Chapter 80: Simple Village

  CROWN(Wryna)

  The monastery was quite impressive for its size. I knew that only a small population – a few thousand – actually lived here full time, and most of the elves still in the original areas had more developed cities. Yet as I hiked up the winding path with one of the sentries by my side, I couldn’t help but admire what they’d done with limited manpower – elfpower? – and completely different materials than what I’d known.

  Partway up, the steep dirt path turned into a stepped stone walkway, the triangular bricks fitting together in a complex-looking pattern. The fit was precise and smooth, and my toes found them easy to grip, helping the climb. The engineering was extremely good even out here in the middle of nowhere, complete with runoff drains at the sides and a subtle upward rounding of the road to keep water from collecting.

  I flicked an ear at that thought. Neither of my past lives had known anything about masonry and civil engineering. That must have been human knowledge from Earth seeping through. It made me wonder how much my human self had known. Was I remembering things that I had forgotten in life?

  More to the point, I realized that eventually these people that I shepherded would, more and more, develop technologies and techniques that I had never seen. Was this another reason for the Incarnate Avatars? To grab a lifetime’s worth of knowledge about the world and its theories?

  I turned my eyes toward the monastery itself. It wasn’t a single building… more like a walled city, though it was only the size of a town. The walls were smooth white stone, and I estimated them at about five meters high. The road ran up to a large gate, which was… also stone, surprisingly. A few roofs were visible over the top of the wall, but they didn’t go far above unless they were further back, higher up the mountainside.

  “Why the walls? Do other elves attack that often?” My voice broke through the silence, but the sentry riding beside me didn’t startle. She just glanced down at me.

  “The felhorn stampede twice a year,” she explained in a neutral voice. This girl was hard to read. “They become so aggressive they even run up the slope and throw themselves against the walls. We wait it out.”

  Looking at the walls again, I noticed then that they didn’t have the standard battlements and towers intended to fend off an army. It was made for a siege, all right… just not one from an army. That also explained to me why they’d chosen to put it all the way up here, instead of building it lower down into an area of the hills that wouldn’t require so much work.

  | WRYNA: Help me out here, what is a felhorn? ?

  | KELAS: A large and tough beast of ill temper possessing a single horn. ?

  | EYSSA: Taste pretty good though. We managed to bring down a young one on our trip. ?

  | KELAS: Have you truly been gone all these years, to not know that? ?

  | WRYNA: I know a lot about the animals, but I haven’t been here in person. ?

  | DUCK: She didn’t have enough time to study before she had to be here. ?

  | DUCK: I looked it up for you. It’s like a cross between a boar and a rhino, and grumpier than both. ?

  | DUCK: Also shoots fire out of its nose. ?

  | WRYNA: Well that sounds genuinely terrifying.

  The fact that the walls had been built against animal attacks did explain why they were open. Also, fire-breathing animals explained the stone doors, instead of the lighter and easier to transport timber.

  Despite the fitness of the body I’d created, I could see why they used mounts. By the time I made it to the doors, my legs were aching and my breath heavier. The air here smelled… odd. Crisper, but with just a hint of saltiness to it. This confused me, because I didn’t remember putting an ocean near the place.

  The gates went all the way up to the top of the walls, and I wondered if that was really necessary, but it sure did look impressive. Like the walls, the gates were incredibly smooth and looked like they were carved from one solid piece of rock. I briefly wondered how they had managed that. Both here and Downside, the technology for construction seemed to be much higher than what I had expected.

  “It is busy right now, but enjoy your stay.” The sentry gave me another odd look as she said that, then turned her mount around and headed down to rejoin the other sentries. I gave a pleasant farewell and walked on through the gates.

  | WRYNA: Since I’m a Horizon Bearer right now, I wonder if I should say I worship Eyssa? Would you mind that? I’m trying not to draw much attention. ?

  | EYSSA: Just say you worship the Sisters. ?

  | WRYNA: Sisters? But none of you are sisters… ?

  | SOLEN: Over the long time we’ve been watching over them, even the oldest stories get confused. ?

  | EYSSA: Since you didn’t go on the journey with us, some people have confused you with Solen. They think Solen and I were sisters. ?

  | WRYNA: Amusing. And it isn’t far off. You were both sisters to me. ?

  | EYSSA: I don’t mind it, no.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Another elf shuffled up, dressed simply like I was. In fact, she was dressed lightly… and the air inside the walls was noticeably warmer than outside, despite the lack of a roof. I flicked my senses to the Pattern Sense that I’d given myself and confirmed a complex ward over the whole area. Climate control… definitely nice and not at all Iron Age.

  “Welcome to the Sisterhood’s home,” the elf murmured, giving a light swish of her tail in greeting. I returned the gesture as the greeter looked me over, then tilted her head inquisitively, “Are you on pilgrimage or simply seeking shelter?”

  | DUCK: Heads up, boss. If you check your log, she’s using a ton of skills on you. ?

  | DUCK: Most are harmless, and the invasive ones are set to be blocked. I spoofed a ‘non-hostile’ response on one of them because your block settings are too strict. ?

  | DUCK: You’re welcome, by the way. ?

  | WRYNA: Thanks, Duck. ?

  | KASSARA: You can do that? ?

  | EYSSA: We aren’t sure what Wryna is, aside from a friend, but the dragons think she’s some kind of way for the System to figure things out. ?

  | WRYNA: A lot more complex than that, but it’s probably the easiest way to think of me, yeah.

  For once, this didn’t alarm me. Duck had limited ability to adjust things, but she was pretty good with the system, and she could adjust what it said. I probably should have been more careful about letting her spoof my stats, but she didn’t have permission to actually change them.

  I thought, at least.

  “Just a wanderer. I have the [Horizon Bearer] class, so I tend to wander far. I’ve only heard a few tales of the Sisterhood, but I follow the Sisters.”

  This got me another confused look, similar to the sentry’s own, but it passed quickly. The guide flicked an ear to acknowledge what I had said before gesturing for me to follow, guiding me through the small community.

  She spoke to me once we were walking. “We do not get many Calen or Sylen visitors. You are welcome here, but many find the Aravel strange. They have difficulty understanding the fundamental reason the Sisterhood exists.”

  I cocked my head. Perhaps it was bad for my goal of being unobtrusive, but I considered the risks, and decided to butter up my guide a little.

  I flicked my tail dismissively. “What is hard to understand? The Aravel remember the memories of their ancestors, and in ancient times they were subjugated under the men. Remembering such a time must be powerful.” I paused and glanced to the side. “I am surprised to see a few men here and there.”

  My guide shot me a startled look, but her ears lifted. The appreciation for her history gave her a more positive air, and she put a bit more pep in her step. Her tail gestured toward one of the men nearby, helping carry a clay pot with a few of the sisters.

  “We have some,” she explained. “We will never let them control us again, but we know that most do not see things in that outdated way. By tradition, they cannot hold the mantle of leadership, but we have a number staying here.”

  She pointed to a low, two-story building down the path, past a few statues of what were likely famous sisters of years past. “Over there is where men traveling through stay. Usually, they are family members visiting. You can stay there if you wish, or with the women.”

  Another gesture pointed out a more grandiose building, made of smooth stone like all the others. “We do have a few mates and trusted men who live with us permanently. Our rumored disdain is exaggerated, because sisters who travel are often very firm in avoiding any contact. We even have a few who stay here because the majority of their memories are of women, and they sympathize.”

  That lead me to a genuine curiosity. “I know Aravel memories get… fuzzy over time. Do you actually have elves that remember the original situation clearly?”

  “I don’t.” The guide stopped and waited at a large, yet narrow building as some other elves stepped out, letting them pass first. “But some have strong memories. They’re just brief glimpses by now, but we’ve kept the stories alive. Enough to remember in spirit.”

  I flicked an ear in an elven nod, then pondered the building we were waiting in front of. “Where are we going, anyway? You have a very pretty settlement here, but I don’t really know how you do things.”

  “Calen visitors are rare,” the guide replied. “And especially those who know more of our history. I was going to take you to a place where you could be refreshed, but one of the Elders is available right now. I think she would like to meet you.”

  Something about that seemed a little off… but then again, I was probably a weird case, considering she’d said Calen rarely came around. Maybe I should have been an Aravel… but Tastka’s body was the only template I had handy. Even slowing down time it would have taken more time than I’d have liked putting together a new one.

  I handed the spear I’d been using as a walking stick to my guide. “Here, I wouldn’t want to come across as dangerous.” The fact that they hadn’t asked for it was nice… it told me they weren’t worried I’d be using it. I thought it might be appreciated to hand it over anyway, and if they looked at me strangely, I could always call it a custom where I came from.

  She didn’t think it strange, as far as I could tell. Her ears lifted, showing vague approval, so I presumed it was the right move to make.

  Whatever business the others had been taking care of in there was over now, and the two of us stepped inside. It was busier than I had expected, with small groups of sisters speaking quietly to one another. I’d expected something religious, perhaps, but this was a long hallway with stone benches at the sides, and a few tables set up. It looked more like a common area or dining room than a church.

  Yet there were signs of the gods here. I’d seen statues outside, but none had been ones that I recognized. Here, at the far end of the hall, I could see the stone wall had three stone figures carved in relief. It was… surprising.

  Not because they depicted people I’d known, but because of who they were.

  Eyssa and Solen stood facing one another, but Kelas was also present, sitting between them with eyes closed. My guide had mentioned they were relatively friendly toward men, despite the origin of their order, but I hadn’t expected this. Kelas was the god of Memory and Knowledge, so in hindsight I should have known they’d have some reverence for him.

  He had softened considerably in his later years. I was glad to see they felt well of him.

  One elf in particular was wearing a blue sleeveless tunic, instead of the cream-colored ones most wore. This must be the elder, and I mentally chided myself for making elf ages hard to guess until they were nearing death. She looked just as youthful as anyone else. I lifted my ears in greeting as she walked toward me, and she glanced at my guide before looking at me again… and then she halted, stiffening sharply.

  | DUCK: Uh oh. ?

  | WRYNA: Uh oh? What do you mean by uh oh?

  The elder met my gaze with her ears tilting downward in distress, and her voice a whisper.

  “What are you?”

  Like a Child