“She jest… toldja to gimme this rock?”

“Yeah, said that, eventually, you’d know what to do with it.”

Ytte shrugged. “Ain’t now. Alls I know’s that it’s heavier than you’d think lookin at it. I ain’t particularly familiar with what makes a rock. Ain’t a bloodstain on it or anything interestin’ like that, but...”

I sighed, unsurprised. “Yeah, I knew it was heavy, but I was hoping for something more. Keep trying, I guess. Try using your magic to see if you can understand it, as much as possible. That’s it–wait, also try not to break it.”

Ytte chuckled. “Goes without sayin. I’ll keep it safe.”

“Thanks.” I nodded as I walked away, leaving the Sixth of the Alqat to her rock. She was muttering under her breath, and I heard a curious clicking of her claws on the stone as she tried to sound it out. Hopefully she would find out what to do with it sooner rather than later.

The suns began to set, the sky turning a burning hue of oranges and reds. I idly noted that with only four days left for my [Improved Vision] to finish evolving, my vision was already markedly better than it had been previously. I could see the clouds in the sky, begin to tell individual leaves apart from a distance, and, if I squinted, pick out details I only could have seen from up close previously. I idly wondered how different it would be once I went back and used my heat-sensing vision once again, but only a couple more days of this and I would be able to…

I had seen a couple of the Sunkindred around, but they didn’t seem to want to have anything to do with us keelish, and I didn’t much care to argue with them about it, so I left them. On top of that, only Sybil could have carried even a surface level conversation with anybody in a language other than our own, so I doubly resolved to leave them alone.

“You seem excited, Alpha Ashlani.” Alaster’s voice shook me from my reverie. “Did you get good news?”

“As a matter of fact, yes. I know where to find another swarm and I’m sure we can force them to follow under our rule on our journey. So, while I would have preferred to still have the rest of our numbers…” I trailed off, and Alaster swiftly filled the silence.

“We can begin to be a swarm once again.”

“Exactly.”

[Fen POV]

Fen tried her hardest not to let her fear show. Varali had been angry ever since she and Fen had seen the ruins of her hometown, but Fen had been sure that Varali would calm down once they killed the keelish…

Maybe it was because some had gotten away? Maybe Varali was just angry right now? Maybe… maybe it was because Fen wasn’t good enough?

Fen tried not to let that last thought stick. She was trying! So hard, harder than she ever had when she’d been a human! She was growing and following the quests she got, and listening, and talking to Varali, and being her friend… but she felt like she still wasn’t enough.

All that Varali was doing these days was talk with that Flamespeaker, Norat, and pushing herself harder and harder to become a better Speaker. Whenever Fen tried to talk to her, Varali didn’t even respond. Fen was starting to feel like she was going crazy, Varali wouldn’t say anything, but always pressing at the back of Fen’s mind was a stewing, boiling rage. Fen was trying to stay as happy as always, but it was hard to feel anything other than that permanent anger.

Right now, the two women were a little less angry, because Norat was giving a lesson in Speaking. While Fen couldn’t use that same type of magic, she wondered if the tips and tricks Norat was giving could work for her, so she listened in.

“As with all Speaking, channeling emotion, like rage, sorrow, or joy, into your Phrasing will help. A steady Earthspeaker can commune with the earth around them better, an energetic Windspeaker can better mould the air to their will, and an emotionally fluid Waterspeaker and can become one with the waves. Therefore, what weak Flamespeakers think is that they need to scream or always be raging in order to progress in their abilities. They’re wrong. What a High Flamespeaker learns is that these emotions certainly do function, but fire is different from the others (not counting Soulspeakers and other aberrants).

“A Flamespeaker is the fuel to the fire, not the shaper of the fire as the other Speakers are. Where do these all-encompassing emotions come from? What is the source of these emotions? You don’t need to feel a raging, burning emotion to empower yourself. Instead, you need to focus on the source of these emotions: your family, those you wish to protect, the things you love and cherish. These powerful emotions are based in the deep attachments you have formed in your life. So, don’t think of the scene of your father’s corpse in your family home,” The previously tamped down anger in Varali’s heart surged at Norat’s words, beginning to pulse and ache at the back of Fen’s head, disorienting her, “but instead of the happy meals you shared at the table, the first time that your mother congratulated you for your achievements in Speaking, or your father’s embrace.

“That is why my Callings have not been empowered since Viirla’s death. I feel the burning, all-consuming rage at those worthless vermin, and I feel a primal need to scorch the flesh from their bones, but that hasn’t empowered me, because I still remember the sweet words Viirla used when I was disappointed, the nights we spent together, the bond we shared. That feeling is just as strong, so my Speaking continues to be as strong as it ever was. Does that make sense, Varali?”

Fen watched her bond slowly nod, and then, the flaming impotent rage began to subside, washed away by waves of bitter recollection. Fen couldn’t see what Varali was remembering, but as the powerful feeling of belonging and love washed over her, it forced Fen to recollect the only time she had experienced that love herself: those feelings Fen only experienced for that brief time with her mother, the nameless Scaled Deer. She had thought she would again find them with Varali, but these weeks had changed her bond from the happy child she had been to a selfish, unrelenting vehicle for revenge. Quietly, Fen’s body began to shake with uncontrollable sobs as she was blown away by this unstoppable sense of loss and desolation, missing the only creature that had ever shown genuine affection for her, her mother, slaughtered by keelish only a month ago.

In the corner of her eye flashed a [System] message: [Evolution requirements met. Would you like to evolve to Scaled Deer Soulrender?]