3.33. Kicking the Pyramid II (Patreon)

Author's Note: I rewrote the sequence of events at the very end of chapter 32. To head off any confusion from folks who read the old version, I'm including the new language here, so that they don't have to go back to look for it.

If you're a new reader catching up on chapters, you can skip to down below where it says "Chapter 33--Kicking the Pyramid II."

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“So, you’ll help?”  I asked.

Sheedi smiled—the kind that said she had a winning hand and didn’t care if you knew it or not. “Yes, my dear Eight. I will, and... I know exactly what needs to be done.”

She gestured for us to go out into the corridor, collected the guards waiting out there, and led the way back toward the direction we’d come from. She walked like we were her entourage, taking pride of place at the front, the rest of us trailing after.

World speakers watched her go past—some surprised, some pleased, and some angry. All of them, though, recognized her. And once she’d gone past, a few ran off, like they had important news to deliver.

A part of me worried that by recruiting Sheedi to our cause we’d be inviting trouble. There were clearly unknown political currents at work, but at the same time, our world speaker had the biggest stake in our success. She’d do whatever it took.

Sheedi wasn’t a friend. We didn’t know each other well enough for that—hadn’t had the opportunities to earn each other’s trust—but as I watched her striding ahead of me, I decided that I’d rather bet on her than anyone else I’d seen in the pyramid. She wasn’t quite insuppressible yet, but she was getting there.

“What’s your plan?” I asked, hurrying to catch up. “How are we going to do this?”

Sheedi glanced my way. “Have you ever considered the great many stones at the bottom of a pyramid? That’s the life of most world speakers, and if you don’t want to be one of the bottom stones, you make choices... choices that don’t always lead to where you want them to.”

“Is that what happened to you?” I asked.

“I was once outplayed,” Sheedi said, “and trusted someone I shouldn’t have. I’ve learned better since, and can now recognize who’s reliable and who’s not.”

“You mean Voorhei’s hunters.”

“Some,” she said with a smirk, “more than others.” Then she laughed to see the surprised expression on my face. In my defense, though, I never knew she had it in her to smirk. She’d always seemed to be above it somehow.

Sheedi continued: “I’ve also learned that the best way to win is to make it so that you can’t lose—where every choice your opponent makes ultimately leads to your own victory.”

“That sounds hard to pull off,” I commented.

“There’s an elder among the world speakers named Iseld who is third under the hierophant. She respects talent above all else, and if we can impress her, she should be willing to listen to us. Then, once we have her attention and tell her about Ikfael’s Boon, she’ll agree to almost anything.”

“And that sounds too good to be true,” I said.

“What’s good is that her son possesses remarkable talents in magic, and is yet also remarkably incompetent. He wanted to marry me, yet I refused. He has no sense for qi or mana, and is the worst kind of stump: One blessed with talents locked away by ineptitude. He thought the children produced by our marriage could make up for his uselessness.”

“His mother is the one who sent you to Voorhei,” I said.

“One of them,” Sheedi admitted. “I thought being Fire-Touched would protect me, but it didn’t.”

“You want us to bribe her,” I said.

“Bribe is such an ugly word. We are assuring her cooperation.” Sheedi straightened her shoulders, and turned to look ahead. “I will get what I want, but so will you and the hunters of your lodge. There’s a saying among world speakers: ‘It’s difficult to kick the pyramid.’ What it means is that the base is too stable for anything to change. We must upend the pyramid and kick it to get what we want. Only then will it spin.”

To say that I had reservations about this ‘plan’ of hers was an understatement, but from what I could see, Sheedi genuinely believed what she was saying.

“Okay, I’m in.”

Chapter 33--Kicking the Pyramid II

At the entrance hall, I watched as the sheet of paper under me filled with colors. My whole body tingled as a new spirit map was being created, or “fresh ammunition” as Sheedi had put it.

She admired the finished map once it was done. “You don’t like to sit still, do you? I can’t believe you’re almost dawn. You’ll have to tell me about your achievements, but later—for now we have work to do.”

Sheedi rolled up the spirit map, and poked her head into one of the hall’s side rooms. She said something I didn’t catch, and a couple of people practically launched themselves out the door. They briefly glanced my way before scurrying down the corridor leading back into the pyramid.

“What’d you tell them?”

“Only that I was here to meet with Honored Iseld. Word has already spread that I’m here, and now they know why.” The last was said with a look of satisfaction. “Go ahead. You know what to do.”

“You’re sure this is the best approach?” I asked.

“Very sure,” Sheedi said. Her eyes sparkled, and it was clear to me: She was enjoying herself. Whatever had been holding her down before, she was casting it off now.

So, I gestured for my guards to follow and led them out of the pyramid.

“I don’t like this plan,” Agath said, her brow furrowed.

I was right there with her, but Sheedi was our local expert on anything related to world speakers. If she thought this approach was our best shot, then I’d give it a try.

Yuki was busy helping Tegen refine his qi, but I nudged them. A quick merge and separation later, and they were up-to-date on the plan.

Sheedi isn’t a friend, they said, but we like her.

And I’m confident I can pull off my part, I thought. There were butterflies in my stomach, but I was used to them these days. There was nothing wrong with a little excitement.

“Be bold,” Moon signed.

Agath tsked, and said, “Be safe.”

Have fun storming the castle!

I nodded to the dolbecs, and sent a grin at Yuki.

Good luck to you too, I thought, as their focus shifted back to Tegen.

At the bottom of the path, no one seemed to be paying attention to us, but I tucked in close to the dolbecs to shield myself from view anyway. Then, I handed my spear and bow to Moon and Agath respectively, and cast my Camouflage and Scentless Hunter spells.

It was fortunate the pyramid wasn’t busy yet. I didn’t have any trouble jogging back up toward the entrance. Just as I was getting close, a big family clogged the path, but I only had to step off onto the pyramid’s step to wait for them to pass. Inside, Sheedi stood, an air of care-free confidence about her. If only her fingers didn’t twist among each other or her spirit ripple so much.

Carefully, I crept up next to her, and whispered, “I’m here.”

She gave a quick nod, as if deciding on a course of action, and then walked into the pyramid, with me following behind her.

I noticed that the drums and chanting were louder than before, and the piece being sung was in honor of Barakas the Warrior. It was his blessing that let every being intuitively sense their Status, so that they could test themselves appropriately.

Sheedi snorted and muttered, “How appropriate.”

Down into the pyramid we went, the air subtly vibrating with the pounding of drums in the distance. In the second lobby, we found a group of world speakers gathered together like geese, and their necks stretched to watch Sheedi pass through. A couple of them followed at a distance.

At the third lobby, Sheedi took us through a side door, and the corridor narrowed. There were a couple more turns, and it felt like we were in a maze. Sheedi didn’t slow, though, and moved like she’d been born and raised within these walls.

Eventually, we passed through an invisible boundary; I felt something similar every time I left or entered Ikfael’s Glen.

“Is this a spirit of the land’s territory?” I asked, whispering. “They’ll sense my presence.”

Sheedi surreptitiously shook her head. With her hand hidden against her leg, she signed, “Human magic. No worry. Not see you.”

Still, I got the runes for the Hollow Night ready. The spell was incredibly powerful but came with a major disadvantage: It made you disappear to all senses, but you also lost all sense of the world. Effectively, in casting the spell, you cut yourself off from the universe.

The Hunter’s Lodge included it among the apprentice-level spells as a trump card for losing a dangerous animal’s attention, except its usefulness was so niche, hardly anyone learned it—only nerds like me who bought every spell available.

As we approached the corridor’s end, we heard the murmur of voices. There was some kind of meeting room or hall ahead. Sheedi slowed to a stop to take a deep breath and square her shoulders. The moment drew out long enough for the people who’d been following us to get closer.

I checked with my Status camera, but neither was anything special. Unless being a Toady counted. How was that even considered a talent? Maybe he got bonuses when following other people’s orders?

In front of me, Sheedi finished gathering her courage, and strode forward. I padded down the corridor following her. It was time to spy on a bunch of world speakers.

###

The room was square, about sixty feet by sixty feet, and Honored Iseld sat on a dais at the far end. People crowded the rest of the space, sitting on cushions and facing her. There was a path running down the middle between two sections. It was almost like stepping into a small theater set up for a one-woman show.

There were closed doors on each of the other walls, and a painted, domed ceiling above. The design was gorgeous, with a series of stylized layers at the base and within were various animals crawling, running, or flying. The layers framed a tall, brooding mountain at the painting’s center, and on top was a large serpent looking on impassively.

Air vents were set into the walls, and the sound of chanting was a steady beat in the background. I slid out from behind Sheedi to position myself beside a vent, since it’d cover any noise I might accidentally make. Plus, the room smelled of wet wool and dried sweat, as well as an undercurrent of flowers. Someone wore an unfortunately cloying perfume, and it was easier to breathe next to the vent.

As for Honored Iseld, she was a middle-aged woman with a wide face and long salt-and-pepper hair tied in a knot.  She wore what looked like a long, grape-colored skirt, but more impressive was the jaguar fur draped over her shoulder, a gold clasp in the shape of the animal’s claw holding it in place.

The impression I got from her expression and posture was that she was peeved. Her spirit didn’t give anything away, and when I looked with my Status camera, I saw:

Iseld the Stone-Horned Ox (Human, Dawn)
Talents: Earth-Touched, Skilled for Money, Talents Ascendant

Iseld only had three talents, which was surprising for someone in her position. What she lost in quantity, though, she made up in quality, and the big one was Earth-Touched. I’d already seen from my experiences in Voorhei how the talent could be the basis of a family’s wealth and status.

I’d never seen anything like Skilled for Money or Talents Ascendant before—neither appeared to be common, at least not within my limited scope of experiences—but I had a hunch they were also potent. Otherwise, Iseld wouldn’t be in the position she was in.

Two women sat adjacent to the dais. Their seats faced out at the crowd, making them seem like her assistants or guards. They didn’t look happy to see Sheedi, and one actually stood in anger. A length of stone slid from the floor into her hands, and she used it to block the path to Iseld.

Shocked, I checked with my camera, and both were Earth-Touched. Were they family? No, they didn’t look like each other, although that may not have meant anything. People could trade children.

The crowd’s murmuring quieted as Sheedi walked toward the dais. Halfway to the Earth-Touched guards, she stopped to clap twice. “I am Sheedi, world speaker of Voorhei and bond to the shrine holder of the spirit of the land Ikfael. I come to petition Honored Iseld.”

It took me a second to parse the middle section, but the words implied a relationship between her and me. I mean, she was technically my boss in my role as shrine attendant... which yeah, okay, I can see how that could be a big deal. I just didn’t normally think of it that way, because it only paid an eltaak a week.

About then, my Scentless Hunter ran out, and I decided to let it lapse. The funk in the room was strong enough that I shouldn’t have to worry about anyone smelling me out. And since, I was being still, the expenditure of qi from Camouflage slowed dramatically.

Iseld gestured for her assistant to sit down, and the woman did, placing the stone staff within easy reach beside her. For a while, nothing else happened—just the rustling of clothes and murmur of audience members whispering to each other. The tension in the room steadily increased, but Sheedi stood tall. She held her gaze steady and focused on Iseld. No one else appeared to matter.

The room seemed to sigh when Iseld finally said, “You may approach.”

Sheedi nodded, barely enough to be polite, and did as she was told.

“You’re looking well,” Iseld said. “Life in the countryside must suit you.”

“I’m pleased to report: My assignment to Voorhei has been successful. The humility that Honored Iseld so urgently demanded I learn, the spiritual development of the villagers, and even the most important task given to me—the identification of valuable human resources—all have been achieved.”

Iseld’s voice was dry as she said, “In only four years? Remarkable. We—” She gestured to the assembled world speakers. “—assumed a dozen or two before you met just the first of the requirements.”

“I was blessed,” Sheedi responded, “to meet people and beings who opened my eyes to the wonders of the World Spirit and the beneficence of the gods.”

Ah, there was a word I didn’t know, but the meaning was pretty clear from the context. Also clear was the antagonism between the two speakers. You could start a fire from the sparks between them. In Sheedi’s case, that might even be literally true.

“So,” Iseld said, “what proof do you have of these wonders? This beneficence?”

Sheedi smiled, and with a flourish unrolled the spirit map in her possession. She placed it gently on the dais, so that Iseld could look at it. Members of the audience shifted, angling for a better view.

Iseld looked up after a couple minutes perusal. “Is this the famed Mulallamu? She has the makings of a fine hunter and lodge master. Voorhei will be in good hands. I don’t see, however, how you can claim credit. This hunter was already known to the world speakers.”

“This is another, a resident of Voorhei.” Sheedi smile spread in anticipation. “He is only eight-years old.”

“Impossible! No countryside family has the resources to raise a child to this degree.”

“Oh, there’s more. Note on the map the area above the heart—the one shaped like an otter. That is a spirit of the land’s blessing. This child is the bond I spoke of. He is the shrine holder, and speaks for the spirit Ikfael.”

“Our understanding is that Ikfael is a minor figure. She could not have arranged this.” Iseld pointed to the map.

“The spirit has dramatically grown in power and gained truly astonishing abilities.”

Iseld rubbed her chin in thought, her attention alternating between Sheedi and the map. “We’ve heard that Ikfael is visiting Albei. That's most unusual.”

“It’s the strength of her relationship with her bond.”

“They’re that close?” Iseld asked.

“They are.”

“Will he become her beloved?”

“That I don’t know,” Sheedi said. “We understand too little of the beloved, but I’m observing them carefully. What I learn, I will of course share.”

As Iseld continued to consider the situation, I got myself under control. Her mentioning the beloved had surprised me and caused my heart to jump. They’d been a topic of interest ever since meeting the silver wolves during the summer. Their leader, Moonlight, was the beloved of Leiluminwei, whose avatar was an egret.

Neither Ikfael nor Sheedi had been able to comment on what the beloved were or how they came to be. Ikfael because it was apparently secret, and Sheedi because she didn’t know much. Well, it sounded like she knew a bit more than she’d let on. Maybe not much more, but some.

Iseld offered a non sequitur next: “That was an unusual turn of phrase earlier: human resources. The meaning is clear, but there’s an unexpected weight to it.”

“The words are born from my meditations on the world spirit,” Sheedi replied. “They are part of an insight I’ve gained on the recruitment and development of the people under my care.”

“Interesting,” Iseld commented. “You approach us with open hands—sharing all you hold. This is not the world speaker who I sent into the countryside four years ago.”

“I am not who I was,” Sheedi said, then her smile turned cunning. “I’ll also note that I did not elaborate on the nature of Ikfael’s new powers. Those are perhaps best left to a more private conversation.”

A gesture accompanied her last words, and whatever it was, it caused Iseld’s eyes to sharpen. There was a moment’s hesitation, and then she asked, “You will arrange a meeting for me with this young hunter?”

“Yes,” Sheedi said, the word triumphant.

“Then, you’ve done enough to warrant a private audience. I warn you, though: If you waste my time—” The rest was left unsaid, the threat left in the air.

Whoever Sheedi had been before, the result was that she was still a polarizing figure. There were a handful of people in the audience upset she’d gained even a smidgeon of Iseld’s favor, while others breathed sighs of relief, and some looked on as if they’d seen a wonderful show.

One of Iseld’s assistants called the assemblage to a close, and the audience slowly dribbled out into the corridor, many clearly reluctant to leave. They lingered to catch more of the drama, but the players resolutely stayed silent until everyone left.

Then, the assistants left too, closing the door behind them until it was just Sheedi and Iseld left. Well, and me too by my spot next to the vent.

Iseld sighed, and her posture—while she didn’t exactly slump—some of the tension went out of her. “This better be good. I’m still furious with you and so is my Mura. He’s found a good match, but the shame you brought him lingers.”

Sheedi nodded. “I heard he’d gotten married. Have they had children yet?”

“A baby girl,” Iseld said, her eyes brightening. “Fat like a dumpling and just as delicious.”

“I’m glad,” Sheedi said, and it sounded like she meant it.

Which seemed to sour Iseld’s mood. “So what’s this private business of yours?”

Sheedi cut straight to the chase: “Ikfael can help Mura learn to sense his qi, and maybe his mana too.”

Iseld scrambled to get up. She grabbed Sheedi by the shoulders, while standing heedlessly on the map of my spirit. “What?”

“I’ve just met with Voorhei’s hunters, and they’re in the process of confirming this new ability. There appear to be limitations, but they’re confident enough in it to have made an agreement with Ikfael for its use. An exclusive agreement.”

“The fools—”

“No. Listen: They call it Ikfael’s Boon, and have a plan for how to share it, reserving a small portion for themselves.”

Iseld turned her head, thinking furiously. “That could work, but they’d still need protection.”

“And so, I am here,” Sheedi said.

“What do you want?” Iseld asked. “To come to Albei? That’s easily done, but in exchange, I get access to the boon for my people.”

“Just Mura,” Sheedi said, shaking free. She raised a hand to stop Iseld’s objection. “Wait, let me tell you how they plan to distribute the boon, and then you’ll understand why.”

And so, the tournament was explained. Iseld wasn’t a patient listener, and frequently interrupted with questions about the details—things like who’d be invited and what would be done to honor them, how we’d handle the extraordinary substances people often used to enhance their performances, and the tournament’s timing within the larger festival. We could easily offend some very important people by accidentally scheduling against their events.

The points she raised were good ones, and I made note of them all, including the names of anyone she mentioned. The good news was that Sheedi had tentative answers to some, and Uncle Kila could likely help with the rest. Between the two, and maybe even Iseld if she came on board, we should be okay for navigating the twisting paths of Albei’s social scene.

Iseld took her time to think the proposal through. She put her hands behind her back, and paced the length of the dais. “We’d need to move quickly,” she muttered. “And arrange for a loan to pay their debt.”

“Voorhei’s hunters are pursuing a loan already.”

Iseld grunted in acknowledgment, and the tension in Sheedi’s shoulders eased. I unclenched my fists, and carefully breathed a little easier. If Iseld had thought that far ahead, then odds were she’d agree to back the tournament.

She paused her pacing. “You didn’t answer my question. I understand already what Voorhei’s hunters need from me, but what do you want? To return to Albei?”

“Just your sponsorship of the tournament. Ikfael’s shrine will do the rest.”

Sheedi’s response surprised Iseld. “That’s unlike you.”

“I told you before. I am not who I was.”

“You have tamed your ambitions,” Iseld said.

But Sheedi shook her with smile. “No, they’ve grown.”

Iseld frowned, and said, “The boon that would go to Voorhei’s hunters, I want it for my people on alternating years. I’ll also agree to back the loan to pay their debt.”

“I’ll have to bring this offer to them for a decision,” Sheedi said.

“If they are not fools, they’ll agree. It’s as good an offer as they’ll get anywhere else, and with fewer complications.” Iseld hopped down from the dais and clasped hands with Sheedi. “I haven’t forgiven you for my son's humiliation, but this—if you bring me this—there will be peace between us.”

“I’ll have an answer for you by tomorrow morning.”

“And it will be positive; make it so. In the meantime, I will send my people out to smooth the way.”

Sheedi turned to leave, and missed the long considering gaze at her back. I stayed, quieter than a mouse, and planned to follow Iseld to see what she did next. It was the insurance Sheedi requested of me to make sure we wouldn’t be betrayed.

Except, Iseld didn’t go anywhere. She stayed in the audience hall until well after the door closed behind Sheedi.

“You’re here, yes?”

My heart jumped when I heard Iseld speak. I thought I’d been caught, and hurriedly cast Scentless Hunter—

Then, a woman appeared between Iseld and me. She’d been there this whole time, but I’d somehow failed to recognize her presence. It was like what I did when becoming one with the land, but to a much more potent level.

The woman sat on a cushion and wore everyday garb. Nothing about her stood out, and she looked like any other world speaker I’d seen in the pyramid. I checked her Status:

Silasenei the Grandmaster of the Hunter’s Lodge (Human, Silvered)

Talents: Born Hunter, Knife Friend, Persistent Survivor, Ear for Trouble, Shadow-Touched, The Hidden Piece

Oh, hells, I thought, and my alarm startled Yuki, snapping their attention from within Tegen back to me. Then, we both clamped down hard on our reactions—quickly melding together to sink deeply into the land. We made our gaze mild, and slowed our heart, our breathing, and even the pace of our thoughts.

We became the stale, cloying air; the heaviness of the stones; the vibrations of the drums carrying the prayers of singers toward the heavens. And just in case, we brought the rune for Hollow Night to mind once more.

“I am,” the hunter’s grandmaster said. “But the news I bring has already been shared.”

“Voorhei’s tournament?” Iseld asked, and when Silasenei nodded in response, she probed further: “What does Ithia intend?”

“Nothing for now. She’s made her spite known, and is busy working around the loss of the Wind of the North and his family. Her communications with our counterparts in Ganas and Suguru have been slowed, but not crippled.” Silasenei got up to examine the spirit map still sitting on the dais.

Iseld gestured toward it. “He’s as impressive as you’d said. That whole team is coming along well. Give them a few more years, and they’ll easily stand beside the best, even from as far away as Maltra.”

“Maltra isn’t so far away, as we both well know.”

“That’s a truth told.”

“And my poor hunters of Albei don’t compare?” Silasenei asked, the sides of her mouth lifting.

“They do—we make it so—but their potential is lacking. That’s what I sense from Mulallamu and the rest of her team: potential. They’re all good enough to hit silvered, if they’re willing to chase it.”

“Assuming they survive long enough,” Silasenei said.

“There’s that truth too. Always.” Iseld sighed, and took the spirit map from the grandmaster. “What does Knight Ithia bid of me?”

“Do as your talents urge you to. They are in line with her intentions.”

“She’s not upset that Voorhei’s hunters resist her punishment, that they’ve escaped her poaching them?”

“Oh, she is, but our land knight is practical above all else. She’s occupied fighting off Maltra’s encroachment along the coast, but she understands the potential this tournament holds for her people. We are blessed to have her, truly.”

“A certain lodge surely doesn’t think so.”

“They made a mistake and must suffer its consequences. Voorhei’s hunters must sharpen their spears to survive. They will either grow stronger or break.” Silasenei scanned the room, her eyes sliding past us. She cocked her head, and listened. “How fares Xefwen?”

Iseld expression turned complicated. “The hierophant’s obsession with Old Bateiyel continues. His eyes see nothing but the ruins and the treasures they hold. He is a proud man, and refuses to be—” She cleared her throat. “—Ithia’s dog. Those were the words he used.”

“As long as he doesn’t oppose us, then we’ll manage.”

“It is as you say.” Iseld adjusted her cape, and prepared as if to leave. “What about the healers?”

By silent agreement, Silasenei joined her, and walked toward the door leading to the corridor. “Once again, Voorhei’s hunters will need to sharpen their spears or break. How else will they find their Path to Perfection?”

“How else indeed.”

At the door, Silasenei glanced in our direction, but her gaze didn’t seem to catch our presence. We were the wall and the vent and the lingering scent of honeyed flowers. The grandmaster blinked, then tilted her head. Halfway through her step, she seemed to slow, and then her foot touched ground and she kept walking, opening the door for Iseld as any world speaker might.

Had she sensed us? We didn’t think so, but enough doubt remained that we were unsure.