Before they arrived back in camp, Zalia called a stop for a few minutes wanting to talk to the others.
“I don't think we should tell them about the ethereal creatures just yet,” she told them.
Indis frowned,
“Why not?” Zen asked.
“It's just a feeling I have,” Zalia said, trying to figure out why she felt that way.
“A feeling?” Indis asked.
“I don't know… I feel like we shouldn’t disturb the creatures,” Zalia tried to explain.
“Any reason in particular? We could gain a lot of goodwill for telling the Huntmaster about them, where we gain nothing for not,” Indis tried to reason.
“It's not always about what you can and cannot gain from a situation Indis,” Zalia said, feeling somewhat defensive of the creatures.
“Alright, alright,” Indis said, putting her hands up in surrender, “we won’t tell them just yet but Zalia, you have got to give us a reason.”
“This is quite unlike you Zalia, usually you would be excited for such a hunt,” Ember pointed out.
At the mention of the word hunt, Boreal meowed at Zalia. She just scratched the bloodthirsty predator behind the ears.
“I know and I will, just give me a bit to think it over,” she told them.
There was a moment of silence.
“You’ve been really quiet recently Zen,” Zalia said, trying to change the subject.
Indis nodded and Ember scrunched up her eyebrows as if she hadn’t realised and just started thinking about it.
“I’ve been thinking,” he said simply.
“About?” Ember asked.
“About stuff, I don't really want to talk about it yet,” he answered, leaving it at that.
There was another moment of silence and Zalia looked over the messages she had left sitting in the back of her mind, the list popping into her vision at her thought. She had taken to ignoring messages for longer periods of time as her progress slowed down after reaching mid Iron rank in a few abilities. She thought her advancement had slowed down because a few things had reached a more natural level for her age, though she couldn't prove that it was just another instinctive feeling.
Congratulations! Hunter’s sight has reached Iron 9.
Congratulations! Flora identification has reached Iron 7.
Congratulations! Aura observation has gained two levels reaching Tin 16.
Congratulations! Low light vision has gained two levels reaching Tin 17.
Congratulations! Teaching has reached Iron 6.
Congratulations! Sword - Weapon proficiency has reached Iron 6.
It wasn't much progress though she hadn’t really done much other than travel and talk recently. Hunter’s sight had gained an extra level from the hours of tracking and her other abilities through various small bits of training and observation she was always doing. Looking at her profile she did notice another section had been added to the bottom,
Profile - Zalia Taori
Health - Excellent
Mana - Full
Stamina - Full
Class one - Hunter - Iron 7
Linked attributes - Strength, Dexterity
Active skills
Kill shot - Iron 7
Hunter's mark - Iron 8
Fight or Flight - Iron 9
Passive skills
Hunter's Sight - Iron 9
Survivalist - Iron 12
Class two - Herbalist - Iron 6
Linked attributes - Vitality, Resilience
Active skills
Flora identification - Iron 7
Preparation - Iron 8
Stasis - Iron 6
Passive skills
Harvester - Iron 9
Herbal magic - Iron 10
Unity class - Druid - Iron 5
Linked attributes - Wisdom, Intellect
Active skills
Nature’s wrath - Iron 5
Protection of the wilds - Iron 6
Passive skills
Healing presence - Iron 12
General Passives
Heat resistance - Iron 12
Cold resistance - Iron 12
Aura observation - Tin 16
Low light vision - Tin 17
Poison resistance - Iron 7
Mobility - Iron 15
Stealth - Iron 12
Trapper - Iron 12
Teaching - Iron 6
Weapon proficiencies
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Bow - Iron 14
Sword - Iron 6
Throwing Knives - Tin 11
Beast Bond - Boreal - Minor
Shared passives
Feline eyes - Iron
She focused on the ability and was rewarded with an ability description,
Feline eyes - passive - body enhancement
Tin - the sharpness of your vision is dramatically increased.
Iron - when activated, you may see heat in addition to your normal vision.
“Oh?” Zalia thought.
She should have had a look at all this earlier but now was as good a time as any.
“We should get moving again,” Indis said, the silence having stretched on as Zalia looked through her profile.
They got up and began moving once more and Zalia thought about the shared passive, activating the heat vision. The change was instant and extremely noticeable, Zalia being able to see the heat emitted by everything around her. Her three teammates were the obvious sources nearby, emitting quite a lot of heat into the area but she could also see a multitude of small critters amongst the leaves and undergrowth. She could even faintly see where her teammates walked simply by the heat difference they left behind in the air as they walked, minor thought it was. It might have been something she wouldn't have previously been able to see or notice but with her dramatically increased vision and mental attributes she could faintly notice it.
She looked around the world around it with literal new eyes, taking in every single new piece of information provided by the new type of vision. She narrowed her eyes at Boreal who didn't leave behind any type of heat trail or even emitted any at all. Zalia knew for a fact that Boreal was one warm kitten and yet she was unable to see Boreal at all with the new vision, the feline blending perfectly with the surroundings. Only the fact that she could also use her normal vision allowed her to see Boreal. Some kind of innate magic maybe?
“So this is how you see the world,” Zalia thought towards Boreal.
She forgot that she could sense mental messages to the feline and only remembered when Boreal looked up at her and mewed.
She began playing around with her Heat resistance passive Iron rank ability, trying to mask herself with the new vision as a guide to her success. The Iron rank allowed her to manipulate heat to a small degree and she did have some success in lowering how much of the heat escaped her body. It would be a long time until she managed to match what Boreal was doing to any degree but if she worked at it, it could be a possible advantage in future. She immediately felt guilt about berating Indis for seeking any advantage she could because in a way, she did the exact same thing. While Zalia sought any advantage in survival, Indis sought any social advantage, anything that could allow House Indis to survive. Whilst the two were somewhat different, it was a similar mental attitude, just to two different situations. She would apologise later, she did sometimes forget that the woman had her own struggles with the strong front she put up. Indis was also much younger than her, in her mid twenties, another thing she forgot with how mature the woman acted most of the time.
Having read over her profile for the first time in a while and having thoughts about the ethereal creatures on her mind she made a connection between two things. Her Druid class description had said
“You are a protector of nature and the natural cycle of life and death. Through your instincts and knowledge you understand both the flora and fauna of the wild places of the world. You use this ability to preserve the balance as you see fit.”
Maybe the instincts she had to protect the ethereal beings was some unwritten ability granted by her Druid class. In fact, she had been growing steadily less joyed about the prospect of hunting at all as her classes had grown stronger. At least, hunting without purpose. Now, the definition she put behind the word ‘hunt’ was just different. Now she was hunting down the perpetrator of the current imbalance in nature and in that cause she still felt resolute. She hadn’t really considered it before and had never asked anyone but it might be possible that her classes were affecting her mind and how she thought. They could affect her body, abilities and all other sorts. Why not how she thought and acted?
She didn't feel like her other two classes were affecting how she thought, necessarily. They definitely affected how she could respond in any given situation but the Druid class was her unity class, the class that was meant to tie the other two together. At least, that is what she thought it meant. She had never really learnt what it all meant, despite originally going to the kingdom to learn about it all no one else had three classes like she did. Nobody else she had met had a unity class and so as far as she knew, she would have to figure that out herself. Honestly, other than the basics, the only thing she had really learnt so far about her magic was that it was much different than everyone else’s.
“Hey Indis,” Zalia called.
The other three were walking slightly ahead of her and Boreal, her pace slowing as she was deep in thought. Indis fell back to keep pace with Zalia,
“Yes?” Indis asked.
“I’m sorry for getting on your case about finding every advantage you can in any given situation. I sometimes forget what you’re dealing with, you always keep up such a strong and confident face,” Zalia said quietly.
Indis sighed, a crack appearing in her ever stoic expression,
“I appreciate the apology Zalia. You are right, though, that I should not always look for the most advantageous outcome. Sometimes, it is simply best to do what is right,” she said, a faraway look in her eyes.
“Do you know if our classes affect our mind, thoughts and actions?” Zalia asked.
Indis’ eyes refocused and her expression became neutral once more. It was strange to see behind the mask the woman always had up and Zalia wasn't quite sure what to say, so she chose what was safest and changed the subject. Indis would talk when she was ready, maybe.
“Some research has been done into the topic, though it is hard to come to any actual conclusion about it. Many think so, though it might simply be the manner in which we can respond to any given situation being so greatly affected by our abilities slowly changing our mind and temperament to fit,” Indis replied.
“I think that my Druid class, called a unity class in my profile, might have something to do with my instincts about the ethereal creatures. When I gained it, the class description talked about using my instincts and knowledge to preserve the balance of life and death in nature. I just… there is something about them that feels pure and natural despite their otherworldly appearance that I think we should leave them be,” Zalia explained.
Indis gave her an appraising look,
“Maybe. I have learnt it is often a good idea to trust your instincts so I will go with you on this one. What do you want to tell the people in camp?” Indis asked.
“Tell them we may be onto something but need another few days to look into it. Maybe I can communicate with the creatures somehow?” Zalia said questioningly.
“Not impossible, though highly dangerous,” Indis said.
“Maybe I can catch one when it's out taking food again, it would be significantly less dangerous than walking into the whole pack of them,” Zalia suggested.
“That is a much better idea. With us there to support you and the camp nearby we could at least get some help,” Indis said, looking a little less apprehensive at the better idea.
“Alright, that’s decided then. Thank you, Lady Indis, for your help,” Zalia said warmly.
It was the first time that Zalia had ever called the woman Lady Indis without some level of sarcasm or flippancy in her tone. She swore she saw another small crack in the woman's mask before she schooled herself into a neutral expression once more.
“Of course, Zalia of the Wilds,” Indis replied.
⪼ ⪢ ℋ 𝒶𝓃𝒹 ℋ ⪡ ⪻
It took them significantly less time to get back to the camp than it did for them to track the creatures all the way back to their glade. The largest part of the major time difference was the amount of backtracking and careful examination of tracks Zalia had needed to do on the way there. The time it took to travel back was almost a quarter of what it took to get there in the first place. Now that she wasn't so focused on tracking anymore, Zalia had time to appreciate the nature around her with the new type of vision she had. She had never really considered just how alive the forest was with hundreds of various critters and creatures going about their own business. Did insects also have a rank? Were there little tiny Gold rank ants waging incredible battles with each other down in their own small worlds in the woods?
She closely observed everything with her newly gained vision and heat vision, appreciating nature so much that time flew by and before she knew it, they had arrived back. They entered through the gate, the four of them known to the guards as people to be let in by now, and made their way towards the back right end of the camp. They arrived and much the same as when they had left, the kitchen area was a nightmare of movement as they prepared lunch for the soldiers.
“I’ve got it this time,” Zalia said as she noticed Indis looking with dread at the storm of movement.
As she approached, she tried something to keep the soldiers from her path. She simultaneously pushed her healing into the ones nearby whilst also cooling the air in her path to freezing temperatures. The strange contradiction of freezing air and warm healing pulsing through their bodies made the soldiers stop and look around, moving out the way as Zalia forged towards the centre where the Huntmaster stood.
She made it through quickly and without much hassle, only having to shove past a duo of people who were quite focused on their tasks.
“Huntmaster,” Zalia said by way of greeting.
“Cat tamer,” the Huntmaster said, looking at Boreal who stood by Zalia’s legs.
“We may have found something but will need an extra day or two to investigate,” Zalia told him.
The man just nodded, going back to jotting down a few numbers, looking like he was doing some math.
Zalia just shrugged and turned away, guessing the man didn't really expect much to come from their investigation and probably thought they were making an excuse for more time.
“So?” Zen asked.
“He didn't seem to care, so we have ourselves some more time,” Zalia said.
“Alright then, what’s the plan?” Ember asked.
“The plan, is we make a plan,” Indis said.
“Thrilling,” Zen said in a bored tone.