The only one waiting in the glade this morning was Arrjee, wearing a loincloth, vest, sandals, and his river stone ring. This was SeventhDay, and I would have expected him to be doing his grades. I had been assuming that if anyone would meet me it would be Onre, or maybe Lenyet now.
I walked quickly to him and we quickly hugged as friends. “Hi, Arrjee! How are things going?” I analyzed him and his apparel as we spoke.
He replied, sort of hyped, “It is a busy and exciting day for Cottages! We’re expecting two Skolturi Wraiths to arrive this morning. A few days ago Dad spoke with Einvigi in a dream.”
“Interface, isn’t today when she is going to speak to me in a dream also?”
Yes.
“He told her about the preliminary construction, which she probably already knew. She informed him that the Skolturi would be arriving at about 8:35 this morning. One of them is the co-administrator and teacher, while the other will be a full time teacher, but is coming now to help with getting everything set up.”
I remembered, “That’s right. There will be a Covargh or Human co-administrator also, right?”
Since it won’t rank if I don’t use it, I opened my inventory and analyzed my armor pieces and all the other numerous items therein.
“Yes.” Arrjee answered. “The Skolturi will help select that person, as well as start building a staff.”
“It seems like just three days ago that Einvigi set this in motion,” I joked.
“Jackass. Anyway, Master Thorm is having Onre and Kossa and 2 others celebrate their arrival with music and song. Master Birch wanted to greet them right away as well, hoping that showing early interest and support might help his chances in becoming staff. That’s why I am the one meeting you.”
“One of the ones,” a familiar voice reverberated.
We turned to see Einvigi. Today she is wearing a sort of pant-suit. The pants and vest are a darker blue, and her long-sleeve shirt is a slightly brighter blue with white buttons. She is wearing actual shoes, not sandals. Analyzing her simply returned two words:
Einvigi. Deity.
“As you see, Forrest, analyzing a god does not provide very much information. Is there something specific you would like to know?”
Embarrassed and surprised, I reply, “Uh, not specifically, Sir. I analyzed you as much for training as anything else. May I ask if you have classes?”
“Gods do not have classes as such. We can do a great many things,and it varies from god to god. We lack levels as well, but it would not be inaccurate to think of us as between level 75 and 100.”
“I am here in person to assuage the fears of two more friends."
----------------------------------------
[within a cave, Skawa’s perspective]
Sun and Ferret, Winter Scene [https://r0k.us/rock/images/WinterScene3_g1.2.png]
{ Author’s Note: See endnote for full resolution image slice. }
“Einvigi, it is time we gave these two outcasts a home.” She replied affirmatively from across the world, and that she would make preparations for their arrival.
The two were huddled together, girding themselves for the challenge of a new day. The nomads cast them out 4 days ago, and they found this cave for shelter. Together, they might possibly survive the winter. Since there was no reason to mask my appearance here, I manifested into my default form. I will speak broad vocal so that Ferret understands fully, but also include a portion of my second thoughts so that Sun can fully trust me.
“Younglings, rest easy. I am Skawa, called the trickster god of gambling.”
reassurance, peace
They turned their heads to face me. I could now see Sun’s primary face, with two eyes and his mouth.
“I am here to offer you the chance to have a full life. To live where you are accepted and can make friends. To not worry about survival.
them:hope, warmth, comfort
Ferret was very doubtful and confused, but Sun spoke for them both.
Skawa we greet.
surprised, broad speech. not surprised; Trichyan form. surprised; Trichyan god?
“Winter we survive.”
maybe
Place where? Friends where?
exist? wonder, hope
“There is a quiet, peaceful village on the Continent of Covargh and Humans.”
friendly, accepting
Us they hate not? Us they fear not?
impossible, possible, hope
“There will be a small number who fear and distrust you."
truth
“There will be more who accept you.”
natural
“There will be a few who will befriend you.”
truth. believe. good
“Ferret, place I desire. Friends new I desire.”
you: believe. you:desire. you: hope
“Place Ferret come?”
please
The Primitive responded, “I know cave. I know winter. I don’t know loud Skawa. I don’t know contnet. Stay here. We okay.”
Skawa sighed to himself. What do I expect with only 5 intelligence and 5 wisdom? Most young children have more of both. I can grant him two attribute points, and that’s what I will do. 6. 6.
Sun replied, “Okay we not! Cold we. Afraid we. Alone we.”
need warmth, need support, need friends, need hope, need more
Ferret was shocked by his friend’s vehemence. I feel his doubt and fear. And his trust in his friend.
“If Sun goes, I go. You left nomads for me. I leave cave for you.” Ferret stood.
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
“Pick up your things, younglings. You are about to start a new life.” Their only important belongings were Sun’s club and shield. He walked over and picked them up. He looked at Ferret with his main face. The scraps of food won’t matter where they are going.
“Skawa we thank. Life new we build.”
hope, doubt, wonder, will
“Goodbye. Good luck. Meet your new friends.”
true, promise. seal
----------------------------------------
[back to the glade, Forrest’s perspective]
Einvigi commanded, "Look to your right.”
We turned to see two, well persons, appear. I thought one must be a Trichyan – three arms and three legs, anyway. They are wearing a serape and a kilt, and holding a club and a shield, with one arm free. The other was, well, I don’t know. He (?) basically had a Covargh body, but hunched, sort of primitive. And from this angle, it looks like he has a tail. The head is not a wolfman’s at all. Maybe a large ferret? I would guess both are young. They look worried and unsure.
Wait. Guess?
Evening Sun – Trichyan, youthful
Level 0, Outcast
Ferret Drewson – male Covargh (?) Primitive, youthful
Level 0, Outcast
“Interface, why no ages, and no sex shown for the Trichyan?”
You lack the context to interpret an age in years. All Trichyans have three sexes.
“Ookay. Why the question mark after Covargh? And what is ‘Primitive’?”
Ferret appears to be a transitional or newly evolved species. His full racial characteristics have no match with my existing data. The likelihood is he would breed true with others like him, if there are any. He is classified as ‘primitive’ because his Covargh characteristics are a genetic throwback. Note his hunched posture, hands that retain paw-like characteristics, and a tail.
Yes, ‘primitive’ seems to fit.
“Evening Sun and Ferret Drewson, as Skawa promised you, a new life, where you can start over. I am Einvigi, considered the minor god of sparring and honorable duels. Meet your new friends. Arrjee Silverstone is the Covargh. He is Level 0, but due to level in two months. Forrest Rhodes is his Hybrid brother. He has reached level 4.”
We both took three steps towards them, each of us holding out a hand to shake one of theirs. Evening Sun lays their club and shield on the ground. As we walked, Einvigi continued her introductions.
“Arrjee and Forrest, meet two refugees from the Trichyan continent. They were experiencing a snowy winter season, which is why their hands will feel cold to you. For the past few days they have been living on their own in a cave. Evening Sun is a Level 0 Trichyan, just three weeks away from leveling. Ferret Drewson is a Covargh Emergent Ferretman. He is due to level in a little over two months, a week beyond your leveling, Arrjee.”
Nice reference points. Maybe not 14, but each near leveling. Ferretman, huh?
Database updated. I speculate that Heere may be at the precipice of a sudden evolutionary epoch.
We completed our hand-shaking ritual. Arrjee and I strove to be welcoming and supportive. At a guess, Evening Sun’s two-eyed face seemed to hold a tentative and unsure expression, but no longer worried. However, Ferret Drewson's face, if anything, had gotten more worried and unsure. He was echoing his friend’s actions, not comfortable to act on his own.
“Please call me Arrjee.”
“And everyone calls me Forrest.”
The Trichyan spoke for the first time. Strangely.
“Sun me you call.”
friends? truly? hope
The Ferretman’s voice was quiet, youthful, and unsure. “Call me Ferret. Parents did.”
"All four of you are accepted as students to the new adventuring school. It should open for classes in four months."
Almost panicky, yet brave enough to speak, an almost broken Ferret spoke with shame, Head down, defeated., “I not read. Cannot do grades.”
"Ferret and Arrjee, please reassure your friend."
Arrjee spoke first. “Ferret, please look at me.” He raised his head, although he was still hunched. “Thank you. We shall speak as equals. What you should have said is, ‘I do not read, yet.’ We have four months to teach you, and I am sure the teachers there will continue from wherever we leave off.”
My turn. “Ferret, do you know who sponsors the school? It is Einvigi herself. If she says you are to be a student, you shall be. Arrjee and I, and I bet Sun, will all make sure you succeed.
“With Ferret’s low intelligence and wisdom,” thought Einvigi, “he will not be able to compete. They don’t need a mascot” She silently raised the attributes with her will. 7. 7.
Placing an arm across Ferret’s shoulder, Sun coaxes him.
“Ferret succeed, yes.”
he:encourage, he:hope
“Ferret succeed, must.”
friend, helpful
“Together friends, Ferret, Arree, Forrest, I grades do.”
yes
“All do. All adventure. All succeed.”
us. we:strive
“You Einvigi invite. All Einvigi invite.”
assure
Ferret seemed to have gained a slightly hopeful air. Arrjee wore an odd expression on his face. He was curious about something, and maybe unsure about it. As Sun spoke, Arrjee focused on each word, and it seemed between them as well. I mean, yeah it was strange hearing Sun talk backwards, but it was almost as strange to watch Arrjee’s reaction.
Sun had also noticed.
“Something Arrjee wrong?”
worry, concern
“Something I say?”
curiosity
“Yours Sun’s speech differs. Yes.”
obvious, he:bothered?
Smiling at something I didn’t understand, Einvigi lets us know, “I must be going now. I suggest you follow up with the Mayor and the Skolturi. Goodbye.” At that point, she vanished.
“Here Skolturi?”
here. amazement, disbelief, hope, wonder
“Yes,” I answered Sun. “The school will have two Skolturi teachers, and one of them will be an administrator. They probably arrived at our village about 30 minutes ago. The village is called Cottages.”
Arrjee spoke strangely, low and tentatively. “Guys.” We all looked at him. Sun’s eyes had become fully wide-eyed, three of them, anyway. I could not see the fourth. He now had two hands on Ferret’s shoulders, seemingly for support. What would cause a three-legged Trichyan to need extra support, I had no idea.
Stronger. “Guys. I just now regained a nascent skill, Hive Mind at Rank C. I knew there was something familiar when Sun spoke. I didn’t know what it was at first. Now I know – we have only been hearing half of what they were saying. The other half is thought, mostly emotion and the other pieces of speech we thought he was leaving out. It’s all there, and more.”
Ferret now had a puzzled look. I probably did, too. But at least I understood the words. Ferret probably does not even know what a nascent skill is, or Hive Mind. Just as I was about to start explaining, Sun spoke first.
“Hive Mind? Group Mind. Group Mind. Together Arrjee I speak fully!”
amazement, joy, wonder, hope, share, friend, share, respect, surprise, companion, companions? friends? new, Trichyan not, impossible, possible, respect, thank, love? future good, future wonderful
Arrjee began pleading, “Sun! Quiet please. Too much. Way too much. I can’t think it all at once.”
shock, doubt, fear, overload
Arrjee dropped to his knees, then fell over on his side. He curled up into a ball, with his arms cupped over his head. “No more. Not now. Ple-” He stopped, mid-word, and I saw his eyes roll up. I think he fainted. At least, I hoped that was all. I analyzed him. No stats were down by 10%, so I didn’t see those, but there was a condition alert, shock.
Sun began backing away.
“Arrjee I hurt!”
shame, fear
“Arrjee okay you be.”
2 body lengths
Ferret started crying where he stood. Hell, I wanted to cry.
Once Sun moved between three and four yards from Arrjee, they, well I guess, sat. It was the weirdest thing to see. All three upper legs extended out perpendicular to their body. Their lower legs were dropped perpendicular to the ground, with each knee and foot 120 degrees from the others. His pose reminded me as much as anything, like an extravagant 3-legged table. Then, similar to Arrjee, he cupped each arm over a face, with all their fingers intertwined on top of their head, a hand between each pair of ears. With two elbows per each long arm, he needed to fold the “extra” arm length against his body. In a few seconds he started making a quiet moan, a wail-like sound. Is he crying too?
I wish Einvigi had not left. I don’t know what to do. I can’t send Ferret to get help, and I don’t want to leave Arrjee and Sun either. “They will be okay,” comforted a voice in my head.
“Einvigii? Skawa? Is it one of you? What should I do?”
“Yes, this is Skawa. Arrjee’s brand new Group Mind skill hit him like a rock. At Rank C it is an adult level, and he was not prepared. Sun’s extreme excitement at having a friendly peer to dual speak with flooded his emotional channel with excitement. They will both be okay in a few minutes. Sun moved out of Group Mind’s range.”
“I’m confused. Arrjee said ‘Hive Mind’, and you and Sun both said ‘Group Mind’.”
“Though different, they are strongly related. The nascent skill which More knew was Hive Mind. It adapted itself to Group Mind in response to Sun’s thoughts.”
“Okay. So what should I do now?”
“Arrjee will recover in a few minutes. Sun, though panicked and feeling very guilty, understands what happened. Ferret, though, could very much use a friend right now. He only knows the two are both hurting, but he does not comprehend why. Like you, he doesn’t know what to do, but feels ten times worse.”
I walked over to Ferret, who was frozen in place with indecision. He is barely crying now, with the main sign being his still flowing tears and an occasional sniffle. “They are going to be okay. Arrjee was unused to his new power to join in Sun’s group mind. Sun got excited, being able to talk to people the way he did most of his life. It hurts, though, to see friends get hurt. Can I get a hug?” I held out my arms, not knowing how he would react to forced contact with someone he didn’t know.
He returned the hug, tentative at first, then tight. “Arrjee is okay then? And Sun?”
“Yes. Since I know Arrjee best, maybe I go sit by him in support. Maybe you can go and talk to Sun. Let them know that Arrjee will be okay. Sharing minds was just very new.”