“So let me get this straight.” Geistig frustratedly pinched the bridge of his nose. “Coeden couldn’t find it. Seer Gweledydd didn’t find anything significant in your past. Neither the soul nor spirit druid we visited could detect anything resembling a soul. I can ask the collective if any had ever heard of anyone with a similar deprivation without a soul, but that’ll take some time to get back to us. What in Vorfahr’s name have you gotten yourself into, boy? How are you even alive?”

“There may be some investigating I can do in my subspace if I could get access to some spirit or soul detecting monster —”

“Don’t try it. Too dangerous.”

“But I haven’t a clue what could have happened. I don’t really feel any different from before I was a powered. I can’t think of any personality changes. Maybe a few repressed memories, but that's just trauma. I've had no random loss of my ability to see other people as people — except Johnson, but that’s because he’s a sapient version of his namesake. I’m just… me. Same as I ever was.”

“Okay then. We’ll have to come back to this at a later date.”

“Can you keep who I am a secret from the rest of the collective when you ask?”

“Was planning to. Not every dwarf is as trustworthy as I am, though I don’t think anyone will come looking. But if they do, they’ll find me rather easily, and you soon after. Are you good with that?”

“Do I have any choice?”

“There’s always a choice. Never any good ones, but a choice nonetheless.”

“Go through with it. Just warn me if anyone comes looking.”

“Will do.”

So much for not making waves…

---

A little while later, after a short mind-call, we arrived at the northern docks. Kaz and Tishina looked like they'd been waiting a while. Kaz didn’t seem bothered, and Tishina couldn’t complain.

We went to rent out a 4-man canoe to go up the river. Geistig initially tried to pay for the 50 gold for the boat, but was interrupted by Tishina who basically threw a mana crystal at the rental dealer. I expected Geistig or Kaz to deny her payment, reimburse her, or inform her that she just paid double what was asked, but neither of them even flinched. Where'd she get so much money that even Geistig didn't feel bad about a kid paying?

We embarked without much fuss, and spent an hour or so before we reached the edge of the mana well. At that point I transformed into the owl again. I was afraid to stay in a vulnerable form like Rhannu’s outside of safety, and the party could use a scout. Before transforming, I handed my encyclopedia to Geistig so he could put in a passage on whatever it is we’re about to hunt. He then added me to his and Tishina’s mental connection so we could keep communicating. Apparently, for all her silence, she sure is a talker.

“Where are we headed? Why aren’t we moving faster? My arms are tired. Why isn’t Sylas rowing? How is that pen moving on its own? What’s telekinesis? What are you writing? Hey look, A fish! It looks a lot like one of my father’s—” Geistig cut her off, as he would continue to do every time she brought up her family. I guess I’m not the only one with secrets here.

I spent most of the time en-route transferring the riverbank’s clay into Rhannu’s terrarium. Rhannu’s pond wouldn’t build itself.

We traveled for hours like this. It was nearly nightfall by the time we reached the Estuary. The rivers were rather quiet; People rarely travel to or from the sea. Travel is usually done by gate, and the vast majority of fish in the market are farm-owned, rather than fished. Much less risk that way. Surprisingly, we did run into another boat at the Estuary. I couldn’t say anything to them, but I overheard them shouting about some “mysterious waters sect” causing trouble just up-stream.

“What is this mysterious waters sect?” I thought to Geistig. I’ve never heard of them, but then again, I haven’t heard of most sects.

“They’ve made it their ‘grand, holy mission’ to explore the depths of every sea and ocean. They claim it’s for the good of humanity, and the waters of Elos hold untold amounts of danger and mysteries that the rest of humanity simply ignores out of fear of the unknown. It’s probably true, but they’re not really doing it for ‘the good of humanity’. They’re just explorers, cave-divers, and every other type of person looking to make a quick claim to fame and power, rather than put in the time and effort to do it over millennia. Same as most sects.”

“Silly humans and their short natural lifespans.” Tishina chimed in.

“Silly humans, indeed.” Geistig snorted. “Speaking of silly humans, come on over Sylas. I finished adding the entry to your encyclopedia. ”

"Half human, thank you very much." I said, flying over to see what he’d been working on.

‘

Filii Spatium Polypus

Size: 4 feet long at E, growing variably with each rank

Alignment: space

Rank: E-S

Description:

At E rank, the Spatium Polypus looks almost identical to regular Octopus, with the exception that they have 10 tentacles instead of 8. As they grow in rank, the number and size of their tentacles grow exponentially. In addition, their heads often change shape to resemble various other creatures.

Their intelligence also grows as they rank up. Starting at D rank, they gain the ability to store their tentacles, and eventually the entire body within their own subspace. At C rank, they can even learn basic space-aligned spells.

The Filii Spatium Polypus have been sighted in most large bodies of water in Elos in vast numbers and every rank. Unlike their non-monster counterparts, Polypus are not limited to saltwater.

These creatures are one of the main reasons deep-sea travel is a rarity on Elos.

Personality:

The Filii Spatium Polypus starts out as an ambush predator, primarily preferring to stay hidden with their natural camouflage and attacking only prey weaker than them. As they grow in power, so too does their aggression.

Diet:

The Filii Spatium Polypus are primarily carnivores, feeding on fish and shellfish during their early E rank years. As they grow, their diet grows to include everything and everyone, though they tend to prefer a high-mana diet.

Combat:

The Filii Spatium Polypus have a wide range of weapons and tools at their disposal, including actual weapons and tools they pick up. Their beaks contain poison, they can camouflage their bodies into various terrain, they have numerous giant tentacles, access to spells, and various other talents.

Even if one can beat them in a fair fight, the Filii Spatium Polypus can hide within their own subspace, or even teleport away. Unless one can kill them instantly, or have a space-aligned able to counter their retreat attempts, combat only serves the purpose to aid in one’s own survival.

Origin:

The Filii Spatium Polypus was first discovered on Elos, in the More Sea. Due to their appearance, Investigations were launched into their lineage. It was revealed that they were in fact descended from the Octopi native to Husaram.

Unlike most beasts or beast-based monsters native to Husaram, the Spatium Polypus were not brought over to Elos through the gates. In fact, the Spatium Polypus appear to have predated the gates by several millennia.

Only one conclusion can be reached from this. At some point, one of the Octopi on Husaram must have traveled to Elos on its own power, where it nested and produced offspring, thus creating this species.

It has been determined that this ancestor was rank S at the time of its planetary migration, and the current whereabouts of this ancestor are unknown.

‘

“Wow, these notes are pretty good. Before anything else, why in Vorfahr’s name are we going anywhere near anything that comes in S rank? How is this safe?” I thought to Geisig

“You’re never safe outside of a mana well. Never forget that. That being said, these things grow way too large past D rank to be close enough to the shore for us to worry about.” Geistig said aloud.

“Alright, good to know” I thought. “I can see how this could help with my limb problem. Even at E rank, they have 10.”

“They’ve also got both venom and ink sacs, which can help you with your sac problem.”

“Phrasing.”

“But more importantly, they’re space aligned. It’s important for you to figure out how to use your own alignment, even if you’re primarily using your transformation specialization in combat. That being said, none of what was said is the real reason this monster is a good idea for you to get.”

“Oh, what else does it offer?”

“Well you see, Octopi have a separate brain for each tentacle. You seem like you could use some help in that department.”