Azura never realized what it took to make a community. She was under the misguided opinion that food, water and shelter were all that was needed. Indeed, those were the essential basics, which they had. But to grow. To do more than just survive. A community, even a small one, needed more. So much more. Azura was glad Fatania and her mother had taken charge. There was no way she could handle any of this as demonstrated by Azura asking for clarification.

“We need what?”

“Some magic tools,” Fatania explained.

“Why?”

“The trees, the ground, even the rocks are all infused with mana,” Coralline explained. “Our non-magical tools are breaking.

“Oh. I guess that makes sense. So… can we buy some?”

“Such items aren’t for sale. Even if they were it would bring up too many questions.” Fatania said shaking her head before continuing. “We need to take them and do it in such a way as to hide our objective.”

“Huh?” Azura asked.

“We got take the tools without looking like that’s what we want,” Alenina said her many children ran around her. Except for Tabatha who was standing next to Azura at attention. She was taking the whole master thing a bit too far in Azura’s opinion. Then again, having someone who seemed to worship her was kind of nice…

“We’ll also need more clothing supplies,” Coralline added in. “We have just enough to clothe everyone but it’s getting colder. Another month or two and we’ll be in trouble.”

“Okay. I get it. We need stuff,” Azura said waving her hand in surrender. “So what’s the plan?”

“There are several harvesting camps near the mana forest. These camps harvest lumber and other supplies from the outer edges. They also have heavy duty equipment for deep expeditions. Or they should. The rat-kin are investigating each. If one has what we need we will raid it and free any kin slaves. The kin can’t go in the forest but they are still used as manual labor outside it. The goal is to loot and burn it. We will make it look like the start of your ‘free the kin’ campaign rather than a raid for supplies.”

“I don’t know…” Azura said slowly. “That seems like a strange place to start with.”

“Which is why it won’t be,” Fatania said. “You will actually start at some farms. Free the kin and plunder everything there. Once you’re done burn it. I got several targets to hit before we do the camp.”

“I can’t do all that alone.”

“You’re not going alone. Take some of the kin with you. It’ll be good practice,” Fatania said.

Azura thought for a moment. “No more than four. Any more and I won’t be able to protect them if things go wrong.”

“We will need more to cart back the goods and kin,” Tabatha added in.

“Oh yeah…” Azura said. She would have never thought about that.

“A compromise then,” Fatania suggested. “Take your four kin to attack. After it’s over others will come in and take care of the rest. We’ll have the kin setup someplace safe until you can awaken them.”

“That should work,” Azura said.

“We need some time to get the plan all together. These strikes must be quick and efficient. I’ll give the details to Hamal. He can be one of your four,” Fatania said.

“Why not me?” Azura asked.

The three mothers looked at each other. Coralline shrugged. “Because we want to make sure you don’t forget.”

“Mom!”

“Do you really want that responsibility?” Coralline asked her head tilted.

“… no,” Azura’s ears went flat, her response had come out in a whiney whisper.

“Then stop complaining!” Coralline said exasperated. “Go teach some of the new kin or something.”

“Alright.” Azura trudged past the women trying to find the new kin. It was harder than she expected. Kin were everywhere. Some were digging. Others were reinforcing tunnels and attempting to make them more comfortable. More were securing supplies or setting up cooking fires. Finally, a good portion appeared to be cultivating. It was a busy camp. She was glad others were managing this. That gave her an idea…

“Tabatha. I’ve got a job for you.”

“Yes Master!” Tabatha excitedly hopping in place her rabbit ears bouncing.

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“Gather up some of the new kin over…” Azura looked around and pointed to a relatively unused spot. “There.”

Tabatha bowed. “It shall be Master!”

Hmm, at least she got some respect today.

Sweat trickled down Gwen’s cheek as she folded her mana. The Magebane had made it sound easy. It totally wasn’t. Still, she had done it. The first step was taken. Now only a million more to go. She didn’t let despair take over. Instead, she focused on her future letting that push her onto the next step.

“Good job Gwen,” the Magebane said clapping her on the shoulder. A burst of pride filled the half badger-kin as the Magebane left to check on another student, a rabbit-kin trailing behind her. Gwen watched the Magebane instruct another kin.

When the Magebane had awakened her mana pool it had be wondrous. The way the power surged in her. And the ki! Oh the ki! How she wanted it. When the Magebane used Gwen’s own mana to burn away the foreign mana in her slave rune freeing her, Gwen knew that she was destine to be like the Magebane. A cultivator. She quickly got back to cultivating.

Soon everyone had managed to fold their mana at least once. Gwen had managed three times already.

“Great!” The Magebane said. “You all have the basics down. Now keep working on it daily. It will build your control and will power which are essential for later stages. Sign up for jobs around with Fatania to help out and cultivate in your spare time. We route jobs often enough that there is always plenty of time for cultivation.”

“THANK YOU MASTER!” The kin shouted except for Gwen. She wasn’t really comfortable calling anyone master.

The class dismissed and everyone went their own ways. Gwen was debating to grab a bite to eat when she saw a rat-kin approach the Magebane. Curious she got closer listening in.

“We found a place to attack,” the rat-kin said.

“That was quick,” the Magebane said. “When do we leave?”

“Two days. Mother wants to make sure we have everything ready for an influx of kin along with carts for the loot. Might as well let the mages feed them till then.”

“Oh. That makes sense,” the Magebane conceded. Gwen had the strong impression that planning wasn’t the Magebane’s strength.

“Did you pick the other three yet?”

“I was thinking of Gerald. Otherwise I’m not sure.”

“Me! Me! Me! Me!” The rabbit-kin, who was following the Magebane around like a lonely dog-kin, shouted. She was jumping furiously as if the floor was too hot to stand on. The pair looked at the girl.

“It’ll be dangerous,” the Magebane said.

“I can do it!” The rabbit-kin said.

“You might have to kill some mages,” the rat-kin added.

Kill some mages… Gwen thought her heart racing. Suddenly she was back home. The mages had just broken down the door. She fought, only to be paralyzed. Powerless… The first mage loomed over her immobilized body as he shifted his robe and lowered his trousers. He grabbed his member and…

“NO!” Gwen shouted pulling herself from the dark memories. Several kin stopped at her outburst. The Magebane was looking at her in confusion.

“No? No, what?” The Magebane asked.

Gwen strode forward trying to leave her thoughts behind. “No. You should take me instead. I can kill mages.” She tried and failed to keep the seething hatred from her voice.

“…Okay,” the Magebane said with a shrug after a moment. “If you think you can handle it.”

“I guess that makes four,” the rat-kin said.

“Great!” The Magebane said. “Cultivate as much as you can for the next two days each of you. You’ll want to be as powerful as you can be before we attack.”

“I’ll let mom know,” the rat-kin said. “She is making a schedule to cultivate by the leyline. I think we could get extra time for this task. I’ll let Gerald know too.”

“Thanks,” the Magebane said. “Now if you excuse me I want to hunt.” With that the slayer of mages sped off into the forest leaving a disappointed rabbit-kin behind.

“Aww,” the rabbit-kin said. “I want to go too…”

The next day Coralline and Azura were stretching in a small clearing getting ready to run through the moves her mother taught her when Fatania approached with an aged tiger-kin. She briefly recalled him being among the ones purchased from Deepmere. She had met him the day before for his first cultivation lesson.

“I greet the great Azure Magebane.”

“Uh, hi.” It came out more as a question. “Who are you? I don’t recall your name.”

“Forgive this one. In my excitement I forget my manners. This one is called Far-shu.”

“Well it’s nice to meet you again,” Azura said glancing at Fatania. What was this about? She tried to import this question with a look to the rat-kin.

“Far-shu, is an expert in Fa Ta Kin To,” Fatania said in explanation. “It is a fighting style used by kin.”

“Oh,” Azura said. “My mother showed me some of that. I find it helpful for cultivation.”

“Really? Coralline did?” Fatania asked giving her friend a skeptical eye.

“What!? My mother taught me some of the basic forms when I was young,” Coralline said defensively.

“Please show me,” Far-shu said.

So they did. The mother and daughter moved through the several stances, when Far-shu waved for them to stop.

“That is not any martial art form.”

“What!” Mother and daughter shouted in unison.

“That is movement taught to children who are unable to sit still and learn properly. Certain kin are not…” Far-shu stopped. He appeared to be choosing his words carefully. “Lack the attention required to learn. Those motions are used to drain their energy and help them achieve better focus. It might aid in cultivation, but it has nothing to do with any fighting style.”

Azura turned to her mother raising her fist. “Mom!”

Coralline turned away facing some unknown destination. “Mom!” She echoed her daughter her fist also raised.

“I see my work will be a challenge,” Far-shu said sadly.

“Can you teach her?” Fatania asked smirking. “It would actually be a good idea for all of us to learn.”

“I will endeavor to teach the Magebane even as she teaches me about cultivation. However, I must insist in this area I am the master you are the student.”

“Sure!” Azura agreed readily. “Unlike my mother, I have great focus.”

Coralline snorted in disbelief.

“At least I am sure that Fatania has taught you the basics for fighting. The rat-kin are good assassins, but have little beyond viscous single strikes move. If they fail to kill a mage in the first sneak attack they would rarely have time for another.”

Fatania accepted the criticism without complaint.

“Gather twenty students. I will begin immediately. It has been a long time since I have taught. It puts my old bones at ease to see the fighting prowess return to the kin once more.”

With that said they got to work.

Azura threw herself into each motion her focus entirely on Far-shu lessons. She was glad for the distraction. Tomorrow, she might have to kill again… The dark part of her that had awaken since Toren’s death was looking forward to it.