Chapter 108: Consensual Distress

Chapter 108: Consensual Distress

Truth and the cousins stayed in the little conference room while the Congress went into convulsions. They were not kept in the loop, which Truth reckoned was just as well. He wouldn’t know the ins and outs of the various relationships anyhow. He wasn’t sure how he felt about this... duel thing. He knew what duels were in an abstract sort of way. It’s just that they had no connection to his life. And he was really not happy about Etenesh getting into a life-and-death fight where he couldn’t interfere.

“So... don’t take this the wrong way, but have you ever killed another human being?” Truth asked. He really couldn’t think of how you should ask that question, so he opted for being direct. This was apparently not the correct choice, as Etenesh suddenly went very still and quiet.

“No. I have fought spirits, demons, ghosts, things like that. But I’ve never done more than spar with another human.”

“Humans freeze up when you get in their face. They panic. They make bad choices. Soldiers train all the time because you never suddenly get good at making decisions under stress. You just learn what to do so you don’t have to make decisions. You did all your thinking in advance. Your body knows what to do.” Truth explained. Etenesh looked at him blankly.

Truth spun his hand in the air, trying to figure out how to explain something that seemed obvious to him. “You already know this on some level. I've seen you fight. You raise a ward to give yourself time to think, and then you plan out what ritual spell you want to cast.”

Truth wasn’t sure she was getting it. “You do everything you can to give yourself space to think and react calmly. It’s not necessarily a bad thing. It could be a good thing or the right thing. But unless the duel has rules about how you can fight, it’s a dangerous thing to try against another human.”

Etenesh gave him a half smile. “Well, the fight is two religious studies students battling it out, no demons, no attending spirits, with limits on the prepared charms. Neither of us has equipment like your sword. Before either of us go on the sands, we will be checked out by both seconds and a neutral third party. So it’s going to be who has the better talismans, better spells, better skills, and most importantly, God’s favor.”

Truth instinctively knew that arguing with the girl you like was a low percentage play. On the other hand, he didn’t want to see her dead. He tried to think of what to say. More importantly, he tried to think of how to make her hear what he was trying to tell her.

“You look like you disagree. What am I missing?” Etenesh asked.

Truth looked down at his hands for a moment. “If I were to go fight Alemu right now, using only my bare hands and Incisive, do you think I would win?”

Etenesh started talking, stopped, started again, and stopped again.

“I want to say no because he’s going to be attended by at least one and probably several powerful spirits, and he certainly would have several protective amulets. But I kind of see you winning too. The way you just charge in through everything and rabidly attack until whatever you are fighting is dead. Except now that I know you, I know it’s not blind aggression. You are solving the “violence puzzle” as efficiently as you can.”

“Right, exactly that. Fights with other humans are very fast, very intense, scary.” Well, for most people. They hadn’t bothered him since his breakthrough to Level One. Thank you, Rough Patron?

“So...” Etenesh encouraged him to finish the thought.

“So up your aggression. Rush the bastard. Tweak your loadout to deploy everything as fast as possible, and while he’s dealing with it, THEN cast your wards. Then, if he’s still alive, somehow, you have the time to cast bigger spells.”

“Dueling culture isn’t really a thing where you’re from, is it?”

“No. Not at all.”

“So how did you-” She stopped again, then smiled wryly. “You didn’t resolve disputes of honor formally. You just killed the bastard who insulted you.”

“Not me personally, but yes. Or you ate the humiliation and seethed, taking it out on weaker people.”

“Hah. Well. The duel won’t happen for three days at the soonest. Any suggestions on how to train?”

Find people who won’t be missed and are weaker than you. Build your courage by slaughtering them. I’ll tell you they are villains, so you don’t feel bad giving in to the slaughter. I’ll persuade you that it’s ok; it’s not fucked up. That way, the violence will touch you more lightly, though it will touch you, and you will never be the same, never ever.

“In the time we have? Build up your courage. Develop your killing intent.”

The grin faded away into something altogether colder. “He absolutely dotes on Alemu. He’s close friends with the Duke. He might not have known about Mr. Wells in advance, but Alemu was clearly acting on instructions from someone. In concert with many others.”

His eyes bored into Etenesh. “Break him, then kill him. Siphios must be saved, yes, but they would destroy us for that cause. Shatter the nation before the invaders walk in and take over. So kill him. Show him that you, and we, are the righteous of the land.”

Etenesh’s eyes were dyed a ruddy orange as she fiercely nodded.

_______________________________

“I am a little surprised at how strongly you reacted to alcohol, Mr. Wells. I know you don’t drink, but rumor has it, the only reason Alemu still has his head was Etenesh hanging from your sword arm.” Truth looked around Merkovah’s room at Temple Nag-Hamadi. It was functionally identical to his own, save for the bigger chest and more bookshelves. It was alarmingly spare. Didn’t he have a wife in the Xandre? Was this just a place to rest?

“Bad memories.”

“Recovering alcoholic?”

“My father and, to a lesser extent, my mother. And not recovering, no.”

“That is a hard thing to live through. And your siblings? I think you mentioned them?”

“I protected them as best I could. They are free of my parents now.”

“Back in the old country. Working for your... former employer?”

“One is. Don’t know about the others.” Truth shook his head. Why was he telling Merkovah all this?

“Well, leaving that to the side, the reason Alemu managed that stunt was because you didn’t have Incisive cast.”

“Wasn’t sure about the rules on using magic in the Well, to be honest.”

“The rules are many and varied, to be sure. And who cares? A rule is only a rule to the extent that it’s enforced. I’m a senior fellow of the University, as well as an... officer of the Throne. You are my bodyguard. Cast away. If anyone dares ask you why, just stare them down and send them to me.”

“You want me to have Incisive running all the time?”

“As much as you reasonably can, yes. You are a bodyguard, Mr. Wells. You are making some strides in your magic resistance and great leaps in your understanding of Incisive. Your growth in level is rather excellent too. I won’t mention your disturbingly fast reflexes. There is no reason anyone under level five should ever ambush you.”

“I’ll do what I can. Speaking of ambushes, what is going to be my role in the investigation?”

“As close to none as I can manage. I will probably keep you around the Temple, guarding the conference here. People asked where you were today.”

“No kidding?”

“Nope. It seems that Desrins armed with swords, particularly tall, handsome ones, are in high demand recently. Why, we may never know.” Merkovah’s grinned.

Then he added, “Also, to whatever extent you can, try to be low-key. Between the terrorist attack and the poisoning today, even the witless public has caught on that someone is trying to start a civil war. The Desrin, as a sizable minority in Siphios, are understandably on edge and feeling... chippy. So let's keep things quiet and try to let the heat die down.”

“Yes, Teacher,” Truth said. Then, remembering his Rough Patron’s warning, felt the need to add “as best I can.”