Chapter 19

That's a Good Question

Sai had woken up after just a few short hours later feeling far different. His head felt odd. “You're awake,” a familiar voice in his head returned.

“Grandma? What happened?” Sai asked. The magic his grandmother used was one which Sai was not familiar with, it didn't reflect any of the elements he knew about and didn't make sense with any of the elements he only heard of.

“This is something you will learn much about in this world, I would be considered a novice in this. This thing you feel is called spirit power. It is gained in two ways. The first is at birth. You can be born with it, this way is generally stronger because of the amount of time you have to become familiar with it. The second way is by absorbing the souls of others. This is generally worse because you need a magical item to do this and most people with spirit power are able to detect such an item and flee before you get to them.

“You, my child, you a are lucky though. The power I gave you was not taken by force, so you have all of my years of experience added to your ingenuity. This is also a benefit since you are only four. Many people who gain this power do so when they are already decades old. They don't get the experience of the soul usually either since they are forcefully yanking a soul from its body. This makes the memory of the soul stay behind with the body. Only when the person willingly gives their soul to another would they receive that soul’s memories.” Sai’s grandmother explained from the depths of his mind.

Sai had just woken up, so he needed her to explain what had happened two more times before he was satisfied that he wasn't going crazy. Sai had indeed gained a very precious gift. It was nearly eighty more years of experience. Sai’s grandmother had practical experience, while Sai himself had multitudes of theoretical experience.

Sai got up slowly. Having space in his head occupied by someone else was a very unique feeling. Sai was determined to use this to his benefit though.

“He's up, Lavits, he's up!” Lilith exclaimed loudly, despite Lavits being in the room. Lavits did not get excited, he sat still until Sai was completely awake. A few minutes passed by when Sai had finally looked around his father sternly stated at him.

“Son, what happened to my mother?”

“She is still here,” Sai answered his father while pointing at his head.

“What?”

“She is now in my mind, grandma can live again through me,” Sai was trying to comfort his father, he knew personally how much it hurt to lose a parent, he would never let his father feel that pain to watch his mother, Sai’s grandmother, die. Instead he made sure that his father knew about his mother’s continuation in Sai’s mind.

“So, my mom, your grandma is a part of you now?”

“Yes. She merged her spirit with me and now resides in my mind.” Sai explained as thoroughly as he could despite barely understanding himself.

“That's great,” Lavits exclaimed. “She had always wanted to see the world, now you can show her, Son get strong, really strong and see the world.”

“I will dad,” Sai was excited. He began to make plans to go out in five days, but he now wished he could push it forward to right then. “I'm going to get ready!” Sai ran towards the room he had built for himself and began to grab his weapons.

Sai grabbed a second set of clothes and a spare bag. He made a backpack with two pockets out of hide. One was for clothing and his knives. The other was for his weapons. He decided that if he really wanted to bring something back with him, he could use earth magic.

Sai was prepared to leave by that night, but instead, he was speaking with his grandmother. While his parents went out for the rest of the day to spar. “Grandma Black can you explain how to use spirit power to me?”

“I would say the best way to explain spirit power would be it's name. What do you think it means?”

“Spirit I guess would be your will,” Sai guessed. He had rules out the spirit you have when you are cheering on a sport team and he also ruled out the Swinton that could also be called ‘ghost power’.

“Kind of. Your spirit would best be described as consciousness in the sense of this power.” Grandma Black explained.

“That made it even worse. How does consciousness have power? What would that power even be able to do besides invade privacy?” Sai questioned.

“Invade privacy?” What do you think I do, listen specifically for random secrets? Do you believe I care about who slept with who or who borrowed money from who?” Grandma Black questioned, she was irritated at Sai for this poor generalization. “Imagine being capable of searching for anyone who is out to harm you before they can do it. Being able to protect people who need protecting and being able to punish people who deserve punishment. This spirit power gives you the ability to govern a nation.”

“That seems extremely invasive though,” Sai said. “On my old planet, we had a philosopher who claimed that you should have inalienable rights, what right do I have to alienate other people?”

“If you would rather not use it against others, that is your prerogative, but this planet has no rules like that, so no matter what, you are not only allowed to do such a thing, but even many times required to.” Grandma Black was very adamant about using spirit power for one's own benefit, Sai could not bring himself to violate his old laws though without cause. He would be no better than a spy.

Sai decided that he would only use this ability if danger was imminent. “How do you plan to protect your family if you don't use all of your ability? Damn those rules of yours.”

“Sometimes Grandma, RIGHTS,” Sai corrected, “rights are more important than safety. As another philosopher claimed in my time, those who sacrifice liberties for safety deserve neither.” Sai intentionally misquoted Benjamin Franklin.

“I'm in your head and I know that isn't what that quote meant. The fact is, if you do not use this power, your family can be in danger from potential enemies, and you will be wasting my gift.” Sai found it very hard to argue with his grandmother’s logic.

“If you assume that every person is going to harm you then you can never make friends, only potential enemies. If one doesn't consent then you shouldn't invade their privacy.” Sai wanted more than anything to explain why it was wrong to do this, to use this power.

“Hmm, I just heard something, a whisper. This tacit consent, it means that if someone is on your property or invitees you into their home knowing that you can use this power, you can use it because they are consenting.” Grandma Black was extremely astute and far smarter than Sai have her credit for.

“You make a good point, Grandma Black.” I will let people know that I can use this power then.” Sai curled hours lips up.

“Damn you boy, fine, don't use it, use it. It's your life that you are gambling.” Grandma black went silent afterward, Sai knew that she was angry but he didn't care. The first thing he would do when he became powerful enough is establish a social contact that would protect the innocent and weak. The issue though was in order to establish this, he needed to have absolute power over the people, then give it to the people. Sai never had any desire for power, but he was determined to make this place more like his home.

Suddenly everything stopped, Sai felt odd. He knew that he was pulled to Orza’s garden again. “Boy! You will do no such thing in my world. If you become a king, I will not allow it, if you become a god I will fight you because of it. Orzaworld will remain as it is. Do not make me regret leaving you dead.”

“Why are you so opposed to this?”

“This world is meant for creating heroes and villains that are powerful and prong them under my control. If you get rid of that then this world will have no use and I will destroy it and start again on a different world.”

Sai had never thought of this, so he did not fight it nor argue. He wouldn't get anywhere if he did. It seemed that he would have to follow the rule of fight to survive, kill to eat, become strong to live easily. “Good boy, listen to your elder, use this new power of yours, you will need it.” Orza said while conveniently pushing Sai back to his home.

He did as he was told and began to use the power of his spirit. He spread it out as far as he could, he could reach nearly one hundred steps past his house with his spirit. “Was that the one who killed your last family?” Grandma Black asked tentatively.

“Yes. He is a god and he rules over this world and apparently he can even affect Earth.”

“He must be very powerful. He can move someone from one point on this planet to a point that doesn't seem to be a part of this planet in a blink. You should avoid offending him.” Grandma Black had lost all of her anger towards her stubborn grandson, and instead revealed fear towards the betting that haunted his nightmares.

“Huh,” Sai felt a weird pressure at the end of his spirit range.

“That is just your mother,” Grandma Black assured. Sai could hear her thoughts and could feel a specific aura that his mother gave off, an aura of kindling fire, kind and warm.

Suddenly Sai felt a second pressure enter the range. This pressure was not a pressure that Sai would assume his father would give off. The thoughts weren't thoughts Sai would think his father would have. “Grandma Black, who is that?”

Sai’s grandmother slowly answered, feeling the aura for herself. “That is a good question.”