The instant he could see through the dark splotches left behind by the lightning strike, Nameless had taken off. He pushed himself to the very limits of his capabilities, bending his understanding of his Skills to their utmost; eking out the slightest bit more distance in his stride, putting the smallest amount more power in his steps, and reserving as much stamina as he could manage.

Growing further distant behind him, laid the broken and shattered tree split in twain by the bolt that had struck it. Its remnants scattered about, floating in the water, glowed and smoked with charr; the gaping hole made in the canopy – by its falling – was ringed by fresh flames sputtering under the deluge of rain from above, and with small leaps was beginning to spread across the surrounding crowns.

But it wasn’t the only fire for Nameless to keep watch on.

At the turn of his head, he could see the glow of the wildfire in the distance, the shimmering orange of a mountain of fire growing brighter to his side, its heat leeching the moisture out of the air to leave it dry and stale.

“The water will slow it down some…” Nameless assured himself, awkwardly vaulting through the rapidly deepening water with an… unpracticed combination of [Sprint] and [Leap], “But it will eventually come to consume the canopy and when that time arrives, the water will come to be just as deadly as the flames.”

He took another leap – waves rising up to either side of him as he pushed through the water – and came down to find the ground below dipped. The water rose to the base of his neck as he suddenly sunk, a small instance of panic ripping through him before his paws touched the soil below.

With only the slightest amount of scrambling, Nameless gathered his paws under himself and continued to bodily ford ahead, feeling the water and current press heavily against him, gradually stymieing his progress. Enveloped in the water as he was, he could feel that it had begun to warm slightly, yet another tangible reminder of the danger that still threatened to consume him.

With the water as high as it was, Nameless’s movements became even more cumbrous and ungainly, and – more worryingly – slow as well. He struggled against the water, his grasp on [Sprint] and [Leap] fading to a tenuous thread of weakening intent, his capacity to perform the actions at the core of either Skill becoming stymied by the height of the waters.

“I wish there had been a circumstance to have gained [Swimming] prior to my having wanted, no, required it.” Nameless thought with consternation, thrashing his way through the awkwardly deep water, “But if there is any a time, I may find the circumstance to cultivate an understanding of the Skill, it would be now.”

As he made another graceless lunge, Nameless felt a sharp pain rip through his body, deeper and more pervasive than any wound ever made to his flesh.

Nameless’s attention scattered – the aid of his Skills disappearing as assuredly as the Brothers did once their sister awoke – while his legs collapsed under him, plunging his head beneath the murky waters.

He sputtered and gasped, water filling his nose and lungs, mind whirling in a menagerie of excruciating hues, “My Soul…” The agony wracking his mind and body spread up from that ephemeral core of his being, like thorned roots burrowing through soil… its cause obvious to him even through his struggling consciousness.

His Skills.

Whether through the amount of time he had relied on them, or the manner he had begun to forcefully stretch what circumstances they were applied under, his use of those Skills had far exceeded what they could reasonably support… and what his soul could.

Lost in a haze of anguish, Nameless desperately tried to find his footing once more, fighting against the dissonance that spread through every fibre of his flesh to regain some form of control.

He forcibly pushed himself up – an effort of pure suffering – until his head rose just enough that he could take a hasty breath, hacking as he coughed water out of his lungs… before yet another horrid wave of pain swept through his body to bring him low once more.

While he had experienced a strain upon his soul for the over usage of his Skills a clawful of times in the past, never had it appeared so suddenly, nor with such a vehemence, “But when have I ever pushed them so far, for so long…” Nameless thought with chagrin, the torment of his battered soul causing his vision to flicker as his consciousness shuddered under a constant deluge of suffering, “I should have known better… Should not have allowed myself to fall to the panic of escape and lose sight of what my limits are.”

He floated down limply within the flooded waters, feeling the current billow over his fur and hair in the same chaotic manner as the rush of pain from his soul, the weight of his body dragging him to settle against the soil below in a plume of murk, “What a wretched fool I have been.” Nameless despaired, the discordance afflicting him reaching such a height that his blood felt chilled and sluggish, his heart beating with an almost defeated tone.

He could feel his mind begin to fail, his sight blackening as the agony overwhelmed him, the muscles across his body shivering as the pain caused them to twitch unbidden… when something else began to stir, its attention feeling like the dawning warmth of the Brothers playing across his hide, growing to-

“NO.”

With a monumental flex of his willpower and determination, Nameless wrested his consciousness from the grasp of his soul’s torment and heaved himself standing once again.

Water poured off his back and head as he emerged – limbs shaking beneath him – releasing a wet and pained growl that caused a circle of vibrations to rise around him. His movements were still agonizing, his mind still clouded by a depth of pain unlike any he had experienced before… and his soul was still raw and distressed, screeching with a discordant wail that set his entire being alight.

But he would not be deterred, “I have not pushed myself to the point of straining my very soul, have not fought for nearly every step since this World accursed Proving begun, to bow my head to pain and despair now!”

He took a single tremulous step, growling as the resistance of the water against his hide felt as though his flesh were being gnawed on by a swarm of Elephant Flies, “And neither will I allow myself to be rescued by you [Wisdom],” Nameless asserted, making slow and… excruciating progress forward, his eyes gleaming with stubborn conviction, “If I am to succeed… to live, I must be able to do so on my own. No one and Nothing else can live for me, nor bear the weight of my pain, if I am to truly learn how to endure and survive through whatever may come.”

“For if there is anyone, I must learn to rely upon…” Nameless felt his resolve harden, his conviction becoming an almost tangible barrier against the suffering that he continued to experience with even the slightest movement, “It must be Myself.”

At his declaration, Nameless felt a sudden cacophony of emotion sweep through him like a summer wind through the savannah’s long grasses. Amusement, pride, respect, and even a hint of chagrin arose beside a litany of other feelings, all emanating from the same continually vexing source.

[Wisdom].

But what Nameless’s mind latched upon was one singular emanation, a feeling of… kinship that was altogether so familiar as to enrapture him completely. It brought to his mind being back at the den, looking down into the calm surface of the pond within, staring at his reflection within the water… only, his reflection wasn’t the one that was staring back.

Not exactly.

Around that familiarity, the emotions swirled into a vision of himself, similar, yet wholly different. Each added a different layer of detail, collating into a visage defined by a field of emotions; the hardlines of determination, conviction, and tenacity framed it, while its features were filled by a complicated and confusing depth of sorrows and regrets, fears and frustrations, as well as pain and indignation displaying a daunting breadth of… experience and life, all flowing towards two vibrant eyes.

Staring straight back into his own.

Within those illusory orbs were where amusement, respect, pride, commiseration, and a multitude other emotions settled, the profundity of each giving the eyes a piercing quality that seemed to stare beyond the bounds of Nameless’s soul to… elsewhere. Gazing deeper, he believed he could see reflections of that place; visions of concepts and places, of time passed and confrontations faced… of a wealth of life experience all uniting into a singular-

“Wisdom…” Nameless whispered within the confines of his mind, the aged “eyes” of the Trait quirking upwards in mirth, his thoughts whirling with countless questions… but only one managed to reach his tongue, “What are you?”

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At the question [Wisdom]’s manifestation seemed to smile to the point of bursting, Nameless’s mind becoming assailed by a bout of mischievous humor as the visage parted into a scintillating cloud of emotions. He felt it twirl and twist about the core of his being, causing him to wince and growl as it wrapped itself around his damaged soul.

His soul chaffed and shuddered under the cloud brushing against its raw edges, shimmering strings of approval, confidence, compassion and resolve catching upon the cracks that marred it.

“What-” The cloud rippled, a cascade of energy sweeping across his soul, the strings laid upon his wounded core pulsating rhythmically against the cracks they surrounded. The tempo of the pulses rapidly increased, resonating outward to affect not only his soul… but his body and mind as well.

Nameless gritted his fangs to the point of tasting blood – a deep agonizing groan rumbling up from his chest – as the energy from whatever act [Wisdom] was performing on him, felt as though he had plunged himself directly into the wildfire’s core. Within his mind the vision of his soul flared with a blinding light – suffused with a stubborn determination – the wretched burning sensation that coursed throughout every fibre of his being, reaching a height so great as to prevent Nameless from even breathing.

When just as suddenly as the pain had begun, it ended.

A *clap* like that from the storm above sounded within his mind, the power sweeping through causing him to go unconscious for a blink, before he regained his consciousness once more.

The instant his awareness returned, Nameless found [Wisdom]’s presence to be absent, but for a lingering sense of satisfaction that pervaded his mind and soul… a soul now significantly healthier – if not more whole – than it had been.

“[Wisdom] heal-healed my soul?” Nameless realized with shock, his soul now feeling more like it was only fatigued rather than damaged as it had been, “Why? How?”

His mind reeled at what [Preternatural Wisdom] had managed to execute, as well as how it had behaved, “Out of all of the occasions [Wisdom]’s… presence has reared its head, never have I felt it so clearly…”

He had been well aware of the reality that [Wisdom] was a Trait unusual by many standards, that that… presence that seemed to inhabit it – in addition to the myriad benefits he had been provided by it – starkly separated it from even such obviously powerful Traits as [Mythical Constitution] and [Adaptive Physique]. However, there had always been a separation between [Wisdom]’s boons and Nameless himself, its moments of direct aid only feeling as though it were a Trait whose more… active qualities were limited to the role of a “guiding paw,” making it far easier for him to continue considering it as just an overly special Trait.

“Until now…” What [Wisdom] had done, went far beyond just helping him stabilize his emotions or make a Skill more effective. To have touched upon his very soul – and healed it to some measure – by what could only be described as its own will, made it something he struggled to comprehend, “Though is it so surprising?”

“[Wisdom] awakened my own consciousness and filled my head with knowledge and concepts, surpassing those provided by imprints and instinct. It has helped to ground my emotions and calm my mind at times, aided me in my comprehension of many of my Skills… and even warned me of Mother’s true nature when I was blind to it.”

“It has already proven its capacity to affect me by some measure – even if it was mostly through much more external manners – and “speak” to me from the very beginning…” Nameless concluded with a wince, the sudden absence of pain being as discomforting as having had his every fibre suffused with it, “And in much the same way as I ignored Mother’s nature, so too did I allow myself to ignore and become complacent to [Wisdom]’s more concerning elements as well…”

“Its benefits too enticing for me to do otherwise. Until now.” Nameless’s thoughts were interrupted by a loud crack from behind him, causing him to snap around and witness a massive flaming branch plummet into the water with a steaming hiss.

The growing fear of [Wisdom]’s capabilities combined with that he had of the approaching flames, scattering any further musings on his complicated feelings towards the Trait, “Nevertheless, it has acted in my best interest thus far and while I would be a fool not to fear the possibility of a time coming where that may change… it is not the greatest threat to me now.”

Nameless tentatively flexed his will, touching gently against [Proprioception], feeling only the slightest sense of strain from his soul rather than the agony of before. He huffed at the prominent reminder of [Wisdom]’s actions, but disregarded any further thought of the Trait, reorienting himself towards the river once more.

The sound of fire crackling behind him made his ears twitch – the scent of soot beginning to grow more prominent to his nose – as he took his first step forward since his soul had faltered, burying any further doubts, concerns, and fears and replacing them with a single-minded focus, “Safety first… everything else, after.”

―――――――――

The body of the river roared before him as Nameless braced against the trunk and lower branches of a partially submerged tree, the wild currents desperately trying to drag him away. His paws had long lost the comforting presence of soil below them, the water – as close to the river as he was – having risen far above its former shore.

With [Proprioception] refining his movements, Nameless had made his way through the rising flood waters to the river. However, even with his Skill’s aid, his pace was originally awkward and stilted, the water high enough to stymie his movement but not deep enough to swim or float through comfortably. It had taken valuable time and energy to reach such a depth – the fear of the flames growing as the sting of ash nipped at his eyes, nose, and throat – but once he had… he had taken off.

While lacking in grace, his consistent focus on [Proprioception] made his movements through the deeper water more… efficient than it otherwise should have been, considering his absence of experience.

Though the Skill’s aid did by no measure make him adept at swimming.

So, to compensate, Nameless had used the surrounding trees and any other solid surfaces – he could put his paws upon – to push off of, less so “swimming” than bounding through the water, using the force of his thrusts to impel himself forward faster. It had rapidly increased his progress and, when the water had gotten higher, allowed for him to waste less energy while floating between surfaces after every push.

Though his… unusual method of traversing the water, while having been fast, left Nameless at a loss as to how exactly he was going to brave the river proper.

With claws embedded deeply into the trunk, Nameless looked beyond the last line of submerged brush to the flooded river. Watching the water violently slosh about, the furious foaming crests of waves running rampant across the surface of the water, while the underlying chaotic currents pulled and pushed harshly against his fur.

“I am nowhere near adroit enough at swimming to be able to traverse these waters normally, let alone in the state they are now…” Lightning flashed, illuminating the murky waters for an instant, revealing the distant “shore” opposite of him, “But I still have to cross it somehow.”

Nameless turned his head, looking around the trunk he braced against and down the submerged tree line of the same side, “I could follow this edge of the river down, using the trees in the same way as I did getting here.” His eyes alighted upon the partially exposed crown of a smaller tree as he mulled over the possibility, witnessing its leaves and branches erratically swaying in the rapid water, “However, that current complicates matters, and going back into the forest to avoid it is counterintuitive…”

“As well as incredibly risky.” His choice to use trees and other standing surfaces as pawholds – to increase his speed through the water – had expanded the distance between himself and the pursuing wildfire considerably… however that did not mean it would remain far off for long.

He ruffled his wings and readjusted his grip on the trunk, shifting uncomfortably as a swell of water poured over him, “Which makes the answer quite obvious, even if I am none too excited about it…”

His fear of the wildfire was far in excess than any he had for the dangers of the flood glutted river, and risking its wrath all in an effort to make his progress easier would be to take all he had already made – and retained – for granted.

Nameless sighed roughly, feeling the bark under his claws splinted and crumble as his muscles tensed, his focus on the river, “Even if I do not wish to do so, I did not plan on taking the easiest paths… and what is this if not another trial to overcome and grow from?”

He spun [Tactics] to the fore of his mind, using the Skill to evaluate and hone a possible path, one in which he had begun to consider the moment witnessed the river’s ferocity first claw.

Through the Skill, illusory mimics of himself leapt outwards within his eyes, braving the waters fearlessly, Nameless and [Tactics] working in tandem to compare and contrast every consideration he could conceive. Every motion, every approach, every possibility Nameless could think of played out in front of him, limited only by his own knowledge, experience, imagination, and his…

Wisdom.

A shiver played down Nameless’s spine at the word, his body going tense, his attention slipping and causing [Tactics]’s illusions to dissolve. His mind whirled and his breath caught within his throat as he waited for the Trait to rear its head… only for his mind to remain devoid of any additional presences but his own, occupied alone by that private susurrus of internal thought and no more.

He released a shaky breath, his eyes flaring with determination as the ephemeral forms of himself reconstituted themselves, returning with even greater numbers and even greater an intensity, “Focus on the now, on overcoming the challenge ahead of you on your own, by your own wisdom… and confront everything else after.”

“Whether [Wisdom] were to arise or not, it changes nothing…” The manifestations began to reduce just as quickly as they had reappeared, Nameless’s heightened attention allowing for himself and [Tactics] to rapidly narrow down the possible methods forward to just a couple viable routes, “For I will succeed by my own decisions and determination, lest I allow the Arbiters themselves to scatter my soul and strip me from the cycle of life for not standing beside my convictions.”

With a muted hum the smoky green doppelgangers of himself resolved to but a singular, standing in place above the roiling rapids, pawing at the ideal place to enter into its depths. Nameless held the eyes of the illusory Sphinx, watching as it shimmered and disappeared, only to reconstruct itself and leap into action one last time in a display of controlled and exacting motion.

His eyes traced the path, took in every minute twitch and shift, his own muscles coiling underneath himself in anticipation, “One last push!”

With a momentous shove, Nameless leapt away from the trunk, wind and rain whipping against his face and hide. He soared through the air – inhaling deeply – wings pressed tightly against himself and twisted, reorienting, adjusting, when he plunged into the cold dark of the wild river…

And all went to the claws of Chaos and Fate.