Small fires dotted the sodden camp. Even with a handful of flame powers among the mortals, it had been hard to set them. The rain which drenched everything in the battle had also found its way here. Space by them was prioritized for the sick, injured, and infirm. Gadriel was a surprising participant in that number. Quala had been able to reverse one of the necrotic wounds before realizing that she couldn’t cure the other one today. That was how terrifying necrotic energy could be, though there was little chance of Gadriel dying now that he’d been partially healed.

A more pressing concern than the cold for those outside the fire’s warmth was the food. The villagers had taken everything from Hagain when they left and the monsoon had done a number on the perishables. Livestock were the most preserved foodstuff left, not nearly enough to feed the hundreds of people over any long amount of time.

A possible solution was in progress by the Ranger William. Having become Heldren’s right hand man following their initial departure from Hagain Village, he was one of the hardest hit by the earlier revelations. Doubts of his sincerity were eased as he gruffly told Murdon he was going hunting to feed the camp. Others followed, some together, some alone, echoing the need to atone for what they’d done while under the influence.

For almost everyone in the camp, that night was the worst in their lives. The Upswell had been a tragedy, an unprecedented, life-changing event. But being controlled by a Tyrant? Being ready to kill people without qualms? There’s losing someone close to you, and almost losing yourself.

Amidst the blank staring, soft crying, and self-hatred was Daniel. Weirdly, he was feeling better after the backlash of Murdon’s power and the loss of his Focus settled. If he was right, he had solved the doubts he’d had about his place in the world. It was kind of like being up on that island and figuring out how to make lightning wings. He’d found a way forward, or at least, he was fairly confident he had. Daniel wouldn’t know for sure until he’d remade his Focus, but so long as his theory was right he’d finally be able to properly enchant.

Also, it was time. For over a week Daniel had the ability to share Hunter’s senses burning a hole in his pocket. There’d been disaster, critical injury, and limits on his mana holding him back. Tonight, it was finally time. Sure, he had wounds he needed to heal, along with travel sores. That only meant he had to wait for Hunter to go far enough out from camp. Daniel still wasn’t sure how long he’d stay for the ride. It was more the silent stalker in the night experience he was after than the messily devour a kill one. And there was the fear the Empathic Link would randomly turn back on. They had decided to toggle it quickly right before they shared senses, just to be safe.

All that was left was the wait. He was in a small cutout of the camp with Khare and Evalyn. Thomas would have been there too but had been too injured by Hunter saving him and needed to be looked after over the night. Bite wounds carried the highest risk of infection, and without his Focus Thomas was at greater risk. Caught up in his thoughts, it took Daniel a few minutes to realize Evalyn had been looking at him. “What is it?”

“You need to talk to her.” Her voice was hesitant but serious, giving Daniel no confusion as to what she meant. It was one of the worst things she could have suggested he do, up there with diving into the cart of sparkbat corpses Lograve had reluctantly agreed to have collected. “I was trying not to interfere, but this has gone on long enough.”

“I can’t,” Daniel said, good mood gone.

Evalyn sighed and looked away. “I’m not someone with a lot of experience in this area-”

“You’re not?”

“No I am not! Why does, no. No, I’m not touching that now.” She looked Daniel in the eye. “Do you want to lose Claire?”

“Maybe,” Daniel replied, eyes downcast.

“By all the gods, why are you acting like such an idiot? That girl’s suffering over there and she’s supposed to mean something to you, but you haven’t said a word to her since we left the city!”

He shrunk back, feeling Evalyn’s disapproval as he did so. “She hates me. I think I never should have gotten involved in the first place. Every time I think about going over to talk I just-” He held his head in his hands, blocking off further words.

“Men!” Evalyn shook her head. “If you took just a minute to talk to her you’d know! Even if you lost her, it would be better than what you’re doing now; letting her heart bleed into the earth instead of your arms.”

“I-” She was right. Daniel knew she was right. Everyone who had told him to do the simple, right thing this entire time had been pointing him in the right direction. But he’d been the reason her brother had died. In the end, he shouldn’t have even been with Claire that night. He shouldn’t have been with her at all. Only now, when the relationship had gotten hard, had he realized he couldn’t handle it. Daniel knew that made him a terrible person. That was just another reason he’d done all he could to ignore the issue and hide from those thoughts. “I can’t.”

Evalyn looked at him for a few more seconds, then stood. There was a conflicted look that lasted a second before her face hardened. “You’re being a coward. You’re doing more damage doing nothing. The only way you could hurt her more is if you told her you killed Parduc yourself!” Daniel didn’t say anything. If he tried, he’d just make things worse. That was what was going through his head, at least. Evalyn glared at him. “If you aren’t going to talk to her, I will.”

Was that supposed to be a threat? Probably, and the fact that Daniel didn’t consider it one was telling. “Go for it.” She blinked, and anger turned to sadness again.

“If that’s what you want, I will,” she said with a sense of finality. “But what I have to say won’t be charitable. I know you’re a good person, Daniel, but I can’t understand this.” She left him after that, still as beautiful as when they’d met in the library despite the rain and the filth. He never thought he could be friends with someone like that, so it hurt all the more when she gave him one last sad look before becoming lost in the crowd.

“Frost,” Khare said. Its current dissociated state made it hard to judge what it meant as there were no facial features to go by. Daniel frowned as he tried to make it out. Gestalt seemed to be at such a disadvantage compared to other races when it came to speech.

“Are you saying she was cold? That I was cold there? I, I probably was.” Khare didn’t respond, maintaining the enigma. Daniel just shrugged, not having the energy to figure it out. “I haven’t forgotten about your dagger, at least. I have an idea for how to start crafting but I’ll have to remake my Focus.”

“Fool.”

“What? Oh, wait, do you mean Thomas or me?” Again the sentient vine monster didn’t offer any clarification. “Honestly Khare, I think you’re the only one in our group that hasn’t made a mess of their life.” Daniel looked into the distance thoughtfully. “Well, Hunter too. And Evalyn.”

Khare did take a more solid form then, making a head and leaning it on a hand. “Charisma.”

“Yeah, I guess having a lot of charisma can help. Some people. I just,” Daniel tilted his head back and looked at the stars. The last time he’d done this seemed years ago. “I don’t think I’m someone that can do romance. I wanted to be, and while it was working out it was great. I’d wanted that for so long and it just happened out of nowhere. And then it just died. I didn’t want… With what happened…” Just like with Evalyn, he couldn’t put it clearly into words. Evalyn had, so he borrowed hers. “I’m just a coward Khare. That’s why.”

“Alone.”

“Yeah,” Daniel agreed, but Khare shook its formed head.

“Me.”

“Oh. You’re talking about Kob.” Of course they’re talking about Kob you idiot. Has anyone even talked to them about it yet? “Khare I’m so sorry. Kob was amazing.” He left out the part about Kob almost getting them all killed from that estimation. Khare didn’t need his full opinion right now. “I passed out the first time I saw them, but they had more than just strength. Do you remember the frost strangler? I think Kob knew what I was going to do before I did.”

Khare dissolved their head and hands and seemed to withdraw into themself, becoming smaller. They didn’t say anything though. Daniel was struck again by the thought that there was some kind of connection between Khare and the late Kob. Familial? Did gestalt have families?

When a minute passed without Khare talking, Daniel let the conversation end. He didn’t have the energy to carry it on if Khare wasn’t interested. Even so, there was an odd relief mixed into everything else inside of him. Dread of what would happen with Claire had eaten away at him right up until this moment despite all the times he told himself it was over. Now he knew. They were done, and he was a terrible person. He’d hit rock bottom, which meant it was all up from here.

Hunter reached out to him a few minutes later as he was brooding on that. I am ready. Are you?

Almost. Daniel dragged Hunter’s packs, discarded by the ringcat when he left, over to his sleeping bag.

Sad?

It’s just nothing. Nothing important. Honestly, I could use some time not being myself. As he tried to arrange it so that the hidden heliorite was pressed against where he’d lay, Daniel frowned. This was something he hadn’t thought through. Sharing Hunter’s senses would make the valuable chunk of rock, and himself, vulnerable. Without Identify Creature, he couldn’t monitor the auras nearby to make sure no one was messing with his body. Considering what he had to lose, going on the hunt tonight was stupid. Daniel should just wait until they were back at the village where he could sleep inside, not fearing a sudden attack.

In the end, he just dragged Hunter’s packs back and lay down like he was going to sleep. To hell with it. It was a huge chunk of rock. If anyone tried to steal it it would be easy to find out who it was. Something could still try to kill him in the middle of the night, but Daniel didn’t care. He’d waited long enough and he needed something he could enjoy. You’re a good way away, right?

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

Yes.

Hang on, I’m toggling the link. A brief flitter of emotions crossed between the two, muffled by the distance. Let’s do this.

…

Hunter was hidden in the tall grass of the field closest to where the mortals had made their camp. They were still a couple days from the village but had gone far enough to pass into the grasslands that predominated the interior of the region. The concealing terrain still carried the rain of the day, though the humidity had dropped to the point where Hunter’s senses weren’t drowning.

Identify Creature, for Hunter, did nothing to help him smell, hear, or see prey. He didn’t feel the loss of the power as acutely as Daniel, given his instinctual ability to be aware of his surroundings. It primarily benefited Daniel, who lacked that. Even so, recent events had made the ringcat more cautious. The dragon, as huge and ungainly as it had been, had avoided his senses until it was almost too late.

Hmm. Dangerous. Hunter then acknowledged that he just thought something to himself, instead of Daniel, self-reflectively. Before Daniel, he hadn’t had any coherent thoughts at all, much less the internal monologue that was slowly developing. Hunter regarded it as a bad habit but an inevitability of speaking to Daniel through thought. That was something else. The word inevitability. It was a big word. Seven syllables. Hunter’s thoughts struggled to fully grasp it, but he could understand the word. Hunter knew other ringcats didn’t develop this way when they Grew. They became stronger, bigger. So had he, but he’d also gotten smarter. Why?

Hunter sniffed at the night air and felt a pang of loss. What had been done to him, what he’d agreed to, couldn’t be reversed. Ringcats weren’t extremely social by nature but formed packs more often than not. He’d never join one. He traveled with the hunters now, carrying their scents as deep in his fur as their influence was in his mind. That alien sense that had tried to drive him to kill Daniel when he’d released him from the charm effect was completely gone.

That was fine. He’d been weak before Daniel found him. Starving. He’d have died one way or the other if he hadn’t chosen to accept the light. Another sniff. Ears rotated to focus on distant sounds. He had competition, mortal and monster. As much as Daniel worried about his safety, Hunter was keener to the dangers of the wild. Hunter knew what he could and what he couldn’t fight. Right now, he was searching for the former.

There. A small group of three, well, Hunter didn’t know what Daniel would call them and there was no power to name them. They were prey, no more fearsome than what he normally hunted after Growing. Monsters. Recent days had led him to such creatures. The old quarry held no more challenge or interest now that he could kill them easily. Hunter wasn’t cruel, wanton killing without reason had no reason. It was against his nature. Except for the moles, he’d still go after those foolish enough to be near the surface.

When the cool night air stirred, Hunter knew it was time. No light shined, nothing told him it was time to act. The world and he had merely moved into the right order. He looked towards where he felt Daniel was. I am ready. Are you?

Almost. There was something in that single word. Hunter wasn’t built to care about the feelings of others, though that too was a part of his nature that was changing. With others it was hard, but with Daniel?

Sad?

It’s just nothing. Nothing important. Honestly, I could use some time not being myself.

What was that supposed to mean? Hunter’s stomach bit at him as he tried to understand. It wasn’t the words themselves, but what he felt underneath them. Ever since fire had come from the sky, Hunter had been reminded of fear and Daniel had been unsettled. He’d tried to help, but the Artificer’s mood had shifted around and that by itself put Hunter on edge. He sounded as close as he had been to at peace, which was good, so long as it stayed that way.

You’re a good way away, right? Daniel interrupted his thoughts.

Yes.

Hang on, I’m toggling the link. Hunter braced himself. The odd emotions and the underlying framework of Daniel’s mind grated against him whenever the second link between them was at its strongest. Of all the things he hated, this was only below the stopping of time, and just above Daniel’s continued insistence of using him as a mount. Fortunately, they were far enough away that there was barely a whisper of Daniel’s extended emotional state before things went back to normal. Let’s do this.

Pressure at the edges of his mind, like smoke on the horizon. Something that could be ignored if he looked the other way. If Hunter had a hint of capriciousness in him he might have considered waiting a few seconds, or a minute, to let Daniel into his mind. However the beast was nothing if not direct. He accepted the gentle request, only for Daniel to start screaming.

Turn it down! T- The presence in his mind left. What was that?

Hmm? Hunter was bemused. He’d only felt the slight tingling that accompanied being the host. Maybe Daniel alone had been affected by the Empathic Link, but he doubted that. Not for any real reason, but he knew that was wrong.

I think I woke Khare up. And a few other people. Hold on.

It was a few minutes before Daniel’s thoughts returned. Hunter could have prodded him, and he was getting impatient. He would need to move soon or he’d lose his chance. However, despite his earlier shouting towards Daniel, there was still a part of Hunter that felt inferior. He was weaker than Daniel in most ways, dependent on him for many things, and he owed him a life debt. Maybe two. His friend hadn’t consciously leveraged this and was trying to be better. That didn’t change the fact that Hunter was left to wait with almost no explanation.

Alright. Sorry. People thought you’d sensed something coming and were making a big deal about getting the other hunters back to camp.

Hmm. Hunter grumbled. For some reason, Daniel didn’t catch the implied dissatisfaction.

What was that anyway? Were you using an ability or something? I didn’t think you had any new ones.

What?

It felt like I was drowning!

Hunter raised an eye ridge and then blinked rapidly to dispel the expression. That wasn’t a habit he was picking up, but a lingering side effect of the empathy bath both he and Daniel had taken earlier that day. I feel normal, Hunter thought, with the inflection of a shrug.

You feel like that all the time?

Better at night. I was injured before. Even so, Hunter didn’t feel so different compared to when he was recovering. Those days it was the edges of his senses that had suffered the most. Maybe they’d been dulled, but it was nothing like how Hunter felt the few times he’d shared Daniel’s perception. His friend’s awareness of the surroundings was so limited, and every time he crossed the divide he felt vulnerable.

Well, yeah ok. But that was pure overload. Not as bad as the Empathic Link but I could barely hang on. There was a pause. Maybe I just need to ease into it like a hot tub. Take it a bit at a time.

Can you do that? So far, Hunter’s experience with this particular ability was all or nothing.

N-no. I don’t think so. My phone, back when I had it, didn’t say either way. Stupid Encyclopedia. Another pause. Alright. I’m going to try it again, no screaming this time. Nothing out loud at least.

None inside either, Hunter growled. Daniel’s initial panic had been loud, but not in a way that drowned out his hearing. It was worse than that, disrupting his concentration and awareness of his surroundings. The scream had felt like it had been ripped from his instincts, which had initially given the ringcat the impression that he was in extreme danger. As an offensive tactic it was promising, though the only one Daniel could use it on was him. The request came again. Hunter did entertain the idea of blocking it this time but relented. And braced for the screaming. Nothing happened, though the presence in his mind was there. What?

C-can you close your eyes? Daniel’s voice, now coming from inside of his head, sounded immensely strained. Hunter obliged and felt the relief cast off from his friend. Sharing senses this way made the distance of the Empathic Link effectively zero. Even at a lower intensity, Hunter got a faint sense of what Daniel was feeling. When Daniel ‘spoke’ again, his voice was only slightly less strained. I want to stop time. Only for a few seconds, I don’t have the mana for anything longer.

Hunter growled audibly and inside his mind, Daniel winced. Why?

This is still too much. I’m trying to ignore what I can, but, hang on. The presence left. Sorry. I don’t know how to describe it. Like I’m staring at the sun, almost. Your hearing and sense of smell are just, it’s too much! I thought taking out vision would make it easier. I’m thinking if I can just get used to you before I add in everything else it’ll be easier. Another pause. Why all this hesitation? Hunter! I should have thought of this earlier!

What?

You don’t like Moment of Clarity because you can’t hear or smell anything during it. That’s it, isn’t it? Now that Daniel mentioned it, no. That was a big part, but not exactly true. Even so, it gave Hunter an idea. For the third time, Hunter felt Daniel asking to enter his head. This had taken too long. The prey he’d sensed earlier had been noticed by something else and it was too late to go after them. That did annoy Hunter, but if he could make Daniel more wary of stopping time that would be a worthy trade. He accepted, closing his eyes again.

Alright, damn, this is still too much. Doing it now, this should hopefully- agh! It wasn’t a prolonged scream, more a shout, but it still further annoyed Hunter as Moment of Clarity activated.

The full reason why Hunter couldn’t tolerate Moment of Clarity as well as Daniel escaped the ringcat, though he was beginning to better understand the differences between them. Put simply, Hunter was so much more reliant on all his senses, not just sight. For Daniel, his primary sense was vision. Moment of Clarity didn’t impede that.

However, you couldn’t just turn off your other senses like you could sight. While taste wasn’t universally important for Hunter, the rest were separate layers of the world he used in tandem to comprehend everything. Taking those away in one fell swoop, even temporarily, shot a sense of panic into him that was hard to shake. The moment extended as, disoriented, Daniel first tried to leave Hunter’s body and found he couldn’t while Moment of Clarity was active. Several more seconds dragged by as he figured this out, and then it was over. As soon as time restarted, Daniel’s mind was gone.

Ok, ok. That was…

Bad, Hunter thought with complete vindication.

Yeah. It was even worse than that first time. I can’t even describe it. I think I can’t do that anymore.

Not going to hunt?

My nerves are too shot. I want to, but it’s just too much. Maybe tomorrow we can do some exposure therapy. A little bit here and there so I can get used to it. How did you share my senses so easily?

Used to it by then. It was true. Being in Daniel’s body was nothing compared to the sheer sensory deprivation of Moment of Clarity.

Oooh. Yeah, I get it now.

No more stopping time?

Only when necessary, Daniel thought back quickly. Well, that wasn’t a total disaster. It’s too bad. Nothing you did, it would have just been nice for something to go right today.

Hunter didn’t have anything to say to that. He knew Daniel was hurting, but also didn’t know how to help. To him, pain was something you just had to deal with. Eventually it would go away, and the only thing Hunter knew would speed up the process was to be there for the person you cared about. Which he’d already tried. Daniel was afraid too, but couldn’t run from or fight what he was afraid of like Hunter would. Unease built up again with that helplessness. The ringcat brought himself up and looked to the left. More prey. I am going to hunt.

Good, yeah. The noncommittal response probably meant Daniel was trying to sleep.

Hmm. Sleep would be an issue. Hunter didn’t get tired often, his kind were built to get by with short rests here and there so long as they had a solid sleep every week or so. That was enough to replenish them mentally as well as magically. Adult ringcats didn’t have too many ways to burn through their mana, but Hunter was the exception. Strangely, he’d also found himself needing slightly more sleep as if the excessive mana drain was affecting him mentally.

None of that was a problem. The problem was what had happened the last time Daniel had gone to sleep. The link. Hunter shuddered. No sleep tonight. Someone had to be awake to make sure that didn’t happen again. If he couldn’t help Daniel feel better, it was the least he could do.