Chapter 48: Seat’s Taken

The beast riding spear thrower came to a stop aggressively close to Trint, who stood to greet the caravan scouts.

“Well, hello. Nice day for a road trip. Don’t you think?” Trint casually asked.

“How are you here? I’ve never seen humans in the Subsystem. Grab them and throw them in chains. There is probably a premium when selling something this exotic in Joppa.”

“Well, that is not how I imagined this going, but I suppose it’s one way to get to Joppa,” Trint decided to go along with this detour. “Jester, I promise to get us out of this soon.”

“Stop your talking. You are ours now,” The rider commanded.

“No, I don’t think so,” Trint almost arrogantly stated. “I will allow you to invite us into your caravan, but if you threaten or hurt any of us, I will kill you.” Trint finished the last part with a snarl. His anger flared at the idea of being a slave and Jester or Cajan getting hurt.

“What did you say, human?” Another rider closed in and threw his spear at Trint.

With impossible reflex, Trint caught the spear two feet before his chest with a black arm extended from the back of his left shoulder.

“I seriously suggest you not do that again. Any further aggression from any of you and all of your scouts will die. You seem to be the leader, so you decide.”

“What is a Sovereign? One scout asked another.

“You shouldn’t talk to us like that, human,” the lead scout challenged. “How do you have the title of Sovereign when I analyze you? Answer quickly, or you die.”

“Simple. I am a Sovereign.” Trint stated. “I have allowed the system to reveal that title to you. Look, I just want to ride in your caravan till we get to the city. If you provide safe passage, we will provide for our own needs. Just some traveling companions.”

“Enough, kill the talking one and capture the others,” the lead scout commanded his guards. “I want them chained and put in the last wagon.”

“I said no more aggression, and especially not towards my friends,” Trint was not having any more of that. He quickly equipped the spirit armor and rose in his Alpha form, adding bladed arms. His eyes were looking down from a 15 feet height. Everything else was the same proportion, but he was nearly double his original Alpha form. As he transitioned, two spears were thrown, but Trint used his spirit form to catch them. Not wanting any to glance off and hit his friends. He quickly chose to encase Jester and Cajan in a tent of Spirit with no doors to protect them momentarily.

“So, do you still wish to battle?” Trint bellowed like an angry T Rex.

The scouts whistled, and more riders split off from the caravan. There were about thirty coming besides the handful that had already surrounded Trint. The first scouts waited for their reinforcements.

Then a whistle sounded, and about ten spears were thrown at Trint. This time he let them bounce off his now hardened exterior.

“I give you one more chance. Please stop this now, or I will finish this!” Trint’s ultimatum was loud, and the entire caravan could have heard it. But a sharp whistle rang out.

Three riders came at him again on horses and drew their swords. Trint was not happy about it but took a quick step covering the remaining distance, and his extended limbs slammed into the heads of the riders’ mounts. The riders were sent flying off. With that display of speed and power, the caravan guard’s mounts spooked. Many turned sideways or reared up. Some riders fell off, but everyone ceased their attack.

A horn trumped from the direction of the caravan. And another rider, dressed in fine clothes with the appearance of a humanoid bird. Their face had a beak, while their limbs were human in proportion but covered in delicate blue feathers. Their robes were contrasting in yellow with white trim.

“Hold!” The new arrival shouted. “What do you want? Have you come to destroy us?”

Trint decided it might be possible to win this person over, so he transformed gradually while walking toward the finely dressed bird person. With each step, Trint’s form decreased till he was only about 7 feet tall. It was less intimidating, but the riders backed away as his presence spooked their mounts. He retained his void armor and tail but uncovered his face to discuss like a civilized person.

“I only wish to travel with your caravan to Joppa,” Trint said. “I meant you no harm and only killed the mounts because I was threatened and then attacked by your people. I gave plenty of opportunities for a diplomatic resolution. I will ask you, may my two friends and I join you while you travel to Joppa? We will ask no favors nor require anything more than your company.

‘I don’t know why we did this anyway,’ Trint frustratedly said to Pneuma, ‘Can you let Jester and Cajan know we will get them out of there soon?’

‘I have already told them,” Pneuma confirmed, 'and I won’t let them suffocate in a box either. And as far as why we did this, getting past any city guards or security in a large group will be easier. There are no guarantees, but it will increase our chances.’

‘Right,’ Trint conceded.

“A human!” The bird was shocked. “How? What are you doing here? How do you change your form?”

“Well,” Trint paused, considering the questions, “First, I am a human and here because I am also a Sovereign. If you scan me, you will see for yourself.”

“Yes, I see. I never imagined meeting a system-identified Sovereign. I mean, there are whole groups who worship and await the arrival of one but surely that can’t be you. They say the Sovereign will free their followers. You are a man. Guards! Stand down. I will permit this human and his friends into my caravan to Joppa. No harm will come to them by our hands.”

Trint decided to trust the seemingly sincere offer. He dissolved and absorbed the protection surrounding his companions. But equipped them both with Spirit armor around their cores under their clothes. They both pulled their cloaks at the collar looking at the form-fitting armor. Then trint signaled them with his own whistle and waved them over.

“We will join this caravan to Joppa. Please follow this...” Trint paused and looked at their new host, “what should we call you?”

“I am and will always be Haji. I hate my identification number. And cannot change it, but those who know me call me Haji. I welcome you and your friends to our humble caravan.”

The caravan returned to their procession to Joppa. Now with three more passengers and two fewer mounts. Trint, Cajan, and Jester were welcomed into the large wagon the leader occupied. It was as wide as the road. And the length of a bus. They pulled a team of beasts that looked like bulls but had horns running along their shoulders and down each side of their spines.

“How do you get this wagon into a city?” Trint asked Haji

“Simple, you don’t,” He said, “This wagon will wait outside the city in a smaller collection of such transports. This would only slow us down and isn’t meant for the city. So what are your plans when we get to Joppa? You know I won’t be able to protect you there, right?”

“What do we specifically need protection from?” Trint voiced his lack of understanding of what awaited.

“Well, for one, almost everyone hates humans, even the sovereign sect. So although you are supposedly their chosen one, they won’t be excited to see the Sovereign is you. You are also the antithesis of what they believe will be the hero. No offense.”

Trint waved his apology away.

“They want to rise against the system and become victorious over the stem’rs,” Haji continued. “Not be saved by one of them. You represent everything they hate and also what they most long for.”

“Yeah, I am a walking contradiction, I guess,” Trint said.

“That you are. So watch out for everyone, especially the sects but even more so the slavers, but then, never mind, you won’t see them. Are you hungry?”

“Won’t see who?”

“Oh, nothing to worry about. You are probably below their scope of interest. But the City Lord and the War Lords are constantly vying for control. You need to avoid getting swept into their conflicts. The War Lords are known for providing the slavers with new workers. So watch out for your friends as well.”

They ate and enjoyed more conversation while Trint learned a little of the city culture and the warring factions. His level of anxiety grew with the ever-increasing list of enemies.

The caravan never stopped through the night and arrived a the outskirts in the early morning. The sun was rising behind them. Trint took Haji’s advice and covered himself, and his companions head to toe in wraps and robes. He also used a layer of Spirit armor under the wraps, covering everything except their eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. He made it flexible yet strong. They were not going to risk getting caught in the city. He had to find a way to get stronger and get back to the iterations. He knew his mission but had no idea how to get it accomplished.

Now covered head to toe, three of them filed in line with others entering the city. Guards sorted the crowds entering. There were separate lines, and Trint had chosen to follow Haji’s advice and take the longest line. It was the one for those without money. They had to wait longer, but if everything went well, they would get a food voucher and less scrutiny.

It took another couple of hours for them to make it to the gate, all while keeping to themselves and nearly ignoring anyone who tried to start a conversation. Some vendors walked up and down the lines selling food, drink, and other things someone who can’t afford to step out of line might want.

Trint made an act out of reaching into a bag and accessing his ring to get them small bits of food and drink. No more than was reasonable to pull from a medium sling bag.

Trint had been watching the guards and was quite confident he knew how everything would happen when it was their turn.

“Citizens and Merchants are not allowed to enter this gate. Please declare now if you are a citizen or merchant.” Trint heard a guard repeat this all day. Now that he was here, he couldn’t wait to get away from this repeated call.

“Are you a citizen or merchant?”

“No, we are not,” Trint responded.

“Do you have a place to stay or funds to pay for one?”

“Umm, yes.” Trint hesitated. Not ready for that question

“Are you sure? Guard take these three and sort them out.

“We are fine; we have a place,” Trint tried to protest.

“Come this way, Now!” The guard was strictly following his orders.

Trint, Jester, and Cajan followed the guard through the gate as they were also followed by another guard. ‘Pneuma, is it worth fighting these two?’

‘Don’t even think about it. Otherwise, we will need to find another city. You either make this work or end up fighting the entire city, and that I have zero confidence in being a good strategy.’

‘Right, so diplomatic or escape options only.’

“Where are you staying while in Joppa? The guard spun on his heel and faced the trio.

“We don’t have a place to stay yet. But we will get one shortly,” Trint added confidently.

“What do you intend to pay with?” The guard pressed.

Trint didn’t know what went for money here, so he pulled out a blade he received as an instance reward.

The guards in front and behind drew swords and closed the distance.

‘Nice one, Trint,’ Pneuma sarcastically encouraged, ‘pull a blade on the guards.’