Time passed quickly while he was perched atop the mountain, watching and thinking. The sun was lowering, but now that the Incubation Chamber was complete, he needed to put all of his focus on clearing out the beetle infestation. With that threat looming over the valley, he couldn’t focus on building a comfortable life. Malik hoped that the dwarves would stick around and become citizens, but he knew that it wouldn’t be easy to convince them. Naveck had said that they all had families.

His thoughts stopped wandering as he spotted Naveck approaching Aisha, holding a bulky object made from beetle shells and a bundle of cloth. He couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Naveck was pantomiming how to put the object on.

First, she hooked a cloth piece over her neck that covered her chest, but left her wings free and exposed. It had another string at the bottom that tied around her waist. The beetle armor worked similarly and looked very sleek on Aisha, matching her horns perfectly. Malik doubted that she would be able to fly while wearing it. After all, her Strength and Dexterity were quite low. Something he would need to help her with.

Although she was Level 5, Aisha had never felt the exhilaration leveling created. He would also try to help her spend her points wisely.

Finally, he saw her slip on a pair of pants, patched together with the various colors from the dwarves’ outer shirts. Aisha wandered over to the water and admired herself in the reflection. Malik smiled and made a mental note to ask the dwarves to make him similar armor.

Malik leaped off the peak to glide down and see the armor up close. However, as he spread his wings, he caught movement out of the corner of his eyes near the treeline. With a couple of flaps, he changed course to get a better look.

The familiar shape of the large bear named Charles raised himself onto his back legs, looking directly at Malik with dark eyes. With a frown, Malik glided toward him, wondering what he wanted. When they first met, he had run off without a word. Charles was also holding something that Malik couldn’t place. It looked like a weapon perhaps, thin and pointy, and Malik readied himself for a fight as he descended. He considered activating Gargoyle’s Descent, but he had a feeling the bear wasn’t there with malicious intent.

Malik found that he could tuck his wings, dropping faster, then flare them out again just before hitting the ground to slow his fall.

“Hello, Charles,” Malik said as he landed. The bear didn’t flinch.

“Greetings. I didn’t ask your name the first time we met. Forgive my manners,” Charles said, in a rumbling voice, exposing fangs of his own.

“It’s Malik. What brings you here?”

Charles tossed the thin object onto the ground between them, “This is a stinger of some sort. Some of the larger beetles shoot them out of their forehead. It’s a last-ditch effort to kill you. Once they shoot the stinger, they too will die.”

Malik studied the stinger and shuddered. That would pierce him easily and it was doubtful that he would survive such an attack.

“Thank you for the warning. I did notice the larger ones hunt further away from this valley. Do you live that way?”

Charles rumbled in acknowledgment then began to change. The fur started to recede and his frame shrunk. Soon, he looked similar to Zahid, if not larger and paler. His hair was dark and he had bushy eyebrows. Malik watched with fascination.

“Yes, my family and I have been seeking shelter in various caves, unable to settle anywhere. We keep getting pushed out. The beetles are becoming larger and more numerous, eating everything in their path,” Charles said with a frown. “I didn’t know if you were another monster when we first met and was too spent to fight again, so I fled. However, I’ve been watching you and see that you even have dwarves working with you.”

Malik lifted his chin. He hadn’t seen Charles sneaking around and wondered how the large creature remained undetected, “Yes, but what is your family doing out here? Why don’t you go to the Branam Empire for shelter?”

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Charles spat to the side, “They’re the reason we’re out here. They hunt Shape Shifters like us. We’re abominations to them.”

Malik wondered what Zahid would think of that. Did he consider Shape Shifters abominations? If so, how did he really see Malik?

“I see,” Malik said slowly. He didn’t know Charles or his family, but he wanted citizens and knew that he needed to proceed cautiously. “Are you and your family seeking shelter here at Stone Wing Spire?”

Charles raised his bushy eyebrows at the name but didn’t comment, “There may be power in numbers. We worked well together, didn’t we? If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, I was hoping that we could stay here and try to kill the beasts alongside each other.”

“How many are in your family?”

“Five. Myself, my wife, two daughters, and a son. We have tools that you may find useful. My wife has a green thumb and my daughters can hunt, fish, and craft an elegant bow.”

“A green thumb? What can your son contribute?”

“Ah, she can grow the largest vegetables you’ll ever see. My son, Sam, he’s a Shape Shifter like me. Only he’s a cripple. We got too close to an outpost during a hunt about a year back. Damn Branam soldiers shot him full of arrows and we had to amputate his arm. That don’t grow back in any form, but I’m glad he survived. It was a near thing.”

Malik felt for him. Although Aisha was only hours old, he would be devastated if anything happened to her.

Charles saw Malik’s troubled expression, “Don’t worry. He’s smart. Much smarter than his old man. He will be useful in his own way.”

Nodding, Malik held out his hand like Naveck had done when they first met, “Your family is welcome at Stone Wing Spire. Go get them quickly.”

Charles shook Malik’s hand, then began transforming to his bear form, “Thank you, Malik,” and bounded off.

Malik picked up the stinger. Perhaps he could use it against the beetles?

Horned Beetle Stinger

Damage:

Piercing (High)

Durability:

10/10

Good enough, Malik thought. Launching himself back into the air, he put the stinger on the peak near his other beast cores, then made his way to Aisha.

She was pointing at Naveck and a little blue ball shot at him. He laughed as it hit him, making Malik wonder what was going on.

They noticed his approach and Naveck shouted, “She’s a bloody mage, Malik.”

“What was that?” Malik asked Aisha.

“My skill, Guardian’s Embrace. It covers the target with protective energy for five minutes, reducing any damage by 10%,” she said proudly.

“That’s all damage. Magic, piercing, blunt, you name it,” Naveck said excitedly.

“Interesting. Can you use the skill on me?” Malik asked.

“Sure, but I can only have it on one target at a time. When I cast it on you, it will leave Naveck,” She said as she shot the little blue ball at him from her finger.

It hit Malik and he felt a film wrap around his skin. It didn’t restrict his movement, but it was slightly uncomfortable. It was as if the air wasn’t reaching his skin. He lightly scratched his arm with a claw and found that he couldn’t feel it at all unless he pressed a bit harder.

“Feels funny, right?” Naveck said, poking Malik in the arm.

Malik chuckled at Naveck’s antics, “Impressive. I’m starting to think that I made the wrong choice in my stat selections.”

Aisha shrugged with a grin, “Maybe you did.”

Malik smirked and was about to compliment her and Naveck on the armor she now wore. It fit beautifully and she moved about naturally. However, Themo came trotting over, interrupting them.

Giving us a curt nod in greeting he said, “Some of the lads are starting to squirm. With the sun going down, they’re getting a bit of surface sickness.”

“Dargun’s beard,” Naveck grumbled. “I’ll deal with ‘em.”

“We can rest for the night in the Incubation Chamber,” Malik said to Aisha. “I’ll activate it again as well.”

“I would very much like to see this,” she said with a smile and walked with Malik toward the building.