“No, I don’t have the Life Affinity.” Lancaster seemed grouchy as he looked at Serenity. “Some healing ability would be handy, but I don’t know where to begin. Do you think you can check me?”

“Anyone can learn their animating affinity…” Serenity trailed off as he remembered how difficult it was for Vengeance to learn the Life Affinity. It was easier than Liquid, but that wasn’t saying much. “It can take a while. Probably not something I can teach you tonight, but worth working on, even if all you use it for is checking yourself over.”

Normally, Serenity would flow Life affinity mana through someone who was trying to learn it; it wasn’t often the best way, but it was the easiest and it wasn’t harmful, so there was no reason not to try the easy way first. Unfortunately, Serenity didn’t have the Life affinity anymore. That also made it harder to check for worms that might have infiltrated Lancaster; Serenity had already checked himself and knew he was worm-free.

Unfortunately, he’d also found that his healing reserve was gone and his mana and essence weren’t regenerating normally; they’d go up a little, then disappear. He didn’t know what was happening; it had been difficult to even examine himself; he’d felt continually on the edge of the same painful emptiness as when he’d tried to lift Made.

Trying to reach out to touch a technological device was even worse. He could still feel them, but only when they were very close, and they weren’t very loud. That much was nice, even if everything else wasn’t.

“I don’t think I can check you,” Serenity admitted. “That doesn’t take much mana, but it does take some, and I seemed to have strained something. Or, well, I’m not sure. I’ve never had anything like this happen before.” He raised his shoulders, then lowered them slowly. “I’ve also never spent all my mana on an unformed spell before either. I shouldn’t have; I know better than that. I was just so scared and angry I wasn’t thinking.”

“What do you think that spell did? I know I felt something.” Lancaster hoisted himself onto one of the two beds in the room. They were the only furniture in the room; even the usual television was missing.

Serenity leaned against the wall; he hadn’t yet decided to sit down. “I’m not-” He was about to say he wasn’t sure, but that wouldn’t be helpful. “I think it was about protection, protection and strength maybe? I was angry at the worms but mostly I wanted to keep Rissa safe, and I remember wanting her to be able to protect herself.” He chuckled softly. “Not very helpful, is it? Do you feel anything different?”

“Now?” Lancaster didn’t seem to expect an answer as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he reopened them, he shook his head. “Not really.”

They sat silently for a few minutes. Serenity tried to think of any way to tell what he’d done; he was sure it wasn’t negative for anyone other than maybe himself, but he still didn’t know what it was.

His musings were interrupted by a question. “Is a core what I think it is?” A partial version of Lancaster’s Status flickered to life in front of Serenity.

Name: Lancaster

Species: Human

Core: Fae

Evolution Path: Daoine Sith

Serenity stared at the screen. Maybe it was more negative than he’d thought. “Yes, it looks like it. Do you still have a Path?”

“Yeah, that didn’t change at all. It’s just that one extra line. Does it mean I’m going to suddenly find myself in an egg, or will I just start dressing in black, acting emo, and carrying a red lightsaber?” Lancaster’s words were a bit flippant, but his tone was serious.

Serenity dismissed the screen and faced Lancaster directly. “I don’t expect either. It shouldn’t - it won’t affect who you are, and anyway, Fae don’t come from eggs.” Serenity wasn’t sure exactly what a Daoine Sith was, but he was pretty sure it wasn’t the opposite of a Jedi. He was confident that wouldn’t have been within his Intent, as well - and that was more reassuring than the words he saw.

Lancaster actually laughed at that. It wasn’t a real laugh, but he still seemed to relax. “I’ll still blame you if I start wearing a mask.”

Raz’s back itched. It was a strange sensation; he knew it couldn’t be the Hegemon Worms, but he kept having the thought sneak through his head - but what if it is?

He put up with the sensation through the long ride in the strangely boxy magic cart. He was grateful for the bracelet Serenity’s mother had given him; it meant he was able to understand the healers as they directed the group. Raz knew better than to argue with healers; most were arrogant, but the good ones were worth their weight in Etherium, and no one wanted to be left injured because they talked back.

Was Serenity adopted, or were his parents simply better shapeshifters than he was? Serenity looked a bit like each of his parents, so adopted didn’t seem likely. That meant one of his parents was probably a dragon. The other could be - probably was - human. Either that or they were both half-dragons, but in that case Serenity would probably be a better shapeshifter than he was. No, it was one dragon and one human.

The dragon had to be his mother. She acted more like how Raz thought a dragon would act; plus, she was the one with the translation band. Raz hadn’t understood what she said before she gave it to him, but he was pretty sure she’d said she had others, and who would hoard translation bands, other than a dragon?

Riding the underground magic carriages without understanding anyone or where he was going was unpleasant, but Bethany lived here; she’d know the local language and … whatever they used instead of Bridge. She wouldn’t need translation bands; it wasn’t like anyone routinely dealt with people without a common language; Raz had heard of translation items before, but they were rare because no one bothered to make them.

Bethany was definitely the dragon. Raz would have to remember to be careful around her.

Raz paid attention to the outside again as the closed-in magic healer’s cart came to a halt. They’d stopped outside an enormous building; it was even taller than the walls of Stallet Academy, and that was the tallest thing he’d ever seen before. It must be as tall as four or five of the City Lord’s Residence on Tzintkra!

Raz was so overwhelmed by the building that he didn’t notice as a healer he hadn’t seen before in some strange clothing that completely covered the body with an odd headpiece that blocked the mouth came out a door in the side of the gigantic building. He only realized she was there when she spoke. The first few words were gibberish and he realized the core he had in the band had run out. Again. They didn’t last very long; it was a big problem with this translation band.

Raz followed the actions of the others while he pulled another core out of his pack and stuffed it into the opening. He was almost out; he hated to ask Serenity for more, but at this rate, he was going to need them.

“-through here. There’ll be a pair of rooms; each room will have two sets of scrubs for you to change into once you inspect each other. Please put your clothes in the trash bag, then tie it shut and put it outside your room; we’ll dispose of them-”

“No.” Rissa overrode the fully-covered healer’s words and the healer stopped. “Raz and I are wearing armor; it’s not easily replaceable.” She turned towards Russ. “Dad, are you?”

“I only have a vest on under my clothes, I wasn’t expecting to fight today.” Russ shrugged. “I’d have to replace it, but it’s not magical.”

Russ was wearing a vest as armor and it wasn’t magical? If it’d been something to help Russ move or dodge more easily, that would have made sense, but why would you wear armor under your clothes? How would it even fit? Russ wasn’t exactly wearing bulky clothing.

Raz put his hand in his pouch to talk to Aki before he remembered - she was too tired to speak, now. He needed to find a place for her immediately; she’d lost her remaining reserves more quickly once they reached Earth. He’d been hopeful it would happen tonight; he knew Serenity was gathering the supplies to do a divination from near the Giant Wasp Dungeon, in the ley line.

Then he saw the Hegemon Worms. It was hard to argue against dealing with them first, so he hadn’t. Raz wasn’t sure how long he could wait. Tonight, yes, but after that? Was there time? He didn’t know. He’d never found any information on failing dungeon cores.

Raz realized he’d missed the rest of whatever the oddly-dressed healer had to say when the others headed into the enormous building. He trailed behind them, watching his surroundings. He’d never seen anything quite like the building before; it was blocky and ugly, painted a bland color that looked like they’d simply mixed dirt in the paint, but the paint itself seemed to be high quality. He knew they could do fun, bright colors in paint; he’d seen some at Rissa’s house. Was that simply too expensive? Surely there was something better than light muddy brown?

Raz didn’t know what the translucent material covering the hallway was made of; it looked like some sort of thin, flexible glass, taped together. Raz guessed it was to stop the worms. He wasn’t sure what else it could be, even though he’d stayed well away from them.

He’d have thought they were paranoid, but if he did, he’d have to call himself paranoid for the way he worried about his back.

Once they reached the end of the hallway, Russ grabbed Raz’s arm and tugged him into one of the rooms. “The girls will be happier in the other room. Let’s strip and change. I’m pretty sure we’re worm-free, but a look doesn’t hurt. I still check for ticks after going in the woods, it’s the same thing.”

There were no worms on Raz, Russ, or either of their clothing.

“What’s this?” Russ ran his thumb down Raz’s back, along the itch. It was sore, but the slight pressure felt good, even if it didn’t do anything about the itch.

“It itches,” Raz said. “It’s not worms, is it?”

“No. Definitely not. When did it start itching?” Russ pushed a little harder and Raz winced. Russ pulled his hand away and walked back around to face Raz.

“Uh.” Raz wasn’t certain. Who notices when an itch starts, especially under armor? Itches happen. “While we were waiting for Lancaster to come back, I think.”

Russ nodded as though that were the answer he’d expected, then muttered to himself. “Not a Guardian, or at least not just a Guardian. I shouldn’t be surprised.” He spoke louder when he continued. “Please don’t mention it in front of Nat; I think it’s from the spell Serenity did, and I’d like to get us all together to decide what we want to let other people know.”

Russ was asking him to keep it as a House Secret? Well, that made sense; they did share a House, even if it was small. Raz was a guest of the house; it was his duty to keep their secrets. Raz bowed his head. “My honor.”