Rulac sat back on his haunches, waiting for whatever the other had left for, while I turned my mind back to the burst that I had effectuated previously. I pushed all my remaining magic to every part of my body, just how I felt I had previously. It coursed its path through me, and again I felt the movement of my sonic magic pulse throughout me. The feeling of magic coming through the sonilphon was so different from using the Words of Power, more organic, and less logical, just intuitive--I didn't have to memorize phrases in an archaic tongue or visualize anything, it was instinctual, and almost felt like moving a muscle. I pushed it outwards, and, as the jitters became too much for me to handle, I pushed the magic out of me.

This time, however, not much happened. I could feel the magic leave my body, and checking my [Status], I had used all of my magic since the counter for evolution had advanced, but the magic had just left my body without notably effecting anything else. I wanted to try something else, to see what the difference was, or could have been, but I didn't have that option, given that I'd depleted myself of all magical power, and it would take several hours for it to replenish fully.

I sighed and sat back on my haunches, just in time for the Second of the Alqat to enter the room. He wasn't built like most keelish, but more like Vefir--thin, wiry, but obviously not a fighter. However, his presence brought a solid feeling, which belied his stature.

"How can I help, First?" His voice was a pleasant baritone, easy on the ears and smooth.

Rulac rolled his eyes. "Lighten up. It's no big deal, I just want you to talk a little about how everything works around here to this one." He flicked his tail to gesture towards me, and the Second blinked once, slowly, then responded.

"Very well. We'll begin now." The Second turned towards me and sat back on his haunches, matching my level. I was a bit larger than him, now that I really saw it, and I was probably almost double his weight. I could almost see him with spectacles perched on the edge of his snout, and the thought made me want to smile, but before I could, he began speaking.

"There's no need for you to know my name. Just call me Second for now. The First obviously wants you know know what little we know about our history, as well as our place as the Alqat in the swarm.

"Firstly, our history. We know that we are not the first of our kind, nor the only ones. We came from where the light comes, in a far land." Second's voice became rhythmic, almost musical in timbre. "The Keel ruled the day and devoured the night. At that time, we were called the Keel, and were greater than we are now. There were none that could stand against us, and our emperors were absolute tyrants, as they should have been. No night was deep enough to hide from the empire, nor fire was hot enough to burn away its ambitions. No ocean deep enough to quench its thirst, nor forest wide enough to satisfy its hunger. The empire's name is lost, but its capital was called Nievtra, after the Goddess of Victory Nievtala, and its emperor the Zaaktif."

Second's eyes were half-closed, and he spread his hands before me, as a light display flickered into existence. A wide continent was spread before me, with mountains, valleys, forests, and rivers dotting its surface, and a royal blue tint covered the majority of it. "However, our rule was disputed by the scaleless, and they gathered together to attempt to overthrow our leadership. They were unsuccessful, and their blood flowed like rivers." The blue covered the entire continent, but began to sour to a sickly purple. "The empire grew proud of its power, and began to fatten itself without honing its claws and testing its scales." Second's voice echoed with contempt as he continued. "Finally, the fall of the empire came when the last Zaaktif conferred the empire on their firstborn. The other children of the last Zaaktif were jealous, and gathered together, determined to split the continent for their own, sure of their own ability. They were not rulers, had no skill, and had no recognition from Nievtala. They were doomed to fail from the beginning."

Second's hands chopped downward, and the large empire splintered into many disparate colored sections, individual kingdoms. "The weakened, stunted kingdoms could not stand against the untamed wilds and the unified rebellions of the scaleless. One by one, they fell, and the scaleless rallied their brethren against us. As their forces grew, the scattered, untested Keel couldn't stop their advance." The map was slowly taken over by a growing, piercing silver, until only a small corner was left on the edge. "Finally, when Nievtra was assaulted, the warriors finally rallied, and fought tooth and claw. Blood decorated the battlements, and many recalled the glory of battle, but it was simply too late." The map closed in on a city with soaring edifices and walls, but it was a grisly scene. Humankind marched through the streets, beheading what looked like keelish, but were more humanoid in shape, more upright, with broader shoulders and more defined fingers. The blood of the Keel painted the walls, and the scene continued. Squeals of pain, panic, and cries for mercy echoed off the walls, but there was no quarter given, not to the suckling child nor the decrepit elder.

Finally, the scene zoomed through the streets to the main castle, where a silver-colored proud looking male Keel gently rubbed the head of a juvenile Keel before nuzzling a female adult Keel. "The last king of the Keel, he who would have been Zaaktif, sent his progeny and consort to flee as he made his last stand, and, blessed by Nievtala, he went to battle." The scene flashed, and I could see the king in front of the castle, waiting behind a makeshift bulwark. He had a spear in each hand, and he stood waiting, flanked by 18 guards, each bearing a spear. The invading army marched towards the entrenched warriors, and the battle began. A volley of spears from the defenders began it all, and the Keel all fought with a frenzy that I couldn't believe.

The magic from the humans was impressive, but the sheer bloodlust and fury of the Keel was unmatched. Once the enemy approached, each leapt forward without a regard of self. The king was particularly amazing to see--each stroke dismembered a foe somehow. He was a whirling silver cyclone of death. With one hand he lashed out and ripped out a throat while with his other arm he disemboweled a man trying to strike him down from behind. Another came close, and was gimped by the Keel's powerful tail smashing into his knee, bending it backwards. The Keel lunged forward, and, with a powerful bite, ripped the face of another.

His fight was inspiring, but there was only so much that 19 could do against hundreds. One by one, they were all cut down. Each who died went down surrounded by the corpses of their aggressors, and all grinned in pride as the were felled. The king was the last one standing, surrounded by more than 30 of his enemies, and he threw his head back and roared as he was mobbed to the ground. His claws were dulled on the armor of his foes, and his eyes blinded by the flowing blood of his foes, but he didn't stop. His thick, armored hide was punctured time and time again, and he didn't slow. 10 more fell to his claws, when a thrown spear impaled him through the stomach. He doubled over, then stood strong again, and roared even louder than before. Before the stunned army could recover, he rushed towards them with a wide grin covering his face.

The scene faded.

I was left with my heart beating fast, and looked at Second's face, enthralled.

"The king who would be Zaaktif died that day, and with it, Nievtra. His spawn and consort escaped, and came together with all other surivors, and as the countless years have passed, we became not Keel, but keelish, fallen from our original state. We are relegated to scratching out a life in tunnels we dig in the ground, but pests in the eyes of humankind, and our history as Keel long forgotten by all, even the vast majority of the keelish."

Second looked up at me, eyes glowering with passion. "But not forever. The Keel will rise once more. We will find the chosen of Nievtala, and we will reestablish Nievtra by fang and blood."

I could feel the passion in Second's eyes, and I finally looked away, and saw that same passion mirrored in the eyes of all the Alqat present. I noticed that the rest had come, and all 17 stood in the room, proud, with shoulders squared.

"Now, secondly. Our position as the Alqat. The Alqat were the 18 honorguards of the king who would be Zaaktif. We too, will stand as the 18 behind and beside he who is chosen by Nievtala, and will live and die beside him, and our lives will end before we allow his to be taken."

I didn't realize until then how good of an idea it had been to throw my lot in with the Alqat.