Macronomicon
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Chapter 149 Jungle Love
🕑 Added 2020-04-21 01:09:39 +0000 UTCIts driving me mad, its making me crazy! Elliot caterwauled in the back of Calvins head as they trudged through the dense forest, smacking mosquitos off every couple seconds.
How do you know so many songs? Calvin thought as he killed yet another biting insect.
Oh, they dont have a crystalization of all human knowledge where you come from? Elliot clicked his tongue. Sad.
It was times like this he questioned his decision to walk all the way to his land rather than fly there.
Sure there were reasons, like laying down a simple trail with his knick-knacks, and experiencing the journey first hand so he knew exactly how difficult it was, the symbolism of being the first one to traverse the land, etc. etc.
At this point, hot, sweaty, itchy and damp in places humans were never meant to be damp, Calvin was reconsidering all the logic behind that.
I could have flown there, but noooo.
Calvin glanced over his shoulder and spotted the massive caravan full of raw materials. The train ran so long Calvin couldnt even see the end of it, and that more than anything was what made up his mind.
He only had the bare essentials for starting a
Whats the word for a marquis land, specifically? Marquidom?
I dont know. A Duke has a Duchy. So maybe you get a Marky?
Its a March. Kala said from behind them, looking just as uncomfortable as Calvin felt. A borderland wilderness granted to a Marquis to develop. While the title is minor, the distance from the country make you the final arbiter of the law in your lands. Almost a king unto yourself.
The only people who didnt seem bothered at all were Baroke and Ella who were too simpleminded to be uncomfortable, and used to the jungle, respectively.
Is it just me or is it creepy the way she reads our thoughts? Elliot whispered.
Nope. Im pretty sure shes reading your lips.
Calvin glanced back at the train of supplies again, getting his thoughts back in order. He only had enough materials there to start building the hub of his March. Even then the wagon train trailed far out of sight through the winding jungle.
He could fly himself there. He could possibly even fly the entire train there.
But what about the next one? And the one after that? Calvin couldnt allow himself to continue being the lynchpin that held his entire territory together. Not to mention if his job became ferrying supplies back and forth with his summons every day for the rest of his life, that would suck.
So instead he was building a makeshift road to the Garavel river in the middle of the woods, completely surrounded by mosquitos, his Knick-Knacks cutting trees in half and pounding them into the earth to create relatively smooth surfaces for his wagons to travel across.
Then the boats.
It took another day and a half to make it to the edge of the Garavel river.
Calvin flew up into the air on a wasp with Kala beside him and marked the exact position that was ideal for a port, a bend in the river a bit further west where the river turned south, away from Gadvera. It was the closest the river got to Gadvera before it started turning away. Once they marked it and got the rest of the wagon train there, they started building.
BAroke fell in with the giant knick-knacks and dumb labor easily enough. The giant archer carried tree trunks over his shoulder that should by all accounts have crushed him.
Calvins Strength was twenty-four, and while that was far outside the bounds of normal, it was still only roughly the strength of two and a half men. Two and a half men would find themselves unequal to the task of lifting those logs.
Watching Baroke pass them back and forth to giant Knick-knacks as they dug massive holes and began filling them with cement, Calvin wanted to shake his head with disbelief. He still wasnt sure if the giant meathead had the better plan.
The work went by incredibly quickly thanks to the knick-knacks, but some stages simply required that they wait, and Calvin didnt have any kind of magic that could make that go by faster.
Although Kalas dad might. Calvin thought, watching the concrete dry around the poles.
Ive been thinking about your description, and I think he was speeding himself up to a fraction of light speed, not stopping time. Elliot said as they watched the Knick-knacks put together the boardwalk.
What makes you say that?
If time had actually been stopped, nobody should have been able to move against the air in the room, but the biggest hint was the lights dimming. Light hits your eyes not in a steady stream, but individual photons that ping your retina one after the other, yea? If you were experiencing time at a greatly altered speed, the rate at which photons hit your eyeballs would be lower, relatively.
So it would look darker.
Yeah. This reminds me of that time I had the idea to turn Venus into a habitable farming planet by wrapping the planet in a time acceleration field, which would reduce the average heat and sunlight. This was before Warp and the war with the Harbingers, so there was no economical way to dick with time at the time.
Nowadays you could probably plug generators into siphons to accomplish exactly that.
Wow, just imagine if all the siphons really are is wall outlets for assholes way more advanced than we are.
Kala was busily writing in her notebook, tongue peeking out the side of her mouth as she concentrated on writing.
After work was done for the night, Calvin clomped back to his tent, and stumbled into an intervention.
Kala and Ella were sitting on his bed.
Not in the tousled hair, just-had-fun way, or the we-were-Just-about-to-get-started-what-are-you-waiting-for way, but the straight spined, stern-faced disapproval kind of way.
Ambush!
Calvin, its come to my attention that youre treating Ella like some common fling.
What? Calvin asked, reflexively stepping backward.
In Genosian culture laying with a girl for a year without offering to marry her is very disrespectful, Ella said with a frosty look.
Well how was I to know that? Calvin asked.
Thats a pretty common sentiment for most women. Kala interjected.
Im not a woman. Calvin bit back the pointless retort and stopped for a second of introspection. Hed reflexively stopped himself from feeling any kind of emotional attachment to Ella since the night hed had that Guya poured down his throat, and that of course precluded the notion of asking for her to stay with him forever.
Ella, I think youre beautiful and courageous, and I feel like I love you and would do anything to protect you, but I dont know if thats me or a fucking drug your father rammed down my throat. No offense.
None taken, Ella said with a shrug.
Calvin took a deep breath and scratched the back of his head, pulling the chair away from the desk to face them in the oversized tent.
So what now? Calvin asked. Im afraid if I drop my guard for one instant, that shit in my head is going to wipe every part of me away and there wont be anything left of Calvin Gadsint, just a lovestruck slave.
The Guya has long since left your system. Ella said with a placating tone.
How am I supposed to know that!? Calvin shouted, momentarily losing control of himself. What if were still in that damn tug-o-war and giving a single inch is tantamount to losing!?
It doesnt work like that, Ella said, her eyes shimmering. Please.
Calvin, Kala said, putting a hand on Calvins knee. The contact made the hair on Calvins neck stand up. Thats not right. Im stronger than that. Calvin wasnt going to give anyone or anything the satisfaction of allowing himself to lose his calm over this.
Calvin took a deep breath and left Kalas hand where it rested, allowing the distinctly uncomfortable sensation to wash over him, temporarily filling him with a barely contained sensation of dread, wrongness, and prickling skin. He wanted to stand up and run, or slap her hand away from him, but he muscled past those feelings.
Eventually the horrible sensation faded entirely, replaced with the warmth of the girls skin against his own.
Extensive training has increased your attributes.
+1 Stability
Calvin, focus on everything thats happened between now and then. Remember the order of events, how everything happened, one thing after another. Youre here, now. With us.
Goddamn, Calvin said between breaths, rubbing his forehead with his palm. Locked up some things tight in there. he glanced over at the misty-eyed warrior on the bed and was flooded with the desire to make her feel better.
He nearly hugged her before he clamped down on it again. I am not letting the Guya tell me what to do.
Tell you what, Calvin said, glancing between Kala and Ella. Ill propose if you can give both of us something that reverses the effects of the Guya, and still want to be my Uenha.
Thats not fair! Kala said, scowling at him. Theres nothing that
Kala stopped as Ella held up a hand.
There is a way to accomplish that. Ella said.
And you waited until now to tell me?
I liked being with you. Ella said.
Because of the damn drug! Calvin said.
Ella sighed and took a small corked tube out of the pouch at her waist.
As my fathers successor for the role of Maje, I learned many potions beyond simply Noeula and Guya, including a way to revert their effects.
Did you know I was going to react this way? Calvin asked as Kala produced a pair of bowls and knives, setting them between them.
Ella came to me for advice, and I can literally see all your buried baggage, Kala said with a wink, Lets say I had a very strong hint something was holding you back.
First the genosian made something similar to Guya, bubbling green fluid, which turned pink when she added a ground up glowing tooth and their blood.
Then she produced a separate bottle of the black gunk from the inside of the Genosian mountains. She took a single fingernail of the bubbling pink fluid and dripped one drop into the vial of black goop.
The vial bubbled violently for a moment, then calmed down, turning a dark green.
Just a sip will do it, Ella said, taking a swig and grimacing before offering it to Calvin.
Ah what the abyss.
If I die, cut my head off immediately, Calvin muttered before he tilted his head back and took a swig of the vile concoction.
It tasted awful, acrid and burned on the way down, with flavors he didnt even know how to describe.
Oh, god, I can taste it from here! its like burnt plastic that a dog shat on!
Calvin pushed aside Elliots complaining and the retch-inducing flavor and concentrated on how he felt. Would the potion send him on another inner journey complete with tug-o-war? Was it a trick to make him even more enamored with Ella? Calvin wasnt even sure what made him say yes to taking a strange substance from Ella.
Probably the other strange substance, Calvin thought with a chuckle.
Is this thing even working? Calvin asked, eyeing the vial.
Guya makes an empathetic bond between the drinkers by sharing some of their most painful memories. Ones so painful they literally left an echo in the blood and shaped the person they were. It doesnt do much more than that. she said.
Ella glanced up at him.
Can you remember what the pains that shaped me were? She asked.
Calvin thought about it for a moment, but drew a blank. He was absolutely sure hed seen something inside her when hed taken the Guya, but for the life of him, he couldnt remember it. All that seemed to happen when he thought of it was a foggy head and a vague suggestion of pain. Not particularly helpful.
Also, he didnt desperately desire to make her feel better anymore. The sensation was muted, less visceral. Still there, but more Calvin.
I guess it worked.
No I cant remember them.
And do you still think Im beautiful and courageous? Ella asked with a hint of a smile.
Calvin gave a grudging answer. Yeah, I still think that. youre pretty and youve saved my life on multiple occasions by now, after all.
Good, Then I still want to be your Uenha .if youll be my Poeor? She asked hesitantly, glancing at the bubbling pink liquid in the center of the room.
Go back to the way I felt before? Why would I do that?
Calvin looked at the Guya. Because this time its my choice, not a funnel in the mouth. Calvin thought, taking a deep breath.
Oka-
Whoops! Kala said, accidentally cutting her palm with a shard of glass from her teacup and splashing it into the bowl.
Anehua ga buenhe sa Tchika! Ella shouted, which roughly translated to By the powers, what are you doing, crazy woman? albeit a bit more derogatory.
Genosian Language had reached level 6! 30% Correction.
Sorry, let me take care of that, Kala said, grabbing the bowl before they could react and downing a third of it, reeling back with a chuckle as Calvin snatched it out of her hands.
This was your plan all along, The Genosian warrior woman accused, face scrunched into a scowl.
No, I absolutely wanted to help you two get over the Guya thing, but in war and politics, Kala said, leaning against Calvins bed, head drooping as she bandaged her palm Never have just one goal. Did I mention I love you guys?
Kalas head began to slump, the half-finished bandage soaking up the blood from her palm.
Damn, Calvin said, drinking half and passing it to Ella. Kala had the damndest way of forcing him to do what she wanted.
Ella shook her head and drank the rest before kneeling on Kalas other side, helping Calvin tighten her bandage. Calvin was barely finished tying the knot before things started to get weird.
Calvin found himself in a three way struggle in what hed come to think of as the Bridge of Eyes, assaulted by the pain of the death of Kalas mother and Ellas sister, once again finding himself unable to answer with a pain that could rival theirs.
The only respite was that the bridge seemed to be jostling, shifting directions constantly, but he could feel himself being pulled painfully apart divided into two and consumed by the brown and green bridges that pulled him into themselves.
For all that hed done in his life, personal tragedy had passed him by. He simply didnt have the same juice these two had in forming their personalities.
Calvin ducked inside himself as he searched for something to offer, some defining moment, finding the same broken section of wall inside his mind that hed seen before.
But this time it was different.
Large black tubes emerged from the rough edge of the wall, sinking into the walls that housed the picture frames of memories around him.
Thats new. Calvin thought, the struggle to keep himself from losing the battle of wills, momentarily set aside.
The cave broken into the walls of his mind was just as cold and forboding as last time, except the tubes running from the strange mirror in the center of the room, up and onto the pitch black ceiling, creating strings of blinking lights above him.
Calvin stepped closer, ignoring the shadow figures around him as he approached the mirror. Once again the mirror seemed to be backed by a stone obelisk, but this time it was sporting strange black tubes, and the man standing inside it wasnt a man.
The creature looking back at him was nearly seven feet tall, not including the strange circular crest atop its head. It had ruddy brown skin and digitigrade legs, wearing nothing but a few belts with pockets. It seemed to bear some kind of crossbow over Its shoulder.
The scene behind it was much like the one hed seen before, strange crystalline buildings, left shattered and burning by some kind of cosmic war.
The creature silently held out a hand, rough palm emerging from the mirror surface of the obelisk.
Calvin took it.
***
Harbinger year 6885
My lord, the Mad Kings forces deployed the new weapon against Pelior.
Grethnas eyes widened. They finished it already? No, that wasnt supposed to happen. I stopped it! I stopped it! A wave of guilt began to crash over Grethnas body as the implications began to sink in.
Pelior was the home of the rebellion. Where every Harbinger who opposed the Mad King could safely rest. Where their families lived. Where Jeneveve lived. It was supposed to be out of the empires reach, but this this had proven otherwise.
Theres no one left. Grethnas assistant said quietly, while the ship full of Grethnas most loyal men and women watched, processing his words.
What about their souls? Koke, a massive paragon of Harbinger perfection asked, lifting the messenger off his feet. We can bring them back, right?
The weapon ripped their souls from their bodies and flung them to the far corners of the universe, the messenger said, choking. Maybe further. We wont reunite with them in this lifetime.
Fuck! Koke shouted, tossing the messenger aside. Ill kill every last one of them!
No! Grethna shouted, casually bringing the others to their knees with his aura. Ill go. Ill turn myself in. Ill kill the mad king myself, and we will be free.
I Grethna took a shuddering breath and muscled past the mounting guilt at his terrible decisions and lack of foresight. I know that all of you have nothing left to lose right now, but its my selfish wish that all of keep going anyway. Youre all thats left of the rebellion. If you die It dies with you.
Koke struggled to his feet, barely managing to overcome the suppressive power Grethna exuded.
My lord, please. Take me with you.
Koke, youre the best friend Ive ever had. I dont want to subject you to this. theres no purpose to it.
Ill follow you to death and beyond, My lord. The Mad king has nothing I fear. Koke, said, saluting in typical Harbinger style, his fingers folded above his heart.
I was afraid of that, Grethna said, his heart sinking. He knew no matter what, there was nothing he could say to stop Koke without compromising everything hed worked for.Come on then, lets face our end.
Together the two of them stepped through the teleporter, arriving in a dark and musty room, thick with the smell of rusting metal.
Whats this? Koke asked, looking over his guard at the abandoned building they had found themselves in. The big man had obviously been expecting the silver halls of the Kings city.
You brought one of your rebel friends, Emelior, Consul to the Mad King said, as he emerged from the shadows. A strong one too. That was stupid.
What is this? Koke asked frowning.
I gave you Peliors location so you could inspire more people to join our cause, not gut us! Grethna shouted.
I did inspire more people to join your cause, Emelior said with a sly grin. As a matter of fact, after the treatment of Pelior, discontent is spreading across the entire empire like wildfire. No less than a dozen planets have opted to openly declare our lord The Mad King and throw their lot in with yours, and even those that havent harbor millions of malcontents who secretly support you. Your rebellion is assured to succeed now, whether you are around to see it or not. Which you wont.
More harbingers began to emerge from the shadows, melting out of thin air with their characteristic natural command of Bent
My lor_ Koke choked off the honorific halfway through Grethna! What in Vashniels name is this? You gave them our home!
There were no more words exchanged as Koke lunged forward, arms outstretched aiming to grapple Grethnas crest and break his neck.
It was a brief but vicious struggle in which Grethna was forced to kill his best friend on the same day his home, his love, and his rebellion were stolen from him.
***
Hey dude, the poles are done setting, Barokes voice drilled through the tent siding a moment before the flap opened. The guys wanna know if we should get started The huge archer stopped in place as he saw the tangled mess of naked limbs sprawled around Calvins room.
The big guy paused, jaw hanging low as Calvin groaned, glaring up at him through bleary eyes and a pounding headache, feebly trying to drag the covers off the bed to cover the three of them.
You know what? You seem busy. Im just gonna handle it.
Morning, the slender princess muttered as the flap closed, plunging them back into comfortable darkness. Her eyes were red and puffy as she held her forehead, sitting up off the floor and pushing one of Ellas oversized arms off of her chest. Everyone still alive?
The disturbance woke Ella, who pushed herself up with a sharp intake of breath and a massive yawn showing off her razor-sharp teeth.
Still alive. Ella said, smacking her lips. And ready for the next part.
Next part?
Right, Kala said, nodding.
The tattooing the husband part. Ella said with a wicked grin. Its not official without it.
Calvin thought back to all the Genosian men hed seen with intricate tattooing on their head and backs.
Crap.
Comments
0xFFF1
I don't think the fate shenanigans are THAT strong. There are only two confirmed Ravager souls within the entire human sphere. They can be identified by their ability to manipulate Bent directly without System help. Both Elliot and Calvin have been seen doing so and there's another on some exoplanet according to Elliot in one of Kala's Seer fueled flashback session.
Pretty sure he just skipped it all so we dont know who won. Im not sure, but doesnt the winner of the duel get to be ‘dominant’ or whatever the name was for it? Wonder how that would work between 3 people. Someone correct me if Im wrong
Kirvin
What happened to the mind duel part of the Guya?
Vampwalker709
Prediction calvin has Grethna's soul while barrokr has koke's and elliot has emelior.
Jacob
I think it's more that the king in exile is one of his past lives and he was able to see his memory unlike Elliot who's mind is still present
Bbyh
If their perceptions got sped up less light would reach them in time for them to notice. Or well... Ish. The physical-biological interfaces get complex and I don't feel like going down that rabbit hole. I'm pretty sure there is a way for it to work without too many resorts to: "it's magic, fuck off"
Garbled Sounds
Light speed is constant. No matter how close to light speed they moved, light would still move at light speed relative to them. So that whole bit about light sounds inaccurate.
0xFFF1
I want Calvin to try and see if Kala can look into the King-in-Exile for him with her Seer powers. Pretty sure this confirms he's in Calvin's head along with Elliot and neither knew. Friggn' Guya. Who else is hanging out in Calvin's head??? He needs a session of Calvin's Past Lives Anonymous.
Macronomicon
Oh shit, he's catching on!
Instinctz
sometimes i think macro writes chapters just to counter whats being said...
Ryan Frank
Yuuuuuup.
Wargen
YAAAAAS
