The Fall Of The Tribes

by Philip Read

  He passes me the joint and I take a long drag digesting that a moment. “What could you offer me?”

  “Armour.” He says without hesitation and leans forward.

  “I’ve seen all you Barbarians around and you guys are good, naturally born fighters that come here for refinement. But none of you wear armour and I’ve been fantasizing about putting armour on you since I saw that Ava of the Vikings in action.”

  I nod and keep smoking, “this is some good shit we are smoking and I’m not even sure what it is.”

  Wes just laughs and I realise I’ve thought out loud, that has never happened to me before. I frown and look at the offending joint before passing it on.

  “So what kind of armour for me?”

  He leans forward I can see he is getting excited by the prospect and that I didn’t immediately dismiss the idea.

  “What do you know about spirit imbued weapons?” He asks in a low voice.

  “I know they are dangerous and very often drive the weilder insane. I know they are scalable and usually very powerful with personalities of their own. I know I don’t want a set of armour that has a personality.”

  He nods not discouraged. “What do you know about the daemon race?”

  I didn’t expect that question but I try to drudge up anything I’ve heard or read about them.

  “I know they are a race with their own planet because of how volatile and powerful they are. I know they are immortal as a race without a natural expiration date. I know they are very powerful spirit creatures and they are uncomfortable outside their planet unless they modify themselves somehow.

  “I know their home world is Lucifer the furthest from Rigel and that’s about all I think I know.”

  Wes nods. “They are a lot like spirits to the extent that they share almost as much racial traits with spirits as they do with physical creatures.”

  “Trait’s like what?”

  “Ever heard of a Daemon Sealer?” He asks.

  “Okey enough with the rhetorical questions. What’s a daemon sealer and what’s your point?”

  “So impatient, take another hit. Daemon’s like spirits can be summoned and can be tamed and like spirits they can be bound into objects. A daemon sealer is a daemologist that can seal daemons either to never again be able to leave Lucifer, to never be able to take physical form, seal their power away or seal them within objects.”

  “And so you seal these daemons into weapons and you ‘facilitate’ the sale of these weapons, sounds dangerous.”

  “Oh it is, and it’s not even a very commonly done thing on Gaia as far as I know. The daemon will always test it’s cage and will keep routinely challenging the wielder, they have been known to be able to eventually possess weaker willed potential weilders.”

  “And then you kill them and start again.”

  “Oh no, a daemon possess person is still in there. Killing them would just be killing the host, you leave the person be until they eventually get themselves out, come to an agreement with the creature or someone helps free them.

  “Anyways I’ve met a few daemon possessed people. All completely bat-shit crazy but daemons like it here, they don’t want to go back where ever it is they are from and you can placate them with a threat of banishment. So usually they don’t misbehave very much.”

  “Why don’t they wanna stay in Lucifer?”

  Wes shrugs, “Not clear on that but it’s rumoured that being here is like being on a higher plane for them. Though they suffer sort of like vampires suffer in sunlight they also experience a sense of euphoria and higher consciousness. It’s almost like they are mostly dumb creatures with cunning on their home world but on the other six worlds they mature.

  “Of course when they go back they retain the gained intelligence but they can’t build on it. They have to keep leaving Lucifer for them to gain enlightenment, the longer they stay away the more enlightened they become.”

  “That makes a semblance of sense. So you’re also implying that they don’t necessarily mind being imbued into objects because it allows them to stay here longer.”

  “Exactly, your smarter than you look you know that?”

  I snort, “thanks I think. And you could have just said that from the start instead of beating around the bush so much.”

  “It isn’t our way to speak plainly when talking about the forbidden art of daemology.”

  “It’s forbidden by the Conclave?”

  “No, its forbidden in my homeland. Daemons are very destructive and if they are in control nothing good ever comes of it, ever. And of course a daemon will always eventually find a way to get loose, they are very crafty. In our history an hord of them got loose from a summoning gone wrong. That city is a ruin now and the entire region is named the Wailing Daemon Lands.”

  I nod, I understand, sounds rough. It also implies his family of daemologists had to change craft and went into witchcraft, but they are much weaker in comparison to what they were. “So you left your homeland in order to find a place to practice without persecution?” I ask.

  He just gives me a look and we remain silent for a while. Interesting story, not sure I’d want to visit his homeland though. I should make sure I know where he’s from.

  “Wait wait, if daemons like being weapons why would they try to possess the wielder though? They could just stay weapons and be happy to be here and gain greater enlightenment or whatever.”

  “It is their nature.”

  Okey, what could I say to dispute that?

  *

  From there I visit the Brothel where I am happily met by Abigail and Victoria. We catch up, all none sexual. I talk about my children, my mates and my plane to settle close by. I mention that I may be going to Tiba and ask who I should visit at the Brothel there.

  “You know that’s not how it works Sachi, you will get who you need to get. Now tell us what’s on your mind, I can tell you’ve been circling around something.”

  So I talk about Katya, the slave girl. I talk about as much as I know about her background and her occupation since childhood. I express my desire for her to be able to visit the Brothel if ever she makes it past the Academy, not that I’ll hold my breath for that.

  “We will enquire of her and make sure we take her under our care as soon as she makes it to Civitus.”

  Abigail promises, and with that out of the way I go back to the Sovereign Headquarters.

  Chapter 109

  Sachihiro

  “Yes, they are willing to build your house for you but the project has been scheduled to begin 2 years from now. You have to understand that Construere is very busy and in demand. There are construction projects taking place that I don’t even have clearance to be aware of and the many I do know off will keep their schedule busy the next 50 years.”

  “Will this help?” I ask producing the letter from Jon.

  The man I now know to be Silver takes it and reads through it. “It might.” He says.

  “Can you give me the two days to organise this for you?” He asks and I nod thanking him.

  I then go do what I should have done immediately when I got here, report to the Den administration building. There I let them know I’m back, I let them know who my family is back at the academy and I let them know how long I’m staying. I get placed in a temporary housing complex and I’m off to find my master.

  *

  I find my fellow disciples staying at the same set of apartments they were in years ago. We hit it off immediately and I realise I actually missed them. We talk for hours and they even offer to clean out my old rroms so I can stay but I decline.

  We all talk and drink but we are eyeing each other, or at least I am eyeing them and they are eyeing me. We decide to go to one of the private sparing rooms so we can test each other’s prowess. Samantha things we are all being very immature but follows anyways, they have all become Awakened in the short time I’ve been away.

  The sparing rooms are all occupied and the unwarded ones are too expens
ive to rent. Yes, there are training chambers being rented now. Chambers where only the walls and ceiling are warded and everything else is left regular everyday stuff so a person may be able to accurately judge their destructive potential. A family of satyrs having started the business.

  So we go outside, there is plenty we can do outside the compound to test each other.

  *

  Lucas is on another level of skill with his long heavy golden spear that shatters stones if it falls upon them when Lucas is serious. His moves precise and leaving a cuncusive force that spreads like a mushrooming explosion taking out all in its wake. A single thrust with the point of his spear with his full force shuttering thick sebasis trees into splinters or leaving large round holes in the wide squamous besilas trees.

  His riding combat abilities without equal in all our power level group I imagine. Only higher tier Awakened of all the warriors and tamers in the compound capable of besting him in mounted combat. Samantha became similarly capable in unarmed but mainly its her mind healing abilities she has became most exulted for. Learning the art of bringing back from madness even minds broken centuries ago with magic.

  But it is Inam that really shocked me with his affinities after Awakening. Master Zaraya has always told us that we didn’t really know what we are best suited for as opposed to what we think we want. It makes more sense when she says it but what she means is that if we learn to let go of the reigns and not be in control of our lives, lives we can’t really control in any case, that higher power or mysterious force will direct us towards what’s best for us. Even if it’s not necessarily what we want.

  Inam has become Smoke. The man can fight barehanded and with weapons, he is a great strategist and has the elven speed and agility in spades. Dawn elves don’t really have a specialty discipline they are known for like the High Elves and their elemental magic, the Wood Elves and their nature magic or even the Cosmic Elves and their ability to survive in space.

  So no one had any preconceptions of what Inam would Awaken as but some sort of warrior mage for sure, not exactly the case though. Inam can manipulate smoke mana and he himself can turn into smoke. Smoke Mages can be very dangerous and already he is one of the leaders of the groups hunting down the higher leveled underworld creatures in the vicinity.

  We don’t actually spar but we destroy things and show each other what we can do. Lucas is the strongest of us which peeves me a bit since I was stronger when we were mundane. Inam just turns into smoke which is sort of the ultimate defense amongst other things, it’s very difficult to hurt smoke. Samantha with her mind healing I wish I had back when we found those kids. We have fun but I eventually excuse myself and ask for them to tell Master Zaraya I’m around.

  I walk to the infirmary and I suck up a breath of carriage before heading in to find Shea.

  *

  Shea

  First I make him wait as I deal with all my patients. He sits there at the foyer seemingly meditating patiently as I instructed him to do. I didn’t even give him a smile as he asked to speak with me privately. The man has been gone for almost three years and he expects me to just welcome to whatever he wants to ask me, I don’t think so.

  Then I slowly start changing into my more masculine form as the night progresses. I’m usually more feminine in personality than I am masculine but my male form is who I am as much as my female form as all polymorphic hermaphrodites. The changes are subtle but noticeable.

  The change in the prominence of my jaw, the set of my eyes, the flattening of my already small chest, the slight broadening of my shoulders and deepening of my voice. Most importantly and most vital for the coming discussion though, the appearance of my cock.

  *

  I eventually run out of patients and excuses to keep him waiting so I go to him. “Let’s walk.” I say already on my way out and he follows without a word.

  He doesn’t say anything as he walks next to me, his heart rate much calmer now than it was when he first appeared to see me hours ago. He has grown I notice as I look at him closely, his aura is much denser and maintaining itself as a sheen of protection around him passively. He seems more sure of himself somehow, less insecure. He has gotten a lot cuter, almost as though…

  “When did you Awaken?” I break the silence, finding something to talk about.

  “A few years ago, I didn’t know you were a tier 2 Awakened when we met.” He says not bothering to look at me as we walk.

  Maybe I shouldn’t have ignored him so long, he seems upset. Or it could be glaring fact that I am so much more manly than he has ever seen me before, it that’s the case though then he has no business being interested in me at all.

  “You never asked, that’s not information I just give freely.” I don’t know why I’m being so defensive and curt with him. I want him, why am I being so difficult?

  “We’ve never had sex you and I, but there is a connection between us that is unmistakable.” He says grabbing my arm and facing me. His heart rate is picking up now as he runs his eyes over me.

  “You are beautiful even as a man you know.” He says and leans in and kisses my neck.

  My own heart rate is pounding now as he steps back to look at me and we keep walking, both our hearts racing as he keeps hold of my hand. I haven’t felt this way in many years and my hands are getting sweaty, I hope he doesn’t think that’s gross. Why am I so nervous anyways, he’s practically a child. I take a calming breath and stop, we look at each other.

  “Are you really interested in an Albino hermaphrodate that’s also a Blood Mage? Albinism is from a very old and dangerous bloodline you know.” I say studying him.

  He grins that silly grin of his that makes me want to kiss him. “I just want to use you for your body. What did you think I meant?” He says and there is a stab of disappointment in my chest.

  But the he holds my waist and pulls me close the our lips touch and we are kissing passionately. He is a really good kisser, his lips soft and they taste good, his tongue not invasive but curious. We separate, both of us hard from the exchange but he doesn’t say anything about my erection, nor his.

  “Would you please join my family as my fourth mate?” He asks. I’m surprised and talk about whiplash, but I calm myself down. Its not the first time I’ve been asked nor the first time of thought of this.

  “I’ve been married before, I have children older than you are. I would like for us to have a relationship but I fear the one you propose is impossible. I know you are trying but even now you stand just out of reach of my erection because it makes you uncomfortable, but it’s part of who I am.

  “I associate mostly with my female side but I transition between male to female with my mood, with the weather, with the type of sex I want. I am also an unpigmented albino, I have the blood of creatures so powerful and unremorseful that they were exiled from Gaia.

  “My two children are more powerful than you are how much more me? I know a lot of men cannot deal with that. I’m a Blood Mage, which makes me almost as dangerous as a coven of witches if ever I get my hands on your blood. I’m petty and I have so much inherited and discovered wealth that you could never hope to be my equal there either.

  “I’m almost 300 years old Sachi and I could be a tier 3 within a year if I started slaughtering and consuming blood for that’s how I gain and retain power. Your other mates would feel threatened, your children would be confused by my transitions, your masculinity would be put in question by my own.

  “I am hardly ever submissive to any person and you have at least another hundred years before you could even be close to reaching me in skill. You are a master swordsman yes?”

  He nods he’s head in the affirmative, he’s eyes still on me, his face still cool.

  “You will not be able to break past that stage for another 20 years if you persist in its pursuit, if you have other interests it may be 40 years before you are a grandmaster. Then it will be 100 to 200 years of dedication before you can break into the Arch skill levels. I�
�m only an Expert with the sword but I could best you every time.

  ” Don’t frown, what people don’t realise is that an expert as a mundane is not the same level of skill as an Awakened. I hate to be the one to tell you but the scale has changed, your probably not even a Master Swordsman anymore.

  “You feel slower don’t you? You’re actually moving and reacting faster than you did before but you still feel there is too much time before thought and execution. Yes, I can see it in your face I’m right. You’re probably reverted back to Expert or even Justus. I’m already a Master Blood Mage at tier 3 Sachi. I’ve had a man fee inferior in a relationship before, it ended badly and I had to kill him.”

  I think I was rambling there at the end but I hope I made my point. I need someone above me in station, someone who won’t feel intimidated or I can’t control even when I’m tempted to as all women get tempted to control their men. I study him as he studies me, he looks at me and grins again.

  “Let me tell you about my family.”

  He says and he starts talking in detail about these people in his life. His three mates Kuyoki, Ingwe and Mira. He speaks of the dynamic of the relationship and the children they have, he speaks of the ups and downs and the communication blunders that still sometimes occur.

  He loves them, its evident in his voice and we even laugh as he tells stories about funny mishaps with his children. I listen as we continue walking, still holding hands despite my little speech.

  “I’ve spoke to them about you and though the may be an adjustment period they would be happy to have you. Meet them, see whether or not you could like each other before you reject me because none of the reasons you gave scare me away.

  “I hope to have my mates be able to stay in a single household happily without drama. If they do not like you nor you like them then our union was not mention to be.”

  I look at him, did he hear that I killed my last husband? “What about all the things I mentioned, surely some should worry you.”