Chapter Five: Yamakai Tribulations

It wasn’t a long walk from Leema’s home to what she’d called the Elder’s Chapel, less than a mile for sure but she made it into quite the procession. Ymata wasn’t like any city or town I’d ever seen before. First of all it was obviously completely underground, built mostly into the walls of a giant cavern with few stand alone buildings. It seemed at first that the Yamakai were not a colorful or decorative people as almost all of the buildings were boxy and unadorned. But as people began to show themselves, I saw that they saved all of their decorative energies for their personal appearances. Each type or race of the Yamakai had their own preferred color scheme and type of dress that played off their features and natural coloration. Taken together as one they were a frightful riot of color.

“Dammit, I’m short.” I muttered to myself, with the array of races around me I could see that I was head and shoulders shorter than most of those who’d lined up to watch me pass by. There were some smaller or of a similar size almost all of those had avian features. I guess that made sense on Earth birds by and large were smaller animals.

As the number of people grew, I noticed that those who had come out to see our little procession weren’t showing a lot of enthusiasm. There was no chanting or waving and no one tried to run up and touch any of us; they just steadily watched us go by. I had no doubt she had called in other favors besides Lady Hezxia's training because there were a great many people in the streets to watch the Prince that only appeared earlier that day pass by. Some sort of orchestrating hand could clearly be seen, especially, when the time for my presentation with the elders had been moved forward an entire day.

I knew I was being watched, that was obvious I mean there were hundreds of people lining the road way but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched in a different, more intense way. Looking around I finally caught sight of one person who was staring much more intently than all of the rest. Crouching on a stone outcropping was a cat girl. She was just far enough away that I couldn’t pick out too many details of her appearance but we locked eyes and there was a clear connection. She had striking green vertical slit pupils that seemed to bore into me for the few moments that we locked eyes then she seemed to just disappear leaping off of the outcropping and into the darkness. If I’d been on my own and unconstrained I think I would have chased after her but I was hemmed in by the people lining the way and Leema’s presence at my side.

Glancing around to see if I could see where the cat girl had gone I said to Leema, “So, I guess this is what you meant about being seen.” I couldn’t find any further sign of her.

“Yes, my Prince, the Yamakai, have seen their prince now, that should be enough to see us through this evening.” Leema said.

With a name like the Elder’s Chapel I’d expected some grandiose gaudy monstrosity but it isn’t really much to look at the same rusty brown stone as everything else and it wasn’t even much larger than any of the other building’s we’d passed.

“I’d have thought that a building as important as this would look a bit well, more.”

“The Dungeon dictates how the buildings form and their coloration so the Elder’s do not have any more choice on how the buildings look than the rest of us have.” Leema explained.

“I didn’t realize that, I guess that’s why everyone is dressed so colorfully,” looking down at her muted green robe, “well almost everyone.” I gave her a smile.

“Not all of us feel the need to be; colorful” she looked around at the other people around us and then gave me a pointed look.

Putting my hands up slightly, I said. “Hey, now, this outfit is your fault, not mine. I just got here so I've had no say so far. You said I had to be fancy, I just stood there while you piled this all on me. I mean I don’t look bad but I'd probably have gone a little well less in the whole layers and such.”

“Once this presentation is done, we can find clothing more to your taste, my Prince.” Leema replied.

“Well I think you look very respectable and princely, my Prince.” Zazjek piped in.

“Thank you, Zazjek I appreciate your vote of confidence.” I looked over at Leema as we reached the door to the chapel. “Anything, I should know before we go in?”

“Rastlith, will have some surprise for us, he has dominated the Elders of late and it was those he has the most influence over that required that you be presented early.” She replied in a hushed voice.

“Awesome, bet this is going to be so much fun.” I said, from the look on her face my sarcasm was not lost on her.

Leema opened the door and led us inside. The door opened into a narrow but wide entry hall. Directly across from the entrance another door led deeper into the chapel . Leema paused before that second door. “Zazjek, you will open the door, I will step through and announce the Prince. My Prince you will then wait for me to take my seat and then you will enter and walk purposefully to the center of the room and pause, Zazjek you will then enter closing the door behind you and then move three paces behind the Prince and to his left. The Eldest will then address you my Prince. The rest of the Elders should then recognize you and introduce themselves. It is expected that you should greet or acknowledge them in return. Unfortunately, there is no precedent for this ceremony so what will happen next will be unscripted. Now, Zazjek, the door.” Once Zazjek opened the door for her she strode purposefully forward the antithesis of her normal shuffling walk.

“This is so, going to suck.” I muttered as I heard Leema announce.

“I present to you Vet-vek Ravenblood Prince of Yamakai!” Leema announced loudly.

I waited a few moments before moving towards the door thinking that would be long enough for Leema to reach her seat, but Zazjek held me back for several moments before waiving me forward.

I entered the room and was struck by the way it was laid out. The seven Elders were arranged in terraced rows along the back wall of the room, the rest of the room was open and almost cavernous having three dissenting ringed tiers with the lowest and most central forming a perfect circle. I hadn’t expected the room to be so large, it was at least as big as a major league baseball field inside.

Taking a deep calming breath I walked purposefully towards the center of the chamber. I thought about spreading my wings and flying. The room was certainly large enough but I figured that would probably be in poor taste given the seriousness of the situation so I walked as I'd been directed by Leema. After what felt like forever under seven sets of eyes I finally reached center stage. The thud of Zazjek closing the door made me flinch the tiniest amount but overall I held myself at rest as Lady Hezxia had taught me, eyes fixed on the wall above the elders, waiting silently for Zazjek to make his way up behind me so that the introductions could begin.

I heard the rhythmic tick of Zazjek’s talons against the stone floor as he approached me. Once he finally came to a stop I waited expectantly for the Eldest’s address but it didn’t come. Looking down at the Elders it wasn’t hard to tell who was the Eldest. She was an emaciated looking woman with a bearlike appearance. She was covered in silver white fur that appeared brittle with age, but her eyes had not been dulled with age and the stone brown eyes stared down at me, her thin lips pursed. Once eye contact was made I couldn’t look away and it was becoming increasingly uncomfortable and the urge to break the silence weighed down on me. Just as I was about to break she chuffed and spoke.

“Vet-vek Ravenblood, Summoned Prince, I Eldest Renig Fergaigh greet you in our hall.” Her voice rang out filling the chapel.

“Eldest Renig Fergaigh, I Vet-vek Ravenblood Summoned Prince of Yamakai, greet you and thank you for your welcome.” My own voice did not quite fill the chapel as hers had but I wasn't a practiced orator either so I felt I’d done a good job.

Silence once again descended on the chapel. Uncomfortable, prolonged silence. I looked around at the other Elders and saw many pensive looks. Leema just looked angry. There was also one figure that looked smugly satisfied, then again that could just have been the fact that he had the head of an alligator and for some reason alligators had always looked smug to me. Then he spoke.

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“Vet-vek Ravenblood, you stand before the Elders’ of the Yamakai, you claim to be Prince of the Yamakai but we have not recognized you as such. Having now seen you, I Elder Rastlith question your worthiness and ability to rule as judged by the tenets of Rule by Worth.” As he made his declaration he stood to his feet.

Three other Elders stood with him while the other three remained seated. Leema stared daggers at the four standing Elders and shouted out “You would deny his right! The Divine Mother herself has made his right to rule clear; he has the title and was summoned according to the Divine Mother’s direction. You make a mockery of yourself and of this body to deny him.”

Now that Rastlith was standing I could take his full measure he had seemed very large compared to the other Elders but once he stood he towered over everyone I’d guess he was somewhere in the range of nine to ten feet tall. He was also the strangest looking individual I had yet seen, he had the head of an alligator, but where most of the other people I’d seen had typical humanoid bodies but he was a centauroid, his lower body looked like a green scaly rhinoceros with an alligator tail, his torso was vaguely human but with thick heavy scales, heavily clawed webbed hands and the previously observed alligator head. He wore very little in the way of clothing instead opting for several metal and leather bands to which feathers of various colors were attached.

“Summoned without the permission of this council, and with no regard to the consequences of that summoning! System Quest or not you took this action despite this Council’s previous majority decision, not to complete the System Quest at this time!” His rage was titanic and his whole body shook with it.

“Be aware there are consequences for defying the will of the council regardless of if you are a member or not!” He took a deep breath and continued in a calmer tone. “ But no, Elder Leema, I do not dispute his right because clearly the System gave him the title but he does not measure up to the expectations of Prince of Yamakai!” He pointed a clawed finger at me and read off my Status Screen to the gathered Elders. “Race, a Djinn, a poor choice to say the least for someone who is supposed to be Prince of Yamakai. Djinn’s are naught but monsters, abusers, and murderers from time immemorial even unto the last hours of the Twilight of the Gods. Each and every one of our ancestors can attest to their cruelty and malice.” He snarled his crocodile teeth bared.

“He had no part in the past and no choice was given to him, the Divine Mother chose this form for Her own reasons. Blaming him or venting your peoples’ ancient grudge upon him serves no purpose.” Leema said loudly but calmly. “As to my summoning him without Council approval, the Divine Mother gave me this Quest, not you or anyone else on the Council. The designs of the Divine Mother stand above this Council and its petty internal squabbles!” Leema’s normal calm broke and she too began shouting.

Rastlith snarled once more with a cruel look in his eye. “So you would set yourself at odds with the Council proclaiming yourself the arbitrator of the Systems design. He turned to look at three standing with him. “This Council’s adherence to the majority rule has been the only thing keeping the Yamakai clan unified and safe. If every Council member splintered off whenever they felt they were mandated to do so it would bring ruin. You have said it yourself again and again, ‘this floor may be safe from the Dungeon’s monsters but it does not protect us from ourselves.’” He sneered at Leema.

Leema looked at him with a frown, “If you want to compare following the Divine Mother’s direction for the betterment of the Yamakai clan as a whole to the petty pursuit of personal power and individual gain then it is obvious that you have utterly and completely failed to understand anything myself or the other members of this Council have said on this matter.” She looked at Rastlith and those standing with him with disgust.

Rastlith gripped his hands tightly in anger at her words. “I think it is you who have romanticized and deluded yourselves ignoring the struggles of the Yamakai clan. Making for yourselves clean ivory towers from lofty ideals while the rest of us have lived in dirt and shit!” He snapped at Leema.

“Enough!” Eldest Renig Fergaigh interrupted. “This is not the time for trading barbs, we are the Elders of the Yamakai Clan and this situation however it came to be on our doorstep. Be warned Elder Leema we will have words about how and why this came to pass. Now that he is here he must be dealt with earnestly.”

“My apologies, Eldest.” Rastlith bowed his head slightly but did not un-clench his fists. “Leaving all of that aside and not visiting the sins of those who bore his form in the past upon him he is still but a Tier zero. Are we to take unblooded, untested babes as somehow already a prince worthy of our devotion and praise? His attributes are little more than the base average of any new born babe. He has no list of deeds or accomplishments to stir the clan and warrant loyalty. The only attribute of any note is Luck, and he must truly be oh so lucky I suppose to have ended up here in this sphere with the rank of prince. No spells, no Qi abilities, and not even a drop of Mana or Qi. His pathetic eight skills and only one of them of even the slightest note and only because it is unique does not inspire any great adoration or inspiration. How can someone so weak claim to be worthy of the title of prince?” He paused for effect. “ It’s quite simple he cannot! He may have the title but by Clan laws he does not have either the worthiness or ability to even be considered to meet the Rule of Worth’s requirements.” He turned to look at the other Elders, “it has ever been the case and has been made completely clear that one cannot become Prince Yamakai without meeting all three pillars and this,” he pointed back at me, “this weakling, does not meet them.” He snarled, “and say what you will Elder Leema it is an affront to each and every member of the Yamakai clan that the System should choose to make him a Djinn. A race who not only refused to join in common cause with all others who would become the Yamakai clan during the Twilight of the Gods, but actively and gleefully continued slaughtering the other races deeming everyone other than themselves to be without worth! Fit only to be hunted for sport and amusement!” His voice seemed to shake the room. “No! It is unacceptable that one such as him should be allowed to rule. What have you to say for yourself!” He leaned towards me, fists clenched and snarling.

Taking a deep breath and responding in as cheerful a voice as possible “Bah-weep-Graaaaagnah wheep ni ni bong. I know I’m supposed to offer you a snack too but I don’t have anything on me.”

“What?” He snarled at me, seemingly ready to leap down and attack me.

“Maybe I should have said Klaatu barada nikto instead. Point is, I was summoned today from another Sphere, don’t know how much clearer I can be, I didn’t ask to come and be your Prince, you summoned me. I know next to nothing about your politics and internal squabbles. Furthermore, I did not choose to be a Djinn, and again in case it's still not sinking in, I came into existence here just today. A short number of hours ago I’d never heard of a Djinn, had no idea of what one was, and most assuredly wasn’t one. To the quality of my Attributes and lack luster skills what exactly did your skills and abilities look like the day you were born? I bet you wouldn’t meet the requirements to be Prince either. I think I’m doing pretty good having learned how to not only walk but run and fly as well. So chill, getting all worked up over the new guy doesn’t make you look good, in fact it makes you look like a punk, so simmer down.” I responded, his anger bringing my own anger and resentment at being pulled from my life boiling to the surface.

“Insolent whelp!” Rastlith roared. With a prodigious leap, he flung himself down from his place crashing down onto the Chapels floor and charged at me. “I will end you!”

I can’t really say I acted on instinct being a whole day old but I certainly reacted. I gave a strong push with my legs leaping into the air and snapped my wings open pushing myself even higher into the air and away from the charging alligator’s claws and teeth. “Going to have to do better than that.” I teased the Elder. Of course then he jumped and caught me. “Shit!” I screamed as he used his much greater strength to whip me down and slam me into the ground. I felt my ribs collapse and crack from the impact. And worse my head bounced off the stone floor. Gasping for air and seeing stars I lay on the ground for only a moment until Rastlith made his next attack slamming a foreleg down on my pelvis. I couldn’t even scream as my bones shattered under his tremendous weight. Grabbing me by the top of my head, his claws digging into my skull. Watching helplessly he opened his massive jaws filled with large jagged teeth. I felt his hot breath as his maw came in to bite me when Zazjek interfered.

Zazjek leapt onto Rastlith’s back stabbing his taloned toes into his back where the humanoid torso met the rhinoceros body digging at Rastlith’s spine. At the same time he was using one hand to rake at Rastlith’s eyes and the other his throat. He was screaming incoherently as he struck over and over.

With Zazjek’s attacks distracting him Rastlith halted his attack on me. He turned his attention to Zazjek reaching up with his other hand he managed to latch onto the hand Zazjek was using to try and rake out his throat. With a sickening crunch Zazjek began to scream as his hand was crushed. Rastlith jerked hard on Zazjek’s arm pulling him off of his back and slamming him hard into the ground with a sickening crunch. Rastlith then violently whipped Zazjek up from the ground and then flinging him into the terraced Elder’s platform with a wet squelch.

“Enough!” The Eldest screamed out and energy crackled lightning spiking up from both the ground and air striking Rastlith repeatedly across his body and forming into chains binding arms legs and mouth. “You go too far, Rastlith! Release him or perish!” The ursine woman glowed with green energy small spikes of lightning crackling around her.

Rastlith struggled and strained against the lightning bonds sending waves of pain through me as he further punctured and crushed my skull. I heard him roar out then the pressure on my skull released all at once and I crashed into the ground. My vision went black as I hit the ground. The sound of blood thundering in my ears was the last thing I heard before I lost all consciousness.