I finally gave up on any more sleep about the same time the suns rose. Many of the Kha’Tal rose and tended to the myriad tasks that I’d forgotten needed to be done, such as tending to the young in the herds, discarding any refuse acquired through the night, and deliberately creating enough noise near the other members of the swarm to help them start to wake. As I continued to observe, the swarm “organically” woke, many of the Alphas rousing their packs once they themselves were roused. Screeches of all sorts filled the air, and again I was struck by the quiet importance and efficiency the Kha’Tal exhibited.

The swarm prepared itself, and like a single large body, each part completed its task. The Kou’Tal guided the herds into movement, north towards the pass Joral had seen in the mountains the day before. The Sik’Tal ranged to the south to search for more prey that would be out of our grasp for the immediate future while the Hak’Tal kept a close eye on the edges of the herds and the swarm. Nothing could approach under their watch, and the Sou’Tal, under Sybil’s guidance, guided each section of the swarm. All the while, the Kha’Tal quietly stepped into wherever they thought they were needed.

A broad smile covered my face as I watched my swarm organize themselves mostly without my input. I’d created this, guided much of each step, and I could see the benefits of extending trust to each caste in their place. Different from humans, our stations and desires mandated our form, evolution, and caste, with [Evolutionary Exemplar] allowing me to help expedite growth. Following the khatif were the nearly one thousand keelish, and though some remained willful, the vast majority of the keelish happily followed any khatif’s command. The hundred or so khatif led the lower keelish, and their presence assisted in the growth of their followers.

While I thought of as much and was about to finally address my [System] notification, a question occurred to me, and I asked the Administrator as much.

“So many of my swarm’s members’ evolution to khatif has been much simpler than my own seemed to have been. I never would have figured out how to evolve [Combatant’s Bloodlust] without the [System]. I can’t say I ever would have become khatif without the [System], so while I’m helping out the swarm with my [Skills], I don’t get how so many of them have become khatif so much more easily than I did.”

[The Administrator laughs. I’m surprised that it’s taken you this long to ask, little fang. There is much more to it than I’m going to explain, but your own evolution is a large portion of the reason for which your subordinates’ evolutions are simplified. You are on the path to qualify for the Title: Progenitor. I cannot explain to you at this time exactly what the requirements or the benefits of gaining the Title are, but you are about 95% of the way there already. Having the Title will allow at least half of your khatif to immediately evolve to Keel alongside you, if you have the Title at the time of your own evolution. Regardless of when you will acquire the Title, your progress towards acquiring it has allowed many of your subordinates to evolve more easily than you have. Consider yourself to have carved the path of evolution to khatif and in the process of preparing the path towards Keel.]

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

It was such a hefty response that I expected her to get cut off from speaking at any second, but the words continued to come until the explanation had come in full. I couldn’t help but ask again, “How close was that to getting you silenced?”

[A certain smugness colors the Administrator’s words. Not at all. You know what Titles are as you have several, you know generally how one can acquire a Title, and you asked a specific question that is well within my jurisdiction to answer. I could give as much information as I did largely because much of it was already given to you. I simply collated it for your ease of understanding. The only new information I gave you was the name of a Title you perhaps stand to gain. In the eyes of the System, this is very little.]

“Thank you.” I audibly addressed the Administrator while mulling over the current turn of events. All good information, and I was glad to have it, though the Administrator seemed to think that I already had been given all of it before. I didn’t worry over it for much longer, and instead called for Solia. She approached me quickly, her face eager.

“What is it Alpha? What can I do for you?”

“Did you hear about the giant ants that Foire, Trai, and I found yesterday?”

“Nothing substantial, just that they existed. I didn’t pay much attention to it, to be honest.”

“They’re about this big,” I said, holding my hands three feet or so apart, “and not too dangerous by themselves, but there’s hundreds of them. You’re one of the few members of the swarm who can make sure that the hunt ends successfully.” When I said so, Solia perked up even more and grinned widely.

“My magic?”

“Your magic. Gather a pack to go with you, at least ten, and take Trai or Foire with you. Visit the nest we found yesterday, and prepare yourself to torch the exit after twenty or so of the ants come out. Kill the twenty, bring their bodies back. If twenty isn’t too much to carry, hunt some more and bring them.”

“Yes, Alpha.” Solia bowed her head and whirled to gather a troop to follow my command. Before long, Trai and most of her pack of newly adult keelish led Solia towards the colony of insects. A faint tremor of nervousness ran down my back for a moment, but I quickly stamped it out. They would learn, and if some of them were injured or even died because of their foolishness, then that would be the price to pay for knowledge. Keelish, khatif, and Keel would prove themselves in battle, from the weakest hatchling to the greatest Zak’Tal.

As I thought as much, again the feeling of nearly Speaking the Words of Power settled over me. This time, the direct analogue to the First of the Phrases of the Words was obvious–”Through the flaming crucible of war are we refined and through the quenching in the blood of our foes are we strengthened.” For too long, the swarm had been forced to remain as a single great mass, but it prevented the weakest and youngest from tempering themselves in the heat of true battle.

I raised a hand to them as one glanced back, and he gestured for the rest to look as well. If this was to be the last time I saw any of them, I would accept it. They turned and resumed their rush up the mountain, excitedly jabbering at each other as they rushed. I continued my own path forward, leading the swarm to the pass to the other side of the mountains. More lands to explore, more paths to walk, and more life to lead lay ahead, and I’d been reassured by the Administrator that I was well on my path.

Finally, it was time to look more deeply at my [Status] notifications.