Summoned Again?

Chapter 83: Shepherding

We eventually made it across the mountains and I wasn't surprised to find a large group of rams were still mining. I had George stop and winked at the Freemartin as I stepped out of the cart and walked over to the guards.

Hi, there. I said and the guard gave my bare face an odd look. It's all right. It's not taboo to show your face anymore. I said and he let out a surprised noise. I just came by to check on the miners and to give them some information, if that's all right?

The guard shrugged and let me pass, since he couldn't see any weapons on me. It was so nice to be able to carry anything by any guard and not have them detect it or even try to search for it. I laughed in my head, because I could make a fortune smuggling things across the border back home. Drugs, weapons, and any kind of contraband would be undetectable.

I could start a 'deliver to prisoners' business and make a fortune there, too. I could even rob banks and businesses, just by standing there and storing what was inside their vaults and registers. I can't say that I never think of that, because that was always at the back of my mind. It could be so easy to go that route and to flagrantly break the law and take everything I wanted... except for my own morality.

As I walked down the mine, I had to admit to myself that my moral compass had taken a pounding during this trip to horny world. It really had. I had no real moral ground to judge anyone with everything I had done... and hadn't done... along the way. I could have given gold and treasure to everyone, since I didn't really need it, and I didn't. I could have offloaded hundreds of tons of metal ores at almost any point, and I hadn't.

I wasn't going to do that here, either. I was going to go home, start a business, preferably an international business, and then set up offloading some of the gold I had to smelt it into bars and store it in the federal reserve. I knew that was a bit ambitious, especially considering the initial startup costs for a mining operation in several different countries. I wasn't worried about that, though.

How much capital would I have access to if I converted thirteen billion (13,000,000,000) gold coins into cash? Since each was about 2 ounces and gold was about 1,500 dollars an ounce (give or take a hundred dollars), then that was about thirty-nine trillion dollars ($39,000,000,000,000). I actually had several hundred million more gold coins from the first world, not counting all of the 'new' coins that I had received from the dragon's treasure.

The funny thing was, I didn't get any loot from the queen ant. She didn't have any clothing, weapons, or anything else. There was no money, gold, or possessions of any kind. There wasn't even a hive for storage. It had just been the village they lived in and that was it. Of course, she might own a lot and I would have to absorb her to get her possessions. I didn't want to absorb her like that, though.

I had learned my lesson with the dragon. Absorbing anything here could greatly affect me in ways that I couldn't fathom, besides all the added skills and things. In fact, when I finally finished acclimating everything I had gained from the judge, I discovered something odd. I couldn't make sense of what the unnamed skill meant until I looked back at The Law's stats.

One of them, his offensive magic, was above the hard cap of 999. I had completely missed it at the time and now that I thought about it, it made sense. He ensured that his magic could overpower anyone else, which was why he was so surprised that I had resisted him. I shouldn't have been able to counter his magic, and technically I didn't, since it was my resilience and regeneration that had kept me from changing.

The skill with no name, ????, didn't have any info or description, no matter how long I had stared at it or asked inside my head for information about it. What I had to do was slowly add points to it. When it reached ten points, it asked me what stat I wanted to augment. I chose the base Magic stat of course, and the skill let me drop another hundred points into it.

I damn near jumped for joy and maxed the skill with 99 points and it unlocked all fifteen of my stat slots. I immediately dropped a hundred points in each and I told everyone we were stopping for a day to adjust to it, even though I didn't believe that I had to. It wasn't that big of a power boost, or so I thought. Going over the regulated numbers for anything could sometimes lead to trouble.

I was very glad that I had two worlds of experience with using an abundance of strength, because each point over 999 had increased the potential by the same amount as if I had dropped a hundred points into it. The mental backlash was pretty bad, almost as bad as absorbing all of the dragon's possessions. The Freemartin Diana held me and comforted me as I suffered through it, and that made the visit to her old settlement that much more unbearable.

I was going to leave her behind and unlike the others that had been along on the journey, she was the only one that had really gotten to me. We had both changed during our adventures together and I was sure that she was going to regret being left behind just as much as I was going to regret leaving her behind.

Hello. I said to the first miner I saw.

What are you doing back in here? The miner asked.

Ah, you were part of the first group. I said and he nodded. I came to give you more information about the ore deposits if you want it.

The ram shrugged. There's more ore in this mountain than we'll ever need and we have no problems finding it.

I opened my mouth to tell him about the huge vein they had been walking on top of for about a quarter of a mile, then shrugged. I'm sorry for bothering you. I said with a nod. I'll let you get back to it.

I left and ran back up to the entrance of the mine and climbed onto the cart. No one commented about how quick I was and I didn't offer an explanation. We went on and stopped at the settlement entrance and after a cursory check of the healers, we were allowed inside. We were also told to wait at the Freemartin's home for someone to tell us when the Tup would be ready to meet us.

I was a little surprised that they didn't comment on the Freemartin's new look, which I assumed was why we needed to wait for the Tup, so he could be told of her new appearance and what it was going to mean for their settlement. I would need to make a few things clear to him if he didn't understand.

We came to a stop outside the small plot of land where the house was and Diana hopped off our cart and ran to the door. It opened before she reached it and her mother stood there, a shocked look on her face.

What... what happened? Her mother asked and her partially hoofed hands reached up and touched the nice set of horns she had.

Damon fixed me, mother. Diana said as I walked over to them. Completely.

My sweet little lamb. Her mother said softly. There was nothing to fix.

You're wrong. Diana said and pulled up the bottom of her top. See?

Her mother looked down from the amazing horns that shouldn't be on her daughter and her eyes bulged as she beheld a small baby bump. N-no... no, you... it's not possible. The healers...

They were right back then. One of the healers that were still on the cart said. She's a different person now.

Diana's mother reached down and caressed the bump. How... how long?

There's four months left. Diana said, quite proud. One of the healers will be staying with us to record the birth.

Please, forgive the intrusion. The healer that had spoken, a pretty small mammalian-like animal woman that I would later learn was called a tree shrew on Earth, stepped off of the cart and came over to us. It's too momentous of an occasion to not bear witness.

We are so envious. The other three healers said. She won the draw, so the rest of us need to proceed onward to the capital.

You really should let me come with you. Diana said to me.

Putting you in unnecessary danger by travelling for another few weeks, just so I can deliver the message to the last hero to see if he wants to go home, is a risk that I don't want to take. I gave her a quick kiss. Even if he decides to try and fight, which he shouldn't, I'll kick his ass and crush him.

Diana chuckled. Those extra points in stats are really going to your head.

Does that mean yours aren't? I asked with a grin.

Shh! I thought you said it was supposed to be a secret!

It is a secret that doesn't have to be kept anymore. I said and turned to look at the ram running towards us. I assume the Tup needs to see us now?

The ram came to a stop at a respectable distance, nodded, then ran away.

I chuckled and looked at the others. Diana and I will be right back.

The mother let out a bleat of surprise and then hugged her daughter. You have a NAME!

I do. Diana said and hugged her back. I'll tell you all about it when I return.

Of course, of course. Her mother said and let her go. I can't wait to hear all about it. She said and then bleated happily. You need to get sheared again.

I'll have it done later. Diana said and took my hand. Damon doesn't mind the extra softness.

Not even a little bit. I said to her and gave her a kiss. Although, I remember that young woman getting sheared the last time I was here...

Diana laughed. Yes, I remember you telling me all about it. Several times. She said and started walking. Now you won't have to hide your excitement as I am treated the same way.

I'm not sure what to say to that. I said, even though I was already getting an erection from the thought of it.

It's all right. I know just the sheep to do it for me. Diana whispered. I always go to her when I need it taken care of.

How often? I asked.

It depends. For most of our people, it's once a year. Mine didn't grow as fast, so it was every two or three years. Diane said. Now that I'm like this, it could be a yearly thing... maybe even more.

My mind immediately put her into the same shearing situation that the young woman was getting off on, probably because she was getting gently caressed all over, and I was fully hard.

Don't worry my love. I'll give you one of the best memories to remember me before you leave. Diana whispered and kissed my cheek.

On top of everything else? I asked with a smile and let her hand go to put my arm around her waist.

I want to fill your dreams with thoughts of me. Diana said and tried to lean her head on my shoulder, then she laughed when her horn bonked me on the side of the head instead. I'm sorry, I need more practice with them.

It's all right. I have a thick skull. I said to make her laugh again, then held her a little tighter as we walked to the main building that the Tup stayed in.