Right after leaving the dungeon, I went to my aunt. I wasn’t too sure how much time had passed while I was recovering and sleeping, but I knew that I wouldn't be able to make it far into the dungeon with only a day or so left.
I found her in a private study, talking to an old bearded elf. When he turned around and saw me, I was surprised to find that he had patches of cloth over his eyes, showing that he couldn’t see anything.
He must have heard me coming in or something, because he smiled, and spoke in a kindly voice.
(???) “Ah. Is this the one you were talking about, little Aspasia?”
(Aspasia) “In fact, yes. She is.”
(???) “Good, good. Come closer child, I hold no ill intentions.”
Curious at what was happening, I moved closer, and stopped about an arm's length from the man, where an empty chair sat. I lowered myself into the chair, though I didn’t lean back into it.
The man, almost like he could see me, chuckled.
(???) “Don’t worry, I won’t bite. You can relax in here. Oh, I nearly forgot! My name is Caevern Niten, and as for why I’m here, you can ask your aunt.”
I was surprised that the man knew our relationship—From what I had heard, the high-ups in government had covered up the reasons behind my mother’s loss of the throne, and ordinary people shouldn’t know anything about my own birth.
That just shows that this old guy isn’t anything to scoff at.
I turned to Aunt Aspasia with a questioning look.
(Aspasia) “Niten is here to test you.”
(Kai) “Test me? Why?”
(Aspasia) “Well, only at first. He has to test you to find out what you know, before being able to teach you.”
I was surprised, and dismayed. I didn’t need to be taught anything—I just needed to level up in the dungeon.
Niten waved his hand in front of my face to catch my attention, almost as if he noticed the disappointment and unwillingness lurking beneath my carefully neutral expression.
(Niten) “Do not worry, little one. There is still some things this old elf can teach you, I promise.”
(Aspasia) “So you are willing to teach her? That’s good new…”
Niten interrupted her, which I thought took some serious balls, considering she’s currently the empress of one of the biggest empires I know. Even more surprising to me was the way she shut up, and the respect in her eyes as she looked at the old elf.
(Niten) “No, it’s not a question of my want to teach her, it’s a question of her willingness to learn. I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to leave young Kai and I alone for a moment, while we talk.”
Aunt Aspasia acquiesced to his request, and left the room, leaving me with Niten.
As soon as she had left, I said the first thing that come to mind.
(Kai) “So, are you actually blind?”
Niten chuckled, and shook his head.
(Niten) “While it is true that my eyes do not work, I have my ways of knowing the world around me.”
I shook my hand in front of his covered eyes, testing his claim. To my amusement, he actually slapped away my hand right after I tried it. I had to check! He was being all mysterious!
(Niten) “I think that you also have a different question for me, though.”
(Kai) “I do. What are you going to test me on?”
(Niten) “A few things. I need to know what you know, to teach you better.”
(Kai) “And if I don’t need to know anything?”
Niten laughed loudly, holding on to his stomach.
(Niten) “Saying that there is always something to learn is a little cliche, but I think it works in this case. Just because you have knowledge that the others of this realm typically do not have does not make you omnipotent.”
My mouth hung open in shock. No, wait, it’s never good to jump to conclusions here….
(Kai) “...What do you mean, with the knowledge thing…”
(Niten) “Do not worry Kai. I’m only able to puzzle out what you are, due to frequent interactions with other reincarnated ones in the past.”
Aw crap. How should I try and get myself out of this one?
Wait. Other reincarnated ones?
Damn it all, now he has me curious about that.
Niten chuckled again. He seems like a very jovial type of person so far.
I spoke in a very small and even voice.
(Kai) “There are others like me?”
(Niten) “Not for a while now. I outlived the last one by a few hundred years.”
I sighed, suddenly disappointed.
(Niten) “You should not despair over that fact though. As it turns out, reincarnated people tend to be born in clusters, every twenty or so millenium. By the very fact that you’re standing before me, I can assure you that others have already, or are going to show up. And that’s not even counting those periodically summoned to this world, mind and body.”
(Kai) “Wait, so there are more like me right now?”
(Niten) “Not exactly. Before anything else, I must ask you one thing. How many lives do you remember?”
Why does that matter, I wondered. I mean, I still told him. After all, ignoring the sage advice of a old wise blind man seems like it would go against the whole fantasy thing.
(Kai) “I can only remember five of them.”
Now it was Niten’s turn to look surprised.
(Niten) “Only five? Hah!”
He laughed again, obviously thinking about something I don’t know about.
(Niten) “Only? Do you know how rare it is for someone to remember even one? Let alone two? Tell me, how did those lives go? How did they end?”
(Kai) “I think that’s none of your business.”
I wasn’t going to answer him. It would be telling him too much about me. Plus, some of those lives are damn painful to remember.
(Niten) “Fair enough. I won’t ask again, until you are ready to tell me, then.”
I sighed, feeling a headache coming on.
(Kai) “Earlier, you said that I’m ‘not exactly’ like the other’s who have reincarnated. What do you mean?”
(Niten) “Well, for one, your situation is far different that what would normally happen. I see you’re confused. Let me put it this way—None of them are going to have the bloodline of an elven empress and an unknown demon coursing through their veins. Normally, to balance out karma, they are born to poor farmers or worse. They never have very good social status, and must climb to the top after many years of painstaking effort and practice, overcoming things like lack of ability or bad constitutions.”
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(Kai) “Oh? Then why was I born like this?”
(Niten) “That’s why I wanted to know what your past lives had been like. If they’re born in bad situations to balance out their karma, then what sort of karma did you gain to end up here?”
I stayed silent.
Well, at least I didn’t talk. I did, however, use〖Analyze〗in Niten, due to curiosity and a feeling of slight vengeance. If he knew so much about me, then why shouldn’t I know about him?
However, the blue window that popped up wasn’t the one I was expecting.
Attempt to use skill〖Analyze〗has failed.
Niten smiled a little as I got that message.
(Niten) “Oh? Quite the high level〖Analyze〗you have.”
He made a few motions in the air, and a glowing blue window popped up in front of me, just like it would normally appear.
(Niten) “I am perfectly willing to share this information with you. Next time, just ask me, and maybe I’ll humor you again.”
Status:Name: Caevern NitenTitles:Stubborn
Wow. And here I thought that my brother’s stats were scary. This man is a monster. Even worse, I couldn't tell that he was that strong before now.
Mh. I did have a question though.
(Kai) “What does that title mean, ‘The Teacher’?”
(Niten) “Ah! See, you have things you can learn from me.”
I scowled at the elf, slightly miffed that he had proven right.
(Niten) “On our continents, there are a series of twenty special titles, awarded to those who fit the title’s meaning the best. Included among them are ‘The King’, ‘The Madman’, ‘The Tower’, ‘The Demon’, and mine, ‘The Teacher’.”
I understood. Basically, he’s the best teacher on our continents.
I’m beginning to feel like I really should take him up on his offer to teach me.
(Kai) “Are people born with those titles, or do you have to do something to get them?”
(Niten) “I don’t know of anyone ever being born with a Grand Title, as it’s known. I only got mine after going through some rather difficult experiences. It was the same for your Aunt, I believe.”
Huh. So my aunt has one of those titles as well. I had never tried using〖Analyze〗on her, so I didn’t know.
(Kai) “Which one does she have?”
(Niten) “She has the title of ‘The Builder’. It’s one of the reasons she was made into the empress after your mother, since the throne is given on a merit system.”
Hm. I didn’t know titles like that had such significance.
(Kai) “Is it possible for someone to have more than one of those titles?”
(Niten) “What a curious question. As far as I know, I have never heard of it, though I suppose it is theoretically possible, since the true meaning of the titles can be left somewhat to interpretation. So, two of the titles could interlap, unlikely though it might seem.”
Niten sat in silence for a moment, pondering before moving on.
(Niten) “Well, no use thinking about it now. I actually have a question for you, Kai.”
I unconsciously sat up at his words, which had abruptly turned serious.
(Niten) “What do you want?”
(Kai) “Huh?”
(Niten) “What do you want? Why do you wish to get stronger? To what goal do you reach?”
Emulating his seriousness, I replied.
(Kai) “I want to gain enough power to be left alone.”
(Niten) “Nothing more nor less?”
(Kai) “Yes.”
(Niten) “What an odd goal. Still, if you’ll have me, I will work with you to achieve that goal.”
I nodded, and Niten, blind or not, smiled, somehow noticing the motion.
(Niten) “Good. Let’s bring your aunt back in, shall we? I think we now have some things to talk about, as far as next steps.”
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In a city partially burned down, located near the northern mountains on the Human Continent, people were frantically running in the streets, weapons in hands and armor donned.
Outside the large city walls, a small town had been leveled to the ground, and an army marched.
They had banners depicting the local king’s standards, and men mounted on tall beasts proudly walked before the host. One of them detached from the rest, and moved to near the walls, where a massive red-haired man stood, looking down upon the army.
The man on the beast held a white flag, symbolizing an effort to negotiate. A very small effort, but one none-the-less.
(Envoy) “Surrender your people, and their lives will at least be spared! Resist our forces, and none shall live past this day!”
(Hogvir) “All ya bastards can go back to the damn capitol ya came from! Tell ‘em I won’t be selling my people to slavery, and they can shove the demands back up their noble asses, where they belong!”
His voice thundered across the space dividing the walls and the army, amplified by a mage standing behind him. The general leading the kingdom’s army smiled. He was famed for his cruelty towards rebellions, and had been sent for the express purpose of crushing the one that had popped up in the north.
(General) “Tell the men to charge.”
(Captains) “All troops forward!” “Advance” “Kill ‘em all!” “Leave none alive!”
The day degenerated into a brutal clashing of steel and wills after that.
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