The rows of medical tents Daniel walked down provided a two-fold hit of fond memory. Of home, and his first day in the village. They’d changed, of course. The monster outbreak and then the abandoning of the village had cost them their uniformity and number. Injuries were less common but still present. Between the unpreventable accidents, disputes within the camp, and injuries among the hunters, there was still a need for the healers.
“Over there, Guy,” Thomas pointed. “He’s on bedrest but you can probably walk around and have a talk. I’ve got to get back to it. Thanks for lunch!”
“Yeah, thanks for the directions.” Thomas half-sprinted away with that, back on the job.
Hmm. Still do not like him.
“The taste, or just him?” Daniel asked lowly, abandoning telepathy mostly for a change of pace. The corridor between the tents wasn’t packed like it was that first day, when wounded were being received from everywhere in the region. People were moving about but kept to themselves.
Talks too much. He flicked his tail in aggravation. To too many.
“He’s just sociable. I kind of wish I was like him. Not as chatty,” he assured another tail flick. “But he gets to know people easily.”
Too many people.
“What does that mean?”
Hmm, too many scents on him.
Daniel kept walking but stared in horror. He also switched back to telepathy. Hunter, you can’t tell when people, uh, you can’t, can you?
I think so, Hunter said evenly, as if that didn’t carry boundless horrors into Daniel’s mind.
How long could you do this?
Figured it out when you and-
Ok, ok, I get it, Daniel immediately cut him off. But he’s a healer and he talks with a lot of people, so couldn’t that explain it?
It is different.
They were almost at the tent now. How come I didn’t notice this during our training?
You still do not know what you smell like, Hunter replied with a hint of humor.
“Ah, Hunter. Daniel.” Tak acknowledged them as they entered the tent. It was about the same size as the one Daniel had been taken to, maybe even the same one. Now it had twice as many beds and occupants who all looked up to see the man wearing glowing wings enter the tent.
Tak looked barely injured to Daniel. Of course, he hadn’t seen the avianoid when he’d come in this time. All he knew was that some kind of allergic reaction had happened, and Tak almost lost his leg again. It was fine now, not even bandaged. “We were hoping to talk to you. Outside?” He added, to the relief of the rest in the room. Five mortals and a ringcat made for very tight quarters in an already packed tent.
“Ah, why not!” There was a beaked grin on his face. “They want me to stay here. Rest. I have done so for days already. I need to be fit if we are fighting the dragon soon!” He stood and walked by a surprised Daniel.
“You’re excited about that?”
“Yes! I missed the first one.”
“People died Tak,” Daniel said, following him out. “People are going to die.”
Tak nodded. “It will be a terrible fight, but against a worthy foe.”
“Ok,” Daniel said slowly and noted the direction they were going. It wasn’t along the main line of the tents but between them, and the shortest way out of the village. “Where are we going?”
“On a walk, like you said.”
“I asked if you wanted to talk outside.”
“Oh. Well, you can follow. I’m not going far.” Tak turned and grinned again, then addressed Hunter. “We could go for a run too. Though we’d have to leave him behind.” Anyone else addressing Hunter directly would have raised an eyebrow, but Daniel appreciated the friendship between them. It was why they were here. He was about to say as much when Tak tilted his head. “Oh, you are here for something. Hmm. Not to hunt, you are not hungry. Haven’t Grown though. You have a problem?” Hunter nodded. “I don’t know what I can do. I have heard things from my people, but I am not smart.”
“Your people?”
“The Spiritualists,” Tak said proudly, turning to Daniel. “I thought you knew. Were one of us?”
“Not really. I mean, I guessed, I just…” How to explain this? Daniel didn’t want to insult Tak, but he also had serious, dragon-shaped concerns about that ideology even if he had been mistaken as one of them initially. He settled on deflection. “Hunter came here to ask you something, but it’s not like that. It’s personal.”
Tak gazed intensely at Hunter for a few seconds. The ringcat somehow managed a bemused look. “I’m sorry. I can understand much of what he intends, but not this.”
“I can ask for him?”
“Oh, that is clever!” Tak said without a hint of sarcasm. He couldn’t have figured that out on his own? “What does he want to know?”
By now, they were past the tents, moving towards the trees around the village. Some had been felled, though most of the surrounding forest stood as it had before. As it would, when they were gone. “I’ll wait for him. I know what he wants to ask but not how he wants to ask it.” Both mortals paused and waited for about a minute, walking silently as Hunter thought.
What happens when I die? The fear and anxiety within Hunter came out again, a fact that did not escape the attention of Tak either.
“That’s what you want to ask?”
Yes.
“What is?” Tak looked concerned, the earlier carefree spirit gone.
“I’m just going to repeat his words. It’s not what I thought he’d, uh, sorry.” He was trying to be more mindful of how he treated Hunter these days. Right now was an important time, foundational for who Hunter would become. He owed Hunter nothing less than absolute loyalty without second guessing. That was hard for Daniel, but it was worth the effort.
“What happens when I die?” Hunter asked, using Daniel’s voice.
Tak considered this, looked around, and punched a tree. It fell down almost instantly with a crashing sound and the avianoid calmly took a seat once it had settled. “Not something to speak of lightly,” Tak said as if that explained what he just did. “Many people say different things. Different afterlifes. No afterlife. Being born again as another. It is very confusing.”
“What happens when one of my kind dies?”
“To most, they would say nothing. Monsters do not have a soul, they have nothing to move on. I think we know differently,” Tak whispered conspiratorially but without levity. “Of my people, those I have spoken with, they say other things. Some, rebirth again. They say it is a cycle, mortal goes to monster and back. Not sure about that. Those who also believe strongly in gods say some among monsters are chosen by them. Granted spirit or soul for a purpose, rewarded when that is finished. Others say it is an accident. Misplaced soul, but one that should be respected.”
“You do not know?”
“No.” Tak shook his head. “I am not smart. I don’t know. Sorry.”
Daniel looked around awkwardly as he waited for the next question. He had his own but wasn’t going to ask them. Not now. “What is a soul?”
“You are asking the difficult questions today. It is us, but not our bodies? Something more. Shraw,” Tak made a sound, not a word. Almost like a whistle crossed with a sigh. “Something untouchable.”
“What does that mean?”
“It can’t be touched?” He leaned back slightly and watched as Hunter paced back and forth in front of him. “Souls cannot be hurt. Not by sword or claw. It is the only part of you truly yours. No one I have heard has said otherwise.”
“What about Growth? I change. Changed last time, could understand and think more. Is that different?” Daniel relayed, keeping the grammar exact. He was only a medium for this conversation in the same sense that the air carrying his words was.
“I don’t know. Haven’t spoken to someone like you before, no one I know has. But you think and you feel, unless he is playing a very long joke,” Tak said, glancing over to Daniel before continuing. “I would say you have a soul. I cannot say if it is the same as mine, but when I advance, I change. Get stronger, or faster, or sometimes, twice a year, smarter. Can do new things, feel new things. I don’t think I am a different person though.”
Hunter stopped pacing, and a little bit of the tension eased. Explain, please.
“Expl-, uh, hold on,” You want me to tell him about the different kinds of ringcat? Hunter affirmed, so Daniel did. He didn’t pull up the screen on the phone because he doubted it would tell Tak anything.
“I have not heard of other kinds of ringcat. Interesting!” Tak ran a finger across the paw attached to his belt. His Focus. “I wonder what that would change for my class. Your Focus, you can make from other metal. I am more limited. Many options though. I see why you are unsure.” Daniel waited as Hunter was thinking. He said nothing further until Tak asked him a question directly. “What do you think? You are smarter than me.”
“I’d go with Awakened Ringcat,” Daniel answered with an attempt at confidence. “It seems like it’s special to Hunter, even if we don’t know what it’ll do.”
“Ah. I do not know what half of those other types mean, so you are probably right. I agree!” He looked back to Hunter. “Your friend is smart, and he cares. If he thinks this is right, why do you not?”
Hunter answered, and Daniel echoed. “I am not sure. I am scared. When I first Grew it felt a thing I should do. Now, I can think more. I can wonder what will happen to who I am.”
Tak steadied his elbows on his knees and then supported his head in his hands. “I see. Maybe it is different for you. Instinct is usually right. But is this your instinct, or your fear? It is easy to confuse them.”
“I do not know.”
“It is a thing we have in common,” Tak agreed with a smile. “I understand. You have a special soul. I would not want you to lose it.”
Hunter didn’t reply for about a minute, and when he did, the mental voice was soft. “What happens if I do lose it?”
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
“You won’t. Not to this, I don’t think.” Tak shook his head. “It may change, but I don’t think it will either. You are strong. Daniel is strong, and there is a bond between you. Do you trust him?”
The answer didn’t need to be spoken, but Hunter made Daniel say it anyway. “Yes.”
“Then do it. He says it is the right thing. I am thankful you asked me, but that should have been all you needed.” Tak looked around, and added, “I can leave if you want me to.”
“You want us to do it now?” Daniel asked, then hastily added, “That was me.”
Do it. Hunter was adamant. In essence, Tak hadn’t said much more than Daniel had. What was important was how he understood the ringcat in a way Daniel never could.
“He wants me to do it now. I’ll uh, just, do it.” His hands were shaking again, but he would not make a mistake. Of all the icons associated with the ringcat variants, Awakened Ringcat was the only one that was blank. He pressed it, tensing for the barrage of notifications he knew would come and watching with breath held.
As expected, the shaking in his hands grew worse as the Focus tried to jump out of them. Hunter had his eyes closed, Tak had his wide open. Both he and Daniel watched as nothing happened.
“Did it work?” Tak asked after a moment had passed.
Last time, I got bigger fast. I don’t feel different this time, Hunter thought to Daniel, looking at an upturned paw.
“He says he isn’t different, which I guess is a good thing. I’ll just check something.” Daniel looked down and swore at what he first saw. There was a sea of ‘???’, eight individual notifications that were completely unidentified that he just glossed over. Further down, there was something else. Something that made Daniel’s head spin with fear.
----------------------------------------
Alert: The below Notification previously subject to Unidentification has been Identified by God: Torch, from whom the effect originated. Removal of this unidentification has been done selectively, bypassing Bond: Worldsoul. One or more entries contained within your Function: Encyclopedia are still subject to unidentification requiring Level: 10 potency or greater to identify.
-
The following Entities and Concepts have attempted to influence or prevent the Spiritual Awakening of the Creature affected by Feature: Beast Friend*:
• God: Torch
• God: Cloak
• God: Hand
• God: Hammer
• God: Hourglass
• God: Scythe
• God: Star
• God: ???
• ???
• Creature: Mavar Helioc
• Fundamental Law: Balance
• Fundamental Law: Immutable Soul
• Fundamental Law: Entropy
• ???
• ???
As this awakening is Spiritual in nature, all interference has been ignored due to Fundamental Law: Immutable Soul.
-
You have accomplished Feat: Awaken a Monster.
This has unlocked potential for growth. 3 Advancement Potential have been awarded. You may assign them with Function: Settings in addition to expending potential through normal methods.
----------------------------------------
“Hmm, odd. I feel different,” Tak commented, completely unaware of Daniel’s sudden hyperventilation. “I wonder- Oh!” The avianoid looked wide-eyed at Hunter. “That is very interesting.”
…
The day had gone well for Lograve, and all things considered, it would be a good night. He had a new set of armor, supple and yielding despite the metallic appearance. It even felt like wood, though without the risk of splinters. Magic armor was something he’d never dreamed of, mostly because he wasn’t as deranged as Murdon. But when Daniel had mentioned there was enough left over for a simple breastplate, how could he refuse? It also carried the lightning link enchantment meaning there wouldn’t be much use for it after the Thormundz, though the Arcanist would have bought the damned thing himself despite knowing that.
His advancement was progressing on schedule as well. The decision to push for level 4 wasn’t a light one, especially given what had happened to Kob. That didn’t change things. Improving Aquakinesis was essential to their strategy.
Lograve wasn’t actively engaged in that process now. Serially advancing the same attribute was immensely taxing and increased the risk of something going awry. Even though he was down to once a day the light headache persisted. So, not a perfect day. But there were a few hours left post-dusk and he could content himself with reading while a low breeze flowed in from the nearby window.
Acquiring the collection of Roost’s Peak had been a bounty, even if it came with its librarian and his own opinions. That had been a larger collection with many Lograve hadn’t had a chance to read. Of late he’d been focusing on arcane theory, trying to pin down something that was bothering him. This was one of his favorite things, a question he almost had the answer to. With nothing else left in the day, he could just relax and pick at the issue until he’d unraveled it. This might even lead him to awaken a new power, since he should have at least one new one from all this advancing.
Someone knocked on the front door. Lograve peered out the window like a troll would from under a bridge. He immediately regretted not making himself invisible first. “Lograve, we need to talk!” Daniel’s nervous voice shouted up at him.
Damn it. I guess Invisibility wouldn’t have made a difference anyway. “No!” he answered flatly, also seeing the ringcat there. The combination of Daniel seeking him out with Hunter’s presence hadn’t historically made for tranquil conversation. Tak was also there for some reason which did nothing to change Lograve’s mind.
“We really need to talk!”
“No! Come back in the morning. I’m relaxing.”
Daniel looked at the others and then those still on the street who had turned to watch out of curiosity. “We really need to talk,” he repeated, and Lograve realized there was poorly concealed fear in the voice. The Artificer wasn’t someone who could easily conceal their emotions and was starting to be a threat to morale.
Lograve leaned halfway out the window, placing a hand on the side of the building and concentrating. A ladder of ice formed from the moisture in the air leading to him. “Fine. Make this quick.”
“I can’t come in the normal way?”
“No! There are people trying to sleep that you’ve already rudely disturbed!” Lograve shouted, twice as loud as Daniel’s voice had been. “Get up here already.”
“What about Hunter?”
“What about him?”
Lograve tapped the spine of the book he was holding testily as Daniel took a seat, still marking the place he’d stopped with a finger. “I assume this has to do with your ringcat finally choosing his ‘subspecies’? He doesn’t look different.”
“We went with awakened ringcat,” Daniel said with a strained voice.
“Do you want to converse with Telepathy?” Lograve finally took his feigned annoyance down a peg. Something was wrong.
“I don’t think that would help.”
Lograve glanced outside at Hunter. “Can he detect all telepathic communication now!? A psionic ringcat perhaps, I could see that being a concern, but awakened?”
“It’s not him, it’s, uh.” Daniel took a few breaths. “The, the gods, um, tried to stop Hunter from Growing.” For a couple of seconds, Lograve waited for the punchline. Then he dropped the book.
“How could, what?”
“And there were eight gods,” Daniel choked out as if this were the ramblings of the only survivor of a cult’s profane ritual. “I recognized the seven you know about but there was one that was just question marks.”
Lograve held up a hand. “Hold on. Murdon put you up to this, didn’t he? That bastard is trying to get back at me for years of clever jests, is that it?”
Daniel shook his head. “That’s the worst of it, but there’s more. I have a bond I never knew about, ‘Worldsoul’. I think Hunter has a class and can, uh, advance like we do? But he doesn’t know exactly how to. Also, he can talk to Tak now like he does with me. It’s, I-” Daniel covered his face with both hands. “It’s been a long day.”
“Ok. Ok. You clearly believe this,” Lograve said with exaggerated calm. “But this is probably all just some kind of misunderstanding.”
Daniel pulled out his Focus and went to his avatar. “See this green arrow? It’s how many times I can advance before I’m out of potential.” Daniel tapped the button to bring up Hunter and rotated the phone. “This is Hunter’s. This screen showed up when he unlocked level two, or something, but now he has numbers like mine. Exactly like mine, except I can’t advance them for him. The gods thing was just a, a thing my phone told me, and as for Tak I can talk to him too when I’m close enough to both of them.” He winced. “I mean, mentally talk to him. I don’t know what’s going on Lograve. Is, is this…?”
Lograve took a sip of the tea beside him, mulling this over. The incredulousness was still there, but he scattered some loose soil of scholasticism over his next words. “We knew whatever was allowing Hunter to become something out of the ordinary was, in itself, unusual. As for the Gods, perhaps it was passive involvement. They do make up the world, and with our proximity to that thing, even if they were all ‘involved’ then it doesn’t necessarily mean you had their attention. Our assumption remains that they aren’t consciously aware of what’s happening here. Your Focus likely counted the monster in the mountains as a god, resulting in eight. As we hardly understand them, it makes sense you couldn’t identify that detail.”
“Ok, I, I guess that makes sense.” Daniel nodded but wasn’t fully relieved. “What about the bond, have you heard about that before?”
”No,” Lograve answered simply while racking his brain. There was an immediate conclusion but he was trying to push beyond that in case he could form another. “I would suppose if he something to do with your habit of trespassing in different worlds, but beyond that? Bonds should have benefits.”
”The notification that referenced it almost made it sound like it had something to do with what’s unidentifying me, but also that Torch had specifically blocked something too before unblocking it. I just don’t know what’s going on,” Daniel confessed, and Lograve was better understanding what led him here and started to feel a little remorseful about his initial actions. This was a reasonable cause for concern and a tremendous opportunity for study.
”I see. You know, some would consider themselves fortunate to receive the personal attention of a god. Then again,” he grimaced, “Perhaps not with Scythe or Hourglass. Torch is responsible for the knowledge domain. I would take the fact that she’s interacted with your Focus as a good sign all things considered, if only because that suggests the gods may be aware of what’s happening here. Until we know for sure, though, Murdon and I will still have to-“ he waved a hand, breaking off that line of thought. No point thinking too much on things beyond the pass. “Now, as for Hunter becoming what sounds like something akin to a mortal, that isn’t outside the boundaries of belief. I suspect if you can converse telepathically with Tak, some sort of Telepathic Network may have formed. Most likely through the creation of another bond. Hmm.”
“There’s one more thing. I, I don’t want to talk about it though.” Daniel gulped. “It’s not as terrifying as thinking all of the gods and then some personally said hello but I don’t think I can handle how weird it is.”
Now this was curious. Daniel’s face had changed from frightened pallor to an embarrassed red. He knew he’d regret it, but he had to ask. Curiosity was one of Lograve’s vices. “How weird what is?”
“Uh, it, uhm.” Daniel looked at the ceiling as if to petition one of the gods he so feared for aid. “Remember when we talked about how monsters only spawn? It turns out I was right about Hunter being male.”
Lograve wished he hadn’t put together what Daniel meant so quickly. Still, that was fascinating. In a horrifying way. Something to consider the implications of, and what it meant for the philosophies of the world he lived in that had already found themselves on shaky ground. Right after he threw Daniel out the window.