Avery looked at her newly acquired toys with a chilling gaze. They were underperforming and required a more stringent training regime.

Their desire to obtain and hord power seems nearly non-existent and their willingness to take it from others is even lower. I’ll have to correct that if they are to be any use to my plans.

With a flex of her will, Avery’s control on the souls of her pets tightened as she forced them to act according to her will. Their movements were shaky at first, with resistance and fear evident in their eyes, but the combined might of their willpower was but a drop compared to the vast consciousness of the collective.

Their unnatural jerky motions soon smoothed as their ability to resist was removed and the forces she applied became fine tuned. They were still there. Present and watching in the background; but unable to exert any form of control.

Sara was the most in need of tutelage. She had little lust for power, and instead wasted her talents attempting to help others.

No matter. With training, she will make an excellent torturer. She just needs to learn to enjoy another’s suffering.

Sara’s body twitched once, before moving smoothly, gracefully. A pair of pliers in her hand, she moved upon the first of the pups. She crushed, twisted, and pulled the creatures toes one by one with a smile on her face, empathic feelers swaying in the wind.

Lisa was the next problem child. Far too obsessed with her own vessel and others' perception of her. A single spore later, and the relevant sections of her brain were successfully treated.

Now I just need to fuel her lust for violence.

Lisa transformed. With her mind free of subconscious deprecation, her form freely changed into that of a majestic winter roc. A two-meter (6') shimmering beast of white and blue.

Launching herself in the air, she clasped the neck of her prickle-backed friend with her protected talons and took off into the air. Once she was at a reasonable height, she simply let go. The boar fell and landed. Its neck, and several other bones, were broken.

Now for the free spirit. I had really hoped the demonic and beast combo would make her more assertive.

Ashley shifted into a beast of flame and ash, flickering in the breeze. In the blink of an eye, she was gone. She flicked back into existence in the center of the nearest village before starting her rampage. Houses burned, people screamed. Men fought, only for their weapons to pass through the creatures' form; arms burning in the process. As the peasants died, their death empowered her. They fueled her. In less than a quarter of an hour, the village was not but ash and charred stone.