Janus and Oblivion
Page 21
Returning to Janje’s cave had me doing so with Adolf hoisting an unconscious Druid on his right shoulder, and a Yonder Bear corpse on his left. In the end, the power of hammer-space was not available to me. I picked up a small stone, trying to send it to my Inventory –
[ERROR]
You currently do not possess any Skills, Titles, Mystic Arts or Items capable of dimensional storage.
I tossed the stone aside and commanded Adolf to drop the Mage on a soft pile of earth I conjured with [Earth Control], and place the bear corpse on a stone altar I fabricated.
“Masakh has evolved! Masakh has evolved! Oh! Masakh brought Janje a new friend!”
She’s a Druid. I pointed out. Do you know anything about Druids, Janje?
“Of course I do silly Masaskh!” Janje’s shrill voice echoed. “Janje knows all about Druids! Janje is –”
Her voice stopped.
“Janje is...”
I think you’re a Druid. I said. Or at least, you were one.
“Janje... was... a druid?” her voice became smaller. “Janje... does not... remember –”
You called me a Masakh. You said you can understand a language called Ancient Dryadi. It fits. I gestured to the unconscious Druid Mage, Shutila. We’ll find out for sure when she wakes up.
“Janje will know... what Janje is? Janje will... remember?”
Yes.
“But – but what if Janje is bad? What – what if Janje ends up being very bad? What if knowing will make Masakh hate Janje?”
I sorely doubted there was anything she had done that could mortify me or even be considered remotely upsetting. Creating for myself a small granite chair before the altar, I sat on it, and turned my attention towards the Yonder Bear Carcass.
“Masakh didn’t answer Janje! Why won’t masakh answer Janje!”
Janje, there’s nothing that I could know about you that would be enough to make me hate you.
“Masakh is just saying that.”
I shrugged my shoulders. Dear lord it felt good to be able to shrug. To have shoulders to shrug. It’s up to you to decide whether or not you believe me. I’m your friend, aren’t I?
Janje was quiet for several seconds. “Masakh is Janje’s first friend in forever! Janje and Masakh will be best friends forever!”
Whatever makes you happy Janje.
“Yay! Masakh is awesome! Janje really likes Masakh! Janje wants to give masakh hugs!”
There was nothing I could quite say to that.
“Masakh should hug Janje back!”
It was the most awkward thing I had ever done, bar none. “Hugging” the air and making hugging motions to nothingness.
“Naughty masakh! You’re not supposed to touch Janje there!” Janje let out a giggle.
I didn’t know where there was, and I didn’t want to know. I returned my attention to my work, to the altar in front of me, and to my newest Titles.
Title: [Merciless]
Details: An uncommon title. All Damage dealt to opponents suffering from a negative status effect, trapped, prone, or wounded is doubled. Increases your odds of inflicting negative statuses and grants immunity to enemy Appeal Skills.
I did not know what an appeal skill was, but I was going to assume it was something that let people beg for their lives. I skipped over the generic title, and moved on to the next one.
Title: [Demiurge]
Details: A special-mythic title. Grants [Special Title] benefits. Grants [Accursed One] benefits/disadvantages. 70% chance of inflicted [Horrified] on whoever witnesses you use the Antediluvian Hieroglyphs. 30% Chance of inflicting [Curse of Insanity] on whoever witnesses you use the Antediluvian Hieroglyphs.
I could make people go insane merely by writing words in English? I doubt this was what was intended by “the pen is mightier than the sword.” I did not even understand why English was seen as some sort of taboo. Sure, grammar rules could be vexing and often irritating, and arguably enough to drive one up walls –
On second thought, I completed understood. English was madness.
Janje... what’s so special about the Antediluvian Hieroglyphs?
“They’re scary!”
What makes them scary?
“It’s the language used by the Mother. The Pretender also used it to create masakh hordes! It’s very very scary! Words in unknown language created masakh. Just words – and woosh! Bad masakh appear!”
They were used to create monsters? English? Was it English alone, or was it other language from Earth? I created a stick of chalk, and rapidly began to write on the wall:
Bonjour, comment ca va?
Konnichiwa, ogenkidesuka?
Ni haou ma?
Hola, como estas?
Hallo, wie geht’s dir?
I knew I was missing important diacritics to convey tonal pronunciation, but they were not needed for this experiment. Janje – can you read any of these?
“Stop! Stop! Scary! Scary! Bad masakh! Antediluvian Glyphs are bad! Bad! Bad!”
I extended my hand and wiped the words off the cave walls. Sorry Janje. It confirmed what I thought. It wasn’t just English that was considered as words of madness inflictment+1, it was languages from earth in general.
Somehow, this only seemed to apply to the written words. I’d never heard of the word Janje before, but it was very possible that it was a word originating from a language on earth. Or was this just me developing a new form of anthropocentric bias?
No. If the words from my world existed here and were taboo – then there was a reason. A connection. I just did not know what it was yet.
Janje, who is the mother?
“The mother is the mother.”
Well, that was certainly helpful. Asking her who the Pretender was would most likely yield the same result. I thought about something else to ask.
Who is Kataramenos?
“That’s the Pretender’s name! Masakh shouldn’t be using the Pretender’s name! Don’t use the name! Don’t use the name! Don’t use the name!”
Why not?
“Masakh can’t! Masakh shouldn’t! Masakh shouldn’t! Masakh doing strange things! Masakh writing evil glyphs and using evil names! Masakh is getting scary! Janje can’t stand it!”
Janje –
Janje’s voice retreated. The cave was silent save for the soft breathing of the unconscious Druid Mage. My only source of information was gone because I pushed too hard. Perhaps I’d give it some time and ask Janje again later. I couldn’t expect all the answers in the brief time we’d known each other, no matter how much she believed we were “friends.”
[You consumed a significant number of creatures as a Shade]
[Due to the title {User} you have attained the cumulative skills of these creatures as you evolved.]
[Do you wish to install the skills of the creatures you have consumed?]
[Yes]
[No]
I looked over the message. This was no doubt supposed to give me the skills of the bats, elk, deer, goats and Yonder Bears I killed. The Yonder Bears and bats were the only two that I could think of with actual practical skills that would be of help to me at this point, and even then, I didn’t feel as though I needed it. I did not need echolocation from the bats because I already possessed motion and thermal sensing. I didn’t need the strength or speed of the bears because I surpassed them. There was no need to tack on an unnecessary about of abilities, because I was not certain if the number of skills I could attain was without limit. From this point on, I’d have to be more selective of the skills I took.
[You have chosen not to install the skills.]
Swiping aside the message, I perused the menu of accumulated skill so far.
Skills
Active
Passive
Resistances
Basic Molting Lv. 3
Cheetah Sprint Lv. MAX
Lesser Poison Resistance Lv. 2
Insectoid Metamorphosis Lv.1
Sixth Sense Lv. 6
Lesser Pain Resistance Lv. 8
Diapause Lv. 1
Fast Swimming Lv. 2
Acid Immunity Lv. MAX
Weak Acid Secretion Lv. 1
Serpent Skin Lv. 2
Thermal Sensing Lv. 3
Lesser Blood Sucking Lv. 1
Serpent Olfactory Sensing Lv. 1
Fall Damage Resistance Lv. 1
Water Striding Lv.1
Body Temperature Regulation Lv. 2
Lesser Fire Resistance Lv. 3
Strong Venom Secretion Lv. 1
Steel Exoskeleton Lv. 9
Fear Resistance Lv. 1
Earth Control Lv. 9 [Diamond Bullet Lv. MAX] [Golem Creation Lv. MAX]
Herculean Strength Lv. 9
Insanity Resistance Lv. 1
Excruciating Toxic Bite Lv. 9
Greater Rabbit Ear Lv. 6
Spirit Damage Resistance Lv. 1
Intimidation Howl Lv. 5
Greater Rabbit Leap Lv. 6
Wolf’s Tracking Lv. 5
Kataramenos’ Gift Lv. MAX
In the week and a half since my rebirth as a worm, I’d acquired thirty-one skills in total. Thirty three if I counted the two sub-skills from [Earth Control]. It was odd to realize that [Cheetah Sprint], [Greater Rabbit Leap] and [Wolf’s Tracking] where classified as Passive abilities. Was that why arrows felt so slow and why I could jump so high?
There were skills I possessed that I had not utilized in a while. [Insect Metamorphosis] being one of them, as was [Weak Acid Secretion]. Could I still utilize them despite possessing a purely skeletal body?
I begin the first test. Using [Weak Acid Secretion] and gesturing out a single bony finger over the altar with the Yonder Bear carcass. A single drop of clear liquid emerged, dripping down from the finger and landing on the skin. It barely sizzled or did any damage whatsoever. Weak was accurate. However, skills could evolve. Skills could evolve, and with constant time and practice, I could make better use of it.
I sat back a bit, and took the time to realize how far I’d come from a lowly worm. Now, Adolf, my man-of-reinforced-concrete and asphalt stood as a protective bodyguard to the side. There was a person, unconscious, sleeping on a soft mound of earth across me. There was a voice, Janje’s humming a soft tune in the background.
Oh, I was certainly far from extravagant wealth and political power, but I had come a long way from having to eat mosquito larvae to survive an attack from an ant. Of course, there were still tiny hiccups in my lack of ability to speak and communicate with anyone except Janje, who I could neither see nor touch, but I would find a way to defeat that problem soon enough.
“Hey... masakh?”
Yes Janje?
“Janje is glad Janje met masakh.”
The words sent a slow ringing of alarm bells. Janje – is everything alright?
“Janje is fine. Janje – Janje was lonely. Lonely. Janje talked to bats and stones. Stones didn’t talk to Janje. Bats didn’t talk to Janje. Janje sang, and no one listened to Janje. Janje screamed and no one heard Janje. Janje... counted and counted, and Janje lost track of counting. Janje was alone. Janje was scared. Janje wanted to go, but Janje couldn’t go.”
“But masakh came! Masakh came... and someone could hear Janje. Someone could hear Janje.”
Janje’s voice was hovering about the cave.
“Janje knows masakh can’t see Janje. Janje knows masakh lies. Masakh lies.”
I felt a chill.
“Janje doesn’t mind. Masakh has been lying to make Janje feel better. Janje is... thankful.”
The sound of movement reached me, and I snapped my gaze to the Druid Mage who was regaining consciousness.
“Janje... Janje hasn’t been truthful with Masakh too. Janje is sorry.”
What do you mean? What did she mean by she hasn’t been truthful?
“Janje is –” Janje stopped. “Masakh – look out!”
I spun. My first instinct was to lock my gaze on the slowly awakening Druid Mage. She was confused and disoriented, but she was certainly not planning an attack. There was no one else in the cave, and none of my instincts were telling me of any danger.
Look out? Out for what?
“Enemy using [Live Root] spell!”
[Live Root]..? I cracked my tail in the air like a whip. What is –
[Sixth Sense – Danger Warning!]
The heat came first. An abrupt realization that the temperature skyrocketed above and beyond limits to which I felt comfortable. The next thing that came was the noise. The roar that mimicked cascading waterfalls, and the sensation of the heat moving from one area to another. The duo combined and I saw the brilliant orange and flecks of reddish yellow. I was bathing in it.
An ocean of flames engulfed the cave and submerged it into a deeper layer of Dante’s hells. The flames disintegrated the Yonder Bear Belt I wore into ashes, and fires pierced from my back and surged through my ribs. I could see nothing but the fires that swished before my eye sockets and lingered between my teeth.
[The passive skill [Body Temperature Regulation] has come into effect]
[Skill {Body Temperature Regulation} has gained a Level.]
[Skill {Body Temperature Regulation} has gained a Level.]
[Skill {Body Temperature Regulation} has gained a Level.]
[Skill {Lesser Fire Resistance} has gained a Level.]
[Skill {Lesser Fire Resistance} has gained a Level.]
The fire sung and scorched and my body dueled with the heat. Hastily as I could, [Earth Control] spurred to life as I created a cascade of muddy water from my bony hands and skeletal tail. The torrent of murky water squabbled with the flames like a divorced couple and left a child of vapor and steam in the aftermath.
Steam hissed akin to a pressure cooker crying for attention. I knew I’d be sweating and covered with severe third degree burns if I had any skin. My muddy water cascade put an end to the flames and left only thick obscuring mist between myself and my attacker. Fortunately, golems did not need sight to be able to attack.
ADOLF!
Adolf spurred to life at my command, the man of reinforced concrete and asphalt charging through the mist with his hands up, hopping forward with his feet like a boxer approaching an opponent. I followed in the golem’s slipstream, using him for cover. It was not a moment too soon, as sphere of fire crashed against Adolf’s form, the force almost being enough to halt his forward momentum.
Janje! Who’s attacking us?
“Janje doesn’t know!”
I grit my teeth against each other. It was the first time since having teeth that I’d done that, and I did not like doing it. How did you know someone was going to attack?
“Janje... Janje could feel –”
“[Destruction Lotus.]”
An uneasy haze of heat settled down unto the cave and all my danger senses screamed at me to move. I rolled away from Adolf’s cover just as three blades of fire in the shape of leaves bifurcated him in half.
I staggered backwards as the fire in the shape of leaves neatly divided Adolf into two. The asphalt covering boiled and sizzled like a witch’s brew in a cauldron as his left and right parts separated. Adolf’s reinforced concrete failed to hold up against the magical blowtorch. No, not a blowtorch – a magical thermal lance.
The mist was cut aside by the spiraling flaming blades, and for the first time, I was able to procure a view of my attacker. With the same green skin, she was taller than the Druid Mage and Archer’s, almost at about five-seven, her features were slightly middle-aged and her white hair flowed down her face in the manner of a waterfall. Her eyes were deep and amber, she was garbed in a long set of robes that looked to be made from hardy tree-barks, and she stood with a curled staff that was as long as she was tall. Despite this being the first time I had met her – I knew.
Milost Yanje
[Kadulja of the Sanctuary Dryadi]
[Protector of the Druids]
Druid Sage
Level 65
The mountain had come to Mohammed.
Chapter 17
Consequences
A terse silence followed the meeting between myself and the Sage – the Kadulja. So far, she was yet to attack, and so far, we were merely sizing each other up. Her spinning blades of fire had proven themselves strong enough to slice through reinforced concrete, and I had no delusions in my mind that it would fail to do the same to me.
Under different circumstances, I would have been in awe at the sheer ridiculousness of pyrokinesis, and the fact that Druids traditionally were not supposed to have such an ability. However, I was busy trying to ensure that the Kadulja and her apprentice who stood awkwardly behind her, did not decide to immediately start attacking me.
[You are facing an enemy that has previously defeated you.]
[The title {Retaliator} has come into effect.]
[You are encountering a {Mid-Tier} Opponent.]
[The title {David} has come into effect.]
The Kadulja locked her gaze upon me warily, as I did her. I knew that this fight would ultimately be decided by whoever attacked first. It was the simplest truth. With my [Herculean Strength] and [Excrutiating Toxic Bite], all I needed was to get close enough to deliver a single blow and it would be game-over. Likewise, with her pyrokinetic abilities, if she sliced through me in the same manner that she did Adolf – it would be over.
Personally, I would still prefer not fighting if it were possible. An agreement could have been made if only I could speak, but I couldn’t. I could not even try to write words or I’d risk turning them insane. Devoid of communication, devoid of the ability to speak and talk, I was nothing more than a monster that needed to be put down to them.
A shame. They would have been charmed by my humor.
“That – that staff –”
I heard Janje’s soft voice whisper.
“That’s – that’s the staff of Mudar –” her haunting voice whispered in my ear. “The Staff of Mudar. The Staff of Mudar. THE STAFF OF MUDAR! THAT TRAITOROUS STAFF!”