13 Chapter 12: Scapegoat

The warrior barracks was much nicer than I'd imagined. It wasn't a barracks so much as a sub-division. The warriors made up most of the middle caste and they all had wealth enough for some luxury. Most of the middle caste area of the village was shops and craftsmen but the warriors and their families lived in houses surrounding the main warrior building. Their homes were all identical from the outside but it was obvious their quality was much higher than than most of the village. They couldn't match the opulence of the upper caste but they were comfortable and well-appointed.

I hadn't ever been to the warrior barracks. It wasn't against the rules but it was frowned upon. All the warrior's families knew each other and unless you had business they'd always pick you out as an outsider. I didn't have any real idea where I was supposed to go, so I just headed towards the central building hoping that when I got there someone would be able to point me in the right direction.

Two guards stopped me at the door, both of them frowning at my ragged appearance and bandaged arm. I'd been able to change and wrap my wound but I still looked like hell.

"Stop, what business do you have with the warriors." A scarred dark-haired guard asked.

"Well, One of the warriors told me to report here after the incident with the shadow-badger. He never gave me his name but he had a hawk beast and used a spear." I said.

"Why would Chi'ra want to talk to you?" The guard asked skeptically.

"I assume because he wanted to ask me what happened but honestly, I'm low caste. If a warrior tells me to come to the barracks, I come to the barracks. Asking why is a good way to get cuffed."

The warriors faced scrunched up for a moment before he shrugged. "Suppose I can't argue with that. Go ahead." He said stepping aside and opening the door. I didn't waste time and walked inside.

The central room was massive and hard looking grey-haired matron sat behind a desk to greet and terrify the visitors. The whole thing reminded me of a police station back on old earth. The woman didn't bother speaking and instead just pointed down a hallway and grunted. Shrugging, I continued to walk until a guard waved me into a side-room.

The side room was small and square and had a single table along with some stools to sit on. I frowned, if this was the village's police station than I was obviously in an interrogation room. That seemed a very bad omen to me. I'd no sooner had the thought when two people walked in through the door. One was the warrior who'd killed the badger, Chi'ra apparently, and the other was a gruff looking older man with gray at his temples and a face like a old worn-out boxer. They both wore the standard beast furs the warriors favored.

They sat down across from me and both seemed to be in a foul mood. I knew immediately that I was in trouble. A beast rampaging around the village would put the warriors in hot water with their superiors, and as the saying goes 'shit rolls downhill'. So naturally they would be looking for a scapegoat and a low-caste boy working the pens would make a great scapegoat. .

"So boy, how was it again that the beast escaped the pins on your watch?" The older man asked, his tone accusatory.

"Why do you mean how did I let it escape." I said incredulously, putting an emphasis on the I, "It's a shadow-badger, the damn thing could go incorporeal, how exactly do you keep something like that caged? "

"That particular badger is fairly famous. Even I knew they had it in there. It's been fine for years. You must have done something." The older man continued unruffled.

"Well, the fact it's been in the pins for years is a start but the straw the broke the ox's back was that we got a new a new boy today. He came into the barn with the older beasts and kicked over a bucket of infused food. Ol'Scratch started eating it and then evolved." I explained not hiding anything.

"And you didn't think to warn anyone when it started to evolve? Dozens of villagers could have been killed." He continued, his attitude still calm and still accusatory.

"Like you guys would care. What are a couple low-caste to you?" I said bitterly. The way to low-caste were treated really was terrible. "What's even the point of this interview. If you guys want to use me as a scapegoat to cover your own asses then go ahead. It's not like I can stop you."

The older man scowled at me while the younger snorted. "I told you he was mouthy." Chi'ra said.

"If it's like that than just admit that you let him out and we can get this over-with." he said reasonably, as if he wasn't trying to have me killed to cover his own ass.

"There's no was I'm admitting anything. I didn't do anything wrong. If wanna kill me then go ahead but I do want you to give me a last request.." I said, my own anger calm now.

"Oh, and what's that." The older man asked.

"Send someone up to the Upper-caste district and tell Lady Hannan that Chok is calling in his favor." I replied, smiling.

Their faces became ugly instantly. Sweeping away a low-caste rat was one thing but if said low-caste rat had a good relationship with one of the martial families that made it much harder to throw him under the bus.

My smile grew teeth. "As much as I'd love to let you just kill me for no reason. I think I'll pass.

The two looked at each other for a long moment as they decided my fate. Then the door of the room burst open and robust brown-haired man burst into the room his face furious. He carried an aura of power that even I could feel. He wasn't on the level of He'sha but he had to be one of the higher powered cultivators in the warriors. He was at least in one of the higher Spirit Ranks.

"What the hell is he still doing in here. Why haven't you put him in a dungeon yet. Do you know how much ass-chewing I've had to put up with today. A gods damn Shadow-Banger running through the city. What the hell were those idiots thinking keeping it so long and now I'm the one that's gotta clean up their mess." He shouted belligerently.

"Sir I don't think….." Chi'ra started but he was cut off.

"Good, I don't want you thinking. He his ass into a cell. I've already got the execution planned. You know how much of a pain in the ass it is to kill someone." The boss ranted.

"No sir you don't understand…." Chi'ra tried again.

"JUST what don't I understand." The room suddenly grew thick with Qi and the hair on my arms and neck raised as lightning literally flashed in the man's eyes. "If you don't have him in a cell in two minutes than you can accompany him at his execution tomorrow." He screamed.

The older man grabbed me under an arm and both he and Chi'ra bolted out the door with me in tow. We ran down the hall and through another door leading down into what I presumed was the dungeons.

"Now what the hell do we do." Chi'ra asked as they got me in a cell. He looked over to the older man but he didn't add anything both of them looking ill.

"Well, one of you should probably go tell He'sha what's happened. Maybe not though, I'm sure she won't be too mad when you kill one of her daughters best friends. She's such a gentle and reasonable woman after all." I said, adding my own input to the conversation.

Both men blanched before Chi'ra Spoke.

"I better go. This is such a damned mess already. At least this way boss will have to deal with that crazy woman and not us. I just hope he doesn't find out it was me that got her." He quickly turned and headed back upstairs while the older man headed up after him. I just sat calmly in my cell

My cell wasn't actually too bad. I lived in a run-down hut so my standards weren't especially high for comfort. My bed was a stone slab, but there weren't rats and the cell was clean. My incarceration didn't last long. It was about twenty minutes later when there was a colossal boom and the entire building shook.

That was followed by a few panicked yells and a lion's roar before everything went silent again. Then the door at the end of the hall opened and He'sha walked in escorted by the Brown-haired officer I'd seen earlier.

"Ya know Chok…. When I said to call on me if you get into trouble I didn't expect I'd have to come bail you out of jail less than a week later." She said said with an exasperated look as she approached my cell.

"To be fair, it wasn't my fault." I said defensively.

She snorted. "Like I believe that. I can't leave you alone for two minutes without you spreading mayhem and destruction."

I raised an eyebrow. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black, in terms of mayhem and destruction I was a rank amature compaired to her. He'sha noted my raised eyebrow and grinned. "I see your point but still, for a child you get yourself into a great many scrapes. This is the second time in two weeks you've had someone try to kill you."

"Third time actually," I interrupted. "If you count the badger."

She looked at me with her exasperated mother look, which made me smile. "Well c'mon then, let's get you out of here."

"I'm sorry Lady Hannan but we can't do that." The brown-haired officer said. He looked terrified but resolute. He'sha face darkened ominously and the air in the room started to heat.

"I'm sorry my Lady but we really can't. He's already been sentenced to death. It's a law in the village. His sentence can be reduced but he can't walk away free." The man spoke up again.

He'sha snorted derisively. "Don't talk to me about law. This village is a cesspool. People get beaten, abused, and broken all the time and you lot never lift a finger. Sun-Mountain village has only one law. Those with the bigger fist are right. Do you want to fight me you little rat?" She threatened, releasing her Qi slightly.

The man's skin started to turn red under the intense heat and he started to explain." Please lady, this is an edict from the Grand-Elder. Anyone who's been sentenced cannot be set free. It's a rule he passed to prevent the great families from using their influence to get their children out of trouble.

He'sha laughed aloud at that. "Oh yeah, so they go around beating up whomever they see and stealing women in broad daylight. That's what you call justice? Not only are you incompetent and corrupt you're also a damned coward. You think I don't know who rules over the warriors? You think I'm scared of that pompous ass?. You want me to take this to the old-man than I will but you've just made yourself an enemy." She pointed a finger and poked it as his chest. The finger burnt through his shirt instantly and was soon followed by a sizzle and the smell of burning meat.

He'sha glared at the man in silence for a few moments before she turned and stomped back up the stairs leaving me in my cell.

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"OLD MAN!"

The Grand-Elder of Sun-Mountain village sighed as the shutters of his mansion rattled. He was old friends with Lady Hannan's father and had met her the day she was born. She'd been a tyrant and a devil from the moment she could walk causing Patriarch Yokin no end of headaches. He'd spoiled the girl rotten but her love for battle had made her one of the top talents of her generation. The problem was she'd never mellowed with age. Instead of becoming a proper lady, she was brash, blunt, and honest to a fault. In a lot of ways she was still like a child throwing blocks around her toy room. Except now she could probably throw a 3,000 jin boulder a quarter mile.

"Ahhh, I see that harlot is here. I wonder what she's going to destroy this time." Lord Hallon said from his seat across from the Grand-Elder. The Grand-Elder did his best to keep his temper.

He'sha was impetuous and crass but she had a warrior's honor, not to mention she was basically his niece. Hallon on the other hand was scum. The problem was, he was useful scum. He'd created quite the power-base for himself in the village and unless the Grand-Elder wanted to trample over the system he himself had created than he had to compromise.

A few seconds later the door burst open and He'sha entered. She opened her mouth to speak but paused as she saw Hallon. Her face darkened and and she sneered. The room was more spartan than her own home but the furniture was all of the highest quality. The Grand-Elder sat and a wooden high-backed chair while Lord Hallon lounged on a sofa.

"I thought I smelled something foul. When are you going to let me kill this waste uncle Rione" She said as he took a combative stance.A dull ache started to form behind grand-elder's eyes and the he reached up to rub his temple.

"He'sha how many times do I have to tell you to knock. You'll be forty years old in a few months can't you at least ACT like an elder." The Grand-Elder sighed.

"So, you want me to go around toadying up to vermin like Hallon and selling out my morals for political favor. No way in hell…." She snorted. "I never wanted to be an elder. I would have left this mountain a decade ago if it wouldn't have broken dad's heart."

"Well, as touching as this is I think I'll take me leave." Hallon said rising from his seat. "We can take about this again tomorrow."

"Wait" He'sha said, stopping Hallon. "Uncle, I want a boy released from the warriors dungeon. Hallon's idiot minions arrested him for no reason but they say they can't let him go now that he's been sentenced ."

Hallon raised an eyebrow while the Grand-Elder frowned. "That's against village law, I'm not breaking the honor of my warriors for you." Hallon said, snidely.

"What honor? This whole village is a den of thieves and whores and your 'warriors' are the worst offenders." She countered before turning to her uncle. "Please, uncle?"

The Grand-Elder frowned. "I really can't make an except for one boy. This is exactly the reason I made the law to begin with. To keep the great families from interfering with justice." He said not budging.

"Someone needs to interfere, they are going to kill an innocent boy just to cover their own incompetence!" She shouted angry now. Originally she'd thought it would be an easy task to convince her uncle. The grand-elder was a bit stubborn but he was a decent man. At least she'd thought so.

Hallon smiled maliciously. "Well, his sentence can be reduced, just not eliminated. What about a trial? We can do that instead of an execution. It's been a few years since we had one and everyone's been complaining about how few resources the village has. I'll do it as a personal favor." He said, smiling at He'sha.

"He's a boy! and you expect him to survive in the woods. I swear if you push me on this you'll regret it." She snarled.

Hallon's face darkened with his own rising anger. "I'm already doing you a favor. I'm in charge of the warrior's and I say it's a trial. I'm already letting him off easy. You can't just crush every problem you face with your fist. You're not nearly as invincible as you think you are."

"Enough! He'sha let it go, It's as good as your going to get." The Grand-Elder snapped. He'sha turned to the Grand-Elder like he'd slapped her.

"Your siding with him? You're really going to let a child die just to appease him?" He'sha shook her head. Her expression wounded. She was silent for a few moments before nodding in understanding but her eyes had gone cold.

"....You know uncle, growing up I really respected you. You never wanted power like the other Lords. You were kind to the lower castes and tried to make a difference but your too soft. You keep giving them inches and they keep taking feet. The rest of the Lords are vultures picking clean the bones of this village and you're just watching them do it." She said as she turned and stalked away.

The Grand-Elder sighed as she left. It wasn't as simple as she made it out to be. The problem was a large one. He needed the support of the other high families if he was going to turn the village around. Sacrificing one boy was unfortunate but how many more children would starve if he couldn't convince the other's to act. That was the burden a leader had to bear.

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They came to get me at sunrise. I'd spent the night working on my martial arts while worrying about what was going to happen. He'sha hadn't returned I didn't know what punishment they had in store for me.

"Common boy" Chi'ra said as he opened my cell door and lead me up out of the dungeon. We walked through the building and out into the early morning sunlight. The brown-haired sargent and He'sha were already there waiting for me as we emerged from the building. He'sha expression was angry, which made my nervousness spike. They really weren't going to kill me were they?

"Chok Son of Jical. You have been sentenced to death for gross misconduct leading to the destruction of several properties. However due to the benevolence of Lord Hallon your sentence has been reduced. Instead of execution you will instead face a trial. You have until noon today to prepare your affairs. Afterwards you will be banished from Sun-Mountain village. If you are able to gather sufficient resources and gift them to the village you will be allowed to return." The sergeant announced. His voice loud and clear in the early-morning stillness.

"Your throwing me out?! I said incredulously. "For something I didn't even do?" I was furious at first but the more I thought about it the less angry I became. I was always planning on leaving the village anyway. If they wanted me out then I would go. I just didn't know what I was going to say to Shimak.

"You're already getting off easy they were going to cut your head off." The sergeant snarled.

"I see... " I said coldly. "So instead of just killing me and being done with it you're determined to squeeze out every drop. Giving me a way out in the hope I'll bring back something useful from the woods that you guys can steal from me."

"I've been stepped on, beaten, stolen from, and treated like dirt and now you expect me to come crawling back to the village like you've done me some sort of favor? Hell with that. You can choke on your trial. I'll sit on the other side of the river and eat barbecued beast every damn night before handing a single token over to you to get back in. " I snarled.

"Chok I'm sorry. I tried to reason with the Grand-Elder but he wouldn't have it. His idiotic ideals are have already written you off as a sacrifice.." I could see the fury in her eyes but even she had to bend a knee for the Grand-Elder. "but you must return. Nessa would be heart-broken if you left. She doesn't many friends and besides what about your family?" She said, her eyes serious.

I frowned. She did have a point but still. "So you think I should go risk my life to kill beasts and gather precious herbs then just hand them over so some bratty high-caste kid can breakthrough?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "You seem way too calm about this. I was expecting more fire and brimstone.

"I"m not angry just disappointed. I didn't think uncle would sell out but he has." She shook her head. "Well you better go pack some food. Life in the woods will not be easy for you and I'm expecting you back soon. Don't cut off your nose to spite your face." She turned to leave then turned back to me. " Oh, almost forgot Nessa wanted you to take this. She said handing me a thick book wrapped in a leather protective cover.

I opened the cover and tried to read the title. My reading skills were still ALONG way from decent. "Com... In…. Common…. Me--- dnin… Mednin? He...rbs.. Common mednin Herbs?" I tried doubtfully.

"That's a Han rune not a Cho rune... It's Common Medical Herbs you idiot." He'sha snapped. "The woods are full of valuable herbs. If you can find some it'll help with your trial a lot." I looked at her and then down at the massive tome.

"How in the hell am I supposed to read this?" I said incredulously. I could barely stumble my way through children's books. Now she wanted me to read an encyclopedia.

"Wasn't my idea. If you can't read it just look at the pictures." She waved a hand and trotted off while I took the book and went home. I only had a few hours before I had to leave the village and I was going to spend most of it getting yelled at by Shimak.