Born a Monster

Type: Interaction

For most of an hour, I tried to ignore the cold radiating from Remnant Bei’s corner.

I tried.

“She’s going to keep shouting until one of us listens to her.” Yan Di said.

“We should just ask for warmer clothing.” Tsi Ba replied.

“No. We have surplus mana, I shall speak with her.”

I sighed, gently nudged the Water mana from my core toward my eyes. “Mother Ocean, it is I, your child, Shaman and Water Adept. Loan me your insight into the world, if only for a time. Mystic Vision.”

“You didn’t shout the name!” Tsi Ba said.

.....

“That isn’t actually a requirement.” I said. “It helps to focus the will and intent of the invoker...”

“Stop talking to that insolent child! We have things to discuss.” Bei said.

I sighed. “What do you feel we must discuss, honored spirit?”

“I AM NOT JUST A SPIRIT! I AM AN HONORED ANCESTOR, AND YOU SHALL TREAT ME AS SUCH!”

“Not any of our ancestors.” said Yan Di.

“Punish that child at once, or I shall reveal your secret!”

“What secret?” Tsi Ba asked, suddenly interested.

“I am not human, but a magical beast. Properly speaking, I am a monster, neither folk nor people.” I said.

“Cool!” Yan Di said.

“Explains your ridiculously high divisor. And your knowledge of lore.” Tsi Ba said.

Bei Lala hid her face behind a fan. Which she suddenly had because... okay, not dream logic, but spirits have...

Okay, I need to explain this. Spirits can either split off or specialize parts of themselves, imbue them with powers and abilities. In a sense, their entire System changes, makes them the spiritual kin of Protean beings. There are limits in terms of mana and aura, especially if they want to interact with the living world. It took focus and will to perform, so young spirits were only able to bring forth items that had personal significance.

“I am surprised that you are already manifesting things from your life.” I said. “I had thought...”

She smacked the edge of her ward with the fan, making an audible bell-like noise and a smell of ozone.

“THIS has promise.” she said. “But then, I am a prodigy. I should expect to be good at things. Let me out, it is time to seize my destiny, begin my eternal afterlife.”

“So sorry, honored elder, but that is not among the things that shall be happening.” I said.

“I... we’re both going out to buy fans. I’m taking some of this money.” Tsi Ba said.

“Did you hear how he said that?” Yan Di said.

“Outside. Now.” Tsi Ba said.

“You. Will. Explain.”

“Honored noble, what do you know of the spirit world?”

“That I am an ancestor spirit, one of the powerful and elite. I am talented even among this upper caste.”

“Oh, for the love of... Spirit Guide, Manajuwejet. It is I, your pupil. Shaman, Dreamwalker, Lifeshaper, reforged by your own will. By deep ocean mana, I call upon you. Come to the living world, safe within this circle I now trace by salt and blood.”

“Are you insane?” she shrieked. “Blood magic is forbidden by the Celestial Emperor himself.”

“I call upon thee, thrice. Manajuwejet, I summon thee, I summon thee, I summon thee.”

A tiny blue scorpion appeared inside the circle I had transcribed. He spread his claws, waved his tail, and yawned loudly. “Kid. The sun is up. Dream guide? This is NOT my natural time.”

“And why did you waste mana calling this tiny thing?” Bei mocked.

“Ugh. Before I say something that causes embarrassment, who is or who was this?”

“Honored noble, this is Manajuwejet, my spirit guide and trusted friend.”

“Friend?” Manajuwejet asked. “You watch your tongue.”

“When my System was broken, it was you and not Pongo I trusted to repair it, and my mind, possibly my soul as well.”

Bei Lala snorted from behind her fan. “That answers so many questions.”

“Manajuwejet,” I said, “Please meet the remnant of Bei Lala, noble woman, and Incinerator, a mage of fire.”

“The term is revenant, or vengeful dead.” Bei Lala said.

“So... after you get your vengeance, you’re off to the afterlife?” Manajuwejet asked. “I can help with that journey.”

“The part of me that wanted that has taken off for the heavens. The part with power, that is what stands before you.”

Manajuwejet broke out laughing. “Power? You think you have? Oh. Oh. Bwahahahahaaa... Okay, I’m ... hahahaha.”

“Let me loose upon this tiny thing.” Remnant Bei said.

“Honored former master, please listen. Things in the spirit realm are not powered by size. Although not the most powerful of beings, I assure you that I believe him more powerful than you.”

“Impossible!” she said.

“Oh. So she’s young AND delusional. Kid, you did better with actual gods, why are you slumming with this ... newborn?”

“I am over three decades old.”

“Nope.” Manajuwejet said. “THAT being is off to the heavens. YOU are the leftover shell. Honestly, how much mana are you eating a day to hold yourself together?”

“That is none of your concern.” she replied.

“I did put her in a corner not exposed to direct sunlight.” I said.

“Why, kid? Why? You have enough women in your life. Tell me you’re not starting a harem...”

“I am NOT starting a harem! I am THREE years old. Three.”

“As if I would consent to have him even as a paramour slave.” Mei sneered.

“Yeah... I saw a few of your buttons while I was rebuilding you, kid.” he said.

“Manajuwejet, you must be wondering why I would summon you for the aid of such a young one.”

“Kid, she’s a stray and she’s dangerous. You should let her out...”

“Yes!”

“...and let her die.”

Instead of a rage, she lifted her fan. “And what, tiny thing, makes you think I would die?”

“Because I’m a vengeance spirit.” he said, in that bored tone when I asked something of epic stupidity. “Look, you’re thinking of going after someone who killed you?”

Her eyes narrowed. “I am NOW, yes. Perhaps if the investigator fails to find enough evidence, I can take things into my own hands.”

“Your flaming hands? It’s a basic spell. Summon fire to your palm.”

“Child’s play.” Bei said, producing a hand. A hand that remained empty. “What manner of trickery is this?”

“Yeah, ghost lady. That’s not your real hand any more. All that magic you wielded in life? You’re the shade of Bei Lala, and you’ve only got the shade of her magic.”

“I am NOT some ... mere spook. I have always been powerful, and talented, a goddess of all things. I am a full powered ancestor, for I can be nothing less.”

“Well, okay. Your belief is a step toward making that a reality, but only the tiniest step.”

He held up a pincer with the barest gap between the tips. “Tiny.” he said.

“And YOU are an example of what I should strive for?”

Manajuwejet bobbed his stinger. “You want to be in the vengeance gig, yes, you do.”

“Is this insult why you summoned him?” Bei asked me.

“Honored noble, please listen. You are not what you were. The sunlight will make you less. Over time, you will become more stable.” I said. “In the meantime, you will... need mana and faith to survive. More than can be provided here, or at least more than they’ll give up willingly.”

“They owe me far more than a few mana a day.” she said.

“The mixture Elder Shu provides is measured in lives.” I told her.

“The lives of common blooded mundanes.” she replied. “Worthless lives.”

“I was raised by a spider. In the woods. There is no life that is worthless.”

She smiled at me. “That explains so much. Here, I mistook you for a source of power, not some simpering emotional weakling. Those who care about the little people...”

I stepped forward, swept a line of salt aside with my socked foot. “Enough. I am done protecting you, Bei Lala.”

.....

“You think this makes up for putting me in this circle, keeping me here like a pet? I will show you...”

“Once.” I said holding up a finger.

“Once, what?”

“You have already fed upon my apprentices once. There shall not be a second time.”

“Those are more my apprentices than yours.” she said.

“Wrong. I have helped them gain more experience in the past days than you have in months.”

She snorted. “Because the mana you need to provision is less. Because I am no longer receiving my rations of Fire mana. Even as I am, I can defeat you in battle. YOU will obey ME.”

“Don’t be stupid about this, Lady Bei.” I said. “I am flush with Water mana, and daylight is streaming through the window. All I need to do to defeat you is stand right here.”

“Lies.” she said.

“Come at me, then.” I said.

“Hey, kid. I’m going to sit in this warded circle here and watch.” Manajuwejet said.

“I’m not paying you for that.” I said.

“I am RIGHT HERE, and I will NOT be ignored!” she said.

And then she began chanting, and so did I.