Chapter 29: Meeting the Family

“And what does my ring tell you, exactly?” Trint kept his face relaxed, trying not to show his nervousness. This had the potential to go very wrong.

“It says that you have authority and the hierarchy of your lineage is greater than my own,” Jung stated. “If we were to meet in polite society, I would be expected to show you the proper deference and respect as fitting the power your ring displays. The rings were forged and now used as they are to keep the family from too many power struggles. It avoids unnecessary deaths. Although I cannot raise my hand, I am not a slave to your power. It doesn’t work like Orders of Magic. There is a restrictive force that discourages me from directly attacking you. Your lineage is superior, and I would need to wait for your release or for you to move beyond the sphere of command.”

“What is the sphere of command?” Trint was interested but didn’t want to delve too deep into politics from an iteration he wouldn’t see for a long time.

“Each of our blood family, I say blood, but what matters most is the soul. Each of us carries the lineage passed down. If one has a higher lineage, those below will find it difficult to raise their ring higher than waist level when in the presence of a superior lineage. You might not have noticed, but my right hand was below my waist and had not risen since we met. When you entered the city five days ago, I knew you were coming.”

‘Pneuma, is this something you knew about?’ Trint asked in silence. ‘Does he also know about you?’

‘Trint, this man and his wife are important in i3, but they do not know much more than he explained, and they do not know about me. I suggest you extend him respect and trust. He means us no harm. He has been instructed to help you if you arrive. But he has had no idea who to expect or when to expect them. Your ring and low level prove that you are who he was waiting for. At this time, you should extend him courtesy and release the rings hold over him.’

Trint mentally willed the ring to stop restricting Jung, and Jungs arm relaxed and rose to place his hand palm up as if offering Trint a gift.

“This is the informal way to express thanks when released from sphere’s influence.” Jung bowed his head back slightly. “Some who wish to remain unseen will mask their ring. I will teach you this technique. You are not strong enough to stand against anyone who wears one of our rings. For now, you have proven to us who you are. We will close our shop and take you to our home. Give us a moment.”

After a few minutes, Jung and Befiny closed up their shop. Then they led Trint and Iliana to a street filled with carriages. The road was far broader than the routes they had taken. Trint had been avoiding these heavily trafficked routes. Jung spoke to a driver and then waved them over.

The carriage was similar to an open carriage that Trint imagined from an ancient eastern civilization. Kind of like a big rickshaw made of light but strong plant material. Maybe bamboo. But not green; it was a light blue. A pair of animals pulled the blue cart. They weren’t quite horses but looked a lot like them if horses only had scales and a mane of skin that ran from the head back to shoulders and stood up like a lizard Trint had seen.

“I hope you don’t mind the transport,” Jung directed to Trint and Iliana. “It is a good distance, and to get through the crowds to a place we could run would take a while. When you just arrived, we couldn’t ask you to run 30 miles.”

“So, you commute to work that far every day?” Trint asked. “Not every day. We have rooms above our shop, but we are taking you to our home. It had room for guests.”

Jung wasn’t clear when he said room for guests. The place was like a country palace, a little eastern castle. The exterior wall was 15 feet high and ran entirely around the compound. Rising above the wall at varied places were four towers, each approximately three stories tall. The rest he couldn’t see as they approached.

As they neared the gate, a pair of men, who previously were unseen, opened the large gates. The carriage stopped before entering, and they exited as Jung paid and tipped the driver. The party entered, and Befiny gave them a tour while Jung instructed the small staff and guards about their new guests. The tour ended with a stop at their rooms. Befiny politely asked if they needed one room or two. Iliana looked to Trint, but he quickly said two.

The guest rooms were closer to large apartments. Each has multiple rooms. The main entrances faced the inner courtyard of the compound. They had entryways, two bedrooms, a lounge, a dining area, and two bathrooms.

“I will leave you to rest,” Befiny encouraged. “Please use the bathrooms to clean up. A [Cleanse] spell is nothing compared to a bath or shower. Everything in the compound is free for you to explore unless the area is locked. We will summon you for a meal in a few hours.”

Trint didn’t need to be told twice to rest. He had been working since he arrived in the system. Barely sleeping, and that usually on a bedroll inside completed instances. After a quick walk through the rooms, he went to the bathroom. There was a shower and working plumbing. It even had hot water. He decided to shower. Time meant nothing to him as he enjoyed the hot water. Pneuma let Trint enjoy the quiet moment. Trint’s bathroom was attached to the bedroom, and he found three sets of clothes on the bed. He imagined it was rude not to accept and wear them, so he picked a blue set with black trim and stitching. These had even more intricate stitching inside than he’d seen in the system.

Trint knew a servant was at his door before Pneuma communicated it. His hearing and Spirit senses were picking up a lot of the compound. It was better than radar since physical objects only minimally interfered. He could still pick up things behind walls. He had decided it was rude and only stretched his perception past his rooms by about 10 yards.

Over the last hour, he had been reading a couple of books in the lounge. One entire wall of the lounge was a giant bookshelf. He had skimmed a dozen books, absorbing everything he read but found one he decided to read to the end. It took him about 30 minutes to read 300 pages of the large book. The book was titled “Merchant’s Honor.”

The author urged the reader to hold a high moral standard with the power a merchant can wield. The intended audience was merchants, but Trint learned quite a few things he’d previously not considered. Maybe he should be a merchant at some point. He knew that many Merchants had multiple professions. The merchant profession helped in their business dealings but was also a mark of prestige after attaining a certain level allowing travel between iterations and out of war zones.

Trint answered the door and was led to one of the large buildings in the compound. This seemed to be where his hosts entertained guests. There was room for many people to gather and share meals, a small stage, and a recessed area in one corner with a fireplace and cushions that would provide over a dozen people a nice corner to enjoy a fireside chat.

At this point, Trint had seen a few servants and about four guards. When they were all seated, a group of another four servants entered the room from a kitchen and sat plates of food before Trint, Iliana, and the two hosts.

“We hope you feel refreshed.” Befiny hoped. Let us enjoy this meal. It is a rare treat for you. This is meat from a wild Spirit-level beast. They are not found in i7; we have saved this for special occasions. Today is one such occasion. Enjoy!”

They all enjoyed a silent meal as they politely devoured the delicious meal. Trint noticed a spike in his Spirit as he digested the food. It was like swallowing a hot cup of coffee, but instead of burning his throat, it sat hot in his stomach. It didn’t cause an upset stomach, but he felt the power and energy of it bubbling inside.

“You likely have not eaten such a meal, Trint,” Jung stated, already assuming the answer. “And Iliana, you seem to be handling the increased Spirit as if you have. You are both walking mysteries. Let us retire to a quiet place, and I will teach you how to commune with your ancestors.”

They were led to another building in the back left corner of the complex, away from the entrance gates. This building housed an indoor pond with fish swimming in the clear water. Trint had never seen such beautiful fish before. They were sleek, and each was a different deep and vibrant color. They were instructed to follow Jung, who led them across stepping stones to an island in the pond. The island was about the size of two car parking spots on earth. Big enough for maybe a dozen people to sit cross-legged on. Trint followed his host and sat on the green grass of the island.

“I have heard of many integrated worlds.” Jung began. “Each has its concepts and practices of meditation. Mediation is the process one in the iteration uses to cultivate or condense their spirit and for us to open our soul. Please tell me about your world’s idea of mediation.”

Trint explained Earth’s history of transcendental mediation and other things he had heard of. He was never into yoga or mediation, but he knew the basics.

“Interesting,” Jung responded when Trint finished his recollection of Earth’s practices. “Well, I see how that could have been of benefit. I am also glad you did not learn such bad habits. I will give you a brief overview and then your first lesson.”

“Spirit, you must understand, is not unique to you or me or people who attain power,” Jung lifted his head and spoke as if lecturing to a great audience, but his voice was a whisper. “Everyone in every iteration has Spirit. It becomes easier to sense and connect to it as you gain power, levels, and especially Mind stats. It is with our minds that we interact with Spirit. They are distinctly separate, but Mind gives us awareness and access to the door of Spirit. What lies behind that door?” Jung paused and looked back to Trint.

“The door to Spirit is small, the path narrow. Most will do no more than open the door and feel the breeze that flows from it. I can tell you have some familiarity with your Spirit. But do you know what you are doing or why? Or how to walk deeper and explore the depths of the wonder of Spirit? That is what I hope to help you with.”

“That is but a metaphor. But it is a good one and is the first part of today’s lesson.” Jung explained. “Close your eyes and breathe slow and deeply. This is unlike your world’s mediation of emptying your mind and connecting to the universe. Begin by focusing on the image of a small door. One, you must stoop to enter and squeeze to pass through. Imagine and focus on the old wood and humble nature of this door. When you see it clearly, slowly grab the handle. When you feel the handle twist and slowly open the door.”

“Trint, without losing focus, please allow me access to guide you.” Jung request. “The system will understand, and I will show you the door of our family. Not a generic door but our unique entry to Spirit.”

‘Pneuma, is that safe to give him this access?’ Trint asked.

‘Trint, I brought you here, and although you shouldn’t mention me yet, it is safe. He will not sense me, and we are here for his help. The path here is one I wish another to show you. My kingdom resides in the Spirit and Soul realms. For me to come to the door or entry to the Spirit realm, I would damage things. I am not able to squeeze through, so to speak. Eventually, you will see me in Spirit and in truth. This is the beginning of that journey. Now answer the man and let him lead you to the door and book.’