Before Laurel could vocalize the shock on her face, low rumbling laughter filled the room. The three of us turned to the door, where Ulderion was shaking his head, still with his back towards us.

"That's why you're growing so fast! You're an imbalanced one," he laughed again, then waved his hands around.

The earth around him cracked as saplings shot up, growing so fast it was hard to follow. A wave of grass stretched out from below Ulderion, quickly flowing into the room like water and creating a soft, springy carpet. With the sound of crumbling rock, an inch of the ground below the door disappeared, and the grass spread below it and out. Ulderion turned around, and I saw a beard was growing on his face again.

"Yes, yes. I'll answer your questions. Well, one of them. You mortals…" he grumbled for a bit, waving us to sit back down.

"Right. One question of the dozens I feel floating around your almost empty skulls," Ulderion said. "I should be able to answer it before Rathica gets back."

So she managed to ditch Nimron? I felt relieved. With Rathica busy with the souls and her realm, I had been worried.

"Are unbalanced ones similar to single-statters?" Laurel asked.

I cursed inside. I'd wanted to ask for a way to increase my knowledge.

"Single-statters are just another form of unbalanced ones," Ulderion said.

The room fell quiet, and I blinked. Seriously? That's all he was going to say? I was distracted by a glow coming from behind me, and turning around, I saw Rathica's statue had started glowing and floating up in the air. It grew until it was as large as her usual form.

"I'll explain that another time, but there's no more time now." Rathica's voice sounded strained, and the glow around her was dimmer than before. With a graceful movement, she stepped from the sky and onto the ground. Then she moved towards Laurel, a sad expression on her face.

"I am sorry. Your mother has passed away, and her soul is out of my reach."

Laurel's face turned slack, and all four arms fell to her side. After a second, a strangled howl came from her that reminded me of a wounded beast. From her shaking lip and face, I almost expected her to collapse when she snapped her head up. Her hands clenched to fists.

"My sister?" she asked, her voice ending in a growl.

Rathica put a hand on her shoulder, and even from where I stood, I felt the wave of comfort and strength that Rathica poured into Laurel.

"She is alive and hiding inside the city. Nimron doesn't seem to have an interest in finding her. I doubt he even realizes she exists."

Laurel's shoulders slumped as a look of relief came to her tear-stained face.

She turned her head, staring at me, Haltir, and Ulderion in order, before returning to Laurel.

"You and Haltir need to get supplies and head back to Steadfast as fast as you can. Nimron is distracted and will be for a few days, but after that, he'll remember this temple of mine and come to destroy it-"

Ulderion sniffed. "He can try."

Rathica ignored Ulderion and turned to Haltir. "You did well. The ones you contacted have almost reached the city. Meet them at the gate when the two moons cross and bring them here."

Steadfast? I thought, slightly confused. That had to be the name of the city we were building. When had a name for that been picked?

Haltir didn't seem bothered by the name and just nodded, a small smile playing across his lips.

Rathica looked at Laurel, who had a hopeless gaze in her eyes. "Don't worry. After you've brought the resources to Steadfast, I'll help you find a way to Vorchal. Go there and get your sister!"

Laurel nodded, and the sorrow faded slowly, to be replaced by a look of resolve.

"Est."

I'd been looking at Laurel, and at the sudden mention of my name, I turned to Rathica. She was staring straight at me.

"As soon as the other Primes get here, go with them to the library entrance. I've made one in the back," she pointed behind her to a hallway I hadn't noticed until now.

"Be sure to be the first to go through and tell the Aucerion what I told you. The others can only come in after. After that, take care of Cinderage's Primes and find what you are looking for."

My mind was a jumble of questions and an underlying fear of facing the Aucerion. Who were the other Primes? What was the problem with my body? Why Steadfast? There were more, but one popped to the front, and I blinked as it hit me. If Rathica answered it with yes, it could fix both my knowledge problem and prevent potential matters that could arise from this stolen body."

Can you give me a new body through one of those pods?" I asked, staring at her.

Haltir sucked in a breath, looking at me in shock. I ignored him, guessing his reaction had something to do with the weapon tournament he wanted to bring me to.

Rathica nodded, her face emotionless. "I could, but you would have to regain everything you've gotten since you came here. It would also take a long time before it would be ready. All of the pods are full right now."

Thinking of Eliandra, I shrugged, not ready to give up on my idea just yet. The consequences didn't seem too bad. Besides, the others could start the preparations for the city, and I could wake up together with Eliandra.

Rathica frowned, then shook her head. "Your current body is special, more so than the Guidar realized. More than you seem to realize. Even with its limitations, it will be a tremendous asset if you can keep it alive."

I wanted to object, but Rathica raised her hand, and I felt a small trickle of something else, an underlying issue pass through our connection. Then it was cut off, and Rathica shook her head again. Resolutely this time.

"We don't have the time for lengthy discussions. I can't be away from my realm any longer, or it will be irreparably damaged. As soon as those other Primes are here, hurry into the library." As she spoke, she walked to the back of the room, slowly turning back into a statue. At the wall, the choppily moving statue turned with its back to the wall and then froze into the pose I had carved it in.

A final whisper came to the room. "And Est? Carve another bear from that wood and use what's leftover for armor."

I gazed at the statue, wondering about many things. The main one was the odd feeling I had gotten from Rathica before she cut it off. It was worry combined with sadness.

"She is far too lenient with you," Ulderion's voice snapped me out of my reflection. "She wasn't like this before," he continued before pointing at the wood.

"Carve. Now."

My hackles rose at the command, but I could feel from the atmosphere around Ulderion that he seemed done playing around. Taking a quick look at the others, I saw Haltir was sitting beside Laurel, softly whispering to her. She kept saying something, and he shook his head.

"Est…" Ulderion's voice carried a hidden threat this time as if what he desired of me couldn't wait. Haltir and Laurel looked up with large eyes, and I sighed as I turned to the tree.

"Yeah. On it," I said, feeling bone tired. Grabbing my knife, I moved to the tree. Soften Wood seemed to care little for how special the tree was and worked as it always did. Still, it took me forever to get a clear image of a bear in my cluttered mind. When I finally did, I started carving. Slow at first, my hands worked mechanically, seeming unbothered by the mess in my mind, and I slowly relaxed. At some point, I forgot where I was, my entire focus on the wood, the knife, and the mental image.

--

"Your body's previous owner must have been a master carpenter!"

Ulderion's deep, rumbling voice snapped me back to reality, and my hands hovered above the detailed face of a growling bear. What now? Chips and curls lay all around me, and I cursed. I hadn't considered keeping some nice sections of wood for armor. A soft ping came from my status, showing that whatever I thought, the system had decided what I'd made was worth something.

"Don't worry about some stupid armor. I'll get you more wood later," Ulderion said. A rustling of leaves came as he got up and lumbered my way.

I backed up as the deity kneeled beside the small bear statue. It was as large as a six month-old cub, but next to Ulderion, it resembled a teddy bear.

My body ached as if I'd just run a marathon, and I stretched while rubbing my sandy eyes. Laurel was lying on the ground, snoring softly, while Haltir was looking at the bear carving.

"You've become better again," he said.

I examined my work and had to agree with him. It was detailed, well proportioned and without any of the shortcuts I'd been taking over the last few months. That meant I hadn't just become better. I'd become faster too. My internal clock told me that it was late in the evening, and if it wasn't wrong, that meant it had taken over half a day to carve the small bear. Realistically it should have required far more, even with my magically enhanced skill.

A soft rumbling filled the room as Ulderion did something to the statue. The bear began twitching and growing, its fur turning shiny. Within moments the bear had turned from cub-sized to something that reminded me of Barry.

"Good guess," Ulderion said as he stepped back. The bear got to its feet and looked around until it saw me, then it lumbered forward. I felt something prodding at the wall around my mindscape, trying to get my attention. Fuzzily I knew I seriously needed to work out what my mindscape actually meant, then the prodding came again.

Barry, I thought in surprise. I opened a small entrance in my defense, allowing the happy presence inside.

"Barry?" I asked as I unconsciously stepped forward and put my hand on the side of his head. My hand looked tiny.

A confirmative sensation came from the entity that was partially in my mindscape.

"A good, strong name," Ulderion said as he stepped forward and patted the bear on its back. "He wouldn't stop nagging me to see you again. I owe you for drawing him back into this realm. He can't speak right now, as he is in a transitional phase."

I grinned, then yawned. Barry copied my move, which was adorable, and suddenly I wondered if he could come with me.

"No," Ulderion said. "He isn't coming with you. He isn't allowed in the library. Besides, he is here for another reason." Ulderion moved to the door, and mid-stride kicked the door and part of the wall away as if it was nothing. The crack startled me, and I heard Haltir jump to his feet.

The door crashed on the ground below with a hollow thud while the stone crumbled in a heap. It was dark, a bit of moonlight filtering through a dense forest outside. Through the trees, I saw the city beyond, dark and silent. The carpet of moss and grass stretched from the temple entrance to cover the entire region I could see.

Ulderion stepped outside, Barry on his heels. I followed, curious to see what had changed. A cool breeze touched me as I stepped outside. As a thin layer of sweat on my forehead cooled rapidly, I realized how warm it had become in the temple.

The leaves rustled all around me, insects and night birds added to the pleasantly calm atmosphere. Distant voices came from the city, and I wondered what had happened. The screaming had stopped, and after a moment, I made out lights from where I thought the wall should be.

"I created a small haven here, and my power combined with Rathica's should keep Nimron out," Ulderion said. "Especially with Barry here to guard the place!"

I remembered what Rathica had said and wondered if that would be the case but didn't voice my doubts.

"See? You can learn..." Ulderion said in a deep rumbling voice. The grass grew up over his feet, legs, then his whole body, and with a soft rustling, he sank into the ground.

I need to take care of my own realm now. Don't die. With those final words, his presence vanished.

Barry turned to me. Images and sensations filled my mind, and I nodded thankfully. I should rest, and he would guard me. I yawned again and carefully patted his enormous haunch so as not to prick myself on the shiny and spikey fur. To my surprise, it was soft, pliable, and warm.

"Thanks, Barry," I said, rubbing him before turning back to the temple.

The entrance had turned into a double arched opening with engravings of trees on the edges.

When did that happen? I shook my head and moved inside. No more questions. Those could wait for another time.

Haltir was still sitting there, and he stifled a yawn. "Get some rest, Est. I'll take the first watch," he said with a wide grin.

"I don't think there's a need with Barry outside," I said. I moved towards the corridor that held the rooms.

"I'll do it anyway if it's all the same to you," Haltir said. "Besides, I need to get the others soon."

I could probably ask who they were now, but right now, I couldn't care less. All I wanted was to close my eyes and sleep. I found my way to the nearest room on instinct, only then remembering there were no beds. Still, the grass was thick and soft, so with a shrug, I lay down and closed my eyes.