Globe Tracers 3: Heritage of Triad

Chapter 7: Genesis of a Trickster- Insanity or Fate?

Xao:

In time, a war between the settlers started. They came to call it a "civil" war. The young men among those in our small town went off to war. We followed a few of them, quickly making deals, to keep them alive... generally just to see each one at death's door again, this time, just to watch them die.

After the twentieth or so person... the three of us started to withdraw from actually getting to know people we made deals with. We could only help one person once a year- in that much time, so often you would just watch a good deed be undone.

Darius was still leader of our group, eventually deciding to go to towns caught between the warring factions of the Union and the Confederacy. We couldn't move whole towns, but we could save families and even relocate huge groups. We must have saved hundreds of lives. Darius had us split up and go to different cities each day.

Each of us stuck to a plan- make a deal with a rich person at the beginning of each week, get all the money you need to survive, then deal for the rest of the week with whoever you want. Honestly, it was an easy life, the tricksters teleporting us wherever we wanted and allowing us to sleep in nice beds in the inventory facilities- as apparently many tricksters did.

Saving lives was turning into a business. Darius was happy it seemed, doing for a living exactly what he wanted to do.

Until one day two years into the war...

Regent and I appeared in an open field on a brisk September evening, teleported to our latest meeting place. I shook my head, a big smile plastered on my face. "Should have seen the looks on their faces," I said. "Eighteen people suddenly safe- just one deal. They were screaming and laughing for joy and it was all because of me... wow... wow," I kept saying"wow" over and over.

"Eighteen?"Regent asked. "Just one for me today. I found someone's lost kid. Returned em'. I remember the days I would have asked for a bag of potatoes in return- just asked for a few sandwiches this time- why not? I'll just ask for more food tomorrow- if I don't just buy it." On that note, he tossed a small bag of coins in the air.

"I got a steak at some rich guy's restaurant tomorrow," I bragged. "Cooked to perfection." I made a hissing noise and pretend to pick my teeth. "Maybe I'll save you some." We both stopped as we approached Darius, who was sitting on a log. "What did you do?"

"Learned a lesson." Darius looked off into the distance at the setting sun. "What do you guys think we're really doing out there? You really think we're good people?"

"Um... yeah," I said plainly. "We save lives for a living- I mean, can't be much better than that right?"

He held up a small toy. It was a wooden horse about the size of his hand.

"What's that?" Regent asked.

"A reminder," he replied. "We call ourselves gods- but that's one thing we definitely aren't."

Regent reached for the toy with a grin. "C'mon we-"

Darius pulled it back and glared at him. "It's mine... mine forever," he held the toy to his chest. "Cannons fired off overhead and I grabbed the hand of some kid. He had this on him. I said to just give me this and he and his whole family would be saved... he was young. He held back his precious toy. I was going to change the deal- then a bullet ripped through his head." Tears started down his cheeks. "Fire spread through the town. People started screaming and running in all directions. I tried, but no one would stop to talk to me- a man even grabbed me and ran with me, trying to save my life-three rounds struck him in the back. A woman shielded me and was crushed under a falling building. Children were screaming- people were trying to save me, death was everywhere, and... no one could make a deal. I- I was useless." Darius squeezed the toy to his chest.