Chapter 36 Izuka
I wake up in my bed, along with a dogpile of women. After my vision comes back into focus, I extricate myself from there and make a huge breakfast!
I'm pretty sure I've been asleep for days. Amy has not made a sound since I woke up. I assume she is still mending. Still, my thought process is better, and less burdened. I don't call out to her, as I want her to be well rested.
The smell of breakfast cooking wakes up the bunch, and even Ammit enjoys our morning without mentioning a thing about last night, or that day...
Then, once we were done, Tenka started the inquisition. It was fun answering all the rubbish worries they had, especially the ones about having more women in the time I was gone. Luckily, I didn't find any new girls, because Ammit is a child and the truth comes out of her mouth. Given the relationship between the family and Ammit... my secret garden is dead and dry :'(
Then the inquisition moved to the center of the village, which makes me feel very naked, for some reason.
All 230 women are there, ogling me from young to old. I even get slightly molested in public (for what that means here...)
- 3rd Person P.O.V. -
Temate: The subject of this gathering is the mate they discussed before.
She points at Sam with a stick, like the strict teacher she is, only missing the glasses...
(Hey!? Is that the stick Tenka whipped Pachy with?... Pfffahahaha!...)
Temate: Any of you want to challenge him to a battle?
Of course they don't. They were badly defeated by some of the weakest women in the End tribe, since Babaku could not help herself and challenged all of them, then lost to all of them...
Babaku: "I will challenge him!"
Cough...
Still, the strongest of the Toothi wanted to test Sam, so he entertains everybody. He kept only a loincloth, like hers, except she kept top and her spear, and Sam allowed it. It added to his charm, it seems, even if he is ridiculously smaller than her. The heat generated around him augmented the ambient temperature by a few degrees.
Amy wakes up from the stimulation, and she seems fine.
Twenty times the normal human sex appeal (on his status) is destructive to normal people. Temate and Mily are squirming in discomfort with their enhanced senses, that cry for the hunt! Surprising that Temate is the biggest closet pervert.
With no surprise, he beats her lightly. Then he proceeds to awaken a leader and five generals per tribe. The rest is up to them. He wants them to make different bloodlines and diversify...
With Amy's help now, this is easy. He keeps his soul separated from most. Only the best specimens of the tribes become part of the inner circle, if he deems them worthy. They also have to submit their entire lives to him. Only then can a bond like Barabas, Red, Gary, and Tenka be formed, newly Salaba and Izuka.
Berth is also included, but a bit different. He has an idle soul, almost sleeping, like a newborn soul on the human plane. Pig, horse, dolphin, and monkey are the closest to the human stage. of soul evolution. Berth is like an embryo... no, a child even, but slightly retarded child, chuckle.
He could probably turn this into a curse if he was crazy. In the wrong hands, they could imprint anybody who is weaker or vulnerable to them by force and torture. Though it could prove very useful later against enemies, or perhaps as capture targets for his women's villages... Scratch that; they come to him because of the genes or bloodline. Why would they want a lower-powered person unless it was a gift slave to them? Chuckle.
Which now brings us to the decision that the women took. They will all share Sam! He is like a piece of meat, which is usually the woman's problem. Well, a very well-respected piece of meat, hehehe. If being looked at like a piece of meat is a curse, he could get used to this one.
Then came the "Second Battle," which he won... I mean, Tenka and Sal could go on for a while, but everybody else is down, exhausted, and content. He brings his two most loyal home to finish the perfect day. Even after a hundred times, the lust was too much for him, seeing them all satisfied in a painting-worthy display...
...
The following day, Sam assembles the lot again. This time, it is to assign them tasks.
From the Toothi, Babaku, 25, the leader, shares a soul bond with Sam. She, along with Makali, 12, Aboul, 23, Cerci, 32, Baki, 27, and Ajeme, 21, are to hunt and capture rare stuff with Salaba and Temate whenever she is free. Two "civilian" Toothi are assigned to the forge and construction teams each: Seme, 60, Kakoki, 45, Abiki, 40, and Deko, 37.
The Grass tribe has more people, so one more general was awakened. They are: Presil, 31, the leader; Pedoncul, 23; Petal, 22; Pecan, 24; Piedlong, 19; Polip, 15; and Pistil, 18. In any case, the awakening did not show a lot of increase in power yet, so they have to train day and night, hehehe. Their civilians contribute to farming, forging, and labors of all kinds, with some manning the desks in the library, labor office, or "Guilds."
The Bug tribe is interesting to work with, if you have the stomach for it. Sam just loves them, though there is no need to say why. Their cuisine is something else. He loves the bugs as snacks, but that is it. No Worm Spaghetti... However, they still make the first candy he ate in this world!! Honey and nectar are their specialty, after all. This elaborated a new palette of tastes in the village, mostly treats and munchies. Grasshoppers are popular, grilled and seasoned. I could not help inventing the chips, although different; I found a vegetable and bred it until it looked like a potato.
Now, with the sugar problem solved, he gave them "special" rights to do whatever they want, following some ground rules, of course. As long as they don't "Bug" anyone, or damage others' belongings or crops, and don't destroy Mother Nature without Elnora's approval. They also have to worship the Pit Elnora gave us and inject their power into it before going to sleep. Of course, nothing has come out yet; they just worship an earth bump, but the training is perfect for everybody, not just the Bugs. I awakened Anni, Eplis, Winda, Stemko, Serciko, and Ethil.
The Leeches are the type to find something to do. None of them are naturally warrior material, so he picked the most trustworthy ones in a guess and sent them to train with Tenka. They are: Crev, 23; Tuilo, 24; Lin, 32; Molis, 16; Lupri, 15; and Swiel, 18.
The Cliffs got some decent scouts that could switch to warriors. They only need a decent fighting style. The warriors are: Ovi, 41; Tesali, 35; Guellet, 22; Suifi, 31; Perfi, 20; and Lenal, 17. I sent them to find bird beast eggs (if they can, since bird beasts are mount-sized birds) and food. We all love eggs, no matter the size!
Before they all jump at him again, he tells them that he can't give them any children until the Pit (Elnora's clone) germinates and reaches at least a foot high. That is when Elnora will gain a strong domain in this region, able to wield nature more freely and help Sam beat Beno's group's influence. It will probably become her strongest domain, since Sam is there...
Now that he thinks about it, the village holds knowledge on all aspects of "green nature." By green, I mean from outside the earth and water (or volcanoes...). It is connected to air, sun, and earth nature. This also includes bugs, mushrooms, and animals.
Dryads are a form of Nymph, and Nymphs are the spirits of nature, while dryads a tree spirits, forming in a singular tree at first, but mother is the whole forest by now... This forest is filled with nymphs, but they remain unsceen in this plane. Sam spent a long time in this perfect environment, cradled in spirit energy from this place. This is Neutral, or "natureless," soul energy. One does not necessarily become attuned with trees because of it. Many plagues and monsters are born in the forest. Luckily, Sam was a weird human that fit well into a virgin new world (in his eyes).
Spirits are a form of "newborn" soul. They come to life by the will and energy of living beings. Like a sword and its master that passed a century fighting together; the sword can become sentient. This is a spirit. They don't have access to the reincarnation cycle, as if they die, the soul is dispersed back to the environment (at least in most cases). In the case of said sword, it would explode and cut everything in the radius of its SPI numbers. A fire spirit should burn everything, an air spirit cause a typhoon, and so on... So killing them is a no-no! (Maybe eating them?)
--Sam P.O.V.--
After the big "battle" and some rest, it is time for me to go find Arianna's toy.
I cannot bring anybody, them being women. This will be super tough, but bringing a sheep into the wolf's den is worse. I only bring Gary and leave Barabas to counsel Tenka when she needs it.
She is still in charge of teaching the warriors, everybody that wants to learn, and the youth. So, her task is a big one. She is a good candidate for this, especially with her life story...
Red cannot come. It would be a big help, but to blend in, that is another story. I feel better having him around here; he is tough now.
My language skills should be enough to find my way to a place, where I can learn more about humanity.
Leaving this time is tough, but even if I stay, what is the point? I cannot grow that way. I tell them that they should grow stronger and give all the power they can to the Pit in the village, so the tree can grow fast. It takes a tremendous amount of energy to grow, being an eons-old being's clone. :p
Even if I can grow stronger here, what I need is real combat, eating a few assholes like Barabas did to gain abilities. ("HEY!") My body is my weak point, and sparring is not going to cut it. Salaba's beating is not enough to hurt me, and she is the strongest. I used monsters to crack my bones before...
Also, I need to see the world. This is the most important part. Not being blind anymore.
Before I left, I also upgraded my travel pack. I put all the cloth-making artisans together and designed a battle outfit, a kind of "tuxedo" for the city, an ornamented and tough cape, incrusted with metal and gems we found, and an exquisite robe, since I do not know what they wear in this world. This should help pass through any checkpoints...
Of course, I made my training weights for the next two years, just in case and picked a pile of metal for me to use later, by swallowing them up. I notice I don't gain weight from that, making my stomach a subspace and seat of my spacial energy. The temporal energy should be linked to the soul temple and third eye. Poetic, space for the physical and time for the spiritual.
I can last for a month without food and just trap something to eat; even eating anything, in fact, so this is not a problem. I can also store a bubble of water in the corner of my stomach space. It gets slowly absorbed by me over time.
Thinking about this, I realize that I can create metal containers in there. I need to spit it out to put the stuff in, then suck it back in. It gets placed orderly in the corner, out of Ammit's mess of "Trash" (organic minerals that I didn't use, and shells, scales, skins, teeth, and such).
Curious, I spit a pile out. They all look like bones, skins, and hairs, but once I touch them, they become greyish powder. It is actually minerals from the dissolved bodies that concentrate in the toughest parts; until I eat them, it is all that remains behind.
I throw some at a patch of Poluo Berries. They are big, round, comestible but bitter black berries. Like small, black, bitter tomatoes. The amount of sugar I would need to use them is too much, so I don't eat them. Nobody does anymore, either.
Back to the topic. It is currently a misty morning on the plateau. I hope nobody is up as I discreetly leave. Things should go smoothly here.
With a bit of sorrow in my heart, I disappear into the mist as it crawls down the mountains. The sun begins to shine on my home while I am in the dark morning dew, slipping away to protect it.
Once I am down the mountains, the leaves around me rustle.
"Hi, Mom!"
Swish!
Elnora: "Hello, my son. Going for your mission?... Sigh..."
"Yes! What is wrong?"
Elnora: "You are not going like this, and the girl over there isn't either, until you learn how to conceal your powers."
I turn around to see Izuka and her crow coming out of the woods.
"Tsk, I never thought you, of all people, would be the one to follow me. Mily would have been expected, but you? Why?"
Izuka: "I am bored. I already learned all that Tenka can teach me for now, and with all the students there now..."
"Sigh... Well, I cannot blame you, cause you are a genius. You also seem prepared. But! Are you sure you want to come?"
She nods. I produce a hand clipper.
"Cause if you come, I cut your hair and you wear a bandana, like Tenka. I am not dealing with these problems. Also, remember to say you need to poop. Never say you need to pee."
"Gulp!"
Izuka: "Fine, cut my hair."
To be fair, I have to cut my own. It is the first time in five years. I feel sad, damn it. In the end, Izuka and I both dry the corners of our eyes and put on a determined look.
At least now I look more manly. Izuka... well, I already know she is a girl, so I don't know. I won't cause her to look like a man permanently either... I only left an inch on the top and cut almost to the skin on the sides.
"Bah, it is fine... Your cape will do the job. By the way, did you make these clothes yourself? Of course you did..."
She winks at me.
(Really smart.)
"Well Mom, if you can teach us how to conceal ourselves, I would appreciate it."
Elnora: "Simple. Just imagine a film of water, or slug mucus, under your skin. Then, make sure the power flows alongside the interior of this film. It also needs to cover the nine openings, or seven apparatuses, on your body. You need to keep it active at all times to not let others discover you. Sam, in your case, you need to do the same with all the powers you currently manipulate. When you broke through, the natural energies around you got disturbed. The goal is to be able to navigate in it without any ripples. It will cover your presence and make you look like a normal human. High-level beings will be able to see your true nature though, so be prepared."
Izuka gets it in a mere hour. And! I suck at it. Amy cannot help either, as it demands too much processing power. It is more of an instinctual thing, and my Mindscape is currently filled with "Trash" and is impossible to completely conceal. The only thing that is nice is that I can conceal my Physical and Soul energy easily. Only very little of Amy's processing is used in an automatic program. It would take a huge shock to the brain to fluctuate my soul power, while the physical energy would remain in my body, even after my death...
Elnora: "This is fine. Just stay away from people stronger than you, and you should be fine. I can only feel a bit of the laws being disturbed without knowing which ones. You should pass as a 'special case,' and like this, the ladies should not cause a ruckus because of you and your appeal. They will still find you attractive though, so be careful."
"Thanks. Let's go! If we stay here, the girls might find us. Ho! Remember to talk as if you are a man, right!?"
Izuka: "Grunt... Sure."
"Nice!"