M.D.Syl
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Chapter 80 colorless
🕑 Added 2023-05-16 09:01:53 +0000 UTCAuthor notes:
This chapter is dedicated to Jessica Salmonson for supporting me on Patreon.
Thank you very much for your support! <3
Chapter 80 The Death of a Friend.
Even death leads to life.
A corpse will feed the earth.
The earth will nourish a plant.
The plant will sustain an animal.
And animals provide food for mortals in turn.
Brigit, the Keeper of Life.
I skip breakfast. I don’t want to risk poison and I’m not that hungry. An hour later I am at the city gates, a pair of guards wearing my father’s coat of arms at my side, my coat of arms now. I’m surprised by how swiftly they dyed these… They have a lot experience in switching their current ruler… never forget that!
The army of crows feasting on the dead is almost loud enough to wake them up again. The sight by the grieving families who search for their relatives amongst the dead. Mothers, widows, children, weeping loudly when they find their man torn to pieces within a field of flesh and gore. They collect the body parts onto carts, and head toward the oranges and lemons groveyards to plant a tree for their loved ones.
I join their group, getting Lezere toward the same groveyard north of the city. I can feel both awe and blame in the many eyes that follow me. I am an evil sorceress who brought misery to their lives and took away their loved ones. But I’m also a sorceress, an entity they consider closer to their god.
There is nothing I can do or say to make things better for them, so I ignore their gazes and march behind the cart that carries Lezere.
I look around when I reach the plantation. Kolag is supposed to be here. I sent someone to tell him to come here, but there is no sign of him.
“Owa what are you doing with my daughter, bitch?” I turn around when I hear the vaguely familiar voice. The tall muscular man has a dark skin and two rows of shark-like teeth, he wears a green traveler’s robes and a hand axe in his leathery belt.
“I apologize… I forgot Lezere had family nearby… I’m sorry for your loss…” Am I? She’s dead because of my ambitions…
He pats my shoulder in a fatherly manner. “Pha! Don’t be sorry. My bitch died for her chieftess. That’s the only death an orc could ask for.”
“I’m going to plant a tree for her. You’re welcome to join…”
“Orcs don’t let trees eat our dead, bitch. We hang the dead in our hall for a day, make sure eferyone witnessed they died in battle. Then eat them to inherit their strength. Their bones become tools and weapons, and we use their blood to write the story of their brafery on their skin.”
I don’t care if you’re an orc, you’re not eating my friend! Besides… “Lezere is half human.” But he’s her father…
He lets out a grunt. “Lezere is wolf! Her mother was sheep, but Lezere is a true wolf! She wouldn’t be happy to let a tree eat her.”
She did mention that… No! “You’re not eating her! To me, eating another mortal is a disgusting thing. As dishonorable as it gets. I can’t let you do that. I’m taking her to the groveyard!” Venom! I don’t care if you’re her father, she clearly didn’t like you. She’s my friend, and she’s part human! I’m planting a tree for her like a normal burial rite!
He snarls, his hand jumping to his axe. “Grrrrr! Choke on your fangs, you twisted shaman. Don’t think I don’t know the secret behind your power!”
“I’m not a hypocrite. I will never eat humans or any of the mortal races! I only use magical animals’ souls for my power. Believe what you like, I couldn’t care less. You’re not touching her. Try it and I’ll blow your head off and let a tree eat you too! Got it?” Why does it matter to me of all people? That’s what orcs are doing with their people, and he’s her father. I’m only against it because I, personally, don’t want to eat other mortals… the tree is just something we do… but why? It’s a decree from the gods, but I don’t even believe in the gods… it does prevent zombies and ghosts I guess…
He takes a step back, his sharp teeth still showing, but I can see the surprise in his eyes. He bows slowly. “I misspoke, you are a true shaman, from what my daughter had told me you are a wise shaman too. But you’re making a mistake, shaman. This is the way of our people for generations, this is how we livfe. If my tribe hears that you are a true shaman, they might fight for your cause. We lack a shaman currently. As long as you retain our right to pillage, I can pledge abofe a thousand adult orcs to fight your wars for you. But not if you let trees eat our wolvfes. Not if you let a tree eat my daughter!”
“I consider her a good friend. I know this goes against your cultural beliefs, but what you’re suggesting goes against mine…” He’s her father… it’s only right to let him have her body… I am only considering it because he’s promising me a small army of orcs! Why do I lie to myself? I don’t even believe in this dumb burial rites? The gods? Afterlife? Snake that rot! If he eats her, it prevents a zombie all the same.
And this is an opportunity… I can have a small army if I have him on my good side… Lezere is already dead, she doesn’t care about anything. And he might be right… Lezere acted like an orc, not a human, she might’ve wanted this… as twisted as it is this is what they’re doing with their dead, I can’t change that.
Yeah… I can’t fix the world with my life’s principles, and who’s to say my ideals are the correct ones? No! I’m not letting him eat my friend!
I should stop letting my heart make the decisions. When my heart made the decision and saved those women a few days ago, it got Lezere killed! Whether she’s buried under a tree or ends up in her father’s stomach won’t change a thing! She’s dead!
I need to go back to my apathy and get that army to serve me… an army who doesn’t worship sorcerers and sees them as ‘twisted shamans’ while willing to fight for me on virtue alone, now that could be useful. And I need to ensure security for the living… for myself… I could use some stability…
The orc clacks his teeth in annoyance when I ignore some of what he says, but I do catch the end of it. “…We seem to be at an impasse then.”
“You mentioned a right to pillage? What is that about?” I ask. I wonder what else is hidden in that bargain.
He flashes his sharp teeth for a brief moment. “Spoils of war. We take a third of the loot when you conquer a new land.”
“And if I do not conquer? What if I only need your people to defend my lands?”
He sniffs, wrinkling his nose into a sneer or the face one makes when he smells something foul. “Then a third of the spoils from the fallen army that might attack your land. Their weapons, armors, and the prisoners as our sheep too.”
“Inara! I can’t believe you’re even considering this!” Kolag’s echoing voice startles me.
I turn to face him. “How long were you standing there?”
I can hear the angry breaths behind his helmet. “Long enough. We’re not letting this savage eat Lezere!”
“Lezere is dead. Whether we bury her or let the culture of her people take its course, won’t bring her back. We need allies, our current state is very unstable. I haven’t solidified my rule yet, and it’s spring… easier to march an army. If I’m correct in my estimation, the nearest kingdoms will try and gain ground by striking while we’re unstable…”
Kolag moves closer, angrily stomping his metallic boots in the mud. “I’m not hearing any of it! We have an army, we can recruit and train more people. You asked me to stop you when you’re about to make a heartless mistake, and that’s what I’m doing. Stopping you! By Noxi, Lezere will be buried under a tree, let Nuriss and Tiyadi claim her soul!” He waves his claymore toward Balgrum, the sharp blade halting an inch from the orc's throat. “And you, sir orc. You’re going to leave our city, go back to your tribe, and never come back! Am I clear?”
Balgrum lets out another snarl. He gives me a hesitant look, and turns to leave.
Kolag gestures the pair of soldiers to carry Lezere into the open grave, he hands me the sapling to hold while he fills the hole with fresh dirt.
“Are you sure we did the right thing?” I ask quietly.
“Absolutely.” his reply is unwavering.
“How? How can you be so sure you’re doing the right thing?” How can anyone be so sure they’re doing the right thing?
“I follow the word and justice of Noxi.” he exclaims, still piling up dirt over my friend’s corpse.
Of course... the gods again... The gods didn't stop Lezere from dying, did they? I doubt any of them actually care about this shitty world... Probably just here for their twisted amusement... “And how can you be sure that the word of Noxi means justice? How can…”
“Noxi is the god of justice!” he interrupts me. “By Noxi’s holy light, do you even hear yourself?!”
“Not everyone worships Noxi,” I comment in a low voice.
He lets out an echoing grunt. “I’m aware. I still can’t understand how one chooses not to follow a god. But even without worshiping a god, you know that eating people is wrong.”
“But it is a part of the orcs’ religion too. Aren’t they following their bone cheiftess goddess by eating their fallen?”
“An evil goddess!”
“And? If your only argument is that it’s wrong because a god said so, then there’s nothing wrong with what they’re doing. Their goddess said so. Is eating people wrong based on what Noxi says? Or because it’s truly wrong? Does your morality stems from your choices, or from Noxi’s teaching? How does one decides what’s right and what’s wrong?”
He stops piling dirt over our friend's corpse, and leans on his shovel. “You’re just trying to complicate it because you stand to gain from this! Inara. This is Lezere! Lezere! Do you really want to trade her for a tribe of savages?!”
“No. I admit that I stand to gain from this. But this is the dead Lezere, not a living friend. I’d rather care for the living and secure their safety. If one corpse can save you or the others from death… for just having the chance of saving us all… I’d rather take it.”
He sighs. “I… I understand. But this is still wrong!”
“Why is it wrong? Orcs have probably been doing it for hundreds of years, right? One corpse won’t change that. You haven’t answered my question either. Where does your morality stems from, Kolag? How do you know you’re right? How do you know Noxi is right?”
He grunts and contemplates on my question for a long minute before finally answering. “Because you and I won’t be able to forgive ourselves for such an act. I will not be able to stand before the radiant lord of heaven while carrying such guilt in my heart.” He goes back to piling up dirt atop the corpse.
I can easily forgive myself for such an act. Lezere is dead… nothing will bring her back, and that’s her father who wants her corpse, not some random orc. Her father! He’s her family, we’re simply her friends… if anyone has a right to that body it’s him! The only reason he hadn’t attacked is because he’s scared of what I can do…
I take a deep breath. “Fine… I love you. We’re burying Lezere, this groveyard isn’t the place for a theological argument.”
“I agree.” He piles up the dirt with a low grumble, and I hold the sapling above her corpse. I hope he’ll say that he loves me too. But he doesn’t.
I chipped at his wall of faith, and his wall of faith is what kept him going, it's what kept him thinking he’s making the right choices. And now he can no longer see clearly. I made him think, made him doubt every choice he ever made.
For Kolag, justice is too important, being right is too important. He needs to know his actions are just, I can’t have him doubt himself like that… What about me? I care about the truth… No, I don’t! I care about power! I'm all about the snaking power! No… I just care about going back home to my family… and staying alive… keep my friends safe… Either way, I can’t have him doubt himself.
“Kolag?”
“Hrm?” He still piles dirt over Lezere’s body.
“It doesn’t matter which one of us is right about this. Whether Noxi’s intention for us mortals are good or not, doesn’t matter. His ideology, his justice, the things he advocates for, are definitely good for the mortal races. You don’t have to doubt yourself. The truth about this doesn’t matter, helping people selflessly the way you always do is what truly matters. Fighting for justice and protecting the innocent is always a good thing. Whether it’s in the name of Noxi, or stems from your inner conscience. If anything, your inner conscience is what aligns with the teaching of Noxi, not the other way around.”
He nods quietly, still piling dirt. It Gives me the feeling that no matter what I’m going to say it won’t help. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, it truly doesn’t matter,” he says after a long moment. “But I still think you should find yourself a patron god to watch over your soul.”
“Let’s agree to disagree there,” I answer with a smile.
Lezere’s body is covered, and the sapling protrudes from the ground. It’ll be a tree one day, and people will eat its fruits as part of the circle of life. People will eat her no matter what… This is snowy venom… it’s all venom… why the hell does it matter if we’re buried under a tree or eaten… It does nothing for the dead! It’s all about us, the people who’re still alive. It brings us snaking closure. Stupid closure! It doesn’t bring me any closure! Dead is dead! Why did she have to die?!
“Here.” Kolag hands me the pewter flask Lezere used for her alcohol.
This is way better for my closure! I gulp down the alcohol, it burns my throat but I don’t care. “For Lezere.” I say in a low voice as I hand him the flask back.
Kolag inserts his straw and takes his sip. “For Lezere,” his voice echoes.
I take the flask back and insert in my belt. I'm going to keep this... “Goodbye…” There’s only the two of us left now…
*
I send Kolag back to the city, while I stay behind near Lezere’s tree. I send my guards to look for Balgrum and bring him to see me at the groveyard. The green-robed orc arrives with my mercenary guards. If you can’t carry this guilt Kolag, then I’ll carry this act on my own…
“I understand that your culture and beliefs are different. Lezere always acted more like an orc than a human, so I assume she grew around orcs and shared your beliefs.” I hand him the shovel “Take your daughter, replant the tree after, and make sure my armored friend never finds out.” He’s her father. This is the right thing to do… Then why do I feel so awful about it? I do it for power, not for doing the right thing… and I’m betraying Kolag…
It’s both… I do it both for power, and because it’s the right thing. This is what Lezere would’ve wanted. Kolag doesn’t get a say in this just because he believes in some religious babble! As Kolag said earlier, ‘who said doing the right thing can’t be enjoyable?’ And to that I say, ‘who says doing the right thing can’t bring me more safety and stability?’ And power! I’m all about the snaking power in the end, aren’t I?
My face twists into a grimace when I let the orc takes the shovel from my hand with his slight bow. “Thank you for this, shaman. You are wise. I may hafe disagreed with my daughter, but I can see why she called you grandchieftess.”
“Don’t thank me, I’ll be expecting the full support of your clan in the upcoming months… and if I don’t receive it, I’ll find you, kill you, and bury you under a tree.” I say as I leave toward the city without looking back.
“Orcs don’t break their word!” he calls out behind me, but I ignore it. Words are just words, this is simply an investment, and I have a city full of lives to take care of. If this ends up saving their lives and keeping me on the throne, then it’s worth it.
Whatever... I even believe my own lies now...
*~*~*
Interlude 80.1
Berthold.
This mage-king isn’t very good at hiding his tracks. For Berthold he’s very easy to track, too easy. Even with the heavy rain, the tracks are all over the place. The man’s servants didn’t even bother to bury the trash or hide their latrines.
It’s easy to stay a day behind them, Berthold could do it in his sleep. It’d be nicer to do it without this rotten death worshiper though.
Berthold glances over his shoulder. Jerro—the death cultist—rides Inara’s large horse. How that scrawny guy got this violent stallion to trust him is beyond Berthold’s understanding. Berthold had never seen such a warhorse in his life.
Berthold is good with animals, but that beast isn’t a friendly one. He’s only friendly when Inara is around, a real nightmare when she isn’t. That surprised Berthold at first, he was too used to seeing this stallion docile in camp. He tried to feed it an apple a day ago. Berthold’s leg still hurts from the nasty kick he got, and he was lucky he managed to mostly avoid the kick or his leg would’ve been broken.
A beautiful and dangerous horse, for a beautiful and dangerous girl. Berthold’s cheeks heat up and he wrinkles his nose, trying to shake the thought. He knows he doesn’t stand a chance, he can see how Inara looks at Kolag. Why do knights get all the good women? If Berthold wore an armor would he get a girl too? How can Kolag even see where he’s going with that stupid helmet?
An oddity attracts Berthold’s attention. A pole, with a naked woman lashed to it. Her feet and hands are gone, lopped messily off, the stumps left to bleed freely in the rain. Small iron nails glimmer against the bloodless white of flesh, affixing the body to the pole. A plank has been driven into her chest.
I thought I could poison the King.
Inara, I’m coming for you.
You will be begging for the mercy I’ve given to this foolish woman.
King Luard.
*~*~*
Power level: 3rd stage apprentice.
Mana pools status:
Crown-knot: Affinity 10: formed: 1 gem replenished per five minutes.
Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 66
Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: formed: 6 gems. Conversion ratio: 6:1
Air: Affinity 4: formed: 18 gems
Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 9 gems
Light: Affinity 3: formed: 14 gems
Water: Affinity 6: formed: 27 gems
Earth: Affinity 1: formed: 4 gems
Wood: Affinity 2: formed: 9 gems
Gravity: Affinity 9: formed: 40/41 gems
Cantrip known:
Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing. Aria’s Sonic Scream.
Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Sorladika's Lesser Heating. Nuriss’ Ignite.
Light: Noxi’s Light. Lako’s Blinding Light. Rika’s energy hand.
Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet. Ayla’s instant freeze.
Earth: Alice’s Oil Summoning, Reiko’s Acid Spray.
Wood: Arigor’s Lesser Vines. Kolosu’s Vegetable Summoning.
Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burst. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s lesser shield. Imari’s Minor Telekinesis. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pull. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body.
Spells known:
Gravity: Alino’s Weightless Bodyb.
Life: Brigit’s Lesser Cure Poison.
Focus capability: 13 patterns
Social status: The Queen of Red Cedar City. Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. Apprentice to the Maven of Mysteries. Sorceress.
Wealth: 1496 Magic Gems. 1421 Golden Peas, 17 Silver Scales, 12 Copper Bits.
Items:
Magical necklace. Contains 100 gems of general mana, can be drained like a mana pool. It’ll recharge by itself at the rate of five gems an hour.
1 potion of lightning body.
1 potion of mana, medium grade.
An enchanted belt with eight pouches, the enchantment keeps the pouches’ content fresh.
Fresh rose petals, 22g
10 empty soul bottles. Glass with a diamond stopper, put in scaled leather wrapping.
The Great White Egret grimoire. Dedicated by the Maven of mysteries to Inara. 11/100
Companions:
Kolag of house Befar
Salik
Zoe
Ryon
Languages:
Toml’a <People’s tongue> Fluent
Sinteo <Speech> Fluent
Myrsha <Gravity> 7/10
Felul <Wind> 1/10
Injuries and scars:
