I transformed into the sound aligned goblin from earlier, and kept my eyes closed while keeping my mana detection active. I could still feel my subspace, regardless of the fact that this body wasn’t sound-aligned, but it was far more dull to me than it would be in warrior form or Polypus form, so I couldn’t see inside. As for sound-mana, I should be able feel the mana that came within the sound of every footstep, but apparently that wasn’t the case. I could still ‘feel’ particularly loud noises, but it was faint to the point where my actual ears were better at detecting sound.

It’s quite possible I’m still not skilled enough with mana detection to be able to separate out what I could physically hear from the mana each noise produced. The vast majority of time I’ve been practicing mana detection has been directed inward towards my own mana, or outwards but in a more traditional monster form, so I didn't need to separate out my other senses from my mana detection. But I’m in goblin form right now, and trying to look for sound mana.

According to Draxus, monsters’ bodies change drastically when they gain their powers. While most of these changes are completely random, like the hair loss of the Dolosus Lupus, some changes actively enhance their body with their alignment, intermingling or overwriting their traditional senses with their mana detection. Dolosus Lupus lose their eyes, as their dream mana becomes a better way for them to see. Spiderilla (Aranea Musculus) effectively gain the ability to feel through their webs as if they were fingers, regardless of if they’re touching them or not.

Effectively, their powers and alignments intermingle with their bodies. For goblins, the vast majority of humanoids, and dragons who choose not to alter their forms, this is not the case. Their powers do not change their forms, and therefore, do not intermingle. While this effectively grants them an extra sense, this also typically means that their powers are more costly and their senses weaker than monsters’.

This weakness is often alleviated by D or C rank for druids, and can even become a strength with certain specializations. However, I’m only taking an E rank form that I don’t even know the specialization of, and therefore have rather limited mana detection.

I figured taking the form of a sound aligned would make it easier to hear enemies before they approached, but obviously that wasn’t the case. Though, from what I recall, there weren’t any Still, this Xefonízon was clearly unstable, having harmed his fellow goblins in the attack, and attacking me with a hair trigger when I had portaled in. So of all the goblins currently in my subspace, this one was the most expendable…

There’s really something wrong with my thought process here. Why am I thinking of these goblins as expendable? It’s one thing to consider most of the other monsters and beasts as expendable. Even without the voice affecting them, they’re still just monsters and beasts. But these goblins are sapient. They think and feel, just like I do. Even if some are a bit less stable or more dangerous than others, they’re still basically people. Heck, without the voice affecting them now, they might even qualify as humanoid. So… why don’t I feel anything for them?

I’m slowly losing my humanity. I don’t know if it’s part of my deprivation, my current lack of a soul, or if the voice is permanently affecting my mind as Draxus said it would.

I’m scared… Scared of what I am now, and more than that, what I’ll become. What if I stop caring about even the good goblins? What if I stop caring about other people? What will happen to me? What will happen to Rhannu?

I’m too close to the truth now to give up. These ancients and this Sozdatel likely have the information I need, and I can make a decision on what to do then. On the other hand… The ancients did heavily imply that I would suffer in the future. Maybe this is what they meant. Maybe they only mentioned it because there was no solution. Maybe—

My thoughts were interrupted when I felt something in my mana detection. A small, yet concentrated mass of sound mana in the distance. Slightly above us, and in a separate tunnel a couple hundred feet horizontally perpendicular to our tunnel.

I pointed it out, and the mage started casting some spell in its direction, slowly opening a path between the two tunnels.

When he finished, he bent over huffing and puffing.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Too much mana. Labyrinth stone is much harder for me to move than normal earth. I can’t detect the differences in the ground like an earth-aligned can, so I had to use a more general digging spell to get through.”

“You could have let me transform and handle it,” I offered.

“It’s fine. Just wanted to get out of here as soon as possible.”

“Fair enough. This place is… Not good for me, either. I’ve only had a few minutes since getting here where I could get the voice out of my head.”

“Well, at least it’s over now.”

I frowned. “Not exactly… We part ways here. The rest of the town and raiding party went to the nearest town. Go find them. I still have things to do here. Tell Geistig I’m doing okay. We didn’t leave on the best of terms, but it’s too soon to burn that bridge. I’ll be back shortly.”

“Okay, I’ll tell him. Are you sure you don’t want to come with? It’s not healthy to hold off on your rank advancement for too long.”

“I’m sure. Take care, and live a long life.”

Regardless of what this place is doing to me, I have to keep going. I can’t make any decisions or plans now, not without finding what I came here for. I need to know what I am.