[Right, who’s going first?]

Sarah, Invidia, Tiny and Crinis are all lined up in a large cavern outside the room where the three golgari have situated themselves. After a day of rest, feasting and contemplation, it’s time for them to have a conversation, make their final preparations, and evolve to tier seven. Granin and the others are ready to receive them, we just need to work out the order.

Of course, nobody puts their hand, paw or tentacle up.

Sigh.

[Sarah, how about you? You’ve been waiting to evolve the longest, after all.]

[M-me? I’m… I’m not sure I’m ready.]

[Watching the others go first isn’t going to make it any easier,] I tell her gently. [Rip off the band-aid, if you remember what those are, and get it over and done with.]

[Of course I remember band-aids. I’m not that old,] she huffs and rises to her full height. Full height on four legs anyway.

[I’ll go first,] she says, determination growing as she pads forward through the entrance.

Odin watches her go with shining eyes, and I can’t bring myself to imagine what is going through that weirdo-demon’s head.

~~~

[An Asura Bear is quite a strong monster, and there are several known evolutions that lead from it,] Granin mused as he slowly turned the pages of the volume in front of him. [It all depends on what direction you would like to take. Destruction? Rage? Domination? Rending?]

With each word, the large bear flinched back from the golgari at the desk a little further.

[If I might interject,] Torrina said, [I don’t think Sarah is particularly enthusiastic about violence.]

[I would say the opposite is true,] Corun nodded. [She hates it.]

Granin blinked.

[Oh.]

He looked down at the page in front of him.

[That will pose… difficulties… going forward.]

Embarrassed, Sarah hung her head, her wet nose almost brushing the chamber floor.

[It’s not that I’m against it, as such,] she tried to explain herself, [it’s just…. I’ve lived in fear of my anger for so long now. I don’t even remember choosing to evolve into an Asura Bear, I was lost… rather… I ran from reality for a long time.]

The three golgari looked at the great bear with sympathy. Of all the souls taken and reborn as monsters, Sarah’s by far seemed the least suited to the purpose. Such a gentle soul did not belong in a place like this.

[Recently, I’ve been able to control it. At least a little. The Colony has given me something I want to fight for. Friends. A family. They take care of me and don’t ask anything in return, despite what I almost did to The Queen. I want to be helpful, and if fighting is the only way I can do that, then I will.]

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Granin nodded appreciatively.

[That’s admirable,] he said. [I’m ashamed to admit it, but the time you’ve spent with the Colony has done more to heal your wounded heart than decades under the care of my fellow Shapers.]

He bowed at the waist, bending his large frame over the desk.

[I can only ask for your forgiveness.]

The great bear snuffled and waved a paw back and forth.

[Oh, please don’t mind it.]

Granin straightened and turned his attention back to the volume before him.

[Well then, let's return to our purpose. Corun, you have the report on Sarah’s mutations and Skills?]

[I do. Thank you for letting us have a look at your core, by the way.]

[It’s the least I can do. You’re being so helpful to me, after all.]

“I’ll tell Anthony that the next time I see him,” Granin grumped out loud, drawing a shushing motion from Torrina.

[You’ve got incredible strength, which is emphasised by your mutations. Indomitable Beast Musculature was a good choice, giving you explosive, along with enduring, power. Combined with your species, this gives you the ability to power through deep into a fight. The reset to your claws was also a wise decision.]

[I didn’t really choose it, though….]

[No matter. Scarlet Keratin is responsive to Rage energy, increasing their effectiveness. Your mutations have increased their durability, rather than their attacking power, which I think is also smart. As an Asura Bear, you don’t need help cutting down your enemies, but you do need your weapons to be able to endure your strength.]

[I did used to break a lot of claws,] Sarah looked down at the twelve inch long claws extending from her paws. [I’m glad it doesn’t happen anymore. Healing always takes a long time.]

[Which is something of a weakness in your current build,] Corun nods. [You don’t have any real means to heal yourself, which is something you should definitely seek to address in your next evolution. Even a simple regeneration gland could go a long way.]

[Anthony is a prime example of how effective even a cheap organ like that can be,] Torrina chipped in, [but for Sarah, I think a more comprehensive regeneration package would make more sense.]

[Why is that?] Corun frowned.

[Because the more hurt she is, the more likely she is to succumb to her rage.]

The glittering ore-coated golgari turned toward Sarah.

[Right?]

The big bear hesitated, then nodded.

[That’s true.]

More and more, she had become able to resist the frenzy when joining battle, something she’d never been able to do before. As she gained injuries, and her fear began to mount, her grip slipped further and further.]

[Once the Rage Heart has been engaged, you gain tremendous strength and the ability to push through any amount of pain or injury, similar to the berserk state employed by the Classes which bear that name. As you become more damaged, you sink ever further into the rage, which empowers you further, making you even more reckless. When there is nothing left to fight, or your body is completely exhausted, you finally return to yourself. You also return to yourself if you recover your damage past a certain point. Am I right?]

After considering for a time, Sarah nods.

[That’s true. The Colony keeps a team of healers with me whenever I go into battle, and they try to keep me from getting too hurt. When they’re around, I don’t succumb nearly as much.]

[There you have it,] Torrina says with satisfaction. [Going forward, I think it would be a good idea for Sarah to have inbuilt regeneration, along with healing resonance organs to allow her to be in control of her own pain levels. This will give her another mechanism she can use to control her rages.]

[Is it… not possible to be free of them? At all?] Sarah asked hesitantly.

[It’s not.]

Granin delivered the news in a flat and direct tone of voice, before he softened the blow.

[The Rage Heart can be weakened, mitigated, the energy inside can be drained away to serve other functions, but doing any of this will weaken your build at a fundamental level. All of the best evolutions you’ll be presented with are going to lean into the Rage harder than before. Our belief, is that your growing confidence and self control, combined with some countermeasures, such as what Torrina has suggested, will enable you to be in control as much as possible, without weakening you.]