The panic from the last few days finally began to fade, and the pleasure from being able to sit down and actually relax was borderline euphoric. At my own relaxation, the entirety of the swarm followed suit with varied levels of groans. I lolled my head around, taking in the sight of the swarm settling down; my three children sat together, obviously bragging about their own contributions in this latest fight. Their two packs sat around them, jovially engaging with jibes and jokes at each others’ expense, but there was no hostility, only companionable teasing. I could tell that there was still a competitive tilt to Iituli, Ishtar, and Isnanna’s conversation, but again, there was no hostility and only a desire to upstage the others.

Behind them, Trai (Foire’s larger son) was reenacting some apparently comedic scene and the spawnlings clung to every word that came out of his mouth. I supposed a large part of that was because they could finally relax. I couldn’t imagine how it had been for them to have never truly known a home, constantly traveling, and that even in their barely-out-of infancy. The opportunity they were getting to finally cut loose, not need to be on the move in the morning, to relax and to… just be…allowed them to be children.

I thought on it–my own generation and I had never had that opportunity, and our relationships were almost entirely professional, without much of the closeness that these younger ones displayed. Maybe I should focus on giving the swarm time to bond that way? The aloof, calculating khatif side of me immediately began to conduct a sort of cost/benefit analysis about which of the two approaches would be more beneficial for the swarm, long term.

I shrugged the thought off, leaving my subconscious to wrestle over matters of relative efficiency and return on time investment when applied to children’s socialization. Instead, I looked around the swarm, seeing Vefir and Alaster focused over to my [Status].

[Status:

Name: Ashlani

Race: Sonic Khatif Swarm Alpha

Titles: Killer of Redael

NEW: Fahvalo of the Moonchildren

Current quests:

—Destroy or establish an alliance with a species other than your own. Must be a group of at least 100 individuals. COMPLETE Rewards: Constitution +5, Strength +8, Agility +9, Intelligence +7, Magic +6.

–NEW QUEST: Destroy or subjugate a non-keelish people. Must have a population of at least 1000 individuals and person-level intelligence. Rewards: Constitution, Strength +10, Agility +15, Intelligence, Magic +8.

--Speak the Keel Words of Power. Rewards: Constitution, Strength, Agility +10, Intelligence, Magic +7. Hidden Rewards also available.

—Establish complete control over a foreign body of keelish. Rewards: Constitution, Strength, Agility, Intelligence, Magic +4.

Stats:

-Constitution: 83+5+6=94

-Strength: 91+8+8=107

-Agility: 96+9+8=113

-Intelligence: 108+7+6=121

-Magic: 93+6+4=103

Skills:

Innate Leadership—cannot evolve

Innervating Address–cannot evolve

Debilitating Diatribe–cannot evolve

Pack Tactics—current evolutionary progress: 6/10

Combatant's Bloodlust—current evolutionary progress: Hidden

True Dominance—current evolutionary progress: 1/10

Improved Vision--current evolutionary progress: 1/18

Improved Sonilphon—current evolutionary progress: Hidden

Evolutionary foresight

-Sonic Keel Alpha—Requirements: Acquire the Keel Words of Power, Receive the Blessing of Nievtala

-Khatif Heretic–Requirements: learn how to bend the governing laws to your will.

Other evolutions possible, but not currently foreseen.]

I blinked, slowly. Quite a few changes this time… Starting from the top, I guess. What’s the effect of the new title?

[Effects of Title “Fahvalo of the Moonchildren are: +6 to Constitution, Intelligence, +8 to Strength, Agility, +4 to Magic, and improved social perception by the natives of the “Untameable and Unwilling Wilds”.]

Ok. I remember that there were three things that contribute to the acquisition of a Title. They were 1. doing something difficult, 2. having people see you do the thing, and you withheld the third qualifier. Do I now warrant an answer?

[The Administrator has been given permission to share the third requirement for the acquisition of a Title: 3. Approval given by at least two Administrators agreeing that the actions taken indeed qualify the potential beneficiary as one whose actions were sufficiently heroic so as to receive [Systemic] bolstering.]

So there are multiple Administrators…? How many?

[The Administrator has deemed it unnecessary to divulge that information. However, that decision may be rescinded, depending on your future growth.]

Great. I guess I’m moving on then. Why is the new quest completely focused on our people honing themselves aggressively, not giving an option for peace or negotiations?

[All Quests assigned within the [System] are assigned by the Administrator.]

But… why?

[The Administrator has previously stated: “The Keel progenitor was a ruthless, calculating, intelligent, and competent leader. They prioritized their kin above all, and constantly held themself above others…” The Administrator invites you to think about what the [System] wants from you in return for the guidance proffered.]

I thought for a brief moment, then, just like with the children’s social hour musings, set off the deliberations for another day. What is the skill [Debilitating Diatribe]?

[Skill: Debilitating Diatribe is the inverse of Skill: Innervating Address. Functionally, the Skill user speaks in a language that their intended audience can understand and empowers their voice with a combination of sonilphonic magic and Skill: Dominance or any of its evolved forms. This enhanced speech can cause the audience to startle, flee, or even obey commands.]

So… when I told the Moonchildren to bow, that was this new Skill?

[Yes.]

Finally… what is this new evolutionary option?

[Skill: Evolutionary Foresight became able to predict the existence and envision the evolutionary requirements for evolution: Khatif Heretic after your conversation with the one called Bloodpriestess regarding the Veushten people’s so-called perversion of the natural way. You are now aware of one of the imbalances in this world, and your Skill is permitting you sight into a potential path that would be taken by exploiting this imbalance.]

Is there any reason for me to not pursue this path that obviously proffers more power to me?

[There are several. 1. All peoples with the exception of the Veushten consider this exploitation an affront to the divine powers that rule this world. If you are found to be a “warlock” in this way, you will declare yourself an enemy to all foreign nations. 2. The Veushten people consider this manipulation of the natural world to be their birthright. If you and your people are found to be actively usurping their position as the sole profiteers of this exploit, they will send armies after you to ensure the secret of said exploitation is once again forgotten. 3. Finding the sufficient information to begin to qualify as a “Heretic” would take a not insignificant amount of time.]

… Makes sense. I wasn’t about to betray what little trust I had gained from Bloodpriestess Ana on the same day I had earned it.

Slowly, my head drooped, my eyes grew heavier, and I found myself involuntarily laying down to sleep. I idly scented Sybil, realized she was near, smiled, and succumbed to the darkness of exhausted sleep.