Between a Rock and a Carapace

90. Meeting of the Minds

I don’t get much time between gruelling bouts of training my elemental Skills, but the time I do get, I spend playing with my new pet, the mini-demon. He’s awkward, unable to fly on his stunted wings, and frequently tumbles over when walking about on his weak arms. Every time he falls, his big green eyeball wells up with moisture, and I have to soothe him for a while before he calms down enough to get back up.

I don’t remember Tiny or Crinis being this fragile.

Long dormant, my Pet Growth Speed Skill finally has a chance to Level up! This Skill will reduce the time it takes for the little guy to grow into his full, combat-ready form. I’d kind of hoped it would reduce the amount of Biomass he’d need to grow, making the whole process a bit cheaper, but it just seems to increase the speed he goes through food. He’s always hungry and the more he eats, the faster he grows.

Not that he’s going to get that large. Not visibly, at least. He’s probably expanding a great deal inside his little pocket dimension.

Eventually, my brains burn out and I have to beg Torrina to leave me be so I can go into some sweet, sweet torpor.

I need to rest! I’m completely drained!

The second she’s gone, I make myself comfortable and sink into blessed inactivity, my body going completely still. Sweet release! A relaxing sensation washes over me and my minds grow still, oblivion taking over.

SHABAM!

I’m back, baby! For whatever reason, there’s no slow recovery from torpor! I was never much of a morning person. I can remember many mornings riddled with low energy, but ever since my rebirth, I’m just full of beans after waking up! I’m ready! I’m ready to take on the world! I flex my legs and bounce around my cell as if I were shadowboxing, when I realise Torrina is in the room and watching me.

[You seem full of energy,] she says, sounding amused. [Ready for more training, then?]

Dammit!

This rock-woman has no mercy… Sigh… may as well get into it.

After another four hours of relentless training, with only a brief pause to eat and feed my new pet, the monotony was broken by Granin’s return. He orders Torrina to leave, and though I can’t cry, I swear real tears nearly fall when I hear his gruff voice. Getting Levels and improving my Skills is important, of course, I know that, but the training these Shapers are putting me through is truly brutal.

Compress the Mana, shape the Mana, cast the spell, tear apart my spell, start again. Over and over. Not only is it repetitive, it’s also really hard! Not to mention, I have to do this in two entirely separate elements, casting two different spells at the same time! Every one of my minds has been pushed to the limit and a painful headache multiplied by four assaults me when I stop. It’s effective training, but good grief, is it rough.

[Granin, I honestly never thought I’d be so grateful to see you.]

The big golgari Shaper looks surprised.

[What’s the matter? I never thought I’d hear such words from you. Ah, Torrina has been training you? Hehe. You have my sympathy.]

He looks at me with barely concealed happiness, as if he’s drawing great comfort from my suffering.

[She’s always like this? I thought she was only pushing me so hard because of the short timeframe!]

[Oh no, she’s crazy. You must understand that she came from low social status, like me, but was able to raise herself high through her unparalleled work ethic. She’s a well-regarded prospect amongst her peers.]

[Hold on a second. I thought you were considered to be a problematic no-hoper. How’d this bright young star end up in your Triad?] I ask pointedly.

[Well, that’s all down to social standing and politics. Enough about that.] He waves away the matter of Torrina whilst fixing me with a glare. [Through hard work and bending a few fingers, I’ve secured a meeting for you with the other reincarnators. It wasn’t easy, but I even ensured you wouldn’t be listened in on. As far as I’m aware, this is the first time that three of you have met together in the history of the golgari empire.]

[You mean, like anywhere?]

[It may have happened somewhere on Pangera, but we certainly don’t know about it. I figured this would be a good chance for you to try and make some allies. James, and more specifically, Sarah, have been here a long time. There are many Shapers who are sympathetic to them. If you can get them to put in a good word for you, it’ll have some weight around the outpost.]

Interesting! I have heard that normally, there aren’t nearly so many of us spawning into the Dungeon so close together. If there was ever going to be a time when a group of us former Earthlings were going to meet up, it was now.

A short time later, my escorts arrive and we set off on the short journey from my cell to the combat area. Nice to be making this trip secure in the knowledge that I don’t have to annihilate anything whilst risking my own annihilation when I reach the end.

After being led into the open, circular arena, I’m pleasantly surprised to see Jim and Sarah have already arrived. The giant worm is sitting in a large, coiled loop, his blind head pointing this way and that. Sarah, the immense bear monster, is sat on her hind legs, huffing with laughter. It takes me a few moments to connect up to the others with a Mind Bridge so I can join the conversation.

[What’s so funny?] I ask as I skitter up to join them.

[Ah, Anthony! Nice to see you!] Sarah sounds genuinely glad to see that I’ve survived the tournament so far. [Jim is just prattling on, as he tends to do.]

[It’s not about worms, is it?] I needle him.

[It should have been!] Jim declares proudly. [Despite being the Cult of the Worm, there’s hardly enough emphasis given to all things worm around here. Nobody seems to appreciate this noblest of all species!]

Sarah huffs out another laugh.

[The Cult doesn’t worship worms! They worship Yarrum, there’s a difference.]

Jim curls up and flicks his tail with contempt.

[What would Yarrum be without his mighty worminess?]

[An Ancient,] Sarah and I chime in together.

[Bah! Yet more unbelievers in the way of worm! Don’t worry, I’m used to it.]

Jim appears insulted by our unwillingness to fully buy into his worm enthusiasm, but I’m not certain how much of his petulance is real or performance. I can’t help but feel there’s more to Jim than meets the eye. He can’t be this upfront, can he?

[So, Anthony, how’ve you been?] Sarah is definitely sounding a touch anxious.

[Me? Competing in a tournament of death, filled with anxiety and struggle. Same as usual! Why?]

The giant bear deflates. I can tell she still feels bad about me having to risk my life on the command of the Shapers. Clearly, her loyalty to this mad cult is still strong, yet she disagrees with their actions here. Perhaps there’s a little hope for her.

[I’ve asked so many times, but they don’t want to stop the tournament. It’s not right!] Sarah says, despondent.

[Why would they listen to you?] Jim interjects. [We’re not equals in their eyes, we’re experiments. Means to an end. They don’t care that we were once people.]

[That’s not true!] Sarah protests.

[Sorry, Sarah, I have to agree with Jim,] I chime in. [My experience is a little bit more extreme than yours, but do you think if they found you when they found me, you’d be treated any differently? I don’t think so.]

I can tell Sarah wants to argue, but there isn’t much ammunition for her to use. I think I ought to take a little risk with these two. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, after all.

[Look. I don’t want to say too much, but there’s a slight chance I’ll break out of here before the end of the tournament. Any chance you’d want to come with?]