Chapter 217

I was about to go through all the notifications when I saw something that caught my eye. It took me a surprisingly long time to recognize what it was, but once I realized, I stumbled to the sandy pit and collapsed into it. The suns, still high overhead, had baked the sands to a lovely warmth that had me immediately begin melting into the loose sand. Without moving, I sent my magic to fluidize the sands at my feet and tail, where I began to slowly sink as I manipulated the sonic waves to slowly migrate until all of me except my head was submerged. 

The little sand pit I found was far from the specially created baths in the den, but it was more than enough for me to bask in the warmth and enjoy the bath. I felt myself begin to drift off, but still wanted to look into my [Status]...

When I woke, the suns had already begun setting behind the wall of trees surrounding us. Most of my swarm remained sleeping, though Arwa laid somewhat attentively near my bath, her ears pricked up and twitching at every sound. With a groan, I stood, sending the sands in a cascade down my body as I stretched. I'd fallen unconscious more than asleep, and my spine, from the tip of my tail to the base of my skull, protested my every movement. As I creaked and tried to loosen myself enough to walk without discomfort, Arwa raised her head to look at me as she cocked her head and let her tongue loll out in a grin. 

I groaned as I struggled out of the sands and reached out to scratch her head. "Keeping an eye on me as I slept, huh?" 

She didn't answer as I continued to stretch and finally looked again at my notifications and [Status].

[Status:

Name: Ashlani

Race: Sonic Khatif Swarm Alpha

Titles: Disciple of Nievtala

Killer of Redael

Fahvalo of the Moonchildren

Current quests: 

-Hunt 5 new species. Reward will vary depending upon the evolutionary level of prey. Base reward: Constitution, Strength, Agility, Intelligence, Magic +3. PROGRESS: Greater Marsh Crocodile, Perfected Albatross, Partially Awakened Moonchild

-Attain victory in political maneuvering over a foe with nearly equal social standing to yourself. Reward: Constitution, Strength, Agility, +3, Intelligence +8, Magic +5. COMPLETE. New Quest: Subjugate or otherwise conquer a community of at least 1000 individuals. Base reward: Constitution +7, Strength, Agility +8, Intelligence +10, Magic +9. Possibility of additional rewards for greater difficulty.

-Speak the entirety of the True Words of Power of Nievtala. Rewards: Upgrade to Title: Disciple of Nievtala; Acquisition of Skill: Voice of the Divine; Constitution, Strength, Agility, Intelligence, Magic +8.

Stats:

-Constitution: 100+3+6=109

-Strength: 112+3+6=121

-Agility: 111+3+6=120

-Intelligence: 105+8+6=119

-Magic: 116+5+5=126

Skills:

Adversary: 6/10

Combatant's Bloodlust: 1/4 (Imperial Bearing)

Conqueror's Rebuke: 1/5

Evolutionary Exemplar (Cannot Evolve)

Exceptional Individual (Cannot Evolve)

Fanatic's Fortitude: Unqualified

Fathomless Sonilphon: Unqualified, 0/2

-Crippling Cry: 0/5

-Debilitating Diatribe: 0/1

-Innervating Address: 0/1

-Nurturing Enunciation: 0/50

-Quaking Claw (0/1)

Imperial Bearing (Cannot Evolve)

Improved Vision: 16/18

Innate Leadership (Cannot Evolve)

Pack Tactics: 5/10

Pain Tolerance (Cannot Evolve)

-Tremorsense (Cannot Evolve)

True Dominance: 0/5

Evolutionary Possibilities

-Sonic Keel Zak'Tal: Speak the entirety of the True Words of Power of Nievtala. Progress: 0/1 Have a Swarm Leader level race. Completed.

-Khatif Heretic–Requirements: learn how to bend the world's governing laws and compel the divine to follow your will.

Other evolutions possible, but not currently foreseen. Progress further, and such possibilities will be presented to you.]

With all that had been happening with our escape from our old home, I hadn't taken much time to evaluate my [Status], so I was surprised by how little it had changed. I had long known that growing to adulthood would then slow much of my growth, but seeing that so directly was disheartening. Regardless, I'd expected much more growth in my [Skills] after what I'd done these last days, and today especially, but I was reminded about how many of my [Skills] required at least 50 or 100 subordinates to progress. 

I'd known that, as a keelish and, to my understanding, a Keel, I would need to grow not as much as an individual so much as a member and leader of a race. Now, again, the casualties we had suffered struck home, and I allowed myself a moment of grief as I considered the hundreds of lives lost in the past few days. An analytical, cold part of me only regretted the need to create a larger swarm once again before I could progress in my [Skills], and I couldn't help but acknowledge that reality.

I refocused myself on what had changed. I hadn't expected that becoming "fahvalo" would grant me a [Title]. Looking at it, the [System] provided me with an explanation.

[Effects of Title "Fahvalo of the Moonchildren" are: +6 to Constitution, Strength, Agility, Intelligence, +5 to Magic, and improved social perception by the natives of the "Untameable Wilds".]

More benefits. Never something I wouldn't appreciate, and considering I'd had to do as much to survive, I wouldn't question it. And, a new [Quest], something else I wouldn't be able to do for quite a while yet. The superior nature in me raged at the artificial throttling of my growth, that others' failures were holding me back, and I forced myself to look at the bottom of my [Status], the most unexpected addition.

Khatif heretic. Though I'd heard the word a couple of times, I couldn't place its meaning. The [System], however, was, as always, quick to supply an answer.

[Khatif Heretic: An evolution achieved by having begun to learn how to follow a divine being's will and commands, and then wholly turning away from that divinity. This evolution would sacrifice the long-term connection with the goddess that has blessed you in exchange for greater magical versatility and immediate gains to Stats. This evolution would make evolution to Keel, the chosen race of Nievtala, nearly impossible.]

I wanted a part of that magical versatility, remembering the feeling of Calling flames to my will while I commanded the waters to obey. What I had learned and would continue to learn as a Sonic Khatif wouldn't be able to compare to the Heretic. But… nearly impossible to evolve to Keel? Would I lose the benefits I'd gained as a [Disciple of Nievtala]? Would I still be able to lead my people to Nievtra?

Would the keelish still be my people if I turned my back on their goddess?

These thoughts and many more plagued my mind as I dismissed the new evolution with Bloodpriestess Ana's words: "Do not become like the warlocks, dissatisfied with what you have. Their magics come from a compulsion wrought upon the gods themselves, and the Pantheon will not stand for the Tower's continued influence through them."