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Chapter Type: Social

DinDin Town (I swear I’m not making these names up) was a mining village, and the first of the miners to receive the message of the elementals. Now, please remember that those who gather resources from the environment in the Daurian culture are considered Farmer 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 Merchant, the lowest of the four castes. However, the black headband I wore labeled me as being without caste, or family, or even honor.

“How do I know this is a real message, and not something you made up to get a free meal?” the village elder asked me.

“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 time. “But, if you want to get your status as a Speaker of Truth confirmed, 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 message.”

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 some 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 some little hill defeat me.

.....

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 somebody stopped me.

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

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 came forth to greet me.

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

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

“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 time it takes me to present myself, deliver my message, 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.

“Meh, 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 time 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 something 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 means we’ll rip your body apart and bathe in the spill of your soul.” Bright clarified.

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

They escorted me around the orchard, which I could now see had a small stone garden wall around it. From within, those tending the trees looked at me 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 me 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 mean, thank you for your generosity.”

“Apologies for my brother’s conduct.” Dull said, “It has been weeks since he last consumed 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 me 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 time for some 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 elementals’ message, 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.” lamented 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 shame that we have not received this message through normal routes.” an elderly woman said. “But it is our duty, as well, to distribute this message.”

“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 message, the sooner they can choose to adhere to the ancient earth treaties.”

“I was wondering,” I asked, “do the other elements 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 mere mortals can only write songs and poems, and sing them to our children so that the memories last through the generations.”

“That is... the opposite of what the earth spirits say about the memory 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 time for bed.

I would begin my Truthspeaker training in the morning.

No, that is not me saying testing wrong.

My training began the next morning.