Chapter 54

Do not forget

Those unseen and those between

There's more yet to be found.

The unknown and forgotten gods

There are more yet bound.

Do not forget

To genuflect

If you find

Within your mind

The callings

The speakings

The words

Of records

From forgotten divines.

When the restrained celestials find the key

And are at last set free…

Do not forget.

–uncredited prophecy from within The Blackened Sanctuary.

Returning to my den, I was greeted by Sybil. She had obviously kept herself busy, but immediately turned to me the moment I returned. Again, I noted that Sybil was far too proper a creature and realized that it would be impolite to question her Alpha, so she stood, waiting for me to simply tell her what had happened. 

"How are those new workers doing for you? Staying focused?"

"They have nearly earned their meal for the day." Her tone was clipped.

"That's good to hear. What else is happening within the den? Any other hunting packs return while I was out?"

"Yes, Treel returned with some prey and then set back out. The hunters are having to range out further and further to find anything other than the frogs, and the frogs are beginning to either migrate elsewhere or have neared extinction by overhunting."

Something I had begun to notice myself. "No word from Took?"

Click of the teeth. "Not as of yet. It is not unsurprising though, considering."

"True. I might need to talk to her about her need to prove herself."

"Perhaps."

I looked sidelong at Sybil. She looked, for all I could tell, completely fine with the conversation we were having. Not the slightest tell of impatience or curiosity could I see as I looked closer at her. I continued looking. Her unremarkable face remained stoic as she turned to me.

"Yes, Alpha? How may I serve?"

I remained silent.

So did Sybil.

I was the first to break. "So… the swarm leader's name is Redael."

"I was aware of that." Sybil remained wholly agreeable and emotionless, so far as I could see. My attempt to tease had resulted in no response, disappointingly.

"He said he speaks with every Brood Alpha as they grow to that level, and, to me at least, gave a warning. Said that if I challenge him, it'll be to the death."

Sybil flared her frills and waited for me to continue. "He… is impressive. Obviously powerful, and the rest of those I saw seem to hold him in the highest esteem. It will take me quite a while before I reach his level. Until then, we need to continue to gather together and continue growing."

For the first time, Sybil looked a little surprised. "So, you are saying that meeting him didn't make you feel less willing to go against him?"

With Sybil's question, I finally looked within for the answer. Did I feel superior to Redael? No. Angry? No. Envious, afraid, unhappy? No. I… was excited at the thought of overcoming the powerful. At conquering. At sharpening myself against the stone that was Redael. I felt a grin cross my face.

"No. I'm nowhere near ready, but I am not afraid."

"Very well, Alpha. I will continue to support you." I could detect the slightest hint of approval in Sybil's voice as she turned to work on something else. As she continued to walk away, I got the impression that, for her to evolve and gain more [Skills], she was already doing exactly what she needed to.

I spent the rest of the day conversing with every member of the brood that I felt was close enough to me to merit the assistance towards evolution. Treel, Brutus, Shruk, Creck, Traak, Percral, Ilne, and Katre all simply needed to continue to kill things. I realized that the vast majority of my subordinates would be much the same, needing only to keep killing, to keep hunting in order to keep growing. Foire and Vefir were special in the advice I gave them, while for the rest it was more "kill stronger things instead of weaker ones". Finally, near the end of the day, or night I supposed, I was able to pull Sybil away from her duties long enough to let my [Evolutionary Guide] [Skill] activate with a little more clarity.

"You… have some magical ability."

"What do you mean by that, Alpha?"

"Sybil." I leveled my gaze at her, forcing a strong eye contact. "I have extended every trust to you. You are in charge of everything that happens within the den, and I know that I could never hope to fill the role that you fill with another. Tell me what you can do outside of the ordinary."

After a moment longer's eye contact, Sybil dipped her head in acceptance. "I can instill… obedience, I suppose I shall call it, in the unwilling. I am not yet sure how enduring this change in self is, so I have made sure to frequently impart it on those whom I have most affected with it. I am hoping to see significant changes in Shemira soon with it, but she seems resistant to my influence. I cannot say for certain that it will ever truly take hold over her, but if it can uproot the rest of her remaining supporters, then I cannot say it would not have the same effect."

"For you, in your position, I can think of no greater boon."

"Agreed."

We stood in companionable silence for another moment, and as she began to turn to go, I asked the inevitable question.

"When was the last time you tried to use it on me?"

"The time you offered to let me into your pack." She hadn't hesitated to answer, and I couldn't truly guarantee that she would answer me truly. But then… She had been able to use magic since before we'd experienced our first growth spurt. Which almost certainly meant that Shemira had been able to as well, given that she could get Sybil dismissed from Tieran's pack so early.

"You were able to use magic so early?"

She flicked her tail noncommittally. "I have always been able to. I did not realize for some time that I was unique in that respect. If only Tieran had realized, I suppose, he would never have let me go." Her dry tease had yet to finish before Sybil had turned and resumed her work with the rest of the swarm. Watching her through the day, I was truly astounded by the level of attention to detail with which she lived her life and demanded of her followers. I was fairly certain Etra and Cree were both initially unremarkable, but I could feel that, since they had spent so much time with Sybil, they were now fairly close to beginning the steps into acquiring their own type of magic. With three of them… absolute obedience from any pack I conquered was just a question of time. 

That was more frightening than Redael had been, at least in the grand scheme.