Born a Monster

310 210 – Copper Farms

Plotline: Elemental Messenger

Type: Social Conflict

Copper Farms, in spite of the name, is mainly farming. Most of their smithing is with tin, iron, or some alloy of the two. Don’t get me started on the evils of mixing those two, I know.

That said, they were a larger version of the typical farming village. Their gates had a bar of the stuff that could be put across their gate. So, maybe a little wealthier on the metal goods and tools than your normal farmers.

“I’m sorry to trouble you,” I said to one of the guards, “but I have a message that must be delivered to your town elder, or if you have one, your mayor.”

“What’s your interest in our gate?” she asked instead.

“I’ve just never seen that alloy before.” I said. This led to a very long discussion about the innovation and resourcefulness of the local folk. I suppose if I were given three weights of tin for every one of iron, I’d have to do the same. But dang it, I’d retain enough pride to...

“Is it magically reinforced?” I asked.

“Not since the Hua family was wiped out for treason. They were the only ones who knew that magic.”

.....

“Treason?” I asked.

“They spoke up against Lord Xaodong’s recruitment orders. Directly to the soldiers he had sent to bring back recruits. I don’t know what Hua Ding expected, but he got what he deserved. Always was a pompous little man.”

“I see.” I said. “I trust they were buried in unmarked graves?”

“What? Hells no. We chop our traitors up into pieces and feed them to the pigs.”

I had to blink. “I would not have suspected this.”

“I think you mean expected.” she prompted. “Suspected makes it sound like we’re doing something wrong.”

“It was a poor choice of words.” I said. “You have my apologies.”

“Eh... I suppose I can’t stab you without getting blood all over myself. Besides, death cloth or not, you DO bear a message. You two! Close and bar the gate at dusk. I’ll find this freak of nature a place to stay for tonight.”

“When the morning dawns, where would I find your village elder?” I asked.

“We have a council of nine.” she said. “Big building by the town’s central well. You can’t miss it.”

At first, I was astounded by the town’s generosity, as she led me to an actual house. Then, I noticed the family name on the fencepost. Hua.

The person who could be executed on a whim was being placed in a house left deserted by those executed for treason. Not ominous or foreboding in the least.

Stupid elementals. Next time, I was getting a clause for all people on this island except those who indicate that they might kill me while I slept.

In any case, the house had been thoroughly looted. Some enterprising individual had even torn up a patch of floorboards in every room, possibly looking for treasure under the house. Well, finding a hammer in the house of a professional blacksmith was easy enough, except that yes, looted. A brick from the garden had to suffice. At least some of the nails were still straight.

Whomever had originally made the floor had been an artisan; it was clear where I had made repairs. That said, they were easy enough repairs to make, and it wasn’t as if I was planning on staying here for a long time.

I splayed out on the floor, preparing for a good night’s sleep that wasn’t going to be forthcoming.

Part of the problem of wearing a black headband is that people think they can just walk into someone else’s house to kill you and take your stuff. And, during war time, especially near the lines of conflict, soldiers tend to take enough to make the local civilians desperate for survival.

At least it was only one, and he was drunk enough to be talking to himself. Then the Grain Spirit came right through the wall, and I realized he hadn’t been.

it shouted.

Dang it! Okay, shield, sword, I was ready.

cast the spirit.

I countered, not realizing it was attacking the spirit.

Huh. I didn’t know spirits COULD mis-cast magic.

Fortunately, that was when the farmer slid open the door, letting it slam into its frame. “Give me all your coins, and I’ll leave you with your life.”

His weapon of choice was a dulled scythe, slightly bent to the side at the end. Like I implied earlier, desperate.

“I have no coins.” I said.

“Lies! Die then! Hiyaa!” He leapt to the attack, and so sorry, I wasn’t about to just die there, no matter who had told me that was now my place in society.

His blows were... well, I’d been fighting with and against professional soldiers for a while by then. Of course his strikes, fast as they were, seemed clumsy and obvious. Of course, I could parry each one of them. And, seeing what each clash did to the condition of his weapon, I made certain to do so.

Let me make this clear; my reticule wasn’t telling me his weapon’s condition, nor was my System. I could hear the cracks forming in his blade, see the differences in the light reflecting off its dented edge. And as surely as I thought he was also aware of it, there was a moment of shock on his face when it finally broke.

He fell to his knees. “It is finished.” he said, tears streaming down his face. “My family will starve, now. Kill me quickly, I cannot bear the shame of failing them.”

“As if THAT were going to happen.” I said. “Even in self-defense, it is murder for me, marked for death, to slay you.” It was a bluff, of course. True, but still a bluff. If he forced it to a point where it was him or me, I’d take my chances as a fugitive from justice.

I lifted the moaning spirit off the floor, tossed it to him. “Just take your spirit and go.” I said.

“Heartless monster.” he said. “Not only do you leave me to watch my family suffer and die, you do this injury to my spirit?”

“Your spirit has done that to itself.” I said. “Besides, it was a disabling curse. Give it a few days to remember how to fart, and it’ll be fine.”

Maki spat on the floor. “Monster. This is NOT over.”

And I should have listened. Instead, I wandered over to the Council building just in time for a trial. My trial, as it turned out.

“I’m sorry.” I said. “What do you mean, my trial? Your citizen tried to murder me in my sleep.”

The central of the nine picked up her block and slammed it on a podium next to her chair. “The defendant shall answer questions, and refrain from asking them.”

I. Shall. WHAT?

But not all truths need to be spoken. I could wait, since it seemed that I had to. But oh, how they wheedled and nattered and spoke of me dismissively, believing that my rapidly dissolving civility was all the protection they needed.

They basically decided I was guilty, and then of what, and were debating my punishment when I realized when this had happened before. It was the Norvik, and their little side quest to defeat “just a single wolf”.

“No.” I said, realizing too late I had said it out loud.

She slammed her block again. “The defendant will be silent!” she yelled.

“No, I said calmly. I shall not. I came to deliver a message, and I shall. The earth spirits are angry with all the peoples of the island. Both because you mine too deeply, in violation of the ancient treaty, and also because of your lack of respect.”

There wasn’t a face in the room that wasn’t a frown or a careful poker-mask of neutrality. “Something which I have now also experienced. I am death marked, it is true, but I am also your guest. And having fulfilled my purpose, I am now leaving by your eastern road, to continue delivering my message to the rest of humanity on this island.”

“Bailiff.” she addressed the armed civilian. “Restrain the criminal.”

I pointed at him with a single finger. “I recommend not trying it.” I said. “I was there when Xinyi Shi, an actual hero, died. I saw his spirit ascend into the heavens. You don’t have his skill, how certain are you of where your soul will go?”

“You wouldn’t DARE!” councilman six said.

I shrugged, whipped my head around to look at him while continuing to walk forward. “I have a task. And I have promised to perform it. My need to be here is done, and I am leaving, because I now need to be elsewhere.”

“We shall catch you on the road, then, with enough force to bring you to justice.” he replied.

“The earth spirits have already claimed roughly two thousand soldiers as a warning to humanity.” I said. “Bring your lynch mob, I shall deal with them myself. Five soldiers per champion. Five champions per hero. Bring twenty six or more soldiers... if you have that many.”

They didn’t follow.