The Beast and the Sage

Author's note:

Okay, attempting dual protagonist is hard. And I'm attempting to do some rule breaking here, in regard to perspective. I know it breaks the rules, but I'm still trying to do it, for two reasons.

The first is because I feel this dual protagonist story requires the ability to see the thoughts of both Paige and Levi. Secondly, anything done well is simply done well, and the rules be damned.

That being said, I'm not sure how well I'm doing.

I also attempted practicing this with the entity in the first chapter... and there are other reasons why... but I may or may not edit that all out. There's a few problem chapters I'd like to work on more, and the first chapter is one.

Let me know if you think the odd perspective situation is done well in the comments. It is something I need to fine tune.

-JD Hopkins

After seeing Levi get his starting gear, Paige decided to take a look at hers, also.

After she pulled everything from the box, she eyed the short dress that only went to the middle of her thighs, with splits up the sides. It looked like silk, rich emerald green in color.

Picking it up, she was relieved to see that there were actually form-fitting shorts built into the dress under the skirt portion, so she wouldn't have to worry about showing off her private bits all the time. The portion that covered her torso was sleeveless, but it covered almost all of her chest, up to her neck, though leaving the back open.

There were also four rolls of silk wraps, what appeared to be a polished circlet of vines and perhaps roots intricately woven together, two daggers made of what appeared to be pale blue stone, and a wide leather belt..

Beastfriend's Silk Sheath of Shifting - This tight fitting sheath dress is made of a composite of silks from both the pre and post system world. The silks are tightly woven in a pattern designed to provide a lightweight armor that far surpasses what its appearance suggests. Greatly hinders piercing and slashing damage. Regulates the wearer's temperature in both hot and cold climates. Will adapt to any physical manifestations or shapeshifting of the wearer.

Beastfriend's Silk Footwraps of Shifting - These footwraps are made of a composite of silks from both the pre and post system world. The silks are tightly woven in a pattern designed to provide a lightweight armor that far surpasses what its appearance suggests. Greatly hinders piercing and slashing damage. +25% reduction of sound while sneaking. Once equipped, these wraps will take on a more decorative appearance. Will adapt to any physical manifestations or shapeshifting of the wearer.

Beastfriend's Silk Armwraps of Shifting - These armwraps are made of a composite of silks from both the pre and post system world. The silks are tightly woven in a pattern designed to provide a lightweight armor that far surpasses what its appearance suggests. Greatly hinders piercing and slashing damage. +25% climbing rate. +25% to quadrupedal movement while shifted. Once equipped, these wraps will take on a more decorative appearance. Will adapt to any physical manifestations or shapeshifting of the wearer.

Circlet of Nature's Grace - Beastfriend specific item. This item greatly discourages beasts from attacking the wearer unless the Beastfriend commits an act of aggression first. This item improves telepathic communication with friendly beasts.

Claws of Mankind - At their core, the Beastfriend is still human, and as such require human weapons. These twin daggers of spirit infused kyanite are far more durable than the original kyanite from which they were crafted. Inflicts a natural poison to enemies. When shifted, these daggers shift with the Beastfriend, turning into claws, horns, talons, or fangs as appropriate, maintaining their poisoning effect.

Girdle of Beastfriend's Skin - While this wide leather belt provides protection to vulnerable organs and a place to sheathe weapons, its primary function is to remind the world that a Beastfriend is sometimes a friend and sometimes a predator, but never prey. +200% increase to the skin's resistance to piercing and slashing damage.

Paige thought it was all pretty damned awesome, and she put it on.

"How do I look?" Paige asked the closest crow.

"If I'm being honest, miss, I have never seen a bird molt so fast. Was that... molting? But you look better somehow, though I can't quite place why," the crow answered.

"I'll take it," Paige said with a smile.

With that, she was out of reasons to wait to talk with Grace, and headed for the safezone. She was worried the crow wouldn't be able to join her, but as she walked into the perimeter, he flew over her head and followed. She noticed a few crows landing in high branches of the treeline and a few finding perches on the buildings as she walked further into the safezone.

It took no time at all to find Grace. She was sitting exactly where Paige had first met her. The fire pit had been lit sometime the night before, but only a few smoking embers remained. There were a number of people sitting in the circle with Grace. Paige noticed most were older, at least mid-30s to 40s. There were also a lot of people standing around the circle, close but not actually all that engaged in the conversation.

The crow landed on the closest building, shifting from foot to foot and eyeing the circle of people.

Paige stood back, too. They seemed to be having a serious discussion with the group. She considered just walking up and joining, but in her hesitation someone spoke out to her.

"Hey Paige. Love the gear." Levi thought she looked like a badass. He saw the twin daggers strapped to her hip, too.

Levi wondered if she was some kind of rogue class, but that didn't quite fit. She just stood out way too much, and the circlet on her head didn't quite match up. Maybe it was because the crows had been bugging him today, but he'd noticed the crow that followed her. Maybe she had some kind of beast tamer class. He chose not to point the crow out, though. If it was hers, she'd mention it if she wanted.

"Oh hey, thanks. I was wanting to talk with Grace. Your gear looks pretty cool too." Paige really did think so, but she couldn't really figure out what kind of class it would be suited for. Maybe a monk of some type. That would explain the Tai Chi.

Before either could continue the conversation, Grace called out to them. "Levi, Paige, come sit down and give us your input on some things. We've only got about four hours left, and I need all the help I can get."

'Well, now I know his name,' Paige thought. She really liked it.

Levi noticed Grace was now wearing black robes. But she wasn't wearing a hat and he didn't see any wand or broom laying around either. He also noticed her use of the word 'I' and not 'we.'

"Four hours left for what?" Levi asked.

"Agreeing on a system of governance. We had 24 hours. We're running out of time." Grace turned to the rest of the group. "This is Levi and Paige. I think both could provide a different perspective, and Levi has a good head about this system stuff."

"Grace, you know I'm not going to be around very long..." Levi started.

"Which gives you a unique position of being more objective."

Several people gave Levi a curious look at his comment of not being around, including Paige, but no one commented on it.

Levi grumbled and sat in the circle. Paige sat between him and Grace.

The truth was, Paige didn't care much for the government stuff either, but she was somewhat curious. "What is there to disagree about? I thought it would be simple. Just set something up similar to what we had before the system. I mean, didn't that work fine?"

An older man with a shaggy grey beard and long messy grey hair spoke up. He still wore his old tattered clothing. His voice sounded raspy and tired. "It isn't that simple, ma'am. First, let me say some people would disagree that what we had before the system came was working.... but that's not the point here. Oh, I'm Joe, by the way." He waved and cleared his throat.

When he spoke again, his voice was still just as raspy. "I think I'm the one who's brought most of this to the table, so let me lay it all out. First, the system is messing with our minds, and maybe more." Joe said putting up a single finger. He was a gaunt man, with sunken eyes and long slender limbs. But his eyes were bright and alert, pale like blue flame.

Paige's chest tightened. Someone else had noticed how the system was changing behavior.

Joe continued. "So far, I nor anyone else I've asked can remember their lives at all in the weeks or days before the system came. Sure, we all remember most of our lives, but can you recall what you were doing when you entered that black void?"

Both Levi and Paige tensed, clearly both shocked by the revelation. No one else did, most likely because they'd all already heard this information.

Paige just shook her head.

"Whoa. That's a good catch. How did yo..." Levi started.

Joe turned his gaze to Levi, a sad look in his eye. "Well, I'm ashamed to say it, but I've been homeless for at least 20 years. And was a severe alcoholic.

Yet, I didn't even think about alcohol until I was speaking with Grace and she mentioned alcohol. Thinking about drinking, and realizing all my desire for it is just gone, made me try to remember if I'd gone to rehab or something before the system. And I just blanked.

And that brought me to the second realization; something is affecting not only our memory, but our behavior, too."

Paige tensed again. So he really had noticed what she had noticed.

"So you think the system just cured addictions?" Levi asked.

Joe shook his head, "Not quite that simple, no. And also actually more than that. It just made me realize that everyone has been incredibly calm about the system. You'd think everyone would be freaking out, but they're not. Today, at least six teams got together and went adventuring out of the safezone. That would have been considered insane three days ago... at least of what we remember."

"Okay, that makes sense, but you didn't explain how that changed you being an alcoholic," Paige blurted. She really wanted to know if other people were experiencing what she had.

"I think that's related to my class, Redemption Paladin. I think the system altered my mind to fit the class somehow," Joe answered, closing his eyes for a moment. "Not that I'm complaining."

Paige let out a small sigh, relieved she wasn't crazy. "I think I've been kind of experiencing that, too, with my class."

"What do you mean? So far I've been the only one to experience anything like that." Joe said, piercing eyes on Paige.

Paige glanced to Levi, felt her face grow slightly warm, and decided to answer with a partial truth. "Just slightly more aggressive. Having more... impulses than I used to have."

"Oh, and what class is that, dear?" another voice interrupted, an older lady with wispy white hair wearing a tan robe.

"You don't have to answ..." Grace began to say, but Paige was already answering.

"Untamable Beastfriend."

"Oh, I see... well that sounds... exciting," the lady said. Her eyes, however, were focused on Grace, and she wore a smirk that hinted she felt like she'd just won some small victory.

"This is Agnis. She's a Priestess," Grace said flatly.

"A priestess of what?" Paige asked curiously.

"Of righteousness." Agnis answered with a bright smile.

Paige had to give her credit for having such great teeth at her age.

"Yeah, but still... Priestess of what?" Levi pressed.

"Does righteousness really need any other label?" Agnis answered, dodging the question.

"It does when righteousness can mean sending naive young men to war, or strapping a bomb to a 12 year old to kill those young men... or even when it just means you're an asshole who can't let others live their lives without appointing yourself as the person who's going to tell them how to do it," Levi looked Agnis in the eye levelly.

After a moment, Agnis blinked, but tried to recover with a smile. "Well. And what did you say your class was?"

Grace didn't bother cautioning Levi. In fact, Paige who'd been watching everyone as the exchange took place, noticed Grace was grinning like the cat who ate the canary.

"Sage," Levi said simply. He'd considered for less than a single second about refusing to answer at all, but felt this was better.

"Well..." Agnis began, clearly flustered. "I suppose maybe it is worth considering the wisdom of a Sage. But I promise, I am devoted to the good of everyone." Everything she said was filled with venom.

"We'll see," was Levi's cold answer.

Paige felt a thrill. Something about the way Levi had handled the situation made her feel... excited. It was fair to say she had a small crush before, which was something she hated to admit even to herself... but now, some instinct inside her was screaming to pounce. She pushed that down.

Grace picked up the conversation after that. "In any case, that's why we're still having trouble," Grace began.

As Grace began speaking, Joe caught Levi's eye and gave him a single solemn nod of approval.

"Some of us are worried about how the system could be influencing our decision making in the first place, and more importantly, if we put a system of laws in place, how that will affect people put under that influence. The system clearly says it will set up mechanics and enforce those rules for the next six months. It has many of us concerned."

Joe nodded along. Agnis sat with a small smile. And Grace just turned her gaze onto Levi.

Realizing what she was getting at, Levi spoke, "Well... I mean, I wouldn't worry too much about how people have been acting calmly or can't remember what they were doing weeks or days before the system."

"Just don't worry about it, huh?" A gruff voice came from someone else sitting in the immediate circle.

He was a burly man, appearing to be in his 40s, but having no hair or beard made it difficult to tell.

"No. It makes complete sense. The system is clearly designed with our early survival as a priority. If everyone was panicking, that could be disastrous. As far as the memories are concerned, I think it is more of the same," Levi explained. "There's even a chance we may regain those memories. But for now, it is probably a universal memory loss designed to ease the transition, which sounds like it is working."

"What about the way it is affecting other stuff," Paige asked quietly.

Levi turned and looked at her. She seemed a little worried.

Grace was the one who answered, though. "I think that's probably best dealt with on an individual basis. But you should ask yourself if you're happy with the change." Looking up, Grace caught Joe's eye. "I bet some people are glad for it. But, if it is causing problems, then come talk to me."

Paige looked at Grace, took a deep breath, and gave a small smile. "Thanks."

The man who'd been gruff with Levi earlier cleared his throat. "Back on subject, while I appreciate the insights and commentary, we still need to figure out how to implement a system of government."

"I agree with Mike," Agnis agreed.

Again, Levi spoke up to the man named Mike. "The easiest way to handle that with everyone happy is to limit the system control, which is wise anyway, because you can't know how it will enforce rule."

"That sounds smart, but how do we do that?" Joe asked.

Grace nodded her head approvingly. Even Mike and Agnis seemed okay with the idea.

"Everything is agreed through a council or trial. The system can't do squat until a council makes a decision. Then, the system only enforces the decisions made on an individual basis." Levi answered.

"I am in favor of that," Mike said after a moment. Relaxing a little in his seat.

"I like the idea, too," Joe said simply.

After a moment, Agnis agreed also. "I suppose it is a good idea."

"Then, settled?" Grace said in a way that wasn't quite a question.

"Not quite," Agnis said, narrowing her eyes at Grace. "There's still the matter of requiring people to disclose their class information. I feel, for the benefit of everyone, that it would be best."

"And I feel like you've lost your mind, but you aren't in a nuthouse yet," Grace retorted.

"I agree with Agnis on this," Mike said. "I mean, we have to know what we're dealing with. Not only does it help us properly utilize people's skills, but it would prevent us from being blindsided by bad actors."

Paige was a little confused. "Couldn't people just lie about it?"

"They want to make it a rule the system enforces," Grace answered somewhat hotly.

"And for the record, I disagree with it wholeheartedly," Joe rasped. "Haven't we learned anything from history? If people choose to keep that information private, they should not be forced to do otherwise."

"Well, if there's nothing to hide, I see no need to worry," Agnis commented.

Again, Levi felt obligated to be a voice of reason. "There's a variety of reasons someone might want to keep their class hidden. Least of those is that someone may develop misinformed opinions. Some classes may require secrecy. Some people may not want to expose weaknesses. You're just making up bullshit reasons to try to control people."

Agnis looked horrified. "You may want to be careful, young man. You don't know when you may be speaking to someone of status. You'd do well to learn some manners."

"Oh, shut up, you old hag. You don't have power or status anymore. Welcome to the new world. The fact that you'd even try some line like that shows just how out of touch you are," Paige spoke aggressively. Paige didn't like the bitch in the first place, but she had gotten more angry when Agnis had spoken to Levi that way. Even with the residual anger, she felt somewhat embarrassed.

"Well said, Paige," Joe said with a small smirk.

"Agreed," Grace added.

Even Mike chimed in. "That was kind of tasteless, Agnis."

Levi didn't say anything. He was too busy trying not to laugh.

-------

The rest of the meeting took a while, and by the time it was over, both Levi and Paige were truly sick of it all.

Paige gave very little input, but had found it amusing to see Agnis hesitate and eye Paige before she spoke. Levi had given a lot of input, but his tone was frustrated for most of it.

In the end, they had decided on a council. Surprisingly, Joe wasn't in it. He'd passed the opportunity over. Agnis, Grace, and Mike had become part of the working council and four more people were voted in from the group that had surrounded and listened in on the debate.

None of them seemed too comfortable being appointed as part of the council, but they'd accepted the role.

In the end, Agnis had not gotten her way in making it mandatory to disclose class details. She was obviously sour about it, but had managed to put in place the option to vote on the proposal again in the future.

With all of that dealt with, Grace finally stepped away from the group.

"Come on, you two," she said to Levi and Paige, hobbling away, muscles aching from sitting too long.

For some reason, Joe followed. Neither Paige nor Levi knew why.

She lead them to a part of the safezone they hadn't been too before, a small cabin with another, much smaller, fire pit in front. This firepit was surrounded by stools made out of short cut logs sitting upright like stumps.

Grace didn't sit. She did light a joint, or what was left of one. "Thank God you two showed up when you did. Me and Joe were losing ground. And sorry for pulling you into that... both of you."

Levi shrugged, "I'm glad I was there. That Agnis... can't say I cared for her."

Joe, who Paige and Levi didn't really know, broke in. "Yeah. She's a piece of work. Been here for less than 24 hours and already trying to tell everyone how to live their life." He still sounded raspy, but far more relaxed and less formal. He did sit on one of the stools. "We appreciate the help."

"Oh, by the way, this is Joe. He's an old friend. We go way back." Grace didn't clarify more than that.

After a confused glance from Paige and Levi, Joe clarified.

"She used to volunteer at the soup kitchens. She's always been too kind to me."

"And you've always been too hard on yourself and a good man, former alcoholic or not," Grace said.

"Wait," Paige said. "So, how much of that was planned?" Taking Levi's question before he could ask.

Joe answered before Grace could. "A lot of it had been discussed. But we didn't have a big plan. Just wanted to try to stop Agnis from implementing her insane policies. you guys didn't even hear the worst of it. Some things she was suggesting were outright nuts. Truth is, your input was valuable, both of you. Levi, your insight helped the conversation along... and Paige... calling her out when you did and shutting her down..." Joe made the chef's kiss gesture.

Grace laughed. "Put that old bat in her place."

Paige blushed. "Well, she was kind of pissing me off."

"Join the club," Grace said. "So you've got a crow now, I see?"

"I'm curious about that, too," Joe said.

Paige looked to Levi.

He shrugged, "Yeah, I was kind of wondering, but wasn't going to say anything."

"Well, they're not really MY crows. They're just friends."

"Crows?" Levi asked.