Having again listened to Aun, who stuttered and paused even more during his retelling, I slowly rose from the bench. On shaky legs, paying no attention to the numerous passers-by, I approached the central city fountain. Scooping up a handful of cool water, I splashed it into my face.
It didn't help.
Ignoring the curious glances, I crouched down in front of the fence and, holding my breath, dipped my head into the cold water. I held on like this for almost a minute, and only when I felt that the urge to run, to do something, to find something out, right here and now, started to ebb, did I pull my head out of the fountain. Apparently, it wasn't a usual spectacle here, and people were watching. Nodding to Aun to follow me, I made my way through the crowd like an icebreaker, heading for the exit from the central square.
After these peculiar water procedures, I looked perfectly calm on the outside, although inside, everything was practically boiling. And I didn't like this state. The "past me" received news of earthlings' deaths nearly by the dozen each week. The "other me," upon hearing such, would just shrug it off and continue on his way without slowing down. I, the present me, had already had to kill others on my own. And I even took it lightly. But for some reason, the news of Cristo's death completely knocked me off track. If I'm being honest with myself, if Duar, Huran, and even Doctor Fuun had died, I would have expressed formal sympathy, and that's all. But the fact that one of ours died, especially one I'd spoken to just a few days ago... it hit me like a sudden blow to the back of the head from around a corner.
And it's wrong!
I can't be this sensitive. Earthlings will die on Ain. I'm sure someone dies every day. Some out of stupidity, some trying to stand out, some out of ignorance, some trying to perform the questers' tasks better, some in pursuit of an overly complex Achievement... There could be hundreds of reasons for such an outcome. And if I react to every such death as I do now, it won't lead to anything good.
I glance at Aun walking beside me. The lad, apparently, is even worse off than I am. Much worse. He flushes to the roots of his hair one moment, turns pale the next, and then turns green after a sigh. The boy had just recently lost his father, and such a massive death of those he knew could undermine him.
I don't feel like saying anything right now. On the contrary, there is a desire to be alone. To wander where my eyes lead me and think, just alone. But that would be a small but still betrayal of this boy, whom fate has been mercilessly beating in recent days.
When we left the crowded square and stepped onto one of the central streets, I started talking. I spoke softly, so only Aun could hear me, but confidently and calmly:
"Did someone force them to throw a party?"
"But it's customary for us to have a feast to celebrate a successful deal," piped up the merchant's son in response.
"I repeat my question, did someone force them?"
"No," he had to admit.
"That was the first thing. Now the second. They were locked in until they got the money, right?"
"Right."
"From the perspective of the city authorities, everything was done reasonably."
"Reasonably." The young man repeated, nodding like a bobblehead.
"Could they have gotten alcohol and had a party if they followed the law?"
"No, technically, it's prohibited to drink wine on the territory of the military port, but it's not a strict rule…"
"The point is, they themselves bribed the guards, broke all the rules, and organized the booze. Right?"
"Right."
"And thirdly, instead of quietly drinking, celebrating, and going to sleep, they did what? A fight over money!"
"They did…"
"And fourthly, why did they attack the duty officer with fists? Aren't they fools?"
"Fools…"
"So, who should be their doctor?!![1]" I yelled, throwing my hands up.
"What?" Aun didn't understand me.
"I'm saying: who is to blame for what happened, apart from them themselves? The duty officer? The one who responded to the punch by setting everything on fire? No, he's not to blame."
"But he could at least have figured things out before setting everything on fire!" The boy reacted emotionally to my words.
"At night, you enter what you think is a prison barrack, and a crowd attacks you with fists. Is there time to think, ask something? Put yourself in the shoes of that officer."
"Then the one who didn't inform the duty mage that there were civilians in that barrack, not criminals, is to blame!!" His voice was full of indignation.
"I agree with that," I nodded. "But how severe is his guilt? What if nothing had happened that night? Then no one would have found out about his oversight. You grew up in Tries, so tell what punishment does he deserve?"
After thinking for about twenty seconds, the young man answered.
"Maximum, he would be made to compensate for the cost of the burnt barrack due to his negligence." Aun sighed heavily. "And that's according to the civil code; the navy's is a little different, but I don't know how and in what."
Having let off steam, I realized that I had rather calmed down myself. No one was more to blame for the absurd death of the former rowers of the "Bloody Wave" than they themselves. Moreover, having said everything to Aun, I realized that without Cristo's audacity and cunning, the other former slaves would never have guessed how to bypass the wine ban. I'm sure it was the earthling who came up with how to persuade the guards and what to bribe them with. Without his cunning mind, the others wouldn't have even tried. So it turns out Cristo doomed himself!
As for the fight that broke out, I believe the navy's report. It's hard to divide something even between two people, and when more than a dozen participate in the division, conflict is inevitable. And if you remember Duar's character, it was a short step to a fight.
Oh, Cristo, Cristo…
Absurd. To survive so much. To escape from slavery and prison so many times, and for what? To die a horrible death in a fire? And why? Because he himself organized a forbidden party!!
Stupid.
Incredibly stupid.
But such is life. It doesn't matter if you're in Ain or on Earth. In either world, stupidity is often punished by death; the Darwin Awards won't let me lie about that.
"Such is natural selection." Unknowingly, I voiced my last thought aloud.
"Huh?!!" The young man walking next to me immediately looked at me in bewilderment.
"I'm saying nothing brings death closer than stupidity."
"Oh… Perhaps…" The lad said with slight doubt, but he didn't dare argue with me.
My already shaky mood after my conversation with the alchemist officer plummeted further after hearing Aun's news.
"Are we going to the port?" The merchant's son asked me after several minutes of silence.
"Huh?" I didn't understand him, as I was lost in thought and just walking wherever my feet took me.
"Well, we're heading in that direction, so I thought..."
"No, we have nothing to do there." I stopped and looked around. "We won't learn anything new because no one will let us into the navy's territory. And it's even less worth it to attract the attention of the military or make a scene there."
"Then where are we going now?"
"Home." I decided without much thought.
My decision was met with no objections from Aun. The only thing the boy suggested was to go through the market and buy some food for dinner.
During our leisurely journey, I not only managed to calm my nerves but also soothe Aun. He still looked paler than usual, but at least the shaking had stopped. And when the young man started haggling at the market, immersing himself in his element, he completely calmed down. And with each passing minute, I felt better. The "memory of the future" had changed me significantly; I had become callous and perhaps more heartless than I was on Earth. It had been only half an hour since I learned about Cristo's death, and I no longer flinched at the thought of the earthling. If anything, I was even angry at him. I had plans for him, and he had buried them all because of his recklessness! It's annoying when that happens!
Despite the latest news and my sour mood, I didn't forget to keep a careful eye on our surroundings. After all, the problem with attempts on Aun's life hadn't gone anywhere, and neither the boy nor I understood who wished death upon the young heir of not the most powerful or wealthy branch of a far the most influential trading family in the city. But no matter how much I strained my vision and enhanced my Perception Aura, I didn't notice any hint of being followed during our journey. If anyone among the passersby looked our way, they weren't staring at Aun but at me, seemingly recognizing that foreigner from the Arena. However, this didn't hinder our progress, as those who recognized me didn't rush for autographs but instead hurried to cross to the other side of the street. Such a reaction was not exactly what I had anticipated when I was planning my image for this Cycle, but it was good too.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
We reached Aun's home without any adventures, which was a good sign in itself in light of the recent events. Before we entered, I checked the markers I'd left but found no traces of the intrusion. Only after completing this inspection did I let the boy cross the threshold of his own dwelling.
I usually try not to hover over people when they're busy. But that evening, when Aun was preparing dinner and started by gutting a large fish that looked like cod, I sat nearby, watching the process.
"Master..." The young man spoke the first word since we entered the house.
"Yes?"
"You were amazing today!" With one swift movement, he sliced off the scales, then turned to me, his eyes sparkling with genuine delight.
Well, he's certainly been on an emotional rollercoaster. However, with everything that has happened around him in recent days, it's not surprising that his emotions are swinging from one extreme to another.
"It was incredible!" Aun continued to exclaim in admiration. "I've never seen anything like it! What am I saying?!! No one has!!! During the last five minutes of the selection, everyone was watching only you! The entire arena was watching! On the sand, people were struggling, fights were going on, blood was shed, but thousands of eyes were only watching you! No one understood what, why, and most importantly, how?!! Some of the audience cursed you, some admired you, but most were just silent. They were silent in confusion and, I would even say, in awe!"
Throwing a fish fillet on the pan, the young man turned back to me again and, looking pleadingly, asked:
"Can you tell me how you managed to pull off such a feat?!" He then continued, chattering as usual like a machine gun. "How did you come up with it? Why didn't anyone touch you? How did you calculate this? You didn't know anything about the selection participants and couldn't... well, you could, and I absolutely don't understand how?!! Please, I won't tell anyone." The boy pressed his fist to his heart and, looking up, added. "I swear by Kamo: this will stay between us!"
"You shouldn't have done that," I sighed. "There's no need to trouble Echoes over such trivial matters."
"Really?" The boy immediately looked down.
"Now that you shouldn't do especially," I rebuked him.
"What shouldn't I do?" He didn't understand me.
"If you've appealed to the gods, never regret it. Not even in your thoughts."
I knew what I was talking about, and Aun seemed to understand that. His face immediately became very serious, and he nodded:
"I see. Does this mean you won't tell me? Right?!"
"Why not?" I smiled. "I can tell you, but I'm afraid the truth won't be as "grand" and "unparalleled" as it seemed from the outside."
"Ple-e-e-ease..." The boy drawled.
"Well then," folding my hands behind my head, I continued: "I'll start by saying that my original plan for passing the selection round was quite different."
"Really?" The boy leaned towards me.
"Yes." There was a slightly sad smile on my face, probably because I'm not as brilliant in reality as it seems from the outside. "I planned something completely different from what ended up happening and what you witnessed. I'll tell you right away: I would have passed this selection without any tricks anyway."
"Yes! Even I can see that!" The boy nodded.
"But it seemed to me that simply making it to the main bracket of the tournament wasn't enough." And now I don't even know if it was worth it or not. But this thought stays with me, and I don't say it out loud. "I decided to earn myself a certain reputation."
To my surprise, Aun understood this, and I didn't have to explain. However, he is a merchant's son, and for local traders, reputation is everything, so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised.
"To create a certain reputation, I took the 'Swamp Lily' before the start of the round."
"Which is just a powerful sedative!" The young man couldn't resist interjecting, then added, much quieter and looking away, "I asked around..."
"True, just a strong sedative, but I didn't need more." I glanced at the young man standing by the brazier and asked him, "What kind of enemy do you think is the most dangerous?"
"The strongest? The fastest? The most skillful?" He uttered all this almost simultaneously, then paused and, with a note of doubt, added, "The smartest?"
I put a slightly disappointed expression on my face, shook my head, and answered my own question:
"The worst enemy is the one you know nothing about. Like, for instance, the one who hired assassins for your soul." This reminder subdued the boy's overly exuberant mood. "That was my plan; that's why I needed the 'Swamp Lily'." I paused, but Aun said nothing, listening attentively, and I continued. "An experienced fighter can tell a lot about his opponent before the latter even draws his weapon. His gait, body language, and, with an active Perception Aura, even his heart rate, pupil movement, fine muscle motor skills. All this can say a lot..."
"I don't really understand this," admitted the boy. "But I've heard similar words from my grandfather when he was still alive."
"And who was your grandfather?" I asked.
"He was one of those in the Tries traders' union responsible for caravan security. He was more a warrior than a merchant."
"Apparently, he was an experienced man," I nodded.
"He died three years ago." The boy sniffed. "We were told there was an ambush at a mountain pass... But that doesn't matter now. I understand, Master, continue!"
"Having taken a strong sedative, I, so to speak, made myself this 'unknown enemy.' Moreover, no one in the city knows me, and my real abilities are unknown to anyone too."
"Unknown enemy?" The boy asked again.
"Yes." I had a smile playing on my face. "What did the other tournament participants see, looking at me?"
"What? What did they see??!" The boy almost jumped up, urging me on.
"Let's start from the beginning. With the gait... It was... Ordinary. That's how you stroll along the quay or go to the market, but not how you go to fight. Believe me: it's quite unusual in a fight." He nodded. "But a gait alone, of course, is not enough. Next. What did the other fighters do as they stepped onto the arena sand?" I asked.
"Well... Assessed their opponents?" The boy guessed.
"Ha!" I could have hidden that smile, but I didn't. "Remember, you need to assess your opponent in a fight constantly, not just at the beginning! Fighting is not a transaction where the price of the product can be constant. Combat is about changes, second-by-second changes. And these changes need to be assessed all the time. And don't think about the question I've asked; just remember, what did all the other fighters do almost immediately, except me?"
"Um-uh-uh." Delving briefly into his memories, Aun looked up at me and uncertainly said, "They drew their weapons?"
"Exactly. They drew their weapons and took combat stances. And by their movements and poses, you could already say a lot about each of them. Preferred fighting style, what they plan to do right now: attack, defend, act cautiously, or rush in. Everyone did that, except..."
"Except you!! You kept walking calmly with your spear resting on your elbow."
"Exactly. And what did I achieve by doing that?"
"You remained unknown and incomprehensible!!!" The boy literally shouted.
"Correct. Let's continue. With every second, the distance between the contestants became smaller and smaller. And every one of them had Perception Aura activated, allowing them to discern finer details. And what did the other participants see when they looked at me?"
"Calmness?"
"The answer is correct but not complete. They saw an impossible calmness in such a situation. My heart was beating completely evenly. My muscles were at rest. And most importantly, my pupils hardly moved."
"Is that so important?"
"Watch people, and you'll see that our eyes in a normal state are almost always in motion. In constant motion. But even not knowing this, if you meet a man on the street with motionless eyes, you will feel that something is wrong with him. You'll feel it deep inside and may even feel involuntary fear. Believe me, it's true." I could have told him about the "uncanny valley effect," but I feared I would have to read him an hour-long lecture explaining the details, so I simply said, "Believe me."
"I understand." The young man nodded seriously.
"All of the above resulted in one simple decision that was the same for all other fighters. Namely: 'It's not worth messing with this strange one; if someone else attacks him, and I can assess what he's really worth, then I might...'"
"But no one dared!!!" Aun clapped his hands in excess of emotion. "No one wanted to be the first!"
"Yes, that's exactly how it all happened. But could I have planned for such an outcome before the selection even began?"
"But you just told me everything, and everything turned out as you planned!!!" The boy was surprised by my words.
"You didn't listen to me very well." I shook my head a little ruefully. "I told you from the very beginning that the plan was different."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Master."
"I couldn't count on such an outcome because a fight, especially a massive one, is always unpredictable. Could I have known that when I stepped onto the sand, there wouldn't be someone nearby who just didn't give a damn and simply wanted to fight?"
"Probably..."
"And my calmness wouldn't have stopped such a person. Right?"
"Right."
"Or someone nearby would just snap from nervous strain and attack the nearest person, just because of their nerves breaking?"
"But you would have quickly defeated such an opponent!" The boy responds with endless faith in me.
"You're right. I would have won. And easily. But!" I caught myself raising my index finger again - a bad habit, but I couldn't help it. "But I would have broken that aura of mystery that surrounded me."
"Is that so?"
"It is!" My voice was firm. "And a lot more could have happened." I leaned my whole body forward. "Remember, a plan that can be easily destroyed is a bad plan!"
"But everything worked out for you!!" He doesn't understand.
"But I planned for something else."
"What?"
"It's simple, my dear Wats... my dear Aun," I corrected myself in time. "It's simple... I planned to use the fact that in the first minutes, most - and most experienced and dangerous opponents - would avoid me. And then, when I assess their capabilities, style, and manner of fighting, taking advantage of a calm situation I created for myself, I would engage in battle on my terms. And my victory would be quick, inevitable, and unavoidable, which, undoubtedly, the audience in the stands would appreciate. That was my calculation." Sighing heavily, I continue. "But something went wrong..."
"Went wrong?!" The young man was stunned.
"I still made a mistake. A critical one, right at the beginning."
"Which?" The boy asked breathlessly.
"You know, going into a fight in an altered state of mind is not the best idea." My face distorts in a belated, understanding smile.
"Huh?" The merchant's son didn't understand me.
"You see, that tranquility that the 'Swamp Lily' provides... it calms the mind as well." There's a light puzzlement in Aun's eyes, so I continue. "I was not only outwardly calm but deep inside as well." I tapped my temple for demonstration. "That's what I didn't take into account in my initial plan."
"And how did that affect everything?" The boy asked, not forgetting to cook in the meantime, removing the fish from the fire on time, throwing coarsely chopped vegetables into the pan, and placing the fried fish fillet on the table, covering it with a lid to finish cooking.
"It's easier to tell how it all was from my point of view."
"How?"
"At first, everything went as planned. I entered the sand, and indeed no one was in a hurry to attack me. I slowly moved forward, assessing who was around and who was worth something. With each breath, I got to know my rivals better. Even before reaching the center of the arena, I was ready to fight on my terms. But..."
"But?!"
"But no one attacked me, and I thought that more time for analysis is never a bad thing. But no one still approached me, and I calmly made it to the center. I stood there for three breaths and thought that I looked stupid from the side, standing like a statue, so I sat down."
"Umm..." The boy reacted to my story, barely suppressing a chuckle, covering his mouth with his hands.
"But just sitting was silly, so I started meditating. Then I thought it was a very smart idea... 'Why should I get into a fight?' This thought wasn't actually that stupid. Every few breaths, someone fell on the sand of the arena, being eliminated from the round. With each such fall, I was getting closer to those coveted sixteen who would proceed further. I was getting closer, not doing anything. So why fuss, do something, fight, risk, when victory comes to me?"
"No need!!!" Aun couldn't hold back and yelled.
"That's what I thought then..." I nodded and extended my empty plate. "Serve. I want to eat."
[1] TLN: the expression basically means, "Who is to take responsibility for problems due to one's incompetence?" but there's no exact equivalent in English.