Frayed Nerves

Luffa slipped quietly through the streets, checking over her shoulders for anyone tailing her. She was weary of being watched ever since Ominek approached her. When she reached the Weaver college’s main entrance, she quietly slipped inside and leaned against the back wall, heaving a sigh of relief.

“Are you okay? You’re acting strangely, Luffa.”

She gasped, nearly jumping out of her skin. Spell Warrior and Emerald Guard Cenine stood before her clad in golden armor with her plated arms folded. The golden T visored helmet was tucked into one of her arms as she arched an all too perfect eyebrow at the nervous primal.

“Me? I’m fine. Why would you think I’m not fine? It’s not like I’m doing anything suspicious. I’m right where I belong.” Luffa nodded a time or two too many.

Cenine’s frown deepened as her head listed to the side like her neck was failing to hold it upright. “Luffa. You’re acting as if you’ve just stollen a sweet bun from the cafe and you’re afraid someone followed you back.”

Luffa’s panic immediately gave way as Cenine offered her an absurd, if convenient, out. “That’s because that’s exactly what happened!” she exclaimed with a nervous laugh. “I forgot to pay and didn’t realize it until it was just coming home. Being that I’m a primal, I was afraid that Erlaut would have a fit. He’s under so much strain lately. I didn’t want to be a problem.”

Cenine sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Luffa was certain she was probably fed up with the conversation already, but leaving Cenine more annoyed than curious would prevent her from looking too deeply into this. Cenine waved a dismissive hand at Luffa. “Very well. Go back and pay for the bun. We’ve all been under a lot of stress lately. ArchPriest Erlaut most of all. Just try to be more mindful, ok?”

Luffa blinked. For a moment, Cenine almost sounded like a genuine and empathetic being. Maybe Luffa had the situation wrong and she should be worried about Cenine being bound?

“I will. Thanks. And sorry again. Like you said, I’ve just been so high-strung. Master Erlaut’s Inquisition has been terrifying to put it lightly.”

“The price of freedom is often very high.” Cenine said, with no amount of irony in her voice.

Luffa bit her lip mentally and allowed the conversation to end naturally. Once Cenine departed, Luffa hurried out of the Weaver school and lost herself in a maze of greenery to lean against a tree and pant heavily. That was close. Too close. If anyone found out Ominek had spoken to her, she’d be subjected to hours of divination and scrying rituals till her eyes turned red from dryness.

She felt bad about lying to Cenine like that, but she knew what would happen if they even marginally suspected the truth of what was happening. She’d be lucky to see another sunny afternoon again. To smell the sweet smell of the light lilies blooming as the bees and butterflies spread their pollen. Luffa was still a war slave. An item of the state. Her fingers drifted up to touch the control collar on her neck, wincing as it shocked her fingers at the touch.

If she told Erlaut or anyone about what was happening, she knew she’d just be met with instant decisions of guilt. They would either bore out her mind, or put her to death immediately. There was no going back now. All that remained was to see how far in she could go before they caught her. The futility of her situation, the guilt of what she’d be forced to do to her friends, and the absolute feeling of powerlessness overwhelmed her for a moment. She fell into gentle sobs, knowing that she would have to betray her friends. Most of them she was only cordial with, but hurting Amara would cut the deepest.

“Hopefully she’ll understand.” Luffa whispered.

#

Akamori paced like a caged cat within the small mud hut Astri welcomed them into. He’d already walked a small circle into the dirt. Sirsir sat in a corner watching him as he walked while Astri went about preparing a dinner soup from some roots of some type. After a few more circuits, Sirsir finally spoke up.

“Sir, if you pace around anymore, you’re gonna drill a hole in the lady’s floor.”

Akamori paused, looking at the big man huddled in the corner with his machine gun draped across his lap. Akamori blinked before finally processing the sgt’s words, then looked down.

“Oh. Right.” Akamori said, then apologized to Astri.

“You’re nervous.” Astri said flatly as she ladled him a bowl full of soup and chopped roots.

“Well. You’re not oblivious, at least.”

Astri shot him a glare. “You are nervous because you are unsure of what to face. There will be many trials and the path is nonlinear.”

“Nonlinear? As in, ya’ll just cut him loose and he’s supposed to make it there on his own? He can take any route he wants?”

Astri nodded as she prepared a bowl for Sirsir, handing it over to him with a spoon.

“Thanks.” the big man said with a nod, accepting the bowl and helping himself to the savory soup.

“How will I know where I’m going?”

“You won’t. Only your destination. A priest will give you a soul beacon. Make your way to it. The route matters less than the path traveled. The wyrm mother will judge your trials and tribulations if you survive to face her.”

“When he survives to face her. The Eltee will make it.” Sirsir affirmed.

Akamori gave the burly NCO a thankful, if uncertain, smile. While the prospect of facing another god made him nervous, the possibility of having an adventure for its own sake was intriguing. He turned to Astri, who began sipping at her own soup.

“Astri, you said there’s no set path. How far away will I be starting?”

Astri cocked her head at him, considering the question. “I forget. You came from Honshu, and haven’t set foot on Anazi Prime before. The temple you’ll be looking for will be located on the next continent over.”

Akamori blinked. He’d expected something ambiguously far away, but a whole other continent was both reassuring and not. “The next continent over?”

Astri nodded. “Priests say Anazi built the temple with instructions to direct those in need of judgement there. I think she did so as a challenge. If any were too weak or lacked skill, they wouldn’t make the journey. Draconic culture always revolved around strength and power. At least where one as martially skilled as Anazi is concerned.”

“She was good with a blade?”

Astri nodded, pausing between mouthfuls of soup to speak. “Some legends say she once owned a blade that could cleave open the very heavens themselves. But circumstances forced her to abandon it in battle. Many of our priests had she possessed her blade, it would have prevented her from suffering the wound that forced her into hibernation near the end of the last epic.”

It was refreshing to hear new tales of the goddess he’d always prayed to on Hoshun. Prayers from him were more lip-service than anything. He’d never truly been one for organized religion. But a one-on-one relationship with a god? He could get behind that.

“On Hoshun we’d always thought the wyrm that died with us there was Anazi herself. It wasn’t until my dream walk that she revealed we’ve been wrong.”

Astri became very curious now. “How did your people take the news?”

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He grimaced. The memory of Ominek’s attack was still sour and bitter. “I never got to share it. Shortly after, Sauridius forces attacked my people. The only survivors were myself, a few others.”

Astri simply nodded, as if this outcome had been within the expected parameters. “Then it would seem the main family was wise to dispatch the branch family to Hoshun.”

“I don’t follow?”

“You are the survivor they needed.”

“Huh?”

Astri frowned and shook her head, ending the conversation there. “I’ve already said too much. Forgive me, cousin.”

Akamori blinked, a moment of confusion shared between himself and Sirsir before they each resumed their dinner. Once they’d finished eating Astri sat back down next to Akamori, studying his gear pointedly.

“Is something wrong?”

“The rules for the march are simple. You take with you only what you can carry.”

“What about weapons and armor?”

“Only what you can carry.”

“What if I wear my armor?”

“Then you wouldn’t be carrying it.”

“Is there room for loopholes?” He asked, his voice raising slightly.

Astri’s eyes narrowed. “You’ll need to elaborate.”

Akamori nodded, tapping the bracelet and shivered as it melted into freezing liquid metal as dark as obsidian as it flowed and swelled around his body. Once it covered him, it took the shape of sleek spell armor with void runes glowing softly in various places. Astri regarded it for a moment with a frown.

“As long as you wear it in its non armor state, it should be fine. That you can carry.”

“Got it.”

“What kind of opposition is the Eltee looking at?”

“Several varieties of flora and fauna. There are plenty of wildlings that grow off of Anazi’s latent magic. They treat her like a makeshift well, feeding off the excess to grow themselves. There is also a wild tribe on the continent. The Sakazin, who dwell in swampy marshlands. The Dragons have largely avoided them. They’re mostly Earth magic aspected and they’ve summoned Icons in the past. You might face them.”

“An Icon? The dragons let them do that?”

“You’re familiar with Icons?” Astri chewed on that contemplatively for a moment before continuing. “Not willingly. The dragons interceded, but it was costly. Ever since then, both parties have kept a wide berth from each other while keeping tabs.”

“With good reason. Icons are dangerous summons.”

“What experience do you have with Icons?”

“Ran into one on Eryn.”

“How did you resist becoming enthralled by it?”

“Magic soul ward. I wanted to have a custom shirt made that said I visited the golden well, and I got was this soul ward, but the owner refused. Said it was beneath him.”

Astri just looked at him at flatly and nodded, taking it nonchalantly. Akamori sighed. Clearly this woman was some kind of Brotherhood cyborg or something.

“Alright, so what else can I expect to face?”

“Opposition from the dragons. Not directly. They’re forbidden from stopping you themselves. But they can dispatch riders to face you. Traditionally, this will take place at Anazi’s temple. If you successfully face them, you’ll then face her. You’ll face the organized opposition at the temple itself. It comprises a 5 step pyramid. If you reach the top, Anazi will decide if you live or die. If you die, the dragons get their way. If you live, it’s because their mother deemed it, and they were wise to send you.”

“This just gets better and better.”

“Just another day for you, sir.”

Astri regarded Sirsir for a moment. “You don’t sound too concerned.”

“I’m not. The Eltee was facing down shit odds since before I met him. Every time something challenged him, he came out on top. This ain’t no different. He’ll fight those dragon’s goons, then he’ll go get this blessing he needs from your air goddess. You’ll see.”

She turned to regard Akamori for a moment, who laughed and held his hands up placatingly. “Don’t look at me. I just fight stuff. A lot of stuff.” He trailed off. “All the stuff. Good gods, and a punch monkey?”

“Punch monkey?” Astri asked, confused.

“Nah, sword monkey. But your hand to hand could use some work, sir. The eltee was just wondering if violence is his only thing. But I don’t think that’s the case. I’ve seen him study a situation and apply what he’s got the best way he can to win. And usually done in a minimum amount of time. Some folks would call them miracles.”

“I’ve had help. It was never just me doing all that. Don’t listen to him. Or he’ll have you believing I’m a god or something.”

Sirsir paused thoughtfully and Akamori instantly folded his arms. “No. Absolutely am not.”

“But you’ve got the strength to be one.”

“A weak one.”

“Better than we had a few months ago.”

Akamori pinched the bridge of his nose. “Ugh. I can’t believe I’m having this conversation.”

“Because you’re the strongest of us?”

“No, that I’m some kind of god or demi god or whatever.”

Astri, who’d remained quiet as the two bantered back and forth, looked on with growing interest. “You’ve drunk from many wells, haven’t you?” She asked.

“Yeah, and I’ve had a few infusions by other means.”

“How many?”

“Six,” he said hesitantly.

Astri’s head jerked back in surprise. “No wonder the dragons want you dead. Letting you walk around would throw the entire power dynamic at risk. They can’t risk you causing some kind of uprising.”

Akamori’s head fell forward, and a disgusting groan eased out of an exasperated expression. Sirsir patted his back in mock consolation.

“It’s ok sir, try to look at the bright side.”

“Which is?”

“All the opportunities you’ll have to kick some ass.”

“While they’re trying to kill me.”

“That just makes it more fun to stop them.”

“You and I have differing levels of fun.”

“Yeah, that just means you ain’t had real fun yet. Don’t worry. You’ll figure it out.”

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