''s shoes for a second. Sure, you are leveling up faster than she is, but she knows you are a Blessed and have years of experience she doesn''t. She is probably happy that you are leveling so quickly. In a way, it confirms that you are worth learning from. So, did you upgrade some Abilities, or did you get some new ones?"


    He might be right. but her lessons have been going very well...I wonder why she hasn''t leveled yet.


    "One new, the other an upgrade. My [Somatic Support] was upgraded. I think my practice with anchoring the load to different muscles unlocked something. I can now spread the load out between as many muscles as I want simultaneously. My maximum output increased a lot and, if I spread the effort, I can keep going a lot longer. The new one lets me control the crystallization process of a material. Let me show you."


    Doro picked up a chunk of the Silica he had harvested over the last decan and showed it to his father.


    "Until now, I could make glass into glass, and sandstone into sandstone, but I couldn''t transform one into the other. Now..."


    Doro invested some energy into the chunk of Silica he was holding, bringing it into a near-liquid state, and tried out his new Ability.


    [Reorder Structure]


    Doro turned the mass into a sphere and let it return to a solid state as his other ability quickly turned it transparent. Doro was now holding onto a clear pure silica glass orb, pleased at having gotten his new Ability right on the first go. Khetep seemed to be about to congratulate his son, but Doro wasn''t quite done.


    "I should also be able to do this instead."


    Doro invested energy into the glass orb and used [Reorder Structure] again, only this time he took a few seconds to concentrate on the way the bonds were reforming. As the mass took shape again, it now appeared as a multifaceted orb-like polyhedron.


    "Look! Quartz! Making stuff into crystals takes a bit more energy because I have to keep the mass liquified longer while I set the bond structure into an ordered state, but it''s worth it!"


    Doro waited for a response from his father, but Khetep looked like someone had found his pause button. A bead of sweat started appearing on his brow as his hands started to quiver. He brought both hands up to wipe at his eyes in disbelief, but the large chunk of crystal did not go anywhere. Khetep had yet to utter a single word, but Doro could see the panic coming over his father.


    "Dad? What''s wrong?"


    Is quartz a taboo substance or something?


    Khetep snatched the polyhedron from his sons''s hands and held it up against the light of the sun. Doro wanted to tell his father that looking directly at the sun through crystal might not be the best idea, but he could see that it would have fallen on deaf ears, hyperfocused as Khetep was.


    "Don''t show this to anyone, not even Sarima. If people find out you can do this, your mother and I won''t be able to keep you safe."


    Huh? What the heck? It''s just quartz, fairly sure the black crystals I gave Mom are rarer. Is it because I made a large chunk?


    "Why are you panicking Dad? It''s just quartz. I''m sure it gets mined all over the place. I mean, it is made of pretty much the same stuff as the walls of our house."


    "Doro, listen to me. First, I don''t think anyone knows for sure what most crystals are made of, and there hasn''t been much historical success in making synthetic ones. Some might have succeeded, but they kept it secret if they did. The issue is that you were able to make a completely pure and flawless piece of quarts of this size. The transparency seems top-grade, I can''t see any inclusions or imperfections, and the cut looks good enough that I''d have thought this was done by a jeweler, or at least a Brahmatec. This quality of quartz is not only rare, but it is also in extremely high demand for brahmachines. I don''t think the supply has ever gotten close to meeting the demand, so if they find out you can do this..."


    I''d get kidnapped and basically become the crystal equivalent of a dairy cow, gotcha! Yeah, I guess it''s like if some dude on Earth showed he could make perfect silicon for computer chips while we were in a shortage. Guy would probably get captured by some government.


    Doro nodded as he started to understand his father''s misgivings and he transformed the quartz polyhedron into a glass sphere once more.


    If he reacts like this to quartz, maybe I should avoid telling him I can probably make diamonds out of carbon, or rubies and sapphires out of aluminum for now.


    ***


    "Oh...She just wanted to ask me how my father was doing because she thought he looked depressed the last time they drank together."


    Sarima decided to risk a bald-faced lie to try and hide her failure. Suyum had promised she would keep her faux pas a secret, and Sarima was too scared of Doro''s reaction to own up to it unbidden, so she decided to try and just move past it.


    Doro seems to be buying it, but why does Uncle K look so on edge? Is he suspecting me of something?Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    unbeknownst to Sarima, the father and son pair were also in the process of trying to keep something from her. The fact that none of them were particularly good liars could have been a problem, but each was so focused on making sure to keep their own secrets hidden that they did not question the others.


    "So, what are you teaching me today?"


    Doro hemmed and hawed as he tried to bring something up, seemingly not finding the right words. Luckily, his father jumped in and cleared up the situation for him.


    "So yeah, Doro leveled up again and he is feeling guilty that you haven''t. I told him that you wouldn''t be jealous, but he worries too much."


    "Daaad!"


    "Why would I be Jealous? I''m using my Abilities as little as possible to avoid leveling up you know?"


    Khetep nodded, as if what Sarima said made complete sense, but the look on Doro''s face betrayed his complete lack of comprehension.


    "I want to wait until you''ve taught me many interesting things before I try to level up. It would be a waste if I started leveling up quickly and got a bunch of meh Abilities when I could have gotten better ones instead."


    Doro still seemed to have trouble following that line of thought and spoke up to ask for some clarifications.


    "Aren''t your Abilities mostly based on your Choice though?"


    Khetep seemed to realize what was stopping his son from grasping Sarima''s logic and started speaking.


    "Your starting Abilities are entirely dependent on your Choice, the ones you get from leveling up are a bit more complicated. The more you use Akashic energy, the more your soul grows accustomed to it. Leveling up is basically a side effect of your soul growing more powerful and being able to store more Akashic energy as you practice with it. If you keep using the same Abilities in the same way for a long time, you are likely to get Abilities that lower energy costs, or something along those lines. If you practice with your Abilities and try to find new applications for them, you are likely to get an upgrade to those Abilities. It gets complicated when you take into account that your mental state, physical activity, and knowledge can cause you to unlock completely new Abilities that are in a similar wheelhouse as your others."


    "Yeah, that''s why I''m trying not to use my Abilities much at the moment. If you teach me some cool stuff, I''m more likely to unlock some fun Abilities instead of just upgrading my basic [Store Manager] ones."


    "Don''t worry yourself over it though, Doro, you already have more than enough interesting knowledge. Also, historically, Blesseds don''t tend to get stuck in the mortal realms as most pass the level 30 threshold, so don''t worry too much about keeping room for specific Abilities. You can just continue to experiment as you have for now. If you really want to develop a specific type of Ability but are not sure how to go on about it, practicing with an Akashic artifact with a similar purpose can help."


    "Oh, that makes sense, I think I get it. Guess you two are the teachers today, eh?"


    Doro chuckled at the reversal in their usual roles.


    "...But yeah, gonna be a bit busy this morning because I need to finish Mom''s present, so let''s get your lesson sorted right quick Sarima. Show me if you are ready to move past single unknown variable equations."


    ***


    "Done! All I need to do now is to shape it."


    Doro clapped his hands together as he admired his handiwork. In front of him were three masses of glass in differing shades of green.


    Good thing this doesn''t use much chromium because it''s the resource I have the least of...Still, since we are keeping her in the dark and all, Mom deserves at least this much.


    Doro had used some of the chromium and silica he''d extracted throughout the last decan to make the green glass, but he''d wanted to play with the shades a bit. He had yet again copped some copper from his father to turn it into a copper oxide and add some blue into some of the glass. After playing around with the chromium and copper oxide content for a while, he''d managed to make three shades he was happy with.


    "So, what are you going to do with those?"


    Sarima leaned over Doro''s shoulder to peek at what he was working on, having seemingly finished the exercises he''d set for her earlier.


    "I promised my mother I would make her something nice. I''ll have some leftover though, so look forward to a little gift too."


    A small smile appeared on Sarima''s face, as she no doubt started imagining what her gift would be. Doro was putting the last touches onto his mental blueprint as Sarima asked another question.


    "Is it glowing? How did you make it do that?"


    The way she phrased it, you''d think I just made some uranium glass.


    "No, it doesn''t glow, but I mixed in some very fine particulates of reflective metal inside. Because of that, it makes the light catch on them and reflects it in every direction, giving the impression that it glows slightly brighter than the ambient level of light"


    Sarima did not seem to grasp Doro''s explanation and Khetep jumped in to help.


    "Just think of it as many tiny mirrors stuck inside the glass, so no matter where you stand, there are always a few of the mirrors facing the right direction to shine line toward you. Well, as long as there is light. In the dark, it doesn''t do anything special."


    "Oooh, kind of like Scholar Atwuts head!"


    ***


    After Sarima''s little jab at the scholar, it had taken a few minutes for the trio to settle down and become productive again. As Khetep returned to his work, Doro took the lightest and bluest of the glass lumps and started shaping it into a soda-can-like cylinder, leaving the top open. He then softened the brighter green chunk of glass and started applying fine spirals and cloud-like shapes on the surface of the top two-thirds of the cylinder. Finally, he started coating the bottom third with the darkest green glass he had produced, marking vertical streaks into it, letting a bit of the lighter underlying glass glimpse through.


    The main bit finished, Doro melded the remaining glass together into a swirly and colorful mass before dividing it into two halves. With the first half, he made a small plate with a circular indent in the center, for the his cylindrical creation to sit in, and then turned the second half into a dozen glass cats-eye style marbles of varying sizes.


    "There we go, one luscious green lamp for Mom, to remind her of springtime in Umayer, and one set of marbles for you. What do you think?"


    Sarima gave Doro a beaming smile as she inspected her gift and started rolling the marbles between her fingers.


    "Oooh, so smooth and round! They are very pretty, but what are they for? you didn''t pierce holes into them, so they can''t be beads at least."


    "These are marbles, they can be used for decoration, collection, or as a toy. Since Dad had both lime and soda stocked in his workshop, I was able to make decent glass, so they should be solid enough to play with. I''ll teach you one or two games you can play with them after."


    Khetep noticed that Doro was about to move on to his mother''s gift and stepped away from his work for a minute.


    "You have to make some of those tiny metal slivers for me at some point. I think I could put them into some of your mother''s glazes, might give a nice effect. I''ve got to say though, this looks too good to put a candle in. Candles will get it sooty and the heat might wear down the glass over time. I think this deserves a proper glow stone, like this you can come up with something nice to put on top since you won''t have to leave it open for the candle."


    Doro and his father continued coming up with potential improvements and decided that they would work on improving it a bit together before offering it to Suyum.


    ***


    "Thanks again for the marbles. By the way, are you free today?"


    Sarima was gathering her marbles after playing a couple of rounds of the marble-tossing game Doro had taught her, but it was now getting close to lunchtime and she would have to return home soon.


    "I''ve got lunch with the parents, then off to train for an hour or two, then I''ve got to increase my stockpiles of Albium since I finished processing my other raw resources and sifter sand is basically free. So not too busy, what''s up?"


    "Do you want to come have lunch at my place today, I made enough extra this morning and I think my dad would like to meet you."


    "Sure, let''s just go ask my parents if it''s ok then we can head off."


    Khetep had already gone to the kitchen ahead, as today was his turn to cook, and so the pair left the workshop and headed to the kitchen.


    "Still here Sarima? You need to head home soon, sixth bell is about to ring and your father must be waiting for you."


    "Actually, Dad, Sarima invited me over for lunch. I want to see their shop and forge, and her father wants to meet me, so, mind if I accept the invitation?"


    Suyum cut in and answered instead of her husband.


    "Sure, go ahead. I need to have an important talk with your father anyway, so the timin'' couldn''t be better."


    Sarima was standing behind Doro at the moment, and so he could not see the wince of apprehension that appeared on her face. A now perturbed Khetep had not missed it though, and his body language immediately shifted to show his worry. As the pair of children turned around and started walking out the door, Khetep stretched his hand out toward his son, in a last-ditch hope for rescue, but he went unnoticed as the door closed behind them. He turned to face his wife and started rubbing his hands together nervously.


    "I am not sure what I did, but I am sure I can come up with a valid explanation if you give me a chance."

 43-Deja vu V.S. Ichi-go Ichi-e

    43- Deja vu V.S. Ichi-go Ichi-e


    8/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut- noon


    "So, what do you think? Should I test your father to see if he is a good fit for the consortium?"


    Sarima took a moment to think over her answer, gaining a measure of approval from Doro.


    "I''m not sure. He is pretty skilled and serious when it comes to work, but since my mother died, he has ''off-days''. Please go easy on him. I think he plans to test you as well. He was impressed when I showed him the binder, and he might be planning on making you his apprentice."


    Doro smiled at the high praise, but this mention of "off-days" had him worried.


    "Well, it''s always nice to hear praise for one''s work, but what do you mean by "off-days"?"


    Doro''s blunt question seemed to put Sarima off-balance as her steps faltered. Doro stopped and turned around, seeing Sarima standing a step behind, a complicated look on her face.


    "I know you think your mom has a drinking problem, but if you compare her to my dad..."


    A drinking problem? More like an Over-drinking problem, I''d say.


    "My dad doesn''t drink because he likes alcohol; he uses it like a medicine. After my mother died, he turned to drinking, but it wasn''t as bad as now. He tried to keep his mind occupied by funneling all his attention into my brother''s training. Then Addat got fed up and ran away..."


    And here I was complaining to her about Mom enjoying her drink too much; I''m such an ass...


    "Now he basically drinks himself to sleep every night. Some days, he''ll wake up, and I get my dad for that day; other days, he can''t get out and face the world without what he calls "a little liquid courage."... Those days can be bad."


    "By bad, you don''t mean...?"


    Doro was worried, but he couldn''t bring himself to finish that sentence, in fear that it would somehow speak it into existence.


    "No! No, nothing like that. I am the one thing that really keeps him connected to the world; if anything, I am too precious to him. The last thing he''s got to lose. When he gets bad, he loses his motivation and can''t keep the tears and bad thoughts away, but if he drinks enough to chase them away, he gets too drunk to really do anything. He''ll sometimes spend hours just staring into his mug while sitting in his chair, not reacting to anything I do or say."


    "I...don''t know what to say. Honestly, this is not great for either of you. He is your father, though, and it doesn''t seem like his issues would stop him from keeping my secret. Even if we don''t end up bringing him into the consortium, I''ll think of a couple of things I could teach your dad; focusing on something new might help a bit."


    Sarima let out a sigh as she started walking again. The journey to her house was a short one, but this conversation had lengthened it to the point where they might arrive after sixth bell.


    "Thanks! Honestly if you could come around and work in his forge once in a while, that would already do a lot. Even if all you do is work on your own stuff. Addat was never really good at the job, and he liked to run his mouth, but I think Dad misses the company."


    As the pair walked around the last corner between them and Sarima''s home, she once again stopped in her tracks.


    "What''s up? Did you forget to tell-"


    Doro cut himself off as he saw a look of confusion morph into one of utter panic on Sarima''s face in a matter of moments. He turned to look at what had frightened her so and saw she was staring at a plume of smoke coming from a chimney on the roof of what he assumed to be her house.


    "It''s just smoke. Isn''t it normal for a forge to let some out?"


    Sarima started running towards her home as she yelled back at Doro.


    "That''s the kitchen chimney! I made lunch this morning, and even if someone was cooking, there would be no reason for so much dark smoke to come out from there!"


    Doro''s daily training showed its first fruits as he quickly managed to catch up to Sarima, a few dozen feet from her home, and then overtook her. He tried opening the door, but after failing for a few seconds, he concluded that it must be locked.


    "Sarima, do you have the key?"


    Luckily for an out-of-breath Sarima, she did not have to answer as her expression made it apparent that she had not expected the door to be locked.


    "I''ll break it down. Sorry! I''ll fix it later. You go find some help while I clear the way. Quick! Go get someone strong in case we need them."


    Doro infused energy into the locking mechanism and used [Phase Transition] to soften the metal. One kick later, the door swung inwardly without putting up much resistance. Until this moment, Doro had still been hoping that there was a simple explanation to the smoke and that he''d be greeted by an angry smith, annoyed at his front door having just been broken. He had no such luck.Stolen novel; please report.


    Good thing I sent Sarima away...There could be things she wouldn''t be able to un-see.


    The room he walked into was not much more than a corridor with a shoe rack to one side, and although the air was still somewhat breathable, Doro could see thin whisps of dark smoke seeping out from beneath one of the doors, an acrid stench following it. Doro shaped a bit of the lump he carried around for practice and made a small edge to help start a tear in the sleeve of his tunic to produce a large piece of loose cloth, which he then hurriedly wrapped around his lower face. He took a deep breath and grabbed the door handle, but immediately regretted his decision as he let out a loud yelp and let go as fast as he could.


    Damn it!


    Doro''s fingers were relatively safe from harm, but the metal doorknob had been hot enough that the center of his palm would most probably start blistering over in a few moments.


    Doro repeated the actions he had performed with the front door, but this time the results were a lot more spectacular. The front door having been left wide open, opening the second door had changed the airflow inside of the room; a billowing cloud of dark smoke rushed past Doro, through the entrance, and into the street outside. Doro had managed to close his eyes just in time to avoid the smoke from blinding him, but the gust of hot air that accompanied it made his eyes ache as his eyelids did little in the way of protecting them from the heat.


    Doro''s eyes started watering and he opened them in a panic, afraid that he might have lost his sight for good. Everything appeared blurry at first, but his vision seemed to clear once more after blinking the tears away a few times.


    Please don''t be in there...


    As his vision cleared, Doro could now see into the room, and what he saw was not good news. Amidst some broken pottery shards, a burly man sat unmoving on the floor, his back resting against one of the table''s feet. The room was mostly made of sandstone, and the lack of carpeting had proved a saving grace as the fire had failed to make its way across the room to the unmoving man, but the heat and the amount of smoke that had escaped from the room made Doro doubt there was any chance that the man could still be alive.


    Still, I have to try to get his body out of there if I can, for Sarima''s sake.


    Doro got down on all fours and slowly inched his way into the room while remaining as low as he could, but his eyes were already starting to water again.


    Damn, my mask isn''t gonna help for long. Also, I''m not going to be strong enough to drag him...


    Doro was about to give up and turn around, hoping that whoever Sarima managed to bring back would get here before the fire spread further, but he heard something he could hardly believe. A wet cough sounded out from the direction of the unmoving man. Doro once more wiped the tears from his eyes and stared at the unmoving figure. Now that he was closer, he saw the smallest of movements as the man''s chest appeared to inflate.


    Ahoeugh!


    It was unmistakable this time. Sarima''s father was still barely alive, if unconscious. Doro was starting to struggle himself, his makeshift mask proving inadequate for this amount of exposure. Seeing that Sarima''s father was still alive, all plans of retreating and waiting for help were thrown out of the proverbial window.


    My arm muscles alone won''t be enough, but if I make a metal hook, I can use my Abilities to get all my muscles into the task, and if that doesn''t turn out to be enough, I should still be able to boost it by spending energy.


    Doro reshaped the lump of metal that he carried around for practice into a wide hook with a small handle and slipped one end into the waist of the man''s pants. He then put his back to the door and began pulling on the hook with both arms, bracing his legs against the table for support. As he had expected, this proved futile, and the man did not budge an inch.


    Doro tried his new Ability and spread the load to all the muscles that weren''t actively involved in the exercise. He started feeling some movement and gradually increased the strain until something finally happened.


    Doro hadn''t stopped to think his plan through thoroughly in his panicked state, and he hadn''t taken into account that he had specifically chosen a softer lump metal to carry around for his practice. Sarima''s father was proving too heavy for the hook, which had started to deform and straighten out rather than pull him along, but Doro hadn''t noticed. Mistaking the change in tension for success in moving the man, Doro kept going until the hook straightened out entirely and lost its grip, all the force he''d been applying to it now sending him flying back.


    Doro was launched a few feet backward and hit the back of his head hard against the sandstone floor. He tried sitting up, but he had trouble breathing, and a resounding headache was making it hard for him to focus on anything.


    Doro swiped the back of his head with his hand and looked at it to see if any blood was on it. His light caramel-brown hand came into his vision, a few red specks on it, but nothing too alarming. That is until his brain caught up, and he noticed the color of his hand. He looked ahead of him, and his heart started beating faster than it had in a long time. This was Earth. He recognized some of the items that were strewn about haphazardly around him, but they weren''t what had made him come to that realization. In front of him, battered and with her lower body pinned under rubble, was his cousin Megan, a look of horror on her face as she stared back at him, her lips moving but no sound registering in his ears.


    Doro tried sitting up once more, but again, he struggled and felt as if he was pinned to the floor, breathless. Finally, he felt as if he had started regaining some clarity as his vision stopped swimming, his thoughts catching up and allowing him to register the words coming out of his cousin''s mouth.


    "Stop! You''ll die if you try again. Let''s just accept our fate; I don''t want to spend my last moments watching you hurt yourself more."


    Her voice was feeble and tentative, nothing like the force of nature she''d always appeared to be, but as Doro looked down at his chest, he saw the metal pipe that was poking clear through it, coming out the front of his three-piece suit. The bloodstain surrounding the pipe slowly expanded as more blood seeped into it, a blood flower blossoming from his life escaping him.


    The memories of Ben''s last moments, which had been sealed thus far, flooded into Doro''s mind as the images of the explosion and subsequent collapse of the building, trapping and injuring them, took over his reality for a few moments.


    Doro was back in his body, the back of his head in pain, but with no metal pipe sticking from his chest this time.


    So, the last time I tried to save someone, I also failed and, furthermore, impaled myself in the process? Why am I always so fucking useless when it matters!?


    The memories redoubling his motivation, Doro was intent on not letting another person die because he wasn''t good enough to save them. Doro gave up all precautions and jumped back into the thick of it. No inching slowly while remaining low to the floor this time; either he''d make it, or someone would also have to carry him out.


    Reshape! Harden! Pull!


    Doro hooked Sarima''s father by the waist again, but this time, he stood straight and faced the door, attempting to pull the man behind him. The fire had kept growing in the interim, and even with the new airway, smoke was starting to saturate the air to an intolerable extent. Doro could no longer see what was ahead of him, and the thick smoke had something in it that made his eyes feel as if they were burning; he kept pulling, following the faint current in the smoke toward what he hoped was the exit, his progress obscured from him by that very smoke. The pain grew worse, but he knew that if he closed his eyes, he would no longer have any idea where he was going, so he put his entire mind into his task in an effort to distract himself from the torment.


    Pull!


    Pull!


    Pull.


    Pull...


    p-u-l-l...


    Every breath was labor; every lung-full taking in less air and keeping more smoke. Doro''s mind was trailing away, but his body kept moving. One more step and it might be enough; one more step and...


    Doro''s muscles started screaming as less and less oxygen made its way to them. His brain was also running on literal fumes at this point. His sheer determination was the only thing that had let him take the last two steps, but there was only so much adrenaline could do for him. Eventually, Doro tripped and lost his grip on the hook, sending him falling forward. As he fell, his body tilted to the side, his right shoulder taking the brunt of the impact as it hit the floor, his head following for a second impact moments after.


    "Doro! Dad!"


    Doro thought he heard something and tried to answer, but he couldn''t manage to take a deep enough breath and immediately began coughing violently. He did not know whether it was the lack of oxygen or the repeated shocks to his head, but he found that he couldn''t think straight anymore. His tension started to drop, and he could feel himself slipping away in a similar manner to when he''d been saved by Dhruvah. Only this time, if he fell asleep, he might never wake up.

 44- No good deed goes unpunished

    44- No good deed goes unpunished


    8/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut- just past noon


    Doro could feel his entire body ache. Specific muscles he''d never really been aware of were screaming at him. His head felt as if it were held underwater; try as he might, he could not get it to surface for a breath, his lungs burning as if filled with acid. In the face of all that pain, it was tempting to give in and let his consciousness fade, carrying it all away.


    Then, a pair of hands grasped him, and he felt his body being quickly pulled away; hope rekindled.


    If.....I could.....only..... breathe...


    He did not want to give in, not this time. As Ben, he''d failed to save his most important person, but as Doro, he would save Sarima''s. He only needed to save himself first. As that thought crossed his mind, Doro remembered that he had an advantage over Ben.


    Akashic Energy!


    Doro had a knack for moving energy inside of objects, but he''d quickly realized that moving the energy within his own body was not something he was talented at. In a last-ditch effort, he targeted the soot and other foreign substances that had made it into his lungs and filled them with his energy.


    Doro''s sense of urgency rose once again; he could fix this, but he was on a clock. He liquified and started moving the murky composite substance around the inside of his lungs, the mostly carbon slime absorbing any small particulates that had escaped his Abilities. Doro had no time to be careful and immediately tried to force the foreign substance out of his respiratory system.


    Oh f-!


    He had no time to finish his thought as the slimy substance forced its way out of his throat at a much greater speed than he had expected. It didn''t simply feel like a bad cough, but as if time had slowed at the worst moment of the worst cough he''d ever had and just kept going. It only took a few seconds for Doro to rid himself of the black muk, but sadly, it was not the only thing on its way out. Doro''s breakfast was next, and then a stream of foamy, foul-smelling liquid followed.


    The whole ordeal only lasted about five seconds, but in his oxygen-starved state, it felt like minutes went by before he could finally breathe in again. One might think that first breath would feel glorious, better than any that had come before. That person would be wrong. The breath was raspy and painful. His lungs were still weak and irritated, and Doro coughed again as he tried to inflate them fully.


    Slower...Shallower...


    It took a minute before Doro''s mind could do anything else than concentrate on his breathing, but as the oxygen returned to his brain, so did other pressing concerns.


    Shit! Where is he!?


    Doro started grasping around him blindly, hoping he would come across Sarima''s father, but then he remembered that someone had pulled him away. Doro tried to rub at his eyes but quickly stopped as he felt the gritty residue that covered them and the rest of his face. Controlling the copious amount of tears that his eyes were producing, Doro used his Abilities to try and wash out the residue from his eyes.


    His eyes felt as if they had been sprayed with vinegar, but Doro powered through and kept them open, if at a squint. Everything was still somewhat blurry, but he could finally start seeing shapes and colors to some extent; he was outside. Doro started looking around him in a panic, discounting the tall, blurry figures surrounding him as well-meaning passers-by until he noticed another figure lying on the ground nearby.


    It might not be too late!


    Doro tried to get up to walk toward the figure, but he stumbled forward and fell to all fours as his calf muscle seized up, and the world went spinning. Even with the oxygen flowing through his blood again, his rescue attempt had asked more from his muscles than they could sustain, and his body was telling him he had reached the limit.


    C''mon! Just one more push!


    Only a dozen feet separated Doro from his goal, but his body would not function as he instructed. He started worming his way forward in a most undignified crawl, clawing at the ground in front of him to gain even one more inch in his discombobulated wriggle. There were still a few feet left ahead of him, and he wasn''t quite sure he''d make it, but one of the surrounding figures knelt down and carried him the rest of the way.


    "Thanks..."


    Doro was able to let out a barely audible and wheezy word to show his gratitude and then let his arm fall over Sarim''as dad''s body. He tried using whatever bit of stamina and energy he had left to clear the man''s lung, but something was blocking his attempts.


    Must be his own energy...Shit, this is going to be rough, but I have no other choice.


    Doro moved his hand to the man''s head and stuck his finger into his mouth. He swirled his finger around inside to gather some of the soot that had mixed with the man''s saliva and shaped it into a thin tendril that he then quickly sent down the man''s trachea. Sarima''s father immediately began to convulse as Doro aggressively went to work gathering the muk inside of the man''s lungs.


    "Sorry, this bit will suck."


    Doro warned the man, in case he could still process what was happening around him, and jerked his finger out of the man''s mouth, pulling along a long tendril of muk, shortly followed by the contents of the man''s stomach.


    Even the powerful alcoholic stench produced by the man''s vomit was not enough to distract Doro from a sense of relief. His goal was accomplished, and a wave of dopamine overrode any other concerns he may have had. His muscles went limp, and darkness overcame his already blurry vision as a final thought went through his mind.


    ...but was that enough?


    *****


    "Hey! Give them some space; this isn''t a show! Go get some water if you don''t have anything better to do! There is still a fire going in there!"


    Seamstress Ati and her son had immediately dropped everything to follow Sarima and help out, and the three had arrived just in time to see a seriously worn-out Doro trip and fall through her front door. Sarima was genuinely grateful for their help, as she would have been unable to pull her father out by herself. She wasn''t quite sure how he had done it, but Doro had managed to drag her father out of the kitchen and halfway through the entrance before giving out.


    "Doro! Dad! Hold on! I''m here and we sent for a healer!"


    Seamstress Ati''s son, a healthy-looking lad in his late teens, was kneeling by her side, helping turn Doro and her Father on their sides.


    "Hey kid, you did some crazy impressive stunt right there! Don''t die on us now, or you won''t get to enjoy the upside. How is your dad looking?"


    Sarima sniffed and wiped away a few tears pointlessly, as fresh ones immediately replaced them.


    "I don''t know. After what Doro did with his finger, he started breathing again...but he doesn''t look good."


    For all the harm that Doro had put his body through, his condition appeared to be somewhat stable. They could see that his breathing was becoming more profound and more regular, and his expression did not show any noticeable signs of pain. Sarima was still worried nonetheless; the way he had been blindly grasping around, him falling as he tried to get up, and the horrifying grunts of pain he had let out as he''d tried to force himself closer to her father as he wriggled on the ground all pointed to the fact that Doro was probably not "all right".


    When seamstress Ati''s son had finally managed to drag her father out, with great difficulty, he had already stopped breathing. Doro hadn''t looked much better until he''d suddenly thrown up a puddle of black ooze. The events that had followed were like flashes in Sarima''s mind; her grief and fear had frozen her at the time, but he had not only saved himself, he''d also gotten her father back from the brink.


    "Make way!"


    A burly man split the crowd as he pulled a large empty handcart behind him, stopping by their side.


    "Dad, where is the healer?"


    "Ashka was out, I sent her apprentice running for another healer and told them to meet us at Suyum''s. Help me load them onto the cart, gently. We can''t leave them in the middle of the street; the fire volunteers are bound to show up any minute now, and we''ll be in their way."


    Seamstress Ati sidled up to Sarima and put a hand on her shoulder.


    "Let the boys take over. There isn''t really anything we can do for now. Let''s both go ahead to warn Suyum and her husband."


    *****


    Doro was rudely awoken from his sleep by one of the most foul smells he could ever remember smelling. He tried to shoot upright into a sitting position in an attempt to get away from the smell, but his body barely moved, the effort causing a lot of pain for very minimal results. Luckily for his nostrils, upon seeing him move, whoever was afflicting him with that stench appeared to have decided it was enough as the source moved away.


    Well, I''m still alive at least.


    "Wait..."


    Doro spoke, but the sounds that came out were barely audible, a raspy wheeze as much as words. He knew he would have to open his eyes soon, but he was scared. The last time he''d opened them, the world he''d seen had made Van Gogh''s "Starry Night" appear HD in comparison.


    Delaying won''t increase my odds...Gotta accept whatever comes...but shit, I don''t want to be blind!


    Doro could not quite bring himself to open his eyes as he usually would and slowly, very slowly, lifted his eyelids. As soon as they began moving, it felt to him as if they were made of sandpaper, scraping against his eyes as they lifted; it did not bolster his hopes. As his eyelids passed the halfway point, Doro could no longer stay in denial. His eyes now fully open, both literally and figuratively, he accepted that his eyes were not fine. He was not entirely blind, but it felt to him as if he were looking through heavily clouded glass. He could still roughly see the general shape and color of things within a few feet of him, but anything past a couple''s arm''s length just seemed to disappear into a white haze.


    Something was waved back and forth in front of his eyes, and he instinctively followed it, immediately regretting it as the movement of his eyes in their sockets brought back the raking pain he''d felt upon opening his eyelids.


    Damn, blinking is going to suck...


    "Alright, the smelling salts worked, and he''s following my finger! That''s excellent news."


    The woman was too far from him for her face to be more than a light brown blur, but at least Doro now knew the voice of his torturer. He knew she was probably a healer, but her actions had, so far, resulted in unpleasant experiences for him.


    "Is he going to be fine? Are you sure!? Thank Gallius and his strong seed!"


    Now, this voice was one he could place without a thought, although something was a bit off.


    That''s Mom''s voice, but where has her accent gone?


    "Here, I got the natron salts you asked for!"


    ...At least Dad sounds the same, if worried as hell.


    Doro slowly tilted his head a bit in his father''s direction and lifted the corners of his mouth. In his haste and panic, he''d included his facial muscles in the effort to get Sarima''s father out of danger, and so he was only able to sustain a hint of a smile. That had been enough, though; Khetep immediately broke into tears and knelt by his son''s side.


    "Doro! You woke up! Thank all that is good! You are home now; we''ll take care of you. Just rest. He''s going to be fine, right?"Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    "Dad..."


    Doro tried to speak up, but again, the sounds that came out of his throat were barely intelligible.


    "Don''t speak; the smoke damaged your lungs and your throat. I''ll make you a drink; stay quiet in the meantime. You can close your eyes if you want, but don''t go back to sleep. I can''t promise anything about his final condition or how long it will take him to recover, but I think it is most likely that he will survive. The only thing I am worried about is that I was told he hit his head pretty hard against the ground, so there is a small chance of a brain hemorrhage or concussion. The issue is that in his current state of exhaustion, after the ordeal he went through, it would be normal for him to exhibit the symptoms if he isn''t afflicted. I am not sure exactly how he did it, but every single muscle I''ve checked is both inflamed and somewhat strained. Seems he stopped just short of long-term damage, but if we left him as is, it would probably take days for him to be able to sit up without being in pain. A week or two before he could start walking around again."


    Doro was happy to hear that he would probably survive, although he''d have been happier without the "probably", but thoughts of the painful recovery described by the healer.


    "Well, that would be without the help of specific medication or a healer. First, though, get me a bottle of your strongest alcohol."


    Are they asking for a bribe before even helping out!? The nerve!


    "I like drinkin'' as much as the next person, but don''t you think it''s a little early to celebrate?"


    The healer laughed, annoying everyone in the room with her lack of decorum.


    "It''s for your child. I need to make a medicine for him, and I need a strong alcohol base."


    Suyum left the room to fulfill the healer''s request. Doro suddenly realized that with his impaired vision, he couldn''t tell what room he was in. He knew he was in a bed, but he had no clue whether it was his or his parents''. As his thoughts wandered off, his mother quickly returned with a bottle, not that he was surprised at how quickly she had managed to procure it.


    The healer filled a large mug, to the halfway point, with the alcohol Suyum had returned with, the grain spirit she''d used to knock out her husband a bit over a decan prior, and gave it back to her.


    "Sir, please put three spoonfuls of the natron salt into the bottle and half of one into the mug. Miss, please bring this next door and have the attending healer administer it carefully to the other patient. Tell him that it might be too late but that this is his only chance. Also, can you bring some honey back if you have any? Since your son is awake and has a sore throat, you should mix it in to make the experience more pleasant."


    Salt and spirits!? What is that meant to be a cure for?


    "Salt and spirits!? What is that meant to be a cure for?"


    Way to go Dad! I knew I could count on you to be on the same wavelength.


    The healer leaned in and whispered her answer into Khetep''s ear too quietly for Doro to have any chance of picking up.


    "Ah...I see. Thank you. It''s kind of you to keep it quiet for little Sarima''s sake. She''s a good kid and doesn''t deserve this kind of black cloud following her. I''ll be careful with who I share the information with."


    Well...that sucks. Guess I''ll just have to trust that if Dad thinks it''s alright...


    Suyum hurriedly walked back into the room and handed a clay pot to the healer, who poured a healthy amount into the mug.


    "Alright kid, you are probably not going to find this tasty, but there is a chance you were exposed to something toxic. If you were and you don''t drink this, a lot of bad and irreversible things will start happening over the few hours. You don''t have to drink it in one shot, but you must down it all in the next few minutes to be safe. I''ll have your mother slowly feed it to you a few sips at a time. Do your best not to spit it out."


    Suyum approached Doro with the mug and gently lifted his head slightly with one hand as the healer slipped a rolled-up towel beneath it. Suyum brought the mug to Doro''s lip and tilted it slightly; the liquid began dribbling down into Doro''s mouth and down the side of the mug. Then, some of the liquid began dribbling out of the corners of Doro''s mouth. His cheeks and mouth muscles were barely responsive; he felt as if he''d just taken a trip to the dentist but got to keep the pain as a bonus.


    "Damn, he really went all out, didn''t he? He even strained his facial muscles somehow...Better use a spoon. If you get it to the back half of his tongue, it should stay in."


    The next few minutes felt like torture to Doro. The medicine wasn''t quite as foul as he''d imagined, but the salty and sweet vodka-like beverage was by no means pleasant. No, the issue was that he was forced to just lay there, unable to communicate, questions burning through his mind.


    Was Sarima ok?


    Was her father going to live?


    Would he be able to see normally again?


    Did they manage to stop the fire?


    The last question that came to his mind sparked a little bit of shame in him.


    What was Sarima''s Dad''s name again?


    *****


    "Sarima...ok?...Father?"


    It had nearly taken 10 minutes, but Suyum had finally fed Doro with the last spoon of the medicine. He knew that he should rest and avoid speaking, but he could feel the alcohol taking effect, and he wanted to try and get at least a couple of answers before he became too drunk.


    "Sarima is fine, at least physically. I told her that you were out of danger and that she should stay with her father. They haven''t managed to wake him up yet, but he is still breathin'' thanks to you. If you hadn''t found a way to clear your lungs, they say you two wouldn''t have made it until you go into the hands of a healer."


    She''s downplaying his condition, I''m sure of it. The healer said that the medicine was his last chance, but if he was breathing and I managed to mostly clear his lungs, the difference in our conditions must be due to that toxic stuff. That, or his brain was too low on oxygen for too long, but since there is no medicine for that, let''s hope it''s not the case.


    Doro was too tired to argue, and with the alcohol on its way to rendering him unintelligible, he needed to ask one more important thing.


    "My eyes.....barely see...blurry haze...."


    He tried saying too much and launched into a coughing fit. The pain in his throat was one thing, but every cough sent a wave of pain through his sore muscles, his chest and abdominal muscles feeling as if they were getting punched from the inside. The healer jumped in before Doro''s words could send his parents into a new panic.


    "Yeah, you kept your eyes open in the smoke a lot, didn''t you? I understand that it might have been necessary, but you kept rubbing soot and other abrasives against the surface of your eyes every time you blinked or rubbed them. Your eyes are inflamed and scratched up; I''d have been surprised if you told me you could see properly with how red and puffed up they are. There is always a small chance of permanent damage, but don''t worry. A little regenerative salve-soaked blindfold, and they''ll most likely be as good as new by tomorrow."


    Doro was so relieved by the news that even his unresponsive face seemed to have conveyed the message across clearly.


    "I could leave you now, and all you''d probably need is a week or two of bed rest and nutritious foods and you''d be back to normal, but we can speed that up a bit in areas. No way to get it to stay properly in your mouth, and if we tried filling your lungs with it, you''d drown, but we can use some regenerative salve to fix the inside of your nose and your eyes overnight since the damage is mostly surface level. I have some with me. Now, you''ll need something to help with the pain and some muscle relaxants for a day or two. Milk of the poppy, in small doses and no more than for two days, as well as some white willow bark tea. These should be easily available at most local apothecaries, and they''ll help you determine the preparation and dosage. They are not cheap, but they should be well within your means. For now, I''ll use a couple of abilities to help with the pain and your general recovery. Your parents can start giving you the medicines once my Abilities wear off."


    As the healer attempted to use her first Ability on Doro, he flinched as he felt as if something light had just bounced off him, only he couldn''t quite pinpoint the location.


    "If you don''t let my Abilities through, you''re just going to stay in pain, you know. If you want to wait for the medicines, be my guest."


    "Sorry, he''s never really had to visit a healer before; he probably just did it by instinct."


    "Ah well, let me try again then."


    This time Doro actively tried to remain open; whatever that meant, he was unsure. Quickly though, he could feel his aching muscles start to ease. The pain receded as the tightness in his muscles loosened. A wave of relief washed over him for the second time that day, carrying him off into a deep sleep.


    *****


    "He''s out. Probably won''t wake up until tomorrow. Take advantage of him being out to stuff his nose with regenerative salve and wrap a soaked cloth around his eyes, I''ll leave you a pot. If you want to do more, cold water-soaked towels if he runs hot, warm blankets if he starts shivering. I used an ability to slow the speed at which his body absorbs alcohols, so he might still be drunk when he wakes up. Now, lay him on his side in case he vomits, and make sure he doesn''t move into a position where he has trouble breathing."


    "Thank you for all of your help, my wife and I are truly grateful for all you''ve done. How much do we owe you?"


    "Oh, nothing. We are settled. I''ll accept the sentiment though."


    "Sorry, but I can''t accept that. You went above and beyond, gave us some salve, used your Abilities even though it was not strictly necessary, and you came here. It''s not like we went to the public clinic and got the minimum service."


    The healer laughed, but this time it did not seem to bother the couple.


    "Don''t get me wrong, I''ve offered my services to the best of my abilities and will get paid for them in a manner of sorts; it''s already been settled, though."


    "What do you mean? By whom?"


    "Well, I''m part of a certain organization and one of my seniors sent word to look after your son should he be in need of medical help. All I''ve been authorized to say is that they mean well for your son and that they don''t want to bother you or him unnecessarily for now. Don''t worry, though; only chapter leaders were given the word, so your son''s name isn''t just being thrown around."


    As she finished her explanation, the other healer walked into the room. Upon noticing her face though, his face went pale and he immediately bowed his head in deference.


    "My apologies. I thought healer Aksha was the one taking care of this patient. Had I known, I would have greeted you earlier."


    "No matter. How fares your patient?"


    The man looked around at Khetep and Suyum, a bit of confusion in his eyes.


    "Aren''t we keeping it quiet for the girl''s sake?"


    "Go ahead, I already told the father and he agreed to keep it to himself. I don''t think the wife will protest."


    Suyum shot a questioning glance at Khetep, but he motioned for her to keep listening.


    "Well, from what I''ve gathered, I don''t think he has a chance. Even though he threw up a large quantity when the kid cleared his lungs, it was probably just a small portion of it. From his state, I''d say he drank a large quantity of wood alcohol, without mixing it with drinking alcohol beforehand. With how unresponsive he is, it was probably at the very least 2-3 hours before the children found him. His Abilities did a lot to protect him from the fire and smoke, and between that and the kid''s help, he would be fine otherwise. With his state being what it is, he must have either drank a very large amount of it or started as soon as his daughter left. In either case, too much damage has been done. It was already too late by the time the fire had started. The brightside is that most of the wood alcohol would have probably burnt a while before the kids showed up, so if the boy got exposed to any, it was probably minimal. I can keep my patient breathing, though for how long, I do not know; but there isn''t anything I, or any healer I know, can do to wake him. I''m not even sure there really is anyone to wake anymore."


    "Have him moved to the local clinic. I''ll see if I can''t find any idea through some of my contacts. Keep him going until the legal limit if you can, and bill it to the organization if you incur extra costs. I can''t give you details, but I''m here because one of my seniors asked for a favor."


    The man''s face went a shade paler than it had already become at the mention of one of her seniors, all pretense of composure leaving him at once.


    "Understood, I will do my utmost to make sure it happens, even if it means foregoing sleep. Please, I beg you, just don''t mention me to your senior or push the blame onto me if I fail. I''m just a newly minted second-tier healer, you can''t expect miracles from me-"


    The man did not wait to finish his sentence to turn for the door and make a run for it. Although a brisk walk might be a better descriptor for the motions his body undertook, the fear on his face and in his voice made it clear that the only reason he wasn''t actually running was that he was scared to offend the other healer.


    "Maybe I shouldn''t have mentioned my senior; he looked like he was about to have a heart attack."


    The healer smiled at Khetep and Suyum, but the look they returned her made her sigh.


    "You guessed what organization I belong to, huh? Come on, we are part of the good guys, don''t believe all the children''s stories about us. We mostly spend our time saving lives, even when we are forced to kill, it is ultimately to save lives. You have nothing to fear from me. See, I am not even wearing a mask, am I?"


    "Thanks for what you did for my son, but don''t come back again. You might think you are part of the good guys, as you say, but I don''t need to rely on children''s stories to know the truth. I want you as far away from us as possible. Thank your senior for his help, and tell him we want absolutely nothing to do with him or his kind."


    Suyum looked at her husband in shock. She had never seen him make such an expression of barely contained rage. In this moment, she feared that if it weren''t for the help the healer had given Doro, he would have thrown himself at her in a violent fit. She''d heard stories about the "crows" before, but if one believed in those stories, the natural reaction would be fear, not anger. Not only that, but she''d never seen her husband display more than mild annoyance or, at worst, cold displeasure, but this kind of fiery anger was new.


    "Sorry, I do-"


    Suyum tried to apologize for her husband''s reaction, awkwardly thrust into the role that he normally filled in the relationship, but she was thrown even more off balance when her husband glared at her and interrupted.


    "Don''t! You have no idea Suyum. Her people are monsters; no, worse, because they don''t have the excuse of Maya making them crazy."


    Khetep turned his attention back to the healer and continued his rant, his emotions taking over his reason.


    "Out! Get the fuck out! Now! I mean it! Go find yourself another corpse to feast on you crow!"


    Khetep picked up the empty mug at Doro''s bedside and brandished it menacingly at the healer. One would think that his short stature and lithe body, aided by a mug, would not make for a threatening sight, but a gentle man''s anger is something to fear.


    Unused to having to deal with these kinds of emotions, Khetep did not wait for the healer to respond and threw the mug in her direction. Suyum did not know what Ability her husband had used, but luckily, his throw missed his mark and the mug flew an inch to the side of the healer''s face. Upon making contact with the wall behind her, the mug explosively shattered into millions of minuscule fragments. The shards being so tiny that air resistance did quick work of sapping their momentum, but the healer was still within the edge of the danger zone. As the cloud of ceramic projectiles reached her, her hair and her clothes protected her from most of the harm, but the exposed back of her neck and her right ear had taken a few nicks, some tiny ceramic shards embedding themselves just deep enough that a couple drops of blood were starting to form here and there.


    What in the!?


    At this point, Suyum did not really care about the "Crows" or even about whether the healer deserved this treatment; she saw that her husband had lost control and that if she didn''t step in, he would do something he would regret. She still wanted to believe that he would regret his last action already, but she knew that no matter how he felt about these people, he would surely regret going any further.


    Gah! I hate being the reasonable one....


    Suyum grabbed her husband in a bear hug before he could continue down the path he had stepped on, and held on for dear life.


    "I don''t know what your people did, but I''d run if I was you. Never seen him get like this about anything, so it must have been bad. I don''t care about it now. Make your escape before he does something that will land him in jail."


    The healer seemed to have expected a reaction from the couple, but the stunned expression on her face revealed that this was not it. She looked surprised, angry, and a little scared, but above all, her confused shock was what came across the most clearly.


    "Maybe you personally don''t deserve this, and I''m sorry if you were injured, but staying will only make things worse."


    The healer finally heeded Suyum''s words and left without another word, leaving the couple alone with their son. In order to make sure the healer had enough of a head start that her husband would not follow, and because she felt like he needed it, Suyum kept her husband in a tight hug for the next minute.


    "Alright. You calmed down or do you need more huggin? I think you''ve got some explainin'' to do, wouldn''t you agree?"


    Khetep took a long breath, let it out, and gave his wife a tentative smile.


    "Yes, I''m better now. You deserve to know the truth, so I''ll tell you, but first, would you kindly explain to me where your accent went earlier? You know, when you were panicking about Doro, and then a minute ago when you were talking to that crow?"


    Damn, I messed up! I''d been so good about keeping it up too!


    "Would you believe me if I told you I practiced as a present for our tenth wedding anniversary, and was keeping it a surprise?"


    Khetep thought over his answer for a moment before responding.


    "Would you believe that I just had a momentary bout of insanity induced by our son''s ordeal?"


    "I see what you did there...Well played. Screw it, let''s both come clean. It will be a weight off our chests, and honestly, making sure I don''t slip out of the accent even when I am home is tiring."


    "You go first, mine will be hard to follow. But let''s wait for tonight after we''ve put Sarima to sleep."


    ***


    A few hours later, a pair of men showed up and took Sarima''s father away on a stretcher. The constant care he would need would not be feasible in their home, but the clinic was no place for a young girl to spend the night alone.


    Seamstress Ati offered Sarima her hospitality before leaving, but Suyum and Khetep both insisted that she stay with them and Sarima readily agreed. Her father gone, Sarima immediately went to Doro''s bedside and refused to leave it for any reason, even when Suyum tried to put her to bed. In the end, they made up a makeshift bed next to Doro''s so that she would at least have somewhere to sleep comfortably if she insisted on staying by his side.


    Finally, the couple made it to their room, and they would exchange secrets they had kept hidden away for as long as they had known each other, over the course of the next few hours. As is customary, though, what happens behind the closed doors of a couple''s bedroom during nighttime is no one''s business but their own.

 Epilogue- For every end, a beggining

    Epilogue- For every end, a beginning


    8/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut- Early morning


    "Here you go, a messenger dropped by and left this for you."


    "Good morning, Rana. Won''t you stay and have breakfast with us?"


    "I had a piece of bread earlier, and I still have some repairs to do. I''ll join you for lunch, though."


    Rana quickly left the room before one of the three older men could insist and get in the way of her morning plans.


    "It might be in your grandaughter''s best interest if you insisted upon her partaking in a proper morning meal. One should start the day well-fed."


    "I have tried, but she keeps running around like she''s out of time. Can''t say that I blame her; we were like that once, too."


    Tom nodded, but Dhruvah slapped his stomach and guffawed.


    "I don''t know what you are talking about! I always found time to have a proper meal. In fact, I used to get told off for trying to sneak extra meals in between, if you remember."


    "Yes, the only difference now is that no one dares reprimand you for over-indulging aside from me."


    "You two sound like an old married couple. Maybe it was a blessing I left when I did."


    Tom and Dhruvah were not amused by that last joke, and the three men let an awkward silence settle in. Tom tore open the envelope Rana had just handed him and started reading its contents.


    Uh? This is unexpected. Could it be a case of mistaken identity?


    "Dhruvah?"


    Dhruvah grunted, his mouth full of smoked breakfast meats.


    "How would you describe Doro''s father? Would you say he is the violent sort?"


    Dhruvah shook his head and took a last chew before swallowing.


    "Nah, the man is a sweetheart. I mean, I kept flirting with his wife, and he never got mad. He did ask me to stop, but politely! Also, he doesn''t really look the sort. You can tell from one glance that he doesn''t train his body for combat and doesn''t look like he has a history of scrapping. Aside from a couple of old burn scars on his forearms, no signs of past fights."


    Strange


    "Why do you ask? Does it have something to do with this message?"


    "This is just from a confused little bird whom I asked to keep an eye on things. Doro got involved in an incident, but he came out of it alive and should make a full recovery soon."


    Dhruvah got agitated as he imagined his new friend in trouble, but Tom was not in the habit of lying to him, and thus, he fought his urge to run out and visit the injured boy.


    "What happened?"


    "He attempted to rescue a man from a burning building and nearly killed himself in the process."


    "Did he save the man?"


    "Technically, yes."


    "Way to go, Doro!"


    "He could have gotten himself killed! We need him to help with Percy, remember? If he valiantly runs to his death, where does that leave us? I need to go have a talk with him, make him understand how stupid that was."


    "It''s his life, Tom. If he decides he wants to help us, that will be great. I would be a hypocrite if I told him not to put himself in danger to save others if they are in peril; I mean, that''s my whole job. I will try to sway him towards our side, but we are not using him like a tool."


    Dhruvah was not having any of it, and Tom did not seem ready to give up.


    "Stop being such a child. All I am saying is that we have to make him understand that we are counting on him. We did save his life after all; he owes us."


    Tom had gone a step too far and set off Dhruvah, who abruptly stood and slammed his fist down on the table, the vibrations toppling a bottle over and spilling fruit juice on the table.


    "I don''t remember you being in the alley when I took care of those low lives. I saved him, not us. If you try to guilt him, I''ll make sure to explain that to him as well. Now, I''m off to work; I''ve seen enough of your face."


    Dhruvah then turned around and left the room, slamming the door hard behind him, leaving a flabbergasted Tom, his mouth agape.


    "What in damnation has gotten into him? Why is he being such an imbecile?!"


    Percyval turned toward his old friend, his glare devoid of any warmth.


    "That''s what I''d like to ask you. If not for our deal, I''d be considering throwing you out on your arse right now. Careful, the next time you look at yourself in the mirror, you might see Jarl Einar staring back."


    Percival followed Dhruvah''s cue, but his slow exit and lackluster door slam made it a lot less impressive. His last jab had hit home, though. Jarl Einar was a taboo subject, and that Percy would be willing to bring it up made Tom take a step back.


    All I wanted was to make sure the kid stayed safe until he helped Per-


    Suddenly, Tom had a flashback of his youth, a moment he would rather forget. The damp and dark ship''s hold surrounded him, the steel shackles rubbing his wrists and ankles raw, and above all, the sneering face of Jarl Einar looking down at him as he bit into a fresh apple.


    "Stop crying and just accept your fate. I never thought I''d capture an Aenglishman again, brings back memories of my first life on Midgard. Don''t worry, your knowledge of healing is too valuable to let you die. It could be worse for you. You won''t even be a slave, you''ll just have to work for the chief laeknir until you earn enough to travel back home. Many young Fjorlunders would give an arm to work for him, you know. You should be thanking me really."


    It was a bitter pill to swallow, but Tom had to admit that even if he wasn''t as callously cruel as Jarl Einar had been, the justifications he had been coming up with reminded him a little too much of the man''s reasoning. Alone in the dining room, Tom slowly finished his breakfast as he stewed in a mixture of doubt, self-loathing, and bad memories.


    *****


    "Welcome back, you two. Any good news?"


    Khetep had left with Sarima earlier that day so that she could spend some time at her father''s bedside. However, Doro was yet to wake up, and thus Suyum had stayed home to watch over him.


    "Well, we found Doro''s medicine quite easily and it is nothing too complicated. Aside from that..."


    "My father is not doing well. They''ve managed to keep his body working using some strange artifact or brahmachine I''d never seen, but none of the tests they did got the results they wanted."


    "It is only the first day; they still have a month before they have to give up and release his soul; they might yet find something. The healers didn''t look like they''d given up yet, so you shouldn''t either. Do you have any way of contacting your brother?"


    "No, he left without telling me anything..."


    Suyum took a second to process the information before giving Sarima a head pat.


    "Don''t worry, you can stay here for as long as you want. Khetep and I had a long discussion last night, and we want you to know that if the worst comes to pass, we''ll welcome you into our family. Things might still turn out for the best, but in case they don''t, please think about whether that is somethin'' you would want. In the meantime, make yourself at home anyway."


    Sarima tried to smile, but tears started forming in the corners of her eyes. Khetep approached the pair and knelt before Sarima to give her a handkerchief.


    "There, there. Keep your hopes up. Is there anything you''d want to do? To cheer you up."


    "Thank you. I''ll be fine -sniff- I think. Can I go see Doro?"


    "Sure, if that is what you want. Go ahead, we''ll join you in a minute."


    Sarima quietly made her way to Doro''s room, and Khetep''s smile vanished.


    "It''s bad. They might not wait out the full month. I spoke with the healer who was put in charge of the case, and they believed it was a lost cause. I think the only reason they didn''t call it today was because they were scared to offend that damn crow. Sarima is already too old for the orphanage, so in case she doesn''t want to become our daughter, we should use whatever time remains to find a couple of decent live-in apprenticeships for her to choose from."Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    "Poor girl... First her mother, then her brother, and now finally her father. All her most important people are vanishin'' one after the other. Look for apprenticeships if you want, but I think she sees Doro as her last remainin'' important person; I don''t think she''ll refuse. Let''s do our best so that she sees us that way, too. I messed up a bit, so I''m starting behind, but she''s already fond of you. You doubting yourself like that reminds me of the month that led to you finally asking me out."


    Khetep smiled at his wife and leaned in for a kiss.


    "Nah, that was different. I wasn''t scared you''d refuse me; I just wanted to make sure you were receptive. I was scared you''d chuck a pot at me and knock me out. You know, like you did to Iktar..."


    "Wait, that''s not fair! Iktar confessed to me the day we met, and he tried to go in for a kiss while he was at it! Plus, if I hadn''t done it, he wouldn''t have had to go get stitched up by Old Lady Natam and gotten along with her daughter."


    "Sure, but it''s not like you knew throwing that pot at him would lead him to his future wife at the time. I don''t think you can quite take credit for that."


    Suyum childishly stuck her tongue out at Khetep and turned away from him.


    "Ah....Don''t get mad. Thank you for trying to help me with my self-confidence, but now that you know a bit more about my past, I think you can understand why I''d want her to have options rather than being stuck with us or whatever unwanted apprenticeship she''d be assigned."


    Gah, why does he always make it so hard to be mad at him?


    *****


    Meg was half crushed under a pile of rubble as she stared at Doro.


    "Save me, you useless bastard!"


    The expression on her face felt wrong, but her words cut him to the quick.


    "No wonder your mother didn''t want to keep trash like you and threw you away on our doorstep!"


    Doro did not understand where this was coming from; he was doing his best. It was not his fault that his nine-year-old body lacked the strength.


    "How dare you be fine when a little girl''s father is on his deathbed because of you?"


    His mother, the one from back on Earth, walked out of the surrounding smoke, pointing a finger at him.


    "What are you saying? He is too useless to even save himself!


    "


    Doro looked down at his chest and saw a long steel pipe poking out.


    "I''m sorry I failed to save you!"


    "Useless!"


    The two said in unison as they looked at him.


    "Unwanted!"


    They continued as their faces morphed into scenes straight out of a Lovecraftian novel.


    "Alone!"


    They finished as they left him crying alone in the smoke and darkness.


    "Don''t leave me! I''ll be useful! I''ll get better. Please don''t leave me."


    Doro woke up, but he felt a strange pressure surrounding him.


    "It was just a nightmare. I''m here. Shhh."


    Suyum held her son in a tight hug as she tried to calm him down. Khetep and Sarima looked on worriedly from a foot away. Suyum wiped away the tears from Doro''s eyes, using the corner of his blanket, and released him from the hug.


    Doro looked around the room and saw that his father and Sarima were there. A spark of joy swelled in his chest as he realized that he could see clearly again, and that he was not alone. Upon taking in more details, though, he noticed Sarima''s expression and immediately started worrying again.


    "Sarima... your Dad?"


    "Still alive for now, thanks to you. To tell you the truth, he might not make it, but you are the only reason he has a chance. Stop thinking you are useless; you are the only reason I have any hope right now."


    It took Doro a couple of seconds to connect the dots in his confused and still somewhat drunken state, but he realized that he must have been sleep-talking towards the end of his nightmare.


    That would explain why Mom was hugging me so tight when I woke up...


    Doro was so embarrassed that his insecurities had been laid bare that he pulled the covers above his head to hide his shame.


    "Uh, Sarima, could you please get me something to drink? My throat feels like it is on fire."


    "You do sound like you just swallowed a glass-full of sand. I''ll get you something, I''ll be right back."


    Doro was genuinely thirsty, and so this last exchange hadn''t been purely subterfuge, but he''d taken advantage of the opportunity to get Sarima out of the room for a minute.


    "Her father...Any chances?"


    Khetep looked unsure whether he should tell his son the whole truth, but Suyum decided to answer first.


    "Doesn''t look good. The details can wait until you get better, but you saved him from the fire. Something else is killing him, though. By the time you and Sarima arrived, it was already too late for him."


    Doro tried to sit up, but the Abilities that had been used on him had nearly entirely run out, and he was in too much pain to complete his action. Ultimately, he settled for propping his head further up on the pillow.


    "Mom. Dad. I know it is a big favor to ask, but with her brother missing, Sarima has no one else. If the money is tight, I''ll get a job, but could you please adopt her? We can''t just leave her like that."


    Both Khetep and Suyum smiled at the request, reassured by the fact that their son had his priorities straight.


    "Don''t worry, we already agreed on that last night. Your mother and I had a long talk, and even if you don''t get a job, we''ll easily be able to get by with just one extra mouth to feed."


    Doro sighed in relief. He hadn''t expected his parents to put up much of a fight, but he''d been ready to do more convincing.


    "Plus, I was thinkin'', isn''t it going to be easier to keep your secret if most of the people who are in the know live here?"


    "Oh yeah! Good point, that only leaves Scholar Atwut, though don''t worry, I won''t ask you to ado-"


    Doro froze in a shock as his brain caught up to what had just happened.


    "Uhh...Secret? I have a secret? My head is spinning; maybe I should go back to sleep..."


    Suyum refused to break eye contact as a predatory smile formed on her face. Doro tried to meet his father''s eyes to ask for help, but Khetep looked away.


    You traitor! We agreed we''d tell her together, so neither of us got the short end of the stick!


    "On another subject, I''m nearly done with your gift! Do you want to see it?"


    His feeble attempt at self-preservation only made his parents giggle as they shared a conspiratorial look.


    "Well, the truth is, I wasn''t sure if it was a good idea to tell you, and when I asked Dad on my Choice day-"


    Doro had thought of the perfect solution to guarantee his safety and proceeded to throw his father under the bus. Sadly, between his convalescent state and the fact that he was still somewhat slowed by the alcohol making its way through his blood, Khetep had reacted in time. He dashed forward and put a hand on Doro''s mouth, finishing his son''s sentence in his stead.


    "I told him I thought you should know, but that since it was his secret to share, I wouldn''t force him."


    Khetep looked proud of his save, but he''d forgotten a rather important thing. His acting skills were even worse than his son''s. Suyum took a step to the side so that she could stare them down simultaneously.


    "Yeah, yeah. And I''m the next Emperor. All is fine; I''m sure you will BOTH find a way to make it up to me. I''ll accept the gift as a downpayment."


    After Suyum left the room, Khetep and Doro shared a hug and apologized for their treacherous actions. They once more agreed to support each other in the face of Suyum; if they did not stick together, they would be picked off one after the other.


    *****


    7/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Great Western Rainforest- afternoon


    "Tell everybody I''m on my way..."


    Emi began singing to try and make the journey more entertaining for her companions. Her party had consisted of three members, one barely holding on to life, but a fortuitous encounter had momentarily bolstered her ranks.


    "You''ve got a lovely voice, missy, but it makes it a bit difficult for me to focus on my job."


    After the medicus had stabilized Sun Hanukong, Emi and Arctic had realized that even if they built some sort of stretcher, they would probably struggle to carry him while keeping a fast enough pace to make it to the next shelter before sundown. After a short conversation and a bit of blatant flattery, Decanus, in charge of the contubernium they had encountered, agreed to send one of the accompanying rangers and one of his legionnaires, along with their two riding goats, as escorts.


    "Oh...My bad. I know I asked you to stop calling me Owl Lady, but I''m not too sure about Missy either. Can you just use my name? I stopped calling you Mister Ranger after you introduced yourself, didn''t I?"


    The ranger blushed and glanced away.


    "We just met; calling you by your first name is a little..."


    Oh? Is that a thing here, too?


    "Sorry, this will be my first time leaving this forest. I''m not too knowledgeable about Empire etiquette."


    "Don''t worry. It''s more of an Ashrama thing anyway. They have a similar custom in Baisheng, but it is more about respect and hierarchy. In Ashrama, it is a sign of intimacy or close friendship. If you pull that line on a guy in a tavern, he''ll think you are flirting with him. No harm, though. Anyway, having a conversation is also getting in the way of my job. Remember, I''m supposed to be looking out for danger?"


    Emi, embarrassed by her faux pas and feeling like she was a bit of a nuisance, decided to drop back and check on her monkey brothers.


    This is too cute! Maybe it was worth Sun Hanukong getting mauled...


    Arctic was walking alongside one of the riding goats, ensuring Sun Hanukong wouldn''t fall off its back. Arctic was so focused on his task that he did not notice Emi until she was beside him.


    "Good job, buddy! You too, Bucky."


    Emi patted the riding goat on its side and ruffled her fingers through its thick fur as it gave a nonplussed-sounding bleat.


    Mehhhhh / "Thanks"


    After separating from the rest of the contubernium the previous morning, Emi had made an enormous discovery. As long as she kept her messages simple and concise, the riding goats had been able to follow her directions. The more shocking part was when she understood their answers. Their bleats made them sound like they were bored or lethargic, but the meaning behind them usually did not match their tone.


    I thought goats were meant to be dicks, but these guys are downright sweet!


    She could not converse with them; their understanding capacity was somewhat limited. They would give her simple one-word answers, mostly telling her they were hungry, happy, or needed to go to the bathroom. All in all, though, they''d done their best to follow her requests and had responded positively to her thanks and praise; Emi felt like she could ask no more from a mount.


    "How are you doing, Big Bro?"


    Sun Hanukong was still weak from the blood loss, and whatever the Medicus had given him for the pain made him woozy, hence the need for Arctic''s help. With one arm in a makeshift sling and the other holding onto the front of his Saddle, he ended up having to practice his newest means of communication to avoid falling off.


    "I is fine. Little brother keep me company and help me with learn language pass time."


    Arctic held up one hand with all his fingers spread, the other holding up three. Sun Hanukong winced and responded.


    "Give me a break. Head is spin from medicine."


    Arctic nodded but first held up one finger, making Sun Hanukong smile.


    "Hey, two sentences and only one mistake! You are progressing fast. Keep going, Arctic; we might make him fully literate someday."


    "What do you mean we? You are one to talk. You are a cheater Big Sis. If you tried to write imperial common, it would only be mistakes. Big Bro is better than you at it; he could teach you."


    Sun Hanukong''s smile widened until he noticed the glance Emi gave him.


    "Okay, Okay! You got me. I gotta say, though, I''m thrilled to see the two of you getting along so well. Are you sure you still want to split up? You can tag along with us a little longer if you want, Big Bro."


    After they''d both witnessed the other risking their lives to save them, something had happened that made a massive dent in the wall that had been keeping them apart this far. After the ordeal, it seemed as if they both gained a measure of understanding about the other, letting go of their warped perceptions of one another. Yes, the battle had changed them somewhat, but they finally understood that they''d focused so much on the negative aspects of the other that they had become blind to all the good that was also there.


    "Hey! Look! You see that light up ahead? That''s the end of the forest."


    The Ranger pointed ahead, further down the track. Arctic still had to take care of Sun Hanukong, but Emi was too curious to stay at their pace and sprinted ahead.


    "Hey, slow down! Wait for us or-"


    Emi could hear that the ranger was saying something, but she was too focused on the exit ahead of her, and the sound of her wings shifting about as she swung her arms back and forth muffled his words. Emi kept running for another ten or so seconds until she burst out of the forest with her final step. The line of giant trees stopped abruptly as if an invisible barrier blocked their path, but Emi broke through into the light unimpeded.


    "Finally made it out of this damn forest! Civilization, here I come!"


    As if in response to the announcement of her imminent arrival, civilization Answered. A large spear landed but inches ahead of Emi before she had the time to take another step. Emi fell back, a strange expression on her face as she blinked rapidly, her brain trying to process what had just happened. A second later, the ranger burst out of the forest and started waving his arm frantically as wide as he could.


    "Oi! Stop attacking you idiots! We aren''t a threat! Why did you run ahead, you bird brain?! I remember the decanus told you that there were other contubernia put in charge of stopping wildlife incursions."


    "Huh, right, he did say that. I''ve got a bigger problem, though."


    Emi grabbed at the grass beneath her behind and pulled out something that made her heart skip a beat in multiple ways. She stared at the roughly oval-shaped white spheroid as her panic rose, and she looked up at the ranger.


    "I''m not ready to be a mom; I just became a big sister!"


    Arctic, who''d started running upon hearing the commotion ahead, finally arrived and saw the large egg cradled in Emi''s arms. An innocent and joyous smile appeared on his face as his hands started moving.


    "Can I name him?"

 Updates and Announcements

    Season''s greetings and a great upcoming year to you all, whenever you celebrate the transition.


    This chapter is to update you now that I have come off break.


    The uploads will resume with book 2 chapter 1 on the 9th of January, working on the backlog in the meantime.


    Over December, the details have been finalized, and I have signed a contract for the audio rights of books 1-3 of Trailblazers & Lunatics with Tantor Media. In the meantime, I will be using my advance to work with an editor and polish off the final novel version of this story alongside my uploads. The details for the audiobook production haven''t been quite worked out yet, but it will be unabridged.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Patreon and Discord are half-built at the moment, but I will probably have them finished off by the 9th, so I will give you all an update in the author''s notes of the chapter coming out on the 9th.


    I will not be posting the edited version of the novel on RR, as this is to remain posted as the web novel version, but I will be making the edited text available for purchase on Amazon to coincide with the audiobook release.


    Thank you all for not forgetting me and my story over the break, I hope to see you all at the start of book 2 if you can make it.

 46-Somewhere Out There

    46- Somewhere Out There


    7/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Ashraman village at the edge of the Great Western Rainforest- Early evening


    "It will take a decan or two of rest and treatment, but your friend''s shoulder should fully recover."


    Arctic and Emi exhaled a sigh of relief at the news. Although they had both been excited to finally witness firsthand what the world outside the confines of the great forest was like, their attention had thus far been entirely occupied by worry for their companion.


    "Thank you. You have no idea how relieved I am to hear that. How much will it cost?"


    Emi''s arms rummaged around within her plumage as she retrieved the pouch in which she kept the coins Majusculus had given her.


    Better keep an eye out on her emotions; Majusculus didn''t teach me the value of money, so I have no idea what these coins are worth.


    Emi studied the healer''s reaction closely as she opened the pouch, revealing one golden coin and some smaller silver change.


    "You have imperial marks? That works. Too bad, though... I thought you wouldn''t have currency and would be willing to trade me the egg your little friend is holding..."


    Emi reeled back, puffing her feathers in a show of disgust.


    "I didn''t plan to have a kid yet, but what kind of monster would sell their unborn child!? How could you even suggest-"


    Midway through her rant, Emi noticed the confusion taking over the middle-aged woman''s aura and stopped.


    "Sorry to tell you this, but this egg is not viable. Is it the first time you lay one?"


    Not viable?


    "Well, you haven''t recently, huh, copulated with a compatible male, right?"


    Compatible male...Is she asking me if I had sex with a bird?! What the hell? I would nev-


    Fear took over Emi''s mind as she searched through her owl memories for episodes she truly wished were not present. As it turns out, Lyre Owls must have been a fairly rare species as Emi did not find any encounter with her species in her memories, aside from the time she was an owlet living with her progenitors.


    Phew...Safe!


    "Nope, not me. Why would you want the egg instead of coins then? I can''t imagine that a slightly oversized owl egg is worth much."


    The middle-aged lady smiled at Emi as if she was dealing with a young child.


    "It is pretty weak, so you won''t see it unless you know what you are looking for, but this is a natural lifespan treasure."


    Arctic stilled and looked down at the egg he was carrying, his eyes growing wide. A series of three words slowly flashed across his chest in bold and clumsy print.


    CACARE VITAM THESAURI!


    Although Emi could not speak Modern Imperial, the meaning flashed into her mind as she read the words across his chest.


    "I do not poop lifespan treasures!"


    Emi was unequivocal in the moment, but then doubt crept over her. She had not really paid attention to it beforehand, doing the deed mostly based on instinct, but the disposition of her natural plumbing came to her as a shock.


    I only have one...so everything...through the same?


    Emi felt as if she was going to be sick as she realized Arctic''s statement was factually correct.


    "Wait, how do lifespan treasures work? Don''t tell me you...?"


    The grin on Arctic''s face grew exponentially wider, mirroring the shame and nausea taking over Emi second by second.


    "Well, eat it, of course. As an omelet, fried, poached, or scrambled. If you wanted to make sure to get the most out of it, you''d straight up boil it in the shell."


    Emi dipped her head forward and hid her face with her large wings as if to hide her embarrassment.


    "It is nothing to be ashamed of, young lady-"


    The slopping sounds of Emi''s last meal hitting the clinic''s floor interrupted the healer''s attempt at reassurance.


    "You! Put the egg down and stop grinning; you are on mop duty."


    A grimace replaced Arctic''s smile as he followed the healer''s orders.


    Sun Hanukong started laughing, the raspy, airy kind of laugh that had creeped out Emi more than once, but the movement pulled at his stitches and made him wince in pain, making him stop abruptly.


    "Good day, Aunty Dipta! I heard you had some guests."This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    A robed young man walked into the room but froze in front of the door, obviously not expecting the scene awaiting him.


    "Should I come back later?"


    "Nah, the young lady is a bit unsettled, but she should be fine in a minute. I''m done with the patient for now."


    The young man sniffed at the air and pulled up the hem of his robe a few inches before taking the next few steps.


    "Greetings Forest Folks! I recognize your friend in the bed, but might the two of you be in need of my services?"


    Emi wiped her beak on her chest feathers and cocked her head to the side at a right angle.


    "Hello. Who are you? Let me first tell you that we don''t have a lot of money."


    Emi was instantly suspicious of the young man; his aura and his tone told two extremely different stories. Although the man was trying to appear nonchalant, his aura was filled to the brim with eagerness.


    "You have money!?"


    The young man''s aura first turned blazing white in surprise before losing its brightness and settling into a morose greyish blue.


    "Don''t tell me you are also after my egg!?"


    "Your egg? What egg? I already ate..."


    Aunty Dipta decided to rescue the young man and correct the misunderstanding.


    "This is Ishan, our Imperial Enumerator. Don''t worry; he is not after your money or your egg. Our small village doesn''t call for much ''enumeration'', so he is just excited to finally have something to do aside from filling in tax paperwork for us."


    "Not exactly how I''d put it, but Aunty is correct. Also, registering new spirit beasts is the kind of thing that gets one noticed for a promotion. If you already have money though, I imagine you have already been out in the empire for a while."


    "Good for a promotion, ey? What about registering a spirit beast and a quasi spirit beast at once?"


    Emi handed the introduction letters bearing Majusculus''s name to Ishan, whose aura once again underwent abrupt changes.


    "How about we leave your friend with Aunty Dipta? She''ll take good care of him, I promise. Follow me to the Tabularium, and we can get the registration process sorted."


    Emi stifled a giggle provoked by the peppy bounce in the enumerator''s steps and instructed Arctic to come along.


    ***


    "All done. I''ve got to say, this was as swift and pleasant as could be. You did give me a bit of a fright when you popped out your hand to grab the pen, though."


    Emi patted Arctic on the head and beamed.


    "He is a smart boy, ain''t he?"


    Arctic looked torn between shame and bliss, but he did not move his head out of the way.


    "One last step now that the paperwork is over. Follow me."


    The Tabularium was a grand-sounding name for what had thus far been a fairly common wooden building with an office, a classroom, and multiple filing rooms, but the pair was now being led up to the second floor. Their opinions were swayed by the sight before them. The second floor was a large room with a pedestal at the center, upon which a large glowing crystal sat, beaming shimmering rays through a skylight above.


    Woah! Fancy! It could be used as a prop in one of those superhero movies.


    "This is our village''s Akashic Beacon, our link to the Akashic Network. Emi, you have already made your Choice, so all touching it will do is move your sigil to your hand, as is requested of every citizen of the empire. You can use the hand you like, although the dominant hand is customary."


    "That sounds inconvenient; why not on my weaker hand?"


    "If you are using your dominant hand to show your Sigil, it makes it harder to attack at the same time. You''d need to trust someone quite a bit to get close enough to read their hand while they are wielding their weapon of choice in their dominant hand."


    Oh, that is a good point. I can see why they would try to make this sort of rule.


    "Now, Arctic. The chances are slim, but there is a period when someone is at the cusp of their First Choice where touching the Beacon will trigger it. In humans, this period is usually between the ages of 8 and 10 depending on the individual. Your tribe leader, Majusculus, has come by and tried it every year since I took this post 10 years ago, and according to my predecessor, he tried for the 18 years he was posted here before me. Give it a try, but don''t be too sad if it doesn''t work."


    ***


    "No worry, no work for me too last try. This why we go out of forest. When come back, two of us make it. Tribe leader go mad and we laugh."


    Emi had brought a dejected Arctic back to Aunty Dipta''s Clinic, prompting Sun Hanukong into a rare bout of brotherly banter. One of his arms being stitched up and bound in a sling, Sun Hanukong was showing the fruits of his training as beautifully curved and legible script appeared on his torso to convey his words.


    "Don''t be too mean if it does happen. Remember that Majusculus is focusing on his duties as tribe leader to give you a chance to travel as he did."


    "Sister is right. We only laugh a little, then say thank you."


    "Don''t complain if he stabs you ''a little''."


    Aunty Dipta decided this was a good moment to jump into the conversation with a little self-promotion.


    "If you get stabbed, just come back here, and I''ll fix you right up. I''ll even give you a discount."


    The group laughed for a few seconds until a slightly awkward silence fell.


    "Uh, Miss Dipta? How much do we owe you for Sun Hanukong''s care?"


    "I talked with your big brother while you were gone, and we came to an agreement. 50 silver should cover the cost of materials and remedies, which he says he can afford himself, and he offered to stay and help me as an assistant for a while to cover room and board."


    "He got hurt protecting us; he shouldn''t have to be the one to pay. Let me-"


    Aunty Dipta crossed her arms and shook her head.


    "I have already received payment. Your big brother asked me not to take any of your money as you will need it in your travels. If you want to give me your egg, though, I''ll return his money. I inspected it while you were gone, and I''d say it contains about two to three days'' worth of lifespan. Lifespan treasures normally go for about 10 silver for every day of potency for the weaker ones of the more common kinds, but since yours is not common and I''ve never had it before, I should be guaranteed the full potency with no future overlap."


    "Wait, how does that work? What do you mean by overlap?"


    "If I eat your egg today, and have the next one you make whenever it pops out, the second will have no effect on me if of the same potency. Same should apply to all eggs of your species that have the same or lower potency. Now, if your next egg has a potency of 5 days and I eat it, I will only gain the difference, two days. There is a chance that it might also overlap with eggs from other closely related owl species, but since I''ve never seen one of those before, not a big risk."


    "Ah, so the more exotic, the less likely you are to get your hands on a higher potency one making your first purchase a waste."


    "Exactly. Since you are the only member of your species, as I understand it, I''m pretty much guaranteed not to regret the purchase in the future, so I don''t mind buying the egg for 50 silver. I broke through the level 10 threshold sixty years ago, when I was in my mid-twenties; since I started aging again ten years ago, lifespan treasures have become a lot more attractive to me than money."


    Well...even if it came out of my...I guess I can understand why someone would still want to eat it...


    "Okay, you can have the egg under two conditions. First, you let me wash it well before you take it; second, you don''t eat it in front of me. deal?"


    "Deal! I''ll even let you sleep here tonight since our small village doesn''t really have an inn anyway, and a contubernium is occupying our guesthouse."


    "Yeah...I think they chucked a spear at me...Thanks for the offer. I''m not sure I''d be able to sleep with people who tried to turn me into Yakitori, so I''ll take you up on it."


    ***


    Emi couldn''t sleep. They had finally made it out of the forest, and although they would soon part from Sun Hanukong, the new day would mark the start of a whole new adventure, and Emi''s giddiness surpassed the melancholy of the coming parting. As Emi peered out the window, she could see the moon was high in the sky, casting a soft light on the land stretching to the horizon, nary a tall tree in sight. Emi started cycling her energy as she let her mind drift.


    Just as she felt as if her thoughts were becoming naught but distant echoes, Emi noticed something that snapped her out of the trance she was entering. There was not even a whisper of a draft in the room, yet Emi felt as if a feeble breeze was blowing. After a moment, she noticed that her skin and feathers did not seem affected, only her energy and whatever contained it. The force seemed to call her away towards the horizon, opposite of the forest.


    "I will incarnate the second soul into a beautiful bird, in a large forest to the North-West of where you will be born." Could this be it? The force seems to want to pull me towards the south-east...Since Sundar said my father was the key to finding Ben and Meg, I need to find my counterpart first."


    Emi peered into the night to the southeast, a wave of melancholy battling against her hopes for a reunion as she quietly played a bittersweet tune to herself.


    Somewhere out there. Beneath the Pale moonlight...

 47-On the road again

    47- On the road again


    8/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Ashraman village at the edge of the Great Western Rainforest- Morning


    "Have a bowl, on the house. Always better to travel on a full belly; you never know what could happen."


    Tears of joy formed at the bottom of Emi''s large round eyes as she hungrily stared at the food Dipta was setting in front of her.


    Actual cooked food! Now, this really feels like a return to civilization!


    Emi''s arms shot out of her plumage as she immediately grabbed for the bowl and brought it to her lips.


    Food, Glorious food!


    The food in Majusculus''s village had not been bad, but the tribe''s idea of cooking was sprinkling some spices on ingredients and then roasting them over an open flame. The rations they had been provided with had been a clear step down from that, but they''d still been able to tolerate it thanks to their hunger-inducing journey. The last stretch had been a different matter altogether. After dumping most of their freshly made rations to carry Sun Hanukong after the attack, they had all discovered the staple food of free legionnaires: Stale biscuits you could crack a tooth on, chewy dried cuts of lean meat, and wooden jars of vinegar filled with various ingredients pickled to the edge of oblivion.


    "You might want to slow down and have some bread with it, we tend to like our food spicy around here."


    Dipta chuckled as she awaited the reaction the gluttonous bird in front of her was sure to have any second now, but Emi just kept gulping down the stew with undeterred gusto. Arctic followed his big sister''s example, dismissing Dipta''s warnings as he brought a large spoonful into his mouth. Arctic looked towards Emi in search of validation, but she was still in a world where only her and her food seemed to exist. He then turned to face Dipta and started straightening his back in pride, but then the young monkey''s face started shifting. Arctic''s fur bristled as he began panting heavily, his large mouth open to its widest.


    "There you go, this will help. I''ll get you some dahi to help as well."


    Dipta ripped a chunk of bread and expertly launched it right into Arctic''s mouth as she spoke, then retrieved a container filled with a white creamy substance. Arctic took a large spoonful of the dahi, and the effect was immediately noticeable. The look of relief on his face was rather prominent, but his body language was the biggest tell. Arctic''s fur smoothed out, and he let himself sink back into the chair as if his muscles were made of jello.


    "Huh? Did something happen?"


    Emi''s thoughts resumed as she put her bowl down and slid her tongue along the edges of her beak before looking around.


    "Young lady, it isn''t nice to prank your little brother like this. His reaction was funny enough though."


    Emi glanced at Arctic and saw him stare at her with a mixture of admiration and accusation.


    What did I do?


    Emi''s thorough practice in energy cycling and meditation were showing their fruits as her focus on the food had made her enter into some sort of a trance state. Now that she was clear-minded again, she saw the empty bowl before her and realized that she had missed some time.


    "I''m impressed; most people can''t eat this stew without the help of bread. Many children need milk or dahi on top of that to finish their bowls."


    Arctic''s eyebrow twitched at the last sentence, and he pushed the dahi away before dipping a small corner of a large chunk of bread into the stew and putting it in his mouth. Despite his best efforts, his struggle began to show a few seconds later as his lips thinned and his brow furrowed. Upon noticing the other''s attention shifting to him, Arctic swallowed, gave them a thumbs up, and repeated the process.


    "Was it supposed to be spicy? It tasted like spice but didn''t feel hot at all."


    "I think your mouth is broken Big Sis"


    Arctic slowly formed the words on his chest as he buckled under the heat and reached for the dahi once more. Emi scooted her stool over and patted him on the head affectionately.


    "I think it might just be a bird thing; I could be immune to spicy things since I didn''t feel it at all. Still, good job on practicing; you''ve made a lot of progress. I was worried you might have trouble communicating if we got split up, but you are getting a lot better at shifting your fur into words."


    A wide grin appeared on Arctic''s face as he let himself enjoy the head pats and the praise. Emi was happy to dote on him as much as she could now, for she feared how their split from Sun Hanukong would affect their relationship dynamics.


    I''m currently the nice big sister who got him his freedom and is always on his side, but soon, it will be just the two of us...


    Emi wrapped Arctic into a big hug and nuzzled the top of his head.


    When I become his authority figure...


    "Your big brother is still sleeping because of what I gave him; his body needs to focus on healing for now. He should be up in a few hours if you want to speak with him before you leave."


    Emi let Arctic go and straightened her back, a look of resolve in her eyes.


    "I was told it would take most of a day to walk to town, and we''ve had our share of night encounters already. Since he will be here for a while, we will send some letters to tell him of our progress and how to keep in touch with us. I''ll be honest, if we stay for proper emotional goodbyes, I think he might propose to me again..."


    Arctic and Dipta both chuckled at Emi''s real reason for not wanting to wait around, but Emi did not find the situation the least bit amusing.


    That wasn''t a joke...I don''t know how serious he is about me, but I don''t want to set him up for another rejection; he doesn''t deserve it...


    "Thank you again for caring for him; knowing he is with someone like you lets us leave without worrying."


    ***


    "You should really learn modern imperial Big Sis. Grandpa told me that if you can''t read, you will easily be tricked in the Empire."


    "Yeah, you might be right about that. I can read the letters and mostly sound out the words, but I don''t get the meaning unless I see them being written. Wanna teach me?"


    Arctic''s aura was instantly overtaken with bright colors, settling into shades Emi identified as pride and eagerness.


    "Well, since you really need the help...and we''ll have a lot of free time while we travel...I guess I maybe could."Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Oh wow! I''m getting the tsundere treatment. If he was a puppy, he''d be wagging his tale furiously. Wait, if we need me to practice modern imperial, couldn''t I just...


    "Hey, Arctic, I have an idea! When we get to the tabularium, stay in front of me and..."


    ***


    "Yo Ishan, me and Big Sis are on our way out and came to say goodbye."


    The young-looking enumerator named Ishan stared at Arctic, his mouth slightly open and an expression of mild confusion frozen on his face.


    "Wait a minute, you guys can talk?"


    "We spoke yesterday. Why are you all acting shocked?"


    This time, Emi spoke up and answered, barely stifling a giggle.


    "Not you, Emi; I meant Arctic and his kind."


    Arctic put a puzzled expression on his face before opening his mouth and answering.


    "Why wouldn''t we be able to speak? We might have a bit of an accent, but we can talk. I thought you met our tribe leader many times?"


    Emi could see Ishan''s confusion turn into suspicion and then into annoyance.


    "That old geezer! He''s been tricking me this whole time!? My predecessor too? What a devious-"


    Midway through his rant, Ishan saw the barely contained mirth on his audience''s faces and started catching on to their little prank.


    "Wait, there is still something I don''t get. If you are throwing your voice and speaking for him, why am I not getting the weird language overlap I get when you speak normally? I have no issues understanding you, but I can also clearly tell you are speaking something that sounds like Brihonian. When you speak for your brother though, I just hear Imperial with a bit of an accent."


    Arctic spun around to show Ishan his back and answered him.


    "I write words here and Big Sis reads them out as they are written."


    "That''s pretty convenient...Aren''t you scared she will mess with you and make you say silly things, though?"


    A sudden wave of realization visibly washed over Arctic as he peered up at Emi with suspicion in his eyes.


    "What? Me? I swear I wouldn''t do such an evil thing-"


    It seemed that Arctic believed Emi''s words as his glare lessened in intensity, that is until he heard the end of his sister''s sentence.


    "-more than a couple times a day. Occasional ridicule is a cheap price to pay in exchange for a voice. I''ve heard of mermaids taking much worse deals."


    Arctic was too busy contemplating his future trials to question the foreign word, but Ishan seemed intrigued and asked for clarification.


    "Mermaids? They are a sailor''s fantasy. Well-endowed and scantily clad, alluring women of the ocean with a fish''s tail for legs. Popular tattoo design for men of the sea who get lonely out there."


    The explanation confused Ishan as he tried sketching the being being described to him on a piece of scrap paper. Emi peeked at the enumerator''s sketch, and although he seemed to take some creative liberties here and there, she was happy enough with the result to go with it.


    "Yeah, sure. Guess I''d call that a mermaid. Time for us to go if we want to make it before nightfall though; could I ask you for an introduction letter to hand at the tabularium in town?"


    "You are headed to Muchiri right? They have a tabularium too, much bigger than this one in fact, but you don''t really need to deal with them unless you decide to settle there and need to update your record or try for a certification. Let me write an introduction letter to the Muchiri Ashram instead; I am well acquainted with one of the disciples of the Head Brahmin."


    Ishan dipped his quill into the ink pot and started quickly writing the letter with smooth and controlled rotations of his wrist. In under a minute, a few paragraphs of beautiful script filled the page, and Ishan blew a bit of sawdust onto it before rolling it up and tying it with a string.


    "Ask for Brahmin Viraj and hand him this."


    "Thanks again for everything! Please keep an eye on our big brother until he leaves. He might be a bit standoffish, but he is actually a good guy."


    "You take care of yourself too. Just follow the main road going out of the village and you should reach Muchiri without an issue."


    The people I''ve met in this village were all nice, but it is about the same scale as Majusculus''s village, just more spread out. Can''t wait to get to an actual town!


    ***


    "Hey! Isn''t that the famous Spear of the Brown Star?"


    Emi smacked her forehead, but the feathers got in the way of a satisfying smack and added to Emi''s frustration.


    "Decanus... Hey guys!"


    Emi gave the cold shoulder to the contubernium''s leader before greeting the other legionnaires with a contrasting friendly attitude. Emi was not surprised by their arrival as the flat terrain and relatively straight road had made them visible for the last few minutes, and her Abilities had made her pick up on the noise they were making even before then.


    "I heard you laid an egg!"


    Emi pointedly stared at the legionnaire who had accompanied them to the village alongside the ranger, but she looked away and avoided meeting Emi''s eyes.


    "I see you got your legionnaire back. Lost the Rangers?"


    The Decanus slowed his mount and sidled up to Emi.


    "They''re gone back to their duties. We''re off to the Muchiri HQ to report. You and your little brother can hop on if you want; we don''t mind giving you a ride since you made our job easier this time."


    Emi was about to refuse. Something about the Decanus really rubbed her the wrong way, but she could not quite pinpoint what it was, but she then felt a tug on her back feathers. Upon seeing the expectant look in Arctic''s eyes, she decided to give in and accept the offer.


    Emi nodded, but instead of hopping behind the Decanus as he seemed to expect, she helped Arctic get on instead.


    "Are there dangerous predators in the skies around here? Something that might go for me?"


    "Uh...nothing I can think of. Even in the Great Forest, not much would come after you up there."


    "I saw some huge eagle-like birds out there though!"


    "Yeah, there are eagles about your size, but the biggest thing I''ve seen them hunt was half your size or less. They hunt alone and only go in for quick kills they are sure of pulling off. If you want to go off flying, make sure you wear something to differentiate yourself from a wild animal so no one gets an excuse to shoot you down. With how big you are, some farmer or guard might panic and try to take a shot. "


    Did he just call me fat? And Scary? Or at least fear-inducing?


    Emi looked back at the other legionnaires, but they all looked away in varying directions, some with auras filled with awkwardness and pity, others with concealed enjoyment.


    Wait...they all still look like they are expecting this to get worse.


    "Why don''t we lend you our contubernium banner? We could hang it around your neck! We ate the supplies you left behind at the damaged shelter, so I''ll rent it to you cheaply."


    How is there no shame in his aura? It''s like he doesn''t question a single of his thoughts and just blurts them out without considering how they make him look or make others feel. If there was malice in it and he did it on purpose, it would be one thing, but is this guy seriously just that oblivious?


    Emi could see the Decanus''s aura clearly, and the worst she could see was a speck of something between pity and condescension, but overall, the man appeared to think he was being friendly and helpful.


    "So...you are the kind of man who laughs at his own bad jokes too hard to notice no one found the joke funny? Hey, guys, does your Decanus flirt with obviously uninterested women then mistakenly brags that they were into him? Just a feeling."


    The smile on the Decanus''s face became stiff, as if he had been afflicted with sudden onset facial paralysis, as his mind seemed to try and catch up with the evolving situation. Emi noticed the legionnaires whispering behind him and used her Abilities to magnify their words.


    "Heh. Arjun is getting roasted. What did you tell her?"


    "Me? Nothing. She mostly spoke with the ranger and sang. She is not wrong, though; remember that waitress last month?"


    Decanus Arjun''s brow furrowed as he heard his subordinates'' remarks, but his trial was seemingly not over as the Medicus was next to chime in.


    "No need to look that far back, there was also that shopkeep last decan."


    One of the two women was next to add her sprinkle of salt to the wound.


    "Yeah, he really doesn''t take a hint. Took me ages to get across that I wasn''t interested."


    "He never tried anything with me, though, not that I''m complaining."


    The other legionnaires seemed to find the scenery very interesting all of a sudden as only the other female legionnaire was meeting her eyes.


    "Yeah...Might have something to do with all these blades you carry. I swear I can count at least nine. Think you are stuck with having to make the first move; not many men have the balls to flirt with you and think they can keep them."


    "Nine? If you want to think that is all I''m carrying, that is fine. So you are saying that on top of having no game, Arjun has no balls?"


    Decanus Arjun pulled on the reins in his right hand, making his riding goat turn around, and stared at his motley crew, a vein on his forehead throbbing so hard it seemed ready to burst.


    "Not sure how, but I think he heard you."


    "Ah...time to run then. Let''s split up; he can''t follow us all."


    "See you in Muchiri."


    The few legionnaires that had taken part in the attack upon their Decanus''s character fled right and left off the road, intent on making their own way to their destination apart from the target of their ridicule. Decanus Arjun, having lost the targets of his ire, turned around to vent his frustrations at his target of opportunity but only found empty space waiting for him. He and Arctic looked up as they heard a voice coming from above.


    "I''ll catch up with you later! I want to finally see how flying free feels like!"


    Decanus Arjun looked down at Arctic behind him, but the young monkey just shrugged and patted him on the back before some words appeared on his chest.


    "So...How fast can this goat go?"

 48- The Oblivious Decanus

    48- The Oblivious Decanus


    8/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Road to Muchiri - Ashrama - Afternoon


    "So...not bad ey?"


    Arctic''s butt was sore from the ride, and he''d found the speed rather unimpressive. Had he looked at the ground instead of the horizon, he might have been more impressed, but the jostle of a riding goat at a gallop made focusing on any one point a more difficult task than one might think.


    Decanus Arjun strained his neck to try and read Arctic''s answer and smiled at the young monkey.


    "Yeah. Super fast. So great."


    Big Sis and his friends already messed with him a bit too much earlier, he needs a win.


    "Let''s just go a bit slower, though; all that jumping up and down is making my stomach feel weird."


    "Don''t worry kiddo, these guys don''t like going fast for long distances anyway."


    A riding goat made for a good mount in rugged terrain, and could sustain brisk trots about as well as a hardy poney, but purebred horses they were not. Their gait made the ride smoother than a horse''s at low speed, but their version of a gallop was closer to a series of vigorous arching bounds than a run.


    "Your sister is looking a bit awkward up there. You sure she is fine?"


    "She often acts before she thinks. I''ve seen her practice a lot back at the village, but not much after she got her arms. She probably didn''t even think about switching back to her armless form before going out."


    "Ah...So those arms are part of an Ability. Just thought she was some sort of strange bird spirit beast."


    Arctic gave the decanus a dubious stare as he questioned the man''s intellectual capacity.


    "You think that there are birds out there that are just born with a pair of perfectly human arms? Skin and all?"


    "Why not? The world is big and filled with strange stuff."


    I guess he''s seen more of the world than I have...Is my point of view limited by having only ever been in the forest? Now that it is just the two of us, I must pick up some slack. Big Sis has some strange ideas, and if I don''t watch out for her, she''ll end up getting herself in trouble sooner or later.


    Arctic shrugged and decided to give Arjun a pass until he learned more about the world outside the forest.


    "If we aren''t going to go fast anymore, should I get in front of you? Your back is blocking most of the view, and you might hurt your neck if you continue looking back at me to talk."


    Decanus Arjun nodded and brought his goat to a stop. As the pair started trading places, Emi swooped down and came for a landing a few feet away, the beating of her large wings picking up debris as they sent gusts or air toward the ground.


    "How''s it going, boys?"


    "Hey Sis! How was the flying? We decided to take it slow from now on. I don''t think either the goat or I could survive those speeds the rest of the way."


    "The open sky was pretty great. I feel like I could stay up there for hours just riding the wind. I need to learn how to read the air currents better, though; I was nearly sent tumbling by a few stray gusts."


    "Oh, that''s what it was. I thought your arms were getting in the way of your balance."


    "Maybe a little of that too. The main difference I feel when flying in this form is that my gliding position feels less natural and strains my muscles a bit more. Without them, I think I could spend most of a day up there without having to land. With them, I''ll probably need to land and take a break every few hours."


    "Ever thought about joining the Free Legion? I''m sure you''d do well as a scout."


    "Yeah...nope. Got other fish to fry. Maybe one day, but I doubt it. Not really my style, to be honest."


    Something seemed to be gnawing at the back of Emi''s mind as she answered, her attention somewhat divided.


    "I''m going back up! You two take it easy, I''ll circle about and keep pace with you. Just make sure we get there before sundown."


    Emi took a running start and beat her large wings down with force, again and again, until her talons lifted off from the ground. A few more wingbeats and Emi managed to latch onto an air current, and she spread her wings out to let the wind fill them like billowing sails, letting them propel her onward and upward.


    "Not gonna lie, that was pretty cool!"


    Arctic looked up at Decanus Arjun and gave him a large smile.


    "Yeah, Big Sis is the coolest!"


    "What about me?"


    Decanus Arjun maintained eye contact with a squirming Arctic until he answered.


    "You? Top 10 coolest humans I met!"


    "Top 10 huh? I''ll take that!"


    The decanus seemed pleased at what he took as praise. Luckily, he did not have any mind reading Abilities because Arctic''s thoughts might have irredeemably damaged his ego.


    Well, the tenth coolest human I''ve met also means the fifth lamest...but he doesn''t need to know that. Also, it doesn''t help that there are only some below him because I''ve barely heard them speak yet...


    Arctic looked back at the few members of the contubernium that hadn''t felt the need to put some distance between them and their decanus and shrugged.


    The next couple hours of their journey went by without incident until Emi went for an unexpected dive and landed in front of the others.


    "Guys! I can see the town from up there! We''re nearly there!"


    ***


    "Oy! You see that up there?"


    One of the two guards pointed up at a distant patch of sky.


    "Yup. Must be pretty huge if we can see it from here. Think it is headed our way?"


    The other guard responded as he used one of his hands to shield his eyes from the sun.


    "Looks like it. Keep your crossbow at the ready in case it is hostile; I''ll get the spyglass out."


    The guard went into the guardhouse and returned with a conical two-piece metal tube with glass lenses at either end, and put it up to his eyes.


    "Must be at least seven or eight feet tall, over fifteen wide. I''m focused in at a mile and it is still blurry."Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    The guard adjusted the focus by sliding the front end of the tube further out and then let out a chuckle.


    "Heh, it''s got good eyes too!"


    "Why''d you say that?"


    "I think it saw you are aiming at it and is waving in our direction in a panic. Not sure why, but when I look at it I can clearly feal its fear, and the words "don''t shoot" pop in my mind."


    The guard wielding the crossbow seemed confused by his colleague''s reconnaissance.


    "What do you mean waving? Wouldn''t it drop out of the sky if it stopped using its wings to fly?"


    The guard with the crossbow just chuckled again and brought the spyglass to the other man''s eye.


    "What the...?"


    ***


    "Hey Arjun, is that weird bird with you?"


    The group had finally reached the walls of Muchiri, but Emi and Arctic were both speechless. The walls seemed to be made of some sort of hardened dirt or clay and rose fairly high, but that wasn''t what had impressed the pair. Every inch of the wall was painted with an extensive mural depicting many scenes of colorful people, creatures, and places. When they were still a few hundred feet away, it had seemed as if the design was one large mosaic, but as they had gotten closer, each square that made it up turned out to be an entirely separate work of art.


    "Yeah, don''t mind her or the forest guardian, they aren''t hostile. Give them a moment; it is their first time here, and I think the wall overwhelmed them a little."


    After a few seconds of silence, Emi seemed to realize the attention was on her, and she stepped forward with her hand outstretched, her sigil displayed.


    "Hello, my name is Emi Majusculus. This little guy is my little brother, Arctic Majusculus. Nice to meet you; thanks for not shooting at me."


    The two guards chuckled at the relief that seeped through the second half of her greetings.


    "You guys shouldn''t laugh. If you''d taken a shot, you might have ended up regretting it. This owl is known as the spear-"


    Decanus Arjun''s mouth kept moving, but no sound came out. He looked confused at first, but then concern came into play and he started to panic.


    "Yeah, I don''t think Big Sis is going to let you finish that sentence."


    Upon realizing that Emi was blocking his words, Arjun dashed a few dozen feet and shouted the end of his sentence toward the gate.


    "What is he doing?"


    Arctic laughed and answered the guard''s question.


    "Big Sis can control the sound around her. He ran out of the area until he could hear himself speak and thought he''d got the best of her."


    "But we still can''t hear him, so why is he smiling like he won?"


    Emi decided to answer this time, her exasperation toward the decanus clearly being conveyed.


    "Since he can hear himself talk, he thinks he beat me. The fool doesn''t realize that since you are all in my zone, I can just stop his voice from entering it, and no one can hear him. You guys just see his smile, I can see his whole aura brimming with satisfaction..."


    "Go easy on him Big Sis. He might be a bit of an idiot, but I like him."


    Arctic jogged to the decanus and exchanged a few words with him, the man''s smile turning into a frown.


    "I''ll let you back into the conversation if you stop trying to say dumb shit."


    Arjun looked like he was about to argue, but then he noticed a message scrawled across Arctic''s chest, hidden from Emi''s view.


    "Just say yes for now, you can run your mouth off as much as you want after we split up."


    Decanus Arjun seemed conflicted by this proposition, judging by the awkward expression on his face, but he seemed to make up his mind after a few seconds and nodded before walking back to the gate.


    "Not much traffic, though? I''d thought there would be more people at the gate of such a big town."


    The two guards chuckled and pointed in the direction from which the travelers had come.


    "This is the West Gate. There are only a couple of small villages and the Great Forest in that direction. We deal with a handful of villagers a day and sometimes a traveling merchant or two. We also get the odd contubernium passing through on their way out to the Great Forest, but that still doesn''t make for a lot of traffic. Let us log you into the books and you can be on your way."


    "Thank you. By the way, I have this letter of introduction I am supposed to deliver at the Muchiri Ashram, could you give us directions."


    The guards, Arjun, and the members of his contubernium that were present all started laughing heartily.


    "Oh my, Arjun. You really brought us some fresh ones!"


    Why are they finding this so funny? Did Big Sis say something dumb?


    Emi and Arctic glanced at each other, their confusion apparent.


    "Sorry, sorry. You must not have been around much. The ashrams are always at the center of towns and cities in Ashrama. In fact, every city and town started as a single ashram. As ashrams grow and people come to live under their guidance, towns develop around them."


    "Yeah, if you want to find an ashram, just head toward the center point of a town and look for the fanciest building. Hard to go wrong."


    Arctic now understood why Emi''s questions had caused such a raucous reaction, but Emi seemed undeterred and unwilling to admit defeat.


    "No, I mean like actual direction, like go straight then take a left kind of thing."


    One guard suddenly put on a serious expression as he answered as professionally as he could.


    "Well, you go straight, then..."


    The other guard continued the sentence after his colleague paused.


    "You keep going straight, then..."


    Oh no! I think I see where this is going, and Big Sis is getting owned.


    Arjun decided to chip in and nail the final proverbial nail into the coffin.


    "You go straight some more. If you hit the wall on the other side of town, you''ll have gone twice the distance you needed, so just retrace your steps."


    The trio of unfunny men shared another laugh as Arctic felt pity for his big sister, who was not taking the joke too well. Reading Emi''s facial expression was difficult as aside from her eyes and beak, her face was entirely covered in feathers. Still, over the last few decans, Arctic had learned how to read the changes in Emi''s eyes; her constricting pupils and unwavering glare told him that anger was seething under the surface and that his sister was probably thinking of a way to get even. Arctic slipped himself between Emi and the three men and displayed a message on his back for her to see.


    "Calm down Big Sis. You already got Arjun pretty good a couple of times earlier. If you keep prodding at him too hard, he might break one way or another. You don''t want the guards to make it difficult for us to enter the town right?"


    Emi visibly deflated, Arctic''s effort having evidently managed to bring her tension down enough for her reason to take over.


    Big Sis isn''t dumb, she just gets carried away sometimes. I''ll be there to look out for her when it happens.


    As the guards filled in the paperwork, Arctic looked back at the last few decans of his life, and he could hardly believe what he saw. A month prior, he felt alone in a stuffy world where a sea of trees was his jail cell and his tribe his jailers. Now? He and Sun Hanukong had not only begun making up; they had grown to respect one another after fighting together in a life-and-death situation. His grandfather had openly acknowledged his talent and set him on the road of body-tempering ahead of schedule. Looking back though, the most miraculous of the changes to his life had to be Emi.


    Emi had come into his miserable life, and she''d risked the only modicum of safety she had found in this strange and dangerous world to champion his cause. In a mere matter of decans, her presence and actions had led to all the other positive changes that had come about and he was well aware of it.


    Don''t worry Big Sis. No matter what happens, I''ll stick by you and support you!


    ***


    "Alright, this is where we split up. We need to go this way for the Free Legion HQ. If you need me, go there and ask for me. We should be around Muchiri for a decan or two before we pick up another assignment. Need me to give you the directions to the ashram again?"


    Emi let out a long sigh as she looked down at the decanus as if he were a cockroach that had just crawled out from its hiding spot.


    "Don''t worry; this joke was so great that I''ve enough a fill of your humor to last me a few months, if not years. Although we met under less than ideal circumstances, I am glad to part from you in good health."


    Arjun started to smile as he turned around and left with his head high. Emi then turned to Arctic and whispered into his ear.


    "See, I figured out what pisses me off about him, and how to deal with it. He is so confident in himself and that he knows what you are going to say, that he only half listens to what you say. As long as you use words that sound right, you can diss him like this, and he won''t even clock it."


    Damn that''s cold. She openly called his joke crap and said she was happy to part from him, yet he heard the opposite.


    As Decanus Arjun put some distance between him and Emi and rejoined his contubernium, Emi picked up on one last idiotic boast.


    "Just wait and see. She''ll come seek me out, I think she has a thing for me."


    Emi looked like she was about to start marching toward him to give the back of his head a good smack, but the pained expressions of pity on the other legionnaires'' faces seemed to diffuse her anger.


    "Please don''t grow up to be like him Arctic. This man is one of the greatest fools I''ve met. In Either life."


    "Don''t tell him that, all he''ll hear is that he is the greatest."


    The pair started laughing so hard that Emi had to wipe the tears away while Arctic let them run down his face as he cackled at his joke.


    ***


    Arjun gave one last look at the pair, hoping to see sad faces, or even a few tears. What he saw made his heart grow warm. The Owl Lady was covering her face andslouching over forward while his new young monkey friend seemed to be bawling his eyes out openly.


    A good deed is its own reward! Since they seem to like us so much, guess I''ll try recruiting them again at least once more before they leave.


    The other present members of the contubernium looked at their Decanus with growing pity in their eyes. His delusions safe and sound, Arjun went down the road to the HQ to report on one of the safest assignments he''d had in a long time.


    "I still can''t believe Arjun is over three hundred years old and still looks and acts like such a child."


    "He rarely speaks about it, but he fought in the liberation of Brihon. Even though he is a liability most of the time, Arjun is actually a badass when the moment comes."


    "He''d better be; his level is somewhere in the forties. He''s double most of our other members'' level, not that you''d guess from his attitude."


    Three of the contubernium''s members that were following behind exchanged strangely phrased sentences that might sound like praise if one was not paying attention and was a master of selective listening.


    "Stop it, guys; It''s not Arjun''s fault he has an Ability that messes up his capacity to face reality; He must have been through some tough shit if he needed an Ability like that to survive. Even though I''m the one who let you in on the trick, let''s not be asses about it."


    Although these exchanges were within Arjun''s earshot, only certain words seemed to register in his ears, his back straightening with pride from the praise he believed to have overheard.

 49- Just the two of us...and eventually a Brahmin

    49- Just the two of us...and eventually a Brahmin


    8/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Muchiri- Ashrama - Late Afternoon


    Emi looked around in wonder as she strolled down the wide street alongside Arctic, craning her neck in directions that made onlookers rub at the back of theirs in sympathy.


    The architecture of the buildings surrounding her wasn''t impressive in and of itself, two-story structures made of wood and large bricks of adobe, but many of those bricks were adorned with carvings or paintings of many different styles and colors. One of the bricks caught Emi''s attention, and she walked up to it to have a closer look.


    "Hey, Arctic. Check this out!"


    Arctic looked at the brick Emi had singled out and gave a small smile tinged with homesickness. The scene portrayed on the brick depicted a small group of furry white creatures leaving a forest, their hands outstretched and filled with nature''s bounty. Some details were a bit off, leading the pair to believe that the artist was working off their imagination rather than a scene they''d witnessed, but the whole had managed to convey the artist''s fondness for their subject.


    "Looks like you guys have fans."


    Emi tussled the fur at the top of Arctic''s head as she joked teasingly. Arctic stepped away and glanced around before looking back at her with an evil grin on his face.


    "Yup. At least more than you. I can''t see an owl on any of these."


    Emi went rigid and put a hand above her heart.


    "Shots fired! I got got!"


    Arctic was visibly struggling to maintain a straight face at his big sister''s dramatic antics, but Emi decided victory was close at hand and pushed on. She tilted her head ninety degrees to the side, rolled up her eyes, letting her tongue flop out of her beak limply.


    *Clap**Clap**Clap*


    As Emi''s overblown acting finally made it past his defenses, Arctic started chuckling for a moment until he heard someone clapping behind him. A passerby had stopped and was grinning at the pair.


    "Sorry, mister. It is our first time in town, and my sister got a bit excited."


    The passerby looked at the brick behind the pair and then focused his attention on Arctic.


    "Don''t worry, little guardian of the forest. Muchiri is under the purview of the Ashram of Inspiration, so all kinds of creative expression are encouraged as long as it doesn''t get in the way of others. Then again, if you are good enough, you might get away with blocking a street for a while. I''ve got to keep going, but welcome to Muchiri."


    Emi and Arctic waved at the man as he walked away and around a corner.


    "Well, that explains all the painted bricks, I guess. The layout of the buildings is also really impressive."


    Arctic looked up at Emi with a puzzled look on his face.


    "You might not have noticed because you didn''t see the town from the sky, but this town is nearly a perfect circle. The street we are on is straight like the spoke of a wheel, but the side streets curve around it. It looked pretty damn symmetrical from the sky, but I didn''t expect it to be this exact from up close."


    "Why do you care about the shape. Don''t places come in all shapes and sizes?"


    Maybe it is because accurate maps are commonplace on Earth, or because I played a bit of that geo-guessing game online, but even grid-like cities like New York rarely have anything close to perfect symmetry. It must take a lot of work and planning to pull something like this off, wouldn''t just happen by itself.


    Emi quietly explained her thought process to Arctic as they kept making their way toward the Muchiri Ashram, but she wasn''t sure if Arctic truly understood the effort it would take to build this way. Furthermore, Emi wasn''t sure why someone would bother with such an endeavor for a border town with no more than a few dozen thousand inhabitants.


    If this was a smaller town, I could see it as a stunt or proof of concept, and it might make sense as a special feature for a famous capital, but why in a place like this?


    Her questions would have to remain unanswered for now as a building that Emi suspected of being the ashram came into view and made her put a pin in them.


    Ok, I get why they laughed when I asked for directions now.


    A long and straight ornamental outer wall of what appeared to be carved marble stretched over a hundred feet in either direction. An open arch twice as tall as the wall provided a point of ingress into the walled area. Unlike the town wall and the buildings she had seen so far, this wall seemed impossibly carved out of a single piece of stone without a seam in sight. The wall also appeared to be deceptively thick as multiple deep alcoves dotted the wall between the intricate sculptures along its surface.


    Before making her way through the arch, Emi decided to peek at a statue that had caught her eye in a nearby alcove.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    You!? If I only had a marker, I''d write "meat" on your forehead.


    Arctic bent down to read the plaque at the foot of the statue and started laughing.


    "So this is the Ascended who made you an owl by mistake? Are they a boy or a girl? I can''t tell."


    "Sundar, the one and only...I think he is a guy, but who knows?"


    Arctic squared up with Sundar''s statue and gave a bow in its direction.


    "Thank you Mister Sundar! I know it wasn''t on purpose, but thank you for sending Emi my way!"


    Awh...shucks. Little guy is gonna make me cry.


    "From the little he told me, I think he may still be asleep. Also, you get the credit for finding me, not him. If you hadn''t found me, I would have probably headed East on my own and gotten myself killed. If anyone deserves thanks here, it is you."


    Emi tried to pat Arctic on the head, but he stepped aside and looked away bashfully.


    Ah...The beginning of the end. They grow up so fast!


    "Come on Big Sis, let''s get moving; less than an hour before the sun sets."


    ***


    "How is good old Ishan fairing? Still bored out of his mind?"


    Brahmin Viraj was holding onto the recommendation while sitting behind his desk. Emi had asked the first official-looking person for directions and had been led into the largest and gaudiest building at the center of the walled area. After less than a minute''s wait at the entrance, a smiling young man had come to lead them into a cozy office down a side corridor.


    "Pretty much. Seems like our arrival was a welcome distraction."


    "I''d feel bad for him, but he did try to pull an Icarus."


    Icarus? Like the Greek myth?


    "An Icarus?"


    Arctic, who had never heard the name, asked for clarification.


    "Icarus is a boy who is at the center of a moralistic rhapsodia from the Breakaway Isles. The clever boy comes up with an invention out of necessity but grows too confident in his plan and pays the price for it."


    "He could have used a pair of wings like mine."


    Arctic looked at Emi questioningly.


    "Oh, have you perhaps heard it performed? Indeed, had he your wings, the ending would have been quite different, but that isn''t really the focus of the tale."


    If Ben was here, he''d be saying that the real moral of the story is that you should do thorough research before field testing a new invention, and then only incrementally step-up the scale of such tests. Then, he''d push his glasses back up.


    "Icarus made a pair of wings using wax to bind bird feathers together in order to escape captivity. He made his escape successfully but got drunk on the feeling of flight and kept rising until he was above the clouds. The sun then melted his wings, and he plummeted to his death."


    Pretty much the same story I remember from back on Earth...Must have been some ancient Greek Blesseds long ago. So far I''ve got Japanese, English, Roman, Chinese, and Indian. One story is not enough to confirm it, but I may be adding Greek to the list. Could always be a Roman or an English who brought it back. It coming from an Indian, Chinese, or Japanese Blessed would be kind of a stretch.


    Brihonian and Latin both being a thing, Emi had concluded that at some point in the past, a significant amount of Blesseds had been people from Japan, Britain, and the Roman Empire. She also heavily suspected that some of her predecessors had been Chinese because who else would set up sects of cultivators in the mountains?


    "What do you mean by Ishan ''pulling an Icarus''?"


    "About forty years ago, back when Ishan and I were young teenagers, we were both apprenticed here at the ashram. We both flourished in our own ways, but Ishan particularly excelled at record-keeping and detail-oriented work while I was just a generally successful apprentice. Then, he got noticed by the Head Enumerator on one of his visits and became one of his disciples. If he''d just been happy with his new situation and done his best, he''d be in a much better situation now."


    Emi and Arctic were both on the edges of their seats as they listened to the gossip.


    All we''re missing is some tea or some popcorn. Also, teenagers forty years ago!? Why do these fifty year old dudes look like hunks in their early twenties?!


    "He decided that he had to prove himself, having been scouted for his talent, and consistently challenged his elder disciple. Ishan would try and one-up her every chance he got, to the point where he got consumed by the competition and got sloppy. Although he managed to set himself ahead of her on an even basis, he mistakenly thought he was doing as well as her. In truth, the times he would defeat her would be by a slim margin, and the shortcuts he took to achieve those victories proved inversely more detrimental when the risks did not pay off. Eventually, the Head Enumerator got annoyed at the bickering and Ishan''s inconsistent work, so he transferred him to Ajani Village to cool off and teach him patience."


    Emi laughed as she remembered Ishan expertly manipulating their plans to lead them away from the Muchiri Tabularium.


    Your buddy sold you out. Your efforts at trying to hide your dark past from us have gone up in smoke.


    "Alright! Well, I''ll help you out if you encounter any major issues while you are visiting Muchiri. Keep in mind that both of you are still children, legally speaking, so if you cause trouble, your tribe leader will be on the hook as your guarantor. Do you require my help with anything now, or did you just drop by to give me the letter and introduce yourselves?"


    Emi thought her answer over for a few seconds before responding.


    "Do you know of an affordable but lively inn? We have some funds for travel expenses, but somewhere to sleep that is not too expensive and where I might get some drunks to tip me for my singing would be perfect."


    "Oh! Are you an Aiodos? That would explain how you know of the Icarus Rahpsodia."


    "A what? No, I''m more of a musician, a singer. You know, singing to music."


    Viraj looked taken aback by her response.


    "Well, yes, you accompany melodious words with music to tell stories, right? That is an Aiodos''s job."


    It was Emi''s turn to be somewhat taken aback. His explanation wasn''t exactly wrong, but it felt as if it described something different from what Emi did.


    "Well yeah, sometimes the songs tell stories, but not always. I work from the music first, and the lyrics are mostly there to dress up the music to make it more pleasing to the ear and illicit emotion in the listener."


    "Strange approach...So the words don''t tell a story? Wouldn''t that get boring after a while, I could see that working for the first five or ten minutes of a song, but after twenty minutes?"


    Emi frowned, not that the others could see it, thanks to the feathers that covered her face.


    Twenty minutes? Something is off here.


    "Most of my songs last between three and five minutes, very few make it to ten."


    "Wouldn''t that make for a very short performance? Sounds more like long children''s rhymes than songs."


    "Well, I''d sing quite a few different songs, try to hit different emotions, and get people to sing along with the chorus. There is sometimes a narrative, but not always."


    "Oh, you have a chorus? So you do perform Rhapsodes!"


    Even Emi''s Abilities did not help clear up the misunderstanding. Emi wasn''t quite aware, but a lot of words had made their way from Greek into English, but not all of those had kept their original meaning. Chorus was one such word, and the overlap turned out to be a blind spot for her Ability.


    "Look, I think it would be easier if you just accompanied us to the right type of inn, then you can stay for a few songs and see for yourself. Don''t forget to bring a tip."

 50- A wing-woman twice over

    50- A wing-woman twice over


    8/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Muchiri- Ashrama - Evening


    Upon leaving his office and locking it behind him, Brahmin Viraj escorted the pair out of the eastern arch and back into the town of Muchiri proper. Although the sun had just about set, this section of the town was still buzzing with life and appeared more lively than the one they had walked through in the afternoon. He eventually led them to a large three-story building, a ways down the main eastern street, adorned with a large sign reading "The Hen House" with a picture of a plump chicken next to it.


    "Good evening, Father. Have you come for a meal or for a drink? Are you maybe looking for a companion?"


    Brahmin Viraj glanced back at Arctic and Emi, clearing his throat before replying.


    "Table for three, please. Would you be so kind as to ask the mistress to pay us a visit whenever is convenient?"


    Brahmin Viraj grabbed one of the attractive usher''s slender hands with both of his while dipping his head forward. Emi''s perceptive eyes picked up on a glint of silver in Viraj''s hand, and she stifled a giggle.


    Heh! He just slipped her a silver coin. Seems like greasing palms is a universal move. Leaving that aside, was the usher lady hitting on him with that ''companion'' line?


    The trio had been received in a plushly decorated antechamber with colorful tapestries adorning the walls and a thick velvet-like split curtain instead of a door.


    Oh my...


    Emi noticed that Arctic was lagging behind and stepped back to see what the hold-up was. She found her little brother with his eyes glued to a segment of one of the tapestries depicting a buxom dancer wearing nothing but a see-through skirt. When Arctic noticed his big sister''s attention was on him, he blushed and hurried after the Brahmin without meeting her eyes.


    There is quite a lot of exposed skin and other bits in these; no wonder Arctic got mesmerized.


    Emi turned away from the tapestry to follow the others, only to notice that Arctic had stopped on the other side of the curtain. The young monkey appeared frozen in place, aside from his head, which darted in a different direction every time Emi blinked. As Emi stepped in after them, she suddenly understood his predicament.


    The scene in front of them could have appeared to be a simple bar restaurant with tables for diners, a bar, some cushioned sofas to enjoy drinks, and a small stage for performances, but that was only true if you paid attention to the room and not the people. At least a dozen of the thirty people in the room made the word beautiful feel insufficient, almost an insult. They wore extremely revealing clothing but still had the important bits somewhat covered, along with loose, nearly transparent shawls draped around their bodies. The rest of the people looked no different from those Emi had seen outside, so she assumed they were fellow customers.


    A Gawd! Gotta stop myself from laughing out loud!


    Emi was no prude and had no issue with a little nudity or the concept of ''adult entertainment'' as long as it was all above the board and nobody was getting exploited, but one small detail had her doubled over in an effort to contain her laughter.


    I get the ladies, but why are the men also wearing nipple tassels!?


    That observation and Arctic''s awkward reaction nearly broke through her resistance, but the usher finally motioned toward a free table and sat them down.


    "Interesting place you made me bring my little brother to. I think you may have overstimulated his mind a little, though; I don''t think he is listening to a word coming out of my beak."


    Brahmin Viraj chuckled and took a sip of water before answering.


    "Well, this is the best fit I could think of. Many customers looking for entertainment who are free with their coin, decent and clean lodgings, and fairly cheap as long as you don''t partake in any extra service they offer."


    Emi thought over it for a few seconds, but she couldn''t really find a flaw in his logic.


    "...And of course, since you are an owl, I thought that ''The Hen House'' would be fitting."


    There we go. I swear, why do I keep meeting people who base their decisions on puns!?


    One of the scantily clad male companions approached the table and handed them a menu each.


    "Let me know if I can help you with anything. I am Fabio, and I will be serving you this evening."


    Arctic hurriedly opened the menu and placed it in front of his face as if to show he wasn''t ogling at the women, but his eyes seemed to keep finding their way away from the writing nonetheless. Emi was going to ask him for help reading the menu, but she feared he would be rather useless in his present condition.


    "I can''t read Modern Imperial, could you help me?"


    Emi had spoken up while peering at the menu, but she had directed it at Viraj. Fabio perked up like a fireman hearing an alarm and went to work. He alluringly made his way behind Emi''s chair, swaying the pompoms on his tassels side to side with each step, put his left arm around her left shoulder, and brought his face in next to hers, just above her right shoulder.


    "Let me help you with that. First, we have some succulent starters. Goat cheese and pepper ''stuffed'' lettuce pouch, ''large'' river prawns in ''secret sauce''-"


    Emi couldn''t take it anymore. Fabio''s suave walk and his smooth approach, swinging tassels and all, had already been on the verge of forcing the contained laughter out into the open. Still, when he started whispering the menu items into her ear seductively, making sure to stress words like "stuffed" and "large", it had become another ballgame altogether. What really did the trick was his last word; upon hearing "secret sauce" Emi slapped a hand on the table and started laughing for half a minute straight, barely able to catch her breath.


    Sorry, Fabio, but you''ve got nothing on the guys at the host club Meg dragged me to when she and Ben came to visit Tokyo. That muscle freak actually got one of the poor dudes crying; it was not their fault her tastes were so different from their average customers. Telling them that she found the average sumotori more attractive than them was a little hardcore, though.


    Emi had never been particularly weak to the types of charms Fabio had on display. Growing up alongside straightforward navy men who spoke their minds and showed their feelings through their actions had made her grow an appreciation for driven men without pretenses. Well, she did have to learn how to cut through their bluster and bravado, but that is an entirely different topic.


    Fabio''s face turned crimson as he stepped back from Emi''s chair to distance himself from the laughing bird. Viraj and Arctic both glanced his way with a look of pity on their faces. Fabio looked like he''d rather be anywhere else than here, in this moment, but the party was yet to order, so he was stuck there until Emi was done.


    "Sorry Fabio, it''s not you, it''s me. Don''t mind that."


    Her raucous laughter had attracted the attention of nearby diners, who all heard one of the oldest lines in the game. The amount of pity being directed toward Fabio increased manyfold as an oblivious Emi failed to realize that the wording of her apology did not come across as she had expected until it was too late.


    What did I do? Am I a bully?


    All of Fabio''s sultry charms seemed to fade away like the morning mist as the man crouched in place, covering his face in shame.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Dude, this might be the hen house, but you are not an ostrich, covering your face isn''t going to achieve any-


    "Who dares bully my poor little Fabio!"


    A tall armor-clad woman, who appeared to be in her mid-forties, brusquely forced her way to Emi''s table, jostling people and chairs along the way without a care, all the while staring Emi straight in the eyes.


    Oh Shit! Not even one day in town, and I''m already ''bout to get myself killed...


    As the woman reached the table, Arctic made to stand up and get between her and his big sister, but Brahmin Viraj grabbed his forearm to stay him before clearing his throat loudly. The dangerous-looking woman looked at the Brahmin and her face paled; all the hot blood that had risen to her head draining at once, taking her bloodlust along with it.


    "Se-se-senior Brahmin Viraj!? What are you doing here?"


    "I am merely inviting some newly arrived friends to dinner and showing them a place where they may perform and stay. What are you doing here, Kshatriya Aniya? I am not going to ask why you are on a first-name basis with our man Fabio here, but was I just about to see you engage in violence against an innocent civilian?"


    Kshatriya Aniya''s face was already as pale as it could get; if any more blood drained away, she might very well faint in place.


    "I may not have broken the law, but I''m not sure I can call myself innocent. Why don''t you act like you didn''t see anything as long as she promises not to take this any further?"


    Emi guiltily glanced at Fabio before settling her attention on Kshatriya Aniya, hoping the woman would play along.


    She seems to be a regular here. I already embarrassed Fabio; causing trouble for a regular isn''t going to help my case.


    "Violence against a civilian? Me? Never! I just noticed this very nice-looking owl lady here and wanted to introduce myself."


    Fabio spread his fingers slightly to peek through the gap, only to see his defender shaking hands with Emi, a forced smile on her face. Fabio stood up abruptly and ran up the nearby stairs with a dramatic flourish while letting a couple of sobs ring out. It was now Kshatriya Aniya''s turn to crouch and cover her face.


    "Ah! What have I done!? It took months for him to finally drop my title and just call me Aniya...Now he is going to hate me."


    "Kshatriya! Get ahold of yourself, you are in public, and you are in uniform! Show a little Onus Dignitas!"


    The Brahmin''s words hit Kshatriya Aniya like a bucket of ice-cold water, and she jumped to attention.


    "Yes, Father! Sorry, Father! Won''t happen again, Father!"


    As Kshatriya Aniya turned around and made to leave, Viraj started speaking once more.


    "Good. Now, if you aren''t on duty, get out of uniform and come back. I''ll treat you to a drink to drown your sorrows, as I am indirectly responsible for them. My friend here will also grace us with what promises to be an entertaining performance; it might help you take your mind off things."


    Gonna have to send Ishan a thank-you gift of some sort for his recommendation letter; Viraj really saved the day.


    ***


    This is tastier than I expected. Guess the adult entertainment side of things is more of an add-on than the main business. Otherwise, the food would be a lot worse.


    A pair of musicians were up on the stage, one playing what looked like some sort of large harp with a wooden back, the other sliding a bow along a one-stringed instrument. Both appeared skillful, but the more limited one-stringed instrument mostly served as an accompaniment to the other, more complex one. The man playing the harp-like instrument launched himself into a furious ten-minute session, his fingers moving along the strings so swiftly and vigorously that Emi was amazed that he was yet to fumble or cramp up.


    Mostly different modes of the pentatonic scale eh? I did hear a couple fourths and sevenths, but they seemed to mostly show up when the musicians were using sliding notes...The instrument doesn''t look specifically built for it, but the musician did manage to cover the chromatic scale when he needed to somehow.


    A youthful-looking woman approached the table, but the amount of poise and the depth of her gaze betrayed that she had lived through many more years than met the eyes.


    "Good evening Aniya. I heard about Fabio. Don''t worry, he''ll sulk a bit then forgive you. You really put her in between a rock and a hard place, Father."


    "I was as lenient as I could afford to be. Remember that, unlike Kshatriyas, we Brahmins are always on duty until the day we retire. Why am I droning on? You know all about Onus Dignitas, I''ve heard how you care for your employees, Mistress."


    Brahmin Viraj gave the mistress a sincere smile and a small nod. The mistress returned the smile and fanned her face in a slightly exaggerated manner.


    "Oh my. How smooth you are, Father. One might almost be tempted. I''ve also mostly only heard good things in your regard. May I ask what has finally brought you to my establishment? Not that I am complaining, mind you."


    Alright, now that''s what I''m talking about. She should really give Fabio some lessons; he really lays it on thick. The mistress''s got it, though; Viraj doesn''t look entirely unaffected.


    "Um, yes. Right. An old friend asked me to take care of these two as a favor since they just came into town and don''t know anyone here. I thought your place might be a good fit for them. They want to keep traveling, but they don''t have a lot of funds, you see. Emi is a performer, and Arctic is good with his hands; might you be able to hire them for room and board? If not, could you give them a deal on your cheapest room and allow them to perform?"


    The mistress put one hand on her hip and the other on her mouth as she thought her answer over.


    "Tell you what, I''ll give them a decent deal on the room whatever happens, but how about we try them out this evening to see if they are worth hiring for a while. In either case, I imagine that their being here increases the chances of you gracing us with your presence again."


    The mistress finally seemed to score a solid hit as Brahmin Viraj''s face grew noticeably redder. The mistress let out a melodious chuckle and put her arms on Arctic''s shoulders.


    "Alright, young man. If you are going to be working the room, let''s get you into a uniform!"


    Emi did a spit take, covering Arctic''s flabbergasted face with her drink. Arctic barely registered the spray as his mind went over what the mistress said.


    "Oy, Mistress! He is only 14, you can''t have him doing dodgy stuff!"


    "Don''t worry, we''ll only have him work the room or bar, no monkey business. We have a different uniform for the workers that don''t offer companionship, so don''t worry. As for you, why don''t you go on up and show me how you can fill an hour once these two are done?"


    ***


    "Don''t you look spiffy, Little Brother?"


    Emi was once again struggling, trying to contain her laughter. As the mistress had promised, this uniform was less revealing than the one Fabio had worn, but it was still rather comical to Emi. Arctic stood there in short shorts, a pair of suspenders holding them up with a patch of fabric covering the chest area. The uniform was completed by a fez adorned by one of the same colorful tassels that were swaying on his new colleagues'' chests.


    Man, I don''t want to hurt his feelings, but it looks like someone crossed one of those Octoberfest Tyrolean shorts and suspenders getup with a tube top or sports bra.


    Arctic looked a bit reticent at first, but he seemed to enjoy the attention and made use of his great sense of balance and nimble fingers to zoom about the room without spilling a thing while bringing customers their orders.


    Good job Arctic, way to show them! Guess it is my turn to prove my worth.


    Emi was about to make her way up to the recently vacated stage, but a drunk-looking man stumbled onto the stage, holding something that looked suspiciously like the type of recorder children learn to play on. Rather than the cheap plastic those are normally made from, this one looked like it had been hand-crafted from wood by a novice.


    Good thing this guy looks like he''s got huge calluses, even just seeing it is giving me splinters. This thing can''t be tuned properly, can it?


    The rough look of the instrument made Emi struggle to call it a recorder, even in her thoughts, but the man had obviously spent a lot of time making it.


    "LAKSHMI! LAST YEAR, YOU TOLD ME YOU CAME HERE BECAUSE YOU LIKED MUSIC! I CARVED THIS AND TAUGHT MYSELF FOR YOU! PLEASE LISTEN! IF YOU LIKE IT, BECOME MY WIFE!"


    The amount of liquid courage the man had imbibed was turning what Emi thought was supposed to be a romantic show of affection into the most nightmarish proposal she had ever seen. The man half spoke, half yelled, and the intensity he was displaying was a bit frightening.


    A few of the people in the crowd seemed to recognize the man and encouraged him to go on, although Emi wasn''t sure how many of them just wanted to see the trainwreck she was expecting. One person had a very different reaction. A middle-aged woman, one of three fawning over one of the male companions enjoying drinks on the sofa, stood up and stared at the stage like a deer caught in headlights.


    Alright dude! This is your lucky day! I''ll be your wing-woman, both literally and figuratively! Damn it! I think I might have been infected with the pun disease...


    The man on the stage straightened up and filled his lungs with such a sharp and large breath that Emi was afraid that the first note might be powerful enough to burst many an eardrum, but she was here to save the day. Emi inched closer to the edge of the stage and intercepted the sound coming from the recorder, replacing it with the first romantic recorder song she could think of.


    A high F quickly turned into a G, and the theme tune to the movie "Titanic" started melodiously resounding throughout the room, to everyone''s surprise. A small handful of people seemed to catch on to the fakery, noticing that the note changes did not match the man''s finger movements. Still, the oblivious man drank in the reaction from the crowd and started really getting into it, incorporating something that looked like a cross between an Irish jig and Cossack kicks to his routine. As the poor man was playing an uptempo and discordant tune, he had no idea how poorly his chosen dance moves matched with the song the crowd was actually hearing.


    Damn, the guy has moves! Let''s transition to a more fitting style.


    The dance moves reminded Emi of a track she''d played on a dancing videogame, back in her previous life, and she decided to go for it. A lively and infectious tune started playing and the crowd started tapping their feet, knocking their hands or glasses on the table with the beat.


    Ra-Ra-Rasputin...


    Emi was not immune and started hopping from one foot to another as she enjoyed herself.


    Might as well share the feeling!


    Emi activated [Reciprocal Empathy] and [Share my joys, Share my pains] to elevate the performance another notch. Emi could feel a few people refusing the nudge, but most let the Abilities run their course, some standing up to join in the man''s dance onstage.


    "By the way, this is mostly my doing. Can we say my hour has started?"


    Emi used her Abilities to whisper a message directly into the mistress''s ear. The woman was a bit startled at first, but upon locating Emi to the side of the stage, and catching her wink, she smiled back and nodded.


    Baito Get!

 51-Her Brothers Keeper

    51-Her Brother''s Keeper


    5/3/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut- Morning


    "Is your arm tired? Let me feed you!"


    Doro''s body was still somewhat stiff, but the last few days of bed rest and the healer''s Abilities and prescribed remedies had worked wonders. Still, he sat up in his bed, a tray of food in over his lap, Sarima sitting at his side.


    "Is the soup too hot? Let me blow on it!"


    This was fun at first, but please let me feed myself now that I can!


    Doro did not voice his thoughts due to the realization he had come to a few days prior. Ever since the morning after the incident, Sarima had thrown herself body and soul into Doro''s care. In the early days, when Doro spent more time asleep than awake, he would always wake up with a fresh wet towel on his forehead, and during the nights, a warm water pouch would find its way into his bed before the previous one had cooled.


    By the third day, most of the Abilities had run their course and the powerful medication he''d been taking was switched out for a weaker tea, letting Doro out of the mental haze he''d been trapped in. Still, his eyes remained wrapped until the following day.


    On the fourth day, Doro rejoiced upon being able to see the world in all of its glory once again, although what he first saw had caused him to grow concerned. As he''d opened his eyes, both of his parents awaited him with worried smiles, but that wasn''t what had concerned him.


    Sarima stood between Suyum and Khetep, bags under her eyes and her complexion a shade paler than usual, a panicked expression on her face. Once Doro had calmed her by assuring her that he could see again, the muscles in her body lost all tension, and she crumpled on the floor.


    That was when Doro found out that she had not slept more than a couple of hours here and there since the incident; spending all of her time awake taking care of him.


    Now, on the seventh day, her frantic devotion had calmed down a little, but she still spent most of her waking hours tending to Doro''s needs.


    I understand that she feels bad about it and that she needs something to keep her mind off her father''s situation, but we need to funnel this focus to something other than me.


    Doro slowly pivoted in bed, making sure not to spill the food, and slowly stood up while keeping a hand on the bed for support.


    Ahhhh.....Damn, that still stings!


    Doro felt as if he''d done a full-body workout and ran a marathon the previous day. He didn''t feel the sharp pain that the medication had helped cover up during the early days, but now a dull type of pain still lingered: A tightness in his muscles that made any large movement feel like he was getting pinched.


    "Oh, do you need the bedpan? hold up!"


    Doro put a hand up to stop Sarima.


    "Thank you, but nope, I''m good. Also, I can make it to the bathroom now, as long as I take small steps."


    "Then get back in bed, you aren''t back to normal yet!"


    "At this point, I won''t get better unless I stretch and try to move my body a little!"


    Sarima looked at Doro dubiously as she stood in front of him, blocking his path.


    "Alright, resist this, and I''ll let you get up and walk on your own."


    Sarima poked Doro with one finger, in the center of his chest, and shifted the weight of his upper body backward. Doro tried to resist, but the pinch at the back of his thighs worsened and turned into small cramps as he fell back across the bed.


    "That''s unfair, I wasn''t ready!"


    "Exactly! Your body isn''t ready, so just be a good boy and get back in bed!"


    Damn it! She''s not budging! Gonna have to use the big guns!


    "Moooom! Sarima is bullying me!"


    Loud footsteps made their way to the door and Suyum rushed into the room.


    "Am I too late? Did I miss it? Can I join in?"


    Am I an idiot? I called the wrong parent...


    "She won''t let me get out of bed and pushed me back down when I tried."


    "I only used one finger. If that was enough, he shouldn''t be getting up!"


    Suyum smiled at the scene playing out in front of her and nodded.


    "She does have a point, at the end of her finger, that is. More seriously, just stay in bed one more day if it makes her happy, it don''t cost you anythin''."Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    That''s fair...but I''m getting so bored!


    "Can I at least get a couple of my metal balls to practice with?"


    Suyum and Sarima both glared at Doro, exasperation seeping out of them.


    "You just leveled up the day after the-"


    Suyum cut herself short after glancing at Sarima.


    "Um....Yeah... You just leveled up less than a decan ago, no need to be in such a rush. Poor Sarima is goin'' to get a complex at this rate."


    "Then bring Dad over so I can give him and Sarima a lesson. I survived my injuries, but I''m going to die of boredom if I have to spend another day in bed without anything to do! Good thing Dad is more reasonable than you two and snuck me some of my raw materials behind your backs, so I wouldn''t waste Energy and fall behind on production."


    Doro immediately realized his mistake as Suyum and Sarima shared a look and wordlessly turned toward the door.


    Uh-oh! Think I messed up a little there. Sorry, Dad, I''ll make it up to you.


    As the pair left the room for what their stances would lead to believe was a war, Doro clapped both hands together and bowed his head.


    From what Mom told me, there doesn''t seem to be any hope for her father...His body is working, but even after she dipped into her stash of drinking money to hire a high-level healer to consult, all they said was that he would probably never wake up, and that if he did, he would probably have severe debilitations and might not even be coherent because of how badly his brain was affected.


    Doro was taken out of his thoughts by a small creak coming from the door. Khetep tip-toed into the room and approached his son.


    "What did you do?! I went to the bathroom, and as I came out, I saw Suyum and Sarima storming into my workshop with their battle faces on."


    Doro looked out of the window as if something extremely interesting was happening on the other side.


    "Me? I can''t recall, I''m still somewhat fuzzy. Are you sure you weren''t the one who caused it?"


    "Yeah, yeah...Just tell me the truth. If that is what I look like when I''m lying, no wonder your mother always sees through it.


    "Dearest Father, I may have somewhat let it slip, without any malicious forethought, that you snuck me some raw materials to process in the last couple of days. My sincerest apologies."


    Khetep face displayed a mixture of panic and pain as he processed his son''s words. Panic because he knew his wife, and she now had reinforcements, and pain at being once again thrown under the cart by his son.


    "Why did you have to go and do that!? I can appease your mother with a bit of romance and horizontal dancing, but I haven''t figured out how to diffuse Sarima yet!"


    "Dad! What the hell!? I don''t want to hear that! Please keep what you and Mum do inside your room to yourself."


    "Oh, come on. You were a grown man once; you know what it''s like. Why are you acting so squeamish? Not to mention, it is bold of you to assume it only happens in our room. What is hell, by the way? "


    Khetep chuckled to himself as Doro''s face morphed into "The Scream" at the thoughts his father had put into his mind.


    "Yeah, but you are my mom and dad, it''s just nasty! Picturing it is a kind of hell itself. Please tell me that the kitchen..."


    "I could tell you that we didn''t, whether or not it is the truth, but you did just betray me...Have fun with the uncertainty."


    Ew...That is one of Schrodinger''s boxes I do not want to open. If that is how you want to play it...


    Doro grinned widely at his father, causing him to look uncertain, and then took a sharp breath. Doro opened his mouth and the color drained from his father''s face.


    "Mom! Dad is Bullyi- mffff mff!"


    Khetep dove for his son''s bed and shoved a cushion into his face, but he was a step too late to stop the first half of Doro''s yell from sounding out. The frustration at his failure to save himself, and his son''s continued betrayals, got to Khetep and made his blood boil.


    "Why you little-"


    The sound of the door being slammed open and banging against the wall made Khetep look toward the entrance. His wife and soon-to-be adopted daughter stared at him as if he were a cockroach who had just stepped onto a plate of their favorite food. Terror flooded Khetep''s mind as he looked down at the cushion he was shoving into his son''s face and the optics of it all. His wife might understand that he was just trying to muffle his son''s voice, but to the recently overprotective Sarima, this would look like a brutal scene of domestic violence.


    Indeed, as Khetep removed the cushion and revealed a Doro that wasn''t even close to breathless, Suyum''s glare diminished significantly, But Sarima had a very different reaction.


    "Get off him!"


    Sarima charged through the few steps separating her and Khetep, a raised fist trailing behind her. Her clumsy attempt made her intention easy to read, and Khetep''s arm was ready to defend the blow aimed at his stomach, but he underestimated her.


    Sarima and her brother Addat had clashing personalities, and growing up, she''d learned a few tricks to make up for the difference in their size and strength. A moment before her blow made contact with Khetep''s arm, Sarima let her front leg''s knee buckle under the weight she was placing on it, realigning her aim to a much more dangerous and currently unguarded location, with the added momentum of her forward fall.


    Khetep was too late to readjust, but he relaxed as he read her punch''s trajectory; she had misjudged the distance and would drop too low. By the time she made it to him, her fist would miss its target and hit the air between his knees.


    "Sarima Punch!"


    Sarima, who was tilted forward at a precarious angle, forced her leg straight and launched herself forward, continuing her punching motion until her arm pointed straight up alongside her head.


    No way! Supergirl? Is that you? Or maybe She-Hulk; Sarima punch is pretty in line with Hulk smash, and her power seems fueled by her anger. Super She-Hulk then?


    As Doro sat back and enjoyed the scene as if he were watching a superhero movie, Sarima''s Superman-style flying punch landed right on the target she had always been aiming at.


    "Ooooof!"


    Sarima fell to her knee as her blow landed and quickly dropped and rolled to the side, barely avoiding a headbutt from Khetep, who crouched and doubled over in pain while letting out all the air in his lungs.


    "Sa-ri-ma-?"


    Sarima looked back at her ally and froze. It seemed as if Suyum''s ire at Khetep had been redirected to her. She looked at Doro questioningly.


    "Uh. Nice punch! Thanks! One thing you might want to keep in mind; Mom wants more kids."


    Doro pointed at his father, who was now rolling side to side on the floor, both hands cradling his baby makers, then at his mother. Sarima jumped to the other side of the bed and hid behind Doro.


    "What do I do?"


    Doro chuckled and pointed at the window.


    "Welcome to the family! I suggest you run."


    Sarima acted on Doro''s suggestion and hopped out of the room through the window in one fluid movement by using the sill as a vaulting horse.


    She''s more agile than I thought. Should I induct her into the way of the dodge?


    Suyum looked down at her husband and sighed before walking to the window and shouting.


    "If you broke him, As soon as you come of age, I''m findin'' you a husband to marry-in so you can give me some grandkids!"


    Doro looked down at his father and then at the door.


    This war ends with one casualty, but it wasn''t me! Couldn''t have created such a fortuitous opportunity had I planned it. Now, onto my escape from this damn bed. This is going to suck!


    Doro could have made his way to the door without much pain had he taken his time, but at any moment his father might recover enough to look around, or his mother could turn her attention away from the window and back into the room. Doro gritted his teeth and stood up quickly, stepped over his father, and rushed out the door as quietly as he could, and as quickly as his pain tolerance allowed without causing him to cry out.


    I can finally go back to the workshop! Bed rest is for suckers!


    Doro thrust his fist up into the air to celebrate and cursed internally as his biceps seized up.


    Ah! Mhhhh... Stupid!

 52-F is for (Trauma) Family

    52-F is for Trauma Family


    6/3/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut- Late Morning


    "I''m glad you are feeling better, but take it easy for now."


    Khetep was worried by his son''s attitude. Even when Doro had been stuck in bed, his eyes wrapped up, he had not let up with his training. If that had just been because his son was driven, that would have been fine, but Khetep suspected otherwise.


    Yeah...Blessed or not, he really takes after me.


    Khetep thought back to the darkest moment of his life and sighed. Old emotional scars still ached after all these years, his encounter with one of the Crows rubbing them raw and threatening to reopen them.


    Back then, throwing myself into work was the only way I could cope. It wasn''t until a while after I met Suyum that the silence didn''t fill itself with the screams of the dying...


    Khetep wasn''t sure what the exact cause of his son''s distress was, but the franticness with which Doro was working and his inability to sit still for more than a moment for fear of dark thoughts creeping in were things that Khetep readily recognized.


    Still, why is he making so many random coils, tubes, and rods?


    Khetep stepped away from his workspace to have a closer look at what Doro was doing.


    "I think you could use a break. Let''s go to the kitchen and have a snack."


    Khetep put a hand on Doro''s shoulder as he spoke, trying to get his son''s attention.


    "Give me a couple more minutes, Dad. One more coil and my energy reserves should be tapped out. Please?"


    "Alright, but then you take a proper break. If not for yourself, for my paper reserves; if you keep going at this pace, you are going to empty my entire stock. What are all those calculations for anyway?"


    Doro looked up at his father and grinned.


    "Those? Don''t worry; you''ll become intimately acquainted with them in our next lesson. Simply put, I''m calculating the tensile strength, elasticity, and other properties of different alloys I made while in bed. I need to find the right ratios for the different components of what I''m building."


    Khetep looked down at the component Doro had manufactured with a puzzled expression.


    "I get the tubes and the rods, but why the coils? You made some out of steel, right? Those will quickly deform under stress with how thin you made them."


    "Don''t worry, I made those with steel I alloyed with a metal I extracted from the black crystals I brought back last time. Here, pick one up and try pressing down on it."


    Khetep did as his son suggested and picked up one of the smallest coils. As he pressed on both ends with his thumb and index fingers, the coil offered a bit of resistance but ended up flattened between them.


    "See, I told you. It is much too thin to bear any significant load. I think this alloy might be a failure; it offered less resistance than a regular steel wire."


    "If you say so. Put it back down on the table, then, and don''t worry about it."


    His tone and the little curve at the corner of his lips make me think I''m about to get played...


    As Khetep let off some of the pressure from between his fingers, expecting a crumpled piece of steel wire to drop, he was met with a surprise. Nothing dropped. As he looked at the space between his fingers, the coil had loosened, and both ends exerted enough pressure onto his fingers that it remained in place. Doro''s smile grew wider as he noticed his father was on the right track.


    Khetep increased the space between his fingers, thinking that the coil would fall any moment, but to his surprise, his fingers were nearly as far apart as when he''d initially picked it up before it fell.


    "Yeah, this one was kind of a failure. It deformed a bit too much under load and didn''t fully return to its original shape."


    Doro picked the coil back up and invested some energy into it, putting one of his newer Abilities to work. As if the coil remembered what shape it was supposed to be, it consumed a bit of the energy inside and slowly expanded back to its original shape.


    "That last bit with the energy is because of one of my Abilities, but the rest is its natural properties. This one seemed the right mix for this particular configuration. I call it Springsteel."


    Doro gave his father another spring and smiled with satisfaction as it bounced back into its original shape no matter how hard Khetep pressed down on it.


    Ok...but what if I do this?


    Khetep started pulling instead of pushing, increasing the distance between both ends and loosening the spring''s coil until the tension made it look like a straight line, then let go. An evil grin appeared on his face as he looked down at the now much longer piece strip of steel.


    "Well, good job on finding one of its limitations so quickly. Ahh....I guess that''s me stumped then-"


    Darn it! He''s got another ace up his sleeve, doesn''t he?


    Doro handed Khetep the coil he had just completed, but the metal felt different to Khetep this time.


    "Different Alloy?"


    "Yes, but no steel this time. This one is albium-based."


    Khetep pressed down on the new spring, and it bounced back to its shape as the previous one had. When he pulled on it, it again performed in a similar manner to the previous one and remained partially stretched out even after the tension was removed.


    "Uh...If it does better than the previous one, I am not seeing it."


    Doro laughed, grabbed the deformed spring from his father''s hands, and walked up to his workspace.


    "Dad, could you light a candle for me?"


    A candle? The vent windows are not shuttered, and it''s mid-morning... Damn it! Did he end up with some permanent eye damage after all?


    As Kheteps face began showing signs of worry, Doro appeared to pick up on his father''s thought process and decided to reassure him.


    "Don''t worry, my eyes are fine. I need a bit of heat, not the light."


    Khetep brought his firestriker to the candle''s wick and squeezed down on the handle, causing a flint to come into contact with a steel edge, sending large sparks flying out and up as it scraped down.


    "Watch this! Again, no trickery. This is all just the natural properties of this alloy."


    Doro brought the end of the loosened spring closer to the flame as Khetep looked closely.


    What the...?


    Doro''s hand kept moving forward, but the end of the coil didn''t; its end remained less than an inch away from the flame and grew no closer. As he focused on the middle part of the spring rather than its end, Khetep noticed that as the strip approached the flame and the heat spread through it, it began to coil itself back into its previous shape.


    "This is called a shape memory alloy. If you heat it up, it will naturally return to its original shape."


    Khetep was impressed but could not come up with an application for this new property. In the case of spring steel, his mind was already coming up with potential uses, but the special feature of this titanium alloy left him mostly bemused.


    "Impressive trick, but what is the use? What are you going to make with it?"


    "With this? Just a set of tires for now."


    Doro stood up again and walked out of the room.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    "You coming, Dad? You look like you need a break."


    Khetep stood in place, his mouth agape, as he stared at his son''s back.


    Making tires out of bouncy metal coils!? What kind of vehicle is he making those for? Are we sure he didn''t suffer any brain damage?


    ***


    "No, I''m fine, really. Well, ok, maybe not fine-fine, but I''ll get along. Better worry about Sarima for now."


    "Are you sure? If you want to talk it out, I''m here."


    I don''t want to saddle him with the baggage from my previous life. I wish Gallius had done a better job of sealing the memories of my last moments, I''d rather not remember how uselessly I struggled and failed at saving Meg.


    "It''ll be alright, Dad; I''ll work through it myself, at some point. I get that we arrived too late to have a chance of saving Sarima''s father, but I went and got myself injured for nothing."


    Khetep straightened up, and his expression hardened.


    "You didn''t do it for nothing. If you hadn''t gone in, all Sarima would have left is a pile of ashes. Her father might never wake up, but at least you bought her time to process things and accept whatever happens. You garnered yourself quite the reputation in the area too. We had to turn away a few of the neighbors asking to see our ''heroic son'' while you were still recovering. Most of those who visited have daughters not too far from you in age, now that I think about it."


    Khetep smiled at Doro and gave him a cheeky wink.


    "Don''t joke like that; if Mom overhears you, she might start striking up a plan. I get what you are saying, but you misunderstood me somewhat. I don''t regret going into the danger and helping out like I did. The issue is that I panicked and made a series of stupid decisions that nearly got me killed."


    Khetep raised an eyebrow but remained silent, waiting for his son to continue in his own time.


    "I panicked. I''m not sure if it was the heat, the smoke, the clock running down, or that a life was on the line, but I ran in like an idiot with my brain fixated on nothing else than getting Sarima''s dad out of the building."


    "It was foolhardy, but you did make it, if not unscathed. No one would have expected more from you. What you did was already more than anyone would expect from someone your age."


    "You don''t get it. In my previous life, or this one for that matter, I was never really strong. I always relied on information and logic to get me through challenges. When I came across a real life-threatening challenge, it was like my brain shut down partially and I started acting based on instinct. Why did I try to get him out in the first place? Because the room was on fire. Fire is a fucking chemical reaction!"


    Khetep''s eyes widened as he finally understood what had been weighing on his son''s mind.


    "You could have used your [Matter Isolation Field] and stopped the fire instead..."


    "Exactly! Instead of rushing in like a dumbass and putting my life in danger, if I had stopped to think for a moment, I could have gotten Sarima''s father out of danger sooner and saved her home while I was at it, all without risking you losing your only son! I''m-I''m-I-m so sorry! I took his place and then-"


    Large tears started forming at the bottom of Doro''s eyes before he could finish his last sentence. Going through the explanation had brought back the dark thoughts he had been trying to keep at bay with all his busy work, and the unprocessed guilt he still carried over his reincarnation had peeked its head again.


    Khetep stood up and walked over to his son, grabbing him in the tightest of hugs while reassuringly rubbing his back.


    "Hush now, none of that. You are my son, Doro, Ben, or whatever name you may end up going by in the future. I have an inkling of how you were in your previous life since you regained the memories, but ''you'' are my son. You are the soul that Suyum and I brought into this world and cared for. You didn''t take our son''s place, you are and always have been our Son! And I don''t care that you have memories of being a young man, in this life you are still a child. This was your first encounter with a life-or-death situation. Sure, with hindsight, you could have done things better, but you carried yourself honorably and never gave up. That is worth praise, not condemnation. Many others would have frozen, run away, or even soiled themselves on the spot. Just in case you need to hear it, I love you, and I am extremely proud of you, my son!"


    Doro let the words wash over him, a wave of fresh water carrying all the murk and scum away with it. He''d been putting on a brave face, but now he let himself heal as he sobbed in his father''s embrace. The memories from the end of his first life were pushed away, the nightmarish fever dreams and grotesque oxygen deprivation hallucinations fading away like the bad dreams they were, and Doro felt at peace for the first time since he remembered his life as Ben over two decans prior.


    ***


    "At least he doesn''t seem to be in pain, for what that is worth."


    Suyum and Sarima walked down the streets of the industrial district as they returned from a visit to the clinic. Sarima kept her head down as she followed behind Suyum, barely reacting to anything around her. Her head was so filled with jumbled thoughts and emotions that all she could do was put one foot in front of the other.


    I don''t want Dad to die...but if he does...everything that I''ve lost so far...


    Sarima''s emotions were in turmoil. Although she appeared a well-adjusted young lady, quick to give a smile and a joke, the last few years had really taken their toll on her mental health.


    First, the death of her mother. It had robbed her of more than just a maternal figure; it had turned her father into a shell of himself and caused a rift between him and her brother. The crack in Sarima''s heart had formed then. Then, Addat ran away. Losing her brother, who had also been her closest friend, despite their differing personalities, overnight and without warning had caused the crack in her heart to grow more profound, smaller fissures spreading from it along its surface.


    Then along came Doro. Although the boy was awkward and took himself too seriously, his genuine offer of friendship and how wholeheartedly he had made a place for her in his life had truly touched her. In fewer than two decans, he and his family had acted like glue and started filling the cracks in her heart. She loved her father, even the shadow of himself he had become, but her time at Doro''s house quickly became her emotional support and the highlight of her days.


    In truth, Sarima wasn''t struggling with the sadness of potentially losing her father, as she had already mourned the man he used to be. This development felt more like a betrayal. She had stayed strong and done her best to take care of him, even after her brother had gone and left her to deal with him on her own, but instead of getting better, he''d drifted further away from being the man Sarima wanted to remember with each passing day. Despite her best efforts, he had let himself sink deeper into his depression and his bottles, forcing more responsibilities on the already overwhelmed and grief-stricken young girl.


    It was hard for her to reconcile her feelings. He was the last remnant of the happy family that lived in her memories, but his slow descent into alcohol-fueled depression threatened to carry her into the same waters; her love for him was a shackle that had forced her down beneath the surface alongside him; it was just a matter of time until both drowned.


    Her father''s accident had released the shackles, and Doro''s outstretched hand helped her back up to the surface to catch a breath. Now, she was wading in the cold and dark waters, Doro and his family calling out to her from the shore. As she approached the shore in search of safety and shelter, the faces of Doro and his family shifted into those of her mother, brother, and father. A wave hit her from behind, threatening to push her under, the guilt at leaving her father to sink to the depths by his lonesome.


    It was not her fault! It was not her responsibility! She had done all she could, but he hadn''t! He''d been content to take her down with him. Now that the chain had been severed and safety was within her grasp, was it so wrong of her to seek it?


    Sarima''s guilt worsened as, once again, a morbid thought entered her mind.


    Maybe it would be for the best if he didn''t wake up.


    Sarima missed a step and stumbled forward, but Suyum grabbed her arm before she could fall all the way down to the ground.


    "Are you okay? You didn''t hurt your foot, did you? We''re nearly home, but I can carry you if you want."


    Suyum couched down and inspected Sarima''s ankles.


    Don''t! Stop being so nice! I don''t deserve it! I''m a horrible person who wished her own father dead!


    "No, thank you. I can walk."


    If they find out how weak and selfish I am, they won''t want to take me into their family anymore...


    Back when Doro had still been recovering, taking care of him had felt like salvation from her guilt, giving her an excuse to avoid visiting her father. But now that he was back in shape, the survivor''s guilt still hadn''t faded. The sad truth was that the only person who put any blame on her was herself. She had worked so hard to keep her family together, but she thought she had failed them. She hadn''t managed to take her mother''s place in the family. Although she had failed them, she was the one who got to start over in a happy new family. How was that fair?


    If only I was as strong and smart as Doro, maybe I would have been able to fix things...


    The pair arrived at their home and saw Khetep in the middle of comforting a crying Doro in the kitchen.


    "What happened there? Let me in on it!"


    Suyum approached the pair and grabbed them in a wide hug.


    If only we''d supported each other like they do! Why did you have to give up on Dad, Addat. Why couldn''t Dad pay more attention to us and less to his memories and drinks? Why was I the only one trying to pick up the pieces?


    The sadness and anger must have pierced through Sarima''s mask as Suyum looked back at her with a frown. Suyum lifted one of her well-toned arms and motioned to Sarima.


    "Come in here, what are you waitin'' for? You look like you could really use a hug, and there is a spot here just for you."


    Sarima''s mask came off as tears and snot started pouring out of her as if a damn had burst. Sarima ran towards the welcoming spot and launched herself into the hug. Khetep flinched, no doubt memories of the "Sarima Punch" flashing through his mind, but he calmed himself and wrapped one of his arms around her as she settled in her spot.


    If even Doro can let himself go and get comforted like this, why shouldn''t I?


    Khetep and Suyum kept the crying children in a calming hug until the sobs turned into occasional sniffles and then into a serene silence.


    GRWLHGRRRWGL


    Suyum''s stomach let out a loud rumble, and she gave the others a guilty smile.


    "Not blamin'' anyone, but if we keep huggin'' then no one is makin'' lunch."


    "Pfttt! Come on Suyum, really?"


    "Way to change the subject, Mom!"


    Doro wiped his last tear away with his sleeve as the group hug broke off, but Sarima''s expression must have given away that she was still struggling because he approached her and gave her a pat on the head.


    "Take it from me; Don''t try to act tough. We''re here for you if you need to talk or if you just need to cry. It feels a lot better after."


    Doro turned around to go and help with the cooking, but Sarima grabbed him into a hug from behind.


    "Are you really okay with becoming my new brother and sharing your parents with me? Even if I failed at keeping my last family together?"


    "You failed? It wasn''t your job. Also, your father is only alive because you brought me home with you. I may have been the one who went in, but you also did all you could to save his life. If you had given up on him as your brother did, he would have surely died by himself. As far as joining our family, my parents want more kids, and I already pretty much see you as my little sister and me as your replacement brother. My parents already like you enough that Mom tried to set us up, so as far as we are concerned, you are already part of our family. The adoption papers are really just a formality at this point. That is, unless you don''t want to."


    "Well said, son! He is right, even if your father goes through a miraculous recovery, feel free to consider us your second family. I have one condition though."


    "Oy, that ain''t what we discussed! What kind of condition are you plannin'' on saddlin'' the poor girl with? We agreed that if we took her in, we would treat her as if she were our own."


    "Yeah Dad, what gives?"


    Khetep visibly crumbled under his wife and son''s angry glares, but Sarima''s scared expression made him explain himself quickly.


    "Don''t look at me like that. My condition was just sealing away the ''Sarima Punch''. I swear one went up when the punch landed, and it hasn''t come back down yet."


    Doro and Suyum''s anger made way to mirth as they they started teasing Khetep for his bad timing. Sarima, on the other hand, grew bright red and crouched behind Doro to hide her embarrassment.


    "See what you did, honey? She''s gone nearly as red as the Captain. Ladies are delicate flowers, mentionin'' these sorts of things in front of us is a little..."


    Khetep and Doro seemed impressed by Suyum''s composure as she spouted words she would never live by.


    "Miss Suyum, if you are trying to be ladylike because you are my new mother, it is a bit too late. I''ve heard you shout the word ''bollocks'' many times already."


    Suyum put on an exaggerated wince of pain at Sarima''s words as Khetep and Doro giggled away.


    "Well, It''s true. You are always using naughty words, Mom. You could out-swear a sailor."


    Suyum''s eyes never left Sarima as she started scratching insider her ear with her little finger.


    "Nah that''s fine. I just thought I heard somethin'' that made me sad. I could have sworn Sarima called me Miss Suyum, but she wouldn''t do that, would she?"


    Wait, that was the issue?


    "Sorry, you are right, if I''m going to join this family, I should call you mo-"


    The word got caught inside of Sarima''s throat and wouldn''t come out. As she tried to sound out the word "Mom", images of her deceased mother flashed at the forefront of Sarima''s mind.


    "Actually, can I call you ''Mother''? Mom was what I called my first mother so it feels a bit..."


    Suyum pulled a face, and Sarima thought she had offended her, until she heard her response.


    "Mother? Oh lords please no, that brings back memories I''d rather keep supressin''. How about "Mommy" instead?"


    The dubious stare all three other family members shot Suyum''s way made her reconsider


    "Alright, maybe not "Mommy". We''ll come up with something we can both live with."

 53- A Gohnad by any other name...

    53- A Gohnad by any other name...


    7/3/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut- Early Morning


    "Good morning!"


    Someone called out from outside as Doro and his family enjoyed their breakfast.


    Who would come by this early now that Sarima lives here?


    "Must be this week''s legionnaire. Why don''t you go greet them?"


    Oh right, it''s Seventhday!


    Doro left the dining table and went to open the door.


    "Hello. Is this where a ''Doro Gal Khetepsa'' lives?"


    "Yes. That is me. Are you here for the request I posted at the HQ?"


    A tall and lanky young man peered down at Doro dubiously as he held onto a scrap of paper in one hand.


    "Seriously? I thought I was hired as a training partner, not a babysitter..."


    The young man sighed and stayed outside the threshold, muttering to himself as if Doro wasn''t there.


    "This is gonna be a bust for the workout, but I guess at least I get a meal out of it..."


    I was going to invite you to join us at the breakfast table, but if you are going to be like that...


    "Hey kid, what''s for lunch?"


    The man asked Doro bluntly, not even bothering to make an attempt at hiding his true intentions.


    Yeah, don''t think I''m giving this guy the token.


    "Not sure, but it''ll be tasty and filling. We hosted a Decanus recently and they had nothing but praises. Good enough for such an esteemed legionnaire as yourself?"


    The man winced at the verbal jab and hardened his gaze.


    "A Decanus? That doesn''t mean anything, some of those guys are useless bastards."


    "If you can be useless and still get promoted to Decanus, why aren''t you one?"


    Meh, I''m a nine-year-old boy, I can get away with being a pratt.


    "Suddenly, I feel like training you won''t be so boring..."


    The legionnaire''s expression turned into a sadistic grin as he seemed to have found some form of motivation for the job at hand after all.


    ***


    "Alright. Lesson number one for any legionnaire. Build endurance!"


    "The last legionnaire told me it was dodging."


    "If you fall behind and don''t reach the battle in time, are you planning on dodging ghosts while your contubernia is out fighting the enemy?"


    The legionnaire made a mark in the ground with the butt of his spear 150 feet down the backstreet to the right of the door, then came back around and made another 150 feet to the left.


    "Uh, I''m not sure I''ll join the free legion. If I do, they would probably put me in a specialized logistics contubernium because of my abilities, not a combat one."


    "Specialists still need to pass basic training, and that includes marching. Now on you go; run!"


    "Uh, I overworked my muscles and just recovered recently..."


    "Ok, walk then."


    Glad that wor-


    "Faster!"


    Ok, guess I''m not getting away with it entirely.


    Doro sped up to a brisque walk, but the legionnaire was not placated and yelled out again.


    "Faster, you laggard! You are lucky I''m not making you carry supplies if you want to be in logistics. Think of all the legionnaires who will get slaughtered if you don''t get what they need to them in time!"


    "I''d just use a vehicle to get there faster then!"


    "What if it breaks down? The one tool a legionnaire will always have at hand is their own body!"


    Damn him! I know he just wants to bully me into a death run, but his logic maths out...


    Doro sped up again, taking larger and faster steps; any faster, and he would be outright jogging. Doro made it to the left mark, then to the right mark, and then made it back to the door and stopped.


    "So, how many times do you want me to do this?"


    The legionnaire let out an evil laugh as he responded to Doro''s innocent question.


    "Times? You are doing this until lunch! I''m not evil though; you can have a five-minute rest every twenty times you step on a mark. I would normally make it 10, but you are walking after all."


    Twenty times? At about 300 feet between the marks, with imperial feet being nearly exactly a third of a meter...The two friggin kilometers between rests! This guy really didn''t like what I said earlier.


    Doro was about to ask for a reprieve, but the smirk on the man''s face made him think it would be pointless. As if to add insult to injury, as soon as Doro had begun running again, the legionnaire dipped into the house and returned with a chair. The man casually sat down, crossed his legs, and retrieved a pouch of roasted seeds from the side of his dirty and tarnished plastron.


    "Huff...Huff...What is your name anyway?"


    Doro slowed his pace as he approached the legionnaire, hoping his strategy would go unpunished and earn him a short reprieve.


    "The name is Gohnad; remember it well! You''ll definitely hear ballads recounting my heroic deeds in the future."


    *PFFFT*


    Gohnad!? Really? Oh god, if only his parents knew.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    To the people of this world, the name Gohnad sounded like any other name, but that specific sequence of syllables had a very clear meaning to Doro, who had grown up speaking American English.


    The legionnaire thrust the rear end of his spear between Doro''s legs, causing him to stumble forward. He hadn''t had much time to practice since his lesson with Karo due to his recovery, but he still managed to pull off a decent roll as he fell to the ground, sapping most of the momentum from the impact by redirecting it forward.


    What the hell!?


    Doro shot an angry stare at Gohnad, but the man just looked down at a prone Doro and clapped.


    "Nice recovery. If you slow down or let your mind wander, I''ll do it again. You never know when you might get ambushed during a march to stay focused."


    Friggin Gohnad!


    "At least, now that I know your name, It makes it easier to cuss you out in my mind!"


    ***


    It had now been an hour, and although the exercise was wearing Doro down, he was still in a much better state than he should have been, to Gohnad''s visible displeasure. About five minutes into the ordeal, Doro had come up with a plan inspired by an episode of Taskmaster he had seen back when he''d been Ben.


    Upon reaching a mark, he''d filled the area with his energy and used his Abilities to discreetly drag the mark back a few feet closer before heading to the next. Because he''d done it so gradually and had stopped his ploy when the marks were about a hundred feet away from the door, Gohnad was yet to catch on.


    It might not have seemed like much, but he''d effectively cut the distance he had to run between breaks by a third, making his rest stops more frequent and also lowering the amount of stamina he wasted between each. The last and most significant effect of his subterfuge was that in shortening the distance, as long as he sped up when passing in front of Gohnad, he could afford to slow down his pace and still return in the amount of time the man expected, thus not changing the rhythm he experienced and lulling him into a false pattern.


    "Stop! Something''s not right."


    Gohnad stood up from his chair as Doro reached one of the marks and pivoted.


    "There, I knew it! You are turning back early!"


    Doro stopped on top of the mark and pointed down at his feet.


    "What are you on about? Look, I''m standing on it."


    Gohnad approached, his brow furrowing as he saw Doro was not lying. He kept walking another hundred feet and returned to the mark. Not having found another, he began inspecting the one at Doro''s feet more closely, sticking the butt of his spear back into it to make sure it matched the girth.


    "Huh, strange. Guess I misjudged the distance."


    Gohnad walked back closer to the 150 feet where the mark had been initially and made a new mark before returning to Doro and stomping down on the previous one to flatten it out.


    "I''ll go check the other one and fix it if it needs it."


    Damn. Well...He thinks it was his mistake, maybe I can just keep gaslighting him.


    "Oy, that is not very fair play. You are making it harder because I did better than you expected. Admit it!"


    "I''d stop talking if I were you, you''ll need all the air you can get now that the real fun starts."


    As he''d promised, Gohnad fixed the other mark and went back to sit down at his spot.


    "Alright, since you got an extra break for free, you are skipping the next one. Go, go, go! Get those feet moving."


    Yup, definitely gonna keep gaslighting this dumbass.


    Although Doro was under more scrutiny this time, the small shifts were not noticeable enough for Gohnad to make them out from this distance. Five minutes later, Gohnad''s attention started waning again, and Doro became more ambitious. To sell the con, each time Doro moved one of the fresh marks, he would also move the remaining traces of the old ones the same distance.


    ***


    "Stop! You are using the old marks, aren''t you?"


    Doro stopped on the fresh mark that was now positioned a hundred feet away, right beneath his feet. Over the course of another hour, Doro had moved the marks back to the same, more manageable, distance as the previous time, but eventually, Gohnad had started paying closer attention and felt something was off again.


    "Seriously? Again? This is already so much tougher than before, stop messing with me!"


    Doro stomped on the ground to sell his fake frustration. For once, his attempts at deception felt genuine, mostly because he was getting annoyed by Gohnad''s personality, so although the words were an act, the emotions he displayed were real.


    Gohnad stepped up to Doro, and the presence of a fresh mark had him scratching his head.


    "You are doing something! I know it. These marks moved!"


    "You are such a sore loser, old man! You were watching me, did I stop to touch the ground at any time? Look at these soft shoes; do they look like they could leave a groove like that in the ground? How would I even cover the previous marks so they couldn''t be seen? Look! you can still see your old marks over there if you look closely."


    Gohnad had an incredulous look on his face, but as Doro refused to resume until he had checked, he gave in and walked away. When he came back, his expression was even more perplexed than the first time.


    "See? I told you. You aren''t taking another break away from me for making me stop this time! It was entirely your fault. Can I keep going now or are you going to cheat and change the targets again?"


    Gohnad grumbled something under his breath before returning to his seat, and Doro decided to take that response as an instruction to proceed.


    That''s it, as long as you can''t prove I''m cheating, complaining will just make you look like a sore loser at best, and insane at worst. This still isn''t fun, but at least I should be able to survive this modified course until lunch. I''ll have to ask Mom if she has any of that muscle-relaxing tea left from when I was recovering; I will probably be sore tomorrow.


    ***


    "I guess this is passable. Still, had I known I was signing up to babysit a cheating pipsqueak, I wouldn''t have taken the request. If that idiot Decanus hadn''t messed with our last pay, I wouldn''t have to take such low-ranking requests to make ends meet."


    Wait, that sounds familiar...Dhruvah?


    Doro sat in his chair, speedily eating his meal as though he wasn''t involved in the conversation.


    "Cheatin''? My son? You caught him?"


    "Well, no. But I''m sure he did something. If he''d done the match properly, he''d be too tired to eat right now."


    Keep going; she doesn''t care. Mom is the type of person to proudly say,"It''s not cheatin'' if you don''t get caught.".


    "I ran between the marks you made; even when you changed your mind and made them further apart, I kept going. I don''t know what else you could have wanted from me. I understand where you are coming from, though. A legionnaire with as much battle experience as yourself probably has better things to do than hang out with children. As an apology and bonus, why don''t you let me clean up your plastron while you finish your meal? I''ll even give it a polish and oil treatment."


    Khetep looked at his son with a puzzled expression, but Suyum had caught on to her son''s mischievous purposes, having instilled them in him herself over the years.


    "Yeah, he did the full armor of a Decanus the other day. It was so clean that by the time it was he was done with it, it shone bright like the sun. Dhruvah was so happy he was speechless."


    Gohnad visibly flinched at the mention of the name, all but confirming Doro''s suspicions. Upon seeing his wife act in such a civil manner toward such an impolite guest, Khetep seemed to understand that his son was aiming for some sort of payback and decided to give a helping hand.


    "Don''t worry, I work with specialty metals and ceramics for a living, I''ve taught him how not to damage them and how to clean them properly."


    Gohnad gave Doro a superior smile as he grabbed his half-empty plate away from him.


    "If you want to be done by the end of lunch, let me help you out. Like this I''ll spend more time eating, and you can start sooner. Also, I know Dhruvah, and that fool''s opinion means nothing to me! You better not mess up."


    Gohnad poured the remnants of Doro''s plate into his and tossed the plate back in front of Doro. The plate landed with a clang and spun in place for a few seconds before settling, leaving the room in an awkward silence.


    "Thank you for your generous gesture. Let me get right onto it."


    Doro gave Gohnad a too-wide smile as he responded to the slight through gritted teeth.


    Patience. I said I''d clean his plastron, but I never said I would do all of it. Now, I want to get some payback for Dhruvah and me! Time for the strongest shape!


    ***


    "Oh my! You outdid yourself! This is a magnificent motif. Do you have a coat-of-arms, Mister Gohnad? I was thinkin'' my son''s handiwork might be fit for you."


    Suyum didn''t even attempt to hide her shit-eating grin as she admired the shape her son had artfully cleaned into the center of the plastron and then coated in in the same golden-colored alloy he had used on Dhruvah''s armor.


    Upon the plastron''s pectoral sections sat two large squiggly and saggy circular outlines, little wrinkle-like lines filling the shape and thinner, long, and scraggly ones coming out of their circumference. Beneath where the two circles met, a floppy and curved eggplant-like shape seemed to dangle, and the abdominal lines on the armor gave it a veiny look. The large size of the circles compared to the rather short and stunted shape below completed the picture Doro had in mind to perfection.


    You should be happy; I let you have a bit of dignity and left it uncut so you could cover your shame! Heh! That''s what you get for being a prick.


    Gohnad''s face contorted into a shape reminiscent of a Japanese Hanya mask as he looked down at his befouled chest.


    "You gonna pay for this you-"


    *BONK*


    Gohnad took one step toward Doro, but Suyum was ready with her energy-imbued mug in hand. She brought her arm back and swung it forward as fast as her muscular arms would allow her before releasing the mug. It flew straight into the center of Gohnad''s distastefully decorated chest but instead of breaking, a loud sound rang out as it pushed the man back a step and bounced off unharmed.


    "You attacked me! I will rep-"


    Suyum picked up another mug and brandished it threateningly.


    "Wow, look, my son did such a good job the mug my wife threw didn''t even leave a scratch. Now, that is quality service. It even came with a free quality check. I''d stick with that story if I were you. Unless you want us to report to the HQ that you threateningly advanced on a child with the intention of causing him harm, over a simple harmless prank. Now, here is your silver. Now that our accounts are paid, you are dismissed. I will escort my son today. There is no way I would entrust his safety to someone like you."


    Gohnad started looking back and forth between Suyum''s mug and the door as if judging whether to push his luck or run for it. Khetep got tired of waiting and brandished a weapon of his own, a stoppered flask he''d grabbed from his belt pouch.


    "If my wife''s mug doesn''t scare you and convince you to cut your losses, this flask is filled with flesh-eating acid, and it will break on contact."


    Damn, why does no one else speak English? If Mom spoke English, she might have quite a reaction to Dad saying her ''mug'' should scare grown men away.


    Khetep''s last flourish seemed to do the trick, and Gohnad ran out the door, but not before grabbing a small sack of dried fruit sitting on the counter for his trouble.


    "You are crazy people! You better hope we don''t cross paths again!"


    As Gohnad ran away with his tail between his legs, scared away by a child and two civilians, The trio laughed again as another part of Doro''s prank was revealed.


    "What does that even mean? Hahaha!"


    Suyum laughed as she read the message cleaned into the back of Gohnad''s. There, in large letters filling the majority of the space, a parting message was plainly visible in Modern Imperial.


    NOMEN


    SIGNIFICAT


    TESTICVLOS


    Ad Dhruvah - Ab Doro


    "Well, his name really does mean balls, at least in English."


    Khetep smacked his forehead and sighed.


    "Did you really have to sign it?"

 54- Seeds of Progress

    54- Seeds of Progress


    7/3/5/4353 M.A.C - Niwut- Early Afternoon


    "Good riddance! Mom, do you have any of that tea left? My legs are already starting to get pretty sore, and I still need to go see Scholar Atwut today."


    "Yeah, we have about enough for three doses. Let me get some water boilin''."


    "Since I am not actually injured this time, just brew me half a dose, please. I can always take the other half tonight if the first wasn''t enough."


    "Shouldn''t you be leaving soon?"


    Doro looked at his father and gave him a sheepish smile.


    "After this morning, I''m going to have to take it easy on the way there. If I''m going to be late anyway, no point in rushing."


    Khetep looked at his son dubiously, Doro''s logic apparently not working out for him.


    "Don''t worry, he has his own work to get along with until I get there, and I''m planning on making a small apology gift while Mom is making the tea; I was a bit harsh with him last decan."


    Khetep raised an eyebrow inquisitively at the mention of a gift, all worries over his son''s punctuality apparently vanishing as his curiosity got piqued.


    "What are you making this time? Must be simple if you can make it in the time it takes to brew a cup of tea."


    ***


    "You know you are my very favorite son, right?"


    Khetep''s eyes gleamed with envy as Doro demonstrated the gift he had just made for Scholar Atwut.


    "So...You want one as well? You just had to ask, you know? No need for the theatrics."


    Khetep dipped his head forward and put a hand behind it.


    "I feel like I''m taking advantage of you. Between the lessons, the glassware, and the new metals you let me experiment with, it kind of makes me feel like a failure as a father."


    Doro blinked, his face blank, then chuckled before giving Khetep his perspective.


    "You do your part in providing for the family, you worried about me and helped take care of me after the accident, and you make time for me when I need you, like yesterday. I don''t know what your idea of an ideal father is, but I couldn''t ask for better. I''ll be honest, I had a pretty cool dad in my previous life, and he cared about me, but we were such different people that I never felt as close to him as I do you, even though he was my father for a lot longer. You might be my father, but you are also the best friend I have in this life. Don''t tell Mom or Sarima; they might get jealous."


    Doro had just been speaking his mind matter-of-factly, not realizing how his Father was getting affected by his words. Khetep wiped a tear away from his cheek, a pleased expression on his face, and then patted Doro''s head.


    "Thank you for saying that. Our relationship also means more to me than you know. I lost my father when I wasn''t much older than you are now. Since it was just the two of us, he had to work a lot and didn''t have a lot of time for me, but he did his best. Up until now, I could look back and use him as an example. Now that you remember your previous life, it feels like you became a teenager early, and I was scared I was messing it up."


    Damn, didn''t realize Dad was this worried. He never really spoke about his past before he came to Niwut as a young apprentice before, wonder what made him open up suddenly.


    "Don''t worry Dad, you are doing great! Now, I can''t promise I''ll keep singing the same tune as I go through puberty again. I''m dreading the prospect myself, as it wasn''t fun the first time around, but hopefully, I''ll manage to keep a handle on it this time. Guess we''ll have to find out together."


    Doro gave his father a thumbs-up and a wink before standing up from his stool.


    "Now let''s go back to the kitchen, Mom must be done with the tea."


    Khetep''s smile waned as Doro left the workshop for the kitchen.


    "Wait! Weren''t you going to make one for me too?"


    Doro was already halfway through the door as he looked back and answered his father.


    "I''ll make it tonight. I''m already pretty late, and I''d like to take more than a couple of minutes to make you a nicer one."


    ***


    "Should have asked Mom for a full dose...My calf muscles are already starting to ache."


    About halfway to their destination, the consequences of Doro''s morning death-march were catching up to him; tea or no tea. Khetep stepped in front of his son and knelt down.


    "Hop on! I might not be as strong as your mother, but you are still light enough for me to carry you."


    As Doro tried to wrap his legs around his father''s ribs, Khetep lowered himself further, and Doro found himself riding his shoulders. Doro looked ill at ease at first, the position making him feel like a toddler, but quickly his frown turned into a smile as he wondered over the sights. The many adults walking around the streets no longer obstructed his vision like large moving walls, letting him see much more than before.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "Uh, Dad. Can we stop?"


    "No need to feel ashamed. You just recovered from an injury, and you were basically tortured this morning. Just enjoy the ride."


    "No, that''s fine. Honestly, I like the view better from up here. I asked you to stop because I think we''ve arrived at our destination."


    Doro raised a hand and waved it into the air from side to side.


    "What do you mean? We are only-"


    Scholar Atwut broke through the people in front of them, giving Khetep his answer before he could finish his question.


    "Oh.....Good.....I.....found you! Give me a moment."


    The scholar came to a stop, sweating profusely and hunching over forward, supporting himself with one hand on his knee as he tried to catch his breath.


    "Calm down, Professor; why are you here?"


    "You were late, and I got worried. I thought something had happened to you. You could have been in an accident, or worse, after how we left things last decan, I thought you might have given up on me!"


    "Uh, Professor...I think you got the order of those mixed."


    "Eh, at least he is being honest. You did say that you thought you''d been too harsh with him last time; maybe let this one slip."


    ***


    "So, she is the one I should thank for my near-death experience?"


    Is he seriously still holding a grudge?


    Doro scooted closer to the professor and whispered into his ear.


    "I wouldn''t if I were you. She''ll take complaints as a confirmation of a job well done. The more you let on how much it got to you, the more she''ll want to mess with you again."


    Suyum looked up from her wheel and squinted at the man who had just walked in with her husband and son.


    "Back already? Who''s the sweaty baldie?"


    Doro chuckled as Khetep pulled a grimace. Imperial enumerators were rather plentiful, and their position did not give them a lot of direct power, but as civil servants reporting directly to the Empire, they were used to a modicum of respect. In fact, even Suyum would have probably made a bit more of an effort had she realized who the man in front of her was, but Scholar Atwut had decided against wearing his robes and had shown up in some rather plain but high-quality clothing.


    "What did she just cal-"


    Better slip in and get the conversation moving in a better direction.


    "Mom, this is the esteemed Scholar Atwut. You know, the high-ranking Imperial Enumerator who is benevolently helping me out?"


    I''m hoping that was enough compliments to counteract Mom''s insults.


    "All my excuses, your imperial eminence. Why don''t you have a seat? Will a common stool suffice for the rear end of such an important man as yourself?"


    Doro and Khetep smacked their foreheads in unison.


    Damn it, I forgot how prickly Mom gets with rich or important folks. Guess I''ll have to keep them separated as much as I can.


    "Please excuse her Professor. She is originally from the other side of the mountains, but even if it has been over ten years, she still has some peculiarities."


    Before Suyum could protest, Doro used his Abilities to pull on the door handle and close it shut, a little click confirming the door had been locked.


    "Don''t worry, her workshop has large windows; she can easily get out. I just needed to make sure continuing this was enough of a hassle that she couldn''t do it while working."


    Scholar Atwut eyed Khetep with a mixture of admiration and befuddlement.


    "Well, I''m not sure how such a gentile and scholarly man as yourself manages to survive being wed to a woman with so much...personality, but good job in doing your civic duty and helping increase the Empire''s population. Since we''ll be working together for the foreseeable future, feel free to drop the honorifics and just call me Atwut."


    Khetep looked unsure whether to take Scholar Atwut''s words as a compliment or to get annoyed on his wife''s behalf, but the friendly way in which the scholar had finished his remarks swayed him toward the former. Before Khetep had the chance to change his mind, the scholar unfastened the strap that was tied around his chest and put the long tube-like case that was attached to it on the kitchen table.


    "Here, I brought this so we could work on the plan for setting up the consortium."


    The scholar opened the case and produced two large sheets of paper, which he flattened onto the table, taking up the entirety of its surface. He then took out his dip pen and ink before looking down at the table.


    "Do you have another small table we could bring in? There isn''t enough space for my writing supplies."


    Doro and Khetep shared a knowing look before smiling at the scholar in unison.


    "You can put those away; I have a small gift for you."


    Doro handed the scholar a shiny metal tube, one side ending in a cone with a hole at the end, the other with what appeared to be a rounded button of some sort. The Scholar inspected the gift closely, a puzzled look on his face.


    "What''s this? Some sort of concealed weapon? What do I do? Aim the hole and press the end? Or does it need to be point-blank?"


    Yeah, sorry, bud, but you aren''t an international man of mystery. This is just a prototype click ballpoint pen.


    "Professor, why would I give you a weapon? You don''t really seem the type to have a use for one. This is a ballpoint pen. You press on the end, and a nib comes out."


    The scholar pressed the end down with his thumb and kept it there, then put down his inkwell on a stool and uncorked it.


    "Are you sure this works? The nib looks rounded and smooth, I''d have to dip it back in every letter or so...Also, I''m not sure this design is very convenient; if I want to press down on the end with my thumb, I''ll have to write while grasping the pen like a toddler."


    "Yeah...give it back to me for a second, I''ll show you how it actually works."


    Atwut handed the pen back to Doro, and as he released the pressure he exerted with his thumb, the nib retracted a fraction of an inch and lodged itself in position with a satisfying click.


    "Oh, I see, you don''t need to keep pressing down on it. That doesn''t solve the ink issue though."


    "Don''t worry, the ball on the nib is a delivery mechanism, it doesn''t need the surface area of a dip pen or the groove of a quill."


    Doro demonstrated by dragging the end of the pen parallel to the edge of the scroll, drawing one continuous line that extended well past what Atwut had expected.


    "It has its own reserve of ink inside. It will run out eventually, but we are talking multiple pages rather than sentences. If it runs out, I''ll refill it for you as long as you bring me suitable ink. It''ll work with most inks, but avoid the extremes in thickness. Too runny and it will leak often, too thick and it might clog up. Also, avoid running with it in your pocket, or it will likely leak. This is the first prototype after all; I still need to perfect it."


    Scholar Atwut looked at the pen and then back at Doro.


    "This...This is very kind of you apprentice."


    The scholar bashfully accepted the ballpoint pen as if it were an item of great value, a conflicted expression on his face.


    "I''m not sure I deserve it. I haven''t really been of any help to you yet."


    "Look, you are one of only four people I let in on my secret. If things progress naturally, we are going to be in each other''s lives for the foreseeable future. Yet, I think I pushed you a bit too far last week. It is fine if you profit from our relationship; in fact, it would make me happy if you did. I''ve been a bit too self-centered lately and haven''t been looking at the big picture. I guess being a kid colors my perspective more than I thought. Just, if possible, be open with me about it. I don''t like feeling tricked or manipulated; it brings the worst out of me."


    Doro expected his words to make the scholar smile, yet the expression on Atwut''s face remained as conflicted as before.


    "That is kind of you to say, but I was indeed in the wrong. After you left, I realized that not only did I originally take you on as my apprentice for selfish reasons, but that the moment I found out about your otherwordly memories, I got blinded by greed and tried to profit even more from you without thinking about how it would make you feel. I''ll accept this gift, but now it is my turn to produce some results!"


    Scholar Atwut brandished his new pen in front of him, a new sword ready for battle, and jumped into the fray.