Chapter 3

"We need more things to get metal." Lucy said to Rual, "We'll have to make some things in the kiln."

"What are we making," Rual asked.

"A fan shroud to make blowing air into the fire easier."

"What is a fan?"

"It makes wind to make the fire hotter," Lucy responded.

What Lucy built, looked like a flattened watering can with a larger spout, and a extra hole in the bottom. She also made a flat plate of pottery slightly less than the width of the inside of the circular shroud. Lucy split a stick into a fork, and tied the fork around the plate in its center.

"This is a fan," Lucy held up an object that looked like a very small clay picket sign. She held the sign-like object upside down on the ground, and placed the fan shroud over it. Lucy instructed Rual to hold his hand in front of the spout, while she spun the stick back and forth.

"I feel the wind," Rual said shocked.

"Nature isn't the only thing that can control wind," Lucy boasted, "Let's make some metal."

The malachite had been crushed into green dust, and placed in alternating layers of charcoal and malachite in a small tower chimney made of dried mud. A small opening in the bottom of the chimney was made for blowing in air with the small hand powered fan. Lucy let Rual man the fan, while she added more charcoal and malachite as the level dropped.

"This is really hard," Rual said while covered in sweat.

"I've been thinking about what you said," Hess spoke while walking up to Lucy.

"Thinking about what," Lucy asked.

"You said trading could be better than just taking."

Rual worked the fan silently in a rhythmic manner to stay invisible.

"Did you think about rules being fair to everyone, and people being more equal?"

"Men are too dangerous to control themselves," Hess commented.

"Your being prejudgemental," Lucy responded.

"I have good judgement. Men cannot be trusted."

"Did you just ignore my advice on rebellion growing from inequality?"

"The village has enough women to fight the men."

"Everything doesn't have to be a fight," Lucy said, "if people never get the opportunity to do better, you'll always see them as bad."

"Why is the fire green?" Hess asked.

"Rual and I are making a new material."

"Watch him closely. Men can't be trusted."

"He hasn't done anything to break my trust," Lucy replied.

"You control him well."

"He has more freedom than in the village, and he still does well."

"Does Bone Taker let you do more things," Hess asked Rual.

Rual hesitated to talk.

"Don't be afraid to talk," Lucy commented.

"Men should fear women," Hess said, "Speak when you're told."

"Yes," Rual nodded meekly.

"This is so entertaining," Christian commented.

Lucy closed her eyes, and let out a deep sigh of frustration because she couldn't acknowledge the entity invisible to everyone else.

"Do you know the punishments for causing the village trouble," Hess asked Rual.

Rual nodded.

"He's not causing trouble," Lucy commented.

"Control your man-slave," Hess commanded Lucy.

Lucy was shocked by the word man-slave, "Are you serious? I don't own him."

"He is your property, you took him," Christian responded.

"Men must have owners," Hess spoke coldly, "Control your man-slave. Obey Bone Taker, or lose your life."

Rual nodded.

'Things don't feel any better with the boot on the other foot," Lucy thought to herself, 'This isn't justice.'

"I thought you might like things this way. Get revenge for the way you were treated in your former world. You know?" Christian answered Lucy's thoughts.

'You can read my thoughts?'

"I do it to everyone, Bone Taker," He laughed.

"Keep him or let him die. What is your choice," Hess asked Lucy.

"I want Rual to live," Lucy answered.

"Control your man-slave," Hess demanded, "Where is my food?"

"Over there, in that pot. What did you decide about trading?"

"I told other villagers they can't take stuff for nothing, only I do because I'm the village leader, and the village obeys me."

"This is actually an improvement for them," Christian spoke, "Take what you can get."

Lucy took a deep breath to calm down, "Thank you, Hess."

Lucy and Rual worked the fan for hours, while adding more charcoal and malachite as it burned down. They both swam in the ocean to cool off, when they were done. Lucy looked like a wet dog. Rual had a loin cloth made of deer skin with short fur attached. The villagers didn't wear much clothes, because it was always warm. Lucy was the odd one out, also covering her breasts. Her attire made her look like an eccentric beast person to the villagers.

"Let's check the fishing traps for food, and re-bait the traps," Lucy told Rual.

Rual ran down the beach. The traps were spread out by Lucy, because collecting too many mussels in one area would kill out the population. Mussels were the bait used for catching craw fish. Lucy tried spear fishing, but couldn't get the hang of it, although she did catch a couple. She felt it was too time consuming for the food obtained. Traps worked without being watched constantly, and they yielded more food over time. Lucy only attempted spear fishing, when she wanted to eat a fish.

"Put the craw fish into that one trap," Lucy pointed, "and let's bring them back to the camp fire."

"What is pickle food?"

"How did you hear about pickles?"

"I talked to the other boys in the village," Rual began, "and they said the women villagers are talking about village leader Hess talking about you making pickle food."

"I haven't pickled any food yet."

"Hess wants pickle food."

"We'll hunt wild vegetables for pickling tomorrow," Lucy responded.

Rual boiled the craw fish in a large clay pot with a fire burning around it.

"Do you want to hear a story, Rual?"

"Yes."

"In a different world, things are backwards. Men try to control women. They aren't treated much better than how men are here in some places. Flipping the situation around doesn't make things better. Good people still fight for equality, because it is the right thing to do."

"Hess wouldn't like that place," Rual commented.

"Do you like this place?"

Rual didn't respond.

"Everyone wants a better life," Lucy said, "It's not wrong to have freedom for yourself."

"Are we going to leave this place," he asked.

"Ignoring problems won't make them go away. There is trouble everywhere."

"I don't want to be hit."

"Life has so much more to offer, Rual," Lucy commented, "Violence is bad. Do you want to let out some frustration?"

"How," Rual asked.

"Go destroy that thing," Lucy pointed to the smelting furnace that had cooled down some.

"Is it okay?"

Lucy nodded, "Break it."

Rual hesitated, but Lucy coached him on. He kicked it hard, and the mud chimney fell over. Rual smashed it with his foot. It broke apart, and exposed an orange lump of blackened metal.

"It's still too hot to touch directly, so be careful. That is copper metal."

Rual poked it around with a stick, "It's an ugly rock."

"It is hard like a rock," Lucy responded, "but it has special properties. It can be worked into different shapes."

"Is it like concrete?"

"Not exactly. You'll see later, what we can do with it. The sun is setting, it is time to sleep."

During the night Rual left the hut to use the bathroom outside. He was gone for a very long time, and Lucy began to worry. She went outside to check on him. Lucy found Rual laying on the ground in shock.

"What happened, are you okay," Lucy gasped.

Rual didn't respond. When Lucy went to help him up, he started screaming and fighting her off of him.

"Don't touch me," Rual yelled

"It's just me. It's Lucy. You know me. What happened?"

Rual stood up slowly. He looked weary and distrusting.

"Let's go back to the hut," Lucy said.

They both walked back to the hut in silence. Rual walked slowly, not looking at Lucy at all. He sat against the wall, and didn't speak. Lucy didn't know how to help him. She was worried about Rual. Lucy stayed up the rest of the night with him. Neither of them spoke, and Rual never looked at her. The sun started coming up.

"It's time to go outside, and go find wild vegetables." Lucy told Rual.

Rual shook his head.

"Do you want to stay here," Lucy asked.

Rual nodded.

"I have to go out."

Rual shook his head.

"It's okay if you want to stay in here today, but I have to go out," Lucy told him, "You can stay here, or come with me. You don't have to tell me what happened, if you don't want to, or you can. I'll listen to you, Rual."

Rual started crying silently.

Lucy approached Rual slowly. She made sure he acknowledged her approach. Lucy reached out slowly, and just touched her fingers on the back of his hand. Rual pulled his hand back.

Lucy pulled her hand away, "I won't touch you. Do you want to stay here, or come with me?"

Rual pointed at Lucy.

"I'll get a basket, and you follow me," she told him.

Rual grabbed a spear to take with. Lucy knew that predatory animals wouldn't be attacking humans this time of year. There were plenty of small game animals to hunt, with the extra plants and fruit growing for them. Lucy knew something scared Rual, and wanted to help him. Rual was very vigilant as they walked around. He looked towards every noise.

"Those are wild carrots," Lucy pointed out, "Let's dig some up."

Rual jumped at Lucy talking loudly suddenly.

"Sorry. It's okay. You can stand guard, while I dig them up."

Lucy spent the morning hunting wild vegetables, while Rual stood guard. Then they returned to Lucy's home area.

"Do you want to make pickle food with me, Rual?"

Rual looked away towards the perimeter of the beach.

"You just guard me, okay?" Lucy told him.

Lucy washed the dirt off of the root vegetables, and broke them into smaller pieces. She added them with water and sea salt to small conical jars, then boiled them with lids on them. After the fire died out, and the pottery jars cooled down enough to touch, Lucy sealed around the edge of the lid with fresh clay to block out air.

"These will have to sit around for many days, before they pickle," Lucy told Rual. "Move these jars next to the hut."

Rual looked at the ceramic jars, then picked one up with his hand, and held his spear with the other hand. He never let go of the spear as he worked.

"Thank you for your help, Rual. Let's eat some food. Are you hungry?"

Rual nodded.

As they ate, Lucy asked Rual, "What are you going to do tonight, if you need to go use the bathroom?"

Rual gripped his spear tightly, and froze.

'What is he afraid of,' Lucy wondered to herself.

"Not what, Who," Christian answered her thoughts, he was sitting next to Rual, who didn't notice him.

"Did someone hurt you, Rual," Lucy asked.

Rual stared at the ground, and breathed heavily.

"I want to help you, Rual. Please tell me what happened."

"You can't help," Rual snapped, talking for the first time today.

"You won't know if you don't talk about it," Lucy spoke softly.

Rual stayed silent.

'Christian, what happened to him,' Lucy thought in her mind.

"I'm not going to spoil the suspense," Christian laughed.

'You're keeping a fucking child in pain for your entertainment?' Lucy screamed in her mind.

"He doesn't want you to know," Christian answered Lucy.

"Please let me do something for you," Lucy told Rual.

"Stop talking about it. Nothing happened!" Rual responded.

"Okay, I need to deliver food to Hess. Are you coming with me to the village?"

Rual nodded.

Lucy took a pot of sea food to give to village leader Hess. Rual took his spear with him. The villagers were giving him the side eye, because he was carrying a weapon inside the village. Men aren't normally allowed to carry weapons, except when out hunting.

"What does he have," Hess asked irritated, "Men don't carry weapons in the village."

Rual ran out of the village while holding his spear.

"I didn't know about that rule. Can you forgive it this time?" Lucy asked.

"Bad slaves must be punished," Hess responded.

"He's just a child," Lucy begged.

"He will be punished. Catch the boy."

"It was only an accident."

"Catch him, or you'll be punished too," Hess said.

Hess stiffened her muscles to steady her nerves, "I won't do it."

"Hold her down," Hess commanded a couple female villagers.

They restrained Lucy, who didn't fight back, and remained peaceful. Rual screamed and struggled, while being dragged back. Lucy and Rual were tied up, and the other men of the village were sent out. Awhile later the men returned carrying large bundles of plants. It was poison ivy, according to what Lucy's system told her. Hess told the men to build a fire, and cover it with the poison ivy. Lucy and Rual were tied to a stake in the ground, down wind of the smoke.

"Rual, take short breaths through you mouth. Don't breathe deep, or through your nose. Stay calm," Lucy instructed the panicking boy, "Short breaths."

"Shut up!" Hess yelled at Lucy.

The men had blank expressions, but some of the female villagers seemed to enjoy watching Rual and Lucy cough, and leak snot and tears. They felt hatred towards anyone that would protect men. Rual was getting what he deserved to them. Their smiles were sneers of contempt. Rual and Lucy wheezed as they breathed. They were forced to breath the smoke of burning poison ivy, and weren't untied until it all burned down. Neither of them could see, because their eyes were too swollen.

"This is what you get for disobedience," Hess said coldly, "Take them out of my sight."

Rual and Lucy were dragged down the beach to where they live, and left laying in the sand.

'How many Deity Points do I have?' Lucy thought.

'One thousand and seven points,' her system answered.

'Spend all DP on healing Rual.'

"That won't do very much," Lucy heard Christian speak.

'Anything is better than nothing,' Lucy thought.

"Those points would be more effectively spent on yourself," Christian commented.

"I can't die," Lucy groaned.

Since no one was watching, Christian dragged Rual and Lucy inside their hut. It would look like a demon possessing their body to onlookers. Rual didn't know who was moving him, but that person fed him drinking water. It hurt Rual to breathe. The points Lucy spent on him, prevented his esophagus from completely closing off. Lucy wasn't as lucky. She suffered seizures from constantly suffocating, and being brought back to life to suffer more suffocation and seizures, because she healed at a slow rate.

"You have too much faith in the good of humans," Christian shook his head at Lucy.

Lucy and Rual suffered a fever that spiked through the night. Their bodies developed a rash covering them. They weren't aware of Christian taking care of them. He gave Rual enough medicine to avoid death. Lucy was left to suffer in her immortality. They didn't leave their hut for two days. On the third day Rual walked out of the hut with Lucy. They still had some rashes on their body. A villager of Hess saw them, and screamed like they saw a ghost. No one of Hess expected them to survive.

"Go check the traps," Lucy instructed Rual.

Rual reached for his spear, but Lucy stepped on it.

"You won't need it," She told him.

Rual let go of the spear, and walked towards the craw fish traps. Lucy checked her stuff. The fires had died out. The water pots had been taken. The pickled food wasn't found, because Lucy buried the jars in the sand to stay cool. Lucy checked the copper, and found it intact, and not stolen. The firewood was taken, but the charcoal was left alone. The baskets were gone. Lucy walked with confidence into the village. The villagers avoided Lucy's stare. She walked straight to Hesse's home, and yelled.

"Where's my stuff?"

Hess opened her door, and calmly asked, "What stuff?"

"Baskets, water pots, firewood."

"Everything I have is mine," Hess answered.

Lucy looked around the village, and saw a couple baskets and water pots that looked like hers. She couldn't identify those that belonged to her, and the ones that were taken before the trade agreement. Lucy held in her anger, and spoke coldly to Hess.

"Return my water pot filled with poisoned water."

Lucy spoke loudly enough for everyone close to hear the words 'poisoned water.' Lucy walked back home, and found Rual boiling craw fish.

"Are you hungry? I'm hungry," Lucy said out loud to Rual.

He smiled and nodded. Arguing was heard from the villagers, and then the sounds of ceramic pots being smashed followed.

"What's happening," Rual asked.

"They're tasting their own medicine," Lucy smiled.

All the water pots in Hess village, and anything that held water was broken by the paranoid villagers. In one hour, every ceramic item was broken. The broken pieces were thrown in the ocean, and the baskets Lucy had made were burned to ash. Village leader Hess was pissed, and stomped over to Lucy to demand she make more pottery.

"No," Lucy responded.

Hess village could make a container that held about a liter of water, but Lucy could make a water pot that held seven liters of water, because she had a large kiln. That kiln was broken by Lucy.

"You can't force a corpse to do your work, so try threatening me with death, Hess," Lucy spoke, "They won't get anything until I recover my losses."

Hess gritted her teeth. Rual refused to look at Lucy and Hess standing chest to chest. He was dead silent.

"The dead don't scare me," Hess spoke to Lucy.

She thought that the poison ivy smoke would kill Lucy and Rual, and thought it might have actually killed them. The idea of spirits getting revenge didn't scare her. She felt strong enough to fight them.

"Someone hurt Rual, before you hurt us," Lucy spoke, "I will find them, and hurt them for whatever they did to him, and then I'll hurt you-"

Hess stabbed Lucy in the gut with a stone knife, and dragged it across her liver. Hess had a grin of achievement on her face, and Lucy looked at her wound shocked. She dropped to the ground, and Rual spun around.

"No," Rual screamed and jumped over to be closer to Lucy.

"No owner, no use alive," Hess said to Rual.

Hess walked towards him, and Rual crawled away in fear.

"I'll kill you myself, man."

"No!" Lucy screamed

Hess grinned at Rual, and Rual saw a spear appear out of Hesse's chest. Lucy had pushed Rual's spear through Hesse's back, and out her chest. The spear handle nearly hit Rual as Hess spun around to look at who attacked her.

"Bitch!" Hess said while spitting blood on Lucy.

Lucy screamed, and tackled Hess. The spear pushed against the ground as Hess fell, and it pierced Lucy in the shoulder as they fell down. Neither Lucy or Hess could move without worsening their injuries.

"This is what fighting gets you," Lucy spoke with weak breaths, "We could have been peaceful."

Hess smiled with bloody teeth, "You are strange, Stranger."

Neither of them spoke, and watched each other as they died slowly. Rual tried to help Lucy by pulling her off of the spear, but it caused Lucy to bleed out faster. Lucy smiled at Rual, and rubbed his face with her hand. They struggled to hold on as long as possible, but Lucy and Hess eventually died. Rual cried out in screams. The only woman to not debase him for being a man, and treat him like a human being was gone.