by Andur
Then her eyes fall upon us. “YOU two FOUGHT! ......AGAIN!”
Angrod hugs me. “Hahaha! We just had a small lovers quarrel! Isn't that right my sugar-cat?”
My stomach turns upside down when I hear my old pet-name.
“Sure, but we already made up again. I can't be mad at my -little one- forever! It was just a minor misunderstanding.” I join him out of reflex and he turns stiff.
But a rope appears in Ireth's hands and she walks into our direction. Now I am crying for real while hugging Angrod. He is crying too and hugs me in turn.
Aaaah..... Somehow this feels like those forgotten times. It's just that the reasons for crying are now completely different.
24 - Interlude - Henchman?
I followed him for quite a while now. He refused the Council's offer and so the hunt was on. Nobody can refuse them and if you do, you become a heretic. They will hunt you until the end of existence.
And if they catch you, they seal you inside the black hole above their city and then they forget you. I don't know how many of us are rotting inside that dark timeless place.
It is worse than being caught inside a void zone, some have told me. But they couldn't explain why... I hope I will never find out.
I leave the path and stand before him. He is weak and tired. How far has someone of us to run to get tired? I don't know.
Around us is a barren wasteland with four suns in the sky. Not much can live here.
“I guess you guys will follow me wherever I go? Is there even a place where you can't find me? Can I at least ask for the name of the one who caught me?” He asks
I smile. “I am Seria. And they will always find you. There is no place, a god can hide from the Council. There is only one way to escape.” -Me
“How?” -Him
“You have to die and forsake your divinity.” -Me
“That's all? But I have no divinity! I refused to become a god! They offered me the job and I turned around and ran!” -Him
“Then how are you walking the multiverse, if you are no god? Something only gods can do?” -Me
“...”
“The Council doesn't make you a god, they just want everyone to believe they do. And it would be very bad for their reputation if there were gods, who weren't selected by them.....” -Me
“...”
“Do you want me to help you? I could save your soul, but you have to decide fast and the price is high.” -Me
“What is the price?” -Him
“You will be no god any more. You will loose your memories and start anew. Maybe you will get them back in a distant future, but they will never feel like your own again. In turn for saving you, you have to help me when I ask for it in the future. And you have to trust me and lower your guard.” -Me
“...”
“You must decide now.” - Me
“Hahaha. Fuck this, I never wanted to be a god anyway. Do whatever you have to do.” -Him
“This will hurt for a short while, but you have to stay still.” -Me
He nods and I trust my hand into his chest. I see the pain on his face, but then he starts to smile and his body dissolves into light. He didn't even twitch, he must have a valiant soul.
I look at the two shimmering marbles, which are now in my hand. One for his soul and one for his divinity.
Someone arrives and I turn to him, while forming a fist to hide the two marbles.
“Where is he?” -Tjenemit
“I managed to intercept him here, like you said. But he wasn't as weak, as you predicted. He resisted and stepped onto a path. He got away.” -Me
“What! Damn! Why didn't you stop him!” -Tjenemit
“I tried.” -Seria
“You call yourself a god of live and death, but you can't catch a puny little half god, who just found out how big the multiverse is! I lost much time through you. Now I have to start the search anew!” -Tjenemit
“I will try to do better next time. It seems like I am just not cut out as a hunter. But the Council just keeps enlisting me, because I am faster than others.” I smile at Tjenemit.
“I will keep an eye on you from now. You are acting strange recently! Gods just disappear around you much too often.” -Tjenemit
He turns around and fades away.
25 - Training and mistakes?
It has been two weeks since our little reunion. My parents are on a trip to inspect various independently managed states of the country. And Celes is acting …. strange. Yes, strange is the right word to say the least. If I wouldn't know it better, I would say she is trying to train me?
I don't know how her twisted logic came to the conclusion to take this step. She is using her knowledge from our past life as a family for this.
Somehow she got a hold of chocolate. To be truthful, I am addicted to chocolate. Throw some of it in front of me and I will eat until it is gone.
I didn't even know that chocolate exists in this world! Yes I said I am addicted, but somehow I never had the time to think about it until now. There was always something to do between being a baby, training, school, assassins and attacks and torture sessions.
And It is not the type of addiction in which the first thing you do after reincarnation, is to try to get your hands on chocolate. I have made it an iron rule to never buy or otherwise get chocolate on my own. I would be a fat guy in every reincarnation otherwise.
Back to the strange training method. Celes is giving me a little bit of chocolate, every time I do something she likes. I am not a dog you know!
I was surprised, when she gave it to me after I had helped Margerie with a problem. Someday, she appeared at the palace and asked for help with a problem, regarding metallurgy. I had already anticipated this.
When Margerie was gone, Celes suddenly shoved a piece of chocolate into my mouth. Like Sandra did when …. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!
*Crack*
Damn! I destroyed my pen! That was my favourite one! Stupid strength blood trait! I rarely ever use it anyway. Haaah! I guess I have to go and get a new one.
Now that I think about it, Sandra also just gave me chocolate when I did something that pleased her...... did she train me back then too? Oh, god! The Sandra I knew …. I want to cry! Fuck this!
I want this power plant design principle done before the winter ends. I don't save every bit of knowledge in my head. When I arrive in a new world, I have to reinvent every bigger machine, which I want to have.
So I leave my room and walk to the study of my parents. If I remember right, father has quite a few good pens. I will just borrow one of them, though I doubt that I will give it back.
On my path, I pass the living room and become aware of a piece of chocolate on the table. Hoh? How can someone forget som..... This is fishy! I stop and take a look around.
But... no one here. Hmm. Whatever, I take it and throw it into my mouth. Hmmmmmm
“hihihihi” “See? He can smile!” “So it is true.” “Damn I lost the bet.”
Suddenly Margerie, Celes, Stephen an Tanja appear out of nowhere in front of me. Sven is there too. Some kind of invisibility magic?
“Why do I feel like a lab-rat?” I ask.
“Celes told us that you are able smile for another reason than malicious-joy. So we wanted proof!”, Tanja answers.
“Now I know that I am a lab-rat!” -Me
“Yes, but we are also here to have a nice little party. We still haven't celebrated the end of your first school year.” -Stephen
“And we have to celebrate our birthday too. Eight years old soon. Fufufu.” -Celes
What's with this mad laugh? “Oh, I haven't even thought about that.... “ I think loud to myself.
“What? You have no present for me!?” Celes jumps at me. “You never got one before, so why should you get one now!?” I don't see why I should start to give out presents now.
“Cold! Cruel! You have to get one! I have one for you too!” She insists. “Yes. Yes. I will use a part of my brain to think of som
ething.” I answer.
“Only a part!? All my efforts and I am still only worth a part. Can you guys see how hard this life is on me.” -Celes
“So, can you tell me how this party will look like? I still have a project I want to finish.” -Me
“Show me! I wanna see!” Margerie jumps at my words. “We thought about relaxing and playing games!” Tanja interjects. “Here I have brought the latest set of Adventure with me!” She holds up a box.
After inquiring about the rules of Adventure, I concluded that it is a pepped up version of Dungeons and Dragons from earth. I am not against playing games and so I join them.
While the day comes to an end, we play the game and chat.
***
In the evening, I take up my work again. After I am done, I am on my way to the library when I notice that Katrine is sitting in the living room with a sour face. Something unpleasant must have happened.
“What's wrong?” I ask?
“The Meltheim's are here to have an “audience” with the king. It can only spell trouble if they come on their own.” Katrina looks into her coffee cup, while thinking.
“Most likely they will complain about the new inventions. The latest one, which reduced the use of rare elements in car engines to a third should have reduced their income drastically.” -Me
“Hmmm. I wonder.... .”
Katrine is interrupted by Arthur, who enters the room. “We have a problem. The Meltheim's want to see the highest ranking available Tirna ruler asap.”
“Hoooh. Then they have a problem, my parents aren't here. Nothing that can be done.” I grin.
“That's the problem. They plan to use a loophole in our peace treaty. Apparently, if there are economical issues between the two countries which the own ruler cannot solve, you can demand for an audience with the ruler of the other side. If the audience is not given within three days, the party in question can take every action they deem necessary to solve the problem.” -Arthur
“My parents can't be back in three days. And you can't solve the problem because?” -Me
“They have issues with the inventions by the house of Cygnus. But I can't give orders to Cygnus, because they belong to Tirna. So if I would tell them no or yes, it wouldn't matter because I don't have any legal authority.” -Arthur
“So they just rely on the fact that there is nobody here, who can order the house of Cygnus around? It doesn't matter if the person in question would tell them “Go to Hell!” in any case?” -Me
Arthur nods.
“And what happens if they can take any action they deem necessary?” -Me
“I don't know. In worst case they start a fight with Cygnus or cause other problems. They can make a whole lot of problems because they still control the market for rare elements. Maybe they stop selling their goods to everyone, who uses the new technology.....” -Arthur
“Annoying. Well then I will go and tell them to fuck off....” I start walking into the direction of the throne room.
“What? You can't! You are just eight!” -Arthur
“And I am the prince of Tirna. So they get to talk with the third highest ranked person. Does the peace treaty mention a needed minimal age?” -Me
“No?” -Arthur
“Then we will twist the stupid peace treaty like they do.” I turn around and start walking again. “But you have to give them a proper audience or it won't help!” -Arthur
“I have seen enough of your audiences. And if nobody shows up, the outcome is the same.” Before he can stop me I walk out into the throne room. In front of the throne, a guy in extravagant clothes is waiting. He has obviously the blood trait of the ruling house. His horns are long and straight.
His eyes are perfect golden snake eyes like mine.
A woman and the two idiot twins Sarda and Senda are waiting farther back. I walk up to my fathers throne and jump into it. Muuuuch too big, man must I look stupid!
The guy just watches me with an open mouth.
“Ahem! I declare the audience as opened! You may shut your mouth and then speak.” I declare in the most uppish demeanour.
“Is that a joke?” The guy asks dumbfounded.
“No? I don't joke in matters of state. So state your business and don't waste my time. If you would have any manners at all, you could introduce yourself while you are at it.” -Me
“I wanted an audience with the ruler! Not with a kid!” -Him
“The king and the queen are on a trip and not available. But I guess you already knew that and chose exactly this moment to launch this nonsense. Unfortunately for you, I stayed behind. So you have to deal with me, prince Angrod of Tirna. You are talking to the highest available person possible. So you may speak now or announce that there is no need for an audience and we can all go our way.” -Me
“I am Odlef of Meltheim! I am here to demand that the house of Cygnus stops their research to undermine our concern. They are toppling the proper balance of power between the houses and our countries! This has to end now!” -Odlef
“No.” -Me
“What?” -Odlef
“No, they will not shut down their research, nor take it back. On the contrary. The research will be expanded. This world has resource problems and because of that, we are constantly on the edge of war.
Since the new inventions started to go into production, the tension between our countries economies has lessened like never before. So unless you want to claim profit out of war, you will adhere to this.”
“I hope you know what you are doing!” -Odlef
“I am refusing to give someone with too much power even more power. You are controlling the market for rare elements. Because of the new inventions, your profit goes down.
But you will still control the market and have more than enough to live. So I don't see why I should give someone, who has enough even more and risk a new war.
So you will either adhere to peace, or claim yourself to be a supporter of war.” -Me
“The Cygnus family will continue their research. End of discussion.” I conclude.
The guy went through the full spectrum of colours, while I was talking. From red, to blue followed by a very unhealthy violet.
“I demand an honour duel!” -Odlef
“You guys already tried that once. On what basis do you claim it now!” Arthur interrupts.
“On the basis, that I wont accept to be played by a little child, which almost falls out of the throne!” Odlef screams.
“Who do you want to sent this time? We have already seen that Angrod doesn't even have to lift a finger against someone of his age. This makes no sense.” -Arthur
“I will send Senda! He is stronger than Sarda! He will win!” -Odlef
“I will kill him.” I interrupt the discussion. Everybody looks at me with shocked eyes.
“I have had enough of putting up a front! You already tried to kill me at my introduction party. Sarda and Senda provoked the first duel intentionally. You thought I would be no opponent and sent the weaker Sarda.
You did this because he has inherited the bloodline stronger for some reason. With that, it would be easier to argument a marriage with Celes.
I was nice at the party, because it was my party and because there were many people. But if you don't stop this madness now, I swear I will rip out every one of your children's hearts, you send against me and drop it before your feet!” I tell them with a sweet smile.
