It turned out that, once everything else had been taken into account, the first thing to do that day was to listen to a story.

"Much as I want to get into testing out our non-combat powers," Matt said as he set a cup of tea down in front of Toraline, "I think it'd be best if we talk about this whole 'multiple systems and multiple Sojourners' thing. You really think there are more people from our world running around out there?"

"It is likely. I cannot recall a time in history, nor in the records kept by my clan, of a time when only a single Sojourner has made their mark upon the world. The Systems have always drawn in their own champions at the same time, likely to ensure that none of them gains an advantage over the other."

"Why are Sojourners so important, anyway?" Luc asked from where he was doing pull-ups on one of Harry the Mammoth's tusks. The big green pachyderm seemed to be bearing up under the activity with fond bemusement. "I mean, yeah we get the Arts and stuff, but like, couldn't anyone from this world do that?"

"No."

The flat tone and short reply stopped everyone cold for a second. Out of the corner of his eye, Matt saw Alejandra's eyebrows shoot skyward. And Olivia, who up until now had been reading over more scrolls, paused and looked up, blinking in unison with the owl on her shoulder.

"Care to elaborate?" Matt asked after the silence stretched out for a few seconds.

The fairy-trapped-in-a-sword's-body was silent for a long moment, then let out a deep sigh and seemed to shudder for a second.

"The powers granted to Sojourners by the Systems are… Greater, than those powers given any other denizens of Seroco. They are broader in scope, deeper in depth, stronger in strength. I, in my true form, have the ability to conjure forth Fey lightning with which I can damage my enemies. But I cannot gain the powers of a Berserker. I cannot choose for myself a Profession. And none but a Sojourner may find a Calling. None born of Seroco can."

"What?" Olivia was on her feet now and stomping over to where Toraline was leaning against the log-seat. "You mean all this, the System and everything… it only goes to Sojourners? Native residents don't get any of its power at all?" Matt's youngest daughter stared at Toraline for a long moment, then her eyes went skyward and she flung up her hands. "What the hell, System?"

"It is incorrect to say we do not have powers granted us by the Systems," Toraline said, and this time the fairy-sword's tone was bemused. "Merely that we are dramatically more limited in our interactions and options. I am a Tutorial Fairy, as are those in my clan. We have options of how to build ourselves within that designation–my friend Xavier, for instance, fashioned himself as a ranged support fighter. While I preferred to be in the thick of the action. There were skills available to our kind that made both builds viable. However, we could not choose outside of those that were available to us."

"But Sojourners can," Olivia said, nodding. "That's why it's such a big deal when they show up, because they can get more powers than the regular inhabitants of this world. Right?"

"Yes. But beyond even that. The Arts, the highest form of power granted by the Systems, are only available to Sojourners and those they allow to utilize them."

"Finally something normal in an Isekai," Olivia said, rolling her eyes."

"What do you mean?" Luc asked, finally letting go of Harry's tusks.

"It's traditional," Liv said, waggling her hand. "In all the stories, the protagonists always get some kind of super-special powers, or a cheat class, or something else that really sets them apart from the rest of the world. So knowing that the Arts are something only Sojourners can use, that makes sense. From an Isekai perspective, I mean."

"Hang on," Allie said, and Matt raised his hand and said "wait a minute" at the same time, overlapping each other. Matt chuckled and gestured for Allie to contniue. She nodded, then turned back to Toraline. "What did you mean 'those they allow'?"

"Arts mastered by Sojourners can be given to the denizens of Seroco in lesser form. In Mighty Caesar's time, he gifted several lesser Arts to his legions, increasing their strength and abilities on the battlefield."

"Wait, we can transfer our skills to people?" That made Olivia perk up. "Seriously?"

"Skills are already available to natives of Seroco. Arts, however, may only be–"

"Yeyeyeyeye," Olivia waved her hands. "Okay I get it, used the wrong term, my bad. We can transfer our Arts to other people?"

"I am not sure."

There was a very definite kind of silence for a moment.

"Tori," Bel leaned in, having just finished her third plate of protein and left over crab legs. "Dear. You just got done telling us we could. Didn't you?"

"I just finished telling you that Arts may only be used by Serocans when allowed by Sojourners. That is a different statement than the question Consul Olivia asked."

"Deep breaths, mija," Allie said, patting a fuming Olivia on the back. "Deep breaths."

"Okay, so, how is it different?" Olivia demanded, leaning in towards the sword. "'Cause it sounds like the same thing."

"In the past, a Sojourner could order the System to grant a portion of his Arts to the Serocans under his or her banner, provided they had sworn fealty to them and they had the appropriate skillsets. A magical Art could not be utilized by a blacksmith, for instance. Nor could a Weapon Art be utilized by a bookkeeper."

Matt winced as the idea of fealty came up again. This world sure seemed big on the idea of forcing people to conquer each other. The very idea of conquest was anathema to his American roots. Forcing one's own ideals and belief system on another through use of violence… It just didn't sit well with him.

"Okay, so, can we do that same thing now?"

"I do not know."

"Deep breaths, mija."

"I'm fine Mom." Olivia growled and glared at Toraline. "Okay, why don't you know?"

"Because circumstances have changed. The System has been damaged, probably fatally. Its avatar no longer manifests. It cannot perform the necessary rites to grant Arts to the Serocans. I do not know if it is any longer possible to grant Arts to those who are native to Seroco any longer."

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"The system manifested an avatar?" Olivia blinked at that one. "Wait, really? Like, it was sentient?"

"That's not usual, I take it," Matt asked.

"Not even a little," Olivia frowned. "I mean, yeah, a lot of Systems get kinda… sentient. Sorta. Like they'll send snarky messages to the protagonists, or taunt them, or offer advice. But like, actually showing up as a person? That's weird."

"Every Sojourner has been accompanied by an avatar of the System, since time immemorial," Toraline said. "It has always been so, for each of the three Systems in this world"

"Okay, is it weird for anyone else to keep calling them 'systems'?" Isabel asked, raising a hand. "Because like, that sounds like a robot intelligence or something, and now you're telling me they were alive?"

"It's probably the translation thing giving us the closest approximation in our language," Olivia said. "Tori, when we say 'System', we think of it like an overarching presence that controls a fundamental but unseeable portion of the reality in which we live. Does that sound about right to you?"

"Our Systems also include intelligence and purpose. But yes, it is close."

"Sounds almost like God," Lucas said, frowning.

"Except God created the System," Dinah said, speaking for the first time in a while. "He had to, right?"

"Oh lord it's too early in the morning for theology," Isabel groaned.

"Toraline," Matt said, leaning forward and getting into the conversation. "You said 'three' Systems. Are they all the same as the one that we're connected to right now?"

"No, Consul Matthew, they are not. The System to which you are now connected, and which you are now reshaping as you reform and regrow it by your presence and actions, is the system of Consolidation. It is the power of growth, of reaping the rewards of planting and sowing. The other two systems are those of Consumption and Conveyance, and they have different Arts and methods of generating and utilizing power."

"Oh heck yeah," Olivia said. "This is what I need to know. Tell me about the differences. Start with ours. Give me the deets."

"By 'deets', you mean…?"

"Details," Matt said, hiding a grin as Olivia dropped her head with a groan. "She wants an explanation of the different systems and how they differ from each other."

"Ah. An excellent question. So. The power of Consolidation is that of drawing energy out slowly, of stocking up to use later. As you have seen, performing actions generates motes of power over time. This is because, with Consolidation, every action draws power from the wellsprings of the world and grants it to the System. Even the mere act of existing passively generates power. Territory controlled by the System will generate a small amount of power into the System's stockpiles every morning. Doubtless you have noticed this."

The Albrights exchanged glances.

"I haven't noticed anything like that," Lucas said.

"Me neither," said Dinah. "And I think I would'a noticed if I woke up with a bunch of giant coins in my bed."

"Motes of power–"

"Can we just call them Coins, please?" Allie said, breaking in. "It's easier to say and and so much easier to visualize."

The sword rattled in what Matt had come to reognize as a sigh. "Very well. The coins are generated each morning and stored in the treasury, which, before you ask, is an extradimensional space much like those you each have access to for your scrolls and such. Consul Olivia, as Quaestor, has access to and is in charge of the distribution of the Coins throughout the Empire."

"I'm who with the what now?" Oliva asked, blinking.

"Hoo?" Said Hoolio from Olivia' shsoulder.

"Not you," Olivia said.

"Hoo," Hoolio said, shrugging and closing his eyes again. Matt eyed the owl, wondering just how aware the little avian truly was. Certainly in just the couple days Olivia had had him, he was clearly better trained and more intelligent than any of the birds Matt had ever encountered back on Earth.

"You are the Quaestor of the Empire. In Mighty Caesar's time the Quaestor was responsible for taking the overflow energy and directing it to areas of the empire that needed it. Extra power to the Aedilix to facilitate faster building. Or to the Custos Naturae to divert floodwaters away from an endangered village. Things of that nature."

The fairy-sword paused for a moment before continuing.

"Now, with the way the System currently operates, it seems likely that you will also be able to transfer… Ugh… Coins directly from the treasury to your family as well, allowing them to power both their Arts and their areas of responsibility as Consuls."

"Hey Liv," Lucas said with a grin, "I want a raise."

"Fill out form 34332 in triplicate and allow for six business days for a response," Olivia shot back, sticking her tongue out at her brother. Then she turned back to Toraline. "Okay, so that's us. What about the other systems?"

"Conveyance and Consumption. They too utilize the power of this world, but in a very different way.

"Consumption, as the name implies, was a system of consuming whole the energy from already extant pieces of Seroco and using that energy to fuel the Sojourner's arts. It is a destructive system, designed purely for combat and to lay waste. Its Arts are powerful on an individual level, but lack the ability to increase in groups."

"They're like vampires, you mean," Dinah said. "They suck the energy from something to make their spells and stuff?"

"I have seen the Sojourners of Consumption turn mighty trees into dust as they drained the essence from them, and then unleash devastating Arts upon their foes. I have seen them drain the very blood from their enemies, rip the water from the rivers, drain the warmth from flames. To be a Consumer is to take, and take, and take, until nothing remains but the power in your fist."

"Conveyance is the opposite of Consumption. It is the taking of the energy that resides within yourself and granting it to another. And in the granting, the energy is multiplied tenfold. A Sojourner of Consumption would have to drain ten times the energy from their environment to equal what a Sojourner of Conveyance is capable of granting. The drawback, of course, is that Conveyors can only grant power to others, not to themselves. It is a System designed for cooperation above all else, and is based mostly around protection and enhancing Arts.

"A Sojourner of Consumption, for instance, may conjure a fireball and launch it at their foe. A Sojourner of Conveyance would instead grant an ally increased strength and hardiness, or a shield against damage, and then direct that ally to engage the same foe."

"Cool," Olivia grinned. "Wizards and Clerics. Awesome."

"Does that make us the Druids?" Matt wondered aloud.

"Oh ick, I hope not," Liv made a face. "I am so not true neutral."

"Does that mean I get to turn into a bear?" Luc asked, brightening. Olivia blinked, then her eyes widened as she considered her brother's words.

"We can figure that out later," Matt said, forestalling the coming eruption. "Toraline, thank you for the lesson."

"It is a needed one, Consul. You must understand, Sojourners do not appear individually. You will run in to your counterparts eventually. And when you do–"

"We will be ready for whatever might happen," Allie broke in in her Sergeant's voice. "Whether that means a fight, or a parley."

"The systems can only ever be in conflict with one another," Toraline said heavily. "This is how it has been since the beginning."

"Except for when everyone banded together against Caesar, you mean," said Luc as he plopped down next to Matt.

The sword went quiet.

"What?" Said Olivia.

"You know," Luc said, leaning in to grab a snickers bar from the small pile next to the log. "When the whole planet came together to fight Caesar and stuff? That's how you lost, right Tori? The other two systems must have made an alliance and come at you as a united front. Right?"

"Toraline?" Matt said when the sword didn't respond. "is Luc right?"

"It is the only time in history it has ever happened and it resulted in the death of Consolidation and if not the death then the maiming of the other two systems," Toraline said in one fast statement. "I do not think it wise to imagine a second such alliance would be of benefit to anyone."

"But it has happened before, and therefore it's an option worth considering," Allie said decisively. "So we will consider it, instead of resorting to murder as our first inclination."

"You really are the worst Isekai protagonist ever," Olivia muttered.

"Perhaps, but I am an excellent soldier, and that is what I will continue to be until something changes. Now," Allie clapped her hands together. "We have heard of the other systems. We have all had breakfast. Some of us," she eyed Bel with a wry smirk, "have had multiple."

"It's my metabolism," Bel said around another bite of egg. "I can't help it."

"At any rate," Allie continued," it is time to start work for the day. Gather around, ninas, let us first give thanks for another day, and then it is to work for all of us!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.