Seated atop my desk, I listened to Daniel's tale of his death at the hands of a giant serpent, and what he’d glimpsed before drowning.

The orc claimed the bottom of the underground lake was covered in Arcanium crystals. He even went so far as to say it was worth dying to see such a beautiful sight.

“That snake is huge.” Daniel said, rubbing a hand over his stomach. “It wrapped me in its tail, and dragged me down into the water to drown me. So I don’t think it’s poisonous, so maybe a giant ice or water variant python?”

“Interesting, you said it was white?” Darius asked, getting a nod from the orc before he continued speaking. “The few giant snakes we’ve encountered have been in the forests or swamps. There have been no reports of any ice variant serpents in the mountains. This could be a new discovery, or simply a rarer seen one.”

A white serpent, who lives in the water in a cold climate. I pondered, something prickling at the back of my mind.

Hopping off the desk, I walked over to the bookshelf where the alchemy books were stored, and peered up at the rows. It was difficult to see all the titles in my vulpine form, and I quickly realized the one I wanted was on the reverse side of the shelf.

“Have you thought of something, Kadia?” Darius asked, standing to follow me to the shelves.

“Move the shelves, the book I want is on the other side.” I yipped, pawing at the shelf to indicate which one I wanted pulled out from the wall.

As a fellow canine Yōkai, Darius was able to have a basic understanding of my vocalizations, despite the difference in our sub race.

Nodding Darius tugged the shelf forwards, and I read over the titles until I found the one I was looking for. Standing up on my hind-legs, I nudged the book with my nose, before dropping back down to the floor, where I waited impatiently for the guild leader to remove it from the shelf.

“Feathers, Fins and Scales. Dia’s guide to exotic creatures.” Darius read as he pulled the book from the shelf. “Ah, good choice. Maybe we’ll find something in here.”

I yipped in agreement, following the dark haired Ōkami to the desk. I hadn’t read the book yet, but recalled seeing it when I was sorting out the shelves.

“Daniel, does look like the serpent you saw?” The guild leader asked after several minutes.

Darius turned the book to show the image of a large serpent to the orc, who furrowed his brow in contemplation as he stared at the sketch.

“I’m not sure, I only got glimpses of it in the dark, but the tail…” Daniel sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “I think, yeah, it was curved like that. The tail rose up out of the water, and wrapped around me really fast, so I saw little of the head, but I certainly saw its tail.”

“The White Goushe is a large snake which can grow upwards of twenty meters long.” Darius read aloud the first paragraph of the entry. “This snake is known for its curved, hook shaped tail, which it uses to grapple its prey, and drag them into the water. The White Goushe, is extremely poisonous, and is a rear-fanged snake. Thus, it delivers its venom by chewing on its victim until the prey succumbs to the toxins. The snake spends most of its time in the water, and prefers cooler temperatures. It is common to find a white Goushe guarding magical freshwater reefs.”

Growling in annoyance that he hadn’t read the entire thing, I moved to the open book.

As Darius continued speaking to Daniel, I scanned over the passage written about the harvestable parts of a white Goushe.

According to the book, it was best to acquire the Goushe eggs, and hatch the young to harvest venom, as that was when the snakes would be at its weakest. Over time, the Goushe’s venom would grow more potent as it absorbed mana, something which was observed even after the venom had been harvested. The author Dia, also noted at the end of the snake’s entry, that there was ongoing research into the venom's mana absorption properties.

Head resting on my paws, I read over the entry for a second time as my mind churned over the information. If the venom could absorb mana, did that mean it was classified as an Arcanium item?

Anything that could absorb, and store raw mana without a core was given the prefix of Arcanium. This included the mana crystals, and the fungi which I’d found growing in the dungeon at Sēkrit.

There was also Arcanium glass, which was created using the remnants of mana crystals. Which meant the glass absorbed small amounts of mana, resulting in it being much stronger. Markion also said there were Arcanium alloys, as some weapons were discovered with mana absorption properties, but no one had managed to discover how it was made.

“Kadia, what do you think?”

Looking up from the book, I saw Darius staring down at me, and realized I hadn’t been keeping track of the conversation. Sitting on my hunches, I glanced over to see Daniel had already left the office.

“I wasn’t paying attention.” I told the guild leader in a series of yips, and barks.

“I didn’t quite get that, did you say you wanted a mention? I couldn’t exactly include you in the battle plan in your current condition, Kads.” Darius said, and I huffed, wishing I could roll my eyes while in my vulpine form.

“Reading, not listening.” As I yipped out my response, I patted the open book with a paw, while hoping the shorter words would be easier for the stupid mutt to understand.

“No, You stupid mutt.” I growled when Darius took the book, and began reading it out loud, mistaking my words as a request for him to read to me.

Giving up on the wolf, I slumped down to lay on the desk as I wallowed in the misery of being trapped in my true form.

As I once more contemplated the idea of poisoning myself in order to see if death would restore my mana as it usually did, a knock on the door announced the arrival of Meissa.

“High Priestess, an old man by the name of Brodel has arrived. He claims you are awaiting him,” the dark elven priestess declared as she entered. “There are also half a dozen disciples who accompanied him, and they have entered the hall of transmutation under the guidance of Miss Roswyn.”

Brodel… Brodel, where have I heard that, oh, right. Sitting up straight, I connected with Meissa, speaking to her mentally, and telling her to allow him into my office, adding that I wished to meet with Brodel privately before making any official introductions.

“Of course, I will show him in.” Meissa said, before turning her attention to Darius. “Guild leader, the High Priestess has requested to meet with her guest alone.”

Darius nodded, looking at me as he set the book he held on the desk, and stood to leave. “I will set a guard in the lower level to monitor the respawn rate of the spiders. We’ll need to deal with the serpent before the land below is claimable.”

I yipped in agreement, before turning my attention to posing myself on the desk as best I could.

Sitting on my haunches, I sat with my back straight, and chin high as I watched the door. My twin tails, being deceptively obedient, curled around my paws as I waited for Brodel to enter.

The sound of a knock preceded Meissa opening the door, and I watched as she gestured for a short old man to enter the room. Much like Tris, Brodel wore the guise of an old man, with his Kitsune features hidden from sight. A robe of purple with different arrays embodied on the fabric hung from his thin frame, and in his hand he held a staff with a large transmutation amulet atop it.

“Blessed be she, Kadia, High Priestess of Philosophia Naturalis.” The old man said, inclining his head towards me as Meissa closed the door, leaving us alone in the room. “I am happy to see that not all of our people have forsaken our patron.”

It’s tempting, especially when I’m stuck like this, and he won’t answer my pleas for aid. I gazed at the disguised Kitsune who Tris intended to hold the role of transmutation priest.

“Our patron tells me you are Kitsune, reveal yourself so we may speak freely.” I yipped, unable to connect to him as I did with Meissa, as I’d yet to accept him into the temple as a priest.

Brodel’s hands tightened on the staff he held, and his head lowered. “It has been many years since I left the village,” he sighed, squeezing his eyes closed. “I have not changed since.”

Setting his staff aside, the old man raised his head with a sad smile on his lips as the human guise fell away to reveal a gray furred fox. Seven tails curled around his body as he sat on his haunches, his pose mimicking my own.

I stood, jumping down from my desk in order to inspect Brodel’s vulpine form.

Brodel’s fox was smaller than mine, though the size difference was not significant when one compared the gap in power level. This was a Kitsune of seven tails, while I was struggling to reach the level required to attain my third.

The older Kitsune did not move as I circled him, inspecting his form closely before coming to sit in front of him.

“Please show me your wisps.” I requested, my tails, and the high pitched sound of my yips betraying my excitement to see the wisps.

Fanning out his tails in an arc behind him, Brodel released his wisps to hover over the tip of each tail. The two fire wisps, along with those of wind, earth, water, and ice were all easily identifiable.

While the last one looked like a miniature storm cloud, with arcs of lightning sparking over the dark, gaseous form. I’d never heard of a storm wisp, but according to Brodel they did indeed exist, and were formed from mutated wind wisps that were caught within the storm clouds.

As I spoke with Brodel about the wisps, I told him of Pyr, and then of the incident surrounding my current situation. It was embarrassing to admit I was trapped within my vulpine form, but I hoped that as a fellow Kitsune, Brodel might be able to offer aid or advice for what I should do.

“Have you attempted to un-summon the wisp?” Brodel yipped, his eyes locked on the ethereal white fox that pranced through the air above me.

Un-summon the wisp? I’d already un-summoned Pyr, and… Eyes widening I gazed up at the ethereal fox, before slumping to the floor with a high pitched whine.

“I feel like a fool,” I sulked, avoiding the amused eyes of the seven tailed fox who sat watching me.

Reaching out to the ethereal fox with a metaphysical touch, I attempted to order it to return as I did with Pyr, but the wisp showed no signs of responding to me. Growing annoyed, I pulled harder, dragging it back into myself with a firm mental command.

As the ethereal white fox flew towards me in a blur of motion, I felt a momentary sense of panic before it disappeared into my chest. Turning my focus inwards, I expected to see the wisp curling lazily around the core to sleep as it had previously. Instead, I managed to catch a glimpse of the wisp’s tails as it disappeared into the core, as though the core was sucking it in.

Power washed through me as the tip of the wisp was sucked into the core, and it disappeared completely.

My core pulsed with mana, and felt even stronger than it had before the incident. With a beaming smile, I ran my hands over my face as I relished in the feel of being in a humanoid form after so long as a fox.

“Wasn’t that hard now, was it?” Forcing the gods' mental presence from my head, I smiled at Brodel as he retook his human form.

“Thank you, Brodel. I am grateful for your aid.”

“In the future, I would recommend not attempting such augmentations on your core without proper guidance.” Brodel said, shaking his head with a frown. “You risked true death if the augmentation failed.”

I hesitated, glancing away from the other Kitsune as I pondered my next words, before looking back to Brodel with a sigh.

“I am new to this world, and while I have been chosen to serve as Trismegistus’s high priestess, there is much I am yet to learn.” I admitted with a sigh. “I know little of Transmutation, or Astral magic, and I am still working to improve my knowledge of Alchemy. I must also admit I also do not know what you refer to when speaking of augmenting my core.”

“I see,” he murmured, moving to stand. Following his actions, I also stood, and moved to the chair behind my desk, gesturing for the old man to take the seat opposite me.

“Our patron wishes for you to serve in the hall of transmutation, guiding our disciples on the path, and it is my hope that you will also guide me.” I didn’t enjoy asking for help, but just as I’d needed to seek lessons from Meissa, I would need them from this man if I was to be the high priestess in more than just name.

“Before coming to the temple, our patron sent me a dream.” Brodel said, brown eyes locking onto mine. “I dreamed of a purple eyed, red fox with nine tails who breathed poisonous gas that melted the flesh from bone, and with a flick of her tails she brought the stars falling from the sky in a reign of fire. As the fox ran through the ashes of destruction, a city rose up in her wake, as she rebuilt that which had been crushed by her fury.”

“I can do none of those things.” I said softly, lowering my gaze from his.

“To aid you on your first steps on the path to reach this greatness, is an honor.” Brodel declared, standing tall as he stared at me. “Blessed High Priestess, I address you in reverent prayer. Please accept my offerings from a devoted mind, and soul. May you grant my plea and guide me in gaining knowledge that befits our realm. Devout am I, to Philosophia Naturalis.”

“Welcome be he, Brodel, Priest of Philosophia Naturalis.” I responded, feeling the connection of clergy snapping into place between us. “Should there be any you seek to claim as your own to guide, bring them before me, and they shall be yours.”

“There are several I have brought, but only one is worthy. The others may show worth in time, however they are yet to show the ability to gain greater knowledge for their own. I do not coddle my disciples,” the newly anointed priest said, picking up the staff he’d previously set aside. “Shall I seek out priestess Meissa for a tour of our temple?”

“I have a desire to stretch my legs, and to see these disciples you’ve brought.” I replied, glancing down at my robes with a grimace. “However, I require some time to prepare myself. If you’d like, I can call someone to guide you, or you may pursue the books here until I return.”

Brodel smiled, eyes scanning the shelves which lined the walls. “I shall happily await you here.”

Inclining my head with a smile of my own, I quickly showed him how the shelves operated, and informed him he was welcome to re-organize any books, or arrays he felt should be moved.

“These books cannot be removed from this room, but a copy of all the books here are located within the private rooms of each clergy member.” I explained, before leaving through the which led up to my own private quarters, intending to take a quick bath, and change into some clean clothing.

I was sure from the way Brodel gazed at the books that the priest would be content to wait however long it took for me to scrub myself clean of the filth I had become covered in after days of running around as a fox.