Born a Monster

So, we entered the enemy camp. Whatever our cultures shared, the Daurians apparently did not practice “forgive and forget”. But... given how forgiving the Celestial Emperor was, maybe that was a religious thing for them.

In any case, I needed to... do something before I could defy Kumanchu. I couldn’t remember what it was, but I recall it was important.

Oh well, if it was important... but it WAS.

Okay, so it was something meddling with my mind, like a curse, and protecting itself from detection, also like a curse. It may have been manipulating my memory.

Okay, but I’d remember if I were CURSED, right? Surely, I thought, I would. So what WAS it?

There was a comforting magic around the back of my head, at least. It was...

Okay, it was interfering with my throat chakra, which was just weird.

Hrm.

.....

“Keep up, cart slave.” Kumanchu said.

And without needing me to tell them, my feet just picked up the pace. What a great magic I had on me! Now, if only I could get it to respond to my commands instead of his...

But no, that wasn’t important right now. I was under some manner of attack that affected my psyche, but wasn’t itself psionic.

And it wasn’t arcane or divine, because both of those would be curses. I’d know if I were cursed. In fact, I could prove I wasn’t.

And yet, as soon as I recalled the incantation for Drown Curse, I realized I couldn’t recite it. It was like my Truthspeaker Oath had just locked down on my throat and silenced me. Nah, what could get past my new magic to do that?

Actually, where HAD I gotten that magic? It was like whatever was affecting my memory must have been terrified of it, afraid I would access it. IT MUST BE WEAK TO MY NEW MAGIC!

Where had I actually gotten something useful like that? It seems I would remember that...

“Ah-ah! Slow down, I’ll take some of that wine.” One of the soldiers said.

“Sure thing.” I said, slowing down.

He was knocked over by a yellowish-brown dog with a beard and a lion-like mane.

“THAT.”

“IS.”

“MINE.” Kumanchu told the soldier.

To me, he said, “I thought I told you to protect the wine with your life.”

“Oh, was that supposed to be an ongoing order?”

“It was. Defend that wine with your life, until I tell you otherwise.”

“Okay.”

Then, just to test whether I was serious, he moved forward as if to take a pitcher off the cart.

So, I slugged him with my left hand while pulling a short spear from my inventory with my right.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

“He’s defending the wine with his life, like you just told him.” Huang Lan said.

I nodded vigorously.

“WELL, STOP.”

“Sure thing.” I said, sorry that I wouldn’t be thrusting the spear at his throat. I mean, it wouldn’t hurt him, and what better way to let him know I was taking my duty seriously?

But I couldn’t do that... because first I needed to do something...

He actually drank a pitcher and a gourd, before shaking himself as though from a light rain.

“AH, THAT IS GOOD STUFF.”

“Can we move onward?” Huang Lan asked. “Watching you makes me thirsty. And hungry.”

I smacked my lips. “I’m hungry also. I could eat.”

“No. Eat later. I need you hauling the cart for now.”

There was a reason I didn’t want to haul the cart just now...

Oh, right. The people of this army wanted to cut my head off! How silly of me, you think that would be the kind of thing I’d remember and fight against. But hey, I had a cart to pull, so I did.

The camp was incredibly well ordered, and we made for a large blue tent, decorated with purple stripes.

We passed a group of green-clad Cult of the Octopus members. I had no problems remembering they wanted me dead. But they made no move to attack, for whatever reason.

Meh, whatever. If it was important, I’m sure I’d remember.

Ah, right. Lord Zaodong Hwang. The leader of this rebellion. I wanted him dead, because he’d wrecked my ship, and probably killed my crew, and because... because something that I couldn’t remember.

But I knew I wanted him and Kumanchu dead.

What?

No, clearly Kumanchu was awesome, like all fu dogs were. I must have misremembered. I mean, how evil would I have to be, to intend harm to such a benevolent guardian?

“Your feet look cold. Be sure to step in that oxen turd there.” He said.

I’m sure he just forgot that I had boots on my feet, but sure, I could step in one smelly oxen turd for him. I mean, why wouldn’t I? He was such a great guy.

“You wait outside.” Huang Lan said.

I parked the cart and almost went with them.

“What are you doing? Guard the wine.” Kumanchu ordered.

Of course. Who would defend the wine with their life, if not me? Good, loyal, me. Who left my friends and my duty behind to do whatever Kumanchu asked...

Hey, that didn’t sound like me. That sounded like I was charmed, or cursed. Hey, I had senses to tell me things like that! I even recall using them... and...

Why couldn’t I remember what they revealed to me?

Inside the tent, someone was yelling at Huang Lan, telling him they were going to behead him. Oh, good. I hoped they did, because he had brought Kumanchu to the battlefield. And even after I freed him, he...

Huh. HAD Kumanchu done something to me? It seemed that he had, but it was something I couldn’t remember.

Maybe it was that traumatic? Oh, well, if it were... no, it WAS important. It was important, and I couldn’t remember.

My vision went white, and sounds vanished, and suddenly I couldn’t smell anything.

Oh! This was like a meditative chi trance... except that my new magic was blocking my fifth chakra, and ... no, surely I’d remember if I’d unlocked a Chi-using class. Oh, no, I hadn’t.

So where HAD this magic come from? How had I made it?

And more importantly, how the hell did I get my senses back, to guard the rice wine?

Something in the back of my head popped. Or snapped. Or maybe something bit me? Anyway, it was a sensation that wasn’t normal or natural. But hey, whatever it was it brought my senses back, just like magic.

I felt dizzy for a while, and leaned on the cart for support. It was almost like I was dehydrated...

[Physical conditions: Hungry, Lack of Sleep, Thirsty.]

Oh! I was [Thirsty]. I should probably drink something.

I reached out a hand, and the magic stopped me partway. Of course it did, helpful magic! How could I protect the wine, if I were to drink it? I mean, the poison was mild enough, I probably COULD drink it.

And it wasn’t as if it wouldn’t satisfy my thirst.

But for important reasons I just could not remember, I needed to guard the wine. Oh, that’s right. Kumanchu had told me to guard the wine.

He’d become so important to me in just those few days. He really was that awesome. He was the best, and I just wanted to kill him.

No. Wait, what? Where had THAT thought come from?

In fact, hadn’t Kumanchu ordered me to STOP thinking about... about...

Oh, well if someone as good and righteous as Kumanchu had ordered it, I’m sure that there was a proper reason for it. Why should I worry about things that concerned me? I mean that didn’t concern me?

I pulled a sword from my inventory. “Even look like you’re touching this wine, and you’ll die, soldier. Move along.”

“Hah! As if! I am the mighty Tien Long,” he said, brandishing his mace at me like I should care about who he was. “I was just going to take two of these beverage containers, but I can see that I’ll need those to wash the taste of beating you down out of my mouth. Or...”

His mouth curled cruelly, like his mustache. “Or you can reach into the cart, and give me FOUR of them.”

I pulled one of the pile of shields from my inventory, and strapped it to my arm.

“What are you doing?” he asked, “I am a champion of the repatriation army! How DARE you defy me!”

“I am ordered by the mighty fu dog Kumanchu to guard this wine...”

My Truthspeaker Oath clamped down on the last words. Hadn’t he ordered me to protect this wine with my life? Oh, I guess he hadn’t. But very clearly, I needed to guard it.

.....

“Kumanchu is a he-bitch, and scruffy and rude besides. His authority is as nothing here. Stand aside, or I shall finish you with a single blow of this mace.”

“I think it shall take more than one blow.” I said.

He strapped on his own shield, took his stance, and approached cautiously. “Then perhaps I will need more than two of those containers.”