Chapter 39: Tourist
Blinding flashes of alternating gold, blue, white, and even void black struck the pasture. As a few in the shepherds’ flock were vaporized and the shepherds scattered, a man stepped out from the epicenter of the strikes. At that moment, he caught the shaft of a spear just behind the head. If he hadn’t stopped it, he would have been safe as his chest instinctively had been wrapped in Spirit armor. But it was a reflex both to add the armor and to grab the spear. Trint didn’t even need to process it.
“So this is the subsystem?” Trint asked aloud. “I expected it to be dark and underground. I’m not surprised by the welcome, though,” Trint scanned the land around him.He stood on the scorched ground.The lightning ceased when he stepped through, but Trint could feel a charged quality to the air.Near him were the ash-stained outlines of what appeared to be a medium-sized dog.Looking further, he found what he assumed to be living examples of what had vaporized near him.They did seem to be dogs of some kind.
Some people were within range of Trint’s spirit senses. That ability to feel and know things that he wasn’t looking at was still active, and he even felt a new potency he hadn’t been able to exercise before.
Trint never knew what he was walking into when he gambled his life and purpose to leave the main iterations and go to the subsystem. He knew very little about this new place. His only knowledge came from his Summons Iliana. She wasn’t with him, and he wasn’t sure if she could join him in a week when the countdown for resummoning ended. He wished he had learned more about this place while with her, but their focus had been on training.
What he did know was that, as things stood, the System iterations were a death trap for him. Not just the monsters wanted him dead. Literal rulers of galaxies wanted him under their control. He had only narrowly escaped capture by a world-destroying superpower. So his arrival here was a new chance to grow powerful enough to find a way to his family.
Trint expected to see strange things in the Subsystem. The shepherds stood out as silhouettes in the setting sun of a grass-covered hill. Their flock scattered every direction away from Trint. The spear thrower stood, mouth open, staring.
Knowing he was in another potential enemy territory, Trint was hesitant to approach these strangers. After a moment’s consideration, he realized everyone he would meet here would be a stranger. Without any further delay, he did his best to approach non-aggressively.
With only a couple of steps toward these animal tenders, Trint got his answer. All but two took off at a run, disappearing over the rise of the hill. Of the two remaining, one was sitting on the ground; the other was trying to lift the smaller one off the ground. The two attempted to flee.
Trint didn’t intend them harm, but they were not interested in waiting to find out. Trint was unwilling to show his full power or speed, but it only took a few moments to catch up to them. As he got close, the runners gave into their fear and fell cowering in fear. The largest one who carried the smaller one now protectively shielded the small figure, heaving his breath as fear radiated from them.
Trint now saw they were something like a version of humanoid sheep. Both cowering figures had short black wool-covered bodies. They wore threadbare robes, dirt-covered and full of holes. They had an odor that was immediately picked up, and Trint found it repulsive. Trint could resist showing the nasal assault had any impact on him.
“Wait, please, just wait a moment,” Trint, for multiple reasons, now gave them a little space. “I don’t mean you any harm. I need to get some information. I promise not to harm you.” Trint said this as he disarmed himself and dropped the spear he had caught earlier at their feet.
“Oh, great sovereign, please don’t kill us!” Trint had no idea how they knew his system-breaking title. “We have nothing of value; please at least spare my son.”
“Whoa, stop,” Trint tried to calm the sheep-man. “Yes, I am a sovereign, but why do you think I will kill you?” The old shepherd’s eyes searched Trint. Finding no malice, he sat up and regained some dignity.
“I apologize, Sovereign; I am not used to meeting someone from a myth or fairytale,” he huffed, trying to catch his breath, “you don’t appear to be a monster. You look like you are a Stem’r. Yet your title says Sovereign - Creator/Keeper/Governor. And you came out of a spontaneous Void storm. No one who touches them survives. I guess the sects were right about a few things. Wait, your title disappeared.”
‘Well, that explains some things,’ Trint told Pneuma, his internal companion. ‘I guess the inhabitants of the subsystem can see the title and classes unless we manually suppress them. It will not be possible to hide if we forget to keep those locked down. And this guy had heard of sovereigns. Maybe the sect is the one Iliana was from.’
‘Keep talking and figure out a place we can go to get answers, and we can come up with a plan when we know more,’ Pneuma mentally communicated to Trint.
“Apologies, but what are your names? I only want to get some information,” Trint courteously spoke to the pair, but his system already displayed some information.
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Sn2C673-332
“Sovereign, we are shepherds. We have no names other than the subsystem designation. If you must call us something, I am 673-332; my people call me Tree Two and my son is just 332-1. You may call him Tree Two Son. He will get his number when the system calls him to fight. Please, I need to get him to shelter and our flock back together. If you follow me, I will introduce you to our leader; I am not the one you should speak with.”
“That would be acceptable; please lead the way,” Trint was surprised things were going so well. ‘Pneuma, can you add to his identification?’ Pneuma made the change, and the display now showed more information.
Tree Two (Sn2C673-332)
‘You think his name comes from the last numbers?’ Trint asked Pneuma.
‘That makes sense, but we have little to go off,’ Replied Pneuma.
Trint walked about ten feet to the left of Tree Two, and they kept watching each other for fear of attack. As they walked, Trint noticed subtle details he’d missed before. Tree Two had scars all over the exposed portions of his body. They were hard to see as his fur obscured the similarly black-colored scars. Trint also noticed the man looked malnourished and walked with a limp. How he had managed to run while carrying his son, Trint imagined fear and adrenaline could make people do extraordinary things.
“Sovereign, wait here. I will go ahead and explain you mean no harm to our people. That is your intention, to get information? Please promise not to hurt my people.”
“I will not harm any who are not a threat to me.” Trint agreed.
“Ok, I will leave you. It may take a while for them to understand. Do not enter the cave till I return, or they will fight to defend the clan.”
Trint waited outside but scanned the cavern and the surrounding area for potential danger.He could pick out three of the same species as Tree Two, hiding among rock outcroppings and a small patch of trees.
Then inside the cavern, Trint could sense over 100 people spread throughout a network of tunnels branching off a large central cavern. The entryway curved around out of sight but quickly opened to a cavern the size of several suburban houses. The small clusters of people were in smaller nooks in the attached tunnels. Many were sitting around something that glowed to Trint’s spirit sense like a fire.
Trint watched as Tree Two gathered a few people in the main cavern. There was already an assembled group off to one side, with a few explaining their encounter with the demon from the Void storm. Trint quickly ignored their recounting of his arrival and split his focus from protecting himself and listening as Tree Two spoke to his small group.
“Elders, I was not fast enough to escape when the creature appeared from the storm. I had my son and was caught by a Sovereign,” Tree Two recounted. At the mention of a sovereign, the group spoke to each other, briefly ignoring Tree Two.”
“Continue,” one elder commanded.
“This sovereign said he wants to talk, not harm us, and he promised not to attack unless provoked,” Tree Two continued.
“How will we know what provokes a sovereign?” One elder questioned. The rest began arguing this point.
“We we ask for a system contract in return for our help,” The leader of the elders spoke, having been silent till this point. “The junior elders will request a contract, while the chief and I will go talk with our people. If this sovereign agrees not to harm us, we will answer his questions.
The lead elder dismissed all but Tree Two. Turning toward Tree Two, he struck him across the face with a closed fist. “Why, feeble-minded one, did you bring a powerful stranger to our doorstep? Did you not think of all your people. No! You chose to only think of your son and your miserable self. If anything bad happens to our people because of this, I will personally break your son’s other leg and make sure it doesn’t heal. Then he will die just like your wife when the system calls.” The venom dripped from his words.
Tree Two did not voice anger but showed fear and dropped his eyes. He brought his hands together, likely in prayer.
“Greetings, Sovereign of the system,” a junior elder greeted Trint. “How may we help you?”
Trint, although livid from hearing the unjust treatment and threats Tree Two just received, kept his face calm and his response even. “I wish to ask your people some questions. I will agree to a system contract to not hurt any of your people as long as you do not threaten or harm my immediate friends or family. You will answer any questions I have for one day. I will, in exchange, not eradicate all of your people and provide you three healing potions,” after that display, Trint realized he would probably be much better at poker than he used to be. Something in that system promise with Baruch must have had a more profound impact than he’d realized.
“We must discuss this a moment,” The junior elder said. The other elders nodded and backed away. They quietly discussed, thinking themselves unheard. But Trint heard every whisper.
“We will agree; let me make the contract,” the oldest-looking elder said as he smiled and squinted his wrinkle-covered eyes.
“Sovereign, we agree. Please allow us to invoke the system for our agreed contract,” They offered.
“Yes, I will allow you to proceed,” Trint’s act of generosity and courtesy was slightly theatrical at this point, but these people were unaware of his veiled attempts at humor.
The elders requested the system contract. Trint agreed after reviewing and confirming his words were strictly followed, and there was nothing he was unwilling to be bound to.
“Sovereign, if you will follow us, then we will discuss how we can mutually benefit from your arrival,” an elder suggested as the rest turned to the entrance to their home.
Trint was escorted into the cavern he had been sensing the interior of since his arrival.But seeing the conditions they lived in was worse than just spiritually being able to feel it.It had the sent of the shepherds. The smoke and cooking only defused the strength of the smell.Trint’s stomach had become a steel drum, but his nose betrayed him as he felt a little queasy.
“Welcome, Sovereign!” Voice projecting; the tallest and best-dressed person, other than Trint, spoke loud enough for all in the cavern to hear.
“Would I be correct in assuming you are the lead elder?” Trint asked. “What is your number?”
“Oh, I am called the Watcher,” he said. “As I watch over this flock.” All former venom and malice toward Tree Two was now veiled.
“Watcher, I wish to gain your counsel on a few matters,” Trint began, “May we discuss my intentions in a more private setting? I have already contracted that I mean you no harm. But could my guide Tree Two be a part of the discussion?”
“Uh, well,” The Watcher considered. “I supposed he can, but Tree Two, you are not to speak unless you’re called upon.” Turning to Trint, he added, “Tree Two is not a leader and will be allowed only to listen.”
“Well, then, let's get started. Please lead the way,” Trint gave a slight bow.
‘Trint, I don’t know what you have planned,’ Pneuma silently communicated with Trint, ‘but whatever it is, please get us information before you break this guy’s neck.”
‘And why do you think I will hurt this feeble old watcher?” Trint’s face mirrored the smile his mischievous thought brought to him as the elders brought Trint to sit in a cozy tent around a fire. Trint didn’t trust these subsystem beings, and as he settled in for a discussion, he kept watch on the group of people outside the tent who now pointed spears at the center of his back. He also heard the whispered conversations.
“Yes,” whispered a man directing others with spears, “the contract said only his friends and family cannot be hurt; he said nothing about protecting himself. Maybe every stem’r is this stupid.”