As I lay out our objectives, I have the weirdest sense of being back in a Monday morning team meeting.

“First of all, Hades and Persephone, we recently passed through a forest of carnivorous trees which I believe are the reason you were pushed out of your territory. I think I know why they’re growing so quickly and have a quest to deal with the issue. I have a time limit on that quest of forty-three days.” I stop and reconsider. “Actually, forty-two from today. So we only really have thirty-six days to prepare before we’ll need to leave.

“Now, I don’t know exactly what is going to happen but, given our experiences in that area, I doubt it’s going to be easy. I’m going to be working on a number of tasks to improve my defence.” I pause again as a thought occurs. “I might be able to improve others’ defence too, but no promises.”

After all, if I end up being able to use magic to speed up the process of tanning and shaping the tanned hides, I might be able to create armour for my Bound as well. Some of them, at least – I don’t think either Bastet or Sirocco would be keen considering it would directly impact their offensive capabilities.

“So, I’m going to be very busy with a number of tasks, meaning that I’m not going to be doing much hunting. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t though.” I look around at them all meaningfully.

“What I want all of you to do is to work towards improving yourself. That means daily sparring, which I will take part in too.” After all, it will help both my own technique and my use of Flesh-Shaping. “River,” the lizard-man turns to look at me. “I want you to work on your herbalism. Test out those different herbs, see what kind of concoctions you can make. Try them out on enemies unless you’re very confident that they are beneficial, but try to give us a range of options that we could use on different opponents.”

Yes, master, the lizard-man readily agrees.

“Bastet,” she cocks her head to show she’s listening. “Practise that new ability of yours; see if there’s a way of making it more efficient, or more useable in battle. Test it out on enemies, find out how powerful it is. Get to know it a bit.”

Yes, she agrees, sending a sense of anticipation and excitement. I probably didn’t need to tell her to do this as it is, but better to be clear.

“Sirocco, Fenrir, and River,” I continue, looking at each of them one by one, “Try to get as close to your evolution as you can. The more Tier Two teammates we have, the more firepower we can bring to a fight. You all saw what Bastet has managed to achieve with her Evolution.”

They all send a sense of agreement and then also a mixture of other responses. Irritation that I felt it necessary to be said – Sirocco. Eagerness – Fenrir. Anticipation and a hint of trepidation – River. Wondering why he’s trepidatious at the thought, I don’t allow myself to get sidetracked.

“Do any of you need Energy-Hearts as matters stand?” Sirocco sends a negative feeling, but both River and Fenrir indicate the need for one. Pulling a couple out of my Inventory, I notice the dwindling supplies. Well, if nothing else, the quest means that I’m likely to be able to replenish our stocks, if not offer even more than that.

The two kiina lean forward as I pull the Energy-Hearts out and hand them over. They seem interested, which might actually answer my next question.

“Hades and Persephone,” and that’s a bit of a mouthful to say, “What do you feel you need to do to improve from where you are now?” They are my first two Tier Two Bound – if we don’t include Bastet. Which I don’t in this context since she’s only just evolved. While absorbing the Energy Hearts was important at Tier One, I don’t know if such a technique would work well at Tier Two. Hence why I’m asking.

Hades and Persephone – Sephie? Nah, sounds too cutsie – exchange glances and some body language I struggle to understand. I’ll probably get to grips with it in time, just as I did with River’s, but for now I have to go off the feelings coming across the Bond instead. And they’re not particularly informative.

We must spend time hunting and time…resting. The pause before the final ‘word’ is because Sephie isn’t quite sure how to communicate exactly what she means. From the images that she sends me, of them resting and concentrating on the Energy flow around their bodies, it sounds more like meditation to me.

“Then do that. When River needs to go out into the forest to collect ingredients, or Bastet wants to test her ability, go with them. Until your pregnancy means that you can’t, anyway. If you want access to Energy Hearts, let me know. We don’t have an unlimited number, but we do still have a reasonable number. Though if you find any Cores in the animals you hunt, please bring them back,” I remember to say.

Why? Hades demands, clearly not liking the idea. I raise my eyebrows at him, wondering if he’s going to be difficult over this.

“If you must know, because a member of our group owes them to Kalanthia.” I tilt my head towards the massive nunda lying against the cave wall. “Would you like to explain to her why she won’t get them?” A blast of fear comes across from his side of the Bond and his wings mantle.

No, he replies shortly. His mate jabs at him with her toothed beak, perhaps the equivalent of an elbow-nudge from a human female.

We shall do this if you give access to these…Energy Hearts. Persephone says.

“Of course,” I respond quickly. “I already said you could have access to them.” The kiina sends over a wordless agreement.

I want to take the cubs out, Bastet says suddenly breaking through the silence that has briefly fallen.

“What, into the forest? Like you did before?”

Yes. They must learn to hunt.

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

“Alright,” I shrug. No issues with that. “As long as you still get a chance to practise your new fire-breathing. Actually….” I turn to face the giant nunda resting with her eyes half-closed. “Kalanthia, would you like Lathani to go out with them? I think that will give her a more realistic hunting experience than when you are there as a scary presence.”

I am more able to hide from prospective prey than perhaps you think, Kalanthia’s voice rumbled in my mind. Yet, it is a good suggestion. If you deem your Bound sufficient protection for her then I agree with your suggestion.

“What do you think, Bastet? Are you confident enough about your ability to keep Lathani safe?” I check with her. A sense of indignant offence comes across the Bond.

Of course. I will not take my cubs into dangerous areas. Not until they are ready. I hold up my hands in a placating gesture.

“Just wanted to check. So, Kalanthia, Bastet seems confident and I trust her judgement.” I’m not sure how much Kalanthia’s telepathy picks up on the communication we have via the Bond, so I figure I’d better transfer the message anyway.

Then I will entrust my cub to her care if I am not planning on going out hunting with her later. It will do her good to absorb the Energy of kills in addition to that of Cores, and when I am hunting with her, I receive the vast majority of it, Kalanthia admits.

That makes sense.

“Alright, any other questions?” I ask, looking around the group. After waiting a few long seconds, I decide that there aren’t, or at least, none that they want to ask right now. Looking outside, I see that the rain seems to be easing off. Maybe it’s not going to be a day-long rain-storm like the last one was.

“Right then, let’s get to it,” I tell everyone. Oddly enough, though I’m already exhausted at the thought of all the work to come, I’m also strangely excited about the potential gains in the next few weeks.

*****

By the end of the morning, I’m already making progress. Since I’d got the Spearmanship Skill from spending a bit of time practising with a spear, this morning I elect not to actually join in the sparring itself, but to see if I can get a similar Skill for each of my other weapons of choice.

I spend a bit of time with each weapon, focussing on holding it at first and nothing else. Then, when I think I’m holding it correctly, I check my posture. Each of the weapons demands a different approach. Using the spear required my centre of gravity to be low, my weight easily shifted forwards or backwards.

Using a bow is a more upright posture, but is equally planted in the ground. There, my feet don’t point the same way, but instead are perpendicular to each other, keeping my balance while offering me some flexibility to deal with the tension and release of the bow string. My knees are supple; my hips are open.

As for a mace, the position doesn’t seem so strict, and is mostly about keeping my core muscles tense so as to be able to manage the weight of the weapon. Because of the heavy head of my mace, it’s quite a different technique from either the spear or bow.

Then, of course, after focussing on my posture while staying still, I have to work on it while being mobile, all without actually attempting to attack anyone.

I do have to interrupt my efforts to heal my Bound after their own bouts. Since Persephone and Hades are so new to the group, I decided that it would be best for them to watch from the side-lines for this go. The others took to the task with relative ease, but they’d already built bonds of trust from fighting and travelling together; all Hades and Persephone know of us is as enemies.

I think it will be better to ease them into the idea of sparring – hopefully letting them watch what’s happening rather than taking part immediately themselves will help.

Once we call it a day for sparring, everyone goes off to do their individual tasks. The rest of them all head into the forest for a hunt or to collect ingredients. The cubs and Lathani go with the group, so it’s pretty quiet in the cave with only Kalanthia and me present.

“What shall we do with ourselves?” I ask Kalanthia with a hint of amusement curling my lips as she steps out of the cave. She huffs at me.

Well, I intend on taking full advantage to have an uninterrupted nap, she tells me with a sense of pleasure.

“Enjoy that, then,” I say, giving her a thumbs up. Hint taken: I won’t disturb her. I sit down in the sun with a baked potato – well, this world’s equivalent. I’d felt several notifications appear as the morning wore on, but have exercised some discipline in not actually checking them until now. I hope they are what I was expecting from this morning’s efforts.

A quick glance sends a smile across my face. Sure enough, I’ve earned a Skill for each of the weapons I practised with. I quickly look at the description of ‘Archery’.

Archery

You have taken the first step along the path to Master Archer. You have displayed an understanding that wielding a bow means more than simply setting a stick against a string, pulling it back, and letting it go. Continue practising techniques designed for the more efficient and effective use of a bow in order to advance this Skill. Gain 2% to the effects of Dexterity per level in this Skill when using a bow.

Next message? Y/N

Mostly what I was expecting. I wonder why I haven’t had this Skill until now, though? After all, unlike my use of the spear and mace, I did actually try to put some effort into my technique at the beginning. Was it that I needed to cross some threshold of use first? Or that my technique at the beginning was too flawed?

Still, I’ve got it now, and it basically looks like my Spearmanship Skill except for only enhancing Dexterity. I move onto the next message, seeing that I’ve received another new Skill. Having expected it to be ‘maceship’ or ‘macery’, I’m surprised at its actual name of Blunt Weaponry. I check its description, intrigued.

Blunt Weaponry

You have shown a more nuanced approach to the use of a blunt weapon than simply swinging it at a target. Improve this Skill by continuing to practise techniques designed for the more efficient and effective application of force with blunt weapons. Gain 5% to the effects of Strength (Power : Endurance = 4 : 1) when using a weapon which principally deals blunt damage to a target.

Next message? Y/N

Now this is a more interesting Skill. Not only is it more widely applicable, affecting all types of blunt weapons, from the looks of it, but it offers a much better enhancement – five percent in total per level in the Skill. Which means that by the time I get this to novice, I’ll be hitting almost half again my Strength.

Though the question I have is how the ratio between Power and Endurance is calculated. At the moment, I essentially have eight points in Power and twelve points in Endurance. So does that mean that I’ll get an increase of four percent to eight points and one percent to twelve points? Or that I’ll get a blanket five percent increase to my twenty total points, four fifths of that enhancing my Power, one fifth of it enhancing my Endurance…? I guess that I’ll have to practise and increase the Skill level to find out.

Notifications checked, it’s time to get on with my next task: working on my tanning basin.