Born a Monster Chapter 311

311 211 – DinDin and Shansen

Plotline: Elental ssenger

Chapter Type: Social

DinDin Town (I swear I’m not making these nas up) was a mining village, and the first of the miners to receive the ssage of the elentals. Now, please rember that those who gather resources from the environnt in the Daurian culture are considered Farr caste. Only the Nobles, with blood ties to the Celestial Emperor (yeah, it’s... you know, there are other books on that matter) were of higher status.

Priests, mages, and shamans were clearly not Soldier caste, so at best I would have been regarded as a rchant, the lowest of the four castes. However, the black headband I wore labeled as being without caste, or family, or even honor.

“How do I know this is a real ssage, and not sothing you made up to get a free al?” the village elder asked .

“I am a Truthspeaker, and literally cannot lie to you.” I said.

“No, you could be lying about that, too. Besides, the earth spirits don’t care about us, or our mines. In fact, we keep to the treaty closer than any other mine on this island prison.” He was exaggerating, but I had no way of knowing that at the ti. “But, if you want to get your status as a Speaker of Truth confird, leave by the south road. On the other side of that ridgeline is the shrine of Shanshen, god of mountains. Get one of those official letters from them, if you expect us to believe you and your ridiculous ssage.”

Ugh.

But, if such a thing would make the rest of my journey easier, so be it. Besides, the hills, as I’d told Manajuwejet, weren’t actually mountains, although so of them had little cliffs and valleys rent into their surfaces. I had climbed up to the shortest path between the Twelve Daggers, I wasn’t about to let so little hill defeat .

.....

Which, in retrospect, was good; it wasn’t life threatening, but it was a challenge. There were leaps and climbing up deadfalls and other such things. For the most part, it was trudging up a muddy slope.

And, from the top of the ridgeline, I could easily see the Shanshen monestary. And the stairs leading up to it. And the road, going around the mountain, presumably back to DinDin Town.

And I decided, certification or not, I was not going back to DinDin Town, because it would be difficult not kill their elder, and then their village, in an expanding circle that would leave the island drenched in blood until sobody stopped .

And there were people capable of stopping , even if they were mostly concentrated around the northern fortress at the ti.

Still, considering what I’d been when I was born, I’d made simply amazing progress.

I let my legs guide that amazing progress down the slope toward the orchards behind the monastery.

Two golden auras vaguely in the shape of hounds ca forth to greet .

“Hold, supernatural creature, or we will tear you into bite sized, edible pieces!”

The other one smacked its lips, reminding that it had been a while since I’d eaten a proper al.

“I have business below, at the shrine of Shansen.”

“Well, piss on your business.” said one, raising a leg and pissing on a nearby boulder. “That is, unless you have brought rice wine to pay for your passage.”

“I am too poor to afford rice wine.” I said. “I only need enough ground to set my feet upon, and only for the ti it takes to present myself, deliver my ssage, and ask for my Truthspeaker status to be certified.”

“That sounds like a lot of stuff to do.” said bright gold.

“Equip your Truthspeaker title.” said dull gold.

I did so.

“h, the heavens piss on us again, today, brother.” dull gold said.

“One of us could hold him here while the other saw what the monks wanted us to do about it.” bright gold said.

“And what did the monks call us last ti we did that?

Bright pawed at the earth. “Inhospitable.”

“And did they say that in a good way?”

Bright looked away. “No.”

“And might they be happier if we did sothing different?”

“Like what?”

Dull gold turned around, started walking off toward the monastery. “Please follow us, and know that if you attempt anything ... less hospitable than you have told us, there will be consequences.”

“He ans we’ll rip your body apart and bathe in the spill of your soul.” Bright clarified.

“I an no ill will toward the monks nor to any shrine below.” I said.

They escorted around the orchard, which I could now see had a small stone garden wall around it. From within, those tending the trees looked at with curious expressions on their faces. When they waved, I waved back.

“What manner of trees are those?” I asked.

“Panga nuts.” Dull said. “But they’re not ripe. Stay away from them.”

“Because you’ll tear into small enough pieces to blow away on the wind?” I asked Bright.

“No, because they will turn your night soil into solid rocks, and it will hurt to pass them.” he replied. “But that is a good threat, might I have it?”

“It costs nothing.” I said, waving a hand dismissively. “I give it freely.”

“Yes! It’s mine.” he said. “Ah-ah, I an, thank you for your generosity.”

“Apologies for my brother’s conduct.” Dull said, “It has been weeks since he last consud alcohol.”

“Oh.” I said. “From my familiarity with Fu Dog Kumanchu, I know how horrible that is for your kind. My sincere condolences.”

“You know cousin?” Bright asked, his tail sweeping from side to side. “Is he doing well?”

“He lived, the last I saw of him, and was dragging his priest to safety.”

“Safety from what?” Dull asked.

“The earth spirits destroyed a camp of the southern army in protest of the human’s continued violation of the ancient treaty.”

Dull stopped in his tracks, planted his buttocks on the ground.

“Brother?” bright asked.

“Explain this to from the beginning.” he said, “And leave nothing out.”

It was after dark when I finished.

“That was... You should not have been put into that position. It was lazy of Du Jing to leave that decision for you.”

I shrugged. “It’s not the first thing I’ve had to decide in this life, it won’t be the last.”

“Well, maybe we can still get you to the front door in ti for so cold stew.”

They actually did, although it was cereal, a kind of toasted bread shapes served in water. It took three bowls to make up for the day’s nutrition, during which I delivered the elentals’ ssage, and answered all of their questions that I could.

“So Kwan Lun holds all the power inside the fortress?” one asked.

I shrugged. “To the extent that any military leader holds the power. Things get done because they are delegated down the chain of command.”

“To hear they are on half rations, while there is still so much food on the island.” lanted another. “Let us say a short prayer for them.”

I wondered what island she was living on; most of the villages I’d passed through had almost exactly the food they needed to survive until harvest. But I joined them for prayer.

“It is a sha that we have not received this ssage through normal routes.” an elderly woman said. “But it is our duty, as well, to distribute this ssage.”

“How so?” asked a younger monk.

“We can do nothing for the thousands already punished.” she replied, “For the living, the sooner they hear this ssage, the sooner they can choose to adhere to the ancient earth treaties.”

“I was wondering,” I asked, “do the other elents have treaties with mankind as well?”

There was a small chuckle around the table.

“Of course there is!” said the young man. “Every child knows this.”

“Perhaps those born inside your society.” I said. “Where could I view these contracts?”

“Oh, humans can’t VIEW the contracts, silly snake thing.” elder woman said. “They are kept in the Heavens. We re mortals can only write songs and poems, and sing them to our children so that the mories last through the generations.”

“That is... the opposite of what the earth spirits say about the mory of mankind.” I said.

“Believe us, or believe the rocks.” she said. “But stupid ignorant people are called blockheads for a reason, so choose wisely.”

“I think I would like to hear these songs.” I said.

Just a warning, don’t do that. Not in a monastery. Not unless you want to hear ALL the songs, see all the poems recited with dramatic flourish.

And once I had a grasp of all five contracts, and who had specified what and why and how that affected Daurian life, we all agreed it was ti for bed.

I would begin my Truthspeaker training in the morning.

No, that is not saying testing wrong.

My training began the next morning.