Born a Monster

There is one truth about muddy roads; nobody wants you running on them. Not only are they slick and slippery, but most people on that road have some unreasonable expectation of remaining clean.

So, I had to make my way, at a painstakingly slow walking pace. I looked about with my senses, and discovered that I disliked what I could see.

Disease is a problem during siege, even when your enemy isn’t trying to spread it through your camp. I could see how the Daurians could believe it was a curse; it showed where the enemy had and hadn’t been active.

And my efforts, I am sorry to say, seemed to matter as much as an eyedropper to a bathtub.

Just three tents shy of the Fifth Support, the diseases stopped, as though the ever-present wards against evil and spirits had affected them as well.

Tang Ning was in the fourth tent I checked. “Tang Ning! You will be glad to know your armor is on the wall.”

Tang Ning did not rise from her side. “Come here, Little Monitor, so that I may puke upon you.”

I did approach, identifying Morning Sickness, Nausea, and Malnourishment. None of which indicated any manner of malice beyond the siege, and none of which...

.....

Oh, actually there was an ability for midwifery. But she also seemed to be in pain, which turned out to be...

“That looks like an axe wound in your side.” I said, trying to sound concerned.

“Like Meng Wa has probably told you, there is an occasional champion getting atop the walls. We’ve had our own overmatched fights, every bit as hard fought as yours.”

“There is a faction that thinks we should fall back to the middle wall.” I said. “I’m against it, personally.”

“As should anyone with the blood of a warrior.” She agreed. “Their champions will be just as strong. I don’t see the... HUWUGH!”

She hadn’t been joking about the puke, although she directed it into a bucket by her bedside.

“So sorry; between the half rations and this curse, I’m not good company.”

“Nonsense.” I said, sitting down for a story that Tang Ning has sworn me to secrecy about.

What is important to this story is that I heard a familiar voice outside. “Oh, that can’t be.”

“Who is that squirrel-like voice? A tanuki?”

“A mwarri, a cat-folk of our lands to the north.”

“Oh, a catgirl? Help me up, help me up, I’ve always wanted to see one!”

So, I wandered to the open front of the tent. Knowing that fresh air aids healing, the front and back of all the tents were are least partially open.

We were trying to exit as a muscled, iron armored man entered. He was short, probably slender inside his armor. His eyes widened when he saw me, and without delay he grabbed my shoulder, and thrust both of us outside in a single fluid motion.

“Ma’am, I have found someone who looks suspicious.”

Kismet snorted. “Stupid, maybe, but not suspicious. But you!” she waggled her index finger at me. “Did you know that Daurian custom is that you write your wife a poem after an epic battle?”

“Nonsense. That sounds like the sort of thing someone would have told me.”

“But... everyone knows that.” The armored lad said. “How stupid is he? Is he...” he tapped the side of his helmet.

“Yeah, your wife is upset and angry. Probably not the best time to be hanging out with strange women, Rhishi.”

“About the half ration, is there an exception for pregnant mothers?”

Tang Ning paled. “No, please do not...”

Kismet stalked over to her, gently touched her belly.

“It is not necessary.” Tang Ning said. “They are a war child.”

Kismet blinked at her. “And? We’ll need every soldier born we can to replace those who have died in this siege. First Arminger, see that she’s registered for full rations.”

“Of course, Ma’am!”

“Rhishi, you sometimes see stuff. Anything suspicious?”

I recounted everything from the rumor-monger to the present.

“Holy. Crap.” Kismet said. “That’s actually kind of useful. What’s your theory on why the Fifth is nearly disease free?”

“I think the Nine mean for those susceptible or especially fearful of disease to migrate here, and then to spread a double portion of illness through the medical tents.”

“That would be cowardice!” the arminger said. “The Fifth is where the pregnant women and those who haven’t gained consciousness after a day are gathered.”

Kismet flicked her ears, which she sometimes did when thinking. “I think it’s more likely they have one or more of their number among the ranks of the Fifth Support Company.” Kismet said. “Either way, we need more than just one investigator here. First Arminger Hao.”

“Ma’am!”

“Go find one of the others. Tell them I request two other investigators to assist.”

“Two, ma’am? Isn’t that a lot of resources for one company?”

She turned her head to face him, balled up her fists, and asked calmly, “Are you questioning my orders?”

“Ma’am, not at all, Ma’am!”

“Then carry on. Dismissed.”

He came to attention, gave her a bow whose depth surprised me, and began jogging off.

“And remember this woman gets full rations.”

“I will!”

“You’ve truly grown into your role as a noble.” I said.

“I have grown into my POSITION as a noble.” She then looked at Tang Ning. “Oh, sweetie, let’s get you lying down on a bunk. You shouldn’t be out under this hot sun.”

I decided to help her back to her bunk, before Kismet tried ordering me to do so. She took Tang Ning’s other arm.

“Oh, you are so soft. Generous, I mean generous.” Tang Ning said.

“It’s okay.” Kismet said, snuggling into her, “I know people like touching me. I’m good luck, you know, for both you and your baby.”

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly...”

“I grant you permission. Stroke the cat-woman for good fortune.”

“You are... too kind...”

“Oh, wow. She’s just asleep like that?”

“She has had a lot of strain recently.” I said, tucking her in.

“Uh-huh. Outside. We need to talk.”

I let her lead. Even without Daurian influences, I’d learned it was easier that way.

“So, when did you unlock your reticule?” she asked.

“I haven’t.” I said. “I don’t even have... I just recently got the points.”

“Invest them, you nincompoop! We have a covert war going on, at least as important as your conflict with that guy whose name sounds like a sneeze.”

“Xinyi Shi?” I asked.

“Yeah, that pansy, flying around on clouds of chi and doing wimpy hit and run attacks.”

“It’s a little more complicated than that.” I said.

“Don’t care.” She said, poking one of my bandages.

“Gyah! What was THAT for?”

“You ALSO didn’t let me know you were okay. I had to hear about how she-hero’s getting a medallion for single-handedly crippling him.”

“She is? I mean, good for her.”

“You didn’t know? Ugh. Well, this tree will do. Take a meditation pose, here in the shade.”

“Okay. Uhm, why?”

“To unlock your reticule, dumbness-boy. I trust you know how to do that much, at least? And no skipping the tutorial.”

She sat down next to me, opening a book whose title was something like “Lamentations of the Willow Women”.

“Uh, Kismet?”

“No. No excuses. No time for friendly chit-chat. You. Will. Obey.” She smiled at me. “Or I can hit you until you need to take up one of these cots.”

“No thank you.” I said. Not that it would take much hitting; for one of the calm times when the wall wasn’t under attack every night, my health had really been taking a beating.

[Reticule takes one hundred development points to unlock.]

[Reticule unlocked. Installing.]

It was that easy? I mean, clearly not EASY; I had no development points left, which meant that all of my available System XP had probably been used also.

.....

[System Error. Cannot Query while System is updating. Please wait nine minutes and fifty three seconds.]

“It looks like it will take about ten minutes.”

“Really? Mine took half an hour. I bet yours doesn’t provide all the information mine does.” She whacked the uninjured side of my nose with her elbow. “Just shut up and let your System do its thing. Take the tutorial. I’m going to sit here and look defenseless for a while.”

“Uhm.” I said ten minutes later.

“Tutorial.”

“There is no tutorial.” I said.

“No tutorial? I shouldn’t be surprised with your useless, crippled System.” She said. “Can you at least activate your reticule?”

“Does it look like a huge white circle, with information all over and around it, blinking in and out as I move my eyesight around?”

“Yeah, yeah. Focus on something. Like you do when you accept a System message. That should lock your reticule in place.”

“Okay, that worked.” I said. “How do I get the reticule off that?”

[Tent Pole, Wood. 16 servings. 1 biomass per serving. Dense fiber digestion process.]

There was other information, but that’s what my System thought needed to be on top.

“Just focus on it again, then on something else.”

“The details are AMAZING.” I said.

“Okay, now let’s teach you how to link up your skills with it, so you’re actually useful.”