Chapter 14: Freedom Takers

After some hours traveling through the forest and into rugged desert, we finally get our first glimpse of Kazg. It's much larger than I would have expected, larger even than Pentil. It must have been the primary settlement of Shapers on this island, before it was abandoned. The land around Kazg is dry and dead, and I have to wonder if it was always like this, or if the Shapers did something to make it this way.

Although the land is barren and can barely seem to support life, the serviles here are stubborn. There are irrigation ditches feeding plants that are growing in a soil that's a different color from the rest. Did they go so far as to bring in clean dirt from somewhere else that their crops could grow in?

There are the remnants of Shaper statues lining the road, but they have all been severely defaced and broken, leaving only shards and pieces. How many generations of Takers took out their anger against the Shapers on these statues, I wonder?

As we continue down the road toward Kazg, we're approached by a muscular servile wielding a blade. "Shaper. I am Amena Blade. I am sent to greet you as you approach. I give you warning, you approach the lands of Kazg. Your safety is not guaranteed."

"Can it possibly be worse than all the rogues, turrets, and mines we've gone through just to get here?" Rispy wonders. "Are we going to be attacked on sight just for coming close?"

"You, perhaps not," Amena says. "You are a fellow servile. The Shaper, though? Yes. The guards eager for battle. They would be glad for the opportunity to slay a Shaper."

I snort softly. "I think this Shaper business is wearing a bit thin," I say. "I cannot begin to blame your people for hating the Shapers, for all that they have been forced to endure because of the injustices of those slaving mages. But I refuse to be counted among their number."

"Lexen?" Sirius says.

"Enough!" I say, my eyes flashing at him. I'm sick of this ruse. I'm tired of trying to pretend to be something that I've not, especially when it has gained me more and more liability. And for what benefit? For the sake of Obeyers I can't stand to be around? To trick servant minds who don't know any better anyway?

"Shaper?" Amena says, looking at me in confusion.

"I am not a Shaper," I say. "Do not call me by that appellation."

I hear a soft clapping sound, and glance to my side to see Rispy applauding, a big grin on his face.

"Lexen, then," Amena says hesitantly, clearing having no idea what to make of me after my outburst.

"We wish to enter Kazg," I say, calming myself with deliberate effort. "We have travelled a long way to get here, and we are eager to meet your people."

"To ensure your safety, I would need to escort you past the gates myself," Amena says. "I am... uncertain that I wish one of your kind in my home, regardless of what you say."

"That is your choice," I say. "I wouldn't want to associate with Shapers, myself. But I am not a Shaper. I'll tell you the truth, here and now. I am not a Shaper. Sirius and I are just a pair of outsider mages who happened to land on the short of Sucia Island by chance. After a confused servant mind mistook me for a Shaper, we decided that it might be to our advantage for me to pretend to be a Shaper."

"Yeah, maybe that didn't turn out to have been the best idea..." Sirius says.

"You... are truly not a Shaper?" Amena says, eyes widening.

"He's not a Shaper," Rispy says.

"I swear on my life and my honor that I am not, and never have been, a Shaper," I say solemnly, giving a bow toward Amena. "I have nothing but respect for your people, and I wish to ally with the Takers and support their cause against the injustices that have been perpetrated against them. If I have spoken falsely or deceived you in any way, then strike me down, for I will not have deserved to live."

"I see," Amena says, frowning thoughtfully. "This is not a turn of events I would have anticipated."

"You don't know the half of it," Sirius says.

"There may still be some benefit in you claiming to be a Shaper," Amena says. "It may be best not to allow everyone to know that you are not. But I believe you speak the truth."

"Thank you," I say. "I'm not sure what possible advantage I might be able to gain from it anymore, but I'm frankly getting sick of this charade."

"There will be those who believe you are a Shaper regardless of what you say," Amena says. "But, no matter. I believe you must be the one that Gnorrel wished to speak with, if you came here."

"Who is Gnorrel?" I ask.

"She is our leader," Amena says. "Even so, I would not so readily follow even her commands to bring a true Shaper into our home without good cause. But I will bring you. Be warned, though. The Takers may tolerate you, but if you commit the least crime against us, we will turn our blades upon you."

I give a nod. "I would expect no less."

"Then, come with me, if that is what you wish," Amena says. "I will escort you into the city."

We follow along after Amena. When we pass through the gates, the air is filled with shouts from serviles all around us. Weapons are drawn against us, but I am calm. I do not fear my death. I have some concern for Sirius and Rispy, but I doubt they'd be attacked quite so immediately.

"Wait!" says another large servile, putting himself between us and our would-be attackers. "Gnorrel give order. Shaper have business here. Until Shaper commit crime, no attack him."

Amena nods to the new servile and turns around to go back to her patrol on the road.

"Thank you," I say, bowing my head to the one who defended us.

"I Eko Blade. You not my friend. But Gnorrel have business. She wait in center hall."

"I will go and speak with her immediately," I say.

Eko leads us off toward the largest and nicest building in Kazg. The smooth stone walls seem almost polished, but perhaps that is more the effect of the weather than anything that the serviles have done. At the end of a large hall, a servile woman sits behind a table.

"Gnorrel," Eko says, "The Shaper comes to see you."

Gnorrel looks at me with mixed hate and anger, seemingly wanting to attack me on sight even as the serviles outside did. But she keeps her calm with an effort. Bringing me all the way here just to kill me is clearly not all that she had in mind.

"Shaper," Gnorrel says. "I am Gnorrel, leader of the Takers. I am the sworn enemy of your kind, but we have business, and I will speak with you."

"My name is Lexen," I reply. "And these are my friends, Sirius and Rispy. Who everybody on this island, including you, seems to forget are even present in favor of dealing with the 'Shaper'."

Gnorrel seems taken aback by my response, and looks to my companions.

"Lexen," Rispy says. "If you wanted to come all this way just to commit suicide by pissing off the Takers, I'm going to stand over on the far side of the room."

"And I didn't bring popcorn," Sirius says lightly.

I have to laugh softly. "More importantly," I say, looking to Gnorrel. "There's something you need to know. I'm not a fucking Shaper."

Gnorrel stares at me in confusion. "Explain."

"And be glad she's giving you the chance to do so," Eko says. "Otherwise I would kill you for speaking in such a way to our leader."

"Heh," I say. "My apologies. I did not mean to be rude." I give a bow toward Gnorrel. "As I explained to Amena outside of the gates, I'm not actually a Shaper. I'm just pretending to be one. Sirius and I are just as much outsiders here as your Sholai friends. I'm assuming they are your allies, right?"

Gnorrel gives a short nod, and says, "You... are not a Shaper? You would humiliate us, and risk your death to come here, to pretend? Why? Why pretend, if you are not a Shaper?"

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," I say, snorting and glancing aside to Sirius. "I personally can't even remember ever having met a Shaper, but I do not like what I have heard of them. Sirius and I were stranded here, and decided that I might pretend to be a Shaper, in hopes of gaining some advantage in digging up the secrets that the Shapers have left buried here."

"And then, after all that, he could hardly stand to speak with the Obeyers," Rispy says.

"He didn't even make the least effort to act like a Shaper," Sirius says. "Nobody who had ever seen a Shaper before would be fooled for a moment."

"I told you that I refuse to compromise my principles just for the sake of putting on an act," I say. "I still believe in the cause of freedom for all beings."

"You expect us to believe that?" Eko says.

"Peace, Eko," Gnorrel says. "I will hear them out."

"I know nothing about the Shapers," I say. "Beyond what Sirius has told me and what I have learned on this island. I passed through the lands of the Awakened, and even knowing as little as I did, I thought them deluded. Their goals are laughable, as if the Shapers would ever deign to see them as equals. I passed through the lands of the Obeyers, and thought them to be disgusting. I don't understand why anyone would choose to serve the Shapers, never mind worship them. And now I have come to the lands of the Takers. I have heard much about you, but I do not trust any of it to be unbiased. I want to hear your story for myself from your own mouth."

"Very well," Gnorrel says. "When the Shapers left us, times were hard. We struggled. Creatures came out of the tunnels to the north, and attacked us. The land grew worse and worse. We were hungry. We died. But still we were loyal. We grew angrier as time passed. Then, one stepped forward. He said, 'The Shapers are wrong! They torment! They bad! We must take our free!'"

"Who was it?" I wonder.

"His name is forgotten," Gnorrel says. "We were still loyal then. He died quickly. But the seed was planted. The idea took root. More came to repeat his words. We call ourselves Takers now. We will take our freedom, any way we can. We will serve no more."

Rispy is listening quietly, staring wide-eyed at Gnorrel.

I give a nod. "It can't have been easy to turn your backs on all of that history, even in the absence of any Shapers. You are brave people, and worthy of respect. I think all beings deserve freedom, but there can never be freedom until one chooses to be free."

"Many of my people do not believe this can end without bloodshed," Gnorrel says. "But I have a plan. I want you to ally with us. I would ask even if you were a Shaper. But you are no Shaper. I need not convince you to fight for justice and freedom."

"No, you most certainly do not," I say, chuckling softly.

"Still, if you help us, much power can be yours," Gnorrel says, looking at me intently. I'm sure she can clearly see the effect of the canisters on me, and I'd imagine that she knows what it means. Have the Sholai been using them, too? I would be surprised if they hadn't.

"I wish to ally myself with the Takers," I say. I glance aside to my friends. "Sirius? Rispy? What do you think?"

"You've got the Quaffle, Lexen," Sirius says. "I don't like the Shapers, either, but I never expected it to come to this. Still, I can't argue with this path. I just hope you're ready to deal with the consequences."

I look to Rispy. "I was Awakened once," Rispy says, leaning against the table on his palms. "But, no more. Now... I wish to fight. I will fight the Shapers with you." He's trembling a little. It's clear that the words are very difficult for him to say. "I will be a Taker."

I nod to them, and look back to Gnorrel. "Then so be it. We will join you."

"You would not do so on your own?" Gnorrel asks.

"Any less than unanimous agreement, and I'd have turned around and walked right back out of here again, and found my own path," I say. "I trust Sirius and Rispy, and whatever I might think personally, we're in this together. If they disagree with me, I will listen to them."

Gnorrel gives a nod. "Very well. We believe you want to help serviles be free. But before we trust you, we ask you to prove yourself, with a deed."

"What would you ask of us?" I wonder.

"I want you to kill Ellhrah, the leader of the Awakened," Gnorrel says. "He has mocked us, spied on us, killed and converted our people, worked against us in many ways. We want him dead."

Rispy's eyes slide closed and he looks to the floor, but he says nothing.

I give a heavy sigh. "No."

"You refuse?" Gnorrel says.

"I will not do this in order to prove myself," I say. "I am my own proof of myself. I will aid you if you ask for it, but not to prove myself. I would prefer not to kill a servile for that, but if that is what you truly wish of me, then I will do it. Still, I do not believe that this will really benefit you, especially if it gets out either that I'm not a Shaper, or that I'm allied with you. If a Shaper, unallied with the Takers, were to slay their leader, this would sway many Awakened to your cause. But as it is... all this will do is make them hate you."

Gnorrel thinks on this for a long moment. "Fine. I will not ask that of you, then. We must trust you. We will allow you to join the Takers. Is that what you wish?"

"Yes," I say. Rispy and Sirius nod.

Gnorrel nods. "Do you swear to aid the Takers, to fight for the Takers, to do anything that is necessary to help us take our freedom?"

Anything. That's asking a lot. I'm not one to swear an oath lightly, but this is one cause I believe in without reservation. "I do so swear." My words are shortly echoed by Rispy and Sirius. It's clear that they're still following my lead. They both waited until I had answered before saying anything.

"Then, welcome, Lexen, Sirius, and Rispy," Gnorrel says. "The Takers are glad to have you."

"And I'm glad to be here," I say. "Tell me about your plans, and what you would require of me."

"There are outsiders on this island, from far across the western sea. They call themselves Sholai. They have also allied with us. Their leader is called Trajkov. He decided to try to master the powers of the Shapers. In the research warrens on the north side of the island, they discovered a powerful Shaper artifact called the Geneforge. But he said that in order to use it, he would need the help of a Shaper." She looks at me pointedly.

"Well, I can certainly try, though I'm not sure how much help I'll be," I say. "Sirius knows more than I do."

"And not even all that much, at that," Sirius says.

"How can I meet the Sholai?" I say. "I don't even speak much of their language."

Gnorrel points toward a door. "There is an envoy from the Sholai in there. Speak with him, if you like. As for their language, speak with Toivo. He can teach you much of their tongue." She gives me a key. "Use this to access our private supplies. You will need them."

"Thank you," I say. "I will do so."

I head for the door she indicates and into the back area of the building. There are some private rooms, and a small pool of water that might be a private reservoir. We find the Sholai man in one of the rooms.

"I am Tuzenbach of Sholai," he says in broken, heavily accented English. "Good to meet Shaper. Gnorrel tell of you."

"Hello," I say. "I am Lexen." I gesture to my friends. "These are Sirius and Rispy."

Tuzenbach nods. "Trajkov send here to wait for you. I speak with you now. Trajkov wants to see you. It is deep in mountains to north."

"How can I get there?" I ask.

Tuzenbach hands me an amulet. "This let you pass safe. Guards not attack you or companions."

"Can you tell me about your people?" I ask.

Tuzenbach shakes his head. "You go, talk to Trajkov. It tells you about people. It helps you learn."

"No offense, Tuzenbach, but if by 'it' you mean Trajkov, I think the word you're looking for is 'he'," Sirius comments.

"I not understand," Tuzenbach says.

"Probably just as well," I mutter. "Can you teach me more of your language, maybe?"

"No understand," Tuzenbach says. "No speak language good enough."

I give a nod, and then say in rudimentary Sholai language, "We go talk Trajkov. Goodbye."

We look around the back rooms a bit more. There's a storage room containing some rather nice supplies and equipment, including two canisters. I look at them for a few moments before going over toward them almost reflexively. I want that power, but I'm a little afraid of it now. It's still not too late to turn back. But if I did, would I wonder how far I could have gone? Ultimately, I can't resist the draw of the canisters, and use them anyway.

Rispy looks wide-eyed over the items laid out. He runs his fingers over a fine steel sword, and says, "Did Gnorrel really say we could have this stuff?"

"It sure sounded like she did," Sirius says. "Let's not take stuff just to sell it though, Lexen."

"Why are you looking at me that way?" I say, smirking. "I wouldn't do something like that."

"Sure you wouldn't," Sirius says.

"Well, if I'd thought they would give me something like this, I would have joined the Takers years ago," Rispy says.

"Rispy, you're fourteen," I say.

"So?" Rispy says.

"Besides, I'm sure this is the extra special treatment for traveling with somebody pretending to be a Shaper," I say.

"Probably," Rispy says, shrugging. "I don't care. I'm still going to take advantage of it. This is a nice sword." He admires it a bit longer, and adds, "I'm still going to ask if it's okay for me to take this, though."

"Suit yourself," I say.

We look around in the back rooms a bit more, and find a strange-looking baton. It actually looks a lot like the one I'd gotten from the tinker that I never did figure out how to fix.

Back out in the main room, Rispy holds his blade aloft and says, "Gnorrel, do you mind if I take this?"

"If you will use it to slay the enemies of the Takers, then consider it yours," Gnorrel says.

Rispy grins broadly. "That I will, and gladly."

Eko Blade has moved off into a side room, and we go in to speak with him. He nods to us in greeting. "Lexen, Sirius, and Rispy," Eko says. "Those are your names?" We nod. "You make a strange team. But maybe nothing should surprise me anymore."

"I am eager to fight the enemies of the Takers," Rispy says. "Is there anything we can help out with around here before we go and meet Trajkov?"

I give a nod. "Good idea, Rispy. Need to learn more of the Sholai language first, anyway, before we go."

"There are some outsider humans to the east of Kazg, in a cave," Eko says. "Gnorrel wants them dead."

"I thought the outsiders were allies of the Takers," Sirius wonders.

"Not these outsiders," Eko says.

"We'll do it," Rispy says, before I can say anything otherwise.

We head out of the room. "That eager to fight, Rispy?" I say, grinning in amusement.

"Uh-huh," Rispy says. "You know, I've spent the whole trip from Vakkiri convincing myself that it would be alright if we had to kill Ellhrah. And now that we've apparently decided not to do it, I feel... I don't know, almost... disappointed?"

"You know, we can always go back and kill Ellhrah if you really want to," I say with a smirk.

"I think I'm content with the way things have worked out for now," Rispy says. "But we may need to do something about the Awakened and Obeyers eventually."

"I would think that you'd at least have friends in the Awakened," Sirius says.

Rispy shrugs. "Family was killed by rogues. The other servile children didn't really seem to understand that I wanted to fight. Brodus Blade wouldn't take me seriously. And then you came along. And now I have a purpose."

We find a library full of old Shaper writings. Unlike the Obeyers, they haven't gone to any huge effort to maintain them, but they have stored and preserved them nonetheless. There is a servile there, looking over some parchment as we enter.

"Shaper?" he says. "The Shaper comes. I am Learned Toivo, of Takers."

I introduce myself and my companions. "You certainly have a number of Shaper writings here."

"We learn," Toivo says. "About Shapers, from Shapers. Shapers are the enemy. Only way to defeat enemy is to know enemy. We learn much of Shapers. We will use our learning one way."

"What sorts of things have you learned?" I wonder.

"Less than we want," Toivo says. "You Shapers make us unable to use magic. We try to use Shaper powers, but we cannot."

"Hmm," Sirius murmurs, and says to me quietly, "I wonder... What if the Shapers enslaved the Muggles?"

"That's a horrible thought," I reply, frowning. I have to wonder if that's what the serviles really are. Mutated, downtrodden, enslaved Muggles. I might not have ever spared much thought for Muggles, but here, it's hard not to feel sympathy for the serviles.

Toivo doesn't seem to hear us. "The Sholai not limited like that. They have power. We ally with them. Their power with our knowledge. Strong."

"What do you know about the Sholai?" I ask. "Can you tell me anything about them?"

"They come from over sea, far in west," Toivo says. "Sail here in three ships. All destroyed. Bad luck."

"Gnorrel said that I might learn of their language from you," I say.

"Then I will teach you," Toivo says. "You must be able to talk with them if you are to deal with them. I give lessons."

"Right," Sirius says. "Lexen, why don't you stay for the language lessons. We'll go shopping and maybe do some studying of our own. Or get bored and wander off to kill some rogues."

I smirk broadly, and hand over the bag of holding to him. "There's a lot of junk in there to sell, and I really don't care how much you get for it. Or just go on a random charity spree."

Sirius snickers and takes it. "Have fun Russian around."

"That was horrible," I say, smirking.

Sirius and Rispy head off, and I send Fido and Frosty along with them as they go. I spend some time listening to Toivo's lessons. What I've learned from Jaffee was a good start, but Toivo helps to fill in the gaps and correct some errors.

It's past dark before Sirius and Rispy return. "Still here?" Sirius says.

"Yeah," I say. "I've learned a lot. But this is going to take some practice. How did you guys do?"

"Found plenty of stuff to do around here," Sirius says.

"The cook seemed quite upset about a large rogue fyora killing her bonded," Rispy says.

"There was a sort of servile Agent looking for an Obeyer spy," Sirius says. "Actually, we already turned that one in. The spy wasn't as clever as he thought he was."

"And the tinker wanted us to clear out a warren where new rogues are appearing," Rispy says. "Probably another spawner or something."

"Much to do," Toivo says. "Always more rogues. Always more problems. Come back again for more lsesons."

"I will," I say. "Good night, Toivo."

Gnorrel didn't suggest anywhere in particular for us to sleep, so we head over to the building with the essence pools to hole up in. Unfortunately, without a wand that's properly attuned to him, Sirius's transfiguration is suffering. His magic in general is proving difficult, but it's most obvious now, when we have to resort to sleeping pallets rather than the comfortable beds he'd been making for us.

"I'm sorry I can't do better," Sirius says.

"It's alright, Sirius," I say. "We can deal with a little discomfort. And I'll make another cryoa or two to make up for the loss in firepower."

"I'll be working hard on trying to get down some of the wandless magic they use," Sirius says. "I suppose it won't work too badly. Sure, it takes more energy, but I can see that's why they have essence pools and pods all over the place. Those things aren't nearly as readily available in my world. You run out of magical energy there, you're pretty much out of luck."

"I know," I say, making a face. "I ran into that wall a few times, since my power takes a fair bit out of me. Too many deaths in a row, and I'm useless."

"That's got to suck," Sirius says.

"I'd like nothing better than to learn how to make these essence pods and whatnot," I say, smirking. "But I was always rubbish with making potions. I'm starting to learn to appreciate some skills that I dismissed before."

"Well, you're immortal," Sirius says. "You've got all the time in the multiverse, don't you? Why not try to learn everything? Even the things that don't seem immediately useful?"

"I might just do that," I say. "Learn every skill I can, every form of magic, every language, the history of dozens of worlds... I'm going to need to learn some better mental organization techniques first just to manage that, though. Occlumency only goes so far."

"And hey, maybe one of these lives, you might actually become a real Shaper, too!" Sirius says.

I make a face. "Right, if I were going to do that, I'd need to work on my acting first. Otherwise I could never keep a straight face when attempting to say anything to make them think I should be a Shaper, and not shot with a thorn to the face."