Tales of Midbar: Secret Priest

“Oh, you’re Clindar,” said a large, nibeyah with very large breasts and curly yellow hair, coming out the living room.

She had a glass ball with bubbling pink stuff inside from which she inhaled vapor through a tube, identical to the thing Miandri used. She had a very odd feeling about her. I realized I got a similar feeling from Miandri but not as strongly. It was probably related to use of Old Magic.

“Hello,” I said, not sure how I should feel about her.

“You were supposed to look after my daughter but you couldn’t even get that right!” Miandri’s mother grumbled.

“She was with Mum that night,” I said, “and I only saw her for a few seconds after I got home and she made me feel terrible.”

“I can’t remember,” said Miandri, giving me a very passionate hug and pushing those huge breasts into my chest. “I really like you.”

What followed was weird. Yoldasia was trying to act polite but she clearly hated me. Miandri was, well it was just weird because I knew she’d done something I thought was awful (although I’d have had sex with her if she’d wanted it but I’m single and about her age) but she couldn’t remember. I wondered at what point she’d changed her mind about her relationship with me and if that had been erased. Had she been planning it all along and why? Was she trying to make me teleport? Did she even know I could? As it was she sat beside me and kept putting her head on my shoulder or lap.

Eventually Mum left the room, Dad had gone to his study to do some work, leaving me alone with Miandri and Yoldasia.

“Somebody told me Benai Nibeyim’s a Yohoist organization,” I said, trying to sound casual but trying to read Yoldasia’s mind.

Yoldasia clearly didn’t like that comment.

“They’re just totally boring,” said Miandri.

“But as all the Yohoists were killed or converted,” I asked, “how can Benai Nibeyim still exist?”

“Predestination,” said Miandri.

“Your question is based on a premise from, what, some conspiracy theorist?” asked Yoldasia.

I was fairly sure she was trying to read my mind and didn’t like what I was suggesting.

“No, somebody who knows a great deal about Yohoism and the history of Benai Nibeyim.”

“You shouldn’t trust Haprihagfen,” said Yoldasia, emitting very uncomfortable vibes. “You can’t practice Yohoism without Yohoist priests so there can’t be any Yohoists left and therefore Benai Nibeyim can’t be that closely tied to Yohoism.”

“Is it true that all the Yohoist priests were killed?” I asked.

“Don’t you know your history?” said Yoldasia crossley. This was clearly a touchy issue with her.

“I know you’re Benai Nibeyim, as is Narblo, the school counselor who fornicated Miandri. Somebody told me there was some connection between the Benai Nibeyim and the Yohoist priesthood so I was rather curious.”

“Everybody knows!”

Oh, that was a lie!

“I know you’re a leader of Binai Nibeyim.”

“Whatever gives you that idea?”

“Apparently there’s a loophole in your agreement.”

“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.”

Another lie.

“I know I was bred by you, Benai Nibeyim, so Haprihagfen can’t help me or recruit me, but they did Egrindreth. I only came back because you were threatening Haprihagfen with something if I didn’t. I’m not exactly happy with your organization, as I’m sure you realize.”

“You’re in no position to judge us.”

“What are the odds of a nibey and hipsickah with two anav children being friends with a nibeyah who had a katcheyah fathered by a hipsick? You’re trying to breed anavim aren’t you?”

“That would be like totally cool,” said Miandri.

Yoldasia just stared at me with hatred.

“If I got Miandri pregnant, the child would stand a fifty percent chance of being an anav or anavah. Of course, if you really wanted to breed anavim, you should give me an anavah.”

That pushed Yoldasia over the edge! “You’re not worthy of an anavah! You’re nothing! You’ll never have a job. You’ll never make any money! You’ll never be a good husband! You’re in no position to judge me or Benai Nibeyim! What do you think you can do, get your father to take us to court?”

Oooo! They had an anavah! What’s more she was terrified of what would happen if I met this anavah but didn’t want to explain the situation to me. This probably meant I wouldn’t sympathize with her reasoning. Most likely, she didn’t like the anavah but the anavah and me would like each other and collaborate to do something Yoldasia wouldn’t like.

“Is that prophecy or a threat?” I asked.

“Predestination,” Yoldasia snapped cynically.

“I was hoping we could save each other a lot of trouble by you telling me what you’re trying to do and me agreeing to some sort of work around that allowed you to achieve whatever you’re trying to do and me to have a decent life.”

“Is living parasitically off others a bad life?”

“Yes, it is. I know some people can’t help it ...”

“Well you’re one of them! You’re useless!”

“Only because you keep messing things up for me! Well pass my message on to your friends, I don’t want unnecessary enemies and I doubt you do either.”

“It’s not like you can do anything.”

“You told the police to find out what happened when I disappeared but not to investigate me. They asked me to tell you they don’t know what if any crimes were committed. I’m wondering why you don’t want them investigating me.”

“Do you want the police to investigate you?”

“The point is I’m somehow important to you so there’s clearly something I can do that you wouldn’t like. I’m starting to like Haprihagfen a lot more than you.”

“You don’t belong to them, there are rules!”

“I was hoping you were willing to be nice. Obviously I was wrong.”

“You don’t have to believe me. Let’s see your future!”

She got a small candle from a pocket, put in on the table. Then she pulled a large jewel on a chain from her cleavage. “What will Clindar’s career be like?” She pushed the jewel into my hand, pushed my hand so it was over the candle that had just lit itself.

Several strange pictures appeared in the air around me. One showed Rendamar temple. Another showed Dwendra with two teenage faharni boys, a faharni girl with short hair and a bennis girl. There was a very old looking book, open with strange writing in it. There was me dressed in a red robe, sitting on an ornate, gold throne. There was one of Dwendra and an idlan girl I didn’t recognize in simple, tight fitting, white dresses flanked by Egrindreth and Vrenloa in more normal clothing. Another picture showed me in work overalls standing in a pile of rubbish with a wall with Quippa graffiti on it behind me. Another showed me with a creature that resembled a giant octopus but it was probably some sort of XT. There was also one of my father with four or five faharni children, all dressed in similar, strange costumes.

Yoldasia was clearly shocked but it wasn’t clear which of the pictures was disturbing to her. She pointed to the book and said, “The law that forbids you from working.” She pointed to the two pictures that included Dwendra, “People who’s lives you’ll ruin.” She pointed to Rendamar temple, “The Winemaker temple, the inaccessible that you will fail to obtain.” She pointed to me on the throne, “Your arrogance, which will bring misery to many. You have many predestination lines even for a young man so you must cause serious harm to many people.” To me standing in rubbish, “Rubbish, what will become of your life.” To me with the XT, “You with Streculic because he’s who you really serve. Your life will be a series of failures and disasters, it’s predestination! Now do you understand?”

The candle went out and the pictures disappeared.

Streculic is the Trulist god of knowledge and lies, Yoho’s greatest enemy. He’s normally depicted as a handsome, faharni man with long, yellow hair.

“Not really.”