Born a Monster

290 190 – Circle of Earth

Chapter Type: Interaction (Main)

“Master, what nonsense are you planning?” Xeng Bai asked.

“What makes you think this is anything other than serious?” Du Jing replied.

“We know you, master.” said Do Meng. “You won’t stop with the battery, but instead use it to power some grandiose feat of magic.”

“Bah! It’s time you wimps toughened up. Magic is like a muscle, you get stronger by using it.”

“Like a muscle that excretes acid instead of sweat.” I said. “But this section of wall here should be big enough for a level four battery.”

“Wimps! Wimps and cowards, all of you!” she said.

I took a breath as they argued the merits of hard magic training versus soft. Maybe, just maybe, Du Jing had a point. But... I like living. And, I have time to learn magic the soft way.

“I’m just saying that lungs that don’t expand or contract isn’t a way to survive!” Xeng Dai was shouting. “Dead people don’t work the magic of the living.”

.....

“As if death were the end,” Du Jing mocked, “Then my recently departed husband would just leave me alone on nights of the new moon, instead of complaining about incense smells.”

“Master? I thought your husband died a dozen years or so ago?” Do Meng asked.

“Exactly! Recently.” she said.

And they went on like that. Long enough for me to trace a crude summoning circle in the raw earth. How did the incantation go, again?

I skipped breathing for a heartbeat. Crap. I’d never summoned earth spirits before.

Well, if this went wrong, there WERE three experienced Earth users over there...

“Hear me, spirits of the earth! I am Rhishisikk, born of the blood of oceans, and I desire to speak with you. Though we are of different fundamental elements, I believe we can come to a mutual agreement. I beckon you, come to speak with me, as Shaman and as Truthspeaker I guarantee safe passage.”

Do Meng snickered, Xeng Dai laughed out loud. “You won’t get that mana back.” he said, between bouts of laughter.

“Do you have ANY idea how seldom that works out?” Du Jing asked.

Then, the earth yanked itself out from under me. I tried to roll, but getting a dirt on my face and chin, and about half a mouthful made that too difficult.

“Great. Mother. Gaia.” Du Jing said.

From well above my head the mound of dirt sent,

I asked.

I slid my Titanspawn title into my active slot.

[Your next Title Slot will cost 120 development points. Focus here to...]

I sent.

I had no problem with one elemental, nor with four. Fifteen of them at once? It was ... daunting. If I said the wrong thing, they could bury me DEEP in the bedrock, and not think about it as more than a prank.

I asked.

another of them responded.

I took the sudden emanations of rage as an answer.

I asked.

one of them spat, pulling a rock from itself to throw at my head.