Kilon didn't tell anyone yet. About the effects of their presence. Their influence on the living things, besides them, was apparent when enough time has passed or enough of them have died. He was thinking of the beast and how it probably got so strong. He was contemplating "Should I tell them? Is my sharing such things, the reason one of them will turn against us? It can't be, there are other reasons for that vision." The information he possessed is something of high value. If explored properly, it could lead to new discoveries and a prosperous future, if mistakes were made, disaster will follow quickly after.

"Everything good brother? You seem lost in thought." Menoel curiously asked, sitting next to Kilon, as the Lightborn were chasing animals, catching insects and exploring around. Some were jumping on and off gusts of winds, while others gathered balls of waters and sprayed them around. Others trained their skills with light, wind, water and even earth manipulation.

"Nothing much," he said, still looking for words "There is this thing I wanted to try. But I'm unsure. The others may try it, and it might cause trouble." Kilon continued, his eyes looking at the movements of his siblings.

"Then, what if you try it on something they're not interested into?" Menoel suggested.

"Well, even if they're not interested, much like the Link, they may get interested once they see results." Kilon cautiously responded.

"You can tell me and try it while I cover for you with my ability." Menoel fairly continued. The ability of which he spoke, allowed Menoel to bend the light surrounding him. It wasn't perfect yet, but from a distance, he could fool about anyone regarding height, glow and overall form. This, however, could only work from three angles, the sides and front, as his control was still not good, while the alterations to his image were basic, so if anyone approached, it would reveal his trickery. If someone approached him and got too close, he could push this ability further by emanating a strong light, overlapping any other light sources, which he could control how it enters one's eyes. Allowing for the replication of whatever image he wanted, inside the mind of someone close to him. This was only possible once or twice during daytime and up to five times during the night.

Kilon gave it some thought, after which he replied "Very well then. This may be the best approach." Kilon then explained to Menoel his hypothesis about the beast and his observations through his brethren. The fact that the living matter and critters were attracted to their light, was no mere coincidence "We were born special Menoel. That much we understood from the Creator. However, we didn't understand how special. Our lives carry something which the other beings lack. Our lights, although we knew are special, how much wasn't clear. But now that I sat here, I'm starting to get a better grasp onto it." he explained, while revealing that underneath him, the grass has been growing exponentially fast. "I cut this grass three times by now, and it still grows to a finger's length in seemingly moments."

Menoel looked at the grass where Kilon sat, and he could see it grow under his gaze. Looking under him, the grass was growing as well, albeit slower. "It makes a lot of sense now that you mention it. The fact that animals aren't scared of us as much as they should be, and the beast that was a few times larger than others from it's kind." Menoel was starting to get an idea of what this meant, why Kilon didn't want to get it out. "It means that, the longer we stay in a place, the stronger our influence. Do you think our lights affect animals even if we don't get eaten by them?" Menoel asked concerned.

"That, I do not know. Which is why I want to try something. So, are you still willing to help me, Menoel?" Kilon asked, his words careful and his attention fixed for Menoel's response.

"Of course Kilon. It's what I suggested, so I would be a moron to not go along with it." Menoel responded, his answer withholding something. Kilon could tell he wanted to say or ask something. But didn't press him further. Menoel's help was crucial if he wanted to proceed.

"Very well then brother. Connect your light to mine and I will give you a signal when I'm ready. I still have to test out something." Kilon ordered as Menoel connected his light to his and left for the others.

After Menoel left, Kilon placed both hands on the grass he stood and let his light get out from the palm of his hands. He focused on the light, letting the grass grab onto it and consume some of it. While letting it do so, he tried to focus his senses onto the light which now was within the grass. It didn't take him long, the sun shifting towards east by the time he could feel all the blades of grass. It felt as if he touched something with his hairs. With a bit more concentration, Kilon was able to control the grass itself, night being upon the Lightborn. Their glows making them look like stars dancing on earth. Some were still chasing animals, while others looked at the beautiful stellar sky, barely tainted by a cloud here and there.

"Fascinating." Kilon said under his breath. The grass followed his mind, if he wanted it to move some way, it would slightly grow towards that direction, giving the illusion of movement. If so he willed, his light could command the grass to change color and even smell. "Now, I must try on something larger." Kilon looked around at the thought of that. Trees were scarce, so he had to leave before trying anything else. "I also need something like a small animal. See how far this can go." he continued his line of thought. Kilon then signaled Menoel. There wasn't a better time than this to further explore the potential of these newfound abilities.

"I'm here Kilon. Did you notice that the sun is shifting faster? A sun here may be shorter than when we were in the Shivering Lands." Menoel reported, fascination with the new lands washing over him.

"I did. So we're going to stay another sun in place." Kilon told his brother "Now, activate your ability, I will try to reduce my glow like Salvete." he added. Kilon's method to reduce his glow, was to let the light course through slower. This slowed his reactions and thinking speed to a degree, unlike Salvete who could do it without drawbacks, but it was a useful ability when he wanted to hide from something, in this case, his siblings.

Both activated their abilities. Their siblings still preoccupied by the lands around them, which now got a new shade of life, as night predators and birds started to show their eyes, which could only be seen at times, when a bit of starlight would reach their cold glimpses above the grass. Something which the Lightborn noticed, was that pretty much every animal in here made little to no sound when walking or flying. It's something they looked over, although, at first they thought it might be because they hide from something. But nothing has been noticed anywhere over a good distance.

No one noticed the exchange, no one except for Eharel, his eyes known to be an issue. For as long as they were at the Link and have hunted into the Shivering Lands, Eharel developed his eyes' reflexes the most. He was often sent first in scouting missions and assessing the surroundings, as he would cast long, fast rays of light from his eyes. Allowing him to instantly take notice of anything around. His ability, when not fully active, would allow to grasp at the surrounding light and warn him of changes. This time, Eharel took a simple glimpse towards where Kilon and Menoel stood, and it was enough to notice the strange light surrounding Menoel, now Kilon. Eharel basically noticed the activation of Menoel's ability. For the time being though, he didn't seem bothered by whatever was happening over there, as he was studying the movements of a night bird, called a soundsnatcher.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Menoel felt the gaze of his brother upon him for a moment. He was prepared to activate his ability at full capacity if needed, but for now it wasn't the case. Kilon, meanwhile, managed to put some distance towards East, where, as he walked, could see the tips of mountains peaking from beyond the horizon.

"Hmm. Those do not have snow on top, they're made of rock and tree. I wonder if beyond them, there are lands filled some more with trees." Kilon's wonder based upon the fact that, if this is successful, then he may find a way to build a home for his siblings. "There, just about what I wanted." he said pleased, the tall figure of a tree in front of him, although his height was comparable to that of the tree. "Hopefully this will not take too long." Kilon thought to himself, as he placed his hand on the tree. A soundsnatcher watched with it's large, bulging eyes the tall, slim, glowing figure close it's eyes, as a surge of energy was felt by it from the tree. It's black feathers on the back and the white feathers on the front, slightly glowing with the light now going through the tree.

"I got a hold onto the tree. But most importantly, the bird, I can feel it as if in the palm of my hand. It would seem that, the stronger the life in something, the stronger my light connects with." Kilon noted in his mind "What if I try to do with it as with the living matter?" this terrific thought crossing his mind, and, with some manipulation, he reached for a place which the living matter didn't hold, the chamber of the soul. "What is this...light? I can see it through mine or does it show inside my head?" he wondered, as he couldn't make sense of it. "I will try to-" he thought as he pushed his light further, enveloping the soul of the soundsnatcher. The soundsnatcher, as if beyond even the natural instincts, fled in a blink. It's flight uncontrolled, ungracious and disturbed, no longer caring for anything, not even it's life, as it made loud sounds from it's wings and neck.

"Something so precious, that I could feel it's basic preserving instincts be left behind. That must've been the soul, although, really small." Kilon assessed. Through the connection of the lights of his siblings, he could in a way "sense" their souls, while they crossed the Closed Passage. This time he could "feel" the soul, and he noticed that even the feel was weaker than the sense he had for his siblings. Further adding to the special nature of their race. "Is the soul stronger because of the light? Or is the light stronger because of the soul? Maybe other factors can influence the soul's "weight"." Kilon theorized. "I bet if Orvus was here, he could understand it faster and better, but I can only work with the hand dealt to me." Kilon thought, wishing that his brothers and sisters all the way in the Frozen Side or perhaps somewhere else, could be here.

"I should now attempt the second test." Kilon thought to himself. This attempt took all night, and by the time Kilon was done, he was laying down tired. "I think this confirms it pretty well." he thought to himself satisfied, the tree before him, three times as tall and twisted in four portions. "Although, me alone will not be enough to realistically build anything. I guess I should let the other in on-" before he could finish his thoughts, Eharel appeared, Menoel behind him.

"Wow brother. That is something I would say! You said it was nothing, but obviously it is something." Eharel exclaimed, looking in awe at the tall, twisted tree.

"That? Come on Eharel! That is nothing I say!" Menoel attempted to appease the situation, his words failing to do anything now as more Lightborn showed up.

Kilon stood up and pat himself clean "How did he find out?"

"Well-" Menoel tried to explain, his face shameful of his failure.

"Well, I just got behind him, all sneaky. I know all about his ability because he likes to boast about it. And when I asked him why is he pretending to take your shape, of course he couldn't lie, he's the worst liar I know." Eharel explained instead, proud of his cunning.

The other Lightborn were looking, climbing and jumping on gusts of wind between the twists. Kilon sighed with a sense of relief and said "Well, I was going to tell you all about it either way. So I guess this is the best example." he confessed, trying to get their attention with the tree, without revealing anything about the soul aspect.

Before he could say anything, the ground shook for a moment. Everyone stood still, waiting for anything else to happen. The sound of birds was nowhere, while the small critter were no longer visible.

"What was-" Eharel tried to ask, Kilon signaling him to keep the silence.

Kilon approached the ground slowly, letting his ear search for anything below. He didn't hear anything, so he let his light pierce the soft ground and spread like roots. While he didn't hear anything, his light made quick contact with something that was moving below, heading for the tree and swirling around it. Kilon made gestures for the Lightborn to move away, the Lightborn following swiftly on gusts of winds, some carrying those less capable, while others used powerful, yet silent charges of light to disperse themselves away from the tree.

With a simple, damp sound from within the ground, the wet and slimy surface of a worm showed up as it swallowed whole the tree, aiming mainly for it's roots. The length of the worm couldn't be seen to it's fullest, but it was of around ten Lightborn put on top of each other, while the width was around three. The worm had curled teeth, inside a mouth that seemingly went inside it's body, for pulling and gripping at the roots. As it swallowed the tree, it slowly went backwards into it's hole. The Lightborn were speechless, never have they seen anything like it, proving to them that even in these warm lands, the dangers of life were still unknown to them. The worm, which species they promptly called rootworm, retreated once it got what it wanted, small limbs around the head pulling the dirt around and sealing the hole in the ground, making it seem as if nothing was there if you haven't seen it happen.

After a short while, Eharel broke the silence with "You wanted to say, brother?" his voice shaken still by the sight.

"We're leaving. This place is no longer safe." Kilon gravely stated.

"At least we know why there are no trees." Menoel added, his body slightly trembling.

"But lands where should we find? If warm lands are then freezing lands follow, right?" Efeheem added, his speech improving ever so slightly.

"Beyond the mountains. Not the snow, cold ones, but those." Kilon said as he pointed East, towards the tip of a distant mountain, some trees could barely be seen.

"Those grey ones? I suppose these worms like the flatter lands, as they don't seem to have eaten the trees on those mountains." Melonius assessed.

"That looks like a long travel, doesn't it? And these worms may want more than trees right?" Eharel guessed.

"Yes, they do. I find it hardly a coincidence that one came from who knows where just for that one tree." Menoel added, now no longer caring about the cover.

"And if the tree taste was good for the worm. Wanting more is possible." Efeheem added also through his speech impediment.

Kilon took all these things into account and couldn't agree more. If these worms started to like their taste, like the apex clawbear back then did, it would only be a matter of time before it could return for some more and perhaps with friends this time. It was a risk he's not going to sit down and wait for. So, he returned to where most Lightborn were. He saw that they were in a panick, once they saw him and the others, they all flockes, starting to ask questions and growing all worried.

"Brothers, sisters. We are confronted with yet another challenge. This world is harsh with us and will probably remain so until we do something about it, today becoming more apparent than before." Kilon stated aloud, grabbing the attention of all his brothers and sisters. "We can no longer sit here idle. Giant creatures roam the underground, beyond our capacity to observe and anticipate." he prepared his plan with a bit of a pause "We must move East. Towards the grey mountains full of trees. While we move, I will also tell and teach some of you of my new discovery." now pausing again, the Lightborns showing signs of fear, that get suppressed by the exciting and hopeful news that there might be a safe home waiting for them somewhere far away. "But before we go, it's best if you all knew what makes us special, and what makes everything else want us." Kilon continued, his tone grave.