《A Caged Bird Flies Free》


 1 The Great Ruby Eyed Serpent

    Biyu sat within her room with a book balanced on her knees as she read. Today she was dressed in a soft and comfortable shift dyed a colorful green. It was a spot of color in a room of lacquered brown shelves, white walls, and beige pillows and cushions. Her hair was glossy, black, smooth, thin, and perhaps the most well cared for part of her. No makeup colored her cheeks, leaving her placid austere face showing its typical lack of emotion. Her eyes were a cloudy gray color, and they tracked over the page intently. There was nothing in the room to distract her, and that was a distraction she was well past noticing. Her slender fingers, almost gaunt like her body, traced the line she was reading. The page was crammed with a tiny scrawl that was difficult to track. Even tracing with a finger, she sometimes had trouble telling which line she was on.


    Finishing the passage she was interested in, she put the tome aside. She had read it many times before, but she frequently refreshed her memory of that passage. Part of her found it as a useful stick by which to measure a life, but it was also a condemnation of her. Biyu was not given to obsession, but this one line was a summary of the fictions on her shelf and the songs she learned. All the art she knew of was supposed to be a reflection of life, or the dreams of what people wanted their lives to be. None of it applied to her, and she could not help but believe that her life was wrong. The condemning line read, ''Life''s meaning is found in a man''s family, friends, convictions, piety, accomplishments, and passions.''


    It was from James Tracy Cliffside''s Sermons on Life. Despite the religious notion implied by the use of the word sermon, the book was a philosophical look at day to day life. It was Biyu''s most and least favorite book. Ignoring the use of masculine pronouns in the sentence, she could relate to none of it. The faces of her family were unknown to her. The few times she left her room she saw men and women who could be her father or mother, but she did not know which was which. Those who looked upon her wore almost universal looks of either lust or spiteful envy. Of course, when she went out it was in lovely long tunics and robes whose primary purpose was to recast her figure to something more delightfully full than her lean limbs and torso. That meant a lot of cloth wrapped around her chest and hips to pad her, and on a hot day that could be uncomfortable. That was one of the reasons she wore as little as she could get away with when she was alone in her room.


    However, a certain level propriety had to be maintained. Sometimes she would have a tutor for a while before they did something they should not and they would go away. No one told her when to expect new tutors. Men or women, they would succumb to her face. Some touched or fondled her, despite her lack of figure, and she would yell for the servants to take them away. Others would glower and strike her, but when their strikes turned to blows they met the same fate. If she did not know the importance of her education, she would refuse to allow the tutors into her room.


    There was so much that a book could not properly teach. Tutors of etiquette, dance, and music had proven valuable in developing her skills at such things, not to mention tutors whose only purpose was teaching her how to socialize like a noble. This was in part etiquette, but there was more to it than that. She learned how to politely insult a lord to his face without reprimand, how to pass on gossip without sounding like a gossip, and other things that she had no other opportunity to learn. Not one of her tutors would be suitable as a mentor, though, and her unknown family refused to allow her to enter court life. She wondered when she would be old enough. The people in stories simply knew their ages, like it was an obvious thing. It was confusing, not knowing things that were supposed to be obvious. There were so many things like that in her stories. Familial affection, romantic feelings, sexual attraction¡­ she had experience on the receiving end of the latter. She could not see the appeal of being an object of lust like some of her stories depicted. As for the rest, they were things she could grasp intellectually by comparing them to her enjoyment of reading and study. Sometimes she wondered if she really did like those things, or if it was just better than boredom.


    Putting away the tome, she browsed her other books. Every book on her shelf had been read at least twice. All but the stodgiest had been read many more times than that. Some were fictions that were said to be popular in the courts of nobles higher than her family. Others were treatises on philosophy, the arts, the nature of labor, ruling, the management of land, and another half dozen things that a noble woman should be at least familiar with. After all, a woman was expected to advise her husband, especially a rural nobles like she had been told her family was. That was one thing she did know about her family, their history.


    Her ancestor was a hero in the war of the north, a man named Kimmel, who distinguished himself in leading to the subjugation of an entire region of the Minotaur. He was a user of water, and devastated the enemy during a great rainstorm, where he was able to twist the waters into floods that swept away the village and kept the Minotaur mired in mud. He was at the time a commander of his own division, and the capture of a village and its people relatively unharmed earned him honors among the people. The Empire, pleased, granted him a commission as a Lord of the Road, also known as a Marchlord or simply March. He was granted rule over and charged with protecting the road of Lost Lakes, and his family still held that land.


    That was seven generations ago, nearly four hundred years. Her grandfather was the former ruler of Lost Lakes, ceding the control of the family and lands to his son, her uncle. Her father had also fought in the north, but he was never granted an Awakening. One of her tutors confided in her that usually meant the person was out of favor in the family. He did well enough to earn a Fortress, and because he was still a member of the Kimmel Lostlakes family, he was granted a piece of land to defend and rule as a Lord of the Fortress, also called Fortresslord or Defender, in the lands of Lost Lakes. That was the impoverished lands of Elderwoods.


    Biyu was also considered a member of the Lost Lakes family, but she was the last generation before her branch was considered severed. Thus, while she was Biyu Kimmel Lostlakes Elderwoods, any child she bore would only be a Kimmel Elderwoods. That was why many of the petty lords, the Lords of the Lands, held the heroic name of Kimmel, but not the branch name of Lostlakes. Those looking for greater things joined the Orders of Knights, Guilds of Tradesmen, Colleges of Wizards, or, for the desperate or ambitious, joined the ongoing war effort in the north.


    Abandoning her books, she looked at her room. It was a simple thing. Four walls without windows, broad enough she could cross it in four steps. Others she suspected would take two or three at most. Even next to her shortest tutor or servant, she was small. One wall held the single door that locked from the outside. A chamber pot that a servant regularly emptied sat in a corner with a lid dropped on it. A bed that was soft, warm, and frequently had its linen laundered decorated a corner. Shelves lined the walls. One was what she had just been browsing.


    Another shelf held the items for her lessons. Her instruments: a simple flute, tambourine, and a child sized zither even she had outgrown. There was a current piece of embroidery she was working on in a basket. It was a shoddy job, she did not like needlework, but it was a necessity of a woman''s training. That was what the tutor who tutted over her work told her before the tutor attempted to smack her in the back of the head as punishment for the poor result. Biyu had learned long ago to duck early, but she missed the woman switching to her kidneys. That counted as a blow, and the woman was sent away.


    There were manuscripts for dance, kept here because her bookshelf was full. There was a manual of songs, including popular minstrel ballads. An abacus for math was left on a shelf a little too high for her to comfortably reach. She had not used it in a while, preferring to use the system she learned that utilized her fingers. Several pieces of parchment were rolled together full of her poetry. They were little better than her embroidery. A tea service for practice that had never served an actual cup of tea or sweet was neatly wrapped in soft wool and packed into a wooden crate.


    Along the third wall was two wardrobes full of pretty clothes and accessories she wore when being tutored. There was makeup and treatments for her hair as well. A maid would dress her in the mornings, and even her current shift was something someone had put her into. The only thing she did for herself was bathing, and that was only because she had gotten fed up after the last maid with wandering hands spent more time pinching and fondling her instead of scrubbing. It was the complexity of her makeup and her outfits that required her to have help. If not for that, and the need to dress up for tutors who were often themselves members of noble families, she would have dismissed the maids altogether rather than put up with them. That she had picked maids who wanted to touch her rather than hurt her was a concession she often reconsidered. However, as uncomfortable as fondling was, it was still better than being struck or humiliated in other ways.


    Last of the important features of her room was the overhead light. It was a thing of magic, and it turned on and off by itself. For her, the days were when the light was on, and nights were when the light was off. She had tried, once, to count the days, but she quickly quit when she realized there was no point. Every day was essentially the same day, even if her lessons changed. While she had a vague sense that she had changed, grown up as the books said, it was a distant awareness. It showed up in the room seeming smaller, the words that were hard to understand becoming easy, the dances she spent hours failing to do becoming fluid and effortless.


    Finding nothing to capture her attention on the shelves, she elected to read a treatise on the nature of gods. It was a book she had read many times before. Outside of lessons, reading was all she had to do. The book was dry and preachy in places. She touched a sentence that she remembered well. A god was a Human who Ascended past Human limits. She knew what that meant, but she did not understand it. The things she read of in her books, like people throwing balls of flame, were foreign to her even though she knew for a fact that was part of some people''s everyday life. That was interesting to her, and she wondered if her family had an Order or Guild; a collection of people who could use magic called ''techniques''. It was unlikely they had a College. What Wizard would come to a backwater with few resources to improve their understanding of the world?


    She was drawn from her musings when the door opened. There was no knock. The man who entered, a liveried servant, looked at her, but he did not look upon her face. The wiser servants had long ago adopted a habit of talking to just above the top of her head. "Your father has commanded you to wear your finest tunic and robes. You are to be the guest of honor at a grand feast. Ceremonial robes would be appropriate." His tone was neutral and unexcited, but that was normal.


    Biyu gave a nod that she understood. The man was a servant, and a noble should not give a servant undo courtesy. Standing, she opened the wardrobe. The man stared at her back a moment, then left. That was a little unusual, but she dismissed it. The door remained open, and Biyu considered leaving her room. Soon a maid came in, and behind her the door was shut and bolted.


    The girl, likely younger than Biyu, helped her with the ceremonial robes. After being quickly wiped down with a damp cloth and perfumed, she was given fresh undergarments. She was dressed in a fresh long thin shift. Over it, was layered a long sleeved shirt. The maid informed her it was cold outside, and she would be leaving the manor. That was kind of exciting. She rarely got to leave her room, let alone the manor.


    Next, her long tunic was pulled over her existing layers. This was a lovely and elegant thing, and it was intended to be formal wear she could be seen with if her robes proved to be excessive. Over the tunic went her ceremonial robes. It consisted of heavy cloth threaded with gold, small chips of gemstones, and dyed a deep violet. It was rather warm to wear in the room, but if she was going outside it should be fine. Finally were the outer robes, a garment to keep off the cold, while having enough grace in its design to be called attractive. Only then was her hair brushed and styled. It was put into a bun with a hair stick to keep it in place while also providing ornamentation. Makeup was applied, and rings and earrings selected and arranged. The maid considered her for a moment, and added a shawl. It would allow her to keep her neck and cheeks a little warmer if needed. Last was her slippers. Once done, the maid knocked upon the door to indicate Biyu was dressed.


    The door opened and a pair of men in iron chain shirts, helmets, spears, and shields stood ready to escort her. She followed her escorts while the maid remained to clean her room.


    Biyu followed the men without prompting through the mysterious halls. They passed open rooms full of people doing things she did not understand. The hall had plentiful slits through one wall, lighting up the hallway and spilling into the rooms. Doorways were fully open to look upon a garden courtyard she recognized. In the rooms along the other wall, there were men in strange outfits who talked or harangued. When they saw her, they turned their faces away. Some even put up a hand to act as blinders. That was normal. After all, her face was cursed. In empty rooms she saw servants busily cleaning, looking into corners and polishing gleaming wooden floors. A few handled shining artifacts she did not recognize, although at least one was the bust of a man. Obviously, she did not know who he was.


    Leading her through the hall, they entered a Great Hall. They paused there long enough for her to take a look around. High on the wall facing the north was a depiction of the three Dragon Gods. Gunthar, the father, was besides his wife, Vraa, and beneath them was Gillas the son. Gillas, the creator of Humans and their cousins the Reglads. There was a cloak room, and the doors leading into the residence itself. There was a tapestry along one section of wall depicting men felling trees and turning them into logs and planks. At one end was a tall barn full of planks stored away to season. One of her tutors had mentioned that her family''s lands primarily provided lumber. She knew the process, but the trees she had seen were distant things. A black or gray base with a green bush on the top similar to the bushes the mansion''s garden.


    To her surprise, she was swept from the Great Hall to a gilded palanquin. She knew them by the descriptions in her books. Another pair of men in armor, lacking spears and shields, stood at either end of the palanquin. They had to be the men intended to carry her. Seeing the seat atop of it, she accepted a hand to help her climb onto it. As she suspected, the gilding was an alchemical paint meant to remind one of gold. She glanced around. Something was not right. Usually when she went somewhere, she would have a maid to escort her. One of the trusted ones, who looked over the top of her head and never touched her. No one was with her but the estate guards this time.


    No maid came before the palanquin was lifted, and they set off down the dirt road to the village. Unlike the people in the mansion, people stopped to gape at her as she was carried through. She turned her eyes away from the people, keeping them firmly fixed forward and slightly up. She knew the faces she would see if she looked around, and did not wish to see them. Children were normally fine. Most were either stunned or, in the case of the youngest ones, curious. As they aged, their responses changed. Youths and men looked at her with thinly veiled or naked lust. The eyes of the tutors who touched her came unbidden to her mind. Sometimes, women had that same look. Her dance instructor had, though she had been kind enough to restrain her fingers from anywhere other than where they should be for couple dancing. Most of the women had the eyes she thought of as her mother''s eyes. Envy and hatred. Spite. A desire to ruin her, so that they would not have to be compared to her.


    If Biyu had one thing in this world she hated, and she had so few things that having one to hate was a luxury, it was her face. She had no mirrors, and was glad for it. There was a time when she had thought to take a knife to her face, but she had stayed her hand. She knew her face was an asset for brokering a marriage. She wondered when that would begin, and suitors would be introduced to her.


    That thought spurred her to wonder if she was heading to a marriage meeting now. She had yet to go to one, but she had been assured it was one of the reasons they kept sending tutors to teach her. An educated wife was something to be envied. It would happen one day, when she was sixteen. While she supposed she could ask her age, it had never seemed very pertinent to her daily life, and she would have no way of knowing when she was a year older.


    As she pondered, they left the village and were walking the road through the defensive clearing beyond the village walls. Looking back, she felt her heart throttling in her chest. She could not recall having ever left the village before. Behind her was a wooden stockade wall with a watchtower near the entrance.


    Trying to understand where this feast could be, she craned her neck look for a hint of their destination. Even she knew her entourage was too small to go the distance necessary to visit a noble of her own rank. The guard besides her grabbed her to keep her from upsetting the palanquin.


    He did not look at her when he grabbed her. Only her wrist was grabbed, and he did not try to touch her, despite the lack of people other than the guards to witness inappropriate behavior. That was good, at least. Being left alone with men who would take advantage of the situation was one of her worst nightmares.


    They entered the woods, and she got her first scent of the daytime forest. There was the scent of dry leaves, the loam hidden under the forest floor, and the scent of green leaves warmed by the sun and a little humidity. It was heady, and she rolled her head back to look at the tree cover dappled in light. From this close up, she could see the shapes of branches, and how the leaves grew from them. So like a bush, but also different. There was brush near the edge of the forest, but as they got deeper into the woods she saw that the brush thinned, replaced by the stately trunks of trees. The brush never disappeared entirely as there were spots of light where the sun broke through the canopy onto a leafy burst of growth.


    They were no longer on a well trodden road, but on a small barely worn path that wound with the terrain instead of being cut into it. She frowned. This did not seem like a path to a place where she could meet a fianc¨¦, potential or otherwise. Considering her options, she chose to enjoy the scenery and looking around, but as the terrain remained the same her interest dwindled.


    After an hour or two, her sense of time had always been off, she wished for an instrument to play. Lacking an instrument or toy for entertainment, she decided on a game. There was only one she could play by herself at a time like this. She counted the number of trees that split in two at two man lengths of height or below. They were few, and it took her some work to find them. Boredom eventually overtook her forced enthusiasm for the game, and she settled on humming to herself.


    The soldiers carrying her listened for a while. Eventually, the soldier who had grabbed her earlier began to sing. It was a bawdy song, and thanks to the manual of minstrel songs she knew not just the words, but their meanings. The man sung it lustily, and the other men picked it up one by one. The one who started was good, and first two to join were fair enough to harmonize with him. The last man was not just off-key, but he was unable to keep the tempo. It was amusing, and so she joined her own voice. The men were startled as she sang, pausing as they listened to her. They soon rejoined. The man who could sing joined on the chorus, but otherwise they sang it as a round a bar off from her.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    That was a good way of passing the time. After the songs were done, for the soldier only knew a few, the soldiers fell into chatting. Deciding that asking was appropriate at this point, she asked the man who could sing, "Where are we going?"


    The good cheer the singing had brought was gone. The men became stone faced and silent. The man she had asked looked at her shoulder, the closest he could come to meeting her eyes. "You will be meeting the Great Ruby Eyed Serpent," he said. She could tell this was a diplomatic answer. That was something she had learned during her conversation lessons. Either there was good news he wanted to surprise her with, unlikely with the grim atmosphere, or what he had said boded poorly. She was meeting a ''Great Serpent''.


    "A Sacred Beast?" she asked.


    "Yes," he replied.


    She swallowed. "I am not going to be introduced to it as a potential marriage partner, am I?"


    The forward palanquin bearer burst into startled laughter, and the palanquin rocked with his mirth until another guard smacked the back of his helmet. Chastised, the man stopped laughing and instead hung his head in shame.


    "No, Lady Biyu."


    She tried to think of what she could say, or what she could ask. Maybe what she should ask? Only one question felt adequate. So she asked it. "Why?"


    He glanced at her, and his eyes dared to meet hers. His cheeks colored, but he turned away quickly before he had more than a glance. "You are the most worthy sacrifice," he admitted.


    Biyu shook her head slowly. "Sacrifice for what?" she asked, the answer too brief for all that her question was meant to encompass.


    "Safety and security. Safety from the Sacred Beast and People of Elf¨¦ who worship it. Security that it will intervene should we be attacked. There is a pact, and it must be honored, or the Sacred Beast will become wrathful."


    Biyu ignored the shiver of revulsion mentioning the name the traitors caused. Instead, Biyu focused on his words, and could find no fault with that logic, but¡­ "So I will die while never having family, friends, or accomplishments? None of the things that gives life meaning?" She swallowed. "I will have lived a completely meaningless life?"


    The men did not answer as they continued the journey. The air became damper, and she shivered as the air cooled. Biyu pulled her shawl close. After they crested a small rise, she saw before her a flat, dark, glassy surface. The nature of the trees changed. They were black, with deep purple leaves. They were sparser than in the forest, and in places light hit the water. Their trunks tangled and spread instead of growing straight up. Among the branches grew thick heavy vines. The vines had flowers that looked like droplets of white. She heard the croaks of frogs.


    They came to a flat rock that jutted into the swamp. Here the men put down the palanquin. Taking a moment to light candles, they placed them purposefully to either side of the palanquin to mark where she was. Before they left, they gave her a bow. Instead of giving words of remorse, they left the way they came, rushing now that they were unburdened.


    So Biyu sat looking at the glassy dark water as day deepened into dusk. The air got heavier and the chill pronounced as the light faded. Even in her thick cloths, she shivered. As the light of day faded, she began to make out patches of colored light in the swamp. Blue mushrooms crowded the waterline on the barks of the trees. Flashes of yellow light from insects moved lazily through the air. Bird calls picked up, the last calls before evening set in. Insects chirped and thrummed in the undergrowth, or over the water to be attacked by dull colored fish.


    The glassy water rippled, and silence descended. Movement seen from the corners of her eyes disappeared. She looked into the water, and in the depths she saw a large shape fade into sight. A huge head rose from the surface with slow deliberation. Ruby eyes swiveled to look at her. They did not glow the way she had expected. Like they did in the stories. The creature''s scales were a gleaming white, glowing from the meager reflected light. The cascading of water from the head rising up was the only sound. It lifted three times her height to look down upon her. Its head was as least two of her long. She would make a pleasant mouthful for the creature, she realized. Then she remembered that snakes did not chew their food, they swallowed it whole. When it ate her, she would suffocate and perhaps be crushed within. That did not sound pleasant.


    The Great Serpent came to a stop, looking down upon her intimidatingly. Biyu stared back. The Great Serpent stared because that was what a serpent did. Biyu stared because she had never seen a snake before, and it could be the last new thing she ever saw.


    Eventually, the Great Serpent said, It has been a long time since I''ve had such a pretty looking snack.


    Biyu had nothing to say to that. Instead, she just frowned at the mention of her face.


    The Great Serpent continued to trade stares with her. Biyu''s dread slowly turned into impatience. Was being sacrificed supposed to take this long?


    The Great Serpent asked, Have you no last words?


    "No. I do not."


    Not to beg for your life, or beg for you family''s life? Or to thank me for protecting your village?


    Biyu considered. "I do not care about the village. The faces of my family are unknown to me. I could beg for my life. Would you grant me mercy?"


    The Great Serpent cocked its head. It would be rude to reject a gift of food.


    Biyu gave a nod. "Then I will not beg for my life."


    The Great Serpent cocked its head the other way. What if I did offer you mercy if you begged for your life?


    Biyu kowtowed, her head pressed to the ground, her voice full of all the fear and humility she could manage. "Please do not eat me, oh Great Ruby Eyed Serpent!"


    The Great Serpent startled back, its tongue flicking out in agitation. Very well, since you asked. The head approached her, bending down to near her eye level. Its chin was within the water. Now that I have shown you mercy and will not eat you, shall you go home?


    "To the people who sacrificed me to a Sacred Beast? That does not seem wise." The girl, no longer kowtowing, sat to talk to the Great Serpent.


    No, it does not. Then, will you find a new place to make your home?


    "A woman with a face like mine traveling alone? I can only see ill befalling me. Captured by bandits. Abuses upon my person. Slavery. That would be foolish."


    The Great Serpent tipped its head the other way. A life in the woods?


    Biyu considered. She answered honestly. "I would fail to make a shelter. I would seek the bounty of the forest, but fail. Without shelter, I would grow sick from the rain and chill. Without food, I would starve. Finally, I would be eaten by wolves."


    The serpent stared again. She was not sure if that was intended to be a stare, or if the serpent was just looking at her. For some reason, she thought the former. Why the part about being eaten by wolves?


    "I am a noble. That is a more dignified death. Better to imagine me hitting them with a stick before they eat me than wasting away."


    At least you have your priorities, the Great Serpent sniped. Biyu lifted an eyebrow in surprise. Sacred beasts were always portrayed in stories as powerful and arrogant. Sometimes, they were wise. Sarcasm was never mentioned. Then, what shall you do?


    Biyu looked at the Great Serpent, considering. "I could be a handmaiden?" she asked. "I can dance, recite poetry, play an instrument¡­ I am not good at it, but I can practice telling stories."


    The Great Serpent meaningfully looked around slowly. Child, I live in a swamp. Were I to desire Human culture, I would live near a city. Or demand minstrels from your village. The festivals of my People of Elf¨¦ is enough for me.


    Biyu wilted at that, even as she shivered at the mention of Elves. Instead, she contemplated the waters. "Then I die," she said after giving it some thought. Standing, she gave the serpent a curtsy. "I thank you for your mercy, Great Ruby Eyed Serpent. I hope to have the chance to one day repay you."


    The Great Serpent stopped her. Wait, what are you going to do?


    Biyu remained curtsied, the conversation apparently not done. "I will find a place in the woods, attempt to build a shelter, and do my best to live." For a moment she was tempted to leave it at that, but in the end decided to elaborate. "I am not equipped to survive alone in the forest. I know this. I will still try. In failure, I will feel vindicated that at least I tried."


    The serpent considered her for a long moment. I will offer you another path, child. It is a quick path to power, and for that it is dangerous. If you are a fool, the world will turn against you. All the world and its many gods may declare you their enemy. If you are wise, you could one day be a god. Or near enough. You could be a person legends are told of.


    Biyu weighed its words, not accepting outright. She found she wanted to. Lord Ambition was Gillas''s most common appellation. "Will I have a life? A meaningful one? Can I have friends, a family, and¡­ other things?"


    Peasants and gods both live lives. Some live well. Some live poorly. Perhaps you have expectations of what your life was meant to be. You will not live that life if you take my offer. What your life will be is for you to discover. Every moment of every day, you will make choices that will change your life.


    Considering those words, Biyu asked, "Why is the path a quick and dangerous path to power?"


    The serpent radiated her pleasure at the question. A fine question, my adorable treat. I am a demon. I shall make you one too. You will devour the souls of people you kill, denying them the Heavens. Do not fear, though. Despite the stories your people tell, a demon is not an endless well of hunger driving them to devour all they behold. If they were, could a demon have cultists? Of course not, they would eat them!


    The serpent continued its lecture. Everyone you kill will fuel your power. You can grow your power by collecting souls yourself, or gathering faithful followers and letting them kill in your name. Remember this well: that is a trap. Ambition and the desire for power fuels the demons that run amok. The major gods will turn a blind eye to a few souls lost to a demon. The cost of hunting us is too high, and as jealous of their faithful as they are, they can accept meager losses. Kill a thousand, though, and any god will descend their wrath upon you.


    However, know that the Heavens will be denied to you and those who worship you to share in your power.


    Biyu bowed her head. "I am without faith. The Heavens are already denied me. I do not know if I could deny others Heaven. There is one last question, Great Ruby Eyed Serpent. What is your price?"


    The serpent considered her. Prudent, to ask the cost. There is none, not from me. If you must know, when I was a young serpent, I could have used a hand like this. It is empathy, or close enough.


    Biyu was not sure if she could trust it, but this was a better option than an ignominious death or being devoured. "I accept your offer. Teach me your Path of Ascension¡­ Master."


    The Great Serpent nodded its head in satisfaction. I name you my disciple. You will call me Shishi. If you wish to keep those clothes, you will strip now. I shall begin your Awakening.


    Biyu looked up at the Great Serpent for a moment longer, gauging her sincerity. Reading nothing, she stripped. She was thankful that undressing was a simpler affair than dressing. Even when the fastenings were in the wrong places for her to reach, she could as least twist and squirm her way out of them. First, she removed the shawl and outer robe. With that removed the chill of a late spring night bit deeper, and she shivered. However, she continued stripping under the Great Serpent''s watchful gaze. The luxurious ceremonial robe was removed with care taken to fold it neatly. She removed her nice long tunic, shift, and her under clothes. Last were her slippers. The rings and other ornaments she wrapped into her shift and tucked safely where it was unlikely to fall into the water. Done, and shivering naked in the cold, she faced her new Master once more.


    Her Master inspected her naked form. Your face is a promise your body does not keep. To that, Biyu elected not to comment, but she could feel her grimace.


    Biyu was directed to a patch of soft grass nearby. Her toes sunk into mud beneath the grass, and she curled them reflexively. Following directions, she held out her arm to the Great Serpent. The Great Serpent struck. It was faster than her eye could see, and in a moment she was staring at a gaping hole in her forearm. With the sudden emotional disconnection born from shock, she was certain one of the bones had cracked. Pain from the wound bloomed as the moment of shock passed, but she gritted her teeth and bore it. That Pain was subsumed by greater pain as her body began to burn from the venom her Master had injected into her. Biyu convulsed, relieved herself, and collapsed. In seconds, she was in oblivion, lost to the world and unable to dream.


    <hr>


    When she awoke, it was with the dawn. Nothing was near her that she could see, though she heard frogs and insects once more. Sitting up, she found herself mired in stinking black muck. Trying to scrape it off with her fingers, she scowled as it stuck to her and refused to be flung off. Looking around, all she found near her was the dark waters of the swamp. Bracing herself, she sank into the cold waters and scrubbed herself as best she could. The stink lessened, and she wished for the soap and perfume her maids stocked for her baths.


    After scrubbing harder failed, she broke down and found some reed she could pluck and used to scrape herself. Soon she was clean enough, and she pulled herself from the chilly waters. Her feet had not been able to touch the bottom, and she could not swim. It had been harrowing, dipping into the water to scrape more of the foul substance off. She left her used up reeds to sink into the depths.


    Once done she dried herself as best she could and dressed. At first, she selected only her underclothes and her shift to wear. The ceremonial robes were too difficult for her to put on alone. When the chill of the morning got to her, she put on the shawl and the warm outer robes. With nothing else to do, she took a tour of the water''s edge.


    Is my disciple decent and fresh smelling now? asked the Great Serpent in its strange mind speech.


    Biyu curtsied. "I am, Master. I await your instruction."


    I have someone coming to get you. Rejoice, for you shall live among my worshipers. It is a privilege no Human and few other Elves have ever received.


    Biyu stiffened, her hand going to her face. "I cannot," she stated. A part of her noted that the revulsion Elves brought at their very mention was absent.


    Shishi shifted its head, eyeing her critically. Why not? Is there an issue with your face?


    "Men desire me. Women despise me. Sometimes, it is the other way around. Both are unpleasant. I do not like people seeing my face."


    Shishi spat, and there was a clatter besides her. Biyu leaned down and picked up a mask. It was a white full face serpent mask, the cutout for the eyes outlined in red. Putting it on, she checked how well she could see. It narrowed her vision, but not as badly as she thought it would. She gave her Master a curtsy in thanks.


    Has your arm healed? asked Shishi.


    Biyu lifted her arm, and stared in surprise when she saw the hole was gone. Giving a glance up at the Great Serpent, she thought it was smirking at her. Part of her wondered how she inferred expressions on an immobile face. No, it was not an expression, just a feeling of mirth emanating from it.


    What of the rest of your clothing? asked the serpent.


    Looking at her accessories and clothing, she found she had no use for them. "Take them as my tribute to you, Master. I do not think I need them anymore."


    Shishi inspected the baubles while Biyu spread them out for her. You Humans need wealth to buy things. You will return to the Humans eventually. Take all the accessories except the hair stick. I will take that and the lovely robe.


    Biyu bowed her head. With nothing to carry the items in, she put the hair stick into the dress robes for Shishi. The rest of her accessories she wore for now, or tucked into a small purse she was supposed to keep a few items to freshen up with.


    Her attention was drawn by a soft splashing. A boat entered her view as it came around a tree. A man at the rear propelled the craft along using a long pole. The pole was used to shove off trees, roots, overhead branches, or the depths when he could find it. The craft itself was a dug out log. The boatman was a slender, boneless looking man. His body moved with an unnatural grace, and she saw a hint of scales on his cheeks.


    As she looked at him, the man inspected her in return. Despite his scowl of disapproval, he gave her nod of greeting. Both turned as the water rippled. Where once was the Great Serpent, now there was a woman standing upon the water. She was a tall woman with a flat, expressionless face. Her hair was as white as her skin. Just as it was in her Great Serpent form, her eyes were red. Flowing robes, apparently made of shed skin, draped her form and streamed behind her as she walked on top of the water.


    As Shishi stepped into the boat, the boatman gave obeisance. Shishi helped Biyu into the craft. The Elf still looked unhappy, but he pushed the boat back the way he had come. Having nothing to do on the trip, Biyu took the opportunity to gawk at the sights of the swamp. She noted strange plants and fungi, and wondered which had glowed in the dark. There was a spray as a fish jump from the waters. She kept looking into the dark glassy water hoping to actually see a fish. There were shadows and blurred shapes, but the waters obscured her view. There was a spot of bright green that she thought could be a frog, but it was too far for her to be sure.


    Besides her, Shishi watched her. "You are like a child," she said. Her voice was different. In her head it was high and prim, but when she spoke like this it was low and throaty.


    "Yesterday is the first day I went beyond the walls of my village. I have never seen a large body of water before, or been in a forest. It was also first time seeing a tree close enough to make out the branches."


    The Elf listening to them looked at her in surprise. Whatever his thoughts were, he kept them to himself.


    "You will see much more than a tree. You will be sick of them when you leave," Shishi said with amusement.


    "I think I would like that," Biyu said. "I think a lot of what is normal to people is new to me. I think I would like to be used to it all, like everyone else."


    "Will you tell me the story of your life?" asked Shishi.


    Biyu did. She started with her room, its four walls, and the magic light. After the rather detailed description, she talked about her tutors. She mentioned wandering and slapping hands. Finally, she talked about reading and mentioned various things she had read. Then she was done.


    Both Shishi and the Elf looked at her. Shishi radiated pity, but her face remained impassive. The Elf''s disbelief was plain on his face. Keeping her peace, Biyu returned to looking at the swamp until at last they came to the village of the Elves.


    The village was built on the water. Long log poles and trees were used as pylons to anchor the floating village in place. The village itself was a gigantic raft. Reed huts were built on it, spaced out and uniformly constructed. There could not be more than a couple dozen of the huts, but there were more people than she would expect with so few buildings. Giving it some thought, not all the huts could be for people, either, as they surely needed a place to put tools and store foodstuff.


    People, Elves, stopped their labors to watch as the boat came up to the village. Some came and tied the boat to the side of the raft expertly. Hands helped Shishi and Biyu out of the boat, although in Shishi''s case it was an unnecessary courtesy. The boatman leaped onto the raft, ducked his head to Shishi politely, and went on his way.


    Shishi led Biyu through the village slowly, giving Biyu plenty of opportunity to gawk. Most of the Elves looked just like Humans. She supposed they were still Humans in most ways. Many, however, had a feature from a serpent. Some had large swaths of scales. Some were a deep gray blue color. Others had the eyes of a serpent, golden with a slash pupil. Biyu did her best not to stare, but she could not help looking at the many strange and interesting sights. The sights were better than the smell, which was of rotting wood, fish, smoky grease, what she suspected was spoiled meats, all over the usual unpleasant smells of a swamp.


    As she looked at the Elves, they looked at her. Some were curious. Many were hostile. One child thundered along a ''street'', then veered off and doubled their speed on seeing her as if she were some Monster that would attack them. Biyu noticed something she had always known, but rarely had to confront. She was very short. Her height was about four foot ten inches tall. Every woman she stepped past was someone she had to look up at. Besides them, the men were giants who hurt her neck to look up at.


    Biyu was led to a hut. Inside, she found a pair of people. One was a serpent with two arms. There was a slender torso, but it was difficult to define other than a hint of hips and shoulders. It sat upright using its coils to support its upper body. It had a humanoid head, but bald with scales. She could not guess the gender. With a tentative smile, it gave her a polite bow, mimicking Human courtesy. The serpent person had to use its hands to support its upper body as it bent down.


    The other was distinctly male. Covered in scales and naked, it was the broad across the shoulders, narrow at the hips, and its Adam''s apple reaffirmed its gender. He also gave a bow.


    "These are my children," introduced Shishi. "Hak and Indu." The obviously male one nodded to indicate he was Hak. The other waved in response to Indu. "This is the disciple I told you about, Biyu. Hak, Indu, teach her how to live in this village."


    Biyu bowed to the children of her Master. Inside, she tried to prepare herself for her new life in the village of Elves.

 2 First Days

    Biyu had a fitful night of sleep. The hut was cold, unlike her old room, and the people she shared with, despite being so quiet and still, were still there. She found herself constantly conscious of them throughout the night. Compounding on her bad sleep, she woke with the dawn after years of training to wake with her ceiling light. Pulling herself from her cot, she wondered what she should do.


    Outside in the sun, the rising of which was impossible to see through the canopy, she started with the stretches and light exercises she had learned in her previous life. When she finished her routine, having nothing better to do, she practiced her dancing. It was nice, being outside and moving her body. The subtle shifting of the ground was a little unnerving, but she quickly learned to ignore it. The movement also helped to warm her body and ward off the cold.


    As she danced, she took in her surroundings. Some Elves sat with long, slender sticks besides the edge of the raft. She wondered what they were doing. There were Elves with spears going through practice drills and spars. That interested her, because they looked like the steps of a dance despite the complete difference in intention. Limbered, a little sweaty, and warmed by her exertions, she looked into her hut to ask her Master''s children what she should do.


    Indu was laying in a sprawl, her eyes still closed. Hak was looking at her, but she wasn''t sure if his eyes could close. Seeing no indication they were up for the day, she left them to sleep. Wandering away a little, she found a place where she could watch the Elves while knowing the way back to her hut. She took a seat to watch people going about their day.


    "Enjoying your gawking, child?" a bitter voice asked. She looked up to see an old male Elf standing there, looking down at her with a severe expression. "At least you get up at a decent hour. Well, come along. Lady Serpent has commanded me to teach you how to fight." He looked her over. "At your size, I''m sure you''ve never touched a sword."


    Biyu gave a polite curtsy for courtesy and thanks. The man merely snorted at her decorum. "Here we say ''thanks'' Human. We ain''t got nobles and all that crap. Just the Elders and the Chief. And you don''t bow to them either. Be polite, but that''s it. You wanna show thanks, then work when you ain''t training. Go fish. Hunt. Pick some greens. Hells, I''d say play with the other children, but ain''t no good mother gonna let you do that." He eyed her again. "Just how old is you anyway? Like ten years old? Eleven?"


    There was no point in being anything but honest. "I do not know."


    The man snorted derisively. "How can you not know? That is like not knowing your own name!"


    Shrugging, she said, "I was told my name. I was not told my age. Is that how people know?"


    The man looked at her skeptically. "What, they not let you out? How many winters you remember?"


    At that Biyu frowned. She thought hard. She knew what winter was, but she had never seen one that she could recall. "I''ve never seen a winter."


    That pulled the man short. "How do you not see the weather? It''s all around you! Or you trying to be funny, sayin'' yous is less than a year?"


    Looking up at the man through her mask, she said, "I lived almost my entire life in a single room with a single door. The door was locked. They took me out¡­" she counted. "Maybe twelve times? Not including the time they brought me to Master''s feast."


    The man stared at her for a long moment. Suddenly, he looked like he got it. "Oh, ''cause of why you gotta wear that mask, huh?" He chewed on it. "I guess that does make me feel a bit sorry for you. I''m Weapon Master to you. Ain''t no one here gonna give you their name. Don''t know about your Empire magics, but our Shaman can use a name to do some very nasty things to you over great distances. If you do get a name, be polite and pretend you don''t know it. We have given you guest rights. I''m sure even Imperials can be half-way decent guests."


    Biyu recited the Imperial form. "A guest must honor his host. A guest must not trouble or threaten his host. A guest must grant his host aid, within reason and good sense, should he require it. One who has been a guest should not decline to be the host later."


    Weapon Master snorted at that. "Right enough, I guess. In the mornings you are mine. I saw you, doin'' them stretches, exercises, and that¡­ was that a kata or a dance? I expected the former, so it felt all wrong until I thoughts about it."


    "It was a dance."


    "Right. You can do that too if you want, looks like it''ll keep you fit, and I bet it''s a skill you need to keep up. If you need a person to dance with, I''ll get you some men who don''t mind bein'' made a fool of. After me, you get a bit of a cool down, then its two hours with a bow. You ain''t never gonna be good with it, but it''s good to know. You''ll be able to fetch yerself some wild game that way. I knows Humans frown at such ''barbarism'', but meat is meat. Those are the dailies. Every thrice day you learn to fish. Anyone willing can teach you that one, so find an instructor yerself. You have it today, in fact. Tomorrow you''ll get to do butchery. Cleaning animals, taking hides, all the fun stuff." He gave her an evil grin. "When you vomit, don''t do it on the carcass. It''s done besides the water fer reasons other than a place to discard the extra bits we can''t use. The last half day yer free to do what you like, unless your Master gives you a lesson. I suggest you try to be useful. Ain''t no one gonna be yer friend here, Human, but no reason you can''t make us resent you less. Get it?"


    "Thank you for your kind words," Biyu said. She gave him another curtsy. When the Elf raised a brow to her, she told him, "Like dancing, this is a skill that will be useful to me when I return to the Empire."


    "You''ll be mocked, but have it you''re own way. No on here is going to care what you do if you ain''t a nuisance. Now, fer your training. Today, we''ll do the basic sword forms. Well, you get a dagger and that''s it. You are too small for a proper sword."


    "I am Awakened," said Biyu.


    "That so?" said the man. He just shook his head at the shame of it. "Guess you''ll be small for a long time then. See, Awakened, they get strength and their bodies toughen, but you know what they don''t get?"


    Biyu dutifully shook her head no.


    "Length. Yer a little thing. I give you a sword, and chances are you ain''t gonna be able to swing it without stabbing the ground. If you''ve anything worth a trade, then get yourself a sword made, just fer you. Yer weight is a problem too. When you clash blade to blade, there''s a chance your opponent can throw you, even if you''re much stronger. Hells, if you ain''t careful you''ll throw yourself! But I''ll teach ya. Two daggers will be a good start though. Practical weapons, the right size fer most anyone, and much of the art transfers to sword and dagger with a little extra work.


    "You''ll be taught sword and shield, or dagger and shield I guess. Spear with and without shield too. Last I''ll teach you is hand to hand. Think it''s useless?"


    Biyu considered, then shook her head. "If I''m caught without a weapon, I will need it."


    He smirked at her. "That''s one part, I''ll admit. Another, though, is that fer someone your size, there are great techniques for clinging to the opponent and stabbing him over and over. So yeah, you are gonna be a grappler. Part of your Master''s way of fighting anyways. Enough prattling, the people learning with ya are waiting."


    They began with sticks. Safe enough to whack each other with, and they could learn the katas with a stick as easily as with a real weapon. Most of the kids knew more than she did, having learned for a year already. She was stronger and quicker than them, but they were more than happy to humiliate her with their skill. Lessons were painful, and her bottom would hurt for a few days.


    Bruised, Biyu left the lesson to go to the archery range. If others were practicing, she would watch. Otherwise, she would stretch her body and relax while waiting.


    The range was empty. She was tempted to use one of the bows left on the range, but she would not disrespect her hosts like that. Instead, she started to stretch her sore muscles as she waited for the Archery Master, or whatever he was called.


    When the Elf archery trainer arrived, she impatiently waved Biyu over to select a bow. The Elf woman picked a simple short bow, the weapon the only size Biyu could use, and she gave Biyu an arrow. She told her to try and fire the bow outright, and watched as Biyu did what felt natural. She held the wood vertically ahead of her, put an arrow against the string, then drew. When she released, the arrow tipped up into the air, flipped, then fell.


    The archery master did not show her the correct form, but instead told her everything she had done wrong. At no point did she show her how to do it right. After the lecture, the Elf had her practice drawing without an arrow for an hour.


    "Okay, one thing I will tell you right now: You will never be good with the bow. Passable? Yes. Capable even? Yes. But, me own son, yer age I''d guess, he will out shoot you nine hundred ninety-nine times out of a thousand, if not better. And I don''t mean now, I mean after a hundred years. You Humans think the bow a barbaric weapon in the first place, so I don''t know why I''m teaching you it. But, Lady Serpent asked, and I do owe her."


    Biyu gave the woman a curtsy, and the Elf spit at the ground with a sour face. "You gotta be so Human? Bad enough you got that mask too. You know what no sane man does? Trust a man with a mask. But here you are anyway. Now, let''s get you another hour on the range, so I can get rid of you for a day."


    Again Biyu curtsied, and the woman ignored it this time.


    After a morning of weapons training, Biyu was very sore. The sticks hitting her left bruises and welts. Her muscles burned from being strained using the bow. She did not look forward to tomorrow, but she did look forward to two weeks from now. By then she would be used to the new routine, and that would be wonderful. She was used to a life of routine, and she could not wait for this new life to become one.


    Fishing was next on her agenda, but she did not know who to ask to teach her. Biyu knew what fishing was, but the techniques she had read about were abstract and used nets from boats. Sometimes one used a spear, or a spear that looked like a pitchfork. Looking around, she saw a familiar figure peeking at her from behind a hut. Indu was far too large to easily hide, but she was trying to anyway. Her upper body had the shape of a Human, and her coils were easily twice the rest of her body''s length. Indu could probably hide in a forest, but not easily in a village. Or, since she lived in a swamp, she could hide in the water. That would be perfect. Her coloration would probably help.


    Biyu approached the Kin, careful not to spook her. When Indu realized she had been found, she fidgeted with embarrassment as she slunk out from behind the hut.


    Being a direct person, Biyu asked, "Can you teach me to fish?"


    Indu perked up at the question, and eagerly said, "Of course!" She curled around Biyu, who was momentarily in a barricade of coils. Indu slithered off with Biyu following. Biyu did her best not to step on Indu''s long tail.


    Biyu discovered what the rods the Elves had been using at the side of the raft were for. Fishing. The line was made from worked plant fibers. Bait was applied to a hook made from bone. A stone pierced with a hole was placed below the hook to weigh the line down into the water. Indu taught her how to cast the line, test for a bite, and when something bit how to pull it in.


    Biyu caught a slimy looking fish that looked unappetizing to her, but Indu stared at it with delight. "Oh, a mud whiskers. Those are very tasty. They are very good fried with spices, or with cream sauces." She actually started squirming in delight. That was¡­ cute?


    "What do I do now?" Biyu asked, holding up the fish still on the line.


    "Oh! Remove the hook, throw the fish into the trough over there. The one with water. Then, do it all again!"


    "For how long?" asked Biyu.


    Indu consulted the sky. "Three hours?" she ventured.


    Biyu did as she was bid with Indu beside her. "Is this the best way to catch fish?" she asked.


    Indu shook her head. "The real fishers use nets and boats. This is¡­ extra?"


    "Supplementary," Biyu suggested.


    Indu tipped her head in thought, then nodded vigorously. "Yes. Supplementary. Are you good with words?"


    "No," Biyu answered. "I do know many, but I think you speak better than I."


    Indu smiled tentatively. "Thank you," she said. They continued to fish. Sometimes, Indu would say something and Biyu would respond, but it never quite became a conversation. Still, Biyu was doing something for the first time with someone she suspected wanted to be her friend. It was perhaps the nicest three hours Biyu had ever spent up to that point in her life.


    <hr>


    The next day was a repeat of the previous, but with some differences. She knew where to go, so after her morning kata she headed to the practice field. Today she would learn the spear. They used a stick again, but today she learned kata alone from a put out boy. Everyone else did spars and advanced drills. Biyu learned the forms quickly enough. By the end of practice, the student grudgingly accepted that she could do the basic katas, and he would start teaching her the advanced ones after a few more days of practice.


    During the break, before her archery drills, she went to the Forge Master. She dickered with her remaining baubles to get two bronze swords made for her. After their negotiations finished, he gave her clear instructions on the care of her swords, which he told her he would be repeating when she collected them in a few days. After that, he brusquely sent her away.


    Biyu apologized profusely when she came to her archery lesson a little late. When she explained why, the archery instructor told her plaintively that she should have made the order after her lunch, when she would not be wasting anyone''s time. That she was supposed to learn how to break down animals after lunch she kept to herself.


    Archery went much the same as the first day. Her form was better, and her body ached less afterwards. The archery master conceded she was ready to take her first shot. After the admission, the archery instructor made her continue practicing the basic draw until her time was up. Biyu had suspected it with the poor instruction on the first day, but she was certain the archery trainer was doing her utmost to teach her as poorly as possible.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    For lunch, she joined Indu who was with Hak. Hak had a snake''s face, so his mood was hard to read. He could talk in short, raspy sentences, but to make it easier for him to share in conversation Indu and Hak taught her an extended version of the hand signs used when hunters hunted in a group. Using both the hand signs and the words that were easy for him to say, it was possible for him to hold a conversation. Hak was not big on conversation, so Biyu practiced most often with Indu, who would sign while she spoke.


    Today, Indu and Hak were whispering together and shielding their hands from her. It bothered Biyu a little to be kept out of the conversation. Hak made a sudden sharp motion with his hand, and Indu recoiled.


    "Oh? Oh." She turned to Biyu, her head lowered. "I''m sorry Biyu. We were being rude. I can talk to Hak later."


    "It is okay." Polite lies were hardly lies at all, and were necessary to get past minor indiscretions.


    Indu looked confused. "No? You don''t look like it was okay. Hak noticed."


    Biyu was not given to fidgeting. The people she knew took one look at her face, and made their opinion of her was made. Experience taught her nothing she could do would change how they looked at her, so she ignored it until they inconvenienced or threatened her. For once, she found herself fidgeting. "It is wrong, to make you feel bad because I felt left out," she said.


    Indu shook her head, and Hak joined. "No!" Indu said. "You made a point of joining us for a meal, and we were ignoring you. That''s wrong of us."


    Biyu supposed she had heard such a thing before. Still, she did not like feeling like she was owed attention. The mask she wore was to avoid attention, if one looked at it a certain way. It felt like a contradiction. "You will not hate me for it?" she asked.


    Indu laughed at that, and even Hak managed to look amused. He lacked the ability to project his feelings the way his mother could, so Biyu could only guess by the shudder of his shoulders.


    "I won''t hate you for that," Indu said when her mirth passed. "It makes me happy, if you want to spend time with me. Not many people do."


    Hak nodded his agreement.


    "They don''t like Hak because they can''t tell what he''s thinking. It makes him scary to them."


    Another nod, although Biyu thought she read a glare there.


    "They don''t like me either," admitted Indu. "I gave some children rides on my back in the water last summer, and their mothers yelled at me. They hit me! Mother had to scold them."


    Biyu thought about that. "Can I ride your back?" she asked. That sounded like something not many people got to do. It also sounded exciting. Maybe even fun.


    Indu looked hopeful. "You don''t find me disgusting? Gross to touch?" she asked.


    Biyu reached out and touched Indu''s forearm. The woman flinched at the touch, and Biyu drew back. Squirming, Indu thrust her arm forward. Her face was embarrassed at her reaction. Once again, Biyu touched the woman, after an assurance it was okay. Indu''s scales were smooth to the touch, and dimpled under a press of her fingers. To her surprise, Indu was also as warm to the touch like a Human. "You feel nice," she decided.


    "Then you can ride me! When it''s hot! I promise, it''s lots of fun!"


    Hak discreetly made a sign behind Indu. It was the one for gratitude.


    Lunch came to an end. Biyu said her goodbyes, and made her way to a small barge floating off the side of the raft village. It smelled of blood and offal. Carcasses from a hunt were dangling from ropes over the water. Elves were readying knives and other tools to break down the beasts.


    Biyu started by watching. The Elves said nothing, but they did make a point of showing her how the cuts were made, how to handle and remove the organs, how the body parts were sectioned, how meat was cut from bone, and how bones were parted and cleaned before being set aside for craftsmen to use.


    She watched two carcasses broken down, both rabbits, before taking a badly mangled rabbit to work on. That way, she could not make it much worse than it already was. The Elves looked disappointed she had no response to the gruesome task, and Biyu herself wasn''t sure why it did not bother her. Following what she was shown, she broke down the body carefully. An Elf took the time to watch her, and made corrections where she saw her making mistakes. After the first corpse, they assigned her three more. She worked diligently, if slowly, to break down the bodies. It was past dinner time when she was done, but one Elf remained with her as she worked.


    "Good work," the Elf allowed, before showing her where to bring the carcasses when they were done. The meat went to the dinner pots. Bones would be carved into useful things or ornaments. Other bits would be used in other ways. The waste material was dumped into the swamp to chum the waters for the fishers the next day.


    Biyu ate dinner with Hak, Indu, and another woman. She looked like an Elf with a sour face. The new woman had curly brown hair kept short for a woman, and had plump curves that would be called matronly if she was a little older. She gave Biyu a quipped greeting. "I''m Invidia."


    "Biyu," she returned. Then they ate. Hak and Indu seemed subdued with the other woman present.


    When they finished eating, Invidia told Biyu, "I''m a Kin too. You seem to be making friends with us, so I thought I''d say hi. There''s more of us here, but not many. They don''t usually let Kin grow up here. Hak they thought might ''grow out of it''. Indu here was too Elvish, and Mom thought she was cute. Me? I''m a mistake. Well, that''s my little spiel. See you."


    Hak relaxed when Invidia left. Indu sighed, and laid on the ground sprawled in relaxation. Watching them, Biyu elected not to say anything. Not really her business.


    Hak made a gesture anyway, and she understood he was saying ''she is ill-tempered''. Biyu signaled her understanding, then she talked with Indu for the rest of dinner. Hak would chime in, but she could tell it was courtesy and her previous grievance at being left out. She had to admit, she appreciated it.


    Indu seemed more ebullient than usual. They finished their meal, passed around the nightly revelry of the Elves to return to their hut, and went to bed. As they found their spots among the piled rushes and cot that made up their beds, Indu slithered over and quietly asked, "Can I sleep beside you?"


    Biyu gave it due consideration. "Do not touch me," she said. Indu agreed readily, and then Biyu fell into an easy sleep.


    When she woke up, Indu was coiled up close to her. The woman was as close as she could be without touching. She stirred as Biyu rose, but Biyu was sure the Kin would not get up until the day got warmer. She wondered if they hibernated through the winter. It was a long way away, so she put it aside for now.


    Biyu''s day started with her usual morning routine. This time, as she went through her exercises, she felt eyes intensely watching her. Indu was up early and watching her. When she got to dancing Indu seemed especially interested, slipping from the hut to watch openly.


    "Is that dancing?" Indu asked.


    Biyu gave a nod, not stopping her practice.


    "Can you teach me?"


    "This afternoon, when I''m free?" Biyu offered.


    Indu beamed at her. She moved in rapid little circles in her excitement. This ended with her coiled up under her torso, making her a bit taller. Leaning forward, she readied to give Biyu a hug, but Biyu shied back. Indu''s face fell. Moving back, she sadly said, "Sorry."


    Biyu patted one of Indu''s hands. "I do not like being touch," she said. Indu smiled wanly. Not good enough. Well, when they danced Indu might understand.


    Then she was on her way to combat practice. Today was bare hands. She was paired with an older woman, a little taller than her, and the woman started by walking her through the basics of grappling. Biyu did not enjoy the fight, but she understood the need to learn. Her skin crawled as they struggled, and she almost asked for a breather a few times. However, in this hostile environment, she dared not show such a rudimentary weakness. It could easily lead to the situation her mask was meant to prevent.


    At the end of the grappling session her partner sighed with disappointment. "Do better, or I won''t bother next time," she stated.


    Hearing this, Weapon Master stalked up, and smacked the woman hard on the back of the head. "Say anything like that again, and Lady Serpent is liable to EAT you."


    The woman backed away, eyes wide with shock at the treatment. She glared at Biyu like it was her fault.


    Biyu gave the woman a curtsy. It might have been mocking in context, but it was still the right thing to do. "Thank you for your instruction."


    Weapon Master sighed, shaking his head, and went to finish instructing his other students.


    Archery instruction proceeded to firing arrows. Stand correctly. Knock. Draw. Aim. Release. She was told to be slow, methodical, and with every failure she was given instruction on how she could fix her form. At the end, she was no better than when she had begun. She still did not know the correct form, just the minutiae of her mistakes. The advice she received throughout was useless and often competing, as there was no baseline to compare the advice with. Correction without proper instruction was useless. She was growing irritated, but there was little she could do.


    Lunch that day was a quiet affair. Indu was too excited about dancing after lunch to try to make conversation. Hak was naturally quiet. Invidia did not join them. After lunch, Biyu prepared to teach Indu to dance.


    Master approached them in her Human guise. She strolled over to Biyu, glancing at her children. "Ready for your first lesson, my adorable disciple?"


    Indu looked at her mother sadly. Hak put a bit of space between himself and the Sacred Beast. Biyu gave a curtsy. "I would be happy to Master. I did promise to teach Indu dance. I would prefer not to renege on a promise. Will there be time for both?"


    Master looked at Indu for a long moment. "Do it during revelry. You will have time then. This is important, Biyu. You will be learning your first technique."


    Biyu turned to Indu. "Can you get up in the morning when I do?"


    She nodded slowly.


    "Then I will teach you in the mornings."


    Indu licked her lips. "But, don''t you need to do your practice?"


    Biyu shook her head. "I will keep my promise to you. I cannot do it now. I will do it every morning you wish to."


    Indu shyly flicked the tip of her tail. "Okay. I''ll forgive you. And¡­ third days, when we fish?"


    Biyu offered a smile in agreement. She went with her Master to learn the techniques she had been promised. They went to a clear little spot in the raft village. "Can you guess your first technique?"


    Biyu shook her head.


    Master looked disappointed. "It is [Poison] of course. It is the cornerstone of all the techniques you will learn, except [Heal Self]. Learning a technique is a strange thing. You know rituals?"


    Biyu gave a nod. "I know a couple of charms I was taught, but I do not know any proper rituals."


    "It is the shape of the thing that is important. A ritual has symbols, shapes, and objects. A technique only has the shape. The symbols in a ritual represent shapes we cannot draw. The objects represent concepts with very complex shapes associated with them. It is¡­ not a shortcut, but a substitution. However, what you must understand is that a technique has a shape. That shape is a sculpture you draw using the mana in your mana pool. So, how do you think you learn a technique?"


    Biyu thought about it. "You learn the shapes?"


    "Yes! This is the hard part. You must learn the shapes for the technique. Until you do, it will not work, or, worse, do unexpected things. Now, if we were Human Wizards we would use a fancy language to describe the shape, along with illustrations to fuel the imagination. We are on the step before that. What is it?"


    Biyu tipped her head. Master waited while Biyu thought about it. What would be an answer to this question? She had to draw a shape in her mana pool¡­ "I need to learn how to manipulate my mana pool?"


    "Yes!" Master said. "So I will give you a simple shape, and you will attempt to make it in your pool. And then I will give you another shape, and you will attempt to make it. Eventually, we will put the pieces together, and you will have a technique. I think it will take at least a month."


    Biyu gave a nod.


    Hours later she was inducted into the first secrets of the Awakened. She learned not only how to make shapes in her mana pool, but after that she learned how to empower her body with mana. It was a trickier proposition than it sounded like, for she had to bind it evenly into her muscles, bones, and skin. Skill was involved, and that skill required practice.


    Empowering bound the mana into her body, tying it into her flesh and bones. In some ways, it was like embroidery. Just as annoying as embroidery, except it was not the dexterity of her fingers but the focus of her mind that directed the needle. That was a boon in some ways, as she thought of herself as having good focus. However, it meant that hours would pass as she made her bones a little harder, her muscles a little stronger and quicker to react, and her skin a little harder to cut. When she was done, her body was poorly balanced, and the mana she used was permanently spent from her pools total until she released it. There was no reason to release the binding, not if she did it properly, except to free the mana for other uses. Therefore, once she was skill enough, she would leave herself empowered until her pool expanded enough she could spare a bit more. Empowering had a limit. Much like a person who tried to shift a weight that was too heavy could do themselves injury, her body could only accept so much empowering until she would strain her body too much.


    She also learned what it was like to run out of usable mana, and how to gauge her level of power. Controlling mana caused a strain on her mind, whether it was binding mana into shapes to create a technique, or directed it into her body to empower it. Her body was what the mana channeled through, so when she empowered her body it caused a minor strain. She imagined it would be worse when she started using techniques. When her body was empowered, or a technique was completed, she could relax and admire the work. That too took focus, but it was like difference admiring art and creating it.


    Techniques had two mana costs. The first was the shape of the technique, which like the mana used to empower her body was a permanent cost to her mana pool. She was excited to learn how to use a technique, but she was not that far along yet. Her Master cautioned her from over investing mana in her body or techniques. Most techniques did nothing themselves. Mana from her pool would run through the technique formation in her pool, channel into her body, and become expressed in the world as an effect. That meant she had to keep mana free in her pool to use her techniques.


    There were Paths that used techniques completely internal to the user, so that they had no need to keep mana free. Others specialized in body empowerment, and had few techniques. Instead, they focused on building the body with mana enhancement, so that the whole pool could be bent to that use. Shishi''s Path had a single technique that did not require mana to express itself, [Poison]. It was a knowledge technique. When she ingested poison or was injected with venom, the technique would absorb the knowledge into it.


    Now that she had her first lesson, Biyu had a better sense of what it was like to be a Knight. Or, given her weapons training, perhaps she was closer to an initiate or squire.


    <hr>


    The next morning, Biyu grumbled at how close Indu was. She was surrounded by the not-touching serpent girl. Stepping lightly over Indu, she started her stretches while waiting for Indu to get herself up. When Indu did, they began with the most basic steps. There was some irony that Indu was unable to take a step as they danced, but she could still sweep across a dance floor. Also, Indu had a horrible trip hazard attached to her.


    Biyu remained patient no matter how many times she was tripped. While they danced, Biyu held Indu like a man would hold a woman. Indu held Biyu in return as Biyu instructed her to. Tail aside, Indu was a good student. It was not long, maybe an hour, then Biyu had to go to her combat lesson. Still, Indu seemed very happy, and they parted with her cheerful goodbye.


    Today, she learned the sword and shield. She empowered herself a little bit, to make it easier to keep up with the forms she was taught. It also helped her withstand the blade smashing against her shield as she learned deflection. She was forced back a step, her mass not enough to keep the blow from affecting her. Weapon Master seemed surprised she withstood the blow that well. Then he yelled at her for the angling of her shield and failing to properly rebuff the strike. Unlike in archery, he showed her what she did and what she was supposed to do so she could see her mistake.


    Archery was still archery. Biyu felt that today confirmed that her instructor did not like her, and was intending to waste her and Biyu''s time rather than train her properly. Biyu empowered herself a little to help with her bow work, making the draw a little easier.


    With lunch came a surprise. Indu gifted her a new mask. Instead of a full face mask, this one was carved to leave her mouth unobstructed. The mask was carved and painted to look like a stylized snake''s head, with the hint of scales and two short dull fangs to the sides of her mouth. Her cheeks were covered to the jaw too, leaving very little other than her lips and chin visible. There were no bands to fasten it to her head, though.


    "How do I wear this?" she asked.


    Shuffling a little, Indu said, "I''ve been trained in shamanism. It will ''glue'' itself to your face. You just have to use a little of your mana on it. To take it off, choose to stop empowering it. Um, Mother has taught you how?"


    "It will not come off if I don''t want it to?" She was amazed.


    Nodding, Indu gently took the mask to show the inside. There were symbols etched there. Biyu did not recognize it as the kind of ritual magic her people used. It looked more like a poem using unknown characters. "It won''t come off, not even when you sleep! Not unless you want it to."


    Biyu knew the best way to show Indu her appreciation for this gift. So, she put her arms around the other woman''s body, and gave her a hug.


    Indu hugged her back with surprise. "Is it okay? Touching?"


    "Just this once," Biyu said. Her skin did not crawl. Not like it had when questing hands had touched her in the past. Still, she felt uncomfortable.


    Parting from the hug, Indu told Biyu, "Oh, it was Hak''s idea. Um. He suggested it, and that''s what we were talking about during lunch the other day."


    Hak made a denying gesture, but Biyu thanked him anyway. He seemed to share her dislike for touch, so she expressed herself in hand gestures and a curtsy. Unlike the Elves, she had a sense that her curtsying amused him. Perhaps she was starting to get a handle on his body language.


    Biyu went into the hut to change her mask. She did as Indu had instructed her, and found the mask easy to use. It clung snugly to her skin. A part of her worried Elf magic would not work for her, even if she was Awakened by a Sacred Beast. Biyu was surprised to find that her vision was not hampered in any way. Testing the mask, she moved her head around, did a push-up, and even went through one of her more vigorous kata as fast as she could. Satisfied, she moved her jaw, looked in all directions without moving her head, and made a variety of expressions. Only wrinkling her nose proved difficult, and that was an expression she rarely made.


    When she returned to the siblings, she gave Indu another hug. Hak she clasped hands with, a greeting she''d seen some of the Elves use. Armed with new confidence from her mask, she went to fish with Indu. Today was a joyful day.

 3 Interlude: A Study of the Elves

    <h2>A Study of the Elves</h2>


    To preface this scholarly work, I will begin with the obvious in case the reader is in the glorious future wherein Elves have passed into myth. For those readers, I will relate the story of their wretched origin:


    <blockquote>


    The Empire marched north, conquering all the lands from their ancient rulers and ¡­ [bringing civilization to new lands]. A man, a peasant barely more than a boy, was pressed from his farm into the service of the Empire as a soldier. He went with shield and spear to fight the creatures of the forests. Some say it was an incursion of Goblins, others say it was a Sacred Beast and even the Sacred Wolf itself. Still others said it was a demonic Monster. Whatever he fought, he was wounded, rendered unconscious, and left behind.


    When he awoke, he was alone. His weapons had been lost, leaving him nothing with which to defend himself with. A great wolf came to him, and its pack surrounded him. He knew it for a Sacred Beast, for it was giant and mighty. The Great Wolf threatened him, and he bowed down in ¡­ [abject terror]. Who would not when a god stands before you?


    Satisfied with his show of deference, he was spared. He was granted a place in the pack. [Author note: There are ribald stories of this time. Songs that jeer what even I must admit must have been a hard time in his life. Below the lowest in the pack, we hear he was frequently awoken by being urinated on by boastful males. That is the least of the humiliations he is believed to have been subjected to, but they are unfit to repeat in this work.]


    Still, he learned to be like the wolves. He learned to hunt. Though he had no teeth to bite nor claws to rend, he made for himself spears and knives from the materials of the woods. In time, he earned the ¡­ [tolerance] of the wolves and was accepted as a pack member. After seeing his ability to make himself a ¡­ wolf through cleverness rather than natural means, he was considered a hunter.


    One day he came once more to ¡­ [civilization]. He said goodbye to the pack, for he had learned the joys of nature and wished to share them. Not just the thrill of the hunt, but he saw sights he was sure no Human had before. Despite the harshness of his life, he had come to love nature. So he went among the Humans, and he preached to them about what he had witnessed and done. Many, ¡­ heard his [foolish] words, and dreamed of a life ¡­ [outside] the Empire. Elf¨¦ gathered these people, and they say ¡­ [a handful of the] army left for the woods. The rest of the army pursued [to punish the traitors].


    Vraa, seeing these Humans who loved the nature that was her domain as Lady Nature, and seeing how the Humans were going to ¡­ [properly punish] them, chose to intervene. [Author note: it is also widely considered retribution for what Gillas did to what are now called Goblins.] She came down among them one night, and to each of the People of Elf¨¦ she gave a little piece of her Divinity. They were ¡­ [equal], then, [to] the Humans who came to kill them, and with Elf¨¦''s guidance they went into the great woods and the Humans ¡­ [decided] not follow.


    Gillas, in his [righteous] anger, cast a curse so that the People of Elf¨¦ would always be known [for what they were] to the [righteous] Humans.


    ¡ª As Told by an Elf Slave


    </blockquote>


    So, should you ever meet an Elf, you will know by the feeling of disgust and revulsion being near them will give you. So mighty is this curse that one can tell at a glance, or even by smell. Why, even the very word will make the stomach roil! [See Hammond''s wonderful work Is it an Elf? for a full treatise on the identification of an Elf.]


    While perhaps at one time the Elves were a singular tribe, this was now some hundred years ago. After the call for Extermination, when the Elves used vile tactics to launch unprovoked attacks on Human settlements, they were broken as a people. I have used a variety of reports to come up with a list of tribes. While I would like to take credit for the names¡ªsome are quite memorable¡ªthe names are ones I have selected from a similar list of tribe names that I have come across. I will say it plainly lest I am charged with plagiarism: None of these names are my own.


    It should be noted here that what I call tribes is a classification of tendencies displayed by disparate groups of Elves that have been recorded. Thankfully, to the best of my knowledge, no such large organization of Elves is known to exist.


    <h2>Blood Elves</h2>


    To begin with, this is a series of small raider bands. The reason such bands exist is not known, but they seem to have no other purpose but killing as many Humans as they can. Most have shown dedication and frightening capability. They almost always include Transcendents among their numbers, and in many cases they include Monsters. Both intelligent ones with Human traits and ones that are perversions of various creatures of the woods have been witnessed.


    I believe that these may be random bands who have come together after being displaced by the advancement of civilization. Perhaps, they have elected to attack the Empire out of a misplaced feeling of vengeance for perceived wrongs done against them. They tend to be violent and cruel, and there are many reports of these Elves performing sacrifices in the name of obscene gods that we of the Empire do not acknowledge.


    <h2>High Elves</h2>


    These are Elves who, some believe, have come to regret betraying Gillas and his glorious vision for the future. Many seem willing to rejoin civilization if given the chance, and some have even come to beg to be forgiven and accepted as a Human once more. Of course, they are marked by Vraa''s favor and Gillas''s disfavor, and so they can never be Human again. They are Elves. Still, some of these people are tolerated. However, it is inadvisable to become acquainted with them, for if one lives in your city today they are likely to disappear tomorrow. Their friends have been known to disappear as well. Consider this the gentle voice of caution.


    Some High Elves attempt to rejoin civilization by creating their own. Of course, any such settlement that is discovered by the Empire is quickly subjugated, and properly civilized. After such a subjugation, should one be in need of expendable labor for dangerous work, it is the perfect time to find such workers.


    <h2>Sylvan Elves</h2>


    Similar to the High Elves, they seem to want to keep the trappings of civilization. Unlike their more high-minded cousins, they still live deep in the woods away from true civilization. They are found in hidden places in the world and build defensible cities. They engage in arts and crafts, and are even reputed to have an inferior form of culture.


    I think, if I were to meet an Elf, I would choose to meet one of these. They still have an unnatural love of the ''natural world,'' and still tend to pledge themselves to Sacred Beasts and live among Monsters, something the High Elves have ceased to do, so this makes them the most intriguing of these tribes.


    However, I am well aware that to do so would be to invite a violent death to myself, for the Sylvan Elves, while not hostile to Humans in particular, have all the same erroneous distrust of true Humans as their cousins.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    <h2>Wild Elves</h2>


    The most disgusting of the Elven races, this tribe seeks to come closer to nature. As such, they actively seek to form communities with Monsters rather than Humans. Many look more like their Sacred Beast patrons than Humans, indicating their perverse origin. It is said that one day the Wilder Elves will no longer be Elves, but Monsters with near Human intellect. Perhaps that is how the Elves are extinguished, though this might be a worse end than by the sword.


    I do feel a need to disabuse a common notion. Elves do not breed with animals. What I have learned is that powerful Sacred Beasts may take a form like that of a Human if they choose. The Monsters that result from such a liaison will be a random fusion of their parents. As repugnant as this is, one must imagine what the Sacred Beast is thinking. After all, they are a creature that thinks almost as well as a Human. Would not mating with their own kind be for them like one of us bedding an invalid, or worse, a child? Still, there are Sacred Beasts enough in the world, and the existence of chimeric Monsters proves beyond all doubt that Sacred Beasts may find mates among other Sacred Beasts.


    <h2>Shadow Elves</h2>


    These are actually the best documented of the Elves, for the Reglads in the Shadowlands do trade with them. For all intents and purposes, Reglads and Shadow Elves have friendly relations. Reports from our poor cousins tell that they make cities in the mires of the great swamps, marshes, and lakes of the eastern lowlands.


    The land is perilous, and the Shadow Elves have fearsome magics to protect their cities from the many dangers below the God Finger Cliffs. They cannot engage in vast agriculture, but it said they have found a swamp grass that can be cultivated in the mud like wheat in the lands above. They reportedly make vast fields of these grasses.


    There are some whispers they also engage in necromancy, but the Reglads do not substantiate these claims. It is also a show of how our poor relations are called ''half-made'' seeing how they cannot feel the corruption of the Elves. The Reglads do not properly revile Elves in the least.


    That said, there have been disputes between the two over land, and while trade flourishes, they keep separate from each other otherwise. They also have a fascinating series of hand gestures that they use with traders in Shadow Gate. Some have begun to use it as a means to talk to those who cannot hear or speak. I understand Hamilton in Shadow Gate is working on a treatise, and I will recommend him to all who wish to know more on this topic, as I am sure his finished work will be illuminating.


    <h2>Sand Elves</h2>


    This group is not substantiated, only rumored. The armies of the north tell stories of Elves seen far off across the grasslands or within the eastern deserts of the north. If they live in these inhospitable lands, we may never know. So far Humans have found no way to live in the heat of the desert, and it is difficult to bring the water Humans need into their depths. Many have written off these reports as illusions or a trick of nature called a mirage. A few have explained it away as a prank by a Wizard.


    There is one report, given by a respected Wizard accompanying the northern armies, who reports plainly that he used his magics to see the Elves. He could clearly feel the natural revulsion for them, and thus knows them to have been real Elves. Beyond the fact that there are Elves in the desert, nothing else is known except they live beyond the Empire''s current reach. Obviously, if Elves could accomplish this, then it is merely a matter of time that the Empire does as well.


    <h2>Island Elves</h2>


    Island Elves are believed to be of the same mind as Sylvan Elves. As such, I am tempted to put them in the same tribe. However, they have a few distinguishing features.


    First, they have the ability to craft water vessels to cross the open waters of the oceans. While the Empire has built a few such vessels, there are few places worth going to. The trip from the south to the north is too long to be taken lightly. Our vessels invariably disappear, or are forced to turn back due to a lack of supplies, storms, or Sacred Beasts or Monsters of strange shape that attack from the hidden depths.


    While some intrepid Humans have gone to the Emerald Isles to explore in the past, nothing of value was found. It seems the Elves have chosen to make it a bastion of their own away from Humans.


    That they are like the Sylvan Elves is a reasonable conjecture. They make ships, a mark of an attempt at civilization, and the few ships we have that have dared the deeper waters have spied fishing craft and the suggestion of buildings beneath the canopy of verdant forests. They could be High Elves, but they have made no attempt to rejoin the Empire. The Elves are also in hiding beyond the Empire''s lands and quite literally hidden within the trees.


    Unlike the Isle of Ice under the control of the Kingdom of Stonemason, the Empire has taken an ''it is not valuable to us'' approach to the Isles, and so the Island Elves are left alone. However, I am sure they will be subjugated once we have taken the north from the Minotaur, and the west from the Trolls.


    <h2>Sea Elves</h2>


    Another legend, but it is said there is a tribe of Elves who live within the oceans itself. Not upon it, but within the deeps. They have the trait of fish that allows them to breath water, and are said to be descended from a Sacred Beast of the oceans. That there are Sacred Beasts in the ocean is a known fact, as mentioned in the entry on Island Elves.


    Given that these Elves all breath water and live beneath the ocean, one can only assume they are Wilder Elves who live in the ocean. There have been stories of beach raids by their people, usually invading fishing or salt producing villages. Many of them have scales to protect their body from spears. These raids are rare, and it often seems like it is their great warriors using Humans to show their mettle, or as a rite of passage of some sort. The taking of trophies has been reported, but the reports are scarce and conflict too much to draw a conclusion.


    As they live in the ocean, categorizing them as Wilder Elves would make one tend to forget them in favor of the more typical land-bound form. So one would conclude that the Sea Elves are their own tribe that is like Wilder and Blood Elves combined.


    <h2>Half-Elves</h2>


    Another commonly reported sighting of Elves are within our own cities. It is said that some Elves are born, when the parent is a Human, without the curse of the Elves upon them. Such creatures may still retain the animal traits of their ancestry, despite apparently being Human to our senses. I have met such a thing, and my own investigations suggests that the curse was either lifted or perhaps bred out.


    Having such children should be a crime, and the fact that it is not one is an issue I would wish to raise with our glorious Empire. That there are those depraved enough to engage in such acts is disheartening, and that they come from noble heroic lineages is a blight on our Empire. I would rather have my ears removed than hear of more of it.


    <h2>In Conclusion</h2>


    The attitudes and beliefs of the Elves are varied, but here I have summarized their habits into ''tribes'' for classification. Again, I would like to emphasize that this is not a formal ordering of the Elves themselves, but rather a categorization of the groups derived from their observed nature.


    I hope that future generations will find my work useful, as I am sure that one day Elves will pass beyond knowledge to mere myth, like the legends of the First People who became the Minotaur and Trolls. While no one should weep for the loss of such a stain upon the honor of Humanity, there is at least a lesson in the Elves about forgetting Humanity''s duties to our glorious god Gillas.


    <h2>Postscript</h2>


    This text was almost banned and destroyed due to the crimes of its author. However, scholars have noted the purity of this brief treatise, and it has been decided that while the author of this work, Johann from North Wood¡ªstoned to death and his body dumped into the Shadowlands for coupling with a humanoid Monster¡ªthis work repudiates the actions he is known to have committed.


    As his trial amounted to being caught with his lover, a humanoid Monster with vole traits, we cannot know how a man who wrote such a superior moral work could fall under the sway of what he himself proclaimed such an act ''depraved'' and ''disheartening''. His story is taken as a cautionary tale, and you may have seen a play tragic play called The Pious Man and the Monster written by his former friend Hamilton of Shadow Gate.

 4 Selection

    It had been a couple of weeks since Biyu came to the Elven village, and she was getting used to her new routine. Combat practice was easier now that she wore a short tunic and trousers. Her choice was unusual. Hunter women tended to favor midthigh tunics paired with trousers, while women doing more sedentary work chose long tunic that left their ankles bare. When Indu first saw her in the short tunic and trousers, she had a few pointed questions. The meaning of the questions Biyu could not quite decipher, and she was certain even the instructors who did not hate her would swat her for being obtuse.


    Finishing her grappling practice for the day, Biyu went raft side to rinse off her sweat. As she knelt over the water, a foot hit her in the backside and she fell in. Spluttering, she came up and lunged for the side of the raft while people laughed at her.


    Above her stood a boy, almost a man. He had a huge smirk as he looked down at her. Lifting his foot up, he looked around at the gaggle of youths with him, most young women, and played to the crowd to get them to cheer for him to kick her back in. Indu had been teaching her to swim, but Biyu could barely manage to float. The water made her clothes heavy, was still painfully cold, and she was having difficulty swimming in place. Trying to preempt the next attack, she started hauling herself out of the water. ''Cajoled'' by the crowd, the boy moved to stomp on her head.


    Instead of letting the blow land, she grabbed the leg and clung with Transcendent strength. The boy overbalanced with her sudden weight, and splashed into the water. There were squeals of laughter as the boy struggled to swim. Biyu did not go for the edge of the raft. Instead, she changed her grip on the boy, clinging to his back. The boy did not try to get out of the water like she expected, but instead the boy struggled to get her off. There was no way he would be able to break her grip.


    "Just climb out of the water, and we can be done with this," she hissed into the boy''s ear. He turned red and plunged into the water. The boy intended to drown her. Pulling her legs close, Biyu put them to the boys back and used him to launch herself away while helping him to sink. She broke the surface to her waist, then scrabbled for the side and out of the water.


    She slumped, catching her breath, when a shadow fell over her. The boy straddled her and punched her in the face. That surprised Biyu. Her empowered body took the blow with little damage. The mask Indu gave her was unnaturally durable, but it merely helped the blows transfer to her face rather than deflect them. There was the indignity, but she had little reason to care about noble dignity here.


    This was the first time in her life she could remember being outright assaulted by an assailant. Not the first time someone had hurt her, but there was a difference between a sneering tutor making her over-flex or giving her a swat or jab, and someone attacking her. There was sparring, but that different. There was no indignity or slight in being struck while sparring. This had been an assault on her person.


    She had no idea how she felt about it. Oh, he had kicked her in the butt, and attempted the same to her head. In the heat of the moment, they had not registered. Biyu cataloged her feelings as the boy delivered another blow. She was not angry. Annoyed, but not angry. Now that she was no longer in danger of drowning, there was little he could do to harm her without a weapon. She tried to remember what her books and tutors said about this kind of situation. A show of dominance was the first thing to come to mind, but that was likely to antagonize the villagers. She had problems enough with her still unnamed archery trainer to want to invite any more hardship into her life. The attack had been unprovoked, a cocky boy showing off. Shaming him would be enough, but again it could lead to escalation.


    Biyu noticed the boy was still punching her, and she hit him negligently in the belly so she could think without him bothering her. The boy yelped at the punch and fell off her, clutching his stomach. Standing, Biyu shook off the excess water from her clothes. The boy was laying there gasping, and then he began to bawl. Elves came rushing over to see what the fuss was. A tableau of shocked children were crying or jeering around them. A few of the smarter girls began to sneak away, trying to pretend they were not involved.


    An adult, Biyu did not see if it was a man or woman, grabbed her and pulled her away from the boy. She did not resist, too busy looking at the boy curiously. Had she hit him that hard, or was he pretending for sympathy? No, that did not make sense, if he was trying to show off. Master¡­ would not be pleased, but the reprimand would be instructive. Still, she did not think she had struck him that hard.


    "What do you think you''re doing, child?" demanded an angry voice. A hand reared back.


    "Do not touch me," Biyu said. She did not intend to hurt anyone else, but she would rather not have people thinking they could strike her on a whim. After all, she did not want to accidentally harm someone else when they annoyed her. Biyu was worried that retaliation would snow ball into all-out conflict with the Elves, despite her Master''s patronage. Curtailing violence seemed best, if possible.


    The person, a woman now that she was paying attention, grimaced at her but hesitated. The woman lowered her hand grudgingly. Biyu was relieved.


    An Elder Biyu recognized came to them. She was a woman with a shawl, and a small staff she used as a cane. That would make her closer to two hundred if she was not Awakened. Elves lived about twice as long as Humans.


    "What has happened here?" she demanded.


    Bowing, Biyu answered, "This boy had thrice tried to murder me, and once he punched me repeatedly in the face."


    The boy spluttered from where he was being treated. "I just pushed her into the water!"


    "It is well known I cannot swim. The children often come to laugh at me while I learn."


    "You said three times?" asked the older woman, giving the boy a reproving look.


    "First, when he pushed me in. Then when he tried to stomp me in the head to send me back into the water. I grabbed his leg to get out, but he fell in. When I clung to him for safety, he attempted to drown me."


    "And the repeated punches to the head?" asked the woman.


    "When I got out of the water and was catching my breath, he straddled me and began punching me in the face."


    The woman clicked her tongue in irritation. "You are such a troublesome boy, C¡ª" She cut herself off before saying his name. Giving Biyu a scowl, as though it was her fault, she finished with, "boy. Go see the healers. You have earned some punishment. Oh, and I shall see you barred from the Selection."


    The boy glared at Biyu, but gave a firm nod.


    The Elves left, satisfied the situation was resolved. More than a few glared at Biyu as if she had instigated it. The Elder lingered. "How is your face, child?"


    "Fine. He could not injure me."


    "Prideful, just like all your kind. Ah, it is so troublesome having you here. When will you go? You are not wanted, child."


    "I will go when Master deems it time for me to go. Is it so onerous to just ignore my presence?"


    Snorting, the old woman glared at her. "No one can just ignore your presence. Knowing you''re here is like a bur in the butt. The rowdy young will want to use you to puff themselves up among their peers, by facing one the Humans who drove us into this swamp. Especially now, as the time for the Selection draws near."


    "If I go, I will die. Or worse. I am as welcome in the Human world as I am here. In truth, the first person who may be my friend is here. It is the closest to a place I belong I have had."


    The woman rolled her eyes. "That Kin liking you is no great feat, girl."


    "Still a first in my life."


    The Elder shrugged. "Stop causing trouble." She turned to go.


    Biyu stared after the woman. "I am here under guest rights. Your people shame themselves treating me poorly. My Master will not look kindly upon you all for this."


    The Elder glared at her, but said nothing.


    Biyu turned to walk away, and the woman spat out, "Impudent whelp."


    Without turning around, but loud enough the woman could hear, she replied, "Foolish old woman."


    Archery practice was miserable. Instead of practicing hitting targets from the embarrassingly short range she had been, she was practicing her draw again. Empowering her body had been forbidden, despite Biyu''s protest that it was difficult work to put it back in place. The Elf who never gave her a name to call her, not even Archery Master, was harassing her for refusing to be quietly bullied. Such minor harassment was acceptable, but when she went to do actual practice the woman said, "No practice without me."


    After considering a moment, Biyu said, "No. I will practice when I wish. You may go now."


    The woman stared at her angrily. She opened her mouth to speak, and Biyu commented, "I have kept my peace, hoping we could be polite. However, if I went to Master now, would she agree that you have been training me as you said you would?" Her jaw snapped shut. She glared, but there was concern too.


    Biyu did not practice through lunch. After a half hour of range practice, she joined the Kin in a meal. Indu had heard of the altercation and she was livid. Hak was his usual inscrutable self, but he indicated through signs that he would stand with Biyu should anything happen.


    Biyu asked, "What is the Selection?"


    Hearing that, Indu shrunk into herself. "It is part of the pact with Mother. Once each year, in the late spring or early summer, a contest is held. All the men and women of marriageable age, who are not married, may join. The winner will mate with Mother in the hopes of producing young. Oh, they can''t be closely relate to her. It starts tomorrow. It''ll be a festival, so no work other than guards and scouts."


    That explained why so many of the Elves had the features of a serpent. Also, why there were Kin here. Fidgeting, Indu asked, "Will you join?"


    Biyu shook her head without considering it. "I am not a part of this village. Winning would not fulfill the pact." That apparently made Indu happy.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    "Was that why the boy attacked me?"


    Grimacing, Indu admitted, "It was probably meant to be a prank. Humiliate the Human to make himself look better. You¡­ you probably should have just tried to get to an island and wait it out."


    Frowning, Biyu thought about it. Well, it would have prevented escalation. It felt cowardly, but that was not something that mattered to her. Still¡­ she had ended up injuring the foolish boy. With a sigh, she gave Indu a nod. "Thank you for the advice, Indu."


    Biyu had been here long enough to know the villagers only tolerated the Kin. People, particularly children, occasionally teased Indu. If Hak was not around, Indu would go into the water where people would be unable to bother her. No one bothered Hak. They were afraid of him. Biyu would defer to their expertise.


    That evening, Biyu was butchering carcasses. This time she was corrected on every cut. None of them went so far as to strike her, and soon she ignored their directions and worked as usual. That seemed to upset them, and they grumbled as they settled into their own work. She had gotten faster, so even when they gave her more work, she was done soon after them. She had to deliver the results herself. The workers she ran deliveries to seemed more annoyed that the others were early rather than that she was so late. They knew what was happening, but were more concerned about their own work than harassing her.


    That night''s revelry occurred outside their hut. Merrymaking sounded through the walls, but Biyu was able to sleep through it. In the morning she did her usual practice, apologizing perfunctorily when she stepped on the odd drunk. This morning Indu slept in. She had been curled against Biyu when she woke that morning, and she could not bring herself to chastise the woman. Besides, it was oddly soothing to have Indu there.


    The morning wore on, and without any of her usual training to take up her time Biyu found herself at loose ends. She danced a little with Indu when she finally got up, and they had a late breakfast while the cooks scowled at them for delaying cleanup. To make up for it, Biyu helped and was grudgingly thanked. That she got the worst of the pots she considered fair, regardless of the reasoning behind it. After all, she was Awakened. With the extra investment in her body, it was quickly taken care of.


    Selection began in the square in the late morning. The first contest had all those eligible standing on a great platform erected for this event. The rules were simple: people would shove each other until half remained on the platform. Selection was a process of elimination across several events. Biyu watched for a while, but with the glowers she received she decided she would rather do something else. Fishing sounded like a nice diversion.


    Biyu went raft side far from the Selection, and she fished for the entire day. Some of the fish she kept, but most she threw back. Indu came to join her a little after noon, still rubbing sleep from her eyes. They made a small fire on a piece of slate to roast the fish wrapped in greens.


    As the day came to a close, and bonfires were lit, an Elf came running to Biyu. He was obviously angry as he loudly proclaimed, "Lady Serpent has requested your presence at the Selection."


    Biyu left the fish in Indu''s care. At the village square, Biyu found her Master with a hand on a young man''s shoulder. Obviously, he was the winner by the way he preened. Biyu offered a bow and asked, "How may I serve you, Master?"


    With a smile, the Great Serpent indicated another young man. He looked like he had eaten something foul, and turned away at Biyu''s gaze. "I offer you the runner-up to play with, my darling disciple." All around them, the Elves were looking on with unsettled and disgusted looks. Biyu wondered that her Master did not see it.


    The man on offer was someone Biyu had seen frequently. While she would admit many of the Elf men were pleasing to the eye, she felt no desire to touch them. Anything beyond that was unthinkable. At first, she thought to politely decline and save herself from the Elves increased resentment.


    Memories of yesterday came clearly to mind. She answered honestly, but with the intent to disparage her hosts. Something she had been refraining from doing as a good guest. "All yesterday, Elves have been rude to me. I am their guest, and I was told guest rights apply. I was assaulted. Attempts were made to ridicule me. Many here have harassed me. I do not think your Elves are good enough for me. I do not want him." She waved her hand dismissively. When she heard herself, she remembered the words of Indu, and she felt a small amount of regret at going against her friend''s advice.


    The Great Serpent looked upon the Elves with a raised brow, her hand withdrawing from the man''s shoulder. "Oh? Who assaulted you?"


    Biyu looked about, then indicated the boy. "This boy kicked me into the water."


    "They ridiculed you?"


    "Him, some children, an Elder."


    At that the Sacred Beast clicked her tongue. "And the harassment?"


    "My archery instructor has done her best not to teach me since our first lesson, and she redoubled her efforts yesterday. Also, those Elves who were butchering carcasses with me."


    "I see," said the Great Serpent. She looked over the Elves. The weight of her will fell upon the village, and the Elves as one fell to their knees and bowed their heads to the ground. In her anger, their god demanded they show obeisance. Only Biyu remained standing. "So, the people of my pact have seen fit to attack my chosen disciple. Perhaps the meaning of a disciple escapes you? Or maybe the people with an apprentice understand? Forge Master!"


    "Yes, mighty Serpent!" the man responded. Biyu thought of the swords in her hut the man had made for her. They were fine weapons, and the man had demanded she come once a week so he could make sure she was caring for them correctly. Of all the Elves, he had in many ways been the friendliest. He did not yell at or chastise her. He did reprimand her while making sure she corrected her mistakes. She assumed he wanted her weapons well-kept out of a craftsman''s pride, and not out of kindness to her. She could respect that.


    "Tell me, if any in the village treated your apprentices like my disciple, what would you do?"


    "I would go the person who insulted my apprentice, and tell''m they have insulted me. I might give''m a warning. If it was a big insult, or they were violent, I''d have more than words." He paused, and swallowed. "Pretty sure a bunch of black eyes would be had by now."


    The festive mood had been replaced with a pall with the Great Serpent''s anger made manifest. All those named sweated. The Great Serpent asked Forge Master, "How have you treated my disciple?"


    The man swallowed. He spoke the truth, for even lesser gods like Lady Serpent could see through lies. One never lied to a displeased god. Not even polite fiction. "I charged her more for her swords than I would other villagers. I¡­ I am proud of my work. So she has to come by, so I can check her swords. To make sure she was maintaining them right. It¡­ it might be harassment¡­"


    Turning to Biyu, her Master asked her, "What do you say, Biyu?"


    Ducking her head, she answered, "I expected to be charged more. I am not their people. Who does not charge outsiders a bit more? In his instruction, I saw his passion and love of his craft. His demands to inspect my swords are welcome. I have never cared for a weapon, and being forced to maintain them will make it routine. I would name Forge Master among the many Elves who have treated me fairly, if not kindly."


    "Oh? You would praise some Elves? Did you not say before that they were not worthy of you?"


    Biyu blinked. "Being worthy of me and being worthy of praise are two different things."


    "Humans hate Elves. Why would you praise them? Why even consider their worthiness of you?" goaded her Master. Master already knew that whatever source made Humans intrinsically despise Elves was broken within her.


    With a shrug, Biyu stated, "I have been hated all my life. That Elves hate me too is disappointing, but¡­"


    "Whom among the Elves would you praise?"


    "Weapon Master has always been fair to me. He has even been kind a time or two. I do not think he meant to be. He knows the meaning of a disciple. He was protecting fools, not helping me. The Elves who taught me to butcher carcasses, and those who work with me, have been fair enough. They gave me more work at first. While that could be seen as harassment, it could also be seen as extra practice. Indu and Hak have been fine companions. Of the people of this village, I like them the most."


    "Is that all the praise my people have earned? Are they so miserly in their hospitality that there is so little to praise?"


    "I am Human. That they find it hard to tolerate me is no great surprise. Their hospitality, if thin, is still laudable. There is hospitality. I am fed. I have shelter. They train me, though archery master has done her best not to. Were the Elves here anywhere in the Empire, they would fare far worse. Even with a god among them."


    "How dare¡ª!" began the one Biyu called Archery Master.


    Master lifted her hand, and the Elf went silent.


    "I shall let you mete out punishments and rewards. Forge Master."


    Biyu considered. "He has only done his job. It is hard lauding a man for doing what as he is supposed to. The usual reward is further business. Perhaps even make up reasons for additional business in recognition of his passion and craftsmanship."


    "Oh? So you would reward him by setting him a special task for which you would pay?" Biyu gave an affirmative. "What item would you request that would be a special task?"


    That gave Biyu pause. What did she need that she would be willing to pay for? Well, there was one thing. "I would purchase armor," she said.


    Raising a brow, the Great Serpent asked, "Oh? A cuirass?"


    Shuffling, Biyu admitted, "I had considered fish armor, but that sounds like too much to ask."


    There was silence. An Elf, one of the ones from yesterday''s butchering group, said, "As penance, I will help sew the shirt." Others from the butchering group added their own pledges.


    Master gave Biyu a questioning look. Biyu nodded, and the Great Serpent turned to Forge Master. "What do you say to this, Forge Master?"


    The man licked his lips. He looked to his fellow Elves. There were eyes of reproach for going against the village''s will. Other''s showed hope he would accept and lessen the village''s punishment. He made his choice. "I wish we had done this as a normal transaction. I have no qualms if the price is paid. It would make us richer, and I could always brag about the Imperial who thought my armor worth buying. Like this, I could be cast out even though it is only to our good to do this."


    "It uses up our precious bronze," muttered a woman.


    "Send me to a place I am not known, and I will buy you more," Biyu said.


    "We would not trust you not to betray us to the Humans, and bring them to our village," another voice said.


    At that, Master hissed a warning. "If she did that, she knows that I would kill her. Do not be foolish."


    Mollified, there was no reply. "So, who next. What reward would you give Weapon Master, then?"


    That made Biyu think deeply. "I would say¡­ a minor boon from you, Master. He has done as you asked of him faithfully. He does not deride me for what I do not know. Those foolish enough to mock your disciple he punishes. His praise is earned and not lavish. He has done his duty to you and the village to the best of his ability."


    At that, Master gave a nod of her head. "Very well. Come to me later, Weapon Master, and ask of me a minor boon. I will decide if the boon you request is reasonable. You may ask a boon of me as many times as you wish until I grant you one."


    Weapon Master gave Biyu and her Master a press of his head against the ground. "Thank you."


    "Now, what about Archery Master?"


    "Demotion," said Biyu without pause.


    "Very well. Elders, give Archery Master a new task fitting her talents and temperament. Maybe as a lone hunter?" Rage showed on the woman''s face, but she said nothing. "The Elder?"


    "She struck me as lacking wisdom appropriate to be a good advisor. She blamed a victim for a crime done against them. Let her entertain the children as a story lady."


    The Elder scowled at her, but the other Elders voiced their agreement. There was some relief and even joy among them. Apparently the Elders really did agree with Biyu.


    "Now, the boy. How will you punish him?"


    This took her time to consider. When she spoke, the village held its breath. "He thrice attempted to kill me, in my estimation." There were mutterings, but the crowd quieted at a glare from the god. "And he punched me in the face several times. However, I accept this was just a prank that got out of hand. I also admit that perhaps I could have done things differently to prevent that. Was he not already punished?"


    An Elf who had not spoken before said, "He has been tasked with pot scrubbing after meals. The larger stack is his, and he will do it for three months."


    Giving it a thought, Biyu nodded. "That is enough."


    Biyu''s Master had a frown on her face as she heard the answer. "You have yet to be blooded, disciple. His crimes are enough, and no one has challenged them. You have a right to both his life and his soul. Taking his life will allow you to progress as a god."


    "That would turn the villager''s against me, and I doubt a single one thinks the boy deserves such a punishment. Children make mistakes, and he still is one."


    Biyu did not think her Master approved. "Very well. Villagers, remember, this is my disciple. To insult her is to insult me. To hurt her is to injure me. Continue on with this, and I may end our covenant. Do not forget I protect you from many things, and this swamp is my domain. Now, I have a prize to claim. The rest of you return home and reflect."


    Biyu and her Master remained, waiting for the square to clear. "You wish to ask why I did not offer rewards to my children?"


    Biyu nodded.


    "I know what they want. I give them what I can, but do not forget I am still at my core a snake. Having offspring is natural to me. Being a mother is not. However, I will give them each a bit of what they want. Elves may tell themselves I am a snake, but they see me as another Elf among them. I do not think they know that snakes do not care for their young. Giving Hak and Indu a reward would be seen as favoritism, even when deserved. So, I will play mother for them. I will tell them it was a reward for treating you well, because I would not have them expecting from me what is against my nature."


    Resigned, Biyu gave her Master a bow.

 5 Interlude: A Sinner of the Elves

    The Sinner sat in his hut, a chest before him. It was a large chest for the People. It was open, and he had laid out a few of the mementos on a clothe before him. He knew each one intimately. The name of the one who owned it. Their face. The judgment that had ended them. The method of execution. Each fact was etched into his mind, reinforced every time he reflected on the objects. He was not allowed to forget. That was the Sinner''s burden.


    This rope, a fine woven piece made with skill and care, was the rope of a trapper. He had been selling furs to Humans. That alone was not enough for judgment to be meted out. For his sins to weigh heavily enough to threaten the survival of the People, he had to do more. He did. The man had taken money to lead Humans to their hunting lands. The man was a fool. He had not thought it through. The Sinner of that time had. He had rendered judgment. He had told the headman, and the headman had told all. All because he had not realized the Humans wanted their hunting lands in order to hunt Elves.


    The fool had fled, which was good. It proved he was not a complete fool. In the end, he had died from a throwing ax. It had been a shoddy thing, from the early days, when they only had stone and stolen iron, and did not know the utility of bone. Even now, steel was rare. The ax had stopped the man. Then, the ax was used to kill him. A brutal thing, with an ax that was more like a club. The body was left for his Human friends, so they would know their plot was revealed. To make them wary. To give the People time to move on. He did not remember those parts. That was not his task. He only remembered the judgment, the death, and the thoughts of the Sinner of that time.


    He moved on to the next item he had taken out for recollection. It was a flute, now damaged with age. He would have to clean and reapply lacquer to it soon. It would not do to lose a memento. The memories would always be there, waiting, but without the objects they were hard to remember. Remembering was important. The memories included not just the judgments, the successes, but also the cost of failure. They remembered when a judgment, founded on the memories of past Sinners, was not taken. He put it aside, to be cleaned and fixed.


    He took another memento into his hands. The steel dagger that was kept as a memento, rather than being used as one of the few good tools in the village. This one was a memento of a man who was not judged and killed until after it was too late. A failure of the Sinner of the time. He was an arrogant and selfish man. He wished to be the headman one day, and he thought to gain approval by valorous deeds. He got his friends together to form a band, and as warriors they went into the Human villages and slew them. Adults and children. He violated the women before he killed them, or gave them to his band as a reward. When they were done with their ravages, he fouled the wells, burned and ravaged the fields, and slaughtered and left dead the animals they did not feast on or harvest for the village. What iron he could find, he took back to the village to be made into tools.


    The Sinner then, he knew the man had done a terrible thing. The Humans would discover his excesses, and they would call their soldiers and Knights to fall upon the Elves. But the villagers congratulated the man on his victories, and the People lifted him upon their shoulders to carry him in his triumph to a feast in his honor. The women treated him well, and the men asked to join his band. The Sinner knew what should be done. He knew why it must be done. The Sinner then had the memories, just like he did now. In the end, though, he judged the village small and forgotten. The people unremarkable, and their lands of no value beyond the village. It was not judgment, not truly. It was hope, and he failed as a Sinner for having hope instead of the resolve of his station. So, he let the matter go, only urging caution to the headman.


    The youth, emboldened by his success and the veneration of the People, challenged the headman in a contest. The headman refused a contest of strength, for the youth had that and it need not be tested. Instead, he chose a game to test wisdom. They traded riddles. As was the habit of his tribe, it began with the standards, the ones all of them knew. In the end, the youth won. The elders heard his riddle, and its answer when the headman failed to find it, and they judged him the winner. If he won fairly or if the elders saw glory and prosperity through the youth, the Sinner of then did not know. He was not wise enough to ask those questions.


    The youth led the People to war. They attacked another village, the youth wishing to bolster his reputation, and the village was the only other one near the Elves. Destroying it would offer them greater security he argued, and the elders agreed. When they were done, they had good food, weapons and tools, and the safety of knowing that no Humans lived near them now.


    A Human Order came for them. They surrounded the village, and they came in. The People back then had Awakened, but they are not trained as well as Knights. The People fought the Order, but the Order was superior in weapons, skill, and the power of their techniques. Those who could fled. Most could not, and they were slain indiscriminately. No slaves were taken. That was good. They were broken and miserable things, and some were driven to serve their Human masters as traitors. You could never tell if one of the People was of the People, a Human, or a slave instructed to infiltrate the People, so the wise did the only thing they could. Strangers were slain if they discovered the village, whether they claimed to be an Elf or not.


    The Sinner, fortunately, was one of the few who made it out of the village. All his possessions were left behind. Those things were important, but he could go back for them. He had hid it in the earth, and he or a successor could dig it up later. A few of the warriors made it. Very few women survived, mostly the younger ones who were too young to have borne children. No children arrived, not even with their mothers or older siblings. No elders made it. The new headman had made it. The Sinner took no pleasure in cutting out his throat, executing the man mercilessly before he spat out the judgment. He did not have to tell them the judgment, but he would make sure they would not forget the arrogance of attacking Humans. Even small, unimportant villages.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    It was two generations of Sinner before the mementos were recovered. Some of them were past repair, but a few were remade or replaced successfully. Sometimes the Sinner''s hands would squirm, desiring to try and find a missing memory by creating a memento for it. Sometimes it worked, but often the urge was without enough direction to succeed.


    The Sinner of the present, the Sinner working through his mementos of the judgments of the past, put the items back except for the flute. Outside his hut, he could hear music and festivity. A feast was being thrown for a child today. It would be over soon.


    He took in a breath, and let it out slowly. Leaving his hut, he stepped into sunshine. Sadness filled him as he looked at the party, his lips turned down. It looked like a party, but the gaiety on the faces of the adults was strained and false.


    One woman, a mother, looked upon him with naked hatred. She did not stop him from approaching the girl with her. The girl was small for her age, the size of a four year old, even though she was eight. Her limbs were too thin, and her skin too pale. She had a cough that had troubled her all her life. He had been merciful, but he knew from old memories that sickness like this was not contagious. It was an infirmity of the body one was born with. Sometimes these things fixed themselves with age, but she had not been so fortunate.


    He knelt down, and presented the girl with a special treat. It was not the gentle poison that made it special. It was made with honey and the leaves of a spicy herb that tasted delightful when sweetened. It was a favorite of the children, a kind of rare cake.


    One child reached out to steal it, his face full of mischief, but his father went pale as he pulled him away. He forced a jovial smile his son didn''t quite believe as he told the boy that the cake was a special treat for the girl. Just for today, and he would have one of his own soon.


    The girl hugged a wooden doll, carved in the shape of a rabbit. It was a small thing, but it looked huge in her tiny arms.


    "Here, a cake, just for you," the Sinner said. The girl shouldn''t take the cake. It was something everyone in the village knew: you did not take any gift the Sinner offered. The girl, her eyes lighting up on this happy day, took and ate the cake.


    The music came to an end as she finished it. She looked at him with happy eyes, and thanked him for the rare treat. Even as she smiled and spoke, her eyes started to droop. She was sleepy, she said, and she wanted to go to bed now. The musicians packed their instruments. Parents collected their children, and took them to their huts. Soon the village was empty, and far too quiet. Only a single pair, the mother and the father, remained to watch as the Sinner pocketed the rabbit doll. It would go into the chest. He picked up the child.


    He took the child away, and when he returned it was without her. He had said the rites, praying that she would find a fine Heaven.


    The woman stood alone when he returned. He gave her a sad, tired smile. "I do not recommend this."


    "I loved her. She was all I had," the mother responded.


    "Your husband?"


    "Has already found someone else."


    "Ah. You will remember¡ª"


    "That''s what I want! She shouldn''t be forgotten. I''ll remember her, won''t I? The faces never fade?"


    "Yes, that is true. You will remember her thanking you for the special treat at her special feast. In the memory, it will be as if you are doing it. Can you bear that weight?"


    "If I must," she said grimly.


    "I see. This knife is not the Sinner''s. It is mine. I have used it much." He gave her his personal knife. The woman accepted it, inspecting the blade and the grip. Satisfied, she drove the knife through his chest and into his heart. It was painful. Of course it was. As he died, he remembered when he became the Sinner. It was an odd memory, for he both remembered killing the Sinner, and being killed by himself. His mind began to fade, the world becoming hazy and the pain slackening. Death came, and he saw for the first time what came after.


    <hr>


    The mother, now the Sinner, remembered the old Sinner dying at her hands. She looked at the blood on the knife before taking a cloth to clean it carefully. Remembering the memento she had had on her, she pulled it out of the former Sinner''s pocket. She thumbed it fondly, remembering the way her daughter cuddled the little thing. It would join the knife in the chest, but she would look at it often. Holding the rabbit in her hand, she took a moment to remember. Unlike what the previous Sinner had feared, she felt only joy at her daughter''s smile as she accepted the last gift of her life from her hands. Feeling the Sinner of the time''s emotions, she felt for him. He had done what was necessary. She would do what was necessary, too, until someone could not abide her decision and killed her. Thus the mantle passed from Sinner to Sinner. Theirs was the duty of judging those who were dangerous or a hindrance to the People. Their ends were the retribution of the unforgiving living, only to be doomed to take their place.


    Her daughter had needed resources, and would never, no longer how long she lived, offer the village anything in return. If she came of age, she would likely die during childbirth, taking the child with her. She would never be able to fight. She could gather, but would be a burden being helped to the place to gather and back. The person who helped her would not be able to carry as much, and she would not make up the difference, let alone add more.


    The Sinner went into her tent. She put the new mementos into the chest with care. First the rabbit, in oiled rags to help preserve the wood. She cleaned the knife again, taking care as it was both her first time cleaning a good knife, and a time beyond counting.


    Seeing the flute, she remembered it needed repair. Closing the chest, she went to get lacquer so she could take care of it.

 6 First Blood and Curses

    It was months after the Selection, in the late summer. Indu was clinging to her as usual when she woke up that morning. The nights were a little cool, but not enough to require grouping up for warmth. The serpent woman just enjoyed physical contact. Biyu eased her way out of Indu''s arms, gently prying away clutching limbs and ignoring grumbled complaints. Near the small hearth of their hut, Hak was curled into a seated ball. Indu had a Human''s warmth despite her shape, but Hak was cool like a snake. At this time of the year, the heat was a comfort rather than a necessity. For Biyu, the overnight fire and cuddly serpent left her sweaty.


    Giving Hak a wave of greeting, Biyu left the hut. She was used to his dry and polite nature. A part of her wished he was not a Kin. She could almost imagine a romance with him.


    Biyu began her morning exercise with unarmed kata, and followed it up with sword forms with her weapons. After that, she danced alone. Muscle memory moved her, leaving her mind empty and clear. Some Elves stopped to watch her as they did most mornings. A few youths snickered snidely, but most just treated it as entertainment.


    Finished warming up, she went to rinse herself in the swamp. A quiet splash into the water, a short swim along the side, and she was sitting on the raft with her feet in the water. She needed a drink. Sodden, she returned to their hut to the water purifying barrel. Sediment and impurities were forced from the water, filling a bucket through a spigot on the side. Checking the water was clean, she filled her water skin. She drank her fill before refilling the bladder for later.


    Her morning routine done, she checked to see if Indu wanted to practice dancing. Indu looked like she would be sleeping late today. Biyu went to the cook fires and got food for herself, Indu, and Hak. Returning to the hut, she handed out the food. Hak was putting out his fire as the morning warmed. Gently, she roused Indu. Blearily, Indu found the food and attacked it. Biyu watched, still amused how Indu tended to swallow her food whole. Chewing was optional.


    Biyu was eating when she felt the presence of Master. Normally, the Great Serpent kept her presence suppressed for the comfort of the villagers. She was announcing herself. Quickly finishing her last bite, Biyu left her hut. Going down onto her knees, she bowed. Normally it was unnecessary, but this felt like one of those times when formality was required.


    Shishi, in her Human form, chuckled. "My adorable disciple, there is an opportunity that has come up." She tipped her head. "But it will keep. Go, finish your¡ªOh, it seems my daughter has finished your meal. Well, child, come with me."


    Indu peeked out of the hut bashfully. "Mother," she said. She came out in full, her body hesitant.


    Shishi looked at the girl. The pity in her eyes was obvious. "What is it daughter?" she asked.


    Indu gave a bow. "May we swim together, Mother?" she asked hesitantly.


    Shishi put a hand on the girl''s head and rubbed it gently. "Certainly daughter. Come. After Biyu''s task is done we shall go for a swim." Indu perked up at that. She followed along, keeping a polite distance behind them. Hak followed.


    When they saw the hut they were heading toward, and the man waiting in front of it, both Hak and Indu stopped well back. The man had shallow cheeks, a sour face, a wide brimmed hat, and his hut was on its own little raft attached by a rope to the village raft. Shishi and Biyu hopped over to it, leaving the Kin behind.


    The man gave Biyu a glance, before giving obeisance to Shishi.


    "This is the Human child?" he asked. While Humans felt revulsion for the Elves, Elves lacked the same innate ability to tell Elves from Humans.


    "Yes. Have you informed the Elders?"


    "Yes, Lady Serpent. Are you certain you wish to give up this tarnished soul?"


    "Do you think I have a desire to crowd myself with criminals? Sinner, declare his sins so that my disciple may know that his punishment is just."


    "Just," the man mocked. "Very well, Lady Serpent. He was competing with his best friend in courting a woman. His friend won the woman''s heart. They had a heated, drunken argument. It became a brawl, and the friend fell into the waters and drowned. Others attempted to fish him out, but they could not find him. The body has since been found floating in the water and half-eaten. We have many witnesses to the fight. He has shown remorse, but he has a history of violent outbursts. That was one of the reasons the woman favored his friend over him. I have come to the conclusion that death is the proper punishment, for the safety of the village."


    Biyu felt a chill run through her. Her body was relaxed, but ready. She felt her breath regulating, and her eyes sharpening. Ah, she was readying herself, like she did for a spar.


    "Where is the woman?"


    "She is waiting with him in the village center."


    Shishi gave a nod. "Then give my disciple the instrument. We shall go to him."


    Biyu accepted a knife, a long and sharp thing just too thin to be a sword, and made of steel. She checked the edge before following the Sinner and Master.


    They went to the village square. A thick pole had been erected in the center. A man was lashed to the pole by his wrists and ankles. A woman glared at the glowering man.


    An Elder with a long gray beard was speaking to the people. He greeted Shishi politely as they arrived while ignoring Biyu, and only glancing at the Sinner.


    Shishi commanded Biyu, "Kill this man."


    A young man, swarthy and broad shouldered with a face Biyu was sure women would find handsome, stood up. "What? Why is she doing the Sinner''s job?"


    Shishi answered blandly. "Because with this she will become a god, and the next step of her training will begin."


    There were murmurings and shouts. Hands raised in outcry. Furious shouting rose up from a few young men. The young man stepped forward, anger in his eyes, and he demanded, "You will make her a god? A Human!?" He spat out the last word. "It should be me! Or at least one of the People of Elf¨¦."


    Calm as always, Shishi looked over the crowd. "Who here would like to see Logan made a god?" There was a hiss of breath as the young man''s name was said. He looked at Biyu with a hint of trepidation. Biyu waited patiently, keeping her expression schooled and her eyes on the man to be executed.


    A woman lifted a hand. "I wouldn''t see Logan made a god. He is not a bad man, but he can be¡­ intense." The man did not dispute it, but he did give her a sour look.


    "How about Hera?" asked an older woman. The Elders all conferred a moment.


    "You would trust Hera to protect you? To fight for you?" asked Biyu''s Master.


    "No," said a boy. "She hasn''t the stomach for butchery, let alone a fight. She can cook, but she has to pretend the meat isn''t from animals."


    A woman said, "I wouldn''t want to be a god. Sounds too difficult for me."


    "Another recommendation?" asked Shishi.


    Biyu said, "Weapon Master."


    There was silence for a moment as the crowd mulled that. One person reluctantly said, "That is an idea."


    "He is a hero," said another.


    "I ain''t," the man protested. "Besides, I''m retired. I''ll be an Elder soon. Who needs a god who''s already old?"


    "You will be as you are now for many years. Awakening slows one''s aging. Between that and your Divinity, you may remain as you are long enough to walk many Steps on the Path of Ascension. You could reclaim your youth in time," Shishi said.


    Grimacing, the man shook his head. "I''ll be that kind of god, won''t I? An eater of souls. That''s the kind of god she''ll be?"


    Shishi gave a jovial nod. "Indeed!"


    "I''d rather not have the temptation, if it''s all the same, thank you. If you did offer it to Logan, I''d kill''m. If he didn''t eat the village, he''d start a war." He gave Biyu a long, hard look. "You''re making her into that?"


    "Since she did not demand the death of the boy who tried to kill her, I''ve been waiting for the Sinner to judge someone. Or, maybe give her Elderwood''s next offering. After this, I will train her on what it is to be a god like me."


    She took in the faces of the crowd, with her eyes and something more. "You worry what she will do, once she has devoured her first soul. Remember. At the Selection, she was provoked. None of you were killed, even though I would have put that boy to death. Only he was struck, and that was hardly unjustified. Even your Elders'' have accepted that. Given her forbearance then, what do you have to fear?"


    Eyes turned away at her challenge. Still, there were currents of worry, fear and anger. The young man still glared. "Did she earn such a great boon?"


    Shishi sighed, and her face pulled into an exaggerated frown. "I forget, sometimes, that our pact does not mean I may do as I please. I am a god, so I am allowed some whims. This, I see, will not be borne without explanation.


    "So, I will explain. This woman has no friends, no family, no life. She reminds me of myself, when I Awakened as a Sacred Beast. I have chosen to give her what I did not have. A mentor, safety, and shelter. Skills to live in the world, and the ability to defend herself.


    "As my disciple, she has no hatred of Elves except for any reasons you give her. She can be your friend, or, if that is too much, your ally. So far you make an enemy. Be that as it may, she is my disciple, and only a Human by birth. Much like I am a serpent by birth, and you are Elves by birth."


    It was obvious that her speech did nothing to change the attitudes of the Elves. Having heard her reasoning, the young man had one more angry question. "Then, what if she slaughters us for power once she has a taste for it?"


    With a look of confusion as though this point was obvious, she said, "I will kill her. We have a pact."


    There was nothing more to be said. Still, anger and fear wafted over the collected people. Biyu would have preferred just fear. She doubted most would never do worse than spite her, but anger could lead to poor decisions. Fear, she thought, would keep them timid so long as she was not aggressive. Even with her growing power, she would rather not have to defend herself from a village.


    "Biyu, kill this man," Master once more commanded her.


    Biyu walked up to the man. He started to thrash, but other wriggling, he could do little. She was too short to reach his critical points, so she leaped up to grasp him. Her legs clung to his waist, and her eyes were just below his own. He tried to headbutt her desperately, but she leaned out of his reach. Her hand grasped his hair, her back arched, and she forced him to stretch out his neck. Using her hips, her shoulders, her arm, and what little weight she possessed, she slashed the knife across his throat with her all her empowered strength. The sharp blade slit the man''s neck as he soundlessly screamed.


    The skin peeled back, and his throat parted. She could see his split trachea, and the pull of neck muscles, no longer anchored, curling up in his neck. Pulses of blood pumped with his heart from his arteries, while more blood drained out over his skin. She looked at the wound, taking it in. It was not so different from butchering, she supposed, except he was still alive.


    Biyu remained clamped to his waist, watching his eyes as they stared at her. They went from pained to angry to panicked to pleading. In his desperation, he even looked to the woman he had offended to beg mercy. She had none, her smile grim while her eyes shed tears.


    He struggled, still, and Biyu swung about with his movements. Her grip on him was sure. It took time for his strength to peter out. Longer than Biyu thought it would take. She had always thought death was a quick thing, and the fictions with death speeches from wounded men a dramatic embellishment. Watching the life slowly drain from the man, she knew she was wrong.


    His body stopped thrashing, and jerked and heaved instead. It took her a moment to understand he was trying to breathe. The color of his skin faded, the pink turning purplish. His eyes stopped looking at her, instead staring as he became listless. The heart still beat, she could feel, but it was slow and uneven. As the man gave a last shudder, after prolonged minutes, Biyu released the body and landed on the raft to look up at the cooling corpse.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The crowd, there as witnesses to justice as tradition demanded, had been silent at the show of violence. No one commended the man. He would not become an ancestor to reside in Shishi''s Hell until called upon for lost wisdom, advice, or to celebrate in their festivals. He was consigned to Biyu''s Hell to reside, forever parted from his people.


    When his last failed attempt at breath was taken, and the vindictive woman looked upon the man with cruel joy for what she had lost, Biyu felt a pulse of power. The soul was hers, and though she felt new power enter her, it was not yet ready for use. It would take time for it to assimilate into her power. To be digested.


    After cleaning the blade on the man''s clothes, she returned it to the Sinner. He accepted it with a grudging nod, but still avoided looking at her.


    Biyu turned to Shishi. "What next, Master?"


    "That is all, my cute little disciple. Go, do what you do every day."


    As she left, she did not notice the shocked looks of the villagers, witnessing what they thought was a child kill without remorse. There had been no discernable emotion, just an intense interest in watching a man die. Those who doubted the wisdom of granting her a demon''s Path shuddered. Others began to wonder.


    <hr>


    Weapon Master watched as Biyu bowed her greeting to him, then went to begin combat practice.


    Today was sparring with real weapons, and so she readied her paired daggers. He saw the look on Biyu''s partner''s face. He guessed what was to come when the sparring partner raised a hand. "Master, I want to trade partners!"


    Biyu did not wait on Weapon Master''s response, but moved to the edge of the sparring grounds and began practicing her kata alone. She was doing them slowly and purposefully. He suspected she was practicing with the new power she had gained.


    Weapon Master weighed his options, and decided to give them time to settle. Tomorrow, or the day after, he would force the trainees to spar with her. Their village had no Transcendents, and had no idea how to create one. Only Lady Serpent could Awaken new Transcendents, but she could only Awaken demons. Those who gained power through the killing of others. Well, there was one Awakened, but he was an outsider that Shishi allowed to visit them.


    <hr>


    At lunch, Indu was enthusiastic. She ate her meal with gusto, and prattled on about her time spent with her mother. Biyu was happy for her, and she judged Hak pleased as well. Seeing Indu so cheerful made both of them happy.


    Today was a fishing day, so she and Indu fished. Fishing was becoming a pastime Biyu enjoyed. Spending time with Indu made it better.


    Indu had a habit of curling up around her while they fished. When they met, Biyu had thought it was because serpents were attracted to heat. Later, she realized that was the kind of person Indu was, but she had no one to be physically affectionate with. Her mother was disinterested. Hak liked the heat, but was not enthusiastic about touch. The children of the village found her fascinating to touch, but their mothers were afraid of her.


    After spending so much time together, Biyu had become immune to Indu''s clinginess. The lack of lust was a major part of that. The other was getting accustomed to someone wanting to be close to her for no other reason than because they liked her.


    Hak joined them, bringing a mild liquor made from a fruit that grew from floating swamp plants. The fruit was tart to the point of being unpalatable, but the liquor was made by blending it with a much sweeter berry. It was a perfect addition when enjoyed chilled on a warm summer afternoon.


    They drank and fished, enjoying a lazy afternoon. Biyu spent the end of the day going through all her armed styles with a weapon. She alternated between being perfect with her forms, and going through them as quickly as she could. When the day turned to twilight, and evening meals were ready, she bathed and then joined her roommates for a meal.


    The day was over. It had been slow, full of exercise and practice, but she had spent much of it relaxing with the Kin. They both seemed to appreciate it as well.


    <hr>


    The next morning she danced with Indu. It was strange, to be leading a person who was thrice her size. Stranger still to dance the man''s part. She had been taught so she could teach her own daughters one day.


    In many ways it was nice to lead, and many Elves stopped to watch as they danced. With more mana to invest into her body, she moved so much easier. Strength, stamina, and dexterity had all improved. Her flexibility was the only thing that had not, but she had always been able to bend in ways that her tutors told her were unladylike. She had to agree that sitting with one''s feet looped behind their neck was not something to do in polite company.


    Dancing done, it was time for combat drills once more. Following that was archery. The new instructor was quiet and direct, telling her everything she would do that day. Then he watched her do it, only stopping her to correct her, or to tell her to take a break when her form was suffering from exhaustion. The enhancement of her body made the bow easier to handle, but she was far from indefatigable.


    Biyu had lunch. Today was usually her day to help break down carcasses, but Master met her and told her she would be studying with her twice each three day. It was time for her to learn how to be a god, if barely more than one in name. A godling, Master informed her.


    "I thought I was a demon?" asked Biyu.


    "The difference between a god and a demon is a hand span, and from the mountains to the God Finger Cliffs. A god gains power from worship and the souls of their devoted entering the Heavens. A demon kills and takes those souls into their own Hell. So slender is the difference, that a demon is just another kind of god. It is so vast, that a demon is Divine from the moment they step onto their Path whereas mortal gods do not see Divinity until they are near Ascension to the Heavens. A demon grows from slaughter. A god grows from fame. Thus are gods revered, and demons reviled."


    Biyu''s Master paused in thought. "Oh, and the Hells are upon the earth, and the Heavens are somewhere beyond. Gods Ascend, and join the Heavens. Demons are forever forbidden the Heavens. Most demons do yearn for them, though."


    Frowning, Biyu asked, "You too? You are denied the Heavens, Master?"


    "I am a Sacred Beast. Some say that Sacred Beasts are forever denied the Heavens. Animals are not born with a soul. Some Sacred Beasts supposedly never attain one. How or why we get souls only Lady Secret knows. I was a demon when I Awoke. I do not remember when I became one. My life started with long moments of dullness broken up by flashes of understanding and terror. It is a fearsome thing to go from knowing everything about yourself and your world, what we call instinct, only to suddenly Awaken and realize you know so much less than you thought you did.


    "To see the Humans and Elves as not just creatures to shy away from, but to fear as a threat beyond your reach. Growing your strength to protect yourself from predators that walk the world as gods. You are lucky, my adorable disciple, to have been born able to think, learn, and feel.


    "Now, to begin with we will commune. Next, you will learn to hear a prayer. Then, I shall teach the simplest blessing. It is also the simplest curse. Finally, we will try to visit your Hell. It may not be developed yet, but we shall see.


    "So sit, child. Like this." She sat with her legs folded, her feet under her knees. As Biyu did the same, Master reached out her hands, palms up. "Place your hands upon my own. Good. Close your eyes, and reach out to me. Desire to speak with me."


    Biyu tried to do as she was commanded. Her mind cleared, and she heard clearly, Do you hear me, my adorable disciple?


    Trying to answer, Biyu thought, Yes. Master.


    Very good, my adorable disciple. This is communing with a god. It is similar to prayer, which is why we did it first. With a prayer you, as the god, just listen. But first, you must sense the prayer. That is the trickiest part. Communing is a stronger pull. You will always know when someone wishes to commune. Now, you will try a prayer.


    Will I be praying to you?


    There was amusement in Master''s tone as she replied, Of course not, my adorable disciple. What point is there in you praying to me, if you are learning to hear prayers? Listen, child. Listen for your name, for someone looking for you, or even listen for someone poking you on the shoulder.


    Biyu ignored the impossibility of hearing a poke on the shoulder, and tried to open herself. While communing, she was in a void without sound or distraction. She was no longer in her body. Trying to feel her body, it felt like trying to hear a shout from far away. Instead of seeking her body, she turned away. Beyond her body, there was a tug, a pull at her attention.


    Biyu followed the feeling, and it grew. In moments, she found her attention focused on the source. It made up her whole world. She listened for words, and when she found them she knew the voice.


    Biyu, please grant me the blessing of your friendship. Stay with me and Hak. Make a village with just us, where there are no bullies. Let me find a worthy Kin to be with. I want someone to love. Biyu, can you hear me? I hope not. I shouldn''t have said that. Oh, forget it! Just be my friend. Let me hug you more. Take me to revelry and dance with me to the music, instead of practicing. Am I a good dancer yet? I hope so¡ª


    Realizing she should probably answer the Kin''s stream of nonsense, Biyu interjected, I hear you Indu. Of course, I''ll be your friend. I will dance with you. I¡­ I''m sorry, I don''t think I can start a village with you and Hak.


    There was no reply from Indu. "Could you hear me?" she instructed her body to ask.


    It was Master who answered. "A prayer is the beseeching or praising of a god. You may bless the one showing devotion, but a prayer is one way. That is the difference between communion and prayer. However, one may draw a worshiper from prayer into communion. Do so, if you wish."


    Biyu tugged on the praying Indu, and felt the other slip into her ''embrace'' for lack of a word to describe it. With Indu in her presence, she repeated her earlier reply to the prayer. She could feel Indu''s emotions. Embarrassment welled and suddenly the communion ended.


    Shishi was giving Indu a disapproving look while the serpent woman hid behind her mother. "Next is blessing. I had intended to do it while you were communing. Disciple, find the place of communion within yourself. Tell me when you have found it."


    Doing as she was bid, Biyu closed her eyes. She searched for the state she had been in. No longer within her body, but tethered to it. She struggled and wiggled, moving a part of herself that was not physical, nor her mind when she manipulated her mana pool. It was difficult, but she found the place. "I have it, Master."


    "Good. Now, do you see yourself as a body, or something else?"


    Biyu considered. She did not really sense anything. She was. "I am."


    There was a moment of silence. "Well, that''s not going to help. Imagine yourself as a tree. Thick branches. Thin branches. Twigs. Leaves."


    That took some time. She had trouble imagining how a tree might see. Imagining her branches swaying in the wind was much easier. The shaking of branches like the shiver of her body. Sometimes she would sit and watch the trees sway while she fished. It was a fascinating sight to see so much movement and color. A part of her could not wait for her first fall, and the changing of the leaves so much poetry was devoted to.


    "I have it Master."


    "Good. Find a twig. A tiny one with a single leaf on it. When you find it, snap it off."


    Biyu did as she was instructed. It hurt a little, but only a little. "I have done it Master."


    "Are you sure? You do not seem to be in pain."


    Biyu tried to hold it up to show her Master, but it occurred to her that she had no hands to hold it. Also, Master was not there to see it. "Yes?"


    "Fine. Now, put a desire into it. Something you would wish for Indu. Make it a very small wish. Like her next meal will taste good, or that she will be happy today."


    Biyu placed a wish in it that Indu would be treated well. The twig grew on her, and it became a small branch. At the same time, she saw her tree shrink. Pain throbbed through her.


    "Stop right there. Whatever you wished, change it now. Quickly! Something small!"


    Biyu tried what Shishi had suggested, that Indu''s next meal would be delicious. The twig shrank, and the pain in her subsided.


    "Do you feel better?"


    "Yes, Master. What¡ª"


    "Later! Now, reach out and put it on Indu. You should know where she is, if you focus on her."


    Biyu did something similar to hearing a prayer. She felt Indu. Reaching out, she placed the blessing onto the idea of Indu. The twig was jabbed in a bit, to stick there, and that was it.


    "Very good. Open your eyes. Ask your questions now."


    Biyu opened her eyes. Indu was there, curious but quiet. "Why did it hurt?"


    "Well, apparently your ability to imagine a tree is very good. What you did was pinch off a bit of your soul. That is, your Divinity. Then you hung it onto Indu with your wish for her. That is a blessing, or a curse. The bigger the blessing, the more of your Divinity it will use. Your wish was too large. When the wish is too great, it will devour you. You will cease to be, and only you''ree Blessing, or curse, will remain. That, dear disciple, is how vengeful and guardian spirits are born. Death wishes that consume the limited souls of those who pass with but one great regret.


    "Now, you can use techniques or Divinity to make the effects of a blessing or curse stronger. The easiest things are those aligned to your domain or your aspect. Since you use poison, a blessing against poisoning, or a curse to make someone easier to poison, are the most effective for you. Particularly if you can bind it to the techniques you have yet to learn, such as [Envenom] or [Poison Immunity].


    "Others will work as well, at least until you find your domain. A domain is a wonderful and terrible thing. I am not a strong god. My domain is this swamp. When you are within this swamp, you are within a part of me. I can command all the swamp as I wish. The water, the trees, the very air will attack my enemies."


    Pausing in her lesson, she lifted a hand, and a tree ripped itself free from the swamp. It changed, slowly, to a more Human form. It roared, lifted its arms, and all the Elves stared in shock and horror. With a snap of her fingers, it was a tree again. It was a little more Human shaped, and in a new place, but just a tree.


    "A domain is two things. It is a concept you encompass, and it is how you press your will upon the world. A domain of the seas means you are one with the ocean. It also means the ocean is wherever you go. You command the ocean as a lord commands his subjects. In your domain, your power is all but absolute. Without it, you are at the whim of others.


    "Now, my darling disciple, there are other things you should know. A blessing or curse is a part of you. That means you will always know where the one bearing it is. You may use it upon whomever you desire if you are interested in their activities. However, gods can get upset if you bless or curse their devoted without reason. Do keep that in mind.


    "For now, you may use blessings and curses upon my people. They must be minor and not cause injuries. Soon I will teach you a healing technique, and we will use it to make a blessing of good health. Understand?"


    "Yes, Master."


    "Good. Now, do as you did when you created the blessing. Go to that space, but do not make yourself a tree."


    Biyu returned to a place where she was and was not herself. "Ready."


    "Turn your eyes inward. Look not at yourself, but inside yourself."


    Trying to do that, Biyu felt a sudden queasiness. Her vision blurred and her sense of self collapsed until she was in her body once more.


    "Ah, not yet? We''ll try again on your tenth soul."


    Biyu grunted while her hands kneaded her temples. That hurt rather badly. She asked, "Is Indu my worshiper?"


    Indu shifted, uncomfortable. "Yes."


    "Do you not you want to go to the Heavens?"


    She lowered her head, before glancing to her mother. "No. I want to be with you."


    Biyu pressed her lips into a thin line. "You do not even know what I am the god of. I certainly do not."


    Shifting, Indu said, "You''re my friend. I want to be together. I¡­ I can change my mind. But, I don''t think anyone I like is going to the Heavens. Hak worships Mother. He even worships before every hunt, and gives her part of his catch to her in tribute. The villagers are dedicated to Mother, as part of the pact¡­ they all go to Hell."


    It shamed Biyu that she had to think about it before she decided what she should do. She was sure anyone else would have done it right away. With a hug, she held Indu tight. "Thank you," was all she said.


    Looking around, she noticed that it was well past the afternoon. Dinner was nearly half done. For once, she escorted Indu to dinner. They were going to dance at the revelry tonight, after all.


    Master said nothing, and it was obvious that she considered her children to be free to worship whomever they chose.

 7 Feast of Ancestors

    Fall had come, and Biyu was enjoying a rare chance to just sit and take in the beauty of the trees in their autumn finery. Shades of red and bronze danced before an overcast sky as she watched with a clear mind. She wanted to go see the leaves of the forests bordering the swamp, but that would have to wait until next year when she was ready to join the hunting parties. Her skills with her weapons was progressing well, and while no Elf would allow her to hunt with a bow, Hak had been teaching her the javelin. With her improved strength, it was a relatively easy weapon for her to use.


    Archery continued as it had, with steady improvement as she learned additional drills for firing the bow when she could not use the proper form or for the rare time she had to shoot on the move. Most of her practice now was simple range practice with other Elves. Instead of individual instruction, her instructor gave her only a few moments of personal attention to correct mistakes creeping into her form.


    Winter was approaching, and the village prepared. Biyu knew that autumn was the season to harvest crops and prepare feed for live stock for the winter. In the village of the Elves, hunting parties were sent out more frequently, and risked ranging more deeply into the lands Humans might tread beyond Shishi''s borders.


    Smokehouses were erected and stuffed with thick cuts of meat. Fish and vegetables were either dried for storage, or were packed tight into pots to ferment. Elders sought out Shishi for her dictates on where and how much they could safely take from the swamp. Village youths took older children out to forage for edible plants and mushrooms within sight of the raft.


    Biyu went foraging with the children. The children, not youths, were the ones who checked what she had harvested. Once she had been scolded when one of the mushrooms she had collected was so dangerous that it tainted everything she had to collected. Shishi''s blessing upon the Elves granted them some immunity to poisons as well as improved health, a blessing Biyu shared until she learned the techniques for herself, but there were some poisons more toxic than the blessing could protect against.


    Biyu kept the mushroom, and was made to nibble on the rare fungus over the course of a few days so she could make it a part of her [Poison] technique. Just like the other times she was bitten by a venomous animal or made to eat something dangerously poisonous she did it in the company of the healers while the Elves watched the show. Shishi was harsh on anyone cheering her misery, but Biyu had no issue with letting them see her suffer for her power. Those who had shown fear or anger were mollified by the sight of her curled into the ball on the ground, or heaving as she fought the urge to vomit. She hoped that it would ease the tension between and the villagers and her.


    Indu sidled up next to Biyu, the serpent woman shivering in the breeze. The weather was cooling but not yet what Biyu would call chilled during daylight hours, but Indu''s dark gray blue scales did little to help her keep warm. The shape of her body made clothing impractical. Hak had it worse, as his body was naturally cool, so clothing would do nothing to help him stay warm. That was why he increasingly refused to leave their hut as autumn deepened. Indu still went out, but she was reluctant except during the warmest parts of the day or for a quick errand.


    Today she was looking into the waters of the swamp, a pole in hand. This was not their fishing day, but Indu had her own duties. Biyu had always assumed Indu''s role in the village was fishing, but it occurred to her that she did not actually know.


    "Will you join the Feast of Ancestors?" Indu asked, not yet casting her line. Biyu thought Indu should give up on fishing and return to their hut.


    "What is that?" Biyu asked as she stood up. Taking Indu''s arm in hand, she led Indu back to their hut. She had fulfilled her desire to take in the autumn scenery for today.


    "A feast where the ancestors come to visit the village. Mother will thin the boundary to her Hell and allow the ancestors passage into the world of the living. There will be a feast, music, dancing, games, and competitions." She squirmed in place while smiling at Biyu. "It is fun, and this year I have been excused from my duties to accompany you."


    "What are your duties?"


    "I am a Shaman, Biyu. I think I mentioned it? I speak with spirits and great spirits, soothe vengeful spirits, create fetishes of protection or good fortune, and help with festivals, feasts, and the worship of Mother or the other gods. The mask I gave you is a fetish."


    "I should not participate."


    Indu slowed in following Biyu. "Why?"


    "Would your ancestors welcome me more than the villagers do? Some of them were chased here by Humans."


    "That''s true," Indu said. "But, the ancestors won''t know you''re Human without being told. Maybe the Shamans have mentioned you when they consulted them, but I doubt the ancestors will know what you look like."


    "Consult?"


    "We are within Mother''s domain. Her Hell is a near thing here. With her assistance, we can call upon the ancestors to ask them questions. When we have lost our way, and need wisdom, we can go to them for answers. It''s one of the rites of passage in this village. The Trail of Ancestors, where we seek their wisdom to guide us into adulthood."


    Biyu gave a nod to show she understood.


    They entered their hut, ensuring it was closed securely behind them and that the heavy cloth drapes were arranged to fend off the breeze and cold. Hak huddled near the fire, but he was listless. He did not return their greeting.


    "The Elves will not want me there."


    "It has already been agreed that denying you a place at the feast would violate guest rights, and be an insult to Mother." Indu put her pole away, tucking it behind a barrel that held part of their larder. "Please come. There''s someone I''d like to introduce you to."


    "A Kin?"


    She shook her head. "Someone I respect. My old Master. My current Master''s father."


    Biyu pursed her lips. "I will come since you ask me to, but I will not overstay my welcome."


    Indu gave Biyu a hug, and Biyu returned it. Even though she did not mind hugs from Indu, being suddenly held still gave her pause.


    <hr>


    It was late afternoon on the day of the feast, and preparations were being completed. Biyu had been tasked to help hang warding charms over the doorways of huts. They were wards against souls, and were hung to keep troublesome ancestors from entering.


    Ancestors included mischievous children, adults who indulged in pranks, and vindictive enemies, all of who were beyond punishment. They had little reason to restrain themselves. Some Elves wore masks to hide from ancestors they had not gotten along with, and others had their own charms to ward off specific ancestors they were feuding with. There was a limit to what the ancestors were permitted. They were only beyond the punishment of the village, but if Shishi had to intervene the punishment could be frightening. Something as innocent as pilfering a favored object and hiding it somewhere absurd or mocking a son for past foolishness would be overlooked. If the subject of the teasing complained too loudly, it could be them who were chastised.


    The sun had nearly set as Biyu hung the last of her portion of the charms. Indu approached her, her own tasks completed. They linked arms, and Indu led Biyu to the edge of the village square.


    Hefty logs were arranged into a tower in the village square for a bonfire. A Shaman stood beside the woodpile, a torch held high as she began to speak words of praise to Shishi. She dedicated the feast laid out around the square and the village to the Great Serpent, and praised her benevolence for bringing the ancestors to the village to visit. Once the sky faded from twilight to night and the Shaman had finished her words, she tossed the torch into the woodpile begin the bonfire. As the flames rose and the wood began to smoke, a fog rose up around the village. The smoke from the bonfire mingled with the fog, darkening it. The air warmed unnaturally, not to the warmth of summer, but to a warm fall day.


    Eager eyes sought familiar shapes in the fog, and Indu tightened her grip on Biyu''s arm as she joined them. Silhouettes appeared in the fog, starting as vague shapes and resolving into the figures of Elves as they exited the fog. There were all kinds among them, from children to elderly figures walking with canes. Members of the crowd cried out as they saw a figure they recognized. Lost parents, siblings, or, rarely, children were greeted with tears and joy by their living relatives. Biyu watched as the dead joined the living. Indu tugged on her arm, pulling her into the crowd. Biyu looked for whom Indu was heading.


    A graceful man, with the blue gray scales of the Elves along his lower arms, was looking over the village wistfully at the edge of the fog. He looked younger than Biyu expected, with sharp eyes and a calm demeanor that she rarely saw among the Elves. Disappointment spread across his features, and he gave his head a slow shake as if to throw off the thought. His attention turned from the village to the people, and alighting on Indu his smile lit up once more.


    "Apprentice! You came this year!" His voice was a scratchy tenor, and his body moved with an easy grace as he met them.


    Indu smiled joyfully, and released Biyu when his eyes turned down to their linked arms. Her smile turned timid and embarrassed, her hands slipping behind her like a child who had been naughty. Biyu gave them space, so they could trade greetings until she was properly introduced. "It''s good to see you again, Master."


    "Has my daughter treated you well?" He gave it some thought. "You must be a practitioner in your own right by now."


    "She treats me kindly, but I''m still an apprentice. There are still things for me to learn before I''m raised."


    The man shook his head. "Are you sure it''s not a bit of bullying? I remember she wasn''t always kind to you back then."


    "It''s both her judgment and my own. There are rituals we do too rarely for me to have the required practice."


    "Was We¡ª"


    Indu made a gesture as he was on the cusp of speaking a name, and he frowned. Turning to Biyu, she gestured for her to come closer. "This is Biyu." She looked around to ensure no one was listening in, and still she whispered, "A Human. We aren''t supposed to use names around her."


    There was surprise on his face, then scrutiny. "So, you chose a Human? Not a single one of the villagers sought your affection?"


    Indu was stunned, her jaw hanging open in her disbelief at his question. Biyu had never seen the serpent woman so motionless while awake. Even asleep she tended to be a bit restless.


    "That''s not¡ª! She''s a friend!"


    The man looked at her in disappointment. "Oh, is that so? It''s hard for the Great Serpent''s Kin. I''d always hoped to see you in love. There''s no one?"


    "No, Master. I''m sorry."


    "Don''t be sorry. I am merely a dead man hoping for your happiness." He turned to Biyu. "I am Brandon. Former Shaman of this village. What brings you here?" He frowned suspiciously. "Did you conquer us after winning Lady Serpent''s favor?" Before Biyu could reply, he broke out into a smile to show he was teasing her.


    "I was shown mercy by Master¡ªLady Serpent¡ªafter being offered as a sacrifice by my village."


    "Oh? She''s not one to turn those down, even though I petitioned her to reject them."


    "You did?" Biyu asked.


    The man nodded. "Eating people is wrong," he said. "Even if they are Human, and the Great Serpent is¡­ well, the name does say it all. Still, I suppose it is proper worship."Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Biyu favored the man with a polite smile. "It is selfish to say, but it was to my benefit." She thought for a moment. "I would not go so far as to seek vengeance against the ones who sent me here, but they rejoiced when I was sent to Master. That is not a petition I would join in."


    "Ah, hatred. I can understand it. Of course, I do! Look around us, and where my people are forced to live. No disrespect to Lady Serpent, of course." Biyu and Indu repeated the sentiment. "The People''s hatred for Humans has been well-earned. So has the reverse." He shrugged his shoulders. "It''s just not the world I want to live in."


    "It is the world I live in now," Biyu said, her hand waving at the surrounding village.


    Brandon looked around, taking in the village. "I suppose you do. Well, I assume you are only here for a short time¡­ oh?" He stopped as something occurred to him. "May I have a moment with my former student? I think she requires some instruction."


    Biyu was curious, wondering what lesson suddenly occurred to the master as she left them. Looking around, she tried to pick out the living from the dead. She found no easy way to tell them apart. Both appeared just as alive as the other. Only the ones whose faces she recognized did she know to be the living. Even after the better part of a year, there were many villagers whose faces she had never learned. Biyu supposed the only way to tell was to know the person, and she wondered if any of the dead ever played a trick by pretending to be one of the living.


    Drawn by music, she found a woman singing beautifully in accompaniment of drums and flutes. She wore a gorgeous robe, as fine as anything in Biyu''s old wardrobe. Biyu had never seen anything so lovely in the village before, leading her to believe the woman was a visiting ancestor. The singer''s skill was obvious, and Biyu closed her eyes and let it wash over her until Brandon brought a sulking Indu to her.


    "It was good to meet you, Biyu. Please, be kind to my¡­ well, she is no longer my disciple, so I will flatter myself by calling her my daughter."


    "You¡ª?"


    The man stopped her with a smile and raised hand. "No, not like that. Someone I accept as a daughter, rather than one by blood."


    Had Indu the ability she would surely have turn red, Biyu was sure, but she fidgeted and danced in place at his words. Giving the smiling man a deep bow, she was pleased when his smile brightened as he recognized the respect she was giving him. He patted Indu on the arm affectionately before taking his leave.


    "So, you wanted me to meet your father," Biyu said once Brandon was gone.


    "Master. He is going to visit his real family now."


    "Do you get along with your master? His daughter?"


    "We aren''t like sisters, but yes, I do. She was mean to me when we were little, but after Master died she respected his wishes to treat me well." Indu bit her lip. "Biyu¡­ let''s watch a few of the old masters. This is a chance for the village to boast, and it would be a waste not to try to impress our Human guest. Maybe they didn''t think of it that way, but they really should''ve."


    With that, they made the rounds to watch many performances. Not all performers were ancestors, for the living wanted a chance to be acknowledged by old masters of their craft. Indu would point them out, commenting on the challenge being attempted or the skill they put on display. Not everything was a performance or a test of skill. They eventually made their way to a display of relief sculptures. Biyu looked at the pieces while Indu followed along. Sometimes Indu would comment on the subject of the relief, when it was something Biyu was not familiar with.


    Snakes were a common motif, which Biyu found too obvious. There were a few of a hunter with a spear raised to strike, and one that attempted to depict Shishi in her humanoid form. One piece confused her, a rendering of what she was sure was a giant oak tree. Indu commented that it was a depiction of something called ''Dryad Tree'', but she said no more than it was a special tree hidden deep in the swamp. There were some pieces that were more abstract. Attempts to depict flowers, mushrooms, and other vegetation with simplified depictions were mixed in with stylized deer engraved with lines whose purpose neither Indu nor Biyu could decipher. There was one starling example where the stone had been smoothed, and the relief was carved deep into the stone, creating an interesting shadow effect.


    After the sculptures, they went to the feast tables. The food was the best the village had produced that Biyu could remember. They joined a queue waiting in line for a slice of roasted meat. It had been simmering since morning, and with each slice of meat from the haunch, a new coating of sauce would be swathed and cooked. The line moved slowly, and a master was stealing pieces of the meat, admitting that the cook had come up with a wonderful sauce. More meat was called for, and another joint was strung up to cook before the original haunches could run out. The meat was tangy and sour, and Biyu did not care for it. Indu begged to return later for another piece, and Biyu gave her the rest of hers.


    There were beans, harvested from the foothills to the west, that were only served as part of the feast. There were a favorite, cherished as much for only being available at the feast as for the quality of the dish.


    A broth with a skin of rendered fat boiled where people could baste meat and vegetables. Last winters remaining store of fermented mushrooms were served as part of a soup with other leftovers.


    Fresh fish were grilled, provided by fishers and enthusiasts casting their lines from the raft''s edge. They drank and poured drinks for the old masters, each of them trading fanciful stories of past catches or things dredged from the swamps muck.


    Eating their fill, they took glasses of juice and went to watch more performances. There were the expected ones: music, dance, song, story telling, riddles, and martial competitions. There were also demonstrations Biyu had not expected. Pottery, rope weaving, net making, embroidery, and more were demonstrated by ancestors or villagers. The masters often proved their skills, leaving chagrined villagers, but there were a few who received high praise.


    Cups ran overflowing, and people caroused with an abandon not seen in the evening revelry. Indu and Biyu were met with smiles and demands to share toasts, with only a few villagers skirting away when they caught sight of the pair. It was the most welcome Biyu had felt among the Elves, and she found herself dancing during a song or two with Indu until a stumbling drunk tripped over the woman''s tail. They helped the man up and went on their way, Indu too embarrassed to continue after that.


    They once more met with Brandon, this time with his daughter. The daughter looked older than her father, with crows feet around her eyes and gray in her hair. She wore a hooded robe, but the hood was down. In her hand was a cane, a sign of age in the village, but no Elder''s shawl. The woman looked at Biyu sourly, her sharp eyes looking her up and down.


    "We''ve not met," Indu''s current master said. "Thank you for treating Indu well. Not many do, and she¡­ deserves better."


    Biyu offered a shallow bow. "Thank you for being her master and teaching her." Not really something for Biyu to say, but she had little more to offer in greeting.


    "She''s a good student. Gonna have her participate in having the youths finish their knives this coming year. You make a knife yet?"


    Biyu shook her head. "No. Would it be appropriate for me to do so?"


    "Gives you something to do over the winter at least. Not much else you can do. Little fishing, but you can''t hunt yet. Darning clothes and wasting time is what most of us do. You? Make a couple of knives. Probably break the first one. Might the second one too. Get a knife, and we''ll let you finish too." She glanced at the smiling Brandon. "Dad badgered me until I gave in. But, you aren''t gonna be taught what the words mean, or the why of things except what you need to know. Not fair I know, expecting you to do things you don''t understand, but that''s the compromise I can live with. You will too, got it?"


    There was a sigh from Brandon. "They aren''t that much of a secret."


    "Enough, and she''s still Human. We gotta be nice to her, and all that, as the Great Serpent''s disciple. Secrets, even little ones, aren''t for her, though."


    "You''re right," the man agreed. "Still, if we''re training her, there is more we can teach her about us. Having a friendly Human is useful, don''t you think?"


    The daughter sighed. "You''re right, dad. Of course, you are. I even agree, though I''m still not sold on a demon Human as a friend to have. You know that''s not how the Elders will see it, and their opinion is what matters. We can introduce her to great spirits, but the magic might get the Sinner involved."


    "That''s enough. I have never been afraid to compromise." He addressed Biyu. "Do you know about spirits and great spirits?"


    "Are you not a spirit?"


    The man pursed his lips. "That is the word some people use, and in a sense it does mean the incorporeal. Souls, Lost Souls, and vengeful spirits. The last one in particular. The spirits I am speaking of are something else."


    "Dad, is this the time for a lecture?" his daughter asked.


    "Feasts are to be enjoyed, and I have always enjoyed lectures." He looked around, and pointed. "Nor am I the only one giving one."


    "That''s not a lecture, that''s a story."


    "One with a moral, and thus it teaches."


    "Pedantry. Is this a way to get around the Elders?" the Shaman asked. "I''ll be in trouble because of you."


    "No. Not at all. If anything, I''m saving you from telling her these things. You can just introduce her to the spirits."


    "I''m having Indu do that."


    "Yes, well, the point stands. As I was saying, when we talk about spirits, we mean mana that can think on its own."


    Biyu blinked. "I do not understand?"


    The man smiled brightly. "I''m not sure if this is something the Empire is aware of. Even if it is, it''s probably something only scholars know. There are places in the world where mana pools and collects. They tend to be in natural places like deep old woods, dark caves, old trees, hidden places, or places that are hard to reach like the tops of mountains. Also, the more well known places of power. The places where power accumulates for no known reason. What we call the corpses of Dragons.


    "When mana pools thickly, sometimes it gains a mind. The power to think and manifest their own little techniques. Rarely anything impressive. A little bump in the earth, or a wind to tousle the hair. They can grow, become stronger, and they can be dangerous. Sudden slides of the mountain for no reasons, or a sudden localized squall. Sometimes, they make bodies for themselves. The forms they use can be in the shapes of plants, animals, or people. The forms aren''t fixed, and like clay they can mold themselves from shape to shape."


    Brandon paused, blinking a bit before he colored a little. "I have gone off on a little tangent there. The part to focus on is that they think, but not well. Their thoughts are like those of insects, or the lowest of beasts. They see a thing, they react to it. Something looms, and they run. It is light, and they seek the dark. Things like that. There is no motive soul, no desire, to drive them to seek any goal greater than doing as their limited thoughts demand of them. They do not have purpose, not even to survive though it may seem as though they do. One thing a Shaman does¡ª"


    "Father," his daughter hissed.


    "I''m almost done. Besides, it will be obvious when she finishes her knife." Returning to Biyu, he said, "We can give the spirits new thoughts to act on." The woman threw up her hands, irritated he had said what she warned him not to.


    He gave her an amused look before continuing. "Great spirits are spirits who, like Sacred Beasts, have acquired a soul. We do not know how, but they do. It is the same mystery the Sacred Beasts present. Some consider great spirits to be Sacred Beasts, and I must admit that I''m tempted to agree, except that they are too different.


    "They tend to be strange and difficult to understand, being born from the thoughts of magic that does not need to eat, sleep, or anything animals do. Their motivations and decisions can often be alien and nonsensical to us. However, they can acquire a Human form, and become gods just like Sacred Beasts. Indeed, they are just as often the objects of worship for Elves as Sacred Beasts are."


    The daughter sighed. "Is that all you were going to tell her?"


    "Of course. I could tell her that¡ª" He stopped at her scowl. "But she will figure that out when she makes her knife."


    "If she does, then she does. There is no need to tell her."


    "Yes. Shall we change topics, then?"


    His daughter gave a nod. "Please."


    So they turned to small talk. Biyu was encouraged to share her own life prior to coming to the village. So she told them the story she told Shishi nearly six months prior. The man was scowling darkly, and even his daughter gave Biyu a pitying look. "So, I am enjoying my time in the village. It has a routine, which is comfortable, but I see and experience so many new things." She lifted her arms. "Including rare things, like this feast. If I could, I would arrange a gift for allowing me to participate, but I can think of nothing I can offer that does not pale in comparison."


    Indu was introspective beside her. She knew Biyu''s history, a story she heard while fishing months ago. She was holding Biyu''s arm, but was otherwise distracted with her own thoughts. Neither Shaman spoke to her, chatting with Biyu in a friendly manner. It was a little surreal to Biyu, and she even took a sip of her drink to check if it had alcohol. Even the daughter seemed to be well-disposed towards her. Maybe not friendly, but courteous? Polite interest was new to her, and she realized no one in the village had asked her many questions not meant to deride her. Soon the conversation petered, and Biyu excused them.


    They refreshed their drinks one last time, taking them back to their hut.


    "Is something wrong?" Biyu asked.


    Indu gave Biyu a wan smile as she returned from wherever her thoughts had taken her. "No. Master gave me something to think about." She considered for a moment. "You don''t have to finish the knife, if you don''t want to. I can''t imagine you''ll want to keep it when you leave."


    "They are important, are they not?"


    Indu nodded. "A knife is one of the most important tools for us. We use them to prepare food, butcher carcasses, cut ropes and cloth, and a number of other things. It''s the tool we use every day."


    "It would be a fitting memento of my time in the village."


    "You have your mask," Indu said.


    "This is a memento of you."


    "Surely it can be both?"


    Biyu shook her head. "No. When I think of you, it will be with kindness and friendship. The village? Well, that will be a mixture of the new things I have seen, and the trials of living among the Elves. A knife for tribulation seems right."


    "There is already a meaning in a knife, beyond the utility."


    "And that is?"


    "It is difficult to say. For us, making the knife is like making ourselves. They are an effigy. An important symbol of self."


    "Why was your father¡­" Biyu paused, seeing the tinge of sadness enter Indu''s expression. "Why was your old master insistent I have one?"


    "He wanted you to have a connection to this village, and the Elves. To feel like you are a part of this village, even if just on the edge. He meant it when he said he would have you as an ally of the village."


    "Master said much the same before. What can I do for the Elves?"


    Indu hummed. "Speak on our behalf should the Empire take an interest in us? I think it is a more minor concern, though. You can visit, and bring word of the world beyond the swamp. Maybe bring gifts or items of value, like steel tools or fresh bronze."


    Biyu looked at her fish scale armor, gleaming in the corner of the hut. "Perhaps there is something I can bring back from the Empire. A piece of knowledge, or¡­ I suppose it would be best if I could give you a secret you lost."


    Indu leaned up against Biyu, taking liberties despite not having drunk alcohol this evening, and yawned wide. The night was late, though dawn was still hours away. "Secret?"


    Biyu indulged Indu, feeling happy with how the night had gone. She put an arm around Indu, supporting her as she drowsed. "I would rather not say. Raising the Elves hopes only to dash them would be foul, and it may not be something you want. Should I find it, I will speak with Master."


    Indu did not reply, her breathing slow and steady as she slept.

 8 Meeting Spirits

    Winter passed quietly. Their larder stored in their hut slowly diminished, supplemented with fish Biyu braved the cold and snow for. Other than fishing, they rarely left except to empty the privy or toss refuse. The fish proved a welcome fresh addition to their preserves, but the Kin were in torpor with much reduced appetites. Most of the time they were asleep, and Indu taught Biyu a few games to pass the hours. It was a bleak time when there was little to do and less reason to do it. Biyu spent much of her time not spent making her bone knife practicing a reed flute, but as the winter ground on it wore out until the notes were too sour to enjoy.


    Spring came as a relief, with their larder growing thin. The days once more started to lengthen and the snows of winter melted more often. By the time the trees started budding, and the morning snow was just a brief dusting that melted before the morning was over, Biyu was anxious to return to her old routine. Her body was still strong, her daily exercises doubled during the sleepy winter, but her endurance had dwindled. It showed itself the most the first time she returned to the archery range, but she outlasted most of the Elves due to the enhancement of her body.


    One day, when the weather was warm and the winter left behind, Biyu was called to join the young men and women of the village. Indu was there along with her current master. A dozen younger Elves gathered with a few hunters being sent along to protect them. Without fanfare, they left in boats, and Biyu had to ask Indu where they were going.


    "To finish your knife," Indu answered, indicating the one on Biyu''s hip. Biyu had been advised to always keep it on her, but not to use it too often until it was done.


    "I see," Biyu said. Remembering dispute between Brandon and his daughter over how much to tell her, she did not pursue further answers.


    Indu smiled, seeing her reticence to broach the forbidden topic. "It will be stronger afterward. A proper knife that might last you the rest of your life."


    Biyu nodded and settled in for the trip. She had left the village a few times to harvest edible mushrooms and vegetation with the village children and youths last fall. Now that she nothing to do, except to keep an eye out for danger, she took her time enjoying the sights as a passenger. There were scenes she had not seen since her journey to the village a year ago, and many she had not seen before. Dappled sunlight danced on the surface of the water, and there were places where the water was just clear enough to make out fish just beneath the surface. She spotted what she thought was a snake, but it could have been an illusion made of branches and vines. It was too far away to tell. Wet leaf decay and the slight scent of sulfur with brief moments of stagnating water when the breeze shifted were the scents of the swamp that Biyu had long become acclimatized to, but sometimes they would pass a noxious cloud that had her and the youths holding their breathes or playfully complaining.


    There were frogs, chirping insects, and the trill of birds returned from the north. It was a relaxing trip, and she felt no need to chat with anyone as she enjoyed it. The two youths she and Indu shared the boat with chatted amiably, not minding her presence or silence.


    Heading west, they came to a forest. They beached their boats upon the shore, and gathered for the Shaman to give them directions. Everyone made sure they had their knife and had collected their travel bags. They were led by the Shaman further west while the hunters formed a protective ring around them.


    The forest gave way to rocky foothills as evening came, and they made camp. Indu shared a lean-to with Biyu, curled tight in the evening cool under shared blankets. The night passed slowly, Biyu watching the evening stars and feeling strangely vulnerable spending a night out in the open. They were up before dawn, and began traveling after a quick meal. There was no time for her morning exercise, but she got plenty as they hiked further into foothills.


    They followed a low path around the hills, heading deeper into the mountains. The hunters increased their alert, and would run off in small groups to scout the path while others climbed up the hills to either side. The mountains were the home to Goblins, even if they rarely appeared this far south. No one would risk an ambush.


    After entering a stony ravine close to the mountains, they set up camp once more. This was their destination, and beginning the next day the Elves would be taken in pairs to complete their knives. Hunters began a guard rotation with youths and Biyu joining them in pairs. No one stood watch alone, to reduce the chance of one of them being taken ambushed without anyone noticing. Indu, as a Shaman, would accompany one of the youths to complete their knives. Biyu remain with the youths at the tents, helping with chores, standing a watch, or learning a bit of lore about the land from the hunters in lessons with the young Elves.


    The following morning, after breakfast at the usual hour, the first pair left with a hunter and the Shaman. Biyu was on watch when the group returned for lunch. Indu ate with Biyu as she completed her shift, the hunter pointing out large birds flying high in the air and naming them. After lunch, Indu left with another group, and the last group was completed after dinner. It was after dark when they returned, and the hunter accompanying them was arguing with Indu''s master about the wisdom of continuing so late.


    That night was windy, the wind hollering through the ravine, and Biyu pressed tightly against Indu as the serpent woman tightly hugged her, seeking warmth from the foul wind.


    The next day passed like the previous, until Biyu''s turn came after lunch. She and a young Elven woman joined Indu and her master. They each had to show their knives before departing, even if they were obviously in their belts. Sometimes an Elf would mistakenly take a bronze or steel tool with them, neither of which could be used for the ceremony. That would lead to the Shamans having to make an extra trip, delaying their return to the village. This was a simple means of preventing that.


    The ravine they entered was tall and rocky, and they meandered until they came to two large broad slabs of stone laying on the ground. They were obviously alters. Splatters of ocher paint decorated the tops, along with chips of dry clay. Indu led Biyu to one, and the Elf went to the other. As Biyu knelt before the altar, she looked past it at the stony land beyond. The place had a feeling of weight to it, like the world pressing in on them. It was subtle, and Biyu could almost convince herself that it was just her imagination.


    Biyu laid her knife on the alter at Indu''s direction. Indu gave Biyu a small cup of ocher paint and a brush, along with a small piece of paper with characters she had to paint along the blade of her knife. Biyu started to copy the first character, and she was immediately stopped. The character had been written the wrong way, and it was important to write it correctly. They started again, with Indu running her finger over each character to show how it had to be drawn. When Biyu made a mistake, they would carefully wipe away the character with a cloth before trying again. It took some time before Indu was satisfied, looking over the knife carefully and tracing the characters before nodding in satisfaction.


    Biyu bowed over the knife, and repeated unknown words Indu spoke. They had to be said perfectly, and if she stumbled over one she had to repeat them again from the beginning. Fortunately, Biyu only needed to start over twice before she completed the words. That surprised Biyu, as even though she had to memorize a number of poems and songs, they all had a flow that could be grasped to help learn them. This was just nonsense to her.


    Once they were done with the words, Indu had her knead a piece of clay around a hard chip of stone before shaping it into a loaf and placing it atop the knife. An offering for the spirit, she was told.


    More words were repeated, and this time she was given pieces to memorize before saying it all at once. This took a long time, and the day started to cool when Biyu managed to say it all from start to end. When she was done, small humanoid figures approached from behind stones too small to hide them. They were featureless, like half-finished dolls made of clay with tall pointed hats and pointy beards that made their heads resemble the crescent moon. They came forward skittishly, their eyeless faces turned towards her. The other Elf already had a number around her altar while she and the Shaman sat very still.


    The spirits crept up to the altar, their necks stretched and heads bobbing around as though to sniff the air. Perhaps it was a pantomime, as they had no noses, or it was the strange logic of spirits that they needed no noses to smell. One of them reached for the loaf, and Indu gave her a short new phrase. Biyu repeated it carefully, not moving. The spirit reaching for the loaf of clay halted on hearing them, then turned and scurried away. More did the same, but each time they fled her words a few more crowded in to replace them. Biyu patiently repeated the words each time they reached for the loaf.


    All of Biyu''s spirits startled as the Elf at the other altar cried out, and Biyu barely stopped herself from turning to look. One of the spirits halted as she repeated the words unprompted as a spirit attempted to snatch the loaf of clay while she was distracted. It paused at the words, then gripped the loaf. It hoisted itself onto the alter, and began to eat the loaf by shoving it against its face and letting blend in with its clay like body. Indu gave her a few new words, and Indu repeated them. The spirit''s body blurred, and it sank into the blade beneath it.


    Once it was gone, Indu put her hands on Biyu''s shoulders, scaring away the hopeful spirits looking to see if there was a loaf for them.


    "It''s done. You have completed your knife. It''s now strong like a hard piece of stone, but will still take a sharp edge." Indu paused, and squirmed. "There are words I''m supposed to say, but they don''t really apply to you. The gist is, congratulations, now you''re an adult of the village. Making the blade puts a bit of you in it¡­ it''s an effigy of you. Offer it, and you offer yourself. Keep it hone, to remind you to hone yourself. A vow on it is a vow made on yourself. The symbolism is important, stronger than just words alone."


    Biyu nodded. "I am not a villager, am I?"


    Indu shook her head. "Not really. Maybe they''ll act a little different, finishing a knife means something, but¡­ I don''t think so."


    They waited quietly while the other young woman completed her own knife. Finishing, she looked over at Biyu to see if she could boast, and pouted on seeing the Human who was never taught had managed it first. "You had help," she groused.


    Biyu gave a nod. "You did it yourself?"


    The girl puffed up a bit. "Yeah, I did! Messed up a bit though." She pouted again. "I''m not good at talking with the spirits. Not gonna be a Shaman."


    Biyu perked up. "Is that one of the reasons you do this? To test if someone can be a Shaman?"


    "Ya," the girl said. "It''s a bit of an honor, being a Shaman. It''s like being a young Elder." She glanced at Indu, who was trailing behind them with her master.


    "Well, snaky girl don''t count. I mean, when your mom''s a god?"


    Biyu felt a pang at that. "Master has Elven children too, does she not?"


    The girl pursed her lips. "Ya, I think there is an Elder and maybe a couple hunters? We don''t really keep track of that. I mean, doesn''t make a lot of sense for someone to be all that special ''cause their parent was."


    "You just said Indu was."


    "Well, ya, but she is closer. I mean, she''s more Sacred Beast than People."


    Biyu bit back the urge to argue. "She has always been a person to me."


    "Ya, but then¡­" the girl trailed off, and then looked at Biyu again, her eyes glancing back and forth. "Ah, sorry. Forgot¡ªI mean forget it!" She nodded her head and then trotted a little ahead.


    There was another day to complete, this one slow for Biyu who spent more time looking at her knife of bone and leather than anything else. She herself had enchanted it, and that had more meaning than she had expected. Eventually, she put the blade away. Looking around, she noted she was not alone in admiring their finished blades. More than a few Elves were already keeping the bone knives on their hips, the ornamentation of beads and feathers distinguishing it from common tools.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Time passed, Elves steadily completed their knives, and it came time to return. The trip in reverse took the familiar scenes of their trip out and made them new again. The fact that the view coming and going was so different was something Biyu was still new to. Crossing rocky ground while watching the forest loom into a row of trees edged with choking brush reminded her of leaving her village, but only in broad strokes. The trees were a different kind, and here the ground dipped down into a hollow the trees grew in. They camped in the forest this time, not quite reaching their boats. The last night of their journey, there was a small feast to celebrate, and the Shaman performed a few tricks for entertainment. It was an affair just for those who had finished their knives, the real party not until they returned to the village. The night here was warmer than in the ravine, and Biyu had a good night''s rest after having her fill looking at the stars.


    When they reached the boats, one of the hunters had the corpse of a goat. They put it into the boat Indu and Biyu had claimed. No one else joined them, splitting up among the rest. Indu took charge of piloting their boat. For a while, they followed the others before Indu turned them in a different direction while giving a hand sign for goodbye. Biyu shifted from watching for pleasure to paying attention as they split off, realizing she needed watch for the many dangers of the swamp.


    They traveled a while until they came to a small meadow rising up in the middle of the swamp. Trees surrounded the meadow, with a colorful woven rope decorated with charms strung from tree to tree as an enclosing boundary. Indu brought the boat into a nook between some roots to hold the boat steady and keep it from drifting.


    "Take the goat, and toss it into the grass. Do not go near the rope."


    Biyu lifted the small corpse. As she shifted its weight, the boat rocked, and Indu wedged her pole into the branches and the boat to keep it from tipping. Stepping out onto a root, Biyu managed to get a firm footing, and she heaved the animal over the rope and a few feet into the meadow where it landed with a splat. A bad smell rose up as the goat landed, flattening a patch of grass. Unable to get a good view from ground level, Biyu lifted herself up into the tree, careful not to cross the boundary.


    At first nothing notable happened, except the body slowly sank into the muck. Suddenly, the body jerked. There was a cracking sound as the body of the goat suddenly jerked as if gripped from within the mud. The body jerked and shook back and forth, and the bones in the body made grinding noises as it started to rise back out of the mud, revealing the lower half had been crushed and ground.


    Something started to rise up from the muck, sharp points sloughing off the viscous muck of the hidden quagmire. Strangely jointed fingers held the goat, blood squeezing out of what Biyu tried to think of as a fist. The smell of rot increased as the squelching horror revealed itself. Bones poked out of the slimy mud connected in all the wrong ways. It had too many torsos, some large and some small, haphazardly joined with legs and arms that flailed wildly. Skulls adorned the body, stuck without rhyme or reason, dominated by the head of a deer with its massive rack of antlers on top of the amalgamation.


    A burbling hiss of sound rose up, as it reached another jerking, misshapen limb for the corpse. Bits of decayed flesh and fur showed as the coating of mud revealed more of the body beneath. Worms or leaches squirmed within the flesh, their naked white flesh glistening as they wriggled. It grasped the goats head, and then the limbs jerked apart, ripping the animal in half. The thing proceeded to rip and tear into the goat, peeling off its fur and shredding the flesh. The limbs were torn off. Leeches or worms wriggled along limbs, racing to the fresh flesh. The creature of mud, flesh and bone made more noises, the many skulls turning towards Biyu. Then it hurled a leg at her, and she lightly dropped from the tree back into the boat.


    "Its angry because the goat wasn''t alive," Indu said. Her voice was tightly controlled as she freed her pole and worked them from the roots. She yelled at the thing in the language Biyu thought of as spirit speech, and it burbled back while reaching for the boundary.


    "It cannot pass the barrier," Indu said as she pushed the boat away. They moved quickly away as the thing shied away at the edge of its meadow. "But with Sucking Death, I will not risk it." There was a wet roar and raucous noises as the creature made its rage at being denied known.


    Once they had gone far enough that they could no longer hear the creature, Indu offered an explanation. "That was Sucking Death. It is an abomination." She paused, considering how to continue. "That is a place where things die. The mud holds fast, sucking you down into it to drown. It is also a place where magic pools, and spirits are created. That mud pit made spirits of mud and death. What do you think a spirit of death does?"


    "Kill?" Biyu asked.


    "That''s what most people imagine. That''s not what they actually do. They lure, trick, or charm people into entering dangerous places. At night, they can appear as ghost lights, little flashes of light that appeal for the viewer to follow. They can be a desire a person can''t quite place, beckoning them to go somewhere they shouldn''t.


    "So, there are spirits of death to lure the victim, and spirits of mud that drown them. That''s not all. The spirits have learned how to bind souls, making them into something akin to a demon, but not. It''s a necromantic horror, a conglomeration of victims and vengeful spirits, that grows stronger with every death. Even animals feed it."


    They turned to look back the way they had come, as though they could see the horror that only got worse as it was described to Biyu.


    "That is where Mother puts the souls she finds repugnant. The ones forbidden to mingle with the souls in her Hell. She traps them in Sucking Death, where they are forever tormented with the feeling of drowning to death, the ravishes of frustrated vengeful spirits, and the death spirits intent on spreading the misery to others. That is the worst punishment Mother has. She uses it as a punishment of last resort."


    "Will the boundary hold if it fed?" Biyu asked.


    "We regularly renew it. Sucking Death is far weaker than Mother. If it were to get free, though, it would be a pox on the Empire. The world. I think the Sacred Beasts would join the gods of the Empire to destroy it." She gave a small shudder.


    "Why is it not in Master''s Hell?" Biyu asked.


    "Mother finds it distasteful¡­ and we use Sucking Death for executions of the very worst offenders. That said, she keeps it close to her Hell."


    Biyu looked around. "We are near her Hell?"


    "Not anymore."


    Biyu nodded. It took a while before she asked the question. "How does she know who deserves that kind of punishment?"


    Indu considered that, before looking at Biyu. "If you want an answer, ask the Sinner. He knows all of our greatest crimes. I prefer not to think about it."


    "Is it a great spirit?"


    "We don''t know. It speaks, but it is obviously mad. It has more than one voice, and it calls itself by more than one name. We think it really is a conglomeration. Many things made into one whole."


    There was silence while they traveled, Indu giving Biyu time to take in what they had seen and talked about. Putting cheer into her voice, Indu said, "Our next stop is much more pleasant. It''s where I got the wood for your mask."


    "What is the next great spirit like?"


    "We call it Dryad Tree. An old tree that collected enough mana to become a spirit, then gained a soul. It is a kindly spirit. It gives us wood to make living spears. You have never seen one in use, have you?"


    Biyu shook her head.


    "Imagine a spear that can bend to attack your opponent rather than just strike straight. A weapon that can heal damage to itself including fixing its own tip. The hunters covet them, and each of them work to earn their own. There is a ceremony for earning it. Perhaps you will be allowed to participate, but I do not think so. It takes years to earn that privilege."


    Biyu nodded at that, trying to imagine fighting a person with a weapon that actively worked with her opponent to fight her. Lately her spars required her to face two opponents, with Weapon Master pointing out that with her advantages he expected more from her.


    They entered a piece of marsh surrounded by swamp, and lifting her head up to take in its massive height, Biyu could not believe she could not see it from the village. It was a mighty oak, a tree that should not be in a swamp, and technically it was not. It grew on top of a small rocky island, the stone cracked by thick roots.


    Sitting in the boat, Biyu stared at the tree and took in its magnificence.


    "Impressed?" Indu asked as she pushed their boat onto the island. She urged Indu to leave the boat and walk toward the tree.


    Biyu nodded. "Why do we not see it from the village?"


    "Mother is the swamp, yes? So she can control it. The swamp is larger than it should be, though only by a little bit if you don''t include her Hell. If you are not a villager, navigating the swamp will twist and turn you about, trying to lead you back out. Invaders will be attacked by the animals here, and you have seen how dangerous they can be if you aren''t prepared for them. Knights could be a hassle¡­ but it amounts to, if Mother does not think you should be able to see something, you will not. Dryad Tree should be visible outside the swamp, but I assure you no Human has seen it. Let me see if it will appear to us in its body."


    Indu looked up at the tree, and spoke a few words in the language Biyu was starting to find familiar. The leaves shook in response, though it could have been a breeze. Indu spoke a few more words, and gave a sad smile.


    "I''m sorry, Biyu, she will not appear for us today."


    "That is fine. I think this is enough." She thought for a moment, and then asked, "Do we have time?"


    "I''ll show you one more spirit, but it''s in the village. We are only a little way away, so we have a bit of time. Not much if we want to return before dark."


    Biyu turned, and gave a deep bow to the spirit. Straightening, she took a practiced straight backed pose. Taking a moment to remember the music, Biyu started to dance at the base of the tree. It was a dance of gratitude, one of the ones she had been well instructed in. She went through the motions with practiced ease, and she could feel she was keeping the tempo even without the music.


    Indu watched, her face slack as she watched the display. The movements were crisp and exact, nothing like the dances Biyu had taught her. When Biyu was done, she finished with another bow. She remained bent for a long time, an obeisance to the great spirit she did not know the worship of. The hairs of her body stood on end as a surge of power flowed her. It lasted but a moment, and the tree shook.


    "Your offering is appreciated, and you have been given a gift." Indu swallowed. "The Dryad Tree has gifted your mask with the seed of a soul."


    Biyu rose from her bow, so she could bow once more and more deeply in gratitude. She did not think she needed Indu''s translation for the next susurration. Rising, she went with Indu back to the boat.


    Indu was silent as they return to the village, where an Elf helped them tie up the boat to the side of the raft and give Indu a hand up. Biyu followed, and thanked the Elf. He waved it off, returning to the village.


    "I have to tell my Master about that," Indu said. Awe lit her face as she looked at Biyu.


    "It was a gift for a gift. I did not deserve more," Biyu said. "When a god grants you a boon, you return an offering."


    Indu nodded, and she asked, "Are you a Shaman, or whatever Humans have?"


    Biyu contemplated that. "Gods do have Priests, but most of the time nobles lead their people in feasts, celebrations, and worship. So, I am something like one when there is no Priest."


    "Oh," Indu said. "I thought a noble was just a person who told other people to do things."


    Biyu favored Indu with a smile. "That is a part of it."


    Evening was upon them, and fires were lighting up the raft for the evening revelry. They came to a hut, and Indu opened the door and led them in. The room smelled of fermenting fish, and Biyu could not choose between disgust and hunger at the scent.


    Indu led them to a large covered pot. It was obviously old but well cared for. Indu touched the pottery surface. "This is Fermentation Pot." She gave a smile. "It is very old, and has been used to ferment fish every year for at least a hundred years. It is a greater spirit, and unlike others¡­ well, Pot, this is Biyu. A Human."


    There was a quiet hiss of gasses, and then a deep, breathy male voice spoke. "A Human? Oh, how exciting! What is a Human?"


    "They are¡­ Biyu? I don''t know how to answer that."


    "Elves that hate Elves," Biyu said.


    Indu snorted a laugh, and covered her mouth.


    Pot hummed. "You hate Elves?"


    "Not really. I used to, but now I do not."


    "Oh, so now you are an Elf?" Pot asked cheerily.


    "No, but it is hard to give a better answer."


    "Oh. Well, I don''t really know what Elves are, so it''s all good, I guess?"


    Indu gave Biyu a smile. "Pot is very old, but he is not very wise. He mostly just makes fermented fish taste better."


    "Oh yeah! When I do that, you all are so nice to me. You give me things and dance for me and give me food I can''t eat. It''s so nice."


    Biyu chuckled, and put a hand against Pot. It felt no different from other pottery. "Should I dance for you too?"


    "Oh, will it be a Human dance? I''ve never seen one of those! Please do! I can''t actually see anything, though. No eyes. I tried to talk them into giving me some, but they refused."


    "It would ruin your aesthetic," Indu said.


    Biyu thought a moment, and then she did a dance she rarely practiced. It was closer to a tumbler''s performance than a dance, and she felt silly doing it. She rolled and bounced around the room, careful of the other pots. It included moments of stamping her feet and clapping her hands, before another round of dancing. At the end, she gave a short bow.


    "Oh, that was fun!" Pot said.


    "You saw it?" Indu asked while Biyu straightened her clothes.


    "Of course not!" Pot said. "How could I see any of that? I could feel it though. Joy and merriment! Like you people at night, but all for me. Thank you!" It was silent a moment, and they prepared to leave. "Wait! I''m supposed to do something nice for you, because you did something nice for me, aren''t I?"


    "It is in thanks for when I eat the fish you ferment. Something you have done, and will do."


    "Eh, but I already get thanked for that. This feels special. Like I should do something more. Hey! Master!"


    There was a moment of silence as Indu and Biyu looked at Pot.


    "What do you need, Pot?" Shishi asked. She was behind them in her Human guise, without having passed through the door. Biyu and Indu startled at her appearance.


    "Biyu did a nice dance for me. What do I do? Like, I have to do something right?"


    Shishi hummed to let Pot know she was thinking. "Sometimes one is thanked for things they did not do, Pot. We try to repay them, but sometimes there is nothing we can do. Little Pot, give them thanks, and do your best to make the fermented fish just a little better."


    "Oh, I already do my best! And they always thank me for it." Pot chattered its lid a moment. "Thank you Biyu. I¡­ no! Bring me a fish. A little one. I''ll ferment it, just for you!"


    "Thank you, Pot. It is late, and I have tasks to do. May I bring it tomorrow afternoon?"


    "You better, or I''ll curse you!"


    Biyu turned to Shishi. "Master, is he allowed to do it?"


    "When you snub the favor of a god? Of course, he can."


    At the words, Biyu paused to look at Pot once more. A large old piece of pottery that had a mind and a soul. A person and more than a person. A young god, like her. And it was pottery. Biyu had to put it out of her mind. It was a last absurdity in a truly absurd day. If she thought about it too much, she thought she might break.


    She bowed. "Of course, Pot. Be patient. I am going to catch a fish, just so you may bless it for me."


    The pot could not do anything, but she could feel its smugness at her promise.

 9 What They Want

    Biyu slowly drew the arrow back, increasing the tension that would speed the arrow down the range. She sighted the target while keeping both eyes looking down range. Finding the correct stance, she held the pose a moment longer while checking her breathing. When she felt a perfect moment, she released the arrow and the shaft sprouted from the target. Taking a moment for her muscles to relax, she rolled her shoulders before reaching for her next arrow for her next shot. Three more, and she would take a break before switching to quick fire exercises. Biyu released the next arrow, and it hit her target. She was only firing at a distance of twenty yards. For the Elves, that was still considered close even though she was using a smaller bow than the standard. After more than a year training in the village, she had plenty of practice in reinforcing her body to better draw her bow. The standards of the Elves for the bow were very high.


    Her instructor watched her training without comment. They had reached the point where practice was worth more than instruction, and so he only spoke up if she started a bad habit or became distracted. Finishing the last arrow, she stretched her arms and paced to stretch her legs.


    It was unnecessary, but she triggered [Heal Self], letting the magic accelerate her recovery. Her Master encouraged her to use her techniques as often as she could. Use of mana was the most well known means of growing one''s pool during the early stages of growth, although its benefits would taper by the time her pool tripled. Devouring souls would outstrip it, if she was aggressive in pursuing that Path against her Master''s advice.


    Biyu was currently dressed in a way that the Empire would consider indecent. Cloth wrap bound her breasts to her chest, and her trousers cut to her mid-thigh that hung from her hips exposing her thin waist. She wore sandals on the raft, like most, the soles coated with a sticky tar to grip water slicked wood. It was late in her second summer here, and the humid swamp clung to her even without clothes to suck up moisture and sweat. That had been the worst part of her first summer, sweating in the humid summer while encumbered by sweat soaked clothes. Here in the village, wearing so little was unusual but unremarkable. Hunting women would wear just as little when relaxing on a hot day, and those going for a swim in the water would wear less.


    One thing Biyu noticed after spending summer days like this, was that the majority of Elves stopped referring to her as a child, despite her height. She lacked the softness of children, and her body was corded and strong. The times she went to a meal dressed down, she was made to take a larger serving, with admonishments she should eat more.


    Cool down complete, Biyu returned to her practice. Arrows were drawn and sent down range in rapid succession. Instead of taking her time to aim, this practice required her to fire ten arrows as quickly as she could while hitting the target. It had to be within a ten count, and all ten had to hit the target. The closer all the arrows were to the center of the target, the better she did. She pulled arrow after arrow and fired, feeling the heat of exertion in her arms. There was a loud splash, and she saw a flume of water out of the corner of her eye. She did not pause to look. As the last arrow hit the target, she stared in surprise. All of them had struck the target. Not the center, but within the outer boundary.


    "Good," her instructor praised. "From now on, thirty yards."


    She turned and bowed to the instructor. "Yes, Range Master."


    "You''ll never be great," the man warned her, something she had heard since before she held a bow for the first time. "But you will be good if you maintain your practice, and use what you learn."


    She bowed again. Formalities done, she turned to Indu and gave another bow. "Greetings, Indu. How may I help you?"


    Indu rolled her eyes at that, her face breaking into a grin. "I was fishing and saw you. I wanted to watch you practice. Shall we compete with bows?"


    Biyu shook her head. Her hands went to her hips in pantomime of a stern expression. The mask she wore lowered its brows. "I will not compete in bows. I will not compete in the javelin. I will not compete in swimming! I will compete in walking. Shall we begin?"


    Indu giggled. Walking was the only thing Biyu could reliably do better than Indu, and only because walking was something Indu physically could not do. Biyu would not race Indu either. As terrifyingly fast as the woman was in the water, on land she was faster than Biyu even when she burned mana to push her body beyond what was safe with mana enhancement.


    Biyu unstrung her bow. The wood the bows were made of, spirit wood, would ''heal'' damage. That meant that removing the string was not required, but if she took a bow with her through Human lands it would be unstrung. The average Human would only know it from stories, so they would think an unstrung one a walking stick, but having it strung would likely get her hunted as an Elf.


    Indu remained in the water, watching her, the woman''s tail moving through the water to keep her afloat. "Will you swim with me today?" she finally asked.


    "After lunch. I''m free this afternoon, unless Master has found a task for me."


    Indu spun around, her back to Biyu. "I asked her not to," the snake woman said.


    "Then I will swim with you."


    The woman raised her hands in victory, sinking into the water a bit. She swam off as Biyu watched, amused.


    When they met, Biyu suspected it and had been told as much, but she knew that Indu was unpopular in the village. The village Sinner claimed she should have died in childhood, culled along with most of Shishi''s Kin children. It was not his decision to make, as Kin were not part of his purview. Instead, Shishi was expected to kill her if she proved a danger to the village.


    Indu was both a fisher and a Shaman. Despite the respect her role as Shaman should have granted her, being a Kin negated almost all of it. She was an outsider, and the Elves told stories to remember the Kin of the past who had been put down. Some Elves thought the living Kin should be exiled, even if they were not dangerous.


    Part of the issue was that Indu could not have children with the Elves. They were too different, and unlike her mother she could not take on a humanoid form. That meant that she could not marry like the Elven children of Shishi, and would not be able to bring a new generation into the world. She would never be an ancestor herself.


    Biyu did not share the Elves'' bias to Kin. Having Indu for a friend was precious to her. It was something she had always wanted, but could never have. Sometimes she was tempted to request to stay in the village, but Indu and Hak were the only ones that liked her. No one shared their names with her except the Kin and Shishi. Most did little more with her beyond shared meals and inane conversation. Biyu was allowed to join their festivities, but being allowed and being welcome were different things. At dances, she had no partner unless Indu or Hak were there. That was as far as the Elves'' hospitality extended. She ate their food, stole their trainers'' time, and what she gave back was a pittance of what they gave her. Before she could be a productive member of the village, she would leave. Most were happy enough to consider that repayment.


    After archery, she went to the training grounds, she practiced the sword and shield with Weapon Master. Her schedule had changed in the new year, rearranging as students were shuffled to different groups based on their skills. People sparred with her now, no longer concerned she would kill them. However, with her enhanced abilities, only Weapon Master could keep up with her when she wanted to test the extent of her abilities one on one.


    At lunch, she ate with Shishi and Hak. Indu was still in the water, her preferred place to be during the hot days of summer, and she made a meal of the fish she caught. Today the village was serving swamp stew. It was full of edible shoots of reeds, the meat of giant salamanders, and tubers that could be found just beyond the swamp''s edge. The giant salamander was an unintelligent creature that was easy to kill. Biyu had hunted one, once, with Hak as her guide during her tracking lessons. It was edible, but she was beginning to miss chicken and pork.


    After her meal, she swam with Indu. They played a version of tag. Indu hid under the water, and Biyu practiced swimming by seeking her in the depths. Afterwards, they sunned themselves dry on a rocky outcropping with Indu curled against Biyu''s side. Biyu had long given up on stopping Indu from indulging in her need for physical contact.


    They stayed that way, quiet for a while. Then Indu asked in a small voice, "Do you have to go?"


    "The village does not want me here. I am not leaving yet, nor will I be leaving soon. I still have a lot to learn before I go. My instructors agree I am improving, but I need more experience."


    Indu shifted until her reptilian eyes looked into Biyu''s from a close distance. "We can find a place. Just for you and me. Somewhere away from here. Maybe the Shadowlands? Or somewhere up north, where the Humans have not settled yet? Or, we could bring the rest of the Kin."


    Biyu closed her eyes. It hurt, a little, to turn the invitation down. There were too many reasons why she should, and she knew Indu knew them all. Indu wanted to dream a little. A dream where she and her friend could be together forever. A dream that Biyu could not indulge. The other woman was already too attached to her, and encouraging it would not be good for either of them.


    "A happy dream. I wish I could."


    "You never play along," the woman bemoaned, her head nestling into Biyu''s shoulder.


    Biyu stroked the bald scalp.


    "I wish you were a male Kin. I think I would love you. Perhaps I do," Indu said. Biyu paused for only a moment in her petting. If Indu noticed, she did not remark on it. "If you won''t stay or leave with me, then will you remember me?"This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Biyu was surprised. "Of course," she said. "I am sure you will pray to me constantly for attention. How could I forget you?"


    Indu curled in tighter, her face pushed into Biyu''s bony chest. Biyu thought the woman was crying in her own way. "I have to go in the future. Enjoy our time now. Do not mourn the future before it happens." She offered a smile, but she feared it was wan. She could feel her mask twist to match it. "Then, we will have the happy memories to remember each other by. We will commune, sometimes, my little worshiper."


    Indu gave Biyu a hug. Biyu hugged the woman back, and it was easy for her. The woman asked for something that was important, and not lightly given. "Can I see your face?" she asked.


    Biyu did not want to, not even for her friend, but because she was her friend she felt obligated. "I will show you three times, and only three times. Now. On a day of my choosing. On the day I leave." Then she removed the mask the way Indu had taught her. She could smile, but she would not give Indu a forced, polite smile. She showed Indu her face at rest.


    Indu gazed into it. "You have a beautiful face. Mother did not exaggerate. Thank you."


    Biyu replaced the mask. "Do you feel something for me now? Lust? Envy?"


    "No more or less than before. It is not the face of a Kin. So, beautiful, but not in that way. Like how you might feel seeing a magnificent stag. Handsome, but not arousing."


    Biyu sighed in relief. They swam to the raft while the day was still hot, and let themselves dry while getting dinner. Hak joined them, but as usual Invidia was nowhere to be found. She was a rare case, Human in every way, except for a certain crucial difference. She chose to be a hermit, unable to handle being so like everyone else, but so different in such a fundamental way.


    After dinner, Indu insisted that they sleep together. That she felt the need to demand it seemed strange, as Biyu woke up with Indu cuddled against in the morning. Biyu fell asleep in the serpent woman''s always surprisingly warm coils. It was a warm night, but Biyu slept well.


    The next day was routine, and that evening she was tasked with fishing. Indu tried to follow, but her mother set denied her. Instead, she was in a boat with Invidia, who was grumpily staring at the water.


    Invidia had a wonderful figure, which made the shame of her situation all the worse. The woman could easily attract a husband. Yet, she could only consummate with another Kin. Being so close to being an Elf, she had the usual drives and that left her frustrated.


    They fished in silence. Biyu felt no desire to speak, and Invidia was not the type to start a conversation. Or so it usually went.


    "You know, my sister''s smitten with you," she grumbled.


    "I know," Biyu replied. There was not much else for her to say to that.


    "I know she can''t go with you, but can I? It might be nice, being around people who don''t know."


    Biyu shook her head. "Humans feel disgust when they hear the word Elf. If they see you, they will know. You will be hunted. Killed. There is a long-standing bounty on Elves."


    Invidia scrubbed her face. "Then, I got a favor to ask." Biyu gestured for her to go on. "When you go out into the world, can you find us snake or reptile Kin? I know Humans and Elves don''t get along, but I think even the Elders get you aren''t dangerous to us. Not directly. You probably won''t get free passage to the village anymore, but you''ll be able to contact us. I''m sure Mother will keep an eye on you."


    "A quest?" asked Biyu. "What is the reward?"


    Invidia snorted. "Making Indu happy ain''t enough?"


    "A joke," said Biyu. "If I can, I will. But, do not hold your breath."


    "I won''t," said Invidia. "But I will hope. I''ll even pray to you, if that reminds you that we asked you for something."


    "My second worshiper," Biyu exclaimed. She wished she was better at feigned excitement. "What about the Heavens?"


    "They say the Litanies come from the way you live your life. Not much point hoping for the Heavens when you ain''t really lived your life, yeah? Besides, in the swamp, it''s all Mom''s Hell for us. Can''t really get away from it, yeah?"


    That made Biyu smile in sympathy, and Invidia jolted a little to see it.


    "What if I find the secrets of making you more like a Human?"


    "I think Indu and me''d be happy with that. Can''t say with Hak," said Invidia. She worked her pole, fighting a fish that splashed in the water. She was an old hand, and when she pulled it in there was a large fish hanging from the line. They finished the fishing trip in near silence.


    Like the previous day, Biyu''s day started normally. Morning katas were followed by archery. Trying to hit the target at thirty yards felt awful, like she had made no progress at all in the previous year. Looking down range, it did not look that much further. She heard the Range Master snort as she missed again, but he was polite enough to pretend he had not choked in a laugh.


    After archery was dagger and sword practice. She was getting rather good with the weapons. Being small gave her an advantage, as between the length of her blades and her height she posed a small, well guarded target. Sparring partners found it difficult to pin her down. Add in her physical enhancements, and she could hold her own. Her agility, one of the traits the empowering of her body most enhanced, she kept toned down, so her opponents stood a chance. She did not take it too easy on them, since they loved unarmed combat day when she had difficulty fighting back. Being strong meant little when your opponent could toss you over 10 yards into the water.


    Biyu had lunch, and it came with another unusual task. Biyu and Hak would go to the woods to hunt. Hak was a natural hunter. He was good with his bow, strong, and an expert with the javelin. Hak was also one of the few to master the use of the sling among the Elves, and many considered him the village master. The current Range Master was good with the bow and javelin, but he could not use a sling at all.


    Hak was keeping watch as Biyu hunted down a large monitor lizard. It was suspected of being the child of Sacred Beasts, but it was as dumb as the giant salamanders. There was no hint of magical power from the creature, either. It was just far more dangerous in the mundane way. It had sharp teeth and claws, and was a bit heavier than Biyu herself.


    Biyu had her javelin gripped tight in her hand, her prey in sight. She was too far away to be sure of a hit. If she could get the creature to charge, then she had a change to hit it as it came at her. Unfortunately, the creature was quick enough to dodge the attack. Hak would interfere if she was in danger, but it would be foolish to rely on him to save her. Besides which, being saved would tarnish the people who trained her. That would make them angry.


    Instead, she snuck up a tree and moved from branch to branch until she reached one above the reptile. Hooking her legs on the branch to secure her seat, she gave it a gentle shake when the wind blew to ensure it would not break beneath her. Javelin ready, she waited while keeping her eyes fixed on the creature. When her training told her the moment was right, she twisted her body to put as much power into the javelin as she could, sending it speeding at the beast. It struck and pierced deeply into its hide. Biyu had prepared the tip with poison from her [Envenom] technique. The poison she chose would cause paralysis until the lizard suffocated while not tainting the meat. If she was further along her Path, she could use [Poison Control] to remove the poison, but even with that handy technique she would follow the rules the Elves had given her about poisons. The horror stories Elves told about people who shirked safety were terrible, even when they were funny.


    Biyu watched the creature react to its wound as she sat on her perch. It hissed loudly and turned circles trying to find who dared attack it. It was already staggering. One of its legs tangled with the javelin, and it fell over. Scrambling back up, the javelin dislodged from its side. That was fine. She watched the beast as it sought her once more. The creature stumbled, and fell onto its side again. It gasped and fought futilely against death. When it finally died, Biyu checked her surroundings. Finding it clear of dangers, she slid off the branch and walked up to the carcass. Hak appeared and helped her put the beast into a boat.


    Climbing in after the carcass, they poled the boat back to the village. There it would be butchered and eaten just like any other animal the Elves hunted, after they verified it was safe.


    On the way back, Hak asked a question. His voice was a broken rasp, and he used gestures of his hands to supplement his speech. Biyu understood the question as, "If you were us, would you violate the taboo?"


    Biyu considered the question. "I think I would. The Heavens are denied me. What does it matter if I break a rule like that? But, only if I knew I wanted a family. I¡­ I know it is something I am supposed to want. I do not know if I want it."


    Hak lowered his head, considering her answer. "Will you forgive me, if I convince Indu to be my wife?"


    "Why do you need me to forgive you?" Biyu asked. She suspected the answer, but she did not know it.


    "I will pray to you, as Indu does. If you are my afterlife, then it is prudent to be in your god''s good graces."


    Biyu closed her eyes. "Talk to your mother first. If she is fine with it¡­ ask Invidia if she will accept you too. If both are fine, make yourselves a new village. If Invidia does not accept you, but will go with you, then I will attempt to fulfill her request."


    Hak''s eyes snapped to her face. "What is her request?"


    Biyu was watching the scenery pass by the boat, looking for danger. "First, to find other Kin. Snakes or reptiles. To try and bring you together. Second, if I do not find them, find someone willing to make her more Human."


    Hak frowned in his own way, with his body and not his face, moving automatically to propel their boat. He took in a deep breath, and slowly let it out. "You will try to do this?" he asked.


    "It was an honest request. I will not promise success. If I do succeed, it will probably be by accident. But, I will try."


    Hak nodded gravely. "We are long-lived. There is no hurry except the desire to see the faces of your children." He let the quiet reign as he thought. "Ten years." Determination filled his gestures. "I will wait ten years after you leave before I ask Indu. I will not have faith. I cannot. Hope is an enemy. Lady Dreams my personal devil. But I will wait to meet other Kin." He met her eyes to communicate his commitment. "I do not wish to be more Human like Indu and Invidia. Unlike them, I am happy as me."


    Biyu thought about it. She kept her lips pressed together. "I have one requirement."


    "Yes?"


    She lifted a finger pointedly. "Do not regret waiting. I did not ask you to. It is the proper thing to do, but if the future proves the decision a wrong one, do not regret it. You made the best decision you could. Promise me this."


    He bowed to her. "I cannot promise I will not regret it, but I promise to remember your words." Biyu sighed, and looked up into the spare branches spreading above her and clipping away pieces of the sky. This was the best she could do. Three worshipers had chosen her as their patron, and they had come to her with their first request. A friend she adored who asked for something she could not give. A bitter woman dealt a bad hand in life; almost as bad as hers. A quiet man whose mind she did not fully comprehend. They had given her a quest she wished to complete, but she had no idea how to. For now, she would defer it.


    <hr>


    The second time Biyu showed Indu her face, it was when Indu gave her a present. It was a bow and quiver Indu had fashioned for her, both made from spirit wood. The bow was etched with characters from the Elven magic language, and looked like stanzas of a poem. She was told that one would increase the sturdiness of the bow, so that it could be drawn further when pulled. Another would allow it to keep itself in good repair. The last allowed the string to be renewed too, as something that was not part of it. It was left bound to one end, but it could be replaced if necessary.


    The quiver was constructed from wood with a leather cap, made to be worn at the hip. It held an enchantment that would create a single arrow each week. Biyu could expend her own mana to speed up the process, but no faster than a single arrow a day. The arrows were sharp and well-made, but as magical constructs they would only last a short time once removed from the quiver, which kept the arrows viable. Only twenty total arrows could be made before it could make no more, all of its power put into maintaining the arrows it had manufactured. Trying to recover the arrows would be pointless, as they would start to break apart after a few minutes even if they did not break on use.


    It was a wonderful gift, and she hugged Indu in thanks. Indu told her that she loved her. Biyu replied she adored her, maintaining the distance between them. Indu hugged her a little tighter.

 10 City in the Sky

    It was the end of Biyu''s third summer in the village of the Elves. The proverb that people could become accustomed to anything proved itself, as much of the hostility and resentment from her first year was now little more than a general undercurrent of disapproval and indifferent courtesy. She was a trainee hunter now, and would regularly accompany Hak or the hunting parties to cull poisonous lizards in the swamp, hunt giant salamanders for food, or accompany them on trips into the forests proper to hunt for deer or forest fowl. Biyu was still forbidden from hunting with a bow, so she used javelins that she crafted herself. Hak had taught her how to make and use them, and she was a fair enough hand at it that she was given opportunities to take game herself.


    [Envenom] was a useful technique which gave her what amounted to an unlimited supply of the village''s hunting poison. As long as she could pierce the animal its death was all but assured. There were only a few poisons she could safely use if the animal was intended for consumption, to prevent the meat from becoming tainted. Most of the time, she used the village''s hunting poison.


    It was on her return from a hunt with a hunting party that Indu called for her. She peeled off from the hunters hauling the deer carcasses, gesturing ''I am off''. She received offhand acknowledgment.


    They hugged a greeting, something Indu had spent a year training her to do, before speaking. "Biyu, it has been decided that you will walk the Trail of Ancestors."


    Biyu blinked. "I have no ancestors here."


    Shaking her head, Indu said, "It''ll be different from the usual. We won''t tell you the stories about the trials, and no on will tell you how to find the path. Nor will you go alone. I will be your guide. Our destination is not the Village of the Ancestors. It will be the City in the Sky."


    "What is the City in the Sky?"


    "The village of Lost Souls and those who are not ancestors. Imperials who got lost and died in the swamp, or those looking to take a bounty on the Elves. Some of the Elves who exiled themselves from the Village of the Ancestors, due to their lack of achievements of failures in life."


    "Why?"


    Indu squirmed a little. "Master¡ªBrandon¡ªhas been petitioning for you to walk the Trail ever since he met you." Her eyes turned away. "Mother has offered her own voice in support of allowing you to take the Trail, as it''s part of your training as a god. The Sinner objected, but he had to admit there was no precedence in his histories. No one has a strong argument for why you should not visit Lost Souls. There is little you could learn to the detriment of the village."


    "There is something you are not telling me," Biyu said.


    "There is," Indu agreed.


    Biyu considered Indu, and the way she nervously refused to meet her eyes. "What do I need to bring?"


    "Some nice clothing. I already have the offerings for the Sacred Beasts ready."


    "Sacred Beasts?"


    "The Trials. Don''t worry about it."


    Biyu looked at the clothes she wore. "Do I need to wear a long tunic?"


    Indu shook her head. "But a dress robe would be appropriate. You shouldn''t need weapons, but do bring some food and your knife."


    Biyu nodded, and trotted to her hut to prepare for a journey.


    <hr>


    Indu propelled their boat, the only one who knew how to find the path. Biyu was allowed to play her flute to pass the hours of travel. For some reason, Indu did not look happy to be with traveling with Biyu even though it meant that the two of them would be together for the coming weeks. The path was scenic, and Biyu''s song was one Indu usually sang along with, but she remained mute and increasingly down.


    A large frog, with eyes as large as Biyu''s head, pushed up out of the water and rocked the boat. Biyu turned toward it reflexively, her hand reaching for a dagger she had brought. Being away from the village without a weapon left her feeling vulnerable.


    "Give me flies, or you shall not pass!" It bellowed. Indu nonchalantly tossed it a satchel of insects.


    The frog flicked it out of the air with his tongue. Satchel eaten, it blinked, eyes turning to Indu. "What are you doing here, Shaman?" it asked, its voice a rich baritone that made the water ripple and Biyu''s bones vibrate unpleasantly.


    "I''m escorting a Human to the village of Lost Souls," she told the frog.


    "Oh! Should I have not challenged you?" he asked almost bashfully.


    Indu reached out to pat his nose. "No, you did well Ash. Besides, I brought treats for all of you."


    The frog croaked happily, the noise hurting Biyu''s ears. His eyes turning to Biyu. "Greetings, Human. I am Ash!"


    "I am Biyu. I thought Master was the only Sacred Beast in the swamp."


    Ash chuckled. "Yes, she is. She killed me ages ago! I am a humble thrall, granted a body to tease children."


    Indu gave a nod. "Mother is not unkind to the dead."


    Ash shuddered. "Terrible when she''s killing you though. Being crushed and poisoned? Awful!" He looked at them. "Well, I''m sure you must be going. Sheila and Eight Legs will be thrilled to get their ''treats.''"


    They pushed away, and Biyu waited until they were a polite distance from the slowly sinking frog before she asked Indu, "Thralls?"


    Indu gave an absent nod. "It is a little different from how Shishi brings the ancestors to us. During the Feast she makes part of her Hell and the world into nearly the same place. For the trials, she grants these Sacred Beasts bodies and minds, binding their souls into them. They are less than they were in life."


    "She killed them?"


    "I''m not sure about Eight Legs. I think a Human killed her far from here. A Lost Soul. But Ash and Sheila? Yes. She killed them long ago when the world was a much more dangerous place."


    "Why do they serve her?"


    "There is little reason for enmity. It is the way of nature for hunters to eat prey. The vengeful ones are part of Sucking Death now. The ones who accept their deaths need things to do, and providing the trials for the Trail gives them something meaningful to do with their eternity."


    Biyu contemplated that, trying to make it into a lesson for when she had a Hell of her own.


    Not much later they were being stalked by a wolf, who growled at them while moving through the trees menacingly. Sometimes it hid from view while growling, and other times it stood silent until they saw it when it would dodge back into hiding. It walked upon the water, its steps leaving no trace, not even a ripple. Indu raised her arms up over her head, and shouted for all she was worth, and the wolf reared back in surprise and fear before turning to bolt into the woodlands. That stopped when Indu whistled and threw a haunch of meat out over the water. The wolf turned and leaped, tail lashing wildly behind it, as it caught the meat and began gnawing on it happily.


    "What if a youth fails these trials?" Biyu asked.


    "Some do. They return to be mocked and cajoled before being pushed to try once more. We take them aside and tell them the truth of things. The Sacred Beasts remember the ones who run, and let them pass without trouble the second time through. Eight Legs makes a web high up, so that the Elves can tell there is a giant spider nearby. If they become too fearful, she''ll let them pass unchallenged."


    "How are they supposed to pass her?" Biyu asked.


    "Be quiet, and be watchful. She only starts stalking them later, and the idea is that they shouldn''t cry out in fear or panic. Fleeing will make them fail, since they''ll end up losing the trail."


    "Oh? Where is she?" Biyu asked, turning about to try and find the spider. She could see the web, hanging high up in the air.


    Indu pointed behind her, where a giant spider as large as her head clung to the end of the boat, its pedipalps wriggling playfully near her face. It was brown and orange, and nothing like the spiders of the swamp. The hairs on its body were hard and bristly, and its eyes were arranged such that Biyu almost thought the spider cute. Biyu bore her arm, holding it up in front of the spider, who stared unflinchingly.


    "Her venom doesn''t work on people, Biyu," Indu said.


    Deflating a little, Biyu stroked the spider''s head instead, startling it into leaping off the boat to dangle from a thick branch.


    "Poor Eight Legs. She thought she''d get a fright from someone brave." Indu shook her head. "Can you throw her this sachet? It attracts moths to her web."


    Biyu tossed the scented pouch, and the spider flung itself out acrobatically to catch it.


    That was the last trial, and mists arose as they went deeper. Biyu could make out indistinct arches of roots and branches in the fog, which Indu led the boat through. Biyu strained, trying to see, unused to such limited visibility. The usual fogs on the swamp were never this thick.


    "You can relax, Biyu. We''re beyond the dangers of the swamp. Well, there could be vengeful spirits."


    Biyu lifted a charm, dangling it on a piece of twine. It was a piece of etched stone that shone slightly in the mist. A charm to hide them from vengeful spirits. She frowned, noticing something. "I feel weaker."


    Indu nodded. "Our magics don''t work here, so I''m not surprised yours don''t either. There is no magic in Hell."


    Biyu reached up with concern to her mask.


    Indu gave her a warm smile. "Don''t worry. The mask is greater spirit now, and so it will act according to its nature. Concealing your face is its purpose in life." She pointed at the charm. "That won''t do us much good, but Mother will come if vengeful spirits bother us."


    Mollified, Biyu relaxed to watch as they continued their journey. The fog lifted, and before them was a village similar to the Elven village they had left. This one was larger, and there was something strange as she looked at it. It was like someone took a village many times larger than the one she knew, crumbled it up, and stuffed it into a smaller space. Yet nothing was out of scale. It just felt like there was more in the same amount of space. A dozen people stood along the edge, and a few waved while another prepared to receive them. Indu waved them off when they called out to her. They shrugged and just waved and watched as they passed by.


    After a turn around a broad tree, they found an immense structure balanced precariously at the top of what looked like a small rocky mountain. At first, Biyu could not comprehend the scale. It took her a long moment to realize it was a fantastically large building. Remembering the name of the place they were heading for, Biyu realized she was looking at the City in the Sky. Indu besides her looked no less impressed, her eyes staring up at the strange city as she continued to push them towards it.


    A dock thrust out into the water from where the mountain broke the surface of the water. Along the side of the mountain to the city was a switchback trail. The path along the rock face was littered with small wooden structures with colorful awnings all the way to the dock. A cry went up, and men and women leaned out from their booths to wave at them.


    Biyu grabbed the rope tossed to her by a man on the dock, and she leaned down to tie off the boat. A flutter of white moved past her. That gave her pause, but she dutifully finished her task before looking up.


    The woman she saw was a distorted version of Shishi. She had pale white skin, voluminous frizzy white hair that touched her shoulders with short clipped bangs, cheekbones that made her cheeks look symmetrically lumpy, and red slit pupil eyes. Her bare arms were a little too long and thin, and while she had hips and a waist, the proportions were off and too stout. The woman stood taller than Biyu by half a foot. Her feet were bare, but she wore a long sleeveless white tunic made of cloth. It was belted a little low, making her body too long and her legs too short.


    "It isn''t very good, is it?" Indu asked, fidgeting as Biyu took her time to examine her.


    That was a dangerous question to answer, and Biyu reviewed everything her tutors had taught her to find a diplomatic answer that implied everything and said nothing. She settled for redirection. "How did you change?"


    "It is something my Mother allowed, since we are in her Hell. Here, she is all powerful. Remember, no more than a month, or we may be eaten."


    Biyu gave a nod. "Shall we go?"


    Indu shook her head. "I know I don''t look very good. Can you help me? I can look however you like."


    Biyu felt her heart sink. "That is¡­ wrong. I was fine with how you looked before."


    "I''m not. How I look is why the villagers keep their distance. It''s one of the reasons I can''t leave the swamp. Even if Humans can''t tell I''m an Elf, they will still hunt me! It''s a trap." Her voice had risen as she spoke, and she stopped to collect herself. "Sometimes I still get the urge to do so. To leave. It might be better somewhere out there, but I know it''s so much worse almost everywhere." The taller Indu took hold of Biyu''s shoulders, and looked her in the eyes. "I would risk it if you asked me to."


    Biyu stared into the intense red eyes. "I cannot," Biyu admitted. "I could not protect myself. That is how I ended up in the village. I was sacrificed. I cannot protect you in the Empire."


    "What if we avoid the Empire? Go north, past Lost Lakes, and into the wilds beyond the Empire''s reach?"


    "I have no idea how to go there, and what we would find."


    "We could find out, Biyu. Find a place just for us. There has to be somewhere, doesn''t there?"


    Biyu swallowed. "Just us?"


    Indu released Biyu, backing away. "I didn''t¡­" She fidgeted, like she did as a serpent woman. It was different, seeing a humanoid form move like that. It was not as childish looking with legs, but what it was. The indecisive fidgeting of a young woman. Defeat came over her, her shoulders relaxing as she faced her. Her smile was tremulous. "No, I did."


    Holding Biyu''s eyes a moment, she reached a decision. Reaching into her travel pack, she started digging through it until she removed her own sheathed knife. She played with the dyed feather on the handle. "I thought about tricking you. I''m not sure if you know what it means to trade knives."


    "I do," Biyu said. The queasy feeling in her stomached churned.


    "The words?"


    "Until¡ª I know them."


    Indu gave a sad smile. "Not for me? For Hak, then? I can call him here."


    Biyu shook her head. "I cannot. I do not have those feelings."


    "What kind?" Indu asked.


    "A man for a woman."


    "Lust," Indu supplied. She quirked a smile. "A man for a woman? Have you forgotten you''re a woman, Biyu?"


    "Am I one?" Biyu asked.


    "Some might not see you that way. Having seen you naked, I think you are." Indu sighed. "You know, Biyu, that I''m like Mother. My desires last a mere week or two each year when spring becomes summer. There''s no need for lust."


    "You are Hu¡ªan Elf now."


    "I won''t be offended if you call me Human. But no, the shape changes, but I am myself." Another puff of air. "This is a rejection, isn''t it? You''re just looking for the excuse I''ll accept."


    "I do not understand. I never understood. Why me? I am a small Human woman. Nothing like the men the villagers swoon over."


    "Do you love me?"


    "As a friend," Biyu said.


    "That''s enough, Biyu. There are couples in the village who have less than that."


    Biyu pressed her lips together. "Friends is enough."


    "I want to be chosen. No one in the village is going to choose me, Biyu. Maybe no one in the world! I want someone, just one person, to say that they want to be with me as long as they can." Her lip quivered, and there were tears in her eyes. "I want to know¡­" Her lips pressed into a tight line, refusing to finish.


    "I am leaving in the spring. It will be over before it begins."


    "It will end when we leave here. ''Until we separate.'' The Elven marriage vow. Because most Elves live in fear of attack by Humans, and being forced apart. My village is lucky. Having a demon god has its benefits." She gestured around them. "Lost loved ones can visit once a year, and we don''t fear the Humans coming for us.


    "For them. So what if we''ll separate? What if it is a marriage of just a month? It will be no different from the Elves out there who have no realm to hide away from the world in. It will be something." Indu''s eyes became hard, determined, something she never showed before. "And you are the one who said we should enjoy our time together, make memories, and save mourning for later."


    "What would be the point? In the Empire, it is not a marriage without consummating it. Even without that, there is no politics. No raising children for the future of the family. What would being married mean?" Biyu asked.


    "It''s a bit selfish," Indu said. "I want to be in love, and to marry. Children would be nice¡­ but it would be like with Mother. Monsters who might be dangerous animals rather than people. I''m not sure if I could cast them out or¡­" She shuddered. "Who else will love me, Biyu?"


    "Hak," Biyu said.


    "That''s not allowed¡­ and even if it is¡­" She shook her head. "It''s not what I want."


    Biyu hurt to have her words turned against her. "What do you want?"


    "To live together. To hug and cuddle and kiss. I want to try more, but I will not force you. We''ll go dancing, and visit events together. When we go out separately, you will be happy to see me when we return. We''ll bathe together. You will¡­ you will call me your spouse." She took a deep breath. "If it is not real to you, then you can think of it as playing pretend like children do. I can be happy with that."


    "You want to bed me." She was careful not to make it an accusation.


    "I want to, but don''t need to." Indu was quiet for a moment. "If I was a Human, would you accept?" Indu asked.


    "I¡­ I might. I do not know." Despite a Human face, and being easy to read in her natural form, her current face was too different. The expression was serious, and that was all Biyu could read.


    "Is it because I''m female?"


    Biyu shook her head. "No."


    "Then, because I''m a Kin."


    Biyu shook her head. Indu''s face became angry. "What, then?"


    "It feels wrong. Like this is not the way it should be."


    "Do you want courtship?" Indu asked. "Visits, talks, and dancing? We''ve done all that. Some of the villagers think we are courting. Master Brandon did."


    Biyu shook her head. "I am afraid that everything will end. I do not want that. I cannot have that. When it does not work¡­ Is being friends not enough? Or sisters?"


    Indu gave a bitter laugh, and shoved her knife back into her pack. She slung her travel pack over her shoulder, and Biyu collected her own. "Rejected, because you love me too much to love me," Indu murmured, obviously intending for Biyu to hear. Once more there was something Biyu had never heard in her voice before. Frustration.


    Biyu could hear the thumping of her heart in her ears. She followed behind Indu.


    <hr>


    The stalls they passed along the trail to the city were festive despite the lack of a crowd. There was food on sticks grilled over charcoal fires, and balls of batter filled with meat or vegetables that were steamed or boiled in broth. There was no charge, the people happy to give out the fruits of their labors. Biyu wondered where the food came from. Along with the free food, they were warmly greeted and welcomed to the city of the dead. Indu put on a friendly face, but she avoided looking at Biyu.


    They climbed up the rocky path, each of them eating a grilled skewered bird roasted with a smoky, savory sauce. They tossed the skewers over the side of the cliff into the waters below, checking there was no one to drop it on. It was a long hike, and Biyu and Indu were flagging when they finally reached the entrance to the city proper. A natural gateway formed between two large spires of stone served as the entrance to the city. Passing through they entered a large square. Above them was a smooth marble slab, the size of the city. The city was lit with the late day sun despite having no view of the sky.


    There were no guards as they entered. Instead, they came upon a grand revelry. It was reminiscent of the Elven nightly gatherings. Drink was held in goblets, steins, and cups made from crystal. Most of the celebrants were Human, but when she looked carefully she found a pair of Minotaur holding court at a rowdy table, and she was sure she saw a pair of short fat Trolls, looking like potbellied goats on two legs, dancing among the celebrants.


    Indu looked around in awe, her mouth agape. "It''s so big," she murmured.


    "It is," Biyu agreed, trying to decide what to do next.


    "Oh, more guests have arrived?" asked a man in long robes. He looked out of place for a celebration as he ran over to them. He wore hessian robes bound at the waist with a simple bleached rope belt. His beard was modest and trimmed, and his hair was trimmed and waxed elegantly.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Indu offered a clumsy curtsy, while Biyu gave a slight bow. The man waved them off. "None of that. This is the Eternal Revelry! No titles or whatever crap the Empire does now, and that means no more than the commonest courtesy. ''Please'' and ''thank you'' and that''s all!" He paused. "Well, I have to get your names and a little bit more. Come with me?"


    They followed the man into a small stone hut with a green tiled roof. He lit up a light stone with a simple gesture, which let out a gentle glow that filled the room.


    "Names?" he asked.


    "Before that," Indu said, "you should know we are both still alive."


    The man blinked at them. "You are? Are you sure? Some people are quite confused about that for a bit when get here."


    "I am the Great Serpent''s daughter," Indu said.


    "Doesn''t mean¡­" He looked at Indu''s complexion, and the red serpent eyes. "Well, yes. We don''t really get guests. Other than Lady Serpent." He looked at the book, a large tome that was open a third of the way through. "I''ll just write ''Not Dead'' and ''Guest'' in the cause of death column, then. Maybe I should do reason for visit too?" He frowned thoughtfully. "Yes. That should do. So, names!"


    They answered with their names, their race, and that they were here for the Trail of Ancestors.


    "So, you came here to see if you could find an ancestor, learn a bit of wisdom, and¡­ just visit?" he asked.


    They both nodded.


    "Going to Hell feels like it should be a more dramatic affair than ''just visiting''. Well, that''s the minstrels'' business! Welcome, welcome! So, a bit on the rules. Not really any, except don''t be too much of an ass. Drink, party, and if you want to fight do it in the arena. Ask around, someone will show you the way eventually. Leave the Minotaur and the Trolls alone. If you have a bone to pick with them, forget it! You are dead¡ªsorry, part of the spiel¡ªso it doesn''t matter anymore. You can be kicked out, and I''m told where you end up makes the worst in this city look palatial."


    "Sucking Death," Indu said. Biyu shuddered. The man looked intrigued.


    "Oh, you know what happens? Come, tell me. We can spread it around. Make sure louts know there are teeth in the threat."


    Indu explained Sucking Death. The man looked at them with raised eyebrows. "Yes. Well, that is quite bad. Now, are you two sharing a place?"


    "No," Indu said.


    "Yes," Biyu contradicted at the same time.


    The man waited as they looked at each other.


    "You just refused to marry me. I want to brood and sulk. Alone." The onlooker''s eyebrows rose.


    "But we always sleep together," Indu said.


    "You always sleep together, and you rejected her?" the man asked. "And¡­ you are both women, aren''t you?"


    Biyu gave the man a look, and he put up his hands defensively. "Sorry."


    "Separate rooms," Indu said. "Or we trade knives."


    Indu scowled, and her mask morphed into an angry face. "Fine."


    "Alright, two rooms with a shared space?" They both agreed.


    "Right. You get a place in Falling Alley." He gave them directions. "Enjoy the Eternal Revelry as much as you want, or come back later. It is Eternal! Welcome to the City in the Sky! Feel free to check the book to see if anyone you know is here. Won''t take long." He frowned. "Oh, guess if you''re alive a hundred years might be. Well, you can just ask around the gatherings. There are a bunch of squares where people congregate, at least one on each level." Then, he left to rejoin the revelry.


    "What will you do?" Indu asked.


    "I want to see the Minotaur."


    "Minotaur?"


    "And Trolls. I saw both."


    Indu nodded. "I''ll follow along then."


    Biyu led the way to the table of the Minotaur. They were where Biyu remembered them. Giants with heads like oxen and broad long horns, dressed only in a loincloth. They were bellowing with laughter and sloshing drinks. One, a chocolate brown, was obviously female with her bared breast. She sat at the head of her table. A male, larger than her and the color of midnight, sat in his own seat at her side and refilled her cup whenever she drank. Everyone at the table was holding wood cards, each of them tossing random objects in a pile at the center as they gambled on the hand.


    When they arrived, all eyes turned to them.


    "Newcomers!" the Minotaur woman bellowed. "Would you like to join a hand? You can bet whatever you want." The people around her all shouted a cheer and took a drink.


    "We don''t know the game," Indu said, taking an offered seat. Biyu moved to sit beside her, but when Indu put out a hand to prevent her, she found a seat further down the table.


    "It''s a bit tricky. Tell you what, you can watch my hand as we play," said an old bald man with a messy beard to Indu.


    "You can join me, kid," a boisterous middle-aged man with large biceps told Biyu.


    "She''s an adult woman," Indu said, and all eyes turned to look from one to the other.


    "You sure?" asked the Minotaur woman. "She''s the size of a babe!"


    "I am," Indu said.


    "Woman?" asked a scantily clad woman, looking Biyu over. "Doesn''t dress like one."


    "I am," Biyu said.


    Eyes glanced around, amusement dancing in their eyes. "Well, since you aren''t playing, entertain us! How about a story?"


    Indu began an Elven story, and the Minotaur shook her head. "No! A story about you. The both of you!"


    That stumped them, until Indu spoke about meeting Biyu and deciding to make the mask. She skimmed over the ceremony for investing it with a spirit, but the audience listened with interest.


    "Sounds like you too are pretty close," said the man with big biceps. "Having a spat?"


    "We are," Indu said. Biyu remained impassive.


    "Sounds like another story," the large Minotaur said. "But is it a story you want to tell?"


    "I want to marry, and Biyu is against it."


    That brought interest as a new round of cards were dealt.


    "Marriage?" the female Minotaur Belinda, called Belly, asked. "I never got the point."


    "What do Minotaur do?" Biyu asked.


    "We''ve got our Games. Every year, when the boys who have become men move to another village, we have the men who want to participate all gather up and compete. They wrestle, run, throw a javelin or stones, and the do all sorts of things while we watch. When its over, one by one, they get chosen by the women of the village." She shrugged. "And so it goes every year. Women choose, and the men are chosen. Sometimes the same man is chosen multiple times. That can get a little messy, and the Matriarch might step in."


    "So, you just pair off with someone new? No love?" Indu asked.


    "There''s love. Love of parents, love of siblings, love of the village."


    "I mean, between men and women."


    "Sure. But that is that, and this is this."


    The large male nodded his agreement as he filled her cup again.


    "So, you chose. What''s it matter if your friend disagrees? Grab the man."


    Indu laughed. "What if they don''t want to be chosen?"


    Belly shrugged. "Shouldn''t have competed¡­ but you can choose someone who didn''t compete. We don''t have marriage, and some people are just expected to compete, or choose, but you get the occasion where they don''t like each other. That''s a thing, and so you have to choose again. But if you don''t, then why wouldn''t you?"


    "What if they were friends?" Biyu asked. "What if that ends the friendship?"


    "You think it works that way?" asked Belly, snorting. "That if you take someone to your bed, that''s the end of what you had? You just end up with happy memories with a friend. That''s what actually happens." Then she broke out into a broad grin. "Or a funny story to wheedle them with if their bad at it."


    Biyu shifted at the derision in the question, even though Belly''s eyes laughed. "Maybe."


    "Ever seen that?" Belly asked her male companion.


    "I have, but only once or twice."


    "Oh? I haven''t." Belly turned. "What about you Human folk? I''m guessing a Minotaur perspective won''t help here."


    A few of the sober, brighter players were watching with keen interest, but most just responded with blustering answers. "Yeah. Had a good friend. Always put me off. The moment I got her into bed, bam! She was all about getting married." Said the thick armed man showing his cards to Biyu.


    "You get that crap when you trade favors for money," said the scantily clad woman. "And you know the worst of it? Some of them think you''ll marry''m if they pay enough. Gets weird, sometimes. Like, there are things you do for money that you don''t want to do all day every day. You know what I mean?"


    There were a few agreements, though another woman rolled her eyes.


    "Guess it''s that different," Belly groused. "I don''t get the way you Humans do things. What was it? You find someone you like, try to be all coy, sneak away to grope around, ask your parents, then¡­ uh¡­ they buy each other? And then that''s the only person you get to sleep with for the rest of your lives? I''ve got it right?"


    "There''s divorce," one person mentioned.


    "It''s not really buying each other¡­" said one man, but a few people gave him doubtful looks. He waved them off. "I mean, its tradition at this point, right?"


    "Not always the way it goes, either. Sometimes the parents or Elders decide it all, and the young people are expected to go with it," someone else said. It was a reveler attracted by the conversation while wandering by.


    "Too complicated. Better to just have sweaty men throwing stones, and see which one gives you that certain feeling," Belly said, to the amusement of the table.


    "What is it like, in a Minotaur village?" Biyu asked. "I have lived with Elves, so I am curious how they differ."


    "I suppose it is different. We have a Matriarch, who all the Elders answer to. It is a position you gain through respect. She is the Elder the Elders most respect, I suppose you can say. Her job is basically to decide which Elder to listen to when problems come up, and to arbitrate disputes. There are both men and women among the Elders, and there is a Patriarch. His job is mostly to oversee the tilling of the fields and managing the herds, or to lead war bands when necessary.


    "In times of war, the Patriarch advises the Matriarch. She leads the people, and he leads the warriors. Pretty simple. Best way to do things."


    "The Elves aren''t like that," Indu said. "They have Elders, and the Chief can be a man or woman. The head of the hunters would be their war leader. Men and women tend to do different jobs¡­ but they have the choice."


    "Really? Men are so much better at pulling a yoke. Look how strong Wen is!" There was laughter from all.


    "She''s serious," Wen said.


    "I know," said the scantily clad woman. "That''s what makes it funny!"


    Conversation continued, and after a little while Biyu excused herself. Indu remained behind, just giving her an absent wave to let her know she knew she was leaving.


    Biyu moved through the revelry, a drink in hand, watching the people around her. She found the Trolls dancing, their short stout bodies bouncing up and down. One was male and the other female, wearing tunics and pants in yellow and orange. Their fur was white, and their eyes brown with square irises.


    Noticing her attention, the dancing pair spun to a stop. "Hello," huffed the female, while the male looked up at her with a puzzled expression.


    He said something unintelligible, and the female gave a beatific smile. "He asks if you need something."


    Biyu shifted a bit. "I just wanted to meet a Troll. If I am bother, I can go."


    "Well, would you like to dance?" the woman asked. She was a little taller than Biyu, maybe five foot even.


    "Okay," Biyu said, and the female exchanged words with the man before he started muttering while walking away.


    They started a dance, Biyu walking the woman through a few steps until she caught on. It was a simple step, little more than waddling along the dance floor, and the Troll woman smiled at her as they began.


    "I am Hilda, and my husband is Gerwin."


    "My name is Biyu. Nice to meet you."


    The woman had a twinkle in her eye. "You can ask," she said cheerfully.


    "Why do you know my language, but your husband does not?"


    The woman gave what Biyu thought was meant to be a cunning smile. "I tricked him! We were getting bored, and I talked him into returning. So he doesn''t remember a thing! Oh, aren''t I naughty? So I''m pretending to learn everything just a bit faster than him."


    "Returning?" Biyu asked, pausing to twirl the Troll woman, a little flourish as the song sped up.


    "Oh? Are you new?"


    "I''m still alive," Biyu said.


    "Oh? I''m dancing with a real Elf? We have a few, but they tend to sulk in their own neighborhood, and my husband always says we shouldn''t go there."


    "I''m Human."


    The woman squealed, surprising Biyu. "A living Human? Oh, I never thought I would meet one! Oh, what should I ask you?" Her body jiggled in her excitement as she danced.


    "Most of the people here are Human," Biyu pointed out. "You could ask them."


    "Yes, but I want a special memory! Something worth remembering for years and years!"


    Biyu finished the dance, the music coming to an end. The woman puffed, a little out of breath, while her husband sauntered back over to them. He grumbled something, and the woman frowned at his words. They chatted a bit, and the woman gave a little sigh. "Oh, sorry dear, he wants to go to bed. You must join us for tea one day. You will, won''t you?"


    "Tea?" She had never had it. It was a rare new import from the northern parts of the Midlands.


    "Not really tea. Its dried leaves you steep in hot water, but a little sweeter. It''s just the best word, since you all have trouble with ours. I''ll have Finley come by too!"


    "Can I bring someone with me?"


    "Oh, another living Human?"


    Biyu shook her head. "She looks Human now, but she''s a Kin."


    That made the Troll''s eyes widen. "Kin? As in, a child of a Sacred Beast?"


    Biyu nodded. "Lady Serpent''s daughter."


    "Oh yes!" she said, clasping Biyu''s hand. Her husband gave an unhappy snort. "Definitely! We come by here every few days! See you!" She waved energetically as the two of them left.


    Biyu checked on Indu, but she had left the table. She asked around where Falling Alley was, and a friendly man offered to take her there since it was on his way. The trip was bizarre, and Biyu soon lost track of where she had been and where she was going. They entered a building only to end up outside another building somewhere else. They would go upstairs only to end up on the ceiling, the street the left now above them. It made Biyu''s stomach lurch.


    When they finally reached Falling Alley, it was almost the last straw. The road obviously curved, but she never felt like she was on a hill. Eventually, looking straight ahead, she saw the sun reflected off the black waters of the swamp, partially blinding her. At the end of the road she saw people fishing by casting lines straight out into the water. The poles were thick and bolted down, with reels to pull draw in the lines. When she watched a fish being reeled in, it was from her perspective coming from straight ahead.


    The man called out to someone on the street, and they showed her where her room was. The building was long and narrow with multiple stories. The stairway and doors were along the narrow end. She went to the second floor, opened the door, and found a hall with doors on the right. She found hers, opened it, and found a large room. There were doors to each side, which she assumed were the private room, and the room itself had a corner dedicated to a cooking and a cupboard which had food inside. There were shuttered windows in the wall opposite the door she came in, and she had a heady view of the mists at the end of the swamp and the waters below. It took her a moment to realize that the water was down, the sky was up, and the mist was straight ahead. She closed the shutters, the sight unnerving. It was bad enough that the room she was in would not fit in the building she had entered.


    Over the next week Biyu explored Falling Alley and places nearby. She was careful about going through doorways and arches, as they did not always lead to where she thought they should. Whenever she returned to the room, she looked for Indu, but there was no sign she had been there.


    Fishing at the end of Falling Alley was strange, but also exciting. She saw fish larger than her hut in the village hauled up and marched through the alley to the triumphant cheers of the crowd. Her own largest catch was only about the same size as her, and she was told to toss it back because it was poisonous. She kept it to eat for herself, to add the poison to her [Poison] technique.


    One time Biyu dared herself to move to the very end of the alley, and marveled at the bizarre view. So high up, and at an angle where she could look around by looking up, down, and side to side. She could just make out the village of the ancestors, but the view was limited by the mist wall that marked the edge of this Hell.


    During Biyu''s more adventurous excursions to the nearest square she would ask after the heroic name Kimmel. Eventually, she met a Mark Kimmel who was an old man with a bald pate and white fringe of hair. He was kept his beard short, and he was enthused to meet a relative of some kind. They talked a while, and the man thanked her profusely for what she could tell him about the family branch he was from.


    One day, as Biyu was wandering, she came across a square that was still in the middle of summer. Children were running, squealing in delight, around a fountain while a woman trotted after them, her hands up and making ''scary'' faces. She had wavy dark blue hair, a color Biyu associated with rare members of the Elf village, and dark charcoal colored skin. She wore green robes embroidered in a pattern of vines and leaves, cinched with a golden belt. What caught Biyu''s attention was her red eyes. She knew if she was closer she would see the slit pupil. The woman gave a little wave, before pouncing on a little girl who was trailing the pack.


    The girl squealed in mock fear, and the woman lifted her up over her head into the air and did a little twirl before setting the girl down. The children rushed back, dancing around the woman. She smiled and ruffled a head while making excuses. Collecting a bag, she walked toward Biyu, her smile still bright before passing her to a bench to flop down on. Biyu followed, feeling her stomach clench once more.


    "Hi Biyu," the woman said, and Biyu confirmed the red serpent eyes.


    "Hello, Indu." She looked over at the children. "You always did like children."


    Indu laughed, brushing her hair back as she turned to look at her. "I do. Can I tell you a secret?"


    Biyu nodded.


    "One of my little dreams was playing with your children. I''d have them call me ''Auntie Indu''."


    Biyu had no response to that, so she sat looking at the children. They had changed games, with one child standing with their back to the others who rushed forward, only for the child to turn around and point at a bunch of children who failed to stop in time. Then a few more that were jeering the first losers as they went back to the starting line.


    Indu was smiling unreservedly as she watched the children. There was none of her usual nerves, just a tranquility that Biyu had never seen.


    "I like it here," Indu said. She held up her arms. "What do you think?"


    Biyu looked Indu over, taking in her form. The proportions were, as best as she could tell, close to ideal. Slender, but not thin. Feminine, but not exaggerated. Her face was attractive, but neither pretty nor handsome. It was a face that would be attractive in the village, but not turn heads. "You look good," Biyu decided, and Indu flushed. "I did like you as a serpent woman too."


    The smile dampened.


    "Why did you choose to look like this?" Biyu asked.


    "I found someone who cared about how I looked," Indu said. "What they call here a flesh artist. I''m not the only one unhappy with how I look. She spent a lot of time talking to me, trying to find the ''real me'' I wanted the world to see." Indu sighed. "Then I did the things I always wanted to. Played with children. Flirted with a man¡­ and followed him home. Went drinking and dancing with a crowd of people who didn''t know or care I was Kin."


    Biyu nodded. "I am glad you are happy."


    "I am happy, aren''t I? It''s nice. But, I did miss you." She looked at Biyu. "I''m sorry I was so upset¡­ I guess I was desperate."


    "Do you feel better now that you were ''chosen''?" Biyu asked.


    Indu laughed, her hands going to her stomach. She had never laughed like that. Maybe she had not been able to. "It isn''t being chosen when anyone will do, Biyu. He wanted to bed someone, and so did I."


    Biyu hesitated. "¡­ how was it?"


    Indu brushed her hair back and leaned in closer, trying to read Biyu through her mask. Her mask betrayed her with a display of confusion. She was obviously disappointed at what she saw, lips pursing. "It was something new. I''m not sure if I enjoyed it. It was the first time I had done something like that. He seemed satisfied, which is a common complaint among the village women when they gossip. Maybe I''ll like it more if it was the right time of the year? I am still myself, however I look."


    Biyu gave a nod. "I am¡ª"


    A finger touched her lips. "If you are going to apologize for refusing me, you can stop right there. It isn''t something you should apologize for. Neither is me being upset about it. What I want to do is take this time to make some memories." She looked at Biyu. "Do you want to see a play?"


    Biyu brightened. "I would like to see an acting troupe."


    Indu nodded. "There are some on the next floor up." Standing up, Indu waved with a smile at the children. A few of them looked at Biyu jealously, which was another new thing the city had shown her. In the press of the crowd, Indu took Biyu''s hand with interlocking fingers.


    <hr>


    The rest of their time in the city was spent together the way Biyu had hoped. Indu helped Biyu fish from the end of Falling Alley a few times. She managed to catch a rather large fish, and watching it dangle on the line over the mile they had to crane it up had been a spectacular sight that lasted too long. Men came to help her carry the fish, and Biyu followed. They entered a large warehouse, where the body was butchered by a team of people who just showed up. There was no rhyme or reason to the people. They came in and prepared the fish in a half hour, then turned it into a centerpiece of a huge feast. People wandered in from doors on all sides of the warehouse, proving they opened up to different city squares. People congratulated Biyu on her catch, and one old wizened man with wild white hair and beard gave her a carving of the fish she caught. She was in awe of its detail.


    "Can I take this out of here?" Biyu asked.


    The man smiled at her with missing teeth. "You can. Found out you are a person-person, so got my hands on some real nice wood." He gave her a wink. "It''s selfish. Go show all your friends how good ol'' Smoli is!" Biyu gave the man a careful hug, and he patted her back while cheering.


    During their third week, they went to a noble style ball. Only a few people there were nobles of any kind, and most were Lords of the Land. Petty nobles who managed the lands under Barons and Fortress lords.


    They danced together, and Indu was thrilled not to have to worry about her tail. Despite being such a different shape, she was able to dance all the steps Biyu had taught her.


    That night Indu followed Biyu into her room, and for the first time since they came here they shared a bed. Indu preferred to sleep naked, while Biyu wore a tunic and short pants most nights unless it was truly hot. Indu nuzzled in against Biyu, her head against her shoulder, and she could feel how warm and soft Indu was in her arms. Used to Indu''s scales, it felt wrong, and kept her up for part of the night while Indu slept deeply. It got easier on the following nights, and Biyu found she liked the feel of Indu''s hair.


    They saw plays, but Biyu was too unnerved by puppet shows to make it through even one. Indu had friends she could see them with, and Biyu would take the time apart to discover new things for them to visit. While she hated puppets, she liked listening to Indu talk about the show. She had a fondness for the intricate puppets they made, and would talk about the little details that impressed her.


    They had lunch with Hilda, Gerwin and Finley, the Trolls. The latter was a tall, lithe man covered in shorter fur than Hilda and Gerwin. He was a different bloodline, the artificers, and when he was alive his gift was making magical items. They talked about nothing of consequence, Gerwin grumpily letting Hilda translate for him. All three showed a great deal of interest when Hilda managed to convince Indu to share her true form with them. They took turns feeling her scales, and she was pleased when they complimented her on how nice she felt. She was startled when Biyu gave her a hug, but hugged her back.


    Time passed, and the limit of how long they could safely remain in Hell approached. Biyu began packing, the day of departure arriving. Indu was watching her, dressed on this day in a long blue tunic embroidered with silver filigree and sandals bound on with impractical looking broad ribbons. Biyu made sure she was wearing real clothing that would not fade to mist when they left the Hell, where very little was real. The rest of her supplies were packed again, and she pulled it onto her back. Indu was fidgeting, her hand on her knife, and Biyu felt a sinking in her belly and clench to her heart she could not place.


    "These last three weeks were wonderful," Indu said, unfastening her knife from her belt, sheath and all. She held it out to Biyu.


    "I¡­" she reached for her own knife, and Indu laughed and shook her head. "It was what I wanted out of a marriage with you, Biyu. But no, this is a keepsake. I''ve¡­ decided to stay."


    Biyu felt sick. "You will not be able to leave. Your soul will be stuck here."


    "That''s right. But¡­ who knew that this is where I would find happiness? In the Village of the Ancestors Master Brandon was nice to me, but it was just like the village. Even when I changed, they treated me just the same. Here? No one knows I''m Kin, and I''m not sure most of them would care. The Trolls and Minotaur get by just fine. Here I get to be just another Human living life. Is there anywhere else I can be like that?" She fidgeted a moment, but only a moment, like the woman Biyu remembered. "I already asked Mother for permission."


    "You said you wanted to stay with me," Biyu said. She knew it was a mistake when she said it.


    "I do¡­ did? What would that look like, if we did? Would I follow you out of Mother''s domain, and have you kill me to wait for when you have time for me in your Hell? Or do I live in the village, with the same life I had before you came except pining for you to return?"


    "I can find Kin. Build you a village with them."


    "You know that isn''t likely. Even if we did, the Humans would destroy it. And I''m afraid to have children. I don''t want to have to¡­"


    Biyu swallowed. "I wish I could bring you with me. But I do not want something bad to happen to you. There are ways I can bring you with me, but I have to be strong enough."


    Indu touched Biyu''s neck, stroking it. Biyu shuddered, unused to being touched there. "I don''t want to wait. My whole life, I''ve waited for things to get better. I tried a few times. Gave gifts, offered to watch children, and the village rejected me. I''m a Shaman, and they don''t care." Indu gently reached for Biyu''s mask, and she allowed it to be removed. Indu leaned in, and Biyu did not pull away from the press of lips to her own. It was only that, a chaste kiss, and Biyu felt her eye start to tear. Indu then smiled, looking at her friend''s face for the third and final time.


    "You are my first friend. I do not want you to go." She looked at the knife. "If I¡­"


    Giving a tinkling laugh, Indu admitted, "If you had accepted when we arrived, I would have listened to you. Listening to your spouse is a virtue, after all. No, Biyu. I love you. May your journey end well." She pressed her sheathed knife against Biyu''s chest until she took it.


    <hr>


    The journey back was lonely, and when she returned to the village Indu''s absence was noted. The Sinner and Elders all demanded explanations where their Shaman went, until Shishi intervened and told them exactly what had happened. There was reprimand in her tone, though she spoke not a single indictment against them.


    Hak already knew, and while he did not avoid Biyu, she could tell they were no longer as close as they once were. The fall and winter came, and Biyu''s loneliness deepened. The winter was darker and colder, and Biyu spent more of her time sleeping than she remembered the previous years. When the winter finally receded, Biyu was given her final task. She patrolled the northeastern marshes and swamp lands, culled a nest of poisonous lizards to keep them from fouling the marshes along the edge of Lost Lakes, and she proved that she could survive the spring on her own.


    Returning from her trial, she packed up the items she would take with her. The gifts from Indu made up many of her possessions. Indu''s knife, which she had offered to Hak who had refused it. The mask she wore. The bow and quiver she practiced with, and the Elves showed genuine envy of. She had two swords, two daggers, her own knife, and the rough spun clothes the Elves wore. Her fish scale armor she had a gown made to wear over it, making her look bulkier than she was. She took no javelins, spears or shield, just not having enough arms to carry that much. For a moment, she wished she had a squire to carry her items for her, and understood their purpose beyond just servants and Knights in training.


    Biyu said her goodbyes. Hak was first, and he hugged her goodbye the way Indu would have. It gave her tears in remembrance. Biyu''s former master was next, and the woman was clipped and stern in wishing Biyu well. She had blamed Biyu for Indu not returning, and was to all appearances genuinely upset. Invidia could not be found, so Biyu thanked Weapon Master, Archery Master, and Forge Master. The first admitted he was proud of her growing so much in three years. The second lamented how bad she would get without regular correction, but it was clear he was mostly teasing her. Forge Master was bashful, but he smiled appreciatively as she thanked him for teaching her to maintain her weapons.


    Last was Shishi, and she looked up at her Master. They had spoken little since Indu decided to stay in the City in the Sky. Her Master had not blamed her, so far as she could tell.


    "I am sorry," Biyu said after an awkward pause.


    "For what, my adorable disciple?"


    "Indu."


    "That was our mistake. We had hoped you could take Indu away one day, to a happier life. I did not expect City in the Sky to appeal to her so much. Nor could I deny her when she asked me to stay." She considered Biyu. "You two were close. I thought you would accept her, and that she could wait."


    Biyu gave a nod. "Mistakes were made. I should have said yes."


    "No," Shishi said. "There is a nobility in living your life in service to others. Even I acknowledge that, though I do not do it myself. However, the decision is yours. You decided against it. You should keep yourself in mind when you decide things. Would it have made you happy to have Indu waiting, or in danger for traveling with you?"


    Biyu shook her head. "No. But this does not make me happy either."


    "Sometimes, there are no good outcomes. Still, I should not have allowed her into the City in the Sky. I thought it would help the two of you bond more closely." Shishi shook her head. "Being old does not mean you will not make mistakes. A lesson for us both, my adorable disciple."


    Biyu nodded, then swept into a deep bow. "You have been kind to me, Master. I thank you for your generosity and hospitality. Should you require something of me, please let me know."


    Shishi manage a smile, though it was a forced polite smile. Her hand rested on the back of Biyu''s bowed head. She spoke, and her words had a rehearsed formality to them.


    "Pray to me when you need guidance. Commune with me when you are ready to advance upon your Path. Remember, never kill only to grow your power. That is the Path to ruin. Go, see the wider world you Humans rule. Explore any interest that catches your eye. Find your domain, and follow the Path of Ascendance."

 11 Homecoming

    Biyu followed the path back to her home village. The path meandered, and she followed the bends even though it would be quicker to cut across it. She had decent leather boots to protect her feet, and she wore rough spun clothing, her fish scale armor hidden beneath a loose gown. She took her time walking, being in no rush.


    There was little reason for her to take this route, she could have left the swamp onto the road to the east, but she felt a need to see the place she started from once more before leaving it behind perhaps forever. Part of her knew that she would regret not taking a look, even though she felt fear gnawing at the pit of her stomach as she got closer. When she reached the paved road once more, she followed it to the village.


    Biyu had been escorted from the village in late spring. She returned now in early summer. Only a month of difference, but she felt the warmth and could see the liveliness. Insects stridulated in the trees, begging to be noticed. Frogs croaked around little puddles they ruled. Small things skittered through the leaf cover. Wind rustled through the leaves. This was a lovely day. Biyu felt resentment wasting such a wonderful day to visit an unhappy memory. She soldiered on.


    Reaching the clearing around the village walls, she paused to look it over. The stockade walls were made of thick logs bound tightly together with stucco or plaster filling the space between them. At the gate was a pair of guard propped up on spears. They wore thick cloth armor and iron cap helmets with wooden shields.


    Following the road, Biyu watched the men watching her. Their eyes were suspicious, and one of them ran inside leaving just one man to face her. When she was close, he challenged her.


    "Hail the stranger! Declare yourself!" declared a young man with thick shoulders and a face that was unfortunate in how it scowled at rest. His voice had a country drawl that softened his consonants. She could hear shouting within the village, and she wondered if they had raised the alarm. The other guard returned, his spear leveled and ready to lunge.


    On the way to Elderwoods, Biyu had considered her options for this moment. There was a vast land beyond this small village, and she hoped to find a place for herself out there. This was just a stop, and her first instinct was to hide her identity and pretend to be a natural Awakened from further north traveling to find a master. She decided against that plan, despite how appealing it was. She had a use for these people, even though she could not trust them.


    "I am Biyu Kimmel Lostlakes Elderwoods. My journey east took me back here. I do not intend to stay overlong," she replied.


    The man standing to the side growled, "This is a fortress, not a village." Biyu glanced to make sure the walls really were made of logs and not stone, but she made no comment.


    The challenger frowned at her answer. "Lady Biyu is dead. She died of sickness three years ago."


    Biyu asked, "Is that what you told the Empire? They do not know you have no pact with Lady Serpent?"


    "We have a pact with the Great Ruby Eyed Serpent," said the growler. His face was flushed.


    "I was Lady Serpent''s disciple for the last three years. She told me herself there is no pact. She would not make one. It would conflict with another pact."


    The challenger snorted. "Lies, to make us doubt Defender Elderwoods. Reveal your face, charlatan."


    Biyu did as she was bid. The mask came away, and the two men stared at her with reddening faces and slackening jaws. When one of them took a step, she put the mask back on. It scowled at them.


    "Lady Biyu," the challenger managed, recovering himself. "How are you alive?"


    "I was so pathetic a snake took pity on me. What will you do now? I am Awakened. You will die if you attack me."


    The man blanched at being told that, and the growler shouldered his spear, unwilling to challenge the tiny woman. They looked to be at a loss when another man in armor came.


    He wore a mail hauberk under a surcoat of black and violet with a tree emblem on the chest. His spear had a gleaming steel tip, along with his helmet and the splinted vambraces and boots he wore. His shield was wood, but Biyu imagined there was more to it than that. He had a well-kept beard like a proper man, black and curly, and his gaze was steely. He clicked his tongue at the two cowed guards, each giving fist to heart salutes, before turning his eyes to Biyu.


    His eyes were furrowed as he looked her over. "You are well armed," the man said of Biyu. She was holding her bow as a walking stick, and she had a sword and two daggers along with her knife at her waist. Part of her wished she had a shield, but it was unwieldy, and she had a limit to how many supplies she could carry.


    "I am prepared," she said. "A lone wandered must be ready to defend them self."


    "What is your purpose here?" he asked.


    "I wished to visit the place of my birth, since I was passing through. I am Biyu Kimmel Lostlakes Elderwoods, and I am traveling on the orders of my Master. This is just a temporary stop. If my Father will not allow me in, I will go."


    The man stared hard at her, then turned to the guards who nodded. "It''s her," the challenger confirmed.


    "Show me," the guard demanded, his eyes hard on Biyu.


    So she removed her mask for the second time. Unlike the two at the gate, the man did not color as he looked at her briefly. "Fuck," he said when he recognized her. "That''s enough."


    He rubbed his beard, thinking. "Billy," he pointed to the former growler. "Go inform them at the manor that Defender Elderwood''s daughter is coming to give him a greeting. I''ll leave this shit to him."


    Giving a short bow to Biyu, he declared, "Lady Biyu, I am Guard Captain Oswald Kimmel. If you would follow me?"


    Biyu nodded her ascent, her mask back in place. She followed Oswald as he led her along the dirt road of the village to the manor in the back. Her eyes took in the village as she passed through.


    The villagers had heard the alarm being shouted, and a number of them had collected to see what was happening. Curious and fearful eyes watched her as they kept their distance. More men with spears in mail hauberks, some of them familiar looking, came to flank her. None lowered their spears, but the threat was there. They were obviously better trained than the men in cloth armor, walking with discipline and at a respectful escort distance. Far enough for them to react if she did something they did not like, near enough to keep her from easily fleeing.


    As she continued to pass through the village, she compared it to the floating village she had lived on until recently. The fact that the ground beneath her feet did not shift left her with an odd, floating feeling. The huts were clearly inferior to those in the Elf village. The swamp did not have fine lumber¡ªmost of the trees were twisted and lacked straight grains¡ªso they made do by venturing into the nearby forests and floating the lumber back to the village. Their planks were poor, but the houses were sturdy compared to these. An exiled people who lived in fear lived better than Imperial citizens under the direct protection of their lord.


    Biyu lifted a hand, drawing the eyes of the guards. "A moment, please."


    Oswald lifted a hand to signal a halt. "What is it?"


    "I want to see into one of these huts for just a moment."


    The man scowled. "Very well." He looked around, and pointed at one. Some of his guards ran over to encircle it. He himself came to the door and pounded on it.


    A woman answered, a babe at her breast, looking around with a scowl. She was ready to screech at them when she realized she was surrounded by armed guards. Her scowl slid off her face, and she slowly paled. "What can I do fer you men?"


    "Lady Biyu wishes to see your hut. She says it will be just a moment."


    The woman puckered her lips. "Lady Biyu? That Biyu? The¡­ we sent her to the serpent!"


    "And she came back today. Don''t worry, we''ll deal with it. You just let her look in your hut."


    The woman obviously wanted to argue, and her face turned sour again as she bounced her babe, who was getting fussy at being ignored. When she saw Biyu, the sour expression melted away to surprise at the tiny masked woman loaded with weapons and a large pack. She did not bow, but she did not hurl abuse either. Just standing there, staring, she remained motionless until Oswald gently moved her aside.


    Biyu entered the hut, looked around, and took stock. The hut was dug into the ground, giving a solid base to the building. The center had a stone hearth, with cushions around it. The cushions were better than the ones in the Elf village, but otherwise the living conditions were worse. The hearth was unlit, and a child was playing with wooden dolls on the ground until he saw her. His eyes lit up at the small woman with weapons. He ran up to her, looking at the feathered knife with wide eyes. His mother stared on frozen, her face aghast.


    "That is dangerous. Very sharp," she told the boy. To Oswald and the woman of the hut she said, "Thank you, that was all."


    Oswald and the woman both looked confused at her brief stop in the hut, but Biyu followed them to the manor proper without another stop.


    The noble ''keep'' they came to was the only quality structure. It was made with wood and lacquer. Three stories tall, the top two floors had shuttered windows. It was a long structure, and in defiance of the style from the south, it had two attached wings framing a rear courtyard in the south. Usually the main house was on the south end of the courtyard, not the north. It was the most elaborate and beautiful building in all the village. The roof was covered in curved tiles and not thatch.


    More members of the guard were arranged before the front of the manor. These would be her father''s personal guard, along with the man she assumed was her father dressed in a hauberk, helmet, cuirass, and protection for his legs and arms. The guards, professional soldiers, had hauberks, pot helmets, shields, and spears. She tried to estimate the quality of their gear while the villagers took the arranged guards as a cue to seek shelter.


    The guards with her put their fists to their chest in salute when they arrived before their lord. The man at the head was older than she thought he would be, with a little gray in his hair and weather-worn features. "I am Defender Elderwoods. Do I truly address my lost daughter?" the man asked. Irritation colored his voice, but he was keeping it under control.


    Biyu tried to recognize him, but she had no memory of this man. That felt strange, for even if she never knew who her father was she had thought she would have some memory or impression of him, but there was nothing.


    With her masked face staring at him without speaking, the guards, already tense, started to make more space around her. Brought out of her thoughts by the movement, she removed her mask again, briefly. Seeing her own father color, when Oswald had not, left her cold to the man. "Do you recognize me?" she asked, replacing her mask. Everyone noted that she had not bowed to Defender Elderwoods.


    Defender Elderwoods, her father, was looking at her intensely. "How are you alive?"


    "I was shown pity and made Awakened."


    Oswald before her stiffened, his eyes looking at her sharply. He had not been there when she told the gate guards that. Defender Elderwoods knew, told by the runner.


    "So, are you here to take over Elderwoods?"


    "No. I came to properly see the place I was born, before I continue my journey. I have no desire for this place. It would also be nice to see the faces of my family. I never knew them. That seems wrong, so I wished to correct it."


    The man''s scowl deepened. "Very well. Lady Lihua, your mother, has set up to receive you. I will call your brothers and sister. Oswald, see her to a vanity to clean up."


    Oswald gave a slight bow. That Oswald and not a servant was to go with her was a statement. Biyu followed the man to a place where she could wash off her hands and change her clothes into cleaner ones. He frowned at the poor quality fabric, but he made no comment as he led her to the receiving room where the family was seated.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The table was arranged for family seating rather than receiving a guest. To one side was a younger man and an older boy. On the other was an older woman, followed by a space, and then the youngest daughter who was staring at her with naked hostility.


    Biyu gave a shallow bow at the foot of the table, opposite her father. "I am Biyu Kimmel Lostlakes Elderwoods," she introduced herself formally. The family passed unsettled gazes at her introducing herself as if she was a stranger.


    "I am Defender Elderwoods," her father introduced himself, deciding to follow her lead. "Eugene Kimmel Lostlakes Elderwoods." He had changed out of the armor, and wore dark blue dress robes over a short tunic of fine material. He had a gold chain around his neck, with the emblem of Elderwoods on it. "This is my wife, Lihua Liu Waderpool."


    The woman looked a lot like Biyu, except scaled up. She was a pretty faced slight woman. Her silky hair was bound up in a hair stick, and she wore elaborate dress robes with a gossamer stole. She, and all the members of the family except for Biyu and her father, had a broach with the family emblem on it.


    "My eldest daughter has married and left the house. Her name is Elaine. She resembles me more than my wife, if you wished to know." He indicated the young man beside him. "My eldest son, Christopher. He''s currently designated as the heir." The man was like a younger version of her father. His hair was a lighter shade, sandy brown, and his expression had a slightly witless look to it. No, she should be charitable. Christopher had a guileless air. He gave her a nod in greeting, his expression conflicted.


    "You are the middle daughter, Biyu. My youngest son is Feng, named after my wife''s father."


    The boy nodded to her, his eyes sharper than his older brother. He was calculating, but he did not come across as a schemer. Not from looks. That only went skin deep. He was a mix of his parents'' features, which gave him an exotic look compared to the rest of the family.


    "My youngest daughter, Cassia." The girl nodded primly. Her hair was black like her mothers, but her features favored her father. She was a somewhat homely girl, and she was glaring with spite at Biyu.


    "I greet the family of Elderwoods," Biyu said formally.


    "We have been greeted. Sit at our table, Biyu."


    Greetings completed, Biyu joined the table at the foot. The family shifted, eyes looking to one another. She should have taken the spot between Lihua and Cassia. A servant took her sitting as a signal, and she placed and poured drinks for each of them. Defender Elderwoods was first, and Biyu was second. Proper if she was a ranking guest, as she was presenting herself, but improper if she was part of the household. Lihua scowled at that, but she said nothing as they were served. A small platter of some confection Biyu was not familiar was placed in front of each of them.


    Biyu waited for her host to partake, lifting a snack and chewing at it while taking a drink. Taking her own bite, she found it was a sweetened fruit dumpling. Chewing a moment, she could feel her [Poison] activate as well as her [Poison Immunity]. She checked what [Poison] had to say about it. It was a common but not particularly effective poison from the swamp, one that worked by interfering with the working of muscles. She let her techniques do their work. [Poison] lost interest once it was identified, while [Poison Immunity] kept her from feeling the effects. Biyu examined the treat speculatively.


    The table watched her quietly. Cassia had a mean smile. Christopher was frowning at his younger sister, and the expectant look on his mother''s face. Defender Elderwoods was impassive, as thought waiting for something. Feng was watchful. Almost wary.


    "This poison is common in the swamp," Biyu said before taking another bite, and sipping the bitter drink that accompanied it. Everyone at the table stiffened as they watched her intentionally eating the poison. Defender Elderwoods paled a bit, while Oswald reached for the sword at his waist. "I thank you for the hospitality, but I have already sampled this poison. Unfortunately, it is weak. At most this would make my muscles twitch if I were not immune. Would you like me to show you a strong poison? I have many."


    The tension among the family increased as she dismissed their attempt to kill her and made them her offer. She looked around the table. Christopher was staring with incredulity at his mother. Cassia looked like a child who was denied a treat. Feng kept his thoughts to himself, as did his mother, but Biyu could see she was unsettled. Defender Elderwoods looked upset at the failure.


    "That will not be necessary. Take my apologies for my wife''s¡­ ill-advised attempt to protect this family," Defender Elderwoods said. To show his contriteness, he gave a medium bow to Biyu. A look at his face showed how much it pained him to lower his head like that. The family followed, except Cassia who had to be bowed by her mother.


    "Protection from me? I have no interest in this family except to see their faces but once. As I have said, I intend to leave. I will go east to find my fortune. There is no animosity for you. You are all strangers to me."


    "You are my daughter. You may not know us, but we are family. We should be welcoming you." A lie, but the proper words.


    "I am no daughter of yours. You cast me out." She stopped, looking around the room. "What did I do to earn your ire?"


    "That disgusting face of yours." Lihua started quietly, but her voice rose until she was shouting. "Why did a thing like you have to come from my loins? If you were just pretty that would be one thing. But I gave birth to a natural-born whore!"


    Defender Elderwoods put a hand on her shoulder, and she flinched from the touch. Her lips tightened, and she looked balefully at Biyu.


    "When you were little, we thought you were a blessing that would help us secure a useful connection to a March family. Maybe even Imperial. Instead¡­" Defender Elderwoods restrained himself for a moment, but looking at Biyu he dropped his pretense at civility, "you twisted the mind of every fucking person you met. We had to make you a caged bird just to keep the Fortress from tearing itself apart. Not only that, but every vindictive cunt of a noble we had to fire after tutoring you badmouthed you. We couldn''t present you at court, that would have ended with nobles marching on us to get you for themselves, if Lost Lakes didn''t just demand you! So we got rid of you. You were liability, not a boon." Defender Elderwoods was red-faced as he reached the end.


    "It never occurred to you to mask or shroud my face?" Biyu asked.


    "Masks are for shame¡­ or some of the parties in the city when nobles want to act the part of fools. No self-respecting noble would wear one in public. As for covering the face¡­ there are connotations there that we couldn''t accept. Among them that you are diseased or deformed."


    "Or cursed," Biyu said. That was met by a hard stare from Defender Elderwoods. "So I suffered because you could not bare the shame of a daughter who refused to expose her face." She felt strangely empty. No anger. No sadness. Just an empty acceptance. As she had said, these people had never really been a part of her life, even if they were the cause of her misfortunes.


    "We should''ve just slit the bitch''s throat when she was a babe and fed her to the dogs."


    "She''s still our daughter," Defender Elderwoods said. His eyes were hard on Lihua. Biyu wondered if that was an honest statement, or something to fend off Biyu''s ire.


    "Being eaten alive by a giant snake was supposed to be better? Crushed and suffocated in the dark?" Biyu asked.


    "I assumed she''d kill you with her bite. A quick and gentle death."


    "She did bite me. It hurt. That was how I Awakened."


    "I see. So, what now?" Defender Elderwoods asked.


    "I am going east to see the world. I have not decided if I will go to the Three Kingdoms or Shadow Gate, but I will go to the Great North-South Road."


    "You''re the heir," Christopher said. Lihua gave him a scathing look, while Defender Elderwoods just shook his head. "What? She is! She''s Awakened and I know you got her a proper education. Hell, her tutors were better than mine when you were trying to get the Imperial Family to take notice. How the Hells can she not be?"


    "I was cast out of the family," Biyu said easily. "Exiled, if you do not want to tell people that I was sacrificed."


    "We told people you died," Feng said, speaking for the first time. "You coming back is kinda inconvenient that way. People will have questions."


    "A polite lie because you assumed I would die out in the forests after my exile. A safe assumption. Instead, I Awoke, rebuked you, and left. Christopher can still be heir."


    "And you do nothing, even though we tried to poison you?" asked Feng. His skepticism was thick in his voice. His father was not amused by his insistence on poking the topic.


    "I finally know what my family looks like. Ah, I do have one question."


    "That is?" asked Defender Elderwoods.


    "How old am I?"


    There was shocked silence around the table.


    "You don''t know?" asked Cassia with mocking disbelief.


    "No one ever told me. I could not count the winters in my room. I never had a calendar. How would I know?"


    "You are nineteen," Defender Elderwoods told her.


    Biyu gave a nod. "Thank you. Some day in the future, I will ask you to deliver something to Lady Serpent. For now, I am going to walk in the garden and then take my leave. Thank you for the hospitality. The snack was quite nice." They stared at her in disbelief as she rudely stood without permission to excuse herself. Christopher started to rise. His mother opened her mouth to object, but Defender Elderwoods stopped her.


    Christopher offered Biyu an arm in escort, while Oswald shadowed them. Biyu waved off the offered arm, and she followed her frowning brother as they left for the garden. Biyu looked over the memorable but hazily remembered place. There were no trees, but shrubs and flowerbeds. It was too early in the year for many flowers, only the late spring blooms open. She wandered briefly, the garden was not large, although she took some time to appreciate the roses. She had always like them. They were not open, but she looked at them all the same while remembering what they looked like.


    "I didn''t know," Christopher said. "You were gone a month before I found out. I would have stopped them."


    "And the others?" Biyu asked.


    He shrugged. "We have a pact," he said. "What can I do that won''t anger the Great Ruby Eyed Serpent?"


    "You do not have a pact. She counts it as worship, and favors you for it. You are in violation of Imperial law."


    He stopped short. "What? But Father always said we had one. Are you sure?"


    "I am Lady Serpent''s disciple. We talked about pacts on more than one occasion. She has another pact and will not make one with you."


    Christopher turned to look at her fully. "Then all those poor girls¡­ Elise?" He looked crush. "Gods. Oswald, did you know this?"


    "I did. Defender Elderwoods has his reasons."


    "What by the Hells is that?"


    "He will tell you when you are ready. For now, Lady Biyu, please do not speak of it."


    Christopher was angry, his lips pressed into a line. "It''s because I fancied her, isn''t it?"


    "Later," Oswald said.


    They were silent a while, while Biyu tried to remember a particular flower while staring at the flowerbed full of the early green leaves of the plant. "Why is Elderwoods in such disrepair? The peasants should have better homes than that."


    "Sister¡ª"


    "Please do not call me that."


    He gave her a stricken look. "The reason Elderwoods is so poor is because Father puts all his money into his time at court. He is desperate to raise his standing, and Uncle isn''t heartless enough to crush his ambitions. I think he¡ªMarch Lostlakes¡ªknows things aren''t going well though." He glanced at Oswald. "Maybe you should take over. I won''t be able to until father finally steps aside, and even then¡­ mother and father will be Elders, so it''ll be hard for me to fix things."


    "The people here hate me. So far, I think you are the only one who at least pretends not to. I must assume you are trying to trick me. Do remember your mother tried to poison me only a little while ago."


    "That¡­ is true. But you are my sister, even if you do not want me to call you that. A part of this family, even if they don''t want to admit that. I want to keep a connection."


    "You do not," Biyu said. "People are likely to call me an Elf-friend or worse." She lifted her staff. "This is a bow. You would be better off keeping your distance from me."


    Oswald shifted, while Christopher stared for a moment without comprehension.


    "They treated you better than we did?"


    "About the same," Biyu said. He looked unhappy at that.


    "Biyu¡­ I want you to be part of the family. When I inherit¡­ there''ll be a place for you, whatever else happens. Okay? I''ll toss mom into a manor if she outlives dad. She won''t get to play Elder. She''s too much of a¡­" he glanced at Oswald.


    "Vindictive bitch," the man said.


    "That''s true, but she''s still my Mother. I love her. Just, when she''s not in the same room as me." Oswald cracked a smile. "Cassia will get married off someday, if we can find a match who can stand her. Feng is a good boy. Just¡­ way too cynical for his age. I think he''s waiting to get sacrificed too. Scared the shit out of him when he heard you got sent off."


    He took a breath. "If you change your mind, then I''ll support you becoming head of the family. I''m not sure I can get this ''Fortress'' running with how badly it''s been run, and like I said you have a better education. I could use your help, at least."


    "I do not think that I will provide an heir."


    Christopher shrugged. "Maybe I''ll have a good kid." He paused, frowning. "You know, you have a voice in family politics now. Like¡­ who you and I will marry. You''re an Elder, no matter what Mother and Father want. Even if you remain an exile, we just can''t ignore you."


    "I have no intention to marry. I had someone¡­ I said no." She lifted her arms.


    He lifted a brow. "Oh? May I ask why?"


    Biyu shook her head. "It would be difficult for you to understand." She turned to look at Christopher. "One day, I will send a delivery for the Great Ruby Eyed Serpent. Please see it delivered to where the sacrifices are made. Should I learn it was not, I will return."


    "Alright." Christopher nodded.


    "Do not attempt to arrange a marriage for me. I have other plans, and politics are not part of it."


    "We are part of March Lostlakes''s family still. He might try to meddle, and he has his own Knights to press the issue."


    Biyu gave a shrug. "I will be beyond his reach, and he can only pressure. He cannot make me agree to anything. If he attempts to make the family do so, say no."


    "Father wants back to Lost Lakes pretty bad, even if he is getting on in years. Might be they offer him something he and Mother will jump on. I will say no, but¡­"


    Biyu gave a nod. "If you try, I will be satisfied. Thank you, Christopher." She considered him. "I will, for now, consider you my brother. You vouch for Feng?"


    "He''s not a bad kid, but in some ways he''s the worst of Mother and Father. A little bit craven, a little more cunning than is good for him. He puts himself first, too. So, like that."


    Biyu gave a nod. "Alright, Christopher¡ª"


    "Chris."


    Biyu offered a smile. "Chris. I am going to go now. Oswald, show me the way?" She paused. "No, one thing. Should I introduce myself as part of this family?"


    Oswald gave a slight shake of his head, but Christopher nodded. "Just note that you are currently in exile. Being exiled can be revoked." He frowned as he looked at her chest. "You do not have a family emblem?"


    Biyu shook her head. "I do not. It was not one of the ornaments I was sent with when being sacrificed."


    Christopher removed his broach, and handed it to her. "I''m sure you know, but I''ll remind you. As an exile, you have the right to prove you were part of the family, but you are not allowed to wear this broach. Use it to prove your identity if challenged."


    Biyu took it, and put it into her bag. "Now, I am Biyu Kimmel Lostlakes Elderwoods Exile."


    "That''s right. Oswald? Escort my sister with dignity." Oswald saluted, his face stony.


    <hr>


    Biyu followed the road east. At her back were high mountains in the distance. Before her was the forest her family used to produce lumber. She continued through the clearing and entered the woods. She found herself in a lumber camp. Treated hides or cloth tents were arranged around fires attended to by boys or women. Meat roasted or stew boiled over the fires, doled out as men came and went in shifts to the camp to refresh themselves before returning to work.


    The men and boys, with an occasional woman, watched her suspiciously. She was a masked and armed figure passing through their camp. No one challenged her, but neither did they greet her. A few of the men hefted axes warily, but while she took in the camp and lumberers curiously, she continued along the road without pause. Since she did nothing, so did they.


    Biyu''s stomach rumbled as she left the camp, the roasting meat wetting her appetite, and she drew out some of her travel rations. She chewed on smoked meat wrapped in dried savory leaves. She hoped the next village was nicer than the one she had left, and the next lord more competent.

 12 Bandits

    Biyu continued her travel through the forest, following the paved stone road. Travel had started exciting with the lumber camp, but she had grown bored by the long hours of unchanging scenery. When the woods broke to a clearing, she would take some time to enjoy the view or explore points of interest that attracted her attention. Many times the clearings were flowered, dappled with brush, or had a lone tree or copse. Sometimes she found berry bushes, and she tried some. Poisonous or not, they did not affect her with her [Poison Immunity], so she harvested enough for a snack as she continued her trek. There were no other travelers on the roads, and she even found places where leaves had piled up on the road. She kicked at the piles, but many of them had already begun turning into dirt.


    After noon, she took a break to eat a meal of dried rations with plenty of water. She liked how the half-mask allowed her to eat while keeping her face hidden. On the empty road she considered going without it, but after going so long without removing it she felt naked when she did. Once she was done, she continued along the road. Every few miles she would see a dirt path, some wide enough for oxcarts, lead off from the road, and wondered where they went. She considered following her curiosity, but she had no desire to get herself lost away from the road. After a day and a night and another half a day of travel, she finally paused to rest. A short nap in the early morning was all she needed to keep going.


    On her journey, Biyu found herself avoiding sleep, especially at night. When she did, she would find herself remembering Indu. She tried not to, hating the feeling in the pit of her stomach. Biyu missed her, and she would shiver a little even on the warm nights.


    Once she exited the forest, she found herself looking at farm lands with wide eyes. When she had been studying, she had seen prints of cultivated fields in her books. Her tutoring had included land management, including the management of farms. She had studied several treatises on the subject. For all that, her only experience thus far had been the small gardens of the manor courtyard, and she rarely had enough time to do more than identify a plant or two.


    The long fields of evenly spaced plants, all waving in the wind, captivated her. She found herself smiling as she continued, and for a brief moment she was reminded of accounts of the far north where the Minotaur made their home. They were said to raise vast fields, taking advantage of their great strength and endurance to cultivate huge swaths of land. It boggled her mind how much a community could accomplish. She came to a broad dirt road heading north, a spur to a small northern village with low, mortared stone walls. A manor house was built at the far end. To the east the road disappeared once more into the forest. There was no decision to be made. She turned north.


    Her adventure into a farming village was arrested at the sound of a large crash, screams, and shouts of outrage all came one after another. Her body reacted reflexively. She took a moment to ready her bow, flip the cap on her quiver, and she was running to the sound while drawing her first arrow. She kept her body low and near the brush at the side of the road to screen her from pickets.


    Only a half mile away she found a wagon under attack. Two of the guards were on the ground. One was dead or unconscious, the other rolling while clutching his chest. As she came upon the scene, she drew an arrow aimed at a man as he raised a club over the wounded man. Too late, she fired. Her target was struck in the head. The bandit had no armor to protect him, so he fell to the ground fatally wounded. The downed guard had already been struck, and she saw no movement. She could not tend to him now.


    Six other men were overwhelming a final guard. Their cudgels rained blows down on the guard, who was struggling to keep a shield between them. Only part of him was protected by the shield, his back to the wagon. The mail hauberk did little to blunt the damage, his body rocking from the blows. He was disarmed, and barely able to keep a shield between him and the men assaulting him. As she took in the full scene, preventing herself from focusing too much on a single part of the engagement, she made out the broken body of what was likely the driver of the cart, his body twisted and broken on the road.


    Biyu had not yet been noticed by the rest of the bandits. She had to decide what to do next. Instinct had brought her here, but now was time for her to make a decision. Six attackers were a bit much for her, but they were not trained soldiers. They did not look like seasoned bandits either. They wore no armor, and half of them were suffering from old wounds. None of them had recovered any of the weapons to use against the last man standing. The last guard, the only confirmed survivor she could see, was badly wounded and the beating he was taking was visibly weakening him.


    Biyu watched the bandits crowd the guard and drag him down. As she watched their hands clutching and pulling at the guards weapons, at his armor, at his helmet, her skin crawled. She remembered grasping hands. Cold anger filled her, and she aimed her bow. Drawing and firing rapidly, she attacked the bandits. The first, like always, flew true in a killing blow to the throat. She shuddered at the feeling of the soul filling her. The next was a glancing wound, striking a man in the shoulder. She was using [Envenom] on the arrows, so it should do. She favored a paralytic from her collection, a strong fast acting poison that would lead to death through asphyxiation. Other arrows struck true or glanced off, but none did more than leave shallow wounds.


    Biyu tossed her bow aside, and drew a dagger and bronze sword. Readying herself, she used [Envenom] on her blades.


    "Elf!" one of them cried as he ran at her. Only three of the men, all injured, turned from the downed guard to rush at her. The other two continued beating the downed man.


    She moved as she had practiced so many times. A quick slash to a man''s arm had him reeling in pain as magical poison rushed through his blood. A kick threw another man off balance enough he stumbled into the third''s way, and they collapsed in a tangle of limbs. Biyu took the chance to run the first man through with her sword, and he collapsed in pain. So far, she had felt the power of only two souls coursing through her.


    The other two men were still trying to kill the guard, their cudgels battering at the armor. A shriek of pain let her know the man was still alive, but he could not take much more.


    Seeing that she had put another out of the fight, one of the beaters peeled off to help the two attacking her. There was another pulse of power. The poisoned man she had run through was dead. Three dead, two regaining their footing, one joining, and one beating the person she sought to rescue.


    Biyu blocked one of the men''s cudgels with a dagger, and slashed him easily with her sword. The man cried out, but the edge only did a little damage. He staggered back while the other two circled her. They went after her with their cudgels, as she deflected them as best she could. Her helmet and armor helped deflect blows she missed, but she scored a few quick strikes onto the bandits.


    The man she had just cut died quickly, and she felt the power of him pulse into her. She switched to the offensive to batter aside a cudgel and land several hard blows against the man. The blade cut into him, and her poison took root. Then she kicked the man away to give her room to roll to the side. The man behind her made a heavy swing, but she was rising up to drive dagger and sword into him. He stared at her with wide, surprised eyes, as he died.


    There was only one man still able to fight, and he was looking at her from over the guard. The man realized he had no chance to win against her, and he abandoned his allies to dive into the woods and run away. Biyu''s first instinct was to go after him, but a choked sob from the beaten man stayed her. Instead, she quickly checked and dispatched the remaining bandits. Even the ones she was sure were dead got a dagger plunged into their heart. Once she was sure all six were dead, she quickly checked the downed guards. They were both dead, as she had feared.


    Verification complete, she went to work on the injured guard. She started by removing his helmet. The man turned out to be a woman. She had a swollen eye, bruises on her face, and most likely a broken nose. Her eyes looked at Biyu with distrust.


    "Can I take you to the village?" asked Biyu. The woman tried to stand, cried out in pain, then shook her head. "I understand. I will fetch help."


    The woman gripped her wrist, and wheezed out, "Brother. Men. Alive?"


    Biyu frowned, looking at the bodies of the guards. She gave a slow shake of her head and the woman started sobbing.


    After looking to the woods, she gave the woman her sword back just in case the man who fled returned. As she did, she pressed a blessing upon the woman, one of healing as strong as she could stand to make without attaching her technique. Biyu checked the sight of the fight one last time before she ran to the village.


    When she entered the small village, a villager on guard lowered his spear at her. He was ready to run her through on the spot. Hands up to placate him, she backed off. "I need help! A merchant wagon was set upon just outside the village! I need a healer!"


    People came at her call. One of them was a man holding a long handled, broad headed ax. He wore a cuirass over a hauberk, a helmet, and a surcoat depicting an ax over flames. A Knight of the Order of Flaming Axes.


    She repeated her message to the Knight. The Knight was suspicious, but he gave a nod. Other villagers, donning helmets, spears, and linen armor, came as well. Biyu led the people to the oxcart. An older woman was with them, and the Knight let a pair of villagers carry his polearm while he carried the woman bridal style.


    The villagers stared at the dead bodies. Biyu gave them and the Knight a report of the fight, while the guards inspected each of the bodies to ensure they were dead. The medicine woman worked on the merchant guard, her expression flat. She set a broken arm and bound it to a splint. They put together a litter, tied the merchant guard to it, and took her and the wagon back to town. They took the bodies of the two guards and merchant with them on the cart. Services would be given for the driver and guards in the village, most likely performed by the Lord of the Land.


    Some villagers remained to help the Knight stack the bodies of the bandits. The Knight would burn the bodies, preventing them from becoming the vessels of Lost Souls.


    When they reached the village, a man in finer clothing than the peasants stood waiting for them. He had a look of concern on seeing Biyu. One of the peasants who had come back with them spoke to the noble, giving a summary. He looked a little worried again. "I am Lord Miles Kimmel. May I have the courtesy of your name?"


    "I am Biyu Kimmel Lostlakes Elderwoods¡­ Exile," replied Biyu. She gave a short bow to the man before she turned and rummaged in her bag. They all looked in surprise when she held up her broach to verify her claim.


    The man gave her a once over, his face troubled. "I was informed of Lady Biyu''s death a few years ago. And, an exile? Would you be so kind as to explain?" He was being deferential, and had even given her a slight bow she returned when he saw the emblem.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Shaking her head, Biyu said, "I have been cast out of my family. They assumed I would not be able to fend for myself, so they covered my shame with a polite lie. I overturned expectations, and now I seek a place to call home." That was all true, just told in a way convenient for her family. Lord Miles was most likely a distant family member from the Lost Lakes branches several generations removed from the main March family.


    "I see," he said. "May I ask the circumstances?"


    Biyu had prepared an answer to this question, but put on the spot she was hesitant to use it. "I was a disappointment to my family. I could not be wed," she indicated her mask. "So they decided I was disposable." That was the truth, although she was expecting the man to misunderstand her insinuation about her face.


    The worry on Lord Mile''s face grew deeper. The Knight, who had just returned, straightened up. He was not wearing his helmet, and his careworn face looked angry. Biyu wondered why. Lord Miles asked, "Can you remove your mask? It is difficult to trust someone whose face you cannot see."


    Slowly, Biyu shook her head. "You need not trust me. I do not intend to stay. My journey takes me east."


    "Alone?" asked Lord Miles.


    "Yes," she replied.


    "That''s dangerous for a child. If you wait, a patrol from Elderwoods or Lost Lakes should be able to escort you to a village in Flatwoods at least."


    Biyu shook her head. "That is unnecessary."


    "He speaks the truth," interjected the Knight. "He killed six bandits on his own. You have conducted yourself honorably. Your insistence not to show your face is troubling, but surely you heard the rumors Lord Miles. Will you swear your honorable intentions?"


    Biyu nodded her head. Lifting her hands up to address the sky, she spoke, "I swear an Oath by the Dragon Gods that I intend no harm to this village, and shall stand in its defense for so long as I stay here." All three of them could feel the power of an Oath bind her. This was the first time Biyu had invoked an Oath, though she had seen it a handful of times in the Elven village. She would be freed once she continued on her journey.


    Both men, feeling her Oath take hold, relaxed. The Knight did not look pleased, but Lord Miles smile was relaxed. "Lady Biyu," the Knight jolted at him calling her that, "please feel free to stay in my village so long as you wish. If you need a place to stay, I will offer you one of my spare rooms."


    With a nod, Biyu asked to be shown to a place where she could clean herself up. Bath tents were only set up at the end of each week, but servants from the manor drew water and even heated it for her. She took a bath in the room assigned to her. The manor was a short, broad building of stone and mortar. Unlike Elderwoods, it was a north facing building in a small estate making up a four walls surrounding a courtyard. The gate was on the north side, and the main house in the south. Biyu was granted a small room in the main house, at the end of the hall near the storage rooms. After her bath, Biyu changed into clean clothes. She wore her gambeson, but she packed away the rest of her armor and all her weapons except for a bronze sword.


    The merchant wagon had supplies the village and manor had needed, including alchemical goods for the village medicine woman. Biyu was thanked, and Lord Miles promised her the guard woman would be well cared for. Biyu tried to pay the healer, but the woman refused with a scoff.


    The next day, the merchant guard was well enough to speak to Biyu. The woman had a freckled face and reddish brown hair. Her eyes were blue and clear as she sat on the bed looking at Biyu with a mixture with gratitude and grief.


    "Was my brother and his friend, Mister," she said in a coarse rural tongue. Her consonants were harder than the local drawl, and she skipped some of her vowels and soft sounds in her words. The woman''s fingers clutched her bedding. "Not like we ain''t had that kind of action before. Just, they were rabid, Mister. Bonkers. And, well, thanks and all."


    Biyu gave a slight bow. "I am sorry I did not arrive sooner," she said. Even if she meant the words, it was still a platitude. Politeness and unfamiliarity called for platitudes, but she found them grating all the same.


    The woman smiled wanly, but she was thankful that Biyu cared enough to say the words. "Mister, I''m at a bit of a loose end here, ya know?" She swallowed, not quite looking her in the eyes. "I could stay here. They''d be nice and all, but¡­ that''s not my life, ya know?" She fidgeted nervously. "You seem a good sort. Can¡­ will you stick around, and let me get back on my feet, so I can go with you?"


    Biyu looked at the woman, surprised at her request. "You wish for an escort somewhere?" Biyu asked carefully.


    The woman slumped at the question. "Ah, guess that''s a bit much to ask a stranger, huh?" she said in a defeated tone. "Yeah, an escort to a town. Ah, dammit, how much?"


    Realizing the woman had just assumed she was being turned down rather than asked for clarification, Biyu debated. She was a softer person than she thought when she held up her hand to stop the woman''s rambling. "You want to journey with me?" she asked.


    "Huh? Well, yeah. Not much life for a merchant''s guard here, and with my brother gone¡­ I''ve got nowhere to be. I don''t think I can go on with the life I had, not without''m. So, if you need a hand, I''d like to go with you."


    "Do you want to know where I am going first, or why?"


    She shrugged. "Not gonna sell me to a flesh merchant, I reckon, and¡­ well, a Transcendent ain''t gonna stick around here, yeah? Despite this," and she waved at her wounds, "I''m a good little scrapper. I can be useful, I mean."


    "It is obvious I am Awakened?"


    The woman snorted. "Normal people don''t kill seven people in ten minutes while making it look easy, ya know? Especially when you''re that short." She looked uncomfortable. "But, even you Ascendant types need a hand or two, yeah?"


    Biyu sighed. Beating around the bush was failing spectacularly. "Tell me what you want to do."


    The woman blinked, as though she thought the whole thing was obvious. "I want to join you as a guard. You know, form a party, travel the lands, do the heroing thing or whatever it is you do. Like the minstrels sing about, yeah?"


    Biyu leaned back. "I am on a journey. See more of the world and the Empire. Learn about and improve my techniques. Expand my power. Find my purpose. I would like to get going, and I do not think you should come with me."


    The woman slumped. "Because I ain''t good enough."


    Biyu would not tell the woman she was a god, and especially that she was a demon. Sharing a secret like that with someone she just met would be foolish. Still, she felt sympathy for the woman. "It is not a matter of skill. It is a matter of trust. I will not trust easily."


    The wounded woman looked at her with consideration. There was a weighing in her eyes. "Why did you save me?" she asked.


    That surprised Biyu. She had done it because she had assumed that was what you did. She could tell the bandits were bandits. The woman was a guard. If she had thought it was slaves in revolt, that would be another thing. Was it not natural to save someone from danger? That was what they did in the stories. Ah. Stories were stories because people did not do things that way. So, Biyu honestly said, "Because that is what people do in stories."


    The wounded woman started laughing, her back curling a little. Then she sputtered and wheezed. The healer, who had been making up more medicine, scowled at them. "Don''t make her laugh. It ain''t healthy for her, not with cracked ribs." Biyu gave the healer a conciliatory bow.


    The woman gave her a partial seated bow, careful of her ribs. "My name is Lily May. I offer you this Oath, oh mighty warrior. I will serve you faithfully as your sword, and I shall defend you as your shield. I will stand behind you to defend your back, and I will stand before you to cover you from your enemies. I am in your debt, and my life is either yours or forfeit." The words, Biyu thought, were from a minstrel''s tale. She thought she remembered it from one of her books.


    More importantly, Biyu felt the words snap into place. She had born witness to an Oath. Feeling the bindings of power between her and the oath sworn warrior, she felt the color drain from her face. Not just was she put off because the woman had bound herself to her, but also because a god was taking an interest in them. Gods watched people all the time, that was something everyone knew. However, there was watching, and there was taking action. This was not like an Oath made in the name of a particular god. Lily May had named no gods, and yet one bore witness anyways.


    Lily May looked surprised. Evidently, she felt the binding of the Oath as well. The old woman''s eyes were wide with shock.


    "You foolish girl! You swore an Oath to the gods?! Those are serious! What did you swear?" she demanded. She rushed up to the bed, her eyes seeking to see if Lily May was any worse. Or perhaps better. Gods could do amazing things.


    Lily May looked around with confusion. "That''s a thing?"


    The healer looked ready to smack her, but thought better of it. "How do you think the world works, girl? A Lord is Oath bound to the Empire. Knights swear Oaths to their Order. Mercenaries swear to honor their contracts. Priests and Champions swear to their gods. You swore an Oath, and the gods witnessed it. You better do what you said you would, or you''ll pay for it!"


    Blushing, Lily May said to Biyu, "I guess I''m your sworn sword."


    The old woman cut in, "Who did you swear to? That''s important! The words are important, and so is the god who bore witness! The god is the one who interprets your Oath, and decides if it is kept. Some of them have weird ideas about what that means!"


    "I don''t know," said Lily May. "I didn''t name a god."


    That earned her a slap on the back of the head that she had been spared before. The woman looked not an ounce repentant at swatting a woman in her sickbed. "Stupid child. And let me guess, you don''t even know the name of the boy you swore to? Be careful, foolish girl, that the gods don''t interpret your words to mean something you didn''t intend. Like that you swore your Oath to me."


    Sighing, Biyu introduced herself. "My name is Biyu Kimmel Lostlakes Elderwoods Exile. It is a pleasure to meet you, Lily May. I will visit you soon. I¡­ need to make arrangements to stay in this village a bit longer."


    Before she left, Biyu collected the newfound power she had gained from the bandits she had slain, and used their power to remake the blessing of healing for Lily May. It was a little exhausting to fashion, and she used the [Heal Self] technique to add to its potency. It could not compare with the healing techniques of a proper Healer, but it would still help her heal faster. The technique itself was little more than a bump in a person''s natural healing. She would need to eat well, but from her frame she likely had a healthy appetite.


    In the following days she would visit the woman, but even without using the blessing she had some idea where her retainer was. Part of her worried that the woman had become her Champion unwittingly. Shishi had never taught her how to witness an Oath, and she assumed it was something she was not yet ready for. She would have hated to unwittingly bind Lily May by accident.


    During the days of waiting for Lily May to heal, Biyu would wander the village. In the mornings she did kata and dance, and the Knight and village children would frequently watch her as she did. He offered to spar, which she was glad for. Their styles and skills were very different, and what was a fair victory for her was a cheap tactic to him. Still, their relationship was cordial, and he would ask her questions about her training to compare with his own. Biyu was circumspect about who had trained her, but it was obvious when she practiced her archery. The Knight was disgusted as he watched her practice with the weapon, but he remained polite even after witnessing it.


    The villagers, on the other hand, watched her warily. That was expected, as villagers were often wary of strangers. They were polite enough since she was a guest of their Lord. They reasoned she must be someone important, even if she dressed worse than them. Some of the cheekier children started calling her Elf-friend when she practiced the bow, but watching her skill with the foreign weapon a few asked if they could try. Seeing the hard looks the adults sent her way, she refused to teach them. That made the bad-mouthing among the children worse for a day.


    The bad-mouthing ceased after she took them fishing. Boys and girls alike watched with keen interest as she caught, cleaned, and cooked fish for them, making a makeshift feast day for the children and their minders. Lord Miles had even thanked her for it while giving her an exceedingly polite reminder not to distract the peasants from their duties. Even children had tasks to do.


    Biyu spent her nights in the manor. It had a bed with a mattress and blankets, and idols of Lord Nightmare and Lady Dreams watched her sleep from above. Icons of the Dragon Gods were carved into the high wall of the Hall, the entryway into the house. Besides the main house for the nobles, rooms for guests were in the east house, and the servants in the west. The north house was where the kitchens, storage, and a few rooms for retired servants were.


    Biyu, although she was not devout, said prayers before bed to the idols above her bed. She said a prayer for the household reflexively when she entered the building, and prayers for safe travels when she left.


    Biyu did not interact with the servants much, except to request the company of a maid to her bed. That had earned her scandalized looks, and the woman she ended up sleeping with seemed confused the first morning afterwards when nothing happened. She was much more relaxed on following nights, but Biyu suspected she was telling tales about what they were doing. The looks she got from the other female servants, and some of the males, were far too wary.


    She declined the nicer clothes she was offered, and wore her usual rough spun tunic and trousers. While she always wore a sword and dagger, the rest of her equipment was kept in her room.


    Dinner was taken with Lord Miles''s family. They dined in the courtyard on nice days, and in a room in the Hall of the main house on other days. Lord Miles had an elder son who was spending time in Lost Lakes to learn to be a clerk, and a younger son who was staying with them.


    That was how Biyu passed the time waiting for Lily May to heal.

 13 Knight-Errant

    Chelsea Stoneshield loved her grandfather. He was a famous man, a god, her ancestor, and a living hero. He had gone to the northern war and fought the Minotaur. She had grown up hearing stories of his exploits, and she had dreamed that she could be like him when she grew up. Now she was living her childhood dream. Like many childhood dreams, she was starting to feel disappointed when reality did not live up to her childish fantasies. A part of her knew that the stories people told were only the exciting parts. Most of them skipped over the tedious travel, smoothed over or summed up the politics with wit, and skipped the nights of boozing and brotherhood when the stories were told to her.


    She was a Knight-Errant, traveling from town to village to defend the just and defeat the wicked. When she was a child, she had dreamed of defeating Goblin hordes, evil Sacred Beasts, facing mighty Knights in tournaments, and sallying forth on a grand quest. All for glory, valor, and to bring honor to her family and Order.


    There were no Goblin hordes. Not even one damsel in distress to be found, even if the reward of rescuing one would, according to the minstrel tales, be wasted on her. No powerful Sacred Beasts running rampant. At most, she offered counsel in disputes, helped to find lost livestock, or dispatched a corpse possessed by a Lost Soul. Worthy endeavors, but lacking the splendor a story needed. They were also unlikely to earn her merit on her return.


    The training she had received in the Order of the Stone Circle felt like it was going to waste. Their way was to be stout and stalwart in battle, unmovable bulwarks from which their allies sallied forth, or the ramparts from whence Knights and Wizards hid as they fired volleys into the enemy. They were not the vanguard, but they were renowned as heroes among the Midland Orders. Her grandfather was not the only one to return from the Northlands with distinction.


    Chelsea was the honored daughter of the main family of her Order. So, when she went forth in search of adventure, she was forced to bring along a retinue. Three other knights, ready to go on their own journey, were her bodyguards. While she knew that was what they were, she had been told that since she was raised to command, she should have subordinates. Provided the command was not ''wait in this city while I go looking for glory,'' they followed orders well.


    Her band even had a Healer, Anya, and this was a precious resource that had been hired to accompany her. Anya was a nice enough woman in most ways, but she was a beautiful, slim waisted woman with immaculately curled hair, and a smile that dimpled prettily. In comparison, Chelsea was a tall, strong woman with well-defined abs, practical short hair that spiked from her helmet. To sum it up, she was solid, muscular, and maybe even mannish, even if she was told she had pretty eyes. Normally this didn''t bother her, but with Anya around it was hard for her not to feel inadequate. What was unfair was that she was perfectly happy with the way she looked, so feeling like she somehow lost to the other woman was to add insult to injury. That Anya had a penchant for married women was the only character flaw she knew of, but Chelsea cherished the feeling of moral superiority.


    Chelsea had a lover in Sir Richard, one of her escorts. Their relationship was casual, and so far as she knew Sir Richard had no other lovers but her among the retinue. There could be no lasting romance, not when her family would plan her marriage once she had enjoyed her adventure. She understood that she was privileged in many ways, in part due to her grandfather''s doting. She was allowed to become a Knight, and she had done extremely well in her training, even discounting her advantages. Chelsea was still the daughter of a powerful Order family. Her husband would be a political advantage for the Order, and she would be an advantage, a tie to a god, for the family she married into. Part of her suspected she would be married into March Shadow Gate''s family, to bring the Order and their noble patrons closer together. Sir Richard, a valiant knight, had no prospects that would make him worthy of a daughter from a named family.


    With her Grandfather''s accomplishments, her family could establish themselves as a noble family with the heroic name Eugene. Thus, if she was married into a noble family, she would become Chelsea Eugene Stoneshield. The rest of her family would wait for his Ascension into the Heavens, or their own marriages if appropriate.


    Her penultimate minder was Alan, her squire. Each of the Knights had one, and most had two. That didn''t include a handful of servants, cart drivers, and other professionals that were required for a team of Knights on the road. None of those servants would presume to command her, and only the Knights could truly countermand her for her own safety. Alan could not tell her what to do, but he could advise her. That was little different, when he knew her well enough to make her see reason.


    Her final minder was her mount, Anton the Reglad. He was a large beast, covered in scales and bony plate, with thick rear legs, a long tail, a broad spade shaped head, and long, dexterous forelimbs. His back was black, his belly red, and it mottled from one to the other along his sides. While she rode, he would walk on four limbs, but he was equally comfortable on two. Anton had been her father''s mount, and while he was old now, he was one of her lifelong friends. When she was a child, she had called him Uncle Anton.


    Still, despite her five minders and one friend (Anton), she did her best to be the hero she always dreamed of being. So far the worst they had come across were some random bandits. The other Knights had allowed her to take them on by herself, since they were no threat to her.


    It was nighttime, and it was only the tossed flames of the mage that had warned them that bandits had come to rob the village. The moon was bright and silver above, offering a clear monochrome view of the bandits in a clearing outside the village. The village had no wall, and there was no manor in this village to defend the villagers. The Knights would fight the bandits, while the village militia kept the security of the village itself.


    Chelsea left her minders to protect the village from the occasionally lobbed fireball. Sir Richard erected a dirt wall around the village using [Reinforce Wall] to make it strong. Sir Leon and Sir Stuart stood just outside the walls and deflected fireballs lobbed by the pathetic mage using the technique [Be the Wall], which allowed them to absorb the fireballs as though they themselves were a section of a curtain wall. She went forth to do battle on foot. There were only around ten men in the assault, each a ragged vagrant with only a few pieces of poorly kept armor among them. Perhaps they were people who had fled from the northern war, although between the distance (a thousand miles at least), and their ill equipment, that seemed unlikely.


    Chelsea was in her hauberk, vambraces, armored boots, helmet, and cuirass. She held up a tower shield to protect her face while her heavy mace rested upon her shoulder, ready to smash in the bandits'' skulls. Her equipment was made of steel, all except the mace which was a heavy ball of iron bound to a thick wooden haft.


    The first man she engaged was a shabby man with a long dagger, growling something she couldn''t quite make out, especially after she smashed her shield into his face and broke his nose. The man bounced off, and she proceeded to the first of the armored opponents. She felt the slam of an oak staff from another scruffy peasant, and it bounced off her technique [Stone Skin] that enhanced the toughness of her armor and body. It was unnecessary, the man was too weak to damage her mana enhanced body or steel armor. The strengthening of her arm to crash her mace through the blocking staff and pulp the man''s head was necessary, but only barely.


    The remaining men tried to surround her, too desperate to stop their assault even though they had to know they would fail and die. Ravenous wolves then, and any desire she had to apprehend them was gone. She waded through the men, dispatching each one easily. One man attempt to strike her armpit with a spear, but a twist of her arm protected it. Not that she thought the weakling could manage to harm her.


    Another man was set aflame as he moved to engage her, hit by a stray shot from the mage who had switched from trying to burn down the village to trying to burn down her. Mages were often a problem, but she doubted the man was experienced enough to defeat her defenses. Even if he was, well, Anya had only healed a squire''s sniffles so far. The Healer could use a bit of real work.


    Suddenly, from out of the darkness, came a sudden strike, and the mage gave a short cry as something bloomed from his chest. He fell to the ground as another appeared just as quickly. Chelsea renewed her assault, though without the mage the men finally broke. A child in clothes a peasant would be ashamed to wear strode out from the darkness to fire a bow into another man, while Chelsea let the remaining men flee. The man ran a few steps, then collapsed while grasping at the arrow while crying out in pain.


    Facing the stranger, Chelsea lifted her shield in readiness to fight the Elf. There was no doubt it was using a bow, and the fact that it had struck the weak mage did nothing to assure her it was on her side. Readying for what might be a real fight, she shouted out, "Elf!" loudly so her companions could hear, and they rushed to her support.


    The small figure had scanned the dark after the fleeing men, but hearing Chelsea''s shout it tossed down its bow and raised its arms in surrender. "Human!" it cried out. The eyes glimmered in the light of the moon as the figure stared at her. It gave a tentative bow, not lowering its gaze, and said, "I am Biyu Kimmel Lostlakes Elderwoods Exile. I greet the mighty Knight."


    That surprised Chelsea, but she responded, "Chelsea Stoneshield, of the Order of the Stone Circle." She gave a slight bow, not trusting the diminutive figure. "Thank you for your help. You swear you are not an Elf?"


    "By the Dragon Gods, I so swear I speak truly: I am not an Elf."


    The child was not struck down by lightning, killed by a strange ethereal beast, disappeared into a sudden rend in the earth to plummet to its doom, nor the dozen other ways those who made false Oaths died, and so Chelsea relaxed her stance slightly.


    "Why," Chelsea asked, "would any good noble of the Empire use an Elf''s bow?"


    "My Master decided I should. She is a Sacred Beast, and I trust her wisdom." There was a pause. "You need not treat me as a noble."


    That surprised Chelsea in more than one way. Students of Sacred Beasts were a popular, if uncommon, subject of minstrel songs, and until this moment she had thought they were only stories. She was also an exiled noble, another popular character type from tales in general. Being both, she was sure the minstrels would salivate to meet her. For now, she would believe this ''Lady'' Biyu, but she would keep up her guard.


    Chelsea''s entourage arrived, their weapons ready. They had seen them parley, and so they were awaiting further instructions. "Prepare the bodies," Chelsea decided. They took a moment to ensure she was not making a command under duress, before they began stripping and arranging the bodies. Villagers were called upon to bring wood and other burnables to prepare a pyre.


    Watching carefully, she saw the child reclaim its bow and remove the string. Treating it like a walking stick, she walked up the road a short distance to collect someone. It was a tall figure wearing a hauberk, sword and shield, although it walked with care. Chelsea assumed it was someone injured. They came to stand near Chelsea, where she could make them out in the moonlight.


    "My companion," Lady Biyu said, indicating the tall figure. It was a woman. Chelsea smiled a moment at seeing another woman-at-arms. It was rare for her to meet one outside an Order.


    Giving a slight bow, the woman demonstrated she truly was injured, for it was not deep enough to be properly polite. "My name is Lily May, but I go by May. I am a former merchant''s guard."


    "I am Chelsea Stoneshield, of the Order of the Stone Circle. I¡­ thank you for your help."


    Lady Biyu and her companion both bowed again. Being so close, Chelsea could make out Biyu''s mask. "Lady Biyu, is it a bad disfigurement?"


    "I beg your pardon?"


    "The mask."


    "Ah. No. My face¡­"


    The mercenary guard, giving a bow for the indiscretion, interjected, "Milady was blessed with fine features. The mask discourages pests."


    With an exaggerated sigh, Lady Biyu said, "You need not call me a lady, May. I am just Biyu, your companion."


    "But, Lady Biyu¡ª"


    Lifting a hand, she silenced the taller woman, clearly demonstrating who was in charge. "We have spoken on this, May."


    Giving another slight bow, May said, "Very well, Master." Biyu was obviously annoyed, but she did not argue with this form of address.


    "Are you injured, May?" Chelsea asked.


    With a smile, May tried to bow again, but Chelsea signaled for her to stop. "I am still healing, Lady Chelsea. A few cracked ribs, and an injured arm."


    Puffing out some air, Chelsea waved them toward the village. "We have a Healer with us. I''ll have her take a look at you." At this distance, she could tell neither were Elves, and the small woman still had not suffered under her Oath.


    "I will help with the bodies," Lady Biyu said, and she moved to help the Knights finish preparing the bodies and starting the pyre.


    <hr>


    Anya blinked at them sleepily. She was in a dressing gown to keep her decent, though her feet were bare. Seeing the tall freckled woman with Chelsea, she blinked herself rapidly awake.


    "She has partially healed injuries. Would you mind looking her over?"


    "Yes, Lady Chelsea," she said, giving a bare curtsy before ushering the tall woman into her room.


    Chelsea followed the women in. "Take off your clothes," Anya said.


    Looking perplexed, Lily May stripped off a layer at a time. Armor and weapons first. Her boots were drawn off, followed by her tunic and hose. Down to her undergarments, she gave Anya a curious look. "Yes, completely naked. I''m going to do an old-fashioned examination."


    Chelsea knew Anya pretty well by this point. The woman was a pervert, but she really did prefer to examine patients in the nude before treating them. She did the same when she gave men an examination. While May stripped, Anya was painting a ritual circle on the ground. It was not particularly large, but it was full of increasingly tight symbols, leaving a rather small area for a person to stand.


    "Are you Awakened, have a blessing, are wearing any charms, on any medication, or otherwise affected by magic?"


    May began to shake her head, then thought better of it. "I''m under an Oath."


    "Alright. I will start by checking if you have any mana anomalies. Once I establish them, I will do a shallow check of your body. Obvious damage. Then I''ll do a deep check. Cracked bones, internal bleeding, and such. After that, I''ll check your health, like if you have any diseases. Once all that is done, I will begin fixing you from most to least serious."


    "Um," May began. "Aren''t you a big ''H'' Healer? Don''t you just magic me and make it go away?"


    Anya gave a smile. "A lot of big ''H'' Healers do that, but there are conditions that the careless use of magic can make worse. For example, if your bone is poorly set, it can cause a deformity and loss of motion. If you were in critical condition, I would risk it, since we could just fix any mistakes later. Since you are walking and talking, I would prefer to do it correctly the first time. Do I have your permission to begin healing you?"


    "I thought getting naked when you asked was enough permission," May said. She was not shy in her nudity, standing tall and proud.


    Anya directed May to stand in the center of the circle, and she began. After a few moments, she stopped and stared at the circle. "Well, I do detect an Oath, and it is kind of a big deal. What god witnessed it?"


    "Dunno," May admitted. "I wasn''t trying to make an Oath, just jesting a bit and reciting an Oath from a minstrel story. Didn''t think a god would just, uh, witness it I think they said?"


    Anya looked at Chelsea, who looked back with her own frown. Well, that only happened in minstrel stories too. This was getting stranger and stranger. "Lady Biyu, who is she really?"


    May gave a shrug of her shoulders. "Don'' really know that much. She''s told me she was exiled, but not much more. But¡­ she''s kinda my hero. I was being all beat up by bandits, and my brother and his buddy were killed. Got jumped by bandits who used slings of all things to ambush us. I got lucky, my back was to ''em and they hit my shield. Still rung my bell, and then I was getting battered by men with sticks. Then she pops up, and starts killing ''em like they was insects. Saved me life. Just kinda wish she had been quicker about it."


    "She''s Transcendent," Chelsea told the curious Anya. "Probably ten or eleven, if I had to guess."


    Anya gave a nod, looking thoughtful. "Too bad. You only hear horror stories about Eternal Children. Like that one puppet show we saw a while back. What was it, the Fire Flower of the Slums? It had a catchy between acts interlude."


    Shaking off the distraction, she went on, "Also, you have a blessing on you. Not too strong, but think it''s from the same god?"


    Puzzled, May shrugged. "I''m not especially devout. Maybe I should be, but¡­ I was too busy living every day, I guess."


    "That can happen with travelers," Chelsea commiserated. They had a small temple in one of the wagons, and she would lead services once a week when time allowed. A lot of fellow travelers who participated in worship with them would admit it had been a while afterwards.


    Anya inspected May, having her lift her feet, spread her hands, and allowing her to massage her body. Again, these were all things she had done with the men of her retinue when required. She demanded a chaperone rather than be left alone with naked men, and it usually fell to Chelsea to do so. Normally Chelsea did not watch, just sat in the same room, but with another woman she felt the need to make sure Anya did not take advantage.


    Done with the exam, Anya said, "Well, you are healing faster than usual. Probably a part of the blessing you have. There is some deep tissue damage I am going to heal up. Nothing terrible, but it will help you feel better faster. The ribs and arm were patched up well. You should not be traveling yet, but you haven''t strained yourself so you should be fine. I will fix up your bones starting tomorrow." Then she broke the circle, and the energy wafted out. She put her hands onto May''s belly to activate her healing techniques.


    Treatment complete, May began to dress in her travel stained clothes, but Chelsea stopped her. She ordered a bath drawn, and had her servants clean up the commoner woman and provide her clean clothes.


    "Lady Chelsea, do you want me to check the little girl too?" asked Anya, rubbing her eyes once again. It was already past midnight, and it was obvious the woman wanted sleep.


    "Tomorrow. She looked like she was in good health when she fought earlier."


    Frowning, Anya asked, "She fought?"


    "With a bow, if you can believe it." Chelsea shook her head. She still couldn''t quite accept what she had seen.


    "She''s not an Elf, right?" Anya asked. Suddenly she was tense, her sleepiness leaving her once more.


    "That''s what you''d assume, right? I got near her, and there was no telltale. However," Chelsea suddenly barked a laugh at the absurdity of what she was about to say, "she was trained by a Sacred Beast."


    Blinking, Anya stared at Chelsea with disbelief. "Well, you got the beginning of the epic you were hoping for," she said.


    "Maybe," Chelsea agreed. She glanced around. "I thought you found a companion for the night?"


    "Oh, she left earlier. She didn''t want her husband to suspect. Goodnight, Lady Chelsea."


    "Yeah, goodnight, Anya."


    Chelsea left the inn to find her companions and the strange woman. Sir Richard was tearing down his temporary wall, while Sir Stuart and Sir Leon helped flatten out the rubble. The woman was busy setting up a tent outside the village, which earned her strange looks from the two men.


    "Aren''t you going to stay in the village?" asked Chelsea.


    "No, thank you. I make the villagers nervous, so better I stay outside the village. I am used to living in a tent."


    "I''ll keep an eye on¡­ her," Sir Stuart offered, his eyes never leaving the woman. A handsome, stocky, swarthy man, he had an aquiline nose, proud jaw, dense and well groomed beard, and wavy, shiny black hair. Back in the Order he had his fair share of admirers. So far as she knew, he had no romances to his name.


    With a sigh, and a rub of her face, Chelsea said, "Alright. Lady Biyu, Sir Stuart is keeping an eye on you. Please don''t do anything to provoke him. We will talk more in the morning." She paused, something on the tip of her tongue. "Oh, yes, Anya will give you a checkup tomorrow."This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    "Where is May?" Lady Biyu asked.


    "I had her take a bath and get into something clean. She should be sleeping in my room in the inn."


    Lady Biyu seemed to ponder that.


    "I can get you a bath too, if you want," Chelsea said.


    Shaking her head, Lady Biyu finished erecting her shelter. "I will be fine, Lady Chelsea. See you in the morning." Then she disappeared inside.


    The men and Chelsea shared a glance, but with a shrug they turned in for the night.


    <hr>


    In the morning she found the villagers were forming a crowd near the village edge. There Chelsea found Sir Stuart watching with a frown while Lady Biyu went through a series of kata. They were elaborate things, more defined than the brawler swordplay she was used to from her own Order. She was also almost naked. She wore short pants, had her chest bound in a cloth wrap, and wore her mask. Even her feet were bare.


    When the woman had finished her kata, she began to practice dancing of all things. Not country dances, or the religious dances everyone participated in at festivals. It was a court dance with an imaginary partner. She flowed through the motions elegantly, and her mana suffused physique was obvious. She also looked a lot less childish than Chelsea had expected. When she was called an exiled noble Chelsea had her doubts, but only a noble or entertainers learned to dance like that. Chelsea had a few lessons, but she only had the bare minimum not to embarrass herself.


    "Lady Biyu, you should dress up more than that in public," Chelsea said as the woman stopped, sweating, during a break.


    She looked baffled by the comment, her head tipping curiously. "Why would I do that?" she asked.


    "It''s undignified for a lady."


    "I do not intend to present myself as a lady," Biyu replied firmly. "I am an exiled noble. I need not comport myself as a ''lady''."


    "Why were you¡­ no, never mind that. I am a lady, and you are now part of my entourage. You must show a certain level of decorum, particularly while I am around, just like the peasants do." She gestured at the villagers, while ignoring the young naked child playing in a mud puddle.


    Biyu frowned, as though checking her memory. "I suppose that is true, Lady Chelsea. You are allowing us to use your Healer, so we can be considered to be in your company."


    "Finally," Sir Stuart said. He had apparently missed the court dance, perhaps thinking it was another kata. Sir Stuart was a man who believed in propriety, however, and he would be adamant she showed some. "A woman should never show that much flesh in public, even if she is a whore. Even a child like you should have more shame than that."


    "Why did you not say something sooner, Sir Stuart?" asked Lady Biyu. Her eyes were narrowed. "You were watching me for a while."


    Sir Stuart was flabbergasted. "I was not about to chastise a young woman I am unrelated to in public! You know I was tasked with keeping an eye on you. I was watching because it was my duty! How dare you imply¡­ that''s just disgusting." He glared at Lady Biyu for a moment, then turned to Lady Chelsea. "I will go get something to eat. I turn Lady Biyu over to you." He gave a short bow, then stalked off to the inn angrily.


    Chelsea looked at Lady Biyu with a mix of mirth and exasperation. "Well, Lady Biyu, will you accompany me to breakfast?"


    "I am not a lady," grumbled the masked woman.


    "Most girls your age would love to pretend to be a lady, and gossip about the handsome noble men they hope to marry."


    "You did that, Lady Chelsea?"


    "Yes, I did, with my maids and the women studying in the Order."


    "I never had the opportunity. It must be nice."


    "Only when you don''t have an infatuation with a man who turns out to be a scoundrel. Women can be cruel, and there is no better fodder." She let out a laugh. "That was an embarrassing couple of weeks, but it passes."


    Lady Biyu gave a nod. "I would like to make friends."


    "Isn''t May your friend?"


    "She is a woman who swore an Oath by accident. Also, you saw what she is like. Master." She shook her head.


    Chelsea nodded along. "Well, if she''s sworn to you, that''s the proper address. Besides, you can have friends from a lower rank. After all, I''m friends with my cousin Sir Leon. We use honorifics, if you''ll notice."


    The crowd had thinned as they talked, but they suddenly surged and spread out of the way as a bulk of black and red came through the crowd towards them. Anton approached, his head swiveling to take in Chelsea and Lady Biyu.


    Lady Biyu stared at Anton with wide eyes. The Reglad rested on his haunches, and lifted his arms to begin to gesture. Around him, the villagers shied away. Some of the young boys were too enthralled to see Anton as a danger, but their mothers pulled them protectively away. Many of the men tried to look unbothered, but they also shuffled away.


    "Lady Chelsea," he signed, "who is your new friend?"


    "This is Biyu Kimmel Lostlakes Elderwoods Exile. She helped during last night''s bandit raid."


    "I see. Hello, my name is Anton," he signed to her. Actually, his name in his native tongue translated to ''Taker of Bones'', but that was a mouthful. Her father had given him his older brother''s name, who died in the northern war.


    Turning to translate, she found Lady Biyu making gestures of her own. Anton stared at them, and then shook his head. Lady Biyu looked disappointed, but then brightened. She started saying words, and the amused Anton would show her the gesture. She repeated the gestures, and they worked through some ten words while everyone around them watched in silence.


    Pausing, Lady Biyu turned to Chelsea and gave an apologetic bow. "I apologize. I thought perhaps I knew the gestures, but it seems my¡­ friend used different ones. What did he say?" Chelsea provided the translation.


    "It is a pleasure to meet you, Anton. Will you teach me to speak with you?" Anton made the weird high pitch squeals and clicks that was his laughter, and the people around him, even the boys, shied away in surprise and worry. He made a gesture, and Lady Biyu smiled at that.


    "Do that at breakfast, will you?" Chelsea grumbled, and all but dragged the two after her.


    May was dressed in casual village clothes and sitting with food outside the inn. There was no room inside for a commoner when a Knight''s entourage was in town. She looked embarrassed as Lady Biyu came to join her, and started with apologies for starting without her that the small noble waved off.


    Anton and Lady Biyu spoke a fair bit during breakfast, or rather Anton taught Lady Biyu a lot of the Trade Sign that he used to talk. Lady Biyu was enthusiastic, and they talked about a variety of topics while she learned.


    "How do you fish?" Lady Biyu asked with interest.


    "Usually nets. Sometimes drag lines. I have seen the pole method, but it would not be enough food in a day. It is not sport for us. Or so my father told me. I was born up here." She knew Anton liked fish, but she had never heard him talk about fishing before.


    "Do you hunt?"


    "Yes. I have been on a few hunts, but it has been some time."


    Lady Biyu''s eyes gleamed. "Would you like to go on a hunt with me?" she asked.


    Chelsea was too proud to admit she felt a stab of jealousy then. That was not why she said, "Civilized Humans do not hunt. Especially nobles."


    Lady Biyu gave her a slight shrug. "Then I will not be civilized."


    After breakfast, Lady Biyu said goodbye to Anton with promises to talk later on both sides. Chelsea introduced her to Anya.


    "Wow, you are pretty small for a Transcendent. I''ve got some treatments to prevent you from staying a child for too long, but I can''t promise how well they will work until I at least get an idea about your condition."


    With a shrug, Lady Biyu said, "I am nineteen. Master said I was fully grown."


    "Well, I''ll be the judge of that. Can you undress for me?" She repeated her spiel from the previous night, while repairing the circle she had used on May.


    Lady Biyu squirmed uncomfortably. "Do I have to remove the mask?" she asked.


    Chelsea scoffed. "You''ll be showing everything else, why would you hide just your face?"


    "May told you yesterday. My face makes people respond strangely." That was not the way she remembered May explaining it, but she made no comment.


    Anya pursed her lips, curious. "You may face the wall with your mask off if it makes you more comfortable."


    Lady Biyu gave them suspicious looks, but she stripped facing the wall.


    "Are you Awakened, have a blessing, are wearing any charms, on any medication, or otherwise affected by magic?"


    "I am Awakened, I have a blessing, the mask and several other items I own have magic, no medication, I may or may not be under Oaths, and I have a technique for enhancing healing. I am not sure how May''s Oath works, but I can tell where she is through it."


    "How long have you been Awakened? I want an idea how long your growth was stunted. It might mean I have to refer you to another kind of Healer."


    "Three years," Biyu said.


    "That is interesting," Anya said, frowning at the magic. "This may take extra time, then. Will you please¡­" She trailed off, her eyes sharpening as she stared at Biyu''s backside.


    "You had better not be checking out her butt," Chelsea warned. Hearing that, Biyu tightened her cheeks, and her hands went to try and cover herself.


    "No, Lady Chelsea. It''s just¡­ Lady Biyu, I need you to turn around for a moment. Let me get you something to put over your head." She produced some bandaging, clean and purified cloth that she could use to bind wounds. She carefully wrapped up Lady Biyu''s head.


    "Are you comfortable that enough of your face is covered?"


    "Yes."


    Anya carefully helped Lady Biyu to turn around, and then inspected her body. First she used her eyes, then after getting Lady Biyu''s permission, her fingers. She mumbled under her breath, leaning back from Lady Biyu with a frown. "You are an adult, but a bit underweight," she pronounced. After giving them a moment for that to sink in, she continued, "I will be starting the scans now."


    Anya proceeded with the examination, much like she had with May. She warned Lady Biyu before she touched her, but the woman still flinched at being touched. Anya pursed her lips. "You do not like people touching you?"


    Lady Biyu was quiet for a long moment, and Anya almost repeated the question, when she answered, "Most people, no. I was fine with my friend, but it took time for me to get used to it."


    Chelsea asked without really meaning to, "It took you time to get used to her?"


    Lady Biyu nodded. "She was very physically affectionate. It took time, but she wore me down. About two years."


    Anya was frowning at what she heard, but she remained professional in her work. "Alright. You have no major issues. A few old wounds that look like they healed a little wrong. I can easily fix it, but it will take some time."


    "What do I owe you? For May and I."


    "My Guild, the Guild of Salutary Fellowship, do not require payment for our services. We rely on patronage by nobles. We also encourage donations after treatment." She gave a bright professional smile to Lady Biyu''s unseeing bandaged face.


    <hr>


    After treatment, Lady Biyu was given a private bath and change of clothes from Chelsea. Chelsea joined her Knights for lunch.


    "So, have you seen her face?" asked Sir Leon conversationally. Her cousin was, in Chelsea''s opinion, a somewhat more feminine version of herself. Not that he was actually feminine, just that if they stood side by side she imagined that half of people would guess her cousin with a wispy beard would be picked as the woman between them.


    "No. She''s a very private person, it seems. Anya gave her some bandages to wrap her face with. She is definitely a woman."


    That caused a pause. "You mean girl, right?" Sir Leon asked.


    "No, she''s nineteen by her own account," Lady Chelsea answered. "Anya agreed."


    "She did not correct us for calling her a ''him''," Sir Richard said thoughtfully.


    "Maybe she wants to be a man," Anya suggested.


    "Or she doesn''t mind being mistaken for a man. She wears a mask. Have we confirmed she is who she said she is?" Sir Stuart asked. His face was dour.


    "No. It was late last night, and she offered no reason for us to suspect her," Chelsea said thoughtfully. "Besides wearing a mask and using a bow."


    "Well, what do we know about her?" Sir Leon asked conversationally, obviously not interested but knowing it was the conversation they were going to have.


    "She''s got a heroic name and two place names. She''s very likely a daughter of Defender Elderwoods, who I remember seeing was the brother of the current March Lostlakes. I''m pretty sure the current Defender is the first head of that particular hold. Unless she''s a fraud, in which case she''s the daughter of someone rich. The last ''kata'' she did this morning was a dance that was popular in the courts about five years ago," Chelsea said.


    "Really? That explains why it looked so strange for a kata," Sir Stuart said.


    At that, Anya blinked. "What, really? You just introduced her to me as Lady Biyu! I thought you were just humoring what you thought was a kid!"


    Chelsea ignored Anya''s outrage. "They both came from the west."


    "We were heading that way because of the rumors of the Sacred Beast in Elderwoods," Sir Leon said, making a point of rubbing the wispy beard on his chin.


    "She said she is the student of a Sacred Beast," Chelsea said with a slow nod.


    Sir Stuart was frowning. "Defender Elderwoods is a Kimmel, yes?"


    Chelsea replied, having made a point to look it up, "Lord Gerald Kimmel Lostlakes Elderwoods."


    "So, chances are she''s being honest with us," said Sir Leon.


    Chelsea nodded, her expression difficult to read. "She''s most likely one of Lord Gerald''s daughters."


    Lady Biyu came out then, fresh from the bath dressed in a tunic, robes, and her mask. She went to collect food from the innkeeper.


    "Off to join May?" Chelsea said cheerfully.


    "I would like to talk with Anton some more," Lady Biyu said. She took her food outside.


    Waiting until Lady Biyu was out of earshot, Sir Leon continued. "So, now the question is, why is a daughter from Elderwoods a Transcendent wandering around as an exile instead of¡­ is he Awakened?"


    "He is not."


    "Then why is she an exile instead of the new family head? I mean, even if she can''t do that job¡­"


    "There''s a simple enough explanation. She doesn''t want to do her duty, like a proper noble, so she ran away," Chelsea said.


    "You''re kidding, right?" Sir Leon asked. "She''s Awakened. Why run away when you can just walk? Besides, people don''t typically exile themselves."


    Anya pressed her lips together. "I probably shouldn''t say this, but¡­ she shows signs of being mistreated."


    "What do you mean?" Chelsea asked.


    "The way she dislikes being touched. The thing with her face¡­ she claims her face affects people. Maybe¡­" She didn''t elaborate on her last thought.


    "Like, she''s horribly ugly?" Sir Leon asked. It was obvious he would want to see that.


    "No. The way May and Lady Biyu put it, she has a very pretty face," Chelsea said.


    "Right. So, were there rumors about one of the Elderwoods''s daughters running away?"


    "She was Awakened for three years," Anya said. "So it was at least that long ago."


    "She knows how to use the bow, and that would take time. She had to be with the Sacred Beast for a while," Chelsea said.


    "We can check with the Treasure Hunters at Trade Town," Anya said.


    "Might be best," Sir Leon agreed. "Or we can just go ask her about it."


    Anya shook her head. "No. We should do our best to become friends with her." At the questioning looks from the Knights, Anya said, "She could use friends. She saved that girl May, and she helped fight the bandits. I don''t think she''s a bad sort, but her circumstances don''t sound very good. Lady Chelsea, figuring out this mystery might make a good story when you return home."


    "Yeah. Even if it ends with a punchline, all the details are a hoot," Sir Leon said, bobbing his head.


    "Right. That makes sense." Chelsea looked at Anya speculatively while ignoring Sir Leon. "There''s something else, isn''t there? What are you scheming?"


    Anya shifted a little, frowning. "I¡­ want to approach her with a marriage proposition."


    Sir Leon burst out in laughter, but Sir Richard and Sir Stuart looked completely confused by the announcement.


    "You sure?" Chelsea asked, and the disapproval dripped from her tone.


    "I know you don''t approve, but I also know you understand my circumstances. She''s likely a noble, and even if she''s not, she is a Transcendent. My Guild is still trying to arrange a marriage with that Northern Lord."


    "Just say you aren''t interested," Sir Leon said with a sigh.


    "You have a duty to them," Sir Stuart said.


    "I have. They don''t listen. It''s always the same. ''This will be good for you.'' ''It''s time to stop with your childish games and start a family.'' The same rot I''ve heard since I was a girl. And excuse me, Sir Stuart, but I don''t owe it to anyone to spend the rest of my life in the Hells."


    Sir Stuart glowered, but he had said his piece and he remained quiet.


    "She isn''t married," Chelsea said. "Not your type at all."


    Giving a grin, Anya replied, "That''s rather the point. If I marry her, she will be a married woman. One that you can''t complain about me inviting to my room."


    All of her table mates stared at her dumbfounded. Each one of them knew that logic did not hold, but she gave them a beatific smile anyway.


    "Right, so, I will go invite Lady Biyu to travel with us. Anya''s plot aside, she made a good point."


    <hr>


    Chelsea and Anya approached May and Lady Biyu. They were in the square with Anton, their meals finished while May watched the conversation between Anton and Lady Biyu. Chelsea took the lead, with Anya following.


    "Lady Biyu, May, may I have a moment of your time?" Chelsea asked.


    The two looked up at her, and then rose to their feet to greet her. She waved them off. "I wanted to invite the two of you to journey with us."


    "We are heading east, and you were heading west, Lady Chelsea," May spoke up.


    Chelsea shook her head. "We were going west to see if the Sacred Beast would meet with us. We wanted to meet one, so we could tell the story. After running into you two, we''ve decided it would be more interesting to travel with you."


    Glancing at Biyu, May cut in, "Lady Chelsea, why is that?"


    "We have a woman who studied under a Sacred Beast who wears a mask, saved a damsel in distress, and helped defend a village with no offer of reward. It''s a bit like stumbling into a minstrel tale. We are playing the odds that the gods will challenge you."


    "I could do without the interest of the gods," Lady Biyu said.


    "Apparently, you already have it," Chelsea said, giving a meaningful look at May. "We would like to accompany you."


    Lady Biyu looked at May for her opinion. "They seem nice enough. I haven''t seen ''em trying to extort the villagers, and Sir Richard is building them a really nice wall in case they get more bandits." She pointed at the part of the wall visible from where they sat.


    Chelsea was giving her a lifted eyebrow. "I''m going to dedicate the wall to my Grandfather after its finished too," she said. She smiled at Lady Biyu. "You want to see Anton for a while longer, too, don''t you?"


    Lady Biyu''s expression became a little more skeptical as she saw through Chelsea''s attempt to bribe her.


    Sighing, Chelsea motioned for Anya to step forward. "Also, Anya wanted to ask you for something, and she can''t if we aren''t going the same way. While this is my journey and my agenda, it''s still not a good idea to piss off your Healer."


    Anya was giving Chelsea a dirty look, but she smiled at Lady Biyu. "I''m not sure how to say this, but¡­ I would like to arrange a marriage with you."


    May blinked at that. Lady Biyu lifted her brows in surprise. The way her mask relayed her expressions were novel. Chelsea kept her face neutral.


    "You like women?" May asked, and her arms lifted to cover her body obviously remembering being naked in her company.


    "Yes, but I assure you the checkup was necessary. My training includes visual and physical inspection. And my vows preclude taking advantage of my patients."


    "That was why I was in the room, to chaperone. You''re examinations are just like the ones she gives me and the men."


    "I have a chaperone for all my patients," Anya said. "I do not feel comfortable alone with naked men, and women feel safer if there''s someone there to protect them if I get ''ideas''."


    Biyu gave a nod. "You are attracted to me?"


    "No," Anya answered.


    "Then why?"


    "You are a noble Transcendent and you¡­ Lady Chelsea, May, I would like a moment alone with Lady Biyu."


    Lady Biyu nodded to May, while Chelsea stepped far enough away that she could watch without hearing.


    <hr>


    Once Lady Chelsea had left, Anya moved closer to Biyu, but not too close. "You said you have been touched in a bad way by a lot of people. Women tend to hit you, and men tend to fondle you?"


    Biyu nodded.


    "I want to marry you, because otherwise people will keep trying to force me into a marriage with a man. I will not do that. You are a Transcendent, and even if you are exiled you are still a noble.


    "If I marry a common girl, they will accuse me of," and she scowled at the next words, "avoiding my duty. As a Transcendent noble, no one would have grounds to object to me becoming your consort. I am also a Transcendent, and a member of a reputable Guild, so I have the freedom to marry whom I choose. But, you know how these things are I''m sure. They''ll try to pressure me. Marrying you, they will have difficulty trying to force me into the marriage of their choice."


    "I do not have the backing of my family," Biyu said. "My ability to protect you is weak. If they kidnap you and force things, I may not be able to retrieve you."


    "That is not something my Guild would try, and the Northern Lord they want to marry me to doesn''t have that much personal power. Mostly they want him to let them open up a clinic with his backing in the north, to expand their influence." She shrugged. "We will be given their patronage. Frankly, the man wants to do it anyway. Backing us is better for him than it is for us. He just struck a fancy for me, so he''s trying to use the deal as leverage to get me after I already refused him."


    "You have no better options?" asked Biyu. "You do not have a friend you can marry until you find a better match?"


    "I will only marry a woman¡­ and while if I were already married they wouldn''t try this, a woman I could freely marry in defiance to the Guild without a drawn out fight would have to be someone like you. There are not many Transcendent noble women who would consider marrying me."


    "How do you envisage this marriage?" Biyu asked.


    "You will be the head of the family. I will be your consort. If that is too much, I can be your concubine, but¡­ that does leave me less secure. The Guild is more likely to try and pressure you into letting me go if we aren''t spouses."


    Biyu looked at her for a long moment. She compared her circumstances with Anya with those with Indu. Biyu loved Indu. She could be honest about it now, though if it was more than friendship she could not know. Her fears of what might become of Indu in the Empire did not apply. Anya was, for now, someone she did not know. Until she did, she had no reason to refuse her request. "I will not tell you no, but I do not think it is a good idea."


    "Because I am a woman?" Anya asked.


    "The only relationship I have considered was with a woman. Someone I could not be with, for various reasons."


    That piqued her interest, and Biyu could see that Anya was feeling some hope. "Then, why not?"


    Biyu took a deep breath. "First, tell me, what do I get out of this arrangement?"


    "I''m gorgeous, so you can flaunt me. I am a Healer, and one of the best from a well respected Guild. You will have access to my skills, and I will give you a portion of my earnings. Finally, I can''t upset you too much, because divorce would put me back in the same situation I find myself in now. "


    "And you get?"


    "I can tell anyone who wishes to force me into a marriage that I am already taken. I will only demand you never make me lay with a man."


    "If I demanded you lay with women for my own advantage?"


    "I would do it."


    With a frown, Biyu shook her head. "No. You will not. If you wish to do it, I will not say no, but not for me. What do you wish for?"


    "I wish to have a happy relationship with someone who accepts me. Love would be better, but¡­ I stopped hoping for that years ago. I want a family who accepts me. But, more than anything, I want to feel safe."


    "People will call me Elf-friend. Being my consort could be dangerous."


    "My Guild affiliation will help shield me. We are that well regarded. It will also benefit you."


    Biyu had to admit that was a benefit she could use. Furthermore, a consort would stymie efforts by the family to marry her if they thought she was useful as a political tool once more. She considered the woman before her, from her pretty face to her figure. Seeing the look, Anya shifted and moved, displaying herself.


    "I am not sure if this is a good idea," Biyu said.


    "What do you want, Lady Biyu?"


    "Biyu, please. ''Life''s meaning is found in a man''s family, friends, convictions, piety, accomplishments, and passions.'' I wish to have family, friends, convictions, and accomplishments."


    "I am offering two of those. Maybe three," Anya said.


    "I see. Family, but what else?"


    "Marrying me will be seen as an accomplishment. The other is passion."


    Biyu pressed her lips together. "I do not know if I am made for passion. Not that kind."


    "You have never felt the yearning of the flesh?" Anya asked in curiosity.


    Seeing Biyu''s shake of the head, she gave a nod. "I see. Perhaps that will change, or perhaps what passion means for you is something different."


    "What do you mean?"


    "That is a difficult thing to discuss, and I am not able to speak from personal experience. But we are getting off track. I still wish to court you," Anya said, smiling.


    "Very well." Biyu was quiet for a moment. "I admit, I do not know how to court someone."


    "We should do things together. We should also have a chaperone when we are together. It''s a little silly, since you are Transcendent, I am far from pure, and we are both adults, but if we are to court properly, then needs must."


    <hr>


    Sir Leon was drinking with Anya that evening. The woman was drinking lightly, but she was cheerful and paying for his drinks.


    "So, Lady Chelsea said you were propositioning the mysterious Biyu."


    "I don''t think she''d like that. No, I asked to court her."


    "Really? You gonna marry a poorly dressed tramp?"


    "She''s probably a noble, and she is Transcendent. Most importantly, she''s a woman."


    "Yeah, but still. I thought you had better taste is all."


    Sighing, Anya sipped her drink. "She''s a bit of a hero, you know? Rescued one damsel, and maybe a second one. Me."


    "Yeah, so? You said she doesn''t like being touched, right?"


    "Yes?"


    "So, like, how is that going to work?"


    "I suggested she whore me out, but she turned that down."


    Sir Leon spluttered, chocking on his drink. "You what? Seriously? Well, I can see how that could work out, but Hells."


    "She refused unless it was what I chose to do. Makes it hard to say ''yes please'' when I''m trying to marry her."


    "You know this ain''t gonna work out. That girl is off something fierce. She''s an Elf-friend too, and marrying into that kind of trouble¡­ You have it hard enough already."


    "She told me something similar," Anya said. "But, we are a bit alike."


    "Your luscious, she''s tiny. You are pretty fun to be around, she wears a mask. You¡ª"


    "Don''t like some people touching me, and neither does she. I ran away from home, and that''s probably half the reason she''s an exile. I''m lucky to be Transcendent, and I think so is she."


    "Well, I''ll drink to your success." He lifted a drink, and praised one of the many minor gods of luck. Anya joined him, and just felt good that the first hurdle was behind her. For a little while, at least, she could hope again.


    <hr>


    Before they left the village, Lady Chelsea fulfilled her promise. The mobile temple was set up before the wall, and the village came to bear witness and join in worship. Offerings were made on the altar, and Lady Chelsea gave a sermon about her Grandfather. Who he was, and what made him a god of protection and defensive walls. The villagers cheered in all the right spots, and when they were done, and she spoke the final words, they all felt the power of a god descend upon them.


    Biyu had only felt power like that once before, from Shishi when the Elves had angered her. It was living power, and the formations Sir Richard had etched into the walls gleamed as a god''s blessing filled them with power. All the villagers watched in awe, and they took up an Oath to worship the walls as his divine instrument this time each year with a feast in his name.