In dozens of places, Malan watched the realm. To the north, where the second city of Wonder dwelled, many of his shards tracked the growing expanse of Glor’s territory. The lands there were quiet as all the game, large and small, had been consumed. The Hunters followers had in turn ventured further and further out. A threshold had been met, and Glor’s tribe finally uprooted themselves.

A great host was on the move, and headed towards the placed dubbed, the promised land. While Glor may not know its exact location, the number of his Heon, who’d loosely tracked the caravan of Kolune, allowed him to guess.

With an ever hungry and growing host of Heon, what better target was there for his people? Than a large, and healthy tribe of beasts they liked to make trinkets from.

Glor however, wouldn’t find a surprised or unready people, Wonder sheltered them now, and the would-be Hunter would find out, just how much their way of life was going to be flipped upside down.

The second city, one growing and spreading through the rock, had already begun to bloom, with only a month of work, the roots of it spread, the halls full of well adapted life. Crops lined and filled many chambers, the same with animal stock, hens, boars, and wild cows he’d found were growing nicely. It wasn’t enough meat to provide for the entire city, yet. But it was developing well, especially the creation of eggs. In time, a few more months, the Kolune wouldn’t need to venture out into the woods for game, or himself, when he had to go gather more animals to domesticate.

No, not long, not with him weaving life, the hens were the easiest, and the most rewarding. Skillfully, he’d increased the number and speed of which they produced eggs; he even lessened the time it took to mature them. The only downside was an increased metabolism, but that was a small inconvenience. After gathering insects and doing the same to them, in the department of breeding. His cultivated chickens had plenty of grubs to feed upon.

His next aim of improvement had been on the cows, to increased their milk production, and fertility. But that had to wait, given majority of his Devotion was being used back at Aronta.

With the Heon as the key to their survival, spending as much Devotion on mending their flaws had taken top priority. A truth and necessity showed to him by dozens of sights.

Further north, to the lands where he’d gathered the twelve Kolune tribes. Irame was burning the lands, clans of every race were being slaughtered, even other Heon.

All were sacrificed to the growing flame.

Where the fire god stayed, the lands became blackened and ash covered. Irame’s followers fed everything they could get their hands on, throwing it all into the fires of their god. Said fires which infused the mortals with strength and answered their commands.

A few tribes, with their well attuned gods, were able to fight the flames. Some water elemental deities were holding off, and slowing the fire god. It was these Malan helped most, ferrying visions and warnings. He even guided fleeing tribes to them, so they could be incorporated into the beginnings of a water pantheon.

As a result, he encountered no hostilities from the local gods, save for Irame of course. In that region he was cherished, a messenger of woes, and carrier of tidings. The respect and admiration towards him had grown with each tribe he saved, and the fact he never charged anything for his service. To those dwelling within those lands, he was seen as a force committed to stopping Irame. To which he was, but there was also the fact. That with all the tribes in that area turning their eyes to the god of destruction. They became blind to him, and his growing host of Wonder.

And why wouldn’t they?

The lands were filling with slaughter, all of it due to gods becoming more expansionist, and intolerant of rivals around them. Peace was dead for most of the continent, at least in the areas he could see anyway. With Devotion flowing to him, he’d spread his gaze outward, sending shards, same with his fellow Wonderbringers.

To the east, west and south they went, and everywhere they treaded, they found mortals filled with religious fervor, and slaughtering taking place.

He, and his Wonderbringers fed on the death, sucked the Devotion dry from the spilled blood. While they did this, he saw his conclusion coming true. The Heon were winning, and large portions of land had already been cleansed of other races. The only reason the outcome wasn’t more widespread, was because Heon fought with themselves as well. The event brought about because of conflicting gods refusing to come together, even if it would have been beneficial for them.

No, there was only war, and the lands echoed with that ancient roar.

To those Kolune tribes he saw fit for Wonder, he bestowed visions of the promised land that would shelter them.

Other races, which had only been the Verm so far, were given another offer. Those with a belief relatively aligned with Wonder, were instead told of calmer lands they could settle, though none were informed of Aronta’s existence.

Wonder’s heart would be kept secret for as long as possible, at least to outsiders. Gods who join the pantheon learn of it, given they are consciously aware, at all times, of the location of fellow members.

Learning of Aronta had raised some brows at first, and questions, but all had been placated, told it was a last refuge if all else failed. It appeased most, and quieted others, because, while not the whole truth, it was still a truth. It would be a last place of sanity in the growing maelstrom of madness, something only the ages of chaos ever produced.

Besides, most didn’t care all that much, their awareness focused on outside threats, which were plenty.

Their scouting expeditions with shards revealed new, and growing problems to them. In the lands Ryan had come from, Malan witnessed firsthand a death god. It was sacrificial in nature, same as Irame, but this god’s power held sway over decay and rot. Worse, after watching for a time, even being noticed, he came to find this religion was of the twin variety.

One of death, and one of life.

Both were still simplistic though, their range and skill with their element’s novice at best. The one of life could heal, even improve mortal bodies to a point, but from what he’d seen, her abilities greatly diminished after that. He’d gazed upon her work, and found it lacking. Hers was all instinct, and the listening’s to Creation’s guiding hand, rather than true knowing and pushing beyond what was expected.

Still the sight of a Lifeweaver, even novice, always made him wary. Such a godhood, once properly tempered, was one of many possibilities, endless some might say. And even though she was limited now, when given time to bloom and learn, she and her brotherly half of death, could be quite the troublesome duo.

An already proven fact given their growth. Their religion, and the Heon that had formed them, were taking more and more land, easily beating back gods with less varied skills. The problem was only compounded since the little life giver was healing the wounded. As such Heon didn’t suffer losses that other tribes often did, allowing their numbers to swell even more.

In those eastern lands, the twins becoming a growing threat, he plied his new trade. Malan’s shards went about warning lesser tribes, showed visions, and spoke of what awaited them if this threat was ignored. Many already knew of the death god, but not that it had a twin.

He showed them what she was able to do, how she could heal her mortals and spare them from a timely death. How her ways allowed mortals to quickly reenter a fight, and turn the tide of a battle.

Gods saw the threat the twins represented, and the starting of alliances began; as much as was possible when it came to tribal people.

But the work had begun, and so another threat, while not halted, would be slowed. The fact had caused his awareness to turn westward.

For a time, there was nothing but carnage as tribes struggled with one another. All Heon, and he’d assumed the other races had already been wiped out. But after a while longer, passed the worst infighting, he found the forgings of a pantheon.

The many tribes of Heon had caused the creation of a counter force. As with Glor, Kolune of that region were banding together. Forced into an alliance, one already bound tight. Kolune of many colors, fought as one, holding off Heon from many tribes that enjoyed the taste of wolf meat.

The Kolune were winning, because, counter to other tribes, they had weapons in hand. Axes, shields, even bows, they were intelligent to. Which all spoke of a god in the mix that had many perks unlocked.

At first this was the makings of a great boon, a power already curtailing the savage Heon. But the longer he stayed, taking note of the Kolune’s religion and way of life, the more his fur flared.

Order, it was forming in that pantheon, the ideas of limitation and governance, of rules that chained others. It didn’t matter that the Kolune were civil, and restrained, they were entertaining the idea of stagnation. Worse some of the gods were aligning with it.

If it had been just the mortals, he would have gone to them, offered boons to pull them away from order, but not with gods championing it. Whatever words he gave would be ignored, and the gifts bestowed would more than likely be used against him later.

They were the enemy, so for the first time since beginning, the savage gods of the Heon became his allies. It was to them he gave visions, even when the Heon gods made it plain they saw him as prey. He ignored them, and not long after repeated help, offering details of the Kolune’s location and sights of their strength. The Heon gods stopped being impolite, and fighting with each other. They banded together, a growing horde swelling as he told every tribe of the feast waiting to be claimed.

The savages answered it, and by the time he moved his awareness to other places, the Kolune were in the beginning stages of being surrounded and hopefully devoured.

With the work done in that area, he’d turned his sights to the south, to the warmer lands that made the forest Wonder dwelled within appear stunted.

Trees, as large as small mountains, touched the clouds, and the lands were filled with overripen crops. Life was fat in these lands, Ascended, and low beasts alike. With it came bloated numbers, and while the abundance of resources may have slowed the descent into bloodshed, the lands had still been taken by strife.

In the warm days of summer, and the comforted touches of night, tribes were butchered. The Heon had taken the south, or near enough. Clans of them were everywhere, and while hostile to each other, they seemed more focused on hunting down other races. Again, the Kolune were prized above all others, their flesh a savory delight to the small hunter’s.

After spending Devotion to heighten his senses, he found holdouts. Passed the hordes of Heon, there were pockets of other races, many of whom were fleeing further south. Those clans would find only swifter deaths, from what he had seen. The lands beyond were even more overrun with the Hairs. Those heading north, towards cooler climates, had a chance.

As with the east, the pressure from the Heon had caused tribes to join forces, he’d spotted a great host of Kolune marching northward as he had surveyed the lands

He wasn’t sure if they would make it. While the greater numbers would allow them to push raid parties back, it also made them into a more tantalizing target. Nor was it possible for such a host to go unnoticed, not in lands so teeming with life. Yet the Kolune were committed, a choice had to be made, for if nothing changed they would die out.

So a shard of himself went to them, offering services, and visions as he had done with so many others. But unlike those further out, to these desperate Kolune he offered wisdom. As with so many of the gods formed by Kolune, those making up the pantheon were of the physical variety. They were deities whose powers were aimed towards blessings of the body. With guidance on his part, he had taught two of the gods how to heal wounds. Their skills were abysmal, and often their work left scars, but it was healing none the less.

His offering had brought a great deal of trust and respect. So by the time he’d bestowed them the knowledge to craft weapons, such as bows and arrows, that pantheon saw him as a friend. One that warned them of the affairs taking place in other lands. How the Heon were everywhere, and no place was truly safe, save for one.

He’d taken the time to study the gods and their culture, many matched the requirements to be offered acceptance into Wonder. Thus he showed visions of the promised land, told tales of a place where Kolune were safe and building a refuge, a burgeoning village far to the north that would be willing to take them in.

They’d never questioned any of his words, given the boons he’d offered. Talk of these lands spread through the host, the mortals filling with hope. It took no effort at all to get the great caravan to head in the direction of the second city of Wonder. Nor readying the gods to accept the belief of Wonder as their own.

With Heon and their predator gods pressing all other races to the point of desperation. None talked of the dangers Wonder could bring, what did such things matter? When death was already near and clawing at them.

The truth, and situation, while dangerous, had him smiling in so many places.

‘These are fertile lands,’ he thought to himself, Shards traveling and consuming the Devotion of the dead.

He sighed peacefully, Creation obeying his commands as he moved stone. Within the heart of the crater, he worked, creating a temple of miracles. Columns and statues held up sections, monuments of each race playing their part in raising Wonder. On every surface the stone was adorned with the runes of Creation, the written letters of gods. The secret cornerstone of the arcane, and how mortals could make Creation dance to their whims. The temple was a place of worship, but also learning. It was here that the most gifted would be taught the craft of godhood. Slowly, they would ascend above the mundane, and take their place with all the other gods joining.

Malan aimed to use Wonder’s greatest strength, its fluidity.

It could change into anything, find a way to overcome any obstacle. Its pantheon would reflect that, all these gods, with their different skills working together, they would not suffer the weakness lone gods existed with. Their skill set would be limitless, an ever-growing arsenal with each mortal ascended.

Mortals that would become intricate gods, beings with broad understandings and desires.

He hummed a cheerful tune as he worked, turning more of the ground into granite, then deftly smoothing them to a polish, all the while carving simple lessons into the surfaces. Those with observing eyes, would quickly take note the surrounding lands were designed to slowly teach mortals how to learn the runes of Creation, and how to combine them. In time, even if they were to do so through self-learning, Malan made it that the mortals could learn the secrets on their own.

As much as was possible, the higher understandings of Creation weren’t concepts that could be understood by looking at glyphs. They were far to intricate for a normal mortal mind to remember, let alone process. Mortals still un-ascended would need verbal tutelage, but those who studied this place would learn the fundamentals. With that foundation they would be on the path of ascension, one that would carry them forward, even if they died and became a wandering spirit.

In a way that would be a boon for some. It would give them the freedom, and the peace needed to hone their craft, and find other sites to learn from. For within the weave of glyphs, he used the common tongue as well; spun tales of the archive shrines hidden throughout the lands above and below.

Those places already held deeper knowledge, but he aimed to expand them, turning the archives and obelisks into holy sites for his religion. They would be places of known knowledge, where secrets and mastery of the realm could be garnered.

He was, in essence, making a road all could use to follow, one that brought about gods just like him.

While he planned to make great strides in this session, his mind was already set on the next. This Savage age taking place was an eye opener, given the mortals were a blank book just waiting to be filled with purpose. If he could make the libraries large and numerous enough to attract the firstborn mortals. Then perhaps this time of chaos could be shortened or avoided altogether.

Wonder could take root instantly, and not require the likes of him, or his fellow Wonderbringers to do it. The mortals themselves would become, or bring forth, new gods with the belief of Wonder already instilled in them.

It was with that goal in mind, that had Malan mixing godly runes and common glyphs together. He did so in such a way that even the simplest of people would be able to learn from this place. Or, at the very least, gain an understanding that what they gazed upon was important, divine. That belief would guide them, birth gods centered around the sites and the deciphering of the knowledge.

At least in theory, but anything was better than the mess that is this current age. It was a waste of resources and potential. All these mortals slaughtering themselves in the names of gods, who didn’t have a chance of surviving the enlightened ages ahead. Ages where civilization would give birth to new tools of war, or the means to curtail it.

‘Nor are they aware of the end that awaits all.’ He thought, as he added some finishing touches to a section of flooring before he moved on to the next.

He honestly shouldn’t be thinking of that, the Endbringer’s arrival was so far out that it was irrelevant to the now. Maybe in a thousand years he should be contemplating them, after the calamity of the midpoint of course, but even then it was up in the air. The session before had been a fluke, the Endbringer arriving at the very first moment there was a chance for them to. The first session could have gone on for centuries longer in truth, if they had all been lucky.

‘Yet, how can I not think of the Warper, or his fellows waiting to have their chance.’ Those eager beings with itching claws, hungry to test the strength of a session, to see if it was worthy enough to make it to Bastion and claim victory. Or as before, be swallowed whole, and be marked collectively as a failure.

For Wonder to be shamed again.

That was the heart of it, why the Endbringers kept coming to his mind. His ideology had been marked with doubt, then a question.

How much better would the session have gone, if he’d been in the forefront?

The answer was obvious, but he had to prove the point, he might not win this session, but he had to make a strong showing. A display that in time Wonder would be the check to end.

So, thoughts of the Warper held some of his attention as he worked, and his awareness remained split in hundreds of directions. One of them being on his followers, and Edith in particular.

“There,” he said to her, watching as she practiced her will against stone, and using the basic runic formation in her mind to move Creation. At the moment he was having her make columns, which would be used to form grander dwellings.

She let out a confident sigh when her work was finished, eyeing it appraisingly. Slowly she was getting closer to the one he had made as an example, his full of artful motifs.

Raising her hands once more, and centering her mind, she moved to begin again.

He placed a hand on her shoulder.

“No, my eager disciple, that is enough for today, you’ve reached the limit Creation will allow before its due becomes too harsh.” While he’d been improving her, ascending her body, she was still far from being free of Creation’s temperament.

She breathed loudly out her nose, her true personality surfacing. “It can complain all it wants, I can ignore it.” She said defiantly, if Creation had a voice, it would have scoffed.

“For a time, you could,” he remarked, softly guiding her away from the columns and back to the center of the encampment. “But then, I would find you a bloody mess on the ground again, and half dead.” If she had been a follower to any other god, she would have died to her dual against Creation. Instead, it had only been a mild inconvenience on his part, one that he had allowed.

What better way to get a mortal to learn their limits, than almost dying from over confidence?

At least that had been his thinking, Edith however, had taken the matter as a slight, and became even more compelled to push herself over the brink.

“That was one time,” she complained. “And only because it caught me by surprise.”

He smiled warmly at her, the act causing her droopy ears to twitch in the form of a blush. “That’s how Creation is, it dislikes being ignored and is prone to lashing out. When you’re ascended more, made divine, then you can ignore Creation all you want.”

“Till then,” he added, and motioned for her to sit on one of the round marble stones. “You have to learn restraint.”

She did as he instructed, taking her seat under the large, and open walled shelter that was positioned in the middle of the encampment.

“Now then,” he said. “Mentally picture the runes of gods, let’s see how well you have them remembered.” She closed her eyes, and seconds later he saw them, the first ones shining clearly and quick. But as she went down the list, nearing those recently learn, flaws appeared or not at all. To those he sent her visions, repeating the image into her mind, and their purpose.

Her mind was opened completely to him, Edith belief and trust in him absolute. His knowledge flowed smoothly in turn, allowing the process to quicken.

“Try again”

She sent mental images of runes, all correct and clearly envisioned.

“Now backwards.”

Her brows furrowed in concentration, the process slowing, but she did as he asked without mistake. She now had the complete set, the foundational symbols she could use to advance on her own. She was in the position where she could spend her life experimenting with combinations and recording their effects. He wasn’t needed anymore, if she set off on her own, the path was open for her to reach enlightenment, it would just take a century, and some decades.

“Good,” he told her pleased. “Your foundation is set, now begins the slow mastery of your craft.” Her tail wagged with obvious excitement, and the desire for power pulsed from her center. It wasn’t as potent as it had been before, when they had first arrived within the crater.

His healings were taking effect, the rot wasn’t as thick. Slowly, she was becoming a perfect image of a true Dargown. Even her fur was becoming golden, an added touch by him, one that would be passed down to her descendants. It would make it easy to know who inherited his fixes, even for the mortals.

“Now we will start your tutelage on the matters of changing the states of creation,” he said enthusiastically. “Alchemy is its name, its field focused on what makes things as they are.” He floated up a rock in front of her, and with a flick of will, the stone turned to gold. The act caused her to gasp and reach out.

She marveled at the chunk of pure gold in her palms. “It’s real,” she said disbelievingly.

He laughed, and with another push of his intent, the gold became a stone sized emerald.

“There are patterns within Creation, every object has its own unique mark. With understanding and Devotion, you can force the mark to become something else.” He motioned to the area around them, catching her attention. “If I had enough Devotion and willingness to commit the act, I could turn the land into gold.”

He raised a finger. “However, that is not true for life. There is an absolute law within Creation that can’t be ignored. No matter how much Devotion I were to spend, a deer or rabbit would not change into stone.”

She tilted her head. “Why?’ She asked, a question he had pondered for a time, till Madness had given the answer.

“Because,” he pointed upward. “The Celestials deemed it to dangerous, and their rulings can’t be refuted. And its why this will be your field of study for a time, of all the trades, Alchemy has the most Celestial rules aimed at limiting it. Its important to know of these blocks, so when you do attempt an act, you’re sure it’s allowed.”

“What are the Celestials?” She asked. “I know they’re the stars above, guiding lights and aids to track the seasons, but their obviously more.”

He chuckled, smiling, and playing with his hands. “You’re not ready for the whole answer, but know, that they are watchers and rule enforcers. They are charged with making sure, us gods, don’t end up shattering the realm.”

She remained quiet for a moment, her mind fighting over a question. “What if I want to know the whole answer?”

“I will give it, show you secrets others would hide away, but they will leave scars, might even break your mind.”

It all depended on her view of things, and if she could handle the fact that she was in a game of gods, and that as she was now, a follower, her role was only that of a pawn.

She chewed on her lip, the desire to know was thick, but so was caution. “Will you tell me later, when you think I can handle these secrets?”

“Of course my disciple, if you want to know, to thrive and understand creation completely, it is a must. But it requires a skilled hand. Too quickly leads to broken minds, and even those I have a hard time mending.”

His answers quieted her interest, and her thoughts turned back to the emerald in her hand. “If you can’t turn life into stone, does the opposite stand as well.” She lifted the gem up to him. “You can’t turn this into a living being?”

“That is correct,” he answered. “Only Sun can do that, even as a Lifeweaver, such changes are barred to me.” He’d tried many times in the past, back when he was still coming to turns with the fact that there were rules that couldn’t be ignored.

“However,” he added. “As long as its living, or was once alive, I can do with it as I please.” He pointed at leaves near their feet. “With those alone I could turn them into a fully grown animal of any kind.” He shrugged as he looked about the forest that he’d cropped back. “So, the limitation isn’t too bothersome, the lands are filled with life, large and small. There’s always something to work with, no matter how barren a land may appear.”

“You could turn leaves into apples?” She asked. “Or a field of grass into a meadow of fruit?”

“Easily,” he replied, a bit of pride entering into his voice. “As long as I have the Devotion required, then there’s very little that I can’t do.”

Again, she stared at the gem in her hand. “Then, when we were struggling before, my old patron, he was life based right?” He nodded. “Why did he have us risking ourselves hunting for food?”

“I’m old Edith,” he spoke. “In a length of time you can’t comprehend, if you compare what I can do against other gods, you will always find them lacking. The reason Dainon didn’t provide, was because he couldn’t, either because of a lack of knowing, or the mere fact that the idea had never entered his mind.” He leaned down, bending his knees so the two of them were a little closer to eye level. “Never forget, most gods are reflections of a people. Most of the time, the god can only do what the people who’d made them think they can do.”

“Oh,” Edith breathed, rubbing the gem, and eyes turning to the foliage on the marble floor. “And none of us ever thought it possible to make food from leaves.”

“In time Edith,” he said. “Your range of skills, and understanding of Creation, will be broader and deeper than most gods.” She met his gaze, her eyes touched with doubt, but in them was that burgeoning of hope, and the more she learned, the more she would realize he wasn’t exaggerating.

“It might be hard to contemplate, since it’s against the norm. But one day you will be a god as much as I, or any other that exist in these lands. Never forget that Wonder’s main pursuit, is to raise mortals into gods. So together we can make a grander realm that we can exist and thrive within.”

“But it’s so…” She fell silent as words failed her, however her mind did not. He felt and saw the concepts, the rightful disbelief that she, a mortal of no import, could become a god of his majesty.

“Even the grandest of things start out simple, godhood is no different. You are a mortal now, but with every step you take to learn and hone your skills, the more you refine yourself into something to marvel.”

She sighed, “and yet you say I must restrain myself.”

“Little by little,” he responded back. “Not all at once, masterpieces take time to craft.” She pouted, the act making his smile broaden, as more and more of her fearful politeness to a god crumbled. Slowly, even though she saw him as her god. She was becoming comfortable with his presence, treated him as a close friend or relative. In turn the Devotion that came from her was sweet and filled with a loving warmth. The nature of it was quite addictive, and something he sought to cultivate.

“You’ll need the time to learn everything anyways.’ He added, and began sending her visions. The beginning parts of alchemic pursuits filled her mind. However, with the concepts so new, only a quarter stuck, but as a Dargown her memory easily outmatched others. After repeated sending’s it would all settle in her mind.

Her eyes remained closed during the process, her full attention on the knowledge seeping into her conscience. Even as her body protested, and her mind reached its limit, she craved more. With each fixing she became more aligned with the Dargown of old. That race who’d been obsessed with understanding their realm.

It warmed his heart to see his people returning, and the warped mirroring of his race be undone.

‘Little by little,’ he thought to himself as Edith groaned. He receded his flow of knowledge, let the mind relax and still. For minutes it appeared she’d fallen into a sleep, but he saw the truth, her mind was quite active, as she tried desperately to cling to every detail he’d bestowed. Again, important parts were lost, or muddled, but that was to be expected. He would repeat the lessons as many times as needed, till all remained fixed in place.

Edith’s fingers massaged the emerald in her hand, and when her eyes opened, they were first aimed at the object in her grasp.

“Not today,” he told her before she tried to act. “You have reached your limit both in body and mind. Rest will be the most productive act for your advancement.”

She sighed loudly, wanting to protest. Instead she rose, and offered him her prayer salute before heading towards a furnished home to sleep within.

The moment she laid her head on the godly woven fabrics, counter to her belief, Edith fell fast asleep. The act registering clearly as she lightly snored, while he placed a blanket over her.

No longer needed, that awareness of himself receded, and he moved to his other followers.

The pups laughter echoed in the forest, as the six played tag with each other and ran about in circles. He gazed into their bodies, studying their growth and making sure none of his careful sculpting were, or had, caused mutations.

All was clear, the six pups, same as their mother, were becoming closer aligned with their descendants. Fur included, most at this point had sun kissed hair, with small receding patches of their previous color. It was the most outward change, but compared nothing to their minds. By the time they would reach one year old, and considered adults, the worst of the false Dargown tendencies would be removed from them. Afterward, infants born from the girls would be pure strains, the flaws forever gone, unless somehow, they ended up breeding with the false Dargown. But the tarnishing would be easy to spot, since their golden coats would become tainted with off colors again.

Holding a warm smile, Malan manifested into Creation, his arrival announced by a bright light that caught the attention of the young. They howled delighted when they saw him, all running and clamoring around his legs.

“Hello my guiding lights,” he said to them as he kneeled down, and let the six pups hop all over his form. “Having a divine day?” He asked and received gleeful yeses.

“Good, good. Do you want to make it even more?” He questioned and received more agreeing shouts. “Ready to learn then?” They hopped off him, all forming together in front of his view, minds open and eager to embrace the secrets from a god.

Their youthful minds were primed for it, so when he reached out, and began gifting knowledge, it sank and settled easily. “Today we finish your lesson on plants.” By the time he was done, each knew the name and usefulness of every bit of foliage around them. What to eat, what to avoid, what made for good clothing, and those that had medicinal properties. A library worth of knowledge, and a great deal of which came from Rimean. His sect had been committed to the goal of learning the usefulness of nature to heal, rather than relying solely on divine action.

“With the basics understood, we will now begin with the matters of farming, and cultivating life.” He leaned closer to them. “And how, over time, you can improve it.”

---------------------------

Pups asleep, all of them snuggled up to each other with Edith. Malan watched them as he planned out their development, then received a sending from one of his many shards.

Linking to it, he saw Glor’s tribe splintering, and the smaller groups going in different directions. It wasn’t hunting parties either, for women and children made up the groups, as well as the fact they took with them trinkets and equipment.

He smiled at the sight as more split off from the main host. Each group was then tracked by a shard of himself. He turned some of his awareness over to Prost, and sent to the god the visions.

‘Our Vengeful are ready.’ Prost sent back; the touches of eagerness held within.

‘Time to send them,’ he replied back. ‘And show Glor that he’s not going to be allowed to spread unhindered.’