A long time ago, on this very world, a few short years before integration, a cub named Uthica woke up.

It was the third day of falling leaves. This wasn't a particularly important morning and she wasn't a particularly important cub (at least she didn't think so, her mother would disagree). But it was an important day for her. For today she was going to start learning her letters.

Her pu'shaha had told her last night as he tucked her into bed. Most pu'shaha couldn't really speak, but hers was special. He was so smart that her mother sometimes joked that he must secretly be female. Her pu'shaha always smiled politely when her mother said this, but Uthica knew that her pu'shaha was just humouring her. She knew it hurt him when her mother said such things.

What's going on? What's a pu'shaha? And who is Uthica? Am I a disembodied voice?

Uthica hurried through her breakfast, barely waiting for the meat to cool before digging in. Most cubs weren't as excited to learn letters as Uthica, but then they didn't have a teacher like her pu'shaha. Normally only the oldest females taught letters, and everyone knew how mean they could be.

Uthica was sure matted fur disease would make anyone cranky. That's what the cubs called it, though Uthica was pretty sure it had another name. But everyone who had the condition developed matted fur, ergo all the kids called it matted fur disease. Uthica supposed the old warriors could cut their fur off. But then they'd have no fur. And they were civilized K'tharn, not like those twisted mountain dwellers.

Yep, definitely disembodied voice mode. Wait, go back, that sounds like something that would be useful. More about the mountain people, please.

Taking her dishes over to the basin, Uthica washed them carefully. If they were found dirty then her pu'shaha would be blamed. If he got in trouble he might not be able to teach her letters.

Once she had her dishes put away carefully she hurried out into the common room where her pu'shaha was waiting. He had a coloured book with pictures in it and everything. Starting at the beginning he opened the book saying, a is for antelope, our favourite treat.

No response. Guess I’m just along for the ride. Hmm, I recognize that character. That's one of the symbols on the door.

Uthica paid close attention as her pu'shaha took her through her lessons. She knew she'd need to keep working at it, but spending time with her pu'shaha was one of her favourite things. She loved her pu'shaha with all her heart.

Totally understand how you feel Uthica. My papa was pretty awesome too.

Uthica continued attending her lessons, day after day, month after month, year after year. Even when her cubmates Athana and Lesi stopped, Uthica continued studying. There was just so much to learn.

Ugh, my head. So much reading.

This story is only available on RoyalRoad, if you're reading it elsewhere, it's been plagiarized. Draith.

By her tenth birthday, she was recognized as a junior scout, the youngest in decades. While she wouldn’t be recognized as an adult until her honour day, her place in the clan was ensured. Uthica thanked her pu'shaha for all his readings. He taught her so much about the world through his books.

Ha. Uthica thought. If only the others understood how much knowledge letters held. Then they wouldn't be so quick to dismiss them. But everyone knew reading and writing were for the infirm. Real warriors trained only with muscle and bone. Sinew and steel.

Wow, I guess that hasn't changed much. According to the codex at least.

If Uthica ever became queen, she would make reading and writing mandatory. She'd also repeal the horrid laws that stated pu'shaha were third-class citizens. They deserved to be second class, at the very least. She would never say it out loud, but she was certain her pu'shaha would be a better queen than any queen they'd had in the past ten generations. She wasn't so blind as to think every pu'shaha was so intelligent. She'd seen her aunt Jethico's pu'shaha spend ten minutes trying to move through a door before his daughter turned the handle to let him inside.

Making her way home she was hoping to share an evening reading with her pu'shaha. But halfway there she heard a low rumble roll across the village. Looking up, she saw strange blue lightning split the sky. As she watched, larger and larger strikes started raining down. The thunder that rolled over her felt different than normal. As though it was a physical thing, seeping into her bones. Even as she fought the thunder, struggling to remain standing, the earth started to shake. She kept moving cautiously but suddenly the ground beneath her feet gave a mighty groan. The sudden movement knocked her on all sixes.

When she regained her feet she could just make out what had been the World Spine mountain range on the horizon. But they no longer towered above her. Instead, Uthica could see the tip of their peaks below the horizon. And some of them were missing. Looking around the village, she saw several homes had collapsed and there were cubs meowling all over.

No longer holding back she ran for home. Her pu'shaha would know what to do.

Uhm, wow. That's terrible. Is this going to happen to Earth? Wait, why is everything going black.

A month later Uthica found herself staring out at the remnants of their scarred world. Earlier in the day she and Athana had completed the ritual that recognized them as adults. Their ritual had been performed by the clan matriarch herself, a true honour. Today was Uthica and her sister’s honour day. It was funny, as a cub, Uthica had looked forward to her honour day with great enthusiasm. But when the lightning had split the skies everything had changed. With the burdens of the last month weighing on her, she understood what it really meant to be an adult. The ruins of that day occupied Uthica’s thoughts as she gazed out on the lands below.

There had been panic in the tribes below, of course, when the world had been shattered. But the Halterin Clan had survived better than most. Now located high above the world, their people didn't die of the strange sickness that swept through the lowlands.

And I'm back. Wow, that doesn't remotely resemble the view she had as a cub. Half the mountains are missing. And is that a river of lava?

Uthica was thinking about that day. The others had started calling it the day of thunder and death, Vaus’ awakening. Clearly this was a sure sign of their goddess’ displeasure, her aunt Jethico said. Uthica doubted it, but she couldn’t fathom what else could cause such destruction.

When she’d arrived home, Uthica found it in ruins. She had to pull her unconscious pu’shaha from the collapsed building. When she’d gone in to find her sisters, she found Athana sitting next to Lesi in the hollow of their collapsed bedroom. Uthica saw that it was too late for Lesi. The wall of their bedroom had fallen in, crushing her. Only her upper right arm remained free.

Lesi had met her eyes with a look, a look Uthica had grown too familiar with over the last month. Lesi knew she was dying.

Uthica joined Athana then they sat, holding Lesi’s claw, crying together as they said goodbye. They remained there even after their mother came. They were there when the body disintegrated into a fine blue powder, floating up and away. That had been an alarming discovery. No longer could they honour their fallen by partaking of their flesh, ensuring part of them would live on. Instead, the goddess stole their people away.

Despite the new shape of the land, their warriors remained strong, easily holding their own against the strange monsters that had appeared. It was as if the very stories of her childhood had come to life. She'd heard they arose from the great rifts, but she'd never ventured that far from their home. She’d been there the day they encountered Lesi though. It hadn’t been just Lesi either. All their fallen had returned.

They’d been overjoyed at first of course, their tribe was whole once more.

But as they got closer Uthica noted that they all had the worst case of matted fur disease Uthica had ever seen. And there was a dark red glint in their eyes. Uthica held back. She was about to say something when the first warrior reached the Fallen. They quickly realized their mistake. These weren’t their friends come back. These were just monsters who wore their faces.

Uthica had been the one to bring Lesi down for her second and final death. It was the hardest duty Uthica had ever performed.

Now, as Uthica looked out over the world, she wondered what they’d done to deserve such a fate.

Wow, that’s rough.

Uthica was finally turning from the vista to return home when she noticed a shimmer run through the air. A moment later, strange words appeared in her vision.

"Hello user. It has been determined that your world has been contaminated by a class 2 mana swarm. For your safety, inclusion protocols have been initiated.

As she read the words Uthica started running home. She had a feeling in her gut.

Based on your cultural norms, you have been determined to be an adult of your species. As such you have been designated a combat role. To opt out of combat roles, please see your closest administrator upon completion of your tutorial quests.

Uthica scoffed at the notion of opting out. She was a warrior. She’d proven that enough times over the previous month.

Welcome to inclusion event 398. Please select a class from the following options. You have five minutes before a class will be chosen for you.

Base classes available.

Protector.

Skirmisher.

Controller.

Destroyer."

Wait, five minutes and you only get to choose from the base options? Doesn't seem like you even get descriptions. Wow, Uthica. That's rough.

"System update. Your skill assessment has been completed. Granting access to additional base controller class: Lorekeeper.”

Oh, at least she's got one extra option. Wonder what it does?

Uthica didn't slow down as she read the notifications. In truth she sped up, hoping to reach her pu'shaha before she made her choice. She knew many of the other warriors would dismiss the words immediately, but she sensed they were a herald of great change, possibly of salvation.

Bursting through the front door, her pu'shaha glanced up at her, clearly startled by her entrance.

"The words," Uthica gasped. She really had run as fast as she could, so was now out of breath. Her cub mate Athana would be shocked, Uthica was never out of breath. Her pu'shaha placed his work to the side, then looked up at her, waiting for Uthica to continue.

Taking a deep breath Uthica continued, "they tell me I have unlocked a special class, Lorekeeper. I think they're a chance to change things." As Uthica speaks, her pu'shaha's brow raises higher and higher until finally, he speaks.

Oh. Oh no. Don't you see Uthica?

"My dearest Uthica, I don't know of what you speak, but I think that I would be proud if you called yourself a Lorekeeper. Can you imagine such a thing? What a marvellous idea," he says stepping forward. Uthica knows it's improper, but she embraces her pu'shaha as if he were female, hugging him tightly.

Aww, hugs. Huh? Oh, things are going dark again.

"This is your chance, I know it is." Uthica proclaimed even as she accepted the Lorekeeper class.

She'd never been more wrong.

And we're back. This is getting weird.

Uthica had thought things would change when the system came, which was true in a manner. Their society was hardly ruled by the same warrior queens who'd once held sway. Instead, those like her, who had taken the system seriously, were in charge. They were still warrior queens, there were just less of them. Now, instead of wasting their time fighting each other, they fought to tame their new world.

That didn't mean things had improved, however. Between the massive invasion of magical monsters, the reshuffling of their world's landscape and the newfound danger of the deep ones, over half her tribe had perished. Sometimes she felt as though they were the lucky ones.

Doesn't sound so lucky to me.

Looking across the open plains, Uthica studied the shimmering walls. It was the Builder fortress of Calviwashobb. If it weren't for the Builders, beings who arrived with the system, many other tribes would have surely perished.

However, the Builders were limited in their ability to help. They said they couldn't venture out of their sanctuary cities, though all were welcome within. Uthica was suspicious of this claim.

The cities provided sanctuary, but the System wouldn’t allow anyone who wanted shelter to stay for free. No. To enter the city you had to pay an iron integration point. The cost was per day. But there was another option. You could give up your combat class and survival questline. Many traded their classes away for safety. It had shocked Uthica to discover so many K’tharn would give up so easily. Even her cub mate Athana had joined the sanctuary city.

What no one had known was you couldn’t upgrade past an iron rank being without a combat class. This was bad enough, but the next discovery was far worse.

There had been no children since the mana swarm had struck their world. It had taken nearly three years before anyone suspected that mana poisoning had sterilized their entire species. It took five years before it was discovered the system would restore it. Of course, the system could restore it. But it imposed its own limits. To be given permission to have children, you had to complete a specific quest chain. Or in the words of the System,

"Quest received: More than One. Description: Prove your worth by contributing to the system. Requirement: Complete More than One sub-quests 0/1 or Contribute 10 iron rank integration points worth of work to the Builders. Rewards: Reproduction privileges unlocked. License to have 1 child."

Hold on. What? Does that mean I'm…. This just keeps getting better, doesn't it?

This was seen as a great violation of a K'tharn's basic rights.

Damn straight!

Yet Uthica hadn't really cared. The first step in the chain could be unlocked simply by contributing to the Builder enclaves, so even noncombatants could easily complete it. By the time the system revealed they needed to complete these quests to restore their ability to have children, Uthica was capable of completing the entire quest chain. It had been as easy as closing her upper eyes.

No, for Uthica, the part of the system that bothered her was the classification of the pu’shaha. It had enshrined the idea that pu'shaha were not people. When it arrived not a single pu'shaha was given a status screen or user name. No, they weren't deemed sapient. So the stigma that Uthica and her mother had fought against for her entire life was reinforced. Even as her sister Athana hid in the Builder’s city, her pu’shaha stayed by Uthica's side, eschewing the safety of the Builder's sanctuary cities. Even in the face of her own protests. All the pu’shaha were afforded protection in the sanctuary city. Since they never had a status, they didn’t even have to give anything up.

There was one thing that had come with the system that Uthica treasured. It had brought new words. New ideas. One of these words was father. This was the word that she chose to call him. Never again did she think of him as a pu'shaha. Because there was another word she had learned from the Builders. Slave. And the idea of anyone referring to her father as such filled her with a mighty rage.

Through some miracle, her father had survived the years beside her. He'd saved members of the tribe on more than one occasion, his understanding of the System enabling surprising recoveries. Half the tribe owed their evolved classes to his diligent studies. She never would have been able to become a Lore Queen without his guidance.

Evolved classes huh? Does that mean our class can change after we choose it?

But today none of that mattered. She'd heard the rumour a week ago. She'd hoped it would stay quiet, but it had spread. Of course, it had. Now Uthica reflected on the past, while she waited for Jethico to arrive.

She was prepared for the inevitable argument. Early after inclusion, it was discovered that lesser beasts could be taken as pets, granting them bonuses under the system. Uthica had never chosen to do this. The pets required integration points to improve and of course, the points had to come from their owner. Pets didn't receive quests. Why would they, they’re not intelligent.

Interesting. I wonder if I can make Smoulder my pet.

The pet system hadn't been particularly important to Uthica. Not until she heard the rumour. They said the system considered pu'shaha legitimate candidates for the pet system. Her aunt was coming to insist her father be made a pet.

A pet!

They wanted him to be little better than a slave. Uthica wouldn't allow it.

The soft footsteps on the stone behind her prompted Uthica to turn. But it wasn't her aunt standing there. Her father stood at the final step, his eyes seeking hers. And for a moment she was a cub again, pulling his small frame close, hugging him tightly.

"I don't want to do it father," Uthica said after she finally stepped back.

"I know," he said, smiling up at her with sad eyes.

"But if I don't, then someone else might. We can't afford to lose you," Uthica continued.

"I know," he said, taking her hand then patting it, just like when she was a cub.

"Doesn't it upset you?" she asked, confused by his calm demeanour.

"How does this change things? I will still be your father, yes? And I will still advise the tribe on their growth. And we will still drink bluebank tea with your sister on Sundays. It is enough, I think," her father said, continuing to smile up at her.

Wow, kinda personal. Wish I wasn't here for this.

Uthica shook her head, "but you'll be my slave."

"Oh ho, will I now? My understanding was that I would be your pet. And do you remember what it was like having your very first blood-hare? She was your pet, but you couldn't get her to do anything she didn't want to do, could you?"

"Well no. But that's different. This will be enforced by the system," Uthica countered.

"Yes, but I have studied the bond between pet and master. It is not so one-sided as you seem to think my dear Uthica. For one thing, you will be able to grant me access to the system. I'd say that alone is worth undergoing the ritual."

"Yes, but," it was hard for Uthica to keep saying no. She felt like it was wrong, but when she thought about it, he was right. And having him in the system would let him live longer. She just felt that it was wrong. Like she was somehow betraying her beliefs. But maybe those were the dreams of a cub. She was a queen now. The needs of the queen outweighed the wants of the woman.

"You're right," she sighed.

"I know," he chuckled as they walked down from the wall, moving towards the hunt master's quarters. An hour from now her father would finally be part of the System. Even if it was as Uthica's pet.

The needs of the queen outweigh the wants of the woman, just who are you Uthica?… and oh, here we go again.

Starting to get used to that. Oh wow, that is a massive mirror.

Uthica watched as her people filed through the portal to the core world Ytela. In less than a month the home she'd known all her life would be encapsulated by a shield so powerful, nothing would be able to pass through, not even light. It was the final step of containment. The system would remain of course, but it would be a local system, cut off from the greater universe. It would receive updates only once every ten years.

They'd been given a choice. Stay locked to copper rank forever or step through the portal to the core worlds, joining galactic society. It was one way. Less than half of her people were leaving with her. She didn't expect many to follow, but once every ten years the portal would reopen for a day.

Okay, not a mirror, a portal. Wait. They're moving to another world! This might be our ticket home.

It had been over a hundred years since the system had arrived, saving them from the mana swarm. Restricting their ability to have children. Since it had forever changed their lives.

All those who hadn't embraced the system were gone now. This was the final step, preserving those who chose to remain behind. There'd be no more mana swarms, star empires or galactic republics coming to claim this star system. And each of those had happened, oh yes.

Err, what?

The system was often brutal but it never did anything without reason. Even this felt as though the system was pushing her forward, telling her that her world would be safe as she travelled the stars. And when she said world, she didn't mean the ball of mud and grass.

"I wish you were coming with me," Uthica said to Pern, her father. He'd earned his name. The only named pu'shaha on K'tharn.

"I'm too old for more adventure," he said waving his hands at the portal.

Laughing, Uthica replied, "you're only twenty years older than I am, that's not much of an excuse."

"Aye. Only twenty years. But I've had a good life Uthica. And I can't bring myself to leave. I love you, but I think perhaps it's time you let me go."

Looking at her father, she saw it then. The weariness. The sign of one who'd seen too much. She'd seen it in her warriors before, the signs that it was time for them to teach instead of fight. But her father had always been a teacher. And he's lost most of his students, Uthica realized. The last of them were preparing to step through the portal, saying goodbye to their home forever.

"Take care of yourself Uthica," her father said wrapping her in a hug.

"You too, father," Uthica replied. She’d known this was going to be the hardest part. Eventually, she drew away from him. She'd held off as long as she could. There were only a few minutes left until the portal closed. But her people were through.

Walking to the silvery surface, she watched its ripples. It was as if she could see the waves that her every action had caused, leading her here at last. Turning back Uthica took a last look at Akilo.

The twin planet Ukila stood proudly in the sky, with its vast forests of green and rich blue oceans. It was partially obscured by the silhouette of the sanctuary city Bethreyne which sat on the shore of the Lathiac sea.

Uthica closed her eyes to capture the moment, letting her class crystalize it in her memory. Then she turned, stepping through to her new world.

Are we done? Feels like we're done. Oh wait, there's more.

"Hello Citizen, my name is Uthica. But by now you probably already know that. I hope you can forgive me for my digression. I know you didn't sign up for my life story, just the K'tharn language and culture." The darkness faded to reveal Uthica staring at herself in a mirror. It'd been a hundred years since she'd left her homeworld, but the system had given her a quest. It was unique from what she'd heard. Only one member of a species was ever given this chance. A chance to pass along their memories to those who came after.

"You're probably wondering why I wasted your time with silly things that you probably already know about the system. But our culture was changed by the system. How could anything so huge not change your culture?

And also.

I wanted you to see my father. It's because of him that I was chosen after all. Without his guidance, I wouldn't be here today. So this is my final gift to him. A memory that won't fade until the end of the System itself."

Aww. I think I'm crying.

"Thank you for walking this path with me, I hope my memories serve you well."