The Guide

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Dear Readers, if you've read the chapter on a phone, you should've seen that there's a problem with the font, so just as I promised I'd just edited it. (Except that I'm a day late from the promised deadline. Sorry...)

If you preferred the original version, I added it to the Auxiliary Volume, since it would be a shame to remove it.

Anyways, enjoy the chapter and have fun!

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"Gor ji gan? Fu duun?".

Yup, the worm monster did talk, but what the hell is it even saying!?

The creature looks at me, waiting for a reply, but I just stand there gawking at it like a damn buffoon. It then moved and opened its mouth, scaring the others behind me, and no, it doesn't look like it's going to eat us. I think. It looks like it realized it committed a grave mistake… I think? How on earth do you read a worm's facial expressions!?

{ This better, little spawnling? Can you understand me now? }

Oh, it can also communicate telepathically, that's normal. 'Yup, I can understand you alright. But can you please tone the telepathic link down? If it doesn't bother you, that is… You're a little too loud.'. A little my ass! It's like hearing a bull horn in my head! Anyways I should try to make sure that I end up on this guy's good side during the conversation and act polite and generally amiable… On second thought, bad idea. Better be myself, since if I tried to fool him and failed, I'm pretty sure that a creature that can bind my soul to a vessel can force on me a fate worse than death. Oh, and if the gruff, deep voice that's poking my brain is right, he's a guy.

{ You little spawnlings and your weak and tiny brains! Can't handle a little chat, now can you? }

'Well, sorry, but that's my limit at the moment.'.

{ Yeah, yeah. Young guide and all that rubbish. I dealt with your kind before. Aren't you early though? I know that the early worm gets the bird, but this world needs at least 500,000 years for it to be ready. Normally you shouldn't've come, so why did you? }

'Well, in my previous life, I went a little overboard and now I'm an evolution guide.'

…

{ They gave you that gift as a punishment!? }

'Well, in my previous life, I-'.

{ I don't care about your feats and crimes! Just tell me, how old were you? }

'What does age have to do-?'.

{ How.Old.Were.You? }

'… in my 60s…', better not anger the big worm monster…

{ 60!? I knew it! The universe is goin' mad! Mad I tell you! Giving the ability to direct intelligent life in its prime to a wee little bed wetter. No wonder nothing is going right these days! }

'… You do realize that I'm still here, right?'.

{ Yeah, I do. I just don't care about your feelings. }

And f.u.c.k you too.

{ Do you know how long I wanted to be a guide? 300,000 years! But the judgmental pieces of kyushu shit, wouldn't give me the time of day! Why? Because in their eyes, I'm a Sakit! And not just any Sakit, a chaos one! Which makes it that harder for me to become a guide, while other Sakitun have it easy! }

'Sakitun can become guides? And what's a chaos Sakit?', I know the latter might seem like a stupid question, since Sakitun usually possess certain aspects and powers according to the ideas of their believers, but that's the case for created Sakitun. By chaos Sakit, does he mean that he rules over chaos or is he made from chaos and was summoned to the world?

{ Of course we become guides! 70% of Sakitun become guides in the end! But am I one of them? No, of course not! Why would they make a chaos aligned Sakit a guide? Oh, and a chaos Sakit just means that I can manipulate both chaotic and unstable energy, and before you ask, there's a difference between them, that's being that chaotic energy can disrupt physical laws and usually has weird effects on creatures, while unstable energy is just as its name, unstable energy. }

'Thanks for the info. And why won't they allow chaos aligned Sakit to become guides? I kind of understand that a chaotic alignment Sakit would most likely stagnate the growth of a civilization, but it could also do the opposite by creating a period of rapid growth at the cost of the economy, so it seems kind of unfair to exclude you guys.', I'm not trying to be sympathetic here, since I'm sure that a chaos Sakit would create either a brutal warrior race or a crazy magical one. Either way, the tension that their neighbors would feel would at least force their lazy asses to think of counter-measures in case of attacks and new techniques to preserve their resources.

{ I never said that they're not allowing us to become guides dumbass, I said it was harder for chaos Sakitun! Especially for me! }

'Why is it harder for you?', other than your charming personality, that is.

{ I don't know! Sure, I made a few mistakes, but in a work environment where you need to be constantly vigilant, mistakes happen! }

'I can relate with you on that, you know what's worse? When you're given a heavy project with a short deadline, and they not only expect you to finish the program early, but also bug free! Have you heard of a program in its first edition without bugs!?'.

{ I don't know what programs are, and what insects have to do with anything, but I get what you mean. Then they just get mad either because it's not good enough, or that it is not the way they wanted, or that it killed millions of mortals and reverted technology to an earlier period... }

'I know! That's what- Wait… What? What did you say in the end…?'.

{ Well, I was given the task to help in managing a world in its bronze age, but let me tell you. Those mortals were the c.o.c.kiest, neediest, most annoying, and most self-righteous mortals I've ever seen! One time, the most advanced civilizations in a region in-between 3 connected continents took it too far by desecrating my temples since I was 'old' and I took a place that their mighty fake 'gods' d.e.s.i.r.ed, since most of them were built on shiny yellow rocks, so I couldn't hold myself and caused a terrible famine to sweep their lands, even after that, they still didn't learn their lesson! So I also cursed them with a plague and incited the western tribes across the sea, who were suffering from their own famine to unite and destroy them. You should've seen the look on their faces when hordes of men came from the sea, pillaging and destroying everything in their path! Serves them right! }

…

{ Too bad the fun had to end… Some human wearing a horned helm had to seal them behind some gates… Just because some survivors ran away early to ask him for help… What happened to dignity and pride? Why'd they not just stand their ground without begging for help like dignified men? }

'… May I ask a question…?'.

{ Oh? Sure. }

'What were those western tribes called…?'.

{ Oh, they had many names. Destroyers, violators, bane of civilization, etc… They're known as Sea People for most, and I think Mog gagoog or something for some? I don't get mortals' naming sense. }

'Mortal names can be pretty weird, can't they?', Keep it cool Leon, you now know that you're talking to one of the last beings you want to offend. A creature whose wrath is so horrid that it had to be recorded in religious texts, so just smile and try to keep him happy.

{ I know. Especially when they can't decide on a name for you. Am I The world devouring worm? The bringer of suffering? The harbinger? Who knows… }

…

'Speaking of names, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Leon Octavian Sirus, and to my people, the Tagan, I'm known as Awa. Can I ask for yours?'.

{ Oh right, you can call me Kagaras Ourobushos, or just Kagaras for short. That was the last name I was given by mortals. }

'Kagaras, got it.'.

{ Good. }

'By the way, can I ask a question?'.

{ Sure, go ahead. }

'Why are you here, and what happened to the previous rafts and their crew?'.

{ Oh, that. I got exiled here about 400 years ago for accidently breaking the protective sphere around an underwater city while trying to protect it from another Sakit that's gone berserk, causing the loss of 1,522,097 lives by drowning. But it's not entirely my fault! They knew a monstrous calamity was coming their way, but they were too slow in evacuating the city! What kind of underwater utopia doesn't make enough exits in case of emergencies!? At least the remaining 6,025,425 managed to escape, so it wasn't as bad as they think. }

… I believe they were better off with the monstrous calamity. They do hold some fault for relying on such a buffoon, I bet the reason that they didn't evacuate early is because they believed they'd be safe, since their guide wouldn't do such a foolish thing as sending a greater calamity to deal with a smaller one, right? Nope, they did, and the city was screwed in the process…

'… And the crew?'.

{ I ate'em. Maintaining a physical form requires food and sleep, and I thought that they were guideless primitives. Good thing that guided beings have a certain taste and retain a trace of their guide's energy due to previous blessings and influence. Thank god they have those, or I would've missed you. }

…

He ate them…

What did I do to deserve meeting this guy…? Out of every possible place he could possibly be, he not only had to be on the same world as me, he had to be in the same place… Why me?

{ Hmm…? Are you paying attention? It was just a few rafts. No big deal. }

No big deal for you! Unlike you, I need every single Tagan I can get on that continent!

Sigh… you know what? Screw this…

'So, what now?'.

{ What do you mean? }

'What are you going to do with us? You let most of the rafts go and only kept us', I told him as I looked around. Yep, no one here except us. And the others are confused, still cowering in fear, but now mostly confused, as to why me and Kagaras are just staring at each other.

"Ojoga. (Talk)", I say as I point at my head, and they seem to get the gist of it.

I turn back to Kagaras, waiting for him to reply.

{ I want to make a deal. }

'A deal huh. What're the terms?'.

{ Just 2 terms. Let me join your pantheon and if I do good, recommend me as a guide. Simple, right? }

Ohhhhh no, nope, nein, nada! The last thing I need is a-

{ Or I could just kill you, and let me tell you. Death for guides in mortal bodies is not pretty. I once saw one young guide who reincarnated as a king for a small coastal kingdom located on the border of 2 neighboring continents. He managed to be a good one, as his kingdom flourished and he gained both the love of his people and his family, without being forced to choose one over the other. Few kings and fewer guides managed to achieve that. Sadly, during a battle against invaders from the southern peninsula, he got an axe to the head before he could eject from the body. It took him 600 years to recollect himself and regain consciousness, and the first thing he saw was the decrepit ruins of his kingdom and his people turned to slaves. You really don't want to be in his shoes as he cried for his family after finding out what happened to them… }

'What happened…?', I couldn't help, but ask.

{ You should ask what didn't happen. His 2 sons were killed, his wife was still capable of bearing children, so she and his daughter became concubines, while their descendants, generation after generation kept getting pushed down the social ladder until the 8th generation, where they reached the bottom. People forgot about their country and heritage, so most of them were either mere slaves, or commoners, with a few who were still part of the nobility. You might think that's nothing, but look at it this way. The children of the people you love end up in one of two ways, either they end up as cattle, cheap labor, or whores, or they've forgotten their past and they own these cattle, cheap labor, or whores. Imagine a girl that looks like your daughter with just a different hair color is selling a slave that looks exactly like your wife, which was your real daughter's mother as a cheap p.r.o.s.t.i.t.u.t.e in a brothel. }

'But how could something like that happen? Usually nobles have laws to prevent the death of households, especially royal households, since no one, no matter their origin wants to earn the title of king slayer. As you may know, noble society isn't actually as vile and perverted as depicted in media, it usually has rules that though benefits the nobles, but also restricts them. Even harming commoners without reason has reprimands and punishments. So shouldn't such an act be impossible?'.

{ It should, if not for the fact that neither the kingdom nor the invaders acknowledged the other's royalty and nobility as true royalty and nobility. The kingdom followed a religion simply known as the religion of the one divine, rejecting all other deities. The royal family was considered blessed by the divine, and only those who were blessed by them were elevated into nobility, so naturally a bunch of savages from a kingdom of sun worshipping pagans would never be considered as equals. }

'And let me guess, it's the same with the invaders.'.

{ Exactly. They would never acknowledge those who not only defy their gods, but also claim that they're false. So after defeating the guide and conquering his kingdom, they wiped out all the men of high birth who could rise against them, enslaved all the others, and destroyed as much records and items that represented their culture, without inciting the peasantry to rebel. And before you ask, I know that usually an average commoner would care about what's on his plate more than what religion he's under, but keep in mind that religious groups have a history of being able to incite people to aggression for the simplest of reasons. }

'That still doesn't explain how neighboring countries still allowed this to happen, even in the direst of times they usually unite to prevent a new unknown threat from emerging.'.

{ What if that time period was so chaotic that people started calling it 'The time when the divine and his saints were asleep.'? And the other reason why no one acted was because the guide suppressed a lot of them in order to increase his kingdom's influence. He was loved in the eyes of his people, but he was a tyrant in the eyes of the others, so it's no wonder they'd allow it to fallen. Heck, they eventually did unite and chase the invaders away, but that was after they exhausted their forces in conquering this kingdom and wiping out its nobility. You should've seen the amount of riches every side gathered at its expense! Just as they say, why let a little cultural genocide get in the way of a good looting? }

…

'Well that explains that…', either I agree and get an asshole in my pantheon or everything I've done goes to the rubbish pile. Oh, what great choices do I have…

{ It does, doesn't it? So what do you say? Do you agree? Believe me that I'm not just threatening you, I'm also helping you. }

'How does threatening me with death and forcing yourself into my pantheon help me?'.

{ By using my experience and power. Let's be honest here, how long can you handle everything by yourself? Every guide dies in a host at some point, and what prevents the total destruction of your work? Us Sakitun. The reason that guy failed in keeping his kingdom is because there was no one to prevent the aftermath. He kept no Sakitun by his side and he had no friends among the other guides, since he's the type that thinks that they'd only interfere in his work. If he at least had someone to protect any heirs or to raise a leader among the masses or the surviving nobility, thing's wouldn't've been so bad. The kingdom would've shrunk, but at least it would've still been around. }

That's a lot of would'ves in a single sentence. But I agree on this part. I can't handle everything on my own. Hell, I'm even struggling with Awe's help. And it's not like I have a choice for now…

'Alright… I agree.'.

{ Great! You've made the right choice and I promise that you won't regret it. }

'I hope not.', I tell him as he uncoils and opens the path for us to continue.

And thus, I have a new Sakit in my pantheon. At least until I find a way to get rid of him in the fastest way possible, because I'm not trusting this guy and I hate it when someone forces themselves on me.