Shapeless Hero

12 - Oath

"And if I don't accept?"

"Then I will keep you pinned like that and call for a special unit. You will be either imprisoned or a testing dummy for some mad arch-wizard. Ah, maybe a rich noble will buy you and turn you into a sex slave on some lawless island, since you can shapeshift into any desired ty—"

"Thanks! I get it! Oath it is!", I interrupt. I can't tell, if the commander is joking.

"It's a ritual. Needs a magic circle, that I'll prepare. You just have to recite specific words. At the end comes the question, on whether you accept the oath. Then you answer accordingly—usually a 'yes'. "

"Karl looked pretty shocked, when you mentioned the oath."

"It's usually something, only a few select elites of the imperium get to do. It will practically turn you into a noble. Gives you some nice protection and privileges. In turn, you receive divine punishment if you try to intentionally work against the Imperium. It's a safeguard against some betrayal in the higher ranks."

"So if I talk shit about the imperium, I'll burn to death or something?"

"Heh, not quite. It takes a bit more. Like turning a crowd against the imperium, using fear-mongering and whatnot. If you speak your mind intending improvement, then you'll be fine. Just so you know, if you harbor hostile sentiment already, you won't like the ritual."

"So I myself will then burn to death, if I try to do the things other shapeshifters would usually try?"

"You might, especially with Imperial citizens as your victims. But if what you say about travelling the world and your former life is true, you'll be fine. In fact, by swearing the oath you'll become a citizen of the Imperium, allowing you to roam freely within its vast reaches—if you don't present yourself as a shifter, that is."

"Got it. Any other obligations, the oath forces on people?"

"Not really, but..." The commander gets closer and leans towards me. "Your a powerful shifter now. Inaction is a conscious choice too, when you could've acted."

She straightens her back again. "So, do you swear the oath?"

I look at Karl. He closes his eyes and grunts. "Go ahead. I still want to play that card game of yours, Fylka."

I look to August, but he's still asleep, recovering from the day's encounter. I turn back to the commander. "Alright, let's do it."

She nods. "Good. You will be a welcome ally, if you are who you claim to be, Fylka." The preparations begin.

An hour or two passes. As the night progresses, Karl casts more and more floating lights above the magic circle around me, so the commander can do her preparations without any visual impairment. The resulting magic circle of green light has a radius of five to six yards. Its outer rings now contain a dozen rows of runes, which slowly rotate around me. The commander draws those runes with her finger whilst mumbling incantations to herself. Seeing her in such deep focus, I don't dare to speak.

With every row of runes she finishes, a familiar humming becomes increasingly audible: Singing bowls... I wonder what Hilda is up to. How many other souls did she relocate by now? Actually, are there any other humans of my world here?

The circle now finalized, the commander stands up. "Alright, that's done. Are you ready?"

I nod.

"Very well then. Karl? Can you keep watch?"

The now pipe-smoking crow salutes and starts chanting too. I can make out some magic circles of various colors appear further away around us, before they fade into invisibility again.