Callan froze. His mind turned Alyssa’s words over, trying to think of what she might be referring to. He had plenty of secrets, but none that he thought he was hiding from Aos, or her in particular.
In the end, he remained silent and waited.
“I know that you’re not yeth,” Alyssa continued finally, when the silence had stretched overlong.
“Oh, that.” Callan sat up on the bed into a cross-legged position. “Was it the hands that gave it away?”
He wriggled his fingers at her. Alyssa stared at them wide-eyed.
“No, though now that you point it out, I feel foolish I hadn’t noticed earlier.”
“Why? I mean, unless hands are some sort of beauty standard in yeth culture, I can’t imagine why you would have been checking them out.” He hesitated. “They... aren’t, are they?”
Are you asking me? They certainly weren’t during the last age, but who can say what ridiculous notions their race may have entertained in the intervening centuries.
“What, you didn’t breed it into them, or something? Honestly, I wouldn’t have put it past you.”
Hmmph. Despite what you might think of us, mortal, my kind tried to meddle only when there was a genuine need. I fail to see what sort of advantage a finger fetish would provide.
Callan paused. “Fetish, really? Do you actually have that word here, or is that just an approximation for my benefit—?”
The clearing of a throat drew his attention back to Alyssa. She was watching with a rather wry expression on her face.
“Does that happen often?”
“What? Getting into arguments with him?” Callan rapped on the side of his head, and Xeph let out a squawk. Since he hadn’t actually suffered any damage, Callan ignored him. “It’s better some days than others. But sorry, we got off-topic, didn’t we. How did you know I wasn’t a yeth?”
“Hmm, let’s see.” Alyssa tapped her chin. “First, you were rather open during negotiations with my mother. Either you’re a better actor than I think, or you really weren’t hiding some secret agenda.”
“Wait, so you thought my secret was that I wasn’t hiding secrets well enough?”
“Second,” she said, not even bothering to acknowledge his comment, “You’ve been allowing that lud girl to dictate the terms and conditions of the fight here in our village. At first, I assumed you were using her as some sort of diversionary tactic—and I’m sure my mother still thinks that. But after hearing the two of you interact yesterday, I realized something else was going on.
“Then, finally, there was this evening.”
“Huh?” Callan frowned at her. He glanced over at the empty plate, and then back. Had there been some sort of cultural faux pas he’d committed with the food? He honestly couldn’t think of anything else. “I don’t follow.”
“Yes. I gathered as much.” Alyssa waved a hand, gesturing to herself. When Callan just continued to stare at her blankly, she sighed. “Any red-blooded yeth man finding me waiting in his room dressed like this would have had me unclothed and in his bed before I even had a chance to sit down.”
“Oh. Ohhhhhh.” Callan felt heat creeping up his cheeks. “I, ah, didn’t realize you felt that way about me.”
“What do feelings have to do with anything?” Alyssa asked, frowning at him. “My mother ordered me to offer myself in the hopes she might gain some leverage against you, so here I am.”
Any embarrassment Callan was feeling drained away instantly. A cold feeling in his gut replaced it.
“So, now that you know, do you want to...?” Alyssa started to slip her dress from one shoulder. Callan quickly held up a hand to forestall her.
“I meant what I said earlier about being tired. Besides, I’m not exactly a fan of sleeping with a girl who is only doing it because she was ordered to. That just sounds like a bad idea all around.”
“You’re kind to say that, Callan, but I’m hardly a girl. I’ve been around long enough to know what I’m doing.” She stared at him, her frown deepening. “You’re serious.”
“I really am.”
“Well, if that didn’t prove you aren’t a yeth...” Alyssa shook her head. “So what are you, then? Certainly not a rutain, and your eyes are too small to be a moonie... a tuciville, maybe? I’ve heard they’re supposed to be short like the lud, but maybe that was just a story my uncle made up.”
A tuciville? How ridiculous... you don’t even have the correct number of eyes!
“Yeah, we’re going to revisit that topic later,” Callan told his head-mate. To Alyssa, he said, “Look, does it really matter? Your village needed an avatar to help you, and now you’ve got one. Unless the mayor is going to refuse to deal with me since I’m not a yeth or something.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. I won’t mention it to her if you don’t want me to.” Alyssa gave a mischievous grin that told Callan there was definitely more to that statement than she was saying.
“Uh, thanks, I guess? If you don’t mind my asking though... Why? Didn’t you just get done telling me you were planning to seduce me to learn all of my secrets?”
The grin on Alyssa’s face vanished, like it had never even been. “My mother ordered me into your bed, and I obeyed, because she’s our mayor and matriarch, but that doesn’t mean I’m her loyal servant. I have my own reasons for being here, my own agenda.”
“Uh huh. And what’s that?”
“Hmm.” The yeth woman smirked, then started towards the door again. At the doorway she stopped and looked back. “Oh, by the way, my mother also wanted me to deliver a message. Veritas is returning tomorrow for another debate. Best prepare yourself.”
Then she slipped outside, and the door closed quietly behind her.
Callan stared after her for several moments. “Did she just—?”
Yes.
“And she tried to—?”
Yes.
“And I—?”
Yes, yes. Note that I did try to warn you. Perhaps not about this specific circumstance, but... Yeth were designed by the gods to serve as our notaries and bookkeepers, so their minds were enhanced to be more logical and given to calculation. Unfortunately, the side-effect was that they tend to hoard more secrets and schemes than a shriker does treasure.
“Huh.” Callan sat back, chewing on his lip. “And here I thought that you and Kivi were just being racist. So there really is a difference in the way they act from the other races?”
That’s what I just told you, isn’t it? And besides—wait, what do you mean you thought I was being racist? I am a god! We are above such petty matters.
“So did the gods modify the minds of any of the other races?” he asked, ignoring his head-mate’s little outburst. God though he might be, Callan knew for a fact that no thinking creature was above having biases and prejudices against others.
Hmmph. Let me see... The tuciville were made highly inquisitive, and their cranial capacities were increased overall... The gorgmith were designed to be hyper violent and the mjolk submissive, though due to a mix-up in the formulas both were written off as utter failures in the end... Then the zartouna—
“Seriously?” Callan shook his head. “And you don’t see any problem with that?”
Such as what?
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe unintended consequences? You guys modified the rutain to be better hosts and look how that turned out: guys like Restaro get trapped in a damned-if-I-do, damned-if-I-don’t situation. Now you’re telling me you tried tinkering with an elevated race’s mind not once, but like five times, and despite failing again and again, you kept at it? What happened to only meddling when there’s a ‘genuine need’?”
When there was no response, he continued, “Our minds are what make us who we are, Xeph. You start taking them apart piece by piece, and what’s left of us? It’s no wonder so many of your experiments ended in failure.”
Mortal, I think you misunderstand—
“Whatever. We have more important matters to worry about right now, anyway.” Callan could feel his anger inside simmering like a pot in danger of overflowing, so he forced his attention elsewhere. “We still going with the original plan for Veritas tomorrow?”
I suppose. There have been no reasons I can see to deviate from it. But—
“Good enough. Then I’m going to sleep.”
With that, Callan rolled over and closed his eyes. He knew it didn’t matter, that Xeph could tell if he was asleep or not, but for once the god chose to hold his proverbial tongue.
Which was good. Callan had heard enough from him for one evening.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
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The next morning dawned gray and cool, a hazy rain falling over the village. Callan kept conversation with Xeph to minimum as he pulled his clothes on in the dark. While a good night’s sleep had given him time to realize it wasn’t Xeph he was mad at, but rather the whole situation in general, he certainly wasn’t about to tell his head-mate that. Especially if it bought him a little more alone time.
He stepped outside just as Lisson turned the corner on his way to wake him. Together, they made their way out to the fields.
Upon arrival, they found several workers already busy, Dosoti included, his hunched form just visible through the haze. Without a good excuse to approach the man out of the blue, Callan set off again with Lisson.
“What about your uncle?” he asked as they set to work cutting into the soggy pods. Callan would have thought the water would be detrimental to the seeds inside, but apparently that wasn’t a concern.
“He’s having one of his off days,” Lisson said, pointing to where a figure could just be seen sitting nearby on a rock pile. Rym’s mouth hung open and he appeared to be staring at nothing at all, not even reacting as Rictee gave a friendly wave. Rain dripped from his nose and chin, making him look like the world’s palest gargoyle.
He must have gotten ahold of more flux last night, Xeph noted, the first words he’d uttered since leaving the house. I recognize that stare. He’s close to the end of his time. Soon he’ll drift away inside his own head and not return.
There was a note of profound sadness to the god’s voice. Callan shuddered at the thought. What must it be like, to lose oneself in their own mind, to not even perceive the passage of time? Not how he’d want to go, that was for sure.
Work on harvesting the adle seed continued through the morning. Finally, when the sun was close to fully overhead, Radavan called a halt for the day.
“You all know about today’s debate, I’m certain. If you want to attend, now’s your chance—by order of the mayor.”
“Are we required to attend?” Rictee asked, raising a hand like they were in a classroom.
“We’re all free men and women in this village. My mo—ah, that is, the mayor, has simply ordered that I give you the opportunity. What you choose to do with your free time this afternoon is up to you.”
“Well count me out,” Dosoti grumbled. He dropped his bag next to several others and stretched his back. “Nice afternoon like this, I’d rather be at home. I’ll see you all tomorrow.”
He set off across the fields, cutting a line slightly away from the village center. Callan stared after him, debating.
I’m sure we’re of a like mind on this, mortal, Xeph said. Follow him now and determine if he means to join the other priests. There should be time enough after to find a suitable position to watch the debate.
Nodding, Callan started after the yeth. A shout brought him up short.
“Just a moment, ah, Callan. I need to speak with you about...” Radavan glanced after the other yeth workers who were stowing their tools before setting off for town. Soon, only Lisson and Rym remained, the former helping to slowly lead his uncle away.
Once they were out of earshot, Radavan continued, “My mother—”
“You mean the mayor?” Callan said with a wide grin.
“Hmmph. Yes. She has impressed upon me the need for... unity during this trying time. Hence, though I still question the necessity of your presence here in Aos, I have agreed that my family and I shall offer you our faith.”
Callan waited, but when no notification appeared, he turned back with a frown. “I take it you aren’t actually doing so right now.”
“No. Come to our house tonight, meet my wife and family, and then we shall pledge our loyalty to this Xeph-Zul-Karatl.”
I suppose a promise of faith to come will just have to suffice. Xeph sounded less pleased about that than his words implied. Personally, Callan was just glad things were advancing forward at last.
“I’ll be sure to do that. Before dinner or after? Actually, let’s plan on after. Wouldn’t want to impose on you too much.” Before Radavan could respond he turned and hurried away. If he was lucky, Dosoti would still be somewhere nearby. He might just be able to follow him.
Unfortunately, the yeth man was NOT anywhere on hand. Callan jogged all the way to the village without catching sight of him. “Drat. Would make this whole job a lot easier if we could identify at least one of the priests.”
Do not despair. It is not as if you will be challenging Veritas today, merely observing. There will be further opportunities for subterfuge with the yeth.
Nodding, though still a little disappointed, Callan headed for his guest house. Once there, he fetched the items they had carried all the way from the temple just for this occasion and made his way to the village square.
A sizeable crowd had already gathered. Rather than join them, Callan slipped through the open door to Alyssa’s forge. He found the interior warm and unoccupied. Perfect.
Glancing back to make sure no one could see what he was up to, he removed the bracelets from his bag.
They looked identical to the ones that the dveorg had placed on him during his imprisonment, right down to the glowing blue runes adorning their surface. These, however, Callan knew how to both put on and remove again with only a little difficulty. Krov had spent a fair bit of time explaining the process in that curt manner of hers, so he felt rather comfortable with the process.
He put them on now. No sooner had he done so than he felt Xeph’s presence recede. It didn’t disappear entirely like it had in the cage, but his attempts to summon Wurmchain were met with resistance, the chain stubbornly refusing to appear.
“Xeph, you still with me?”
I am, mortal.
“And you’re certain these chains will suppress our domain enough to keep this other avatar from noticing us?”
As certain as we can be without any actual field testing. Given the tests we performed before leaving, there is no reason to believe that this won’t succeed.
The day before departing, they’d taken Kivi out into the prairie above the temple, beyond the range of its domain. There, while wearing the bracelets, they’d found that Kivi was unable to tap into her own bounties unless she was within a foot or two of Callan.
It might not eliminate his domain entirely, but it should be enough to hide his presence from Veritas, provided he kept his distance.
There is one other matter to consider, Xeph said as Callan crept closer and peeked out the door. Belinda was now standing next to the stone pillar, tapping her foot impatiently. No sign of Veritas or their priesthood, yet.
“Yeah, what’s that?”
We are likely safe from detection, but you should still do your best not to draw the avatar’s attention. If they notice you, they should be able to scan you—and then you’ll be revealed, no matter what cloaking device we wear. So... best keep your distance.
Callan hadn’t been planning to leave the smithy anyway, but that cemented his decision. “Got it. We’ll stick to the shadows.”
At that moment, a murmur ran through the crowd outside. Callan peeked his head around the opening again and got his first glimpse of Veritas.
Belinda had been right—between the long robes and mask, Callan couldn’t tell whether the avatar was even a man or a woman, let alone what their identity might be. Not that he knew enough of the villagers to make an identification, and the mayor had thought this avatar wasn’t from Aos, anyway, but still the point was rendered rather moot.
All of the approaching priests—Callan counted four besides the avatar—were dressed in deep purple robes with masks of a deep bronze color, shaped like faces showing laughter, or fear, or anger. They kind of reminded him of Kabuki theater.
But the avatar at their center was something else entirely. His robes were a much richer fabric, lined with silver thread that caught and held the sunlight. Callan wondered idly where the material was coming from. It didn’t look like something a simple farming community could produce.
And the mask...
It was stylized after a snarling wolf head. Even from here, staring at it too long gave Callan chills.
Veritas separated from his priests as they approached the pillar, the crowd parting before them. They stopped before the mayor, the two staring eye-to-sightless-eye.
“So, you came crawling back,” Belinda said at last. “Finally decided to admit defeat? My people are growing tired of your constant interruptions.”
“If they tire of hearing my truths, they need only vote to have me leave.” Veritas’s voice was a deep rumble inside the mask. It definitely sounded masculine, but that could have just been a trick of its design, meant to further obfuscate its wearer.
“And I’ve already told you, that isn’t how things work here. I’m the mayor of Aos, and I’m the one who makes decisions. So does that mean if I tell you to go, you’ll go?”
“Unfortunately, I do not recognize your authority.” The voice was toneless, but Callan got the distinct impression the avatar was smirking.
“Then we’re at an impasse.”
“Indeed. So long as you hold these good people in voiceless servitude, nothing will change.” Veritas turned towards the crowd. “I have asked this of you before, and I shall ask again now: cast off the yoke of this tyrant. Decide for yourself what future you wish to embrace. Even if it is not to serve as the arms and hands of my temple, free yourself from this woman’s influence once and for all. You owe that much to yourself!”
Mortal. Xeph’s voice snapped Callan back to reality. He’d gotten distracted watching the exchange. It is time. Focus on the avatar and will his information to appear.
Callan nodded and focused. While Belinda and Veritas continued arguing, sometimes directly at each other, sometimes addressing the crowd, he studied the avatar. After a moment, words bloomed in his vision.
Name: Veritas (5th Sphere)
Avatar: *Hidden*
-STATISTICS-
Brawn: 103
Momentum: 22
Fortitude: 29
Concentration: 28
Influence: 35
Piety: 36
-BOUNTIES-
God Bond: *Hidden*
Manifestation: Steelform
Orison slot 1: Shape Metal (Bronze - II)
Orison Slot 2: Velak Gaze (Copper - IV)
Orison slot 3: Sword Dance (Bronze - I)
-DISPENSATIONS-
*Hidden*
-DOGMA-
Total Followers: *Hidden*
Available Faith: *Hidden*
Conviction: *Hidden*
Conviction Rate: *Hidden*
Temples : *Hidden*
Domain Range: *Hidden*
APOTHEOSIS: *Hidden*
Hmmmm. Xeph was silent a moment. Then, Do you want the good news or the bad news?
“Um, let’s start with the good.”
He is not so powerful that a straight fight would be entirely impossible. That said... do you see that Brawn rating? It has passed into the second tier. Between that and their bounty rankings, I would place this avatar somewhere in the lower rungs of the second tier. Two to three hundred followers, easily.
Callan found himself trying to swallow and failing. “That’s way more faith than we have at the moment.”
True.
“...I’m waiting for a ‘but’ here, Xeph.”
There isn’t one, unfortunately. This avatar is significantly more powerful than us. As we stand now, still at the tail end of the first tier, they would crush us utterly. Should we manage to rise to the second tier before facing them... I would give our odds of success as one in five. Maybe less.
“But that’s in a straight fight, right? We still have the duel option.”
Yes... Xeph trailed off. His tone didn’t exactly leave a lot to feel optimistic about.
Before Callan could ask further questions, the conversation outside suddenly cut off. Veritas had turned away from Belinda mid-rant and was looking around, head twisting first one direction, then the next.
On a hunch, Callan ducked fully back behind the doorway.
“What is it?” Belinda’s voice carried easily on the wind to his hiding place.
“I thought I sensed... No. No matter. This argument is futile. Until either you or your people see reason, there can be no advancing. I will return in three days and hope that at least some of you will have come to your senses.”
There were shuffling noises outside. Risking detection, Callan peeked out in time to see Veritas sweeping away down the street, his priests in tow. Already the crowd was dispersing back to their homes.
Ducking back, Callan leaned against the smithy wall. Inside his head, Xeph’s voice was a quiet rumble.
What are you thinking, mortal?
Reaching down, Callan released the bracelets from his wrists, breathing a sigh of relief as power flooded through him again.
“I’m thinking that if we want any chance of getting these things on Veritas’s wrists, we’re going to need more power. And soon.”
Agreed. Luckily, it seems that problem will be resolving itself this evening.
Callan remained silent, but inside he felt troubled.
They had their plan for a duel, and the bracelets for backup. A day ago, that had felt like enough. Now, as Callan studied the other avatar’s stat sheet, he wondered if he’d been a bit too hasty his optimism.