33 NEW ASPECT

The rest of the day went by in a blur made blurrier by a myriad of unanswered questions.

Rex wondered for hours when he was going to be summoned for his rank up and gear assignment. Even more so, he wondered where Imani went. She wasn't in any of their classes afterward— he didn't even smell her near her barracks when it was time for bed.

Once again, he was in his barracks by nightfall, left unsure of how the day would end or what his dreams would entail.

He reached down for the temperature nozzle on his shower and cranked the heat up. Becoming a werepanther thickened his skin— not to mention he was a fire element user. He needed a little more than what was once required.

Seconds later and thick spirals of steam flowed from his shower head.

"You trying to bathe in hell over there or what?" Victor asked with sudsy dreadlocks.

"Something like that." Rex scrubbed his skin, feeling his growing muscles stretch his dark-tan skin.

"It's probably familiar. Our boys been in hell all day since Imani left." Syrus poked on the other side of him as he washed his pale scarred face.

"You guys have no idea where she is?" Rex asked.

"Considering the pictures on the internet. And your guys disappearance, she's probably having a family meeting."

"Or beating." Syrus said.

"Man, she's a grown ass woman." Rex waved off the lanky battle fiend as he teased him.

"A woman who's decisions are percieved as statements related to her family." Victor explained.

Rex spun around to look at his friend— who was also a behemoth, "Ew…. You sound like a politician."

Victor made a grossed out face, "I did…. My bad."

"You're good." Rex said.

"He is good. And correct."

They turned and found Greg standing behind them all, completely naked and dry.

Syrus made a disgusted face, "Come on dude— what are you doing?"

Greg raised an eyebrow at Syrus and sighed before adressing Rex again, "The Price Financial Agency Stock exchange dropped by twenty percent. I've seen six articles and fourteen viral onion articles saying the Price Princess is now more interested in boys than bettering the world like her mother."

Rex turned and faced Greg, "What is a stock exchange?"

"Money, Rex. It's money."

"It's always money." Rex said as he rolled his eyes.

"Until it isn't. Then the world ends." Greg said.

"What?"

"Money is easy. Money is….. predictable. When it stops being man's primary motivation, the battle for what is begins. And it won't be pretty. I'm sure those that know that are beginning to look your way differently. As if you're looking to shake things up. You're different Rex. You seem... flammable."

"Day one as a special operative and my cover's already blown. Dope." Rex thought before adding, "If I hear I'm different one more time—"

"Anyway. Stay safe. I suggest keeping your head down for a while. The thoughts in this place are quite hostile as of late."

"Aren't they always?"

Greg was already walking into the shower mist density. Disappearing like some sort of ghost.

"That guy is so weird." Syrus shivered.

"You're saying that?" Victor asked in disbelief.

Rex laughed for the first time the whole day.

An hour later and he was in bed, looking at the bars holding up the top bunk above him.

Tyson was snoring loudly beside him. His hand hung off the bed, no longer growing scales as it did on the first day.

Now he was the one growing new skin and fur. Irony.

"Wish I could've gone over the proposition AG Brennus made with Imani today. I can get closer to his brother now….. possibly closer than either of us could've guessed. But it might be too soon. I'm not nearly strong enough. And I have less than a month to grow. I think I'll have to start going out on nights. One more try to see Panther though. Just one more."

As if his wish was heard, he fell asleep. Immediately entering a deep rest as he sank into the cold of his pillows and left his physical body.

He woke up in the dirt again. Under an endless blanket of black midnight sky. He sat up and found that he was fully transformed. More than he'd ever been. Silky black fur covered him from head to toe. Under the light of the stars, he could make out stripes and spots on his coat. His heels were raised like that of a quadrupedal creature with incredible jumping power. His hands were pawed. He could feel the flexion of muscle needed to bring forth his inhumanely sharp claws.

He did.

In them, he saw Panther approaching from behind. So cat-like, of her.

He stood up and turned.

"Rex."

"Panther." Rex bowed.

Panther's tail waved in the rich winds, "You've come along well. Landed on your feet— as the cat does."

Rex looked down at his pawed feet, stepping into the dirt more firmly. "Yea well, if I did any worse Remulus and his Beast-General slaves would've killed me or had me in chains already."

Panther shook her head, "I see the wolf-boy is still kicking."

"He's that old?"

Panther nodded. "By human standards yes."

"Well, any pointers on how to kill him?"

"That was up front." Panther noted.

"What did you expect? I'm training to be a soldier."

Panther purred, "Fair enough."

"So what can you tell me?"

"Nothing."

Rex made a face in confusion. "How? You know something. You have to."

"Of course. But the panther must place their paws carefully so not to wake the jungle. We must stay hidden. That is where our strength resides. If I make rash decision and swing blindly against existence I could force a clash with the other Progenitors."

"What?!— couldn't that happen anyway? Isn't that supposed to happen with how Remulus is manhandling the other totem awakeners?"

"There is always choice. They made theirs, even if it's a bit disappointing." Panther explained.

"So you'll tell me nothing. Because you don't want to fight the others?"

"No. Because Progenitors have a code." Panther said.

"Uh-huh." Rex said while thinking, "Just wake me up. This shit is a waste."

"Progenitors are not gods. We must exist within the bounds of the natural world our creation inhabits. This keeps up connected." Panther explained.

Rex fought off a feline snarl, "Well, that explains the lack of a heads up."

"I couldn't have known Remulus was still alive."

"The possibility would've been nice to be told." Rex replied.

"Would you also like to know of Wolfram the Knighthound? And The Marrok? And I can go on?"

"No thanks, I got it." Rex replied.

"Good. Because tonight should have nothing to do with wolves and everything to do with you."

"Me?"

"You've taken a great step. A leap, even." Panther explained as she walked away, "Follow."

Rex did, begrudgingly. "Tired of being told to follow."

As they did, the night gained detail. Suddenly he walked over lush grass instead of dirt. He could smell rivers in the distance and see the shadowed outline of trees and bushes.

"You did something you weren't supposed to be able to do for at least another few weeks. Then again, the panther totem always developed the fastest. Just as nature intended." Panther explained, "You've spawned your first Aspect Wielder— one as unique as yourself. There has never been an Aspect Wielder of the inhuman variety. I will be watching you both through fresher eyes. The world may change at this point. With you, and your new feline kin."

Panther stopped ahead and sat down.

Rex stopped beside her, watching where the big cat was looking.

The jungle had reached its full clarity. Flower petals sparkled and river water shimmered like sheets of Diamond. The jungle density was both breathtaking and grounding in its familiarity.

Halfway up a tree, he could see a shape clinging to its bark.

A boy— no older than twelve with skin mottled with green spots almost like some sort of goblinoid vitilogo. His elven ears twitched as they split his curly mop of hair with his rising effort the higher he climbed.

It was there that he noticed the boys feline claws in the wood. And the real time transformation of his back and leg muscles.

"He's a natural. Much like you." Panther said.

Then the half-goblin slipped. And fell back to the ground.

"But he needs help. The kit is too young." Panther explained.

"I know."

"I can speak to him through his feline instincts. But that only does so much. I'll give you this connection when night falls. But during the day, you have a job. You lead a pride now. For now it's one, but something tells me you don't intend for it to stay that way."

"Maybe not." Rex said.

"Then I suggest you get to work— tezcatlipoca was not the only god for you to best."

"Wait— are you saying I have to fight another god….. with a goblin-kid? We can't get a warm-up?!" Rex asked. But Panther was already gone.

And the boy was on his feet, turning to find the source of the noise.

The two met eyes. Rex could see then that he was remembered— naturally.

The half-goblin dropped his eyes.

Now it was his turn.

Rex turned around and looked behind him at the boy, "Follow."