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Type: Social, Ability Use

Elder Shu and Yu De were, respectively, the old woman and young attendant in the basement, the room of those to be sacrificed for their mana spills.

“This is considered by some to be dirty work, but in this time of need, someone must do it.” Elder Shu said. “Now, tell me, are you able to cut, say, this man’s throat?”

I sent to him,

“This one still has thoughts.” I said. Given proper nutrition and perhaps a magical nudge, he will heal.”

“You cannot know that!” she replied.

“Telepath.” I said. “I can reach him with the mind speech.”

“And what of this one?”

.....

There was no response from the woman. I placed a hand upon her forehead, closed my eyes, and attempted Enter Dream upon her.

[System Error: There is no such dream.]

“She’s gone, hand me the knife.”

“Perhaps later. This one over here, the one that smells funny.”

I didn’t even need to approach him fully.

“Death, final veil that is drawn away, it is I, Shaman, Dreamwalker, Lifeshaper. I ask you, please enter my eyes, show me the world as you see it. Mystic Vision! Detect Taint!”

Even from two cots away, it reached for me. It was trapped in the living body, but it reached from his heart, pooled just beneath his skin. “That one,” I pointed at him, “has Taint within him. I don’t know the type, but it doesn’t matter. He should be burned.”

“Are there any others?” Yu De asked.

“None Tainted.” I said, looking around. “But more of these than I would have expected are in the state of living yet also dead.” I identified them, and those most likely to live.

“Thank you, Power of Death. I release you from my eyes, and return you to your original purpose.” Strictly speaking, I didn’t have to do that. The energies I called upon weren’t sentient spirits, and the power would leave upon the end of my Ability. Still, it never hurts to be polite, especially in case Death is watching.

“So this one.” Elder Shu said, indicating one of the living husks. “Can you animate it, or place a spirit within?”

“So sorry, honored elder.” I said. “I am a Shaman, and not a Necromancer. The binding of a spirit to a body is also beyond what I can currently perform.”

“I see.” she said. “Put the club down, Yu De.”

I looked over my shoulder. Yu De had been ready to smash the back of my head in. Good for him, but also, HEY that’s my head. Mine.

“You will forgive Yu De, he has had ... an interesting time as my assistant.”

“Necromancer?” I guessed.

“Raven Princess.” Elder Shu said.

Eh?

[Raven Prince. Occult Class...]

I actually had experience toward it.

“Oh.” I said, “I see. Good on you, Yu De, to defeat such an opponent.”

He looked at me sheepishly. “She got re-assigned.” He lowered the weapon, returned it to leaning up against the wall.

I blinked.

“As I said,” Elder Shu lamented, “desperate times. So, back to this man. You say you could not kill him.”

“I see no reason to.” I said. “Is his spill likely to be that large?”

“Ah-ah. Most of these have no spill at all.” she said.

“So sorry.” I said. “I need to sit down.”

“Here.” Yu De said, “Lean against the wall. It affects everyone like that, at first.”

“No, it’s not that. I’ve killed before. But...”

“He’s coming to it.” Elder Shu said. “Keep talking.”

Coming to it? Coming to what?

“The living dead. They are most of those in this room. Most have no spills. It is only those with life still in them, with a soul. Only those that could have lived will generate a spill.”

“This is where most people slide down the wall.” Yu De said.

I shook my head. “It’s...”

“Horrible.” he said.

“So wasteful.” I finished.

“And so, now you understand the question.” Elder Shu asked, pulling a curved knife from her sleeve. “Can you do this work, young Ping?”

“Why would anyone do this work?” I asked. “A life for a few spells? No guarantee that any faith or mana released would match types that could even be claimed, let alone used?”

“Live long enough.” Elder Shu said. “You’ll find that there are finite types of faith, and all can be tapped.”

I looked at Yu De. “Is she teaching you?”

“I am lucky.” he said. “I am mundane, no ability to absorb the spills. At all.”

I smacked my lips, made a decision. “I am so sorry, Elder Shu. I am a different kind of monster. I cannot... I would not choose to do this work.”

“So sorry, young one.” she said, pushing the knife into my hand. “You have just shown that you are able to do this work, and I have been at it for so very, very long. This first one, you shall make the cut, and I will absorb the spill. You will assist me in moving the faith into storage.”

“I will need approval from...” Who the hell WAS in charge of me?

“Stop with your cold feet.” she said. “With or without your hand, this man must die today.”

“Why?” I asked. “What minor spell could possibly be worth a life?”

“Ah, but a spell of duty? A spell to keep soldiers on the wall in spite of their fears? Might it be worth a dozen or so lives, to keep a hundred at their posts?”

I’d felt such rituals. They worked, and they were certainly of use.

“Why not just have people walk the walls, drain the fear away into batteries? Use them to power fear spells aimed at the enemy?”

“Ah-ah.” she cackled. “And what makes you think this is not already done? You think the Shrine Sisters walk the walls only to administer the miko light to the wounded, to send the severely injured to the support units?”

She closed my fingers around the hilt of the knife. “I live so close to death.” she said. “We are neighbors. Five years. Perhaps six. I can perform my duties in this siege, but who shall take my place during the next war?”

She pulled lightly, and I came off the wall with ease.

I didn’t need to look at the knife; I could smell the coppery tang coming from it.

“Don’t worry.” Yu De said. “You won’t have to kill all of them. I’ll do my half.”

It was suddenly so reasonable, that I had to check.

My System informed me. Divine Mentalism? That meant...

“Mind control.” I said. The knife clacked to the ground.

“Tut, tut.” Elder Shu said. “A calming spell, to dull the edge of your emotions. I make use of it myself, when I need to. If you want to feel your own emotions.”

“I do.” I said. “They are mine. Release your enchantment.”

Really, I needed to do something more about detecting and resisting those things.

I am supposed to talk about outrage, at my shock, or horror, or repulsion. Instead, I found my resistance based around a familiar core. Again, people had chosen for me. Again, I was treated as a thing, as though I had no say in my life. How dare they treat me like a child?

I was ... well, hell, I was only three. The rage slipped off of me, and into Elder Shu’s fingernails.

“Ah-ah. Let’s not waste such a rage, eh?” she said.

“Take it.” I said. “Given enough time, I’m certain it will come back.”

She looked at me thoughtfully. “Ping, you’re going to need to pick up the knife if you’re going to use it.”

I looked at the door, closed but not locked. I looked at the knife. At the man, the soldier.

“This is wrong.” I said. It felt good to hear it, in my own voice.

Elder Shu moved to the foot of the man’s cot. “Eh, it may have been wrong for me to ask. But, as I said, this will happen, with or without you.”

Yu De nodded, moved to pick up the knife. “It would have been nice, to not have to do each of them myself.”

I squatted, reached the knife before he could. For its purpose, it was a small thing.

“I have terms.” I said.

Elder Shu sighed. “There are no terms here, child. Death does not negotiate.”

.....

“You said twelve dead soldiers save a hundred, once. That is more than one in ten. The military calls that a decimation.”

She folded her hands in her lap.

“This man responds to mind speech.” I said. “Let me ask his opinion, see whether he truly wishes to end his life for so little.”

“If he consents,” she asked, “you will perform the ritual?”

“Only if he consents.” I said, “And only those who are willing.”

I didn’t need my reticule; I am a monster.