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Past Life Hero 2, ch 47
🕑 Added 2024-02-02 12:37:03 +0000 UTCMax had his head propped up on one elbow as he talked to Amy, both of them lying in his bed. But for what felt like the third time that night, he was zoning out, his mind elsewhere. A lot had happened in just a few days. He had learned a plethora of new things as well. So many things he’d discovered were important or unexpected enough, it was hard to wrap his mind around all the implications.
His past life, when he'd been Chassa de Milo, had been difficult. The battle with the Jeela had been difficult and awful at times, but at least he'd always known who the enemy was. He hadn't been confused about it. Sure, he’d been wrong about some of the calls he’d made in his past life, but he hadn't been actively confused like now. At this point, he wasn’t even sure who the enemy was, at least past the monsters attacking his world. They were simple. Monsters = bad.
The more he learned about the universe, the more Max began to doubt that the Quartets system itself was really part of the good guys, or at least not being run by the good guys, but he wasn't quite sure they were the bad guys either.
The fact was, without the Quartet system, it was likely that many more besieged worlds would be destroyed. Countless billions of lives would be lost. That definitely seemed better than the alternative.
But he couldn't figure out where the angels that granted Paths in the halfway place figured into all of this. Who did they work for? Didn't angels usually work for gods? But the “angel” he'd met had called herself a messenger. But weren’t angels supposed to call themselves messengers too? Yet by her own admission, the way the angel had appeared was not her true appearance. It had been like…a costume worn to be easier to interact with people from Earth.
For the first time since he'd been back, Max was actually thinking about how it was likely that the angels who met all the Challengers from his world would likely have met the Challengers from some new planet that was being destroyed afterwards. How many of them were there? He had no way of knowing.
In fact, with as many Quartets as he suspected existed, there might even be more than one world at a time that was being freshly attacked at any given moment. What a shitty system this is, he thought.
Not for the first, and likely not for the last time, he wondered if the entire way the universe worked had been set up this way, or if the Quartet system had been created in response to something awful that just spontaneously happened. No matter how much he dug and tried to learn about it, he couldn't even get any clues to how the universe actually functioned.
Amy suddenly stopped talking and frowned. "You're not listening again, are you?"
Max smiled and tried to convey to her how mentally tired he was with his eyes. "I'm really sorry. I was truly listening, I promise. There has just been a lot going on lately."
"You mean with school?" she asked. "Because if it's a problem seeing you, we can go a few days without—"
Max cut her off. "No, seeing you is not the problem. I have just enough free time that a date here and there or having you over to my room isn't the end of the world. No, it's just—" He paused, trying to think of how to explain it. "I've learned a lot of uncomfortable things lately about some things—and more importantly, I feel like I need to understand everything that I've learned now, or I won't be able to learn anything new on top of that. That probably doesn't make any sense, but..."
Amy shook her head. "No, I think that makes some sort of sense. And based on how you're talking about it, I'm assuming that it's not something you can share with me." She gave him a hopeful smile, and Max knew she was inviting him to open up in a very thoughtful way.
He said, "That’s right. I'm sorry, it's something you would need a really weird background to understand at all."
"Like being another student?"
"As a start, yeah," said Max.
Amy leaned over and lightly tapped him on the forehead with a knuckle. "Well, then why don't you talk to one of your friends, buddy?"
"One of my friends?" Max asked.
"Yes, nobody is an island. Sometimes, it helps to talk to people we trust about things. You said that you need somebody who has a certain kind of background to help you with your problem, right? Or at least to understand it? It's too bad that I don't have that background, but I understand. If I had a really knotted problem with the store, you probably wouldn't be the first person I'd ask for advice, despite the fact that I really do love talking to you." She gave him a cute smile and winked.
Max couldn’t help laughing. Amy continued, "So maybe think about who might understand your problem, who can also help shoulder the burden, and who would give good advice. Also, obviously, who you trust. When you run the people you know through that filter, you can usually figure out who you should probably be talking to about any given problem, especially if it's not a personal problem and has more to do with work."
Amy's simple explanation hit Max between the eyes like a hammer. She was absolutely right. The thought she was conveying wasn't exactly something Max didn't know himself, but he'd never boiled it down like that before. What she’d said about people needing each other was absolutely true too.
Of course, he’d tried to confide in his spirits about all of his dreams and visions. However, Slick hadn't even paid attention. Saliron didn't care, and Lavinia was still thinking about it. Max got the impression that Lavinia was just as overwhelmed about all this new information as he was. This was understandable since she'd spent hundreds of years in a summoner academy and hadn't known a single bit of the story that Max had told her. What’s more, Ancilla’s life and death had been directly tied to Tom, one of her oldest spirit friends, no less.
He suspected that part of her dismay about that was how she really hadn’t managed to get many secrets out of him at all when he’d been sitting on a mountain of them.
Max thought about the other Summoners he was friends with, trying to think of who he could talk to. Of course, security was an issue as well, but he'd already thought of a way around that before. After all, if he was discussing something sensitive with another Summoner, they could have spirits as well. Spirits could talk.
In the Summoner Academy, Max thought of Lance first, but almost just as quickly dismissed that option. Lance was a great guy, and from everything Max had seen, he was trustworthy too. The problem was, he wore his heart on his sleeve. Asking Lance to keep a huge secret might not be wise. Additionally, although Lance may be a great warrior in the future, he was not very talented. Something about the visions Max had seen made him think that for someone to give him guidance or perspective, they have to be on the same general warrior’s journey as Max. Sharing secrets with Lance before he’d even finally decided what kind of Challenger he was didn’t seem right.
Gantry was an option.
The problem was Max still didn't really know Gantry that well. Even though he was gregarious and outgoing, Gantry was very tight-lipped about his life before coming to the Quartet and seemed to keep at least some of his own secrets, not to mention his own counsel. That didn't mean Max didn't trust him, but it did mean he didn't trust him with secrets that could theoretically get everybody killed or who knew what else.
Max even thought about maybe confiding in Professor Grave Call. The professor was powerful, wise, had lived a long time, and even had the advantage of being part of the establishment. But he was part of the system. He was even in the same faction of the Summoner headmaster.
There was no way Max was going to trust Quartet staff, especially not with something as explosive as this. And that was before seeing a memory of a current Quartet headmaster actually being in one of the memories!
To Mong Hao Hong’s credit, the man hadn't tried to hide that he had his own agenda. Max respected that, which was why he'd work with the man in the first place. But they were not friends, and damn sure not confidants.
His thoughts roamed to the other students he had the best relationships with. One stood out, the person he'd been spending most of his time with in the academy, and the person who probably understood him the most. It's gotta be Momo, he thought.
Once he came to that realization and made a decision to share some things with Momo, a good chunk of his stress seemed to melt away like ice. Amy noticed his improved mood immediately and said, "Did that help?"
"Yeah, I think it really did."
She gave him a dimpled grin and said, "Well, now that you feel better, we don't have that much time left. How about we make the most of it?"
"Good idea," Max said. He tackled her and gave her a kiss. She squeaked in fake surprise.
***
Max waved goodbye to Amy as she walked to the closest shop. Once inside she’d take a portal to return to the Quartet born quarters. Max stayed behind the Summoner academy gate and watched her until she disappeared into the doorway. Although the walk from gate to the business was not entirely safe, Max and Amy both knew that as long as she was in sight of all the golems guarding the Summoner Academy grounds as well as the gate guards, she probably wasn't in much danger.
It was still polite for Max to watch when he could, though.
They had just finished their rendezvous with the help of a tablet that Max had bought for her. Now she was one of a very small number of Quartet born with her own tablet. This meant they could directly message each other, not just when she was at work. And the tablet had only cost him thirty mana units. Although this number was a lot for a Challenger, near the total amount of mana units that a student in the Quartet would make just by studying for their full seven years, it was an astonishing amount of money for a Quartet born.
Amy had been shy about receiving the tablet for a while but had finally gotten over it after it had proven to be so helpful in her life and for their relationship. What was even better was how the tablets were individually keyed for each person, so she didn't even need to worry about anyone stealing it from her.
Max turned from the gate, ignoring one of the middle-aged gate guards. The man tried to get Max's attention by giving him a thumbs up. Max pretended not to see it and began walking back to the academy. With his plan to talk to Momo in mind, he almost directly went to find her, but remembered her keen sense of smell and decided not to. Even though Momo wasn't acting jealous about his relationship with Amy, Max decided that since he liked and respected her, it would be considerate to take a thorough shower first.
After getting out of the shower, Max messaged Momo on his tablet, asking where she was and if she had time for a one-on-one spar and some throwing knife practice in the woods. At the same time, Max also instructed Lavinia to find Momo and tell her spirits that he wanted to have a secure conversation with her. The spar would be their cover.
Even though Momo responded quickly, saying that she would like to spar, Max waited for a few more moments. A minute later Momo added emoticons made of Quartet language characters that Max had taught Lavinia before. This was a code. It meant she'd gotten the message and was still willing to have a secure chat. He told her to meet him in about half an hour where they usually practiced. Then he set down his tablet to get dressed and head there.
***
Once Max met up with Momo, they didn't talk out loud much. She communicated with her eyes that she wanted to speak through their spirits right way. Suddenly, Max saw a message from Slick. It said:
I will send you messages this way. It actually takes me much less energy to relay messages like this than send you my own thoughts. That’s some bullshit, right?
Sorry, Slick, Max sent.
It’s okay. Anyway, everything will be from Momo from here on. Momo: This is surprisingly easy. One of my spirits is able to communicate with me without talking, even mentally."
Max sent back, How does that work?
Momo sent, Smells. Well, not entirely scent. It mixes smells into language in a way that would basically encode it from the perspective of someone who is only reading text or listening to sounds.
Max sent, Wow, your sense of smell is really that good?
Yes, she replied. Her nostrils flared, and Max got the distinct impression that despite his shower, she could tell that he'd just seen Amy. As every other time, she didn't say anything about it. It felt a little awkward, but only for a few seconds. After all, Max truly considered Momo a close friend at this point.
Well, this makes things much easier, he sent.
I agree.
The two of them fetched a couple of handmade practice weapons from where they were usually stored then began to go through the motions of practice and sparring. During this time, Max filled Momo in with everything that had happened recently. He left very little out. One thing he omitted was the fact that he was a reincarnated person. In Momo's case, she probably wouldn't understand the significance of his identity in his past life anyway, but he tried to do his best to give her a good overview of everything else.
Once he was done, Momo covered up how surprised and shaken she was by acting like she needed a break from practice. She took a sip of water from a bottle. Then she sent back,
You were not joking that you needed to talk to somebody about this. Am I the only one you've told?
Other than my spirits, you are the only one who knows, said Max.
Out loud, Momo said, "You should practice throwing knives, Max. You're pretty good, but probably still need to do more often. It’s one of those things that might save your life one day, but only if you get it right."
"Yeah, yeah," said Max. "That's easy for you to say. You have a spirit that'll help you."
She shook her head. "The spirit helps, yes, but if I didn't practice, the effectiveness would still be limited."
They moved over to a set of log round targets that Max and his students had set up before. The two of them began throwing bo shuriken into the stumps. They didn't face each other, but their conversation continued.
Momo said,
I think you need to have an escape plan.
What do you mean? asked Max.
What I mean is, if it ever gets out that you know what you know, or darkness-forbid, you find out even more secrets of the Quartet, they might come for you. …Whoever “they” are. After all, this legendary historical figure you told me about, Ancilla, was not only killed, almost all the traces of his life were wiped away. What remained of his memory has been tainted and colored in such a way that he will always be seen as a villain. But what is even more worrying is how this was all done despite the fact you said he waged war on multiple worlds.
Max missed his throw, and the knife bounced off the stump directly back at him. He lifted a foot, and the steel passed harmlessly beneath him.
"Damn it," he said out loud.
"No," Momo replied, "you need to focus. Throwing knives and you don't respect the consequences."
"Noted," said Max.
Using spirit relay messaging, he sent, So, an exit plan, huh?
Momo nodded and covered the gesture with another quick throw, acting like she'd been lining it up.
Yes. Not only that, I have a request. Actually, two.
What's that?
First, I am serious that I would like you to take me to your world. Since we know that there are powers out there that may be benevolent–but probably are not, it would make me feel better if you had discovered a way that I can fight with my friends in the future. Or just with you. That would be acceptable as well.
Several things occurred to me that have probably also occurred to you. Students that wait the full seven years are automatically processed back into their original bodies by the Quartet system. But if what you saw is true, that a…daggers, a blade of some kind effectively killing our current body is what severs our connection to the quartet early, it is good that you know where one is.
In the headmaster’s office, or residence?
Yes. Do you remember the combination to open the secret drawer?
I believe so.
Good. This is my second request. I think that if something terrible were to happen, I would like you to kill me with that dagger so that I can reawaken in my real body. I do not want to be stranded in the Quartet if a hidden enemy locks it down and limit our freedom, or worse. And by worse, I mean trying to come after you by using your friends as leverage. The man in your vision held an entire city hostage. Putting nameless Challenger trainee Momo in danger would be nothing.
Max hadn't considered that. He told Momo as much, and she nodded again as she threw another knife, hitting dead center of the target she'd been aiming at over forty feet away. Of course, for her, this was nothing special.
She said, You are very strange in some ways, Max Cunningham. Sometimes I can see a ruthless warrior in you. But other times, I see a hopeless idealist. It is like you have a dual nature. It seems when both sides are in alignment that you are able to be at your best.
What do you mean by that?
She waved around her at where Max's students had been practicing for months now. Our little group is an example of that. Once you decided to start teaching us, it happened quickly. And it is not obvious, but also not hard to figure out that your reasons for doing so are probably a mixture of selfish and selfless.
Max frowned. That seems kind of obvious to me. Isn't the best deals or the best social interactions ones where everybody is getting something out of it?
She recalled her thrown knives and started her practice all over again.
Perhaps for you, it is obvious, perhaps even for some others in your world, but I would bet that there are plenty of others from your world who do not share the same worldview that you do. In my experience, many times, those who have a soul like a sharp blade see every problem as an enemy that needs to be cut. But after observing you closely, you have much more complexity than that. You can cut with the quickness of a predator or heal with the skill of a surgeon. A skillfully wielded blade does not need only destroy. Your friend Lance, for instance, has benefited greatly merely by knowing you.
Max couldn't exactly deny that. He changed the subject. Back to the topic at hand. So you are saying that if and when the time comes I may need to make some difficult decisions, huh?
That is exactly what I am saying. The burden of this knowledge is heavy and brings a great deal of responsibility. I gave you permission to tell me, but I can already feel strain, and I do not even have the power or capability that you do. I suspect that you should probably spend a great deal of time creating those contingency plans that we just discussed.
I think you're probably right, said Max. Thanks, Momo. So, do you regret letting me tell you about all this now?
She threw a knife badly on purpose. Max knew it was deliberate because he'd seen her make the exact same throw a thousand times before perfectly. The bad throw gave her the excuse to shake her head.
No. I am glad you told me. But also, if the worst does happen, I will not be confused and may be able to help both you and all of our friends escape the inevitable fallout with our lives. But I have long suspected there was more going on out in the universe. The fact there are likely fates worse than death is not a surprising idea, but still a terrifying one.
You really think it would be that bad if push came to shove, huh?
Based on everything you've told me, absolutely yes.
With that, the two ended their secret conversation, and Max threw knives for a while longer, deep in thought. After they were done, Momo said, "I need to eat. If you would not mind, I would prefer your company to going alone. Afterwards, perhaps we can go to the library. There are some things I would like to research.”
“Me too,” Said Max. “It sounds like a plan to me.”
Comments
Daf High-Voltage
Tftc!
