Born a Monster

313 213 – I am Ping

Plotline: Main

Type: Social

“I name you... hm... Ping.” Kong Bai said. “We don’t have time to create a family name for you, so sorry.”

“You act as if the soldiers arrive soon.” I said.

“The soldiers arrived this morning, and are enjoying a meal before telling us what their business here is.”

“Oh, I’d best get into the orchard, then.” I said.

“You should get beyond that, and run.” Monk Kong said. “They have a tracking hound with them.”

“I can run faster in my native form.” I grumbled. But Fleet of Foot wasn’t keyed to a given form, just to my running speed. I made my way to the wooded valley, below, and began setting up traps.

In retrospect, I’m certain the monks would have preferred that I run further.

.....

There was no river, just a broad stream. It was shallow and slow moving, easily forded, and barely deep enough to hide pointed stakes under. They were visible, if the soldiers passed by during daylight, which seemed increasingly likely.

I crossed the river, moved downwind, and crossed again.

There was no shortage of wood, so I sat down some distance away from my first path, and began making a bow. I was still engaged in that when there was a meaty thump, and I discovered an arrow sticking out of my hip.

[You have taken a YELLOW critical for double damage from a base of eight points. You have received sixteen points of piercing damage. You have 64/80 health remaining.

I screamed, of course. Loud and long and all that. And then I pulled the arrow back out, noting the oily film on the arrowhead.

[You have resisted Bleeding:4, and now have Bleeding: 3. You have taken 6 points of Bio damage.]

[You have resisted Poisoned: 3, and now have Poisoned: 2. You have taken 4 points of Toxic damage.]

[You have 54/80 health remaining.]

Cripes! That was from ONE ARROW. Had Narces been dealing out this kind of damage, and I just not noticed?

The remaining soldiers were on me after the next set of saving throws. What the heck? I couldn’t fight them like this. I’d been counting on my sharpened stake traps, which they seemed to have avoided.

“What the... it’s just a kid!” said the spearman.

Just a... well, just a kid would have been passed out, so I chose that moment to “fall unconscious”.

“Damn it, just some hunter’s child.”

“I’ll put him out of his misery. No reason for the child to suffer.”

“Hold on, First Scout. He’s not showing symptoms.”

“Impossible, that’s razor hound urine. Hrm, doesn’t look as deep a wound as my System told me. I concur, if we get the lad back to the monastery, he might live.”

“But our prey will escape! If we follow now, he has to be exhausted, at the rate he’s running.” said a new voice.

“Take Grimjaw ahead then, and see if you can corner him. We’ll drop the lad off, and join you for the pursuit.”

And to my surprise, they did so. They made good time, and we weren’t quite as far from the monks as I had thought.

They lay me down at the feet of a monk I didn’t know, said something about poison, and ran off. I didn’t open my eyes to see if any of them looked back, but none of them slowed noticeably.

A woman came up and made a sound with her tongue. “Well, I suppose we make the child comfortable until he dies. Does anyone recognize him?”

Nobody did, for obvious reasons. I was taken to a room that smelled of blood and soap and feces and death. There, they cleaned my wound, applied a bandage, and left me to die alone.

I was quite bored when Monk Kong came to check on me. “Ping, how are you back here?”

“I was carried.” I said.

“No, I mean what will you do when they realize you are their target?”

I placed a hand over my bandage. “Probably die. I can’t handle two more of those arrows, and they fly faster than I can run.”

“Now is not the time for levity, it is time to run.”

“Is that what an innocent child shot with a poison arrow would do? Run?”

“Such a child would die, Ping. Like you are about to.”

“I think I can maintain the ruse until they pass on.” I said.

“You are a Truthspeaker.” Kong Bai said.

“Yes, and I am learning the basics of that profession from you, honored elder.”

“I think your vanity is going to get both of us killed. But come, this will be more believable if they find you in my quarters.”

And so they did, slightly before dusk, sliding open the panel door to find me awake.

“Please enter, honored sirs. I understand you took time to see I was treated here.”

“It was the least that we can do.” The spearman said. A large black dog poked his nose around the edge of the door, sniffing cautiously.

Crap! I knew the abilities of that nose; I had fractions of a second. I extended my hand, projecting feelings of welcome, happiness, and I hoped, brotherhood.

[Charisma/Empathy/Handle Animal/ Calm Animal check successful.]

Wait, what? I succeeded a Charisma skill check? Charisma? But there was a dog, big as I was, pouncing on me and licking salt from my face.

“Down, Grimjaw! Down!” said their scout, the man who would rather have slit my throat than seen me live. But he was gentle with the animal, firm as his commands were.

Grimjaw poked himself at my pouch, and I suddenly realized what he wanted. I pulled out a chunk of smoked meat, and it vanished into the beast’s maw.

“Whoa, whoa!” urged the scout. “You still got that hand, boy?”

I held up my hands. “All ten fingers, honored elder.”

“Nothing honored about me, lad. I’m a merchant, if I’m any caste at all.”

“I am also of no caste, honored elder. Here, let me wear my black band, to prove it.” I looked about for it, knowing all the time it was on my head.

“That one you’re already wearing?” the archer asked.

“Uhm, yes, honored elder. That very one.” I said.

“That isn’t the empress’ seal.” the spearman noticed.

“It is not, honored elder. It is the seal of Admiral Kwan, the leader of the guards.”

“What did your family do to earn that?” the huntsman asked.

“It should be on the headband, honored sir.”

He snatched it off my head.

“Honored sir! I should wear that at all times... with all due respect.”

He handed it back to me. “Conduct unbecoming a soldier. Your father is dead, isn’t he, boy?”

“I have never met my father, honored sir. My mother... is in a different ocean entirely.”

“An all too common story.” the archer said.

“More proof we need to seek justice from the empress herself.” the spearman said.

Grimjaw placed his head into my hands, so I gave him a vigorous rubbing. Some might have considered it a wrestling attack, but from the lashing of his tail, I think he was enjoying himself.

“Grimjaw, leave the poor child alone. He must be near dead.” the hunter said.

“I have operated at negative health before, honored sir. I ought not to do anything strenuous, but I assure you that I shall be fine.”

“I am sorry that it was my arrow that struck you.” the archer said, “But I am glad that my System accurately reported the level of damage.”

“Is your System often wrong, honored elder?”

I didn’t have to feign ignorance. Were other Systems as plagued with disorders as my own?

“As the Systems are passed through the generations, they seem to become weaker. Sometimes, people are born without a System at all. It is as though... but that is just the ramblings of an old man.”

“By all means, honored elder, I look forward to hearing such ramblings.”

“No, we’ve not the time for that.” he said. “Our quarry led us in a circle to escape. We need to join the other two teams in chasing him south. We leave before dawn tomorrow.”

“I expected as much, honored sir. In my current condition, I regret that I cannot join you. Besides, I suspect I would not be a productive member of the hunt.”

“He needs to remain here,” Kong Bai said, “and complete his training as a Speaker of Truth.”

“A speaker of truth, and a black band as well?” the spearman said. “This is not a good combination.”

“Honored sir, I submit that I survive in spite of fate throwing me such setbacks.”

“I think, then, that we may be better off avoiding your ill luck.” he said. “No offense intended, of course.”

“Honored elder, you are not the first to say such a thing. What offense is left to take?”

.....

“He is very wise for his age.” he told Kong Bai.

“Yes.” said Monk Kong, “He is wiser than I give him credit for.”