《Genesis》 Chapter 1 Today was a rather busy day at the little dive bar on the edge of town. I¡¯d been serving drinks and snacks non-stop since my shift had started a few hours ago, something I was rather grateful for as it kept my mind off of other, more painful things. It has been a year, but the ghost of that night still haunts me every day. I haven¡¯t been the same since then, life feels empty, and everything feels like it¡¯s obscured and distorted by static, growing worse every day. I had just placed down another beer for one of the regulars when someone approached the bar at the edge of my vision. Turning on the best smile I could manage, I turn towards them. Seconds pass before I register who is there in front of me, heart rate picking up as realization hits and the room seems to close in on me. I put down my palms on the edge of the counter, fingers digging into the wood as I barely manage to get the words out with a hiss, trying to stay in control. ¡°Markus. You¡¯re not welcome here.¡± He¡¯s dressed immaculately, as always, with the same false smile directed at me that he wore when apologizing for the accident. His voice is loud and clear, making sure others can hear him over the din of the bar. ¡°Oh, Ada, I didn¡¯t know you worked here. Quite the step down, is it not? Though, my dear, why would I not be welcome here? I don¡¯t recall visiting this place before.¡± His voice is grating in my ears as I bite my tongue to keep from saying too much. I couldn¡¯t keep talking to him, the memories were starting to flood back, the screeching of tires, the heat of the fire, the wetness of blood as she bled out in my arms. I take a deep breath, steeling myself as I look just past him, my eyes falling on the woman he was clearly here with, blonde and dainty, the exact opposite of Anya. Did he move on from his obsession after what he did, or was he just here to taunt me? I slowly exhale the breath I had been holding. ¡°You know why you¡¯re not welcome here. Your brother might protect you, but don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever forget.¡± My eyes turn towards his, the venom dripping from every word I speak. He reaches across the counter and places a hand on mine, the disgusting feeling of his oily skin on my hand makes me want to snatch it away. ¡°Ada, dear, you wound me. Do you really still believe that what happened was on purpose? It was an accident, we both know that, everyone knows that. I am sorry that you lost your dear fianc¨¦e, and that you carried so many scars away from it, but¡­ wasn¡¯t it lucky I was there to call the ambulance? Most others would¡¯ve just fled and you¡¯d not be here either.¡± Incensed, I extract my hand from underneath his and lean forward. ¡°You are one sick asshole, you know that? Anya was my wife, NOT my fianc¨¦e, and you know that. That¡¯s why you did what you did after all.¡± My anger drips from my words, and before I can stop myself, my hand flies out and slaps him across the face. His shocked expression is priceless. My voice drops to a deep growl as I speak again, loud enough to be heard by the others sitting at the bar, their attention clearly on me. ¡°Leave. Now. Never come back.¡± The woman next to Markus finally speaks, the first time since they got here. Her voice is shrill as she screams at me. ¡°How dare you! Assaulting someone like Markus!¡± She tugs at his arm as she turns to leave. ¡°Let¡¯s leave this rotten establishment, I am sure there are much better places.¡± She begins to stride out as Markus scrambles after her, his composure clearly broken. I take a deep breath as I survey the bar. It¡¯s quiet now, people are staring. What I did is only now starting to set in, alongside the memories of that night. My eyes widen, the silence is deafening. I need to go somewhere else, away from the people¡­ but I can¡¯t leave the bar. I turn from side to side before finally dashing into the back-room, fishing out my cell phone and making a call to the owner. It rings a few moments before Celine picks up. ¡°Hey Ada, everything ok?¡± Her voice is calm, concerned. I don¡¯t usually call her while on shift. I try to speak, but my voice forsakes me as only a pitiful sound escapes me. The line is quiet for a few moments as I try again to find my voice, with little luck. My throat is tight, the taste of smoke in my mouth as I gag a little, unable to breathe. ¡°I¡¯ll be there as soon as I can, hold on for a few more minutes.¡± Her voice is reassuring as I respond with a small whimper, she knew what happened a year ago, she was my best friend after all. ¡°Take a few deep breaths and sit down, wait for me.¡± The line goes silent as she hangs up. I slump to the ground next to the door leading back into the bar. Drawing my legs close to my body, I remind myself to breathe in and out, slow and steady. The quiet din of the bar behind the door has picked up again. It¡¯s not as oppressively silent anymore, though the quiet murmurs remind me of the hospital, all the whispers and the pity in the looks. I don¡¯t know how much time passed before I¡¯m pulled back into the here and now by Celine squatting down in front of me, one gloved hand reaching out to me, a small soothing smile on her face. ¡°Hey there.¡± I take another breath and swallow before I manage to speak. ¡°Hey there.¡± I realize I have been crying, my mouth is dry and my cheeks are wet from the tears. ¡°You don¡¯t seem like you¡¯re doing very well, Ada. I shouldn¡¯t have let you work alone, not today of all days. What happened?¡± She places her hand on my knee and soothes me a little with some gentle strokes. I shake my head a little as I stammer out his name. ¡°M-Markus¡­ he was here.¡± Celine¡¯s eyes widen at my words, her other hand tightening into a fist. ¡°I see, you should probably go home, rest a little. Today must¡¯ve been hard. Do you want me to take you? I¡¯ll just have to close up, it won¡¯t take long.¡± Considering her words for a few moments, I eventually shake my head, I don¡¯t want to burden her with my issues, she was already doing so much for me. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine¡­ probably. I might visit her grave before I go home¡­¡± I feel the sting in my chest, the heartache still as present as if it were yesterday. She considers me for a few moments, before she sighs and nods her head. ¡°Alright, but, please, if you need me, I am just a call away, alright? You don¡¯t need to be alone with this.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. A tight smile is all I can manage. ¡°I know, I¡¯ll try¡­ maybe we can watch a movie together sometime¡­¡± Even as I say it, it feels hollow, just like everything does nowadays. Celine stands up and holds out a hand to me to help me up. ¡°I¡¯ll take over for the rest of today, please stay safe, and the offer of my therapist is still open, you know? It wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡± I take her hand and let her help me up, but I don¡¯t respond as I ease out the creases on my work clothes before grabbing my coat from the hanger nearby. I turn towards her and give another smile. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, yeah?¡± She shakes her head as she steps up to the door. ¡°Only if you feel better.¡± She opens it for me and motions me through, the concern is plain in her eyes, concern for little broken me. I don¡¯t feel like I deserve it, but I don¡¯t tell her as much. I make my way out of the bar, avoiding the glances thrown my way, and step out into the chilly night, a slight drizzle coating the road. Pulling up my coat, I start making my way through the little town we live in, to the graveyard where Anya is buried. The rain had gotten a bit stronger on my way there, but I don¡¯t mind; It keeps my thoughts from wandering as I make my way through the rows of gravestones, until I finally reach her. Tucked away into a little corner, underneath a willow tree, sits her gravestone, a rather simple one, with her name engraved on it and not much else. She never wanted more than that. I squat down in front of it and run my fingers across her name, recalling the good times we had together, how we met in a little bookshop in another town. The travels we went on, our first kiss at a moonlit pond not far from here. A small sigh escapes as my recollection continues: the day she proposed, despite our love being so different, our small and lovely wedding, the honeymoon and then, just a few short days later, she died. The accident, which really was anything but. Markus had been stalking and harassing her for a while. We had planned to move to another city soon, as we couldn¡¯t do much about Markus here, with the chief of police being his brother and all. We never expected him to go that far. My fingers trail across the contour of a knife fastened to my belt, one I¡¯d been carrying ever since the accident. Anya had gifted it to me for one of our camping trips a few years ago. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t quite sure what I planned to use it for. Clearly not its intended purpose, but maybe vengeance? Probably, though it wasn¡¯t really an option. Maybe as a way out. It was something I¡¯d considered on some days, like today, the ones where it all just seemed hopeless. I sit down on the stone, leaning back against the gravestone. ¡°Hey Anya, I hope wherever you are is a better place, if there¡¯s anywhere you are now, that is.¡± The tears I shed are washed away by the rain as I look into the sky. ¡°I miss you. Today has not been a good day. One of those days I consider joining you. But you wouldn¡¯t want that, you¡¯d want me to try my best to keep living. It¡¯s not easy.¡± The rain drowns out my sobs as I break down into tears, the reality of her loss so fresh on my mind, luckily the rest of the cemetery is empty due to the rain, there¡¯s no one here to disturb me. Eventually, my legs hugged in close, I manage to still myself a little. ¡°I¡¯ll try, my love, even if I am like this sometimes¡­ I just wish you were here with me.¡± My thoughts drift before they are snapped back into focus as something shifts. It¡¯s nothing in my surroundings, at least not anything visible. The static that I¡¯ve been feeling over the past year grows in intensity, washing over my senses, drowning them out for a few moments. I manage to fight through it, though. The static is still there however, it feels almost like it is pushing into me, causing me a little bit of pain, slowly growing in intensity the more the static grows. The static doesn¡¯t exactly feel wrong, despite the pain it is causing me, it feels familiar. Familiar in a way that I do not like, in a way that is quickly breaking down barriers I¡¯d built over decades. Barriers shielding me from memories I had long repressed, pushed away into the furthest corners of my mind. The first memories that come back to me are from before things turned bad, from when I was still very little. Memories of playing in the backyard, sometimes alone, sometimes with friends or with my mother, each of them happy, each of them ending with the same static as I am experiencing now, just less obscuring, and coming mostly from inside. When my mother is there, the static doesn¡¯t cause pain, she seems to teach me, calls it magic. Similar memories come flooding back, but they quickly turn darker. My mother disappears from them, then my father becomes unpleasant. The static is there in these memories too, it¡¯s always there, hiding me from his ire when he is drunk, its pain is better than that he¡¯d inflict on me. I age in the memories, my happy times turning darker and darker with every passing day, my body feeling more wrong the older I get, the magic slowly fading. Then, there¡¯s the day the magic disappears entirely. That day, my father dies. Spontaneous self combustion the news called it. I knew better, and I knew better than to tell them, I told him, about me, about feeling wrong, about the magic, he called me an abomination. Tried to make me disappear, just like mother. I didn¡¯t let him, burning what little I still had alongside him. More memories come and go in a blur, of teenage years living with fear, wanting nothing else but to not be me anymore, to finally be free of that body. Then they stop, as suddenly as the memories came, they are gone again. My consciousness returns to the real world, and I try to shove the memories back into the farthest recesses of my mind. It takes me a long few moments to realize I collapsed entirely to the ground, curled up into a fetal position, still shaking. The rain has drenched me, but I do not care. Instead, I grasp for the static, pulling it into me, the pain spikes alongside it, though its feeling is still familiar, safe despite the pain, and the more I grasp for it, the less obscured the world feels. I lay there for minutes, slowly recovering, I can¡¯t tell whether the magic is real, or just a fabrication of my broken mind, but regardless, it helps. Eventually, I manage to sit up, leaning back against Anya¡¯s headstone, and I start giggling. ¡°Magic, Anya. Can you imagine?¡± My words barely make it out, the giggles quickly replaced by sobs again. ¡°If only it were real. Maybe I could¡¯ve saved you. Or maybe it is, and I failed you.¡± My mind rages against that idea, if magic is real, and I had known of it, then why is my wife dead? Did I kill her, am I responsible for her death? My mind begins to spiral again, my memories tearing down the walls I am trying to build up again, clawing into me, slowly pulling me under again. What saves me is a loud rumbling sound, the thunder of lightning high up in the sky, but more visceral than anything I heard before, pressing into me on an existential level. My eyes are drawn upwards, where a giant black ball of lightning floats, its presence sucking up the light, darkening even the gloom of the storm. A tendril of lightning arcs from it and into the ground somewhere far away, and the rumble repeats, the visceral feeling returns. I have a hard time parsing what is happening, my mind is broken, and the sky broke alongside it. Not just the sky, I belatedly realize. It¡¯s not just the lightning causing the rumble, but the earth itself shifts beneath me, cracking, but not in the way of an earthquake. Like reality is breaking apart. My giggles return, it¡¯s the only way I know how to cope with this. With the end of the world. ¡°I guess it doesn¡¯t matter if I failed you, Anya. I am sorry though, I am joining you today after all. I hope you forgive me.¡± Another rumble passes through me, taking my consciousness with it. The last thing I see is a crack in reality spreading across the graveyard, heading straight for me. I hope death by disintegration still lets me go to where Anya is. Chapter 2 Some time later, I awake with a splitting migraine, the static of magic drowning out my senses as I lay on the ground. Pulling in the magic into my body calms the static, clearing up my senses as it did before. The pull of the magic causes me to squirm in pain, though it quickly subsides as more of it enters my body. Alongside it, my migraine starts to recede a little, the over stimulation having caused it in the first place. The magic inside of me feels different however, it is not just a small ember beneath my heart, instead it feels like a raging inferno encompassing my entire body. Though unlike before, it does not hurt me, the sensation of it feels right, natural, like my body needs it to live. It continues to squirm underneath my skin, it¡¯s hard to tell where the magic starts and my body ends, almost like I am one with it, and it is just waiting for a signal to follow. Almost like it is anticipating something, though I am not sure what, and as to what purpose. Eventually I start to blink open my eyes, and am happy to discover that the migraine seems to be slowly subsiding, luckily the light is dim and doesn¡¯t aggravate it again. There¡¯s only a little bit of moonshine breaking through the leaves of the tree, though despite the night, I do not feel cold. I slowly get up from where I was laying next to my wife¡¯s gravestone and take a look at my surroundings. The air, or ambient magic, I am not sure, has a taste to it that I can¡¯t quite place, and that isn¡¯t exactly a taste. I decide to ignore it for now, there are more pressing issues to consider. The willow tree seems to have grown a lot, it shadows almost the entire area now, where before it had barely reached above her grave. A small shudder goes through me as I try to figure out just how long I had been knocked out. That is when I notice that other graves seem to have disappeared, at least I can not find them anywhere nearby. Whatever happened before I got knocked out must¡¯ve done a number on pretty much everything it seems, maybe it gave the tree a little bit of a growth spurt. I sigh wistfully, my wife had wanted to nurture a tree in her death, so I am glad she got her wish. As I reach out to the tree to feel its bark, I freeze in place. My hand seems to have changed as well, not just everything around me. And it¡¯s not just my hand, I am quick to notice, but my skin and arm as well, and probably more. A slight shudder goes through me, the change feels so natural I didn¡¯t even notice. I try not to linger too long on that thought, and to instead assess the changes. The first thing that stands out is that my skin is starkly different, it is covered in a layer of tiny feathers, kind of like scales or the fuzz of moths, layered tightly enough to create a smooth yet soft sensation to my fingers. My fingers have elongated quite a bit and moved slightly further apart. The skin of my hand is much more capable of stretching, allowing for much greater flexibility, something that is clearly needed as I seem capable of moving the bones that usually form the palm area. As I flex them a few times, I notice that my skin seems to reflect light in different ways at different angles, as if the scales are some sort of prisms. It is a fascinating and mesmerizing phenomenon that catches my attention for a long few moments. It is so different and yet it feels like my skin should¡¯ve always been this way. My hands though seem strange to me, they do not look quite human anymore, yet they aren¡¯t so foreign I am appalled by them, they still feel like me. My arms and torso are in a similar state, they have changed but in ways that are not appalling to me, I am slightly more bulky and muscular, and I notice a much greater flexibility in my joints. Stretching my fingers, the movement comes to me naturally and without issue, and I can feel the muscles shift beneath my skin, they¡¯re different, almost squirming in their movement, but not entirely foreign. I glance down towards my legs and notice that they, too, have shifted, into a very digitigrade composition at that, and my feet have changed similarly to my hands. As I crouch down I can reach much lower to the ground than I could before, or rather, in a much easier manner; keeping the muscles in my legs tight and ready for action. Another feeling comes to me too, one that I follow out of curiosity, compelling me to get on all fours. It is an easy shift, more so than I anticipated even. It¡¯s also quite comfortable I note, as I step closer to the tree, my toes bury into the grass beneath me with an ease that belies their apparent lack of toe nails, something that is also reflected on my fingers. It doesn¡¯t seem to interfere with sensation or usability, so my changed body must be compensating for it in some way regardless. I settle with my back against the tree and wrap my tail around it. A tail I very much did not have before, and failed to notice, somehow, its movement comes easily to me, as natural as any other limb, moreso even somehow. And it is long, long enough to wrap around the tree and have the tip of it next to me. It is covered in the same little scale feathers as the rest of my body, and I can feel the strength teeming in it. I hadn¡¯t been exactly dissatisfied with how I looked or anything, though there had been a slight gnawing of there being potential for more, even after all these years. The changes my body underwent while I was knocked out are certainly more, a lot more, than I¡¯d have imagined even in my wildest dreams. And yet, the changes don¡¯t feel wrong, just slightly foreign and foreboding as the magic continues to squirm in me. It feels almost like the magic is merely waiting for an impetus to act, to change. Into what, or what it will do, is a mystery to me, however. As I consider the magic and what to do from now on, I relax more against the tree, and start to feel a soft warmth exude from it, and a gentle breeze caresses my cheek. I could swear I hear my wife¡¯s voice, though I can¡¯t make out her words; it pulls me out of my thoughts and my surroundings come back into a stark focus. That¡¯s when I notice a small shimmer pass through the air, it is too short to make out the exact shape, but it is soon followed by another. It doesn¡¯t take long to notice that there is some sort of dome surrounding the area around the grave. Slowly getting up, I stalk up towards the edge of the clearing, still on all fours as I do so, my tail trailing behind me. A small shiver goes down my spine as it loses contact to the tree, though it is quickly banished as another breeze brushes through my¡­ fur? I am not sure what to call it quite yet. The breeze seems to carry a soft reassurance with it, one that makes me slow down a little, and I glance back to the grave. It is still there, standing still and silent as it had before, yet I can¡¯t shake the feeling of not being alone, of her being here with me, and not just in the sentimental way either. As I reach the dome, I quickly notice that it seems to obscure everything outside of it, in some way that I can¡¯t quite comprehend. I still see what is outside, and yet it seems quite disconnected, like a mirage that flees the mind as soon as you focus on it. It is frankly quite unsettling and I move along the edge to see if it is this way everywhere. The presence I sense follows along, though it is so faint it almost feels like another trick of my mind, that is until another breeze goes across my body once more, as if to remind me that it¡¯s real. It¡¯s odd, I want to speak to whoever this is, yet I know that speaking would maybe break the spell, or just be futile in itself, so I hold my words for now, instead letting myself be soothed by this ghost of days past. Even if it is just an illusion, it helps my mind stay rooted in the now, somewhere I am aware that I am probably in shock, unable to fully process all that has happened yet, but I do not yet have the safety to think on it, the place I am at may have been my wife¡¯s grave in the past, but it is clearly different now. I eventually finish a full circle around the dome while lost in thought, no parts of it seem to be quite different to the rest, it is a perfect encapsulation of the clearing, shielding this place from the outside world. Or, well, keeping me prisoner, though I choose to believe it is meant to protect. Making my way back to the center where the tree stands, I reach a hand out and touch its bark, the warmth fills me once more, it feels almost like the magic inside of my body, yet it feels more soothing and calm, I do not taste this magic, like I do the ambient magic, and yet I want to know what it would taste like. I take a few moments before deciding what to do next, I need to know what is going on, and as reluctant as I am to break this spell, I know I can not stay here forever, eventually I¡¯d need to find food and water. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Opening my mouth to speak, to address the presence with me, my words come out a garbled mess as for the first time I notice my tongue has changed too, the failure at speaking is accompanied by what sounds like a giggle on the breeze, yet it is too indistinct to make out. I take a moment for a quick inspection of my tongue, which tells me that it is much longer and more flexible, almost like my tail, though not quite, it is much thinner and feels less potent in its strength. A sigh escapes me as I try to figure out how to speak with the tongue, and it takes me a few long minutes of different attempts before I find my voice again. While I do so, I also notice a few other changes to my mouth, it seems to have elongated a slight bit, almost like a cats snout, and my teeth are much sharper than before, though it¡¯s hard to tell if that is all that has changed with them. ¡°Well, I am not sure who, or what you are, but¡­¡± I sigh a little, trying to gather my thoughts. ¡°Your presence feels a lot like my wife did, and this is her grave.¡± I point towards it with my tail. ¡°So, yeah. I honestly have no idea what is going on, or what happened, and now I seem to be stuck here, and you¡¯re the only thing around so, if you can maybe help me get out of here?¡± A breeze brushes across my cheek again, it feels like an answer, but not one I can quite parse, it is reassuring though. ¡°I¡¯d love to talk to you more, though I am not sure how well you understand me, and I can¡¯t understand much from you.¡± My head turns to look towards the border of the little area I am in. ¡°Can you even bring down that barrier?¡± It takes a few moments before I get a response, which comes in the form of the barrier flickering a few times, before the outside world comes more into focus, the mirage like effect from before gone, though the barrier itself is still clearly there, a slightly indistinct haze in the air. Hesitating a moment, I eventually manage to break away from the tree and approach the barrier, the closer I get, the more details I can make out. The outside seems to be a wide open field of grass, a mountain in the far distance I can barely make out. It takes me a few moments to realize that it is, in fact, still the middle of the night, and yet I can see almost unimpeded, more colors and things greeting my vision than I had ever seen before. As I consider that, I am startled as a rabbit rises up out of the grass in front of me just outside the barrier, before hopping off, leaving a trail of burning grass behind as flames are expelled with each little hop. I stare at the embers for far too long, trying to wrap my head around what I just witnessed, the heat that is slowly dispersing into the air does of course not help my fascination, I can see each trickle slowly dissipate into the ambient temperature, until it finally is all gone. A magical fire bunny and the ability to see heat. I fight the urge to giggle at the absurdity of it, it shouldn¡¯t even be that absurd to me considering the other changes to my own body, and yet, seeing the reality of it in another living being and being able to use a brand-new sense is a stark difference. I take a deep breath trying to calm myself, no point in getting into this now, instead, I decide to test whether the barrier still traps me in here. Reaching out, I place a hand against it, and it appears to be quite solid, growing more opaque where I touch and with more pressure. My instincts tell me that I can¡¯t break through it physically, no matter what I try, the magic though seems to resonate with me in some way. My own magic squirms beneath my skin in response to the contact, wanting to¡­ I am not sure what it quite wants, it feels hungry, I feel hungry in a way that I have never before. Like the magic is a meal made just for me, the smell, which isn¡¯t quite a smell but some other sense, makes the saliva gather in my mouth. I cautiously retract my hand for the moment, I want to taste it, but I do not know how, or how safe it would be, nor do I know what is outside yet. Before experimenting, I decide to take another round around the barrier''s edge, to see what else I can spot, though before I start, I take a glance towards the tree in the middle. I had not noticed the thermal sense before, despite the warmth emanating from the tree when touching it. Looking at it now, it looks just as before, no special heat signatures or anything I can tell, maybe the warmth I felt was more of a feeling of safety? It¡¯s hard to tell, the magic might also be relevant in it. I shake my head and turn back towards the outside of the barrier. The moon is still high in the sky, its dim light shining on me. I observe it for a bit longer, considering my options. Trying to¡­ eat the barrier might not be a smart idea, but neither would be violence, I am fairly sure, though I can¡¯t exactly stay here forever, I will need food and water eventually. My head tilts to the side as I hear a rustle of some sort, that isn¡¯t quite a rustle. It is similar to the taste of magic, my brain processing a new sense in some roundabout way? I hadn¡¯t heard anything from outside the barrier before, even when the rabbit jumped earlier, which makes me more confident in it being magic. Turning towards the source of the sound, it seems to come from the other side of my little circle of safety. Instead of starting to move quickly, I calm my nerves, and quietly start making my way towards the source, my feet, or paws? Softly hit the ground, making barely a sound as I approach. Staying low to the ground, I finally see the source of the sound. Someone is outside of the barrier, the sight is too blurry for me to make out exact details, though I can tell that their hand seems to be placed on the outside of the barrier. I observe for a bit, the rustling grows in intensity, despite there being no visible movement. That is, until small cracks seem to spread out from where they touch, quickly covering the entire barrier. Slinking back, anxiety starts to grip me, clearly the cracks couldn¡¯t be a good thing for the integrity of the barrier, and this person had a clear grasp on their magic, assuming it is magic, which means I am at an unknown disadvantage, should they be hostile. Going through my options, I realize I don¡¯t exactly have many. I can try an ambush, but that would most likely destroy any chances at a conversation or help, the same goes for running, assuming I even can. Shaking my body, I raise myself up and settle down on the ground in front of them, preparing to greet them in the open. They don¡¯t seem to have noticed me yet. After a few moments of waiting, the cracks covering the barrier seem to pulse, it almost feels like they¡¯re expanding, though trying to watch them closely starts to cause me a headache almost immediately. Before I can look away, the barrier breaks apart, into thousands of tiny pieces, all without a sound, not even the magical kind, as if whatever magic was being done just vanished into itself. A shudder goes through me, breaking my fascination with the shards, and reminding me that I am not along anymore. My eyes snap back to where the stranger was standing earlier. Standing there is a woman wearing a long coat made from some kind of deep blue material; she seems to be quite a bit taller than me, even considering the fact of my reduced size now, she¡¯d have been taller than me before I changed, and I wasn¡¯t exactly a short woman before. She has short blue hair with a pair of black horns growing down from the top of her head, covering her temples. Behind her head floats a shifting fractal, similar to the final moments of the barrier, its form overall gives the impression of a halo. This one doesn¡¯t disappear on its own though, quickly starting to cause me another headache, so I avert my eyes downwards. Her eyes are surrounded in pale blue scales, which start at the base of a cute button nose, and after covering her eyes, start trailing off towards the horns, where they disappear. An old scar leads from the bottom of her jaw line all the way up to her eyebrows, crossing over one of her eyes, the scales hiding a good part of it, but not the entirety. Her eyes have a similar effect to the halo, though in a much less intense way, allowing me to meet them without shying away immediately. Much like the fractal kaleidoscope of her halo, her eyes are changing at a slow but consistent pace, the color and patterns I can see are never the same. I am so fixated on her face, and especially her eyes, that I don¡¯t even notice when she starts speaking, it takes her closing her eyes for a few seconds to break the spell they placed upon me. Chapter 3 Mia The barrier crumbles as Mia¡¯s fractal magic finally takes hold, having taken longer than a barrier of this size would usually take, though even then, it hadn¡¯t been more than an hour. As it comes down, it reveals a small hill with a tree on it, a grave resting beneath it. The stark lack of a magical presence that natural treasures usually exude, and which would usually be the source of a barrier like this in the middle of nowhere, is quite a surprise for Mia. Something was wrong, but she couldn¡¯t place what. That is, until her eyes finally fall onto a creature, sitting in the middle of the grass in front of her, staring up at her. The presence it exudes is odd, almost non-existent. Even less mana leaks from it than from an old world rabbit. Even ambush predators like the shade leopards, which this creature does resemble in some ways, leak more mana unless they are actively hiding. This creature, however, was not making any attempt to do that. Instead it just sits there, looking up at her with its big eyes, a frankly massive tail swaying in the air behind it. Upon closer scrutiny, there are a few humanoid features to the creature, though they are mostly subsumed by the more animalistic parts. The skin is covered in some form of scales. It¡¯s an odd sight to Mia, not one she had seen before, almost like a mix between some kind of lizard, human and cat. Finally she meets its eyes. It doesn¡¯t shy away, and there is a clear curiosity in its eyes, more so than most beasts have, though while intelligent and even sapient animals aren¡¯t exactly uncommon anymore, they do tend to have a very domineering presence to them. ¡°Hey there, little one.¡± Mia starts to speak in the common tongue. If the creature is intelligent, it should be able to understand her, the magic innate to the language allows almost anyone to speak and understand it, given enough long term exposure to the ambient mana. In reply however, the creature sitting in front of her just tilts its head, small red streaks passing across its scales as something squirms beneath. The squirming stops after a second, and the creature finally replies. ¡°Hello, I don¡¯t think I understand you.¡± It does not speak in the common tongue, the words instead take her a few moments to recognize. English, albeit one that has some peculiarity to its pronunciation, as if the mouth that forms the words is not made for them. She hadn¡¯t spoken English in well over two centuries, when the last of the people from her hometown died in battle, not long after the genesis. It takes Mia a minute to figure out a reply. ¡°I understand you. You speak English?¡± She takes a step closer and squats down, to get on the same eye level as the creature in front of her. ¡°I¡¯m Mia, and you?¡± The creature tilts its head again, considering her words, another flicker of colors goes across its skin before it replies. ¡°Ada, I¡¯m¡­¡± Ada hesitates for a moment before continuing. ¡°new here, just arrived, so to say.¡± Ada clearly doesn¡¯t trust Mia, she concludes, though it isn¡¯t surprising, they did just meet. Mia nods and reaches out a hand, palm facing up, for Ada to familiarize itself with her. ¡°Where are you from? I¡¯m from the kingdom''s outpost up in the mountains.¡± Ada considers the outstretched hand for a few moments before taking a step closer, looking at it more closely and giving it a little sniff. ¡°Your magic smells funny. It also looked funny when you used it, at least this one doesn¡¯t give me a migraine.¡± Ada grimaces a little and reaches its front paw, or hand? Mia isn¡¯t quite sure, towards its throat. ¡°Sorry, words are harder in this body than I thought. I¡¯m from a small town that¡¯s around here, it¡¯s¡­¡± Ada motions towards the north-east. ¡±well, was over there? I guess it¡¯s gone now? Just how much has changed?¡± It takes Mia a little bit to process what Ada had told her. It, or she? There was a slight feminine tilt to Ada¡¯s speech, but nothing quite distinct, probably due to the difficulties speaking. Ada had been a human before, probably. And wherever they are now, would¡¯ve been close to where she had lived before, not that that quite mattered with the genesis changing the geography to such an extreme extent. ¡°Well, Ada, have you been here long? The barrier I broke seemed quite sturdy, and I don¡¯t think you were the one to cast it.¡± Mia slightly inclines her head upwards to where the barrier had been, her eyes still staying on Ada¡¯s as she observes her. Ada tilts her head before shrugging her shoulders a little. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I woke up a little while ago next to my wife''s grave.¡± Her tail points towards a gravestone Mia had missed before. ¡°And well, I was changed! And there¡¯s magic now! You probably know that already though.¡± Her eyes move towards Mia¡¯s halo for a second before returning to her eyes, the movement elicits a slight bit of surprise from Mia. Most people never noticed it unless she was actively using magic. ¡°You used some after all. Not sure I should even be telling you this.¡± Ada rights her head as a few lines of color flow across her skin. Mia patiently listens as Ada talks, considering her words for a moment before speaking again. ¡°So, you were human before? Wouldn¡¯t be the only one that changed.¡± She points towards her horns. ¡°Though I¡¯ve not seen many with changes quite this extreme, not involuntarily at least. Most end up with some slightly different features, like mine. Magic can do more if directed to do so.¡± ¡°So, you changed your eyes to have that same magic in them? Wait, no, the exact mechanics aren¡¯t really relevant right now. I am¡­ a bit lost. The barrier, I think it was meant to protect me, though I am not sure who or what placed it.¡± Ada hops up from the ground, landing on all fours as she heads up the hill, her tail splitting in two and motioning for Mia to follow her. Though, she stops for a second at that motion, looking back towards the split tail with a curious expression, the curiosity intensifying as lines flow across her skin. There seems to be a differing pattern to them every time they show up. There¡¯s a quiet ¡°huh¡± from Ada before she continues leading them up the hill. She stops next to a gravestone that looks much less weathered than anything should be in this area; storms were relatively frequent here. ¡°This is Anya¡¯s.¡± Ada¡¯s voice has a clear note of hurt to it, though she looks back towards Mia after just a moment, her tails merging back together. ¡°I¡­ know I shouldn¡¯t, and probably can¡¯t stay here. I can taste the magic changing already from when the barrier was there.¡± Her eyes turn to the tree near them. ¡°I think the tree had to do with it, you came here looking for something, no?¡± Mia had come looking for natural treasures, but if the tree was it, then it wouldn¡¯t do much good. The closer they had gotten, the more clear it became that it was almost entirely drained of its power. It¡¯d take another century to recover at least. So, instead, she just shakes her head. ¡°I did, but there¡¯s nothing here for me, not anymore. You can come with me, you are right that you can¡¯t stay here, you probably won¡¯t last long this far out into the frontiers.¡± There¡¯s a slightly dejected look on her face, accompanied by yet another pattern of lines, before she gives a sharp nod. ¡°I¡¯ll come back eventually. She always wanted me to live to the best of my ability, regardless of what others think or say. Staying here would defy that. You said you¡¯re from a kingdom? In the mountains? What is it like? And¡­ how long has it been?¡± Mia chuckles slightly as she starts leading them down the hill again. ¡°A few centuries, it¡¯s hard to keep track of the exact time, especially with all the chaos in the aftermath of the genesis¡­ and well, as we grow older our perception does also change quite drastically, it starts to become a bit of a blur eventually.¡± She shrugs a little as her fractal magic starts flowing from her halo. ¡°The kingdom is¡­ not great. Has never been. But it¡¯s the strongest power this side of the great wastes. There¡¯s not much choice for me sadly. Try not to get tangled up in the mess once we get there, you don¡¯t have enough power for anyone to really care.¡± The magic stops flowing as it manifests in the air around her, solidifying and shifting her body into her preferred form, one mostly made up of magic as her wings stretch high into the sky, and a roar, both high and low pierces through the air, shattering its physical bounds as the magic in it tears apart any obstruction. Her little companion takes it all a little too well, most people are afraid when they see her draconic form, the blue luster of her scales proudly displayed. Ada though, seems mostly unaffected, the roar flowing around Ada as it reaches her, her eyes fixate on Mia¡¯s form a moment later, though the strain is clearly showing, it doesn¡¯t seem to originate in fear, more in the complexity of Mia¡¯s magic, and in appreciation of her form.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Ada I am still processing my new friend''s words when she starts leaking magic all over the place, the same kind of migraine inducing magic as before, but this time it¡¯s more manageable. Either I¡¯ve gotten more used to it, or there is a difference to how it works. Some of it comes close to my body and I get a closer feeling for it. It¡¯s not warm like the tree, but rather a dichotomy between heat and cold, switching between them at a rapid pace. Pulling a little at it, my body happily absorbs it, just like the ambient magic. As it courses through me it quickly is subsumed by the rest of the magic, making me wonder how it would feel like to someone else. My thoughts are interrupted when Mia lets out a roar, the sound just as contradictory as the magic it is suffused in, and as it washes over me I focus on absorbing some of it. It resists the attempt, only allowing me to eat a tiny wisp. The vast majority of it flows around me though, leaving me unharmed. I look towards Mia. The body she now has causes me a slight bit of discomfort, though it is also beautiful. Her scales are the same blue as the ones that had surrounded her eyes, and her wings are almost translucent, the membrane is covered in a myriad of tiny patterns, most likely from her magic. Sniffing the air, I can tell that her body has an overwhelming smell of magic, but there is still that same smell as when I smelled her hand, the smell of her body. I am not sure where the magic starts and where her body ends, but I can tell that this is her, just like her humanoid form is. As I slowly start pacing closer towards her, Mia cranes her long neck around. She is, overall, rather slim, though not so slim as to be a serpent. ¡°Get on my back, little one, I¡¯ll carry you.¡± Her voice is deep and the earth rumbles as she speaks. A thump makes me look towards her tail as she places it on the ground to form a ramp. I hop onto it and climb onto her back, my movements quick and sure, the extra balance my tail provides coming in quite handy. Settling on her back, I raise my voice slightly so she can hear me well. ¡°You said several centuries passed. I¡­ have been asleep since magic came back. I am, admittedly, a bit lost.¡± The words are still rather difficult to speak. While they are familiar, my tongue and mouth are not, straining them in the process. Mia lets out a small rumble in acknowledgement as she spreads her wings, and I can feel the air press down as she beats them, lifting into the air far quicker than someone of her size has any right to. I mutter a silent goodbye to Anya as Mia starts to gain more height. She replies to me in between the beat of her wings. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure whether that was the case, but thank you for confirming. When magic came back, that day is called the genesis now. It¡¯s been a long time, and society, or at least, the few surviving dregs of it, adjusted long ago and things have changed. A lot of people don¡¯t even remember the before, most because they were born after, some for other reasons. You¡¯ll have a lot of adjusting to do.¡± Mia accelerates and the ground beneath us turns into a blur as she rushes us higher into the sky and across the plains. When Mia finally evens out into a steady flight, I can appreciate the surroundings of us. The sun is slowly cresting the horizon far in the distance, illuminating a wide river crossing through the grassy plains. One thing I note though, is that the entire plains do not seem to have a single tree growing on them, except the willow at the grave. That is, until far in the distance towards the west, a massive forest starts sprouting out of the ground. I am not quite certain due to the distance, but it looks like it reaches all the way to the horizon in the south, and the mountains we are flying towards in the north. The mountains in the north seem to be the tail end of a mountain range, reaching all the way into the clouds and beyond. I assume that is where the outpost Mia had talked about previously is located. ¡°This is amazing, Mia, do you often fly like this?¡± I feel giddy and want to start prancing around on her back, but I stop myself, unsure of whether I can keep my balance with the strong winds buffeting us. Mia¡¯s voice is still a rumble, even more intensified by the direct contact with her. It feels soothing in a way. ¡°Whenever I can, there¡¯s nothing better than being able to fly.¡± A small giggle escapes me at the elation in her words, a giggle that turns into a surprised yelp as she banks to the side, spiraling downwards before steadying out again. Her body rumbles again in what I think is laughter. ¡°That was mean!¡± I grumble a little before speaking again. ¡°You said others have changed in appearance too? Is it common? I feel¡­ right, so I don¡¯t mind it, but it was a bit of a surprise! And it does take some getting used to!¡± It takes a few long moments until Mia replies to me, her voice considerate and slow. ¡°Yes, most people have changed, in fact. Though usually it is rather involuntary, and more often than not it is a change that is ambivalent at best. Very few people have changed in a way that feels right to them. The magic responsible for it usually is wild, and covers entire areas, changing people to its own whims. It is rare that the magic is so personal and, I suspect, malleable, as it was in your case.¡± She raises us higher into the sky, breaching the clouds and covering us in water vapor as she does so. Water vapor that curiously just flows off of me, barely any of the drops sticking to my new skin. A smile splits my face, revealing my teeth again, as the reality of my new body sets in. ¡°That¡¯s sad, I think I really like my new body. I hadn¡¯t felt any change be this right in many years. Though not that many for your perspective.¡± I giggle a little at that. ¡°Do people generally consider themselves still human? You seem quite¡­ draconic. Not that that¡¯s a bad thing! You¡¯re beautiful!¡± Heat rises into my cheeks as I realize what I said, though my worries are quickly dissipated as I feel another laugh rumble through her. ¡°Beautiful indeed! It took a lot of effort to be able to transform like this, but as you said, it does feel right! I am glad your transformation wasn¡¯t one of the less savory ones.¡± She banks slightly, turning towards a specific mountain peak. We aren¡¯t far now, having passed much more distance than I thought. We continue to fly for another few minutes before Mia starts slowing down, eventually coming to a halt in midair, about a hundred meters away from the mountain. I can feel her inhale beneath me, clearly taking her time so I can prepare myself for what is to come. Quickly I hunker down on her back and close my eyes, and just a moment later, she releases another roar, this time it feels slightly different, and when the energy finishes passing over me, I crack open my eyes again. In front of us, the mountain changes. A large, busy landing platform is revealed, cut into the side of the mountain. On top of it are several things which look a lot like planes and airships, though they don¡¯t seem very aerodynamic, more like what one would find in a fantasy book. Mia continues her approach after a spot is cleared for her to land, the people around the platform giving her a wide berth and not bothering us much, aside from a few curious glances. After touching down, Mia lowers her tail to the ground, signaling me to get down from her back. I quickly follow her wishes and walk up to her snout. Looking up into it I can see a hint of amusement in her pupils before I feel the magic that is partially making up her body start to retreat. It still feels odd to me, and the magic in my body seems to react to it in a strange manner, almost like it wants to leap out and change the magic Mia is using. I wrestle it down, though it is something to consider and ask about later. After turning back into her humanoid figure, her decency during the change protected by a gust of mist that engulfs both of us, she motions for me to follow her. She¡¯s oddly quiet for the moment, but I follow her regardless. The expression on her face seems a little strained everytime she looks around us. It doesn¡¯t take long before we reach a quiet corner, away from the other people, and Mia finally starts talking again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry little one but, I have something to take care of, report back and all that. I don¡¯t really want to leave you alone here, but you can¡¯t come along if we want to keep you safe for now.¡± Her expression is clearly torn, so I bring forward a tail, gently brushing it along her cheek. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I understand.¡± My actions elicit a small smile from her and she kneels down, brushing a hand against my cheek, which I can¡¯t help but lean into, the warmth of the gesture making me feel a little bit safer. I can see the patterns cross across my tail again, probably my entire body. They¡¯re involuntary and ever since I first saw them I¡¯ve been trying to find what is causing them. Mia¡¯s eyes follow the patterns as well, and she smiles at them. ¡°Happy?¡± She chuckles slightly. ¡°Since I can¡¯t take you with me, we¡¯ll have to meet up again later. Not here though, there¡¯s an inn in the city, the Shadow Hare. Meet me there in two hours, when the clock strikes twelve, okay?¡± I nod in agreement as she gives me directions to find the inn, knowing that if I try to speak my words will fail me, heat having risen into my cheeks, my entire skin actually, when she asked whether I am happy. I was. Sort of. And the patterns on my skin betrayed that fact to her! She chuckles again slightly as I don¡¯t respond with words, but eventually gets up on her feet again. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll see you later. Stay out of trouble if you can.¡± She waves goodbye as she walks away, and I return the gesture with my hand-paws. Once she leaves my sight, I look around myself. The corner we had been in was rather well hidden from sight, so no one was bothering me quite yet, but there were some crates around, so they would eventually come here. I decide not to try my luck with being found alone at the equivalent to an airport, and start making my way into the mountain itself. There''s a gate, but the guards only seem to care about who is leaving the mountain, not who is entering, so I am let through without issue and into a tunnel leading deeper into the mountain. It¡¯s time to go on an adventure! Chapter 4 The trip through the tunnel is a short one. I quickly alight into a massive cavern, a cavern brimming with sound and magic. The magic doesn¡¯t feel the same as the natural magic I felt outside, but more refined and subdued. My eyes follow a wisp of it to a light enchantment etched into the ceiling of the cave. Almost everything and everyone here is leaking magic all over the place, but not the same way Mia did when she transformed; there is no intent behind the magic. Someone bumps into me and mutters a few words, making me realize that I am standing in the middle of the entrance to the town. I quickly scurry towards the side of the road. The houses are a mix of constructions and ones carved out of the mountain itself, or maybe they were molded by magic. Starting to make my way down the road deeper into town, I observe the people walking along the street around me. Most of them seem mostly human, with little features here and there, though some have none, and others are much more like me, more not human than human. Am I even human still? I was, until yesterday, but my body is very different now, and I don¡¯t feel as restrained anymore, like I can be who I want to be. Walking while pondering the question, I only notice the change in my surroundings when my head bumps into a wooden stand. ¡°Oi, if you want fruit, your master will have to pay for it!¡± A gruff voice accosts me from above, raising my eyes; I am met with the face of a just as gruff looking man, anger evident on his face from my carelessness. Does he think I am an animal? A confusing whirr of emotions goes through me at that, anger, relief, elation, it¡¯s odd, and more to consider later. I glance around, no one seems to care about his behavior, nor do they pay us any attention. Bowing my head in apology I quickly scurry away. Mia said to stay out of trouble, and getting in a fight with someone seems counter to that. The man doesn¡¯t follow me, just grumbling more behind me as I disappear into a nearby alley. Peeking out from my new hiding spot, I get a better look at the area I had ended up in. It¡¯s a wide open plaza, with many stands spread across it, selling all kinds of things, from food to jewellery and animal parts. Most of it exudes magic to some extent, some so little that I have to squint to even notice it, even with my much better eyesight now. Heavy footsteps approach the entry of the alley, armored boots. Soldiers. I can feel the magic wafting off of them, the amount of this weirdly unused magic in this place is starting to make me nauseous. The soldiers keep coming closer and I feel panic sneak through me, my senses are getting overwhelmed and I can¡¯t handle another encounter with potentially antagonistic people. Especially if they think I¡¯m some run away animal. Trying to hide, I start slinking back into the shadows, almost instinctively reaching out to the magic woven into my body. I don¡¯t notice it until the world around me goes blissfully quiet, the magic leaking all over the place becoming muted into the background as my skin shifts to match my surroundings, the magic in my body following suit. It¡¯s almost as if I isolated myself from the world, but concentrating for a moment brings the magic of a jewellery stand back into focus, standing out of its background like a beacon that would be so easy to follow. The soldiers appear in the entrance of the alleyway, one of them looks in my direction and meets my eyes, and yet it feels like he looks right through me. The group quickly moves on, nothing of note to be seen here on their patrol. With the patrol gone, I feel safe enough to explore this new state of mine. I reach out to the magic within me and prod at it, trying to figure out what it is doing. It responds to me, an answer that is foreign and yet familiar. The magic doesn¡¯t speak in words, and there is a weight, a purpose behind it. It is here to make sure I am safe. To make sure I am strong, if I wish. It wants me to be strong. It wants me to follow my path, because my path is its path. There¡¯s more meaning to the feeling, a meaning I can¡¯t quite parse. Not yet. I slowly retreat from the connection, lessening it. it¡¯s still there, always, I am fairly sure, I was just unaware before. It¡¯s there, waiting for me to call out to it. For now though, it knows to keep me safe, and for some reason, I trust it as much as I did Anya. Probably not a wise thing, but it does not seem like it wants to actively harm me. My attention turns back to my surroundings. The alley I am in leads to more alleys, deeper into the town, though my gaze turns up instead, towards the roofs. They¡¯re not all that high up, and I want to figure out just how much my body has grown. My paw touches the wall, and the scales on my hand respond almost automatically to my intent, latching into the microscopic imperfection, securing my grip. They easily release when I retract my hand. I place another paw and try to pull myself up, my muscles easily carry my body, and my grip holds true. A few seconds later I am on top of the roof, my tail swaying behind me. The climb had been easier than I expected, not even causing me to slip once. Looking over the rooftops, I am alone up here. Perfect to do some tests. As perfect as I can get, for now, at least. I crouch low to the ground and my hind legs flex, kicking off of the ground and propelling me forwards. My speed blurs the surroundings as I sail across several roofs before touching down without a sound, tail split and splayed wide behind me to increase my drag to slow down. It had been so easy and instinctual to split them that first time, and this time it had been as well; they almost had a mind of their own. My tails merge back together into one just as easily as they split, though as I do so, a small breeze brushes through the little follicles, alerting me to a small draft throughout the big cave. Raising my head I look around, trying to spot where the draft is going to, but I can¡¯t find anything. The best I can make out is a few concentrations of heat throughout the city. Putting aside that curiosity for the moment, I consider what else to test. I couldn¡¯t exactly go punch a wall, so a full speed test over a longer distance is in order. This time, it is not just my hind legs bracing against the ground, but my arms too, my tail low to the ground. I breathe in deeply, concentrating and scouting out a path ahead before I finally start moving. The start is a slight bit off rhythm as I find what works, but it quickly turns into a steady hit of paw against stone, only interrupted by the occasional gap between rooftops. The magic that is keeping me hidden is somehow also keeping the sound of my paws against the stone from leaking out far, so despite my gathering speed I am left unbothered. I continue moving, the air brushing through my scale feathers, exhilaration filling me, until I panickedly have to kick off to the side as I almost run into a stone outcropping on a roof. Tumbling to the side I curse a little under my breath but quickly regain speed, sharpening my attention. It¡¯s hard to react with how fast I am moving, as fast as a car on a highway. As I move I try to hone my attention more. My body is clearly capable of maneuvering at these speeds, yet my perception lags behind. It feels off despite the ecstasy it brings me. It takes another close call of me leaping over another obstruction before I realize that I probably do have a solution. The magic suffusing me is capable of filtering my senses, like a second brain only letting the important things through for me to fully consider. Why, then, should it not be capable of doing something similar here? I slow down momentarily as I reach out to the magic in me, and find it waiting as it had before. The communication with it is strange, and I feel that I do not need to command it in this way, that it will follow my will regardless. Yet, there is an element of it that seems almost, happy, that I reach out to it. It already knows what I want, and it is happy to provide, though part of it informs me that it will change me, as it did before. I admittedly had been surprised about the changes, and yet I am not at all reluctant to permit the magic to do more of its work. It feels right, the changes it had brought before. Slowing down a little more, I give my permission to the magic to do its work. It doesn¡¯t take long before I feel it start, something inside of me is squirming and growing, changing, there is a short moment of pain that is gone as quickly as it came. Shaking my head slightly, I look out towards the world again. There¡¯s no perceptible changes, but the magic assures me it succeeded, that it can do more, but it has little to work with. A curious statement, but for now I must see if it is right. I accelerate again, the world around me does not blur, instead it all remains in sharp clarity. Time doesn¡¯t feel slower, the airstream still crosses across my body as it did before, but my brain is capable of processing the information at a much higher rate. I come to a halt a few roofs later, slowing down at a less rapid pace than with my tail parachute. The magic had changed my brain. A small shudder goes down my back, yet I can¡¯t tell if it is one of fear or excitement. Maybe a mix of both. I¡¯d always taken issues with things affecting my brain, drugs of various types, medical and not, yet this felt different. This felt not like an outside influence, this felt like me becoming more. Yet, that wasn¡¯t right, was it? The magic is not me, or maybe it is? It suffuses my entire body, down to every single cell as far as I can tell, and unlike almost everyone else I¡¯ve seen, it does not leak from me. It is inside of me, a part of me. Is it the same magic as out in nature, or is it its own offshoot? I ponder the question and the different types of magic I had felt so far, when the magic all around me starts to resonate. A moment later a bell tolls throughout the entire town, everywhere at once without a central source of the sound. Apparently, the time to meet up with Mia had come, though the magic of the clock is unsettling, invasive in a way that other magic hadn¡¯t been. It takes a few moments before the bell stops, and I start making my way towards the inn. I did end up relatively far, but the rooftops made it a rather straight shot to get there, so I wouldn¡¯t be all that late. Hopefully Mia wasn¡¯t going to worry!This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Mia Mia steps out of the meeting room, annoyance wafting through her as the doors slam behind her. Her so-called superior had insisted on her agreeing to patrol duties for a week, since she came back empty handed from her expedition. He was lucky that she wasn¡¯t in a position to shatter his mind currently, so she just told him off for his audacity. She lets out a deep sigh as she makes her way into town. Civil unrest had been on the rise recently, unsurprising to her, though the failure of a monarchy, and the leadership they had cultivated, was very confused by it. Idiots. High on the power of their own magic while exploiting those below them. Of course this would happen sooner or later. Continuing her way down the streets, she makes it to the shadow¡¯s hare just in time for the bell¡¯s toll. The inn was squirreled away in an alley, slightly away from one of the big market places. The streets leading here had been rather full, many of the more destitute citizens walking around in the area, though this market was in a middle point between the slums and the well-off areas. Most of them usually avoided it, not wanting to be the latest target of the harassment of the guard. It was a sign that things were going to get ugly, soon enough. Ada had not arrived at the inn yet. Mia couldn¡¯t help but worry, the atmosphere was getting more tense by the minute. If the guards saw her here, they¡¯d start asking questions. She was, after all, supposed to be in the barracks. Not that she ever actually slept there, most of the soldiers were there voluntarily, unlike her, and they hadn¡¯t exactly a lot of respect for women. Mia starts to pace, her eyes looking between the entrances of the alley, waiting anxiously for Ada to show up, where was the little creature? Had she gotten into trouble? If the guard found her, there¡¯d be issues. They never took kindly to the more aberrant mutations. There¡¯s a rustling sound above her as a face appears in her vision upside down. A cute little snout with ruby red eyes looking at her own. ¡°Mia! I¡¯m here.¡± Ada had apparently found her own way around town. Relief floods through Mia as she raises a hand to the woman¡¯s cheek. ¡°There you are! I was worried. We¡¯ll have to get off the street-¡± She stops mid sentence as a patrol rounds the corner into the alley. They hadn¡¯t noticed them yet, instead starting to violently knock on doors, calling for the denizen to open the door for an inspection. ¡°Fuck, we can¡¯t stay in the hare, not yet.¡± She glances around and motions for Ada to come down. ¡°We have to go, there¡¯s a protest forming in the market, and the guard is on edge, and by the looks of it they¡¯re not planning to leave this one unpunished.¡± Ada follows her request and crouches low to the ground next to her, her presence is even less evident than when they first met, her eyes having a hard time locking onto her form. ¡°A protest? Or a riot? I saw several armed people walking down the alleyways on my way back here.¡± They start moving out of the alleyway into an adjacent street, Ada¡¯s voice is light and doesn¡¯t carry far. ¡°Just how bad is the situation in the kingdom?¡± Mia¡¯s expression falls a little. A riot was going to cause a lock down, and many people were going to get hurt. ¡°Bad, suffice to say. Most people are over being treated like lessers.¡± She continues to lead them down the road. No one seems to bother with them, they¡¯re all on edge, some are scurrying home, but many are heading towards the market. ¡°We¡¯ll circle back to the inn in a bit. I can¡¯t really get involved in this¡­¡± It pains her, but the powers that be wouldn¡¯t let her get away with it. Not yet. Ada looks up at her, her head tilting as she seems to stalk across the ground, the eyes that do turn their way, just glance over her, ignoring her presence. ¡°Why? You don¡¯t like this. You want to help, no?¡± ¡°Yes, but I can¡¯t. I¡¯ll¡­ tell you later. When we¡¯re safe and in private.¡± She leads them down another street, away from the market. They¡¯re forced to take another few detours, through various side streets and alleys to avoid an increasing number of patrols, until they finally reach far enough away from the center of the commotion for the presence to lessen again. ¡°There¡¯s another inn we can stay at, it¡¯s not as nice but I don¡¯t think the riots are going to die down any time soon.¡± She looks back towards the way they came, the orange light of fire brightening the buildings. ¡°I¡¯d say we have to leave the town but at this point the port is most likely locked down already, and if they see me trying to leave it¡¯ll cause even more trouble.¡± She sighs, turning to Ada. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you got caught up in this.¡± Ada looks up at her, patterns go across her body for a few moments before she speaks. ¡°Don¡¯t be, I wish I could help though. I haven¡¯t seen much, but if this is how it¡¯s already gotten, then the situation can¡¯t be great.¡± She lowers her head in thought for a bit, Mia waiting patiently for her to continue. ¡°I want to be strong. People can grow stronger, yes? You said your magic took you a long time, so you didn¡¯t start out with it.¡± Mia smiles at her, the ambition and light in her eyes quite endearing. ¡°Yes, you can grow stronger, though the details differ for everyone, a good place to start is to go out and hunt. I¡¯ll take you sometime, I am not sure when yet.¡± She stretches before looking at their surroundings. ¡°The other inn isn¡¯t too far from here, we¡¯ll be safe there.¡± Ada gives her a nod and follows her as she starts walking. ¡°I honestly can¡¯t tell how strong you are, little one, your presence is oddly muted, even more so now than it was earlier today.¡± She throws her a curious glance, and is met with a proud smile, a pattern going across her body to match. ¡°The magic¡¯s hiding me! It¡¯s been quite nice, cooperative! Is it like this for everyone? The taste of the magic here is so¡­ different to what it is outside.¡± Ada skips a few steps with a small leap. Mia almost stops in her steps at Ada¡¯s words. ¡°That¡­ no. It¡¯s not like that for everyone.¡± They reach the inn before she can elaborate, and opens the door, motioning Ada inside. ¡°Let¡¯s get a room and talk.¡± Booking the room is a quick endeavor, the innkeeper not asking any questions about Ada, and a few minutes later they step into their room for the night. It¡¯s not exactly large, just two beds and a little bit of room in between. ¡°Here we are, I am not sure how comfortable the beds are going to be for you, but it¡¯ll have to do.¡± Mia takes a seat on one of the beds, and motions for Ada to join her. Ada quickly scurries up on the bed next to her and curls up into a little ball, eyes peeking up at Mia from underneath her tail. ¡°Magic! Tell me about it! You said it¡¯s different for you, yes?¡± The excitement is evident in her voice, and a veritable riot of lines goes across her skin. ¡°Ah, sure. You said it listens to you, and¡­ has some form of mind of its own?¡± Mia pauses for a reaction from Ada, a quick nod in confirmation. ¡°That is somewhat concerning to hear, I admit. Magic, as far as I am aware, is not supposed to be sentient, it¡¯s just another form of energy, something we can manipulate.¡± Ada tilts her head slightly in thought, before a short flicker goes across her body. ¡°Mother said that magic is malleable, but that a gentle coaxing is more effective than trying to bruteforce it. Something about different aspects?¡± Her voice seems a little unsure. Mia raises an eyebrow in askance. ¡°Your mother? Didn¡¯t you get trapped in the barrier during the genesis? Although¡­ there have been some that claimed to know about magic from before the genesis, and admittedly most people just ignored them, including me.¡± ¡°That makes sense, I only knew a little bit, as a child. Mother didn¡¯t get to teach me much before she died¡­¡± An expression of pained memories crosses across Ada¡¯s face as she falls quiet. ¡°It was real.¡± Mia reaches out a hand and gently pats the woman¡¯s head. ¡°I see, well, different aspects of magic do exist, I know that much, mine is attuned to fractal magic but I can brute force other spells if I must, but it isn¡¯t the same as sentience.¡± She brushes a few fingers across the top of Ada¡¯s head as she speaks. ¡°I¡¯ve heard some biomancers talk about the magic being eager before, but so is lightning. The only times that magic is sentient, or at least close to it, that I know of is during genesis events. When enough unbound magic gathers in one spot to create a spell of its own, without anyone guiding it.¡± Ada¡¯s head leans up into Mia¡¯s palm as she absentmindedly continues her caress. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound right. When you transformed back to a person, I felt your magic. It felt like it wanted to do more, that it was incomplete.¡± Ada pauses for a moment before carrying on, unaware of the curiosity building inside Mia. ¡°Maybe if you taste my magic you can figure it out?¡± ¡°Taste?¡± Mia giggles a little. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I don¡¯t think I can taste magic.¡± Ada¡¯s expression droops a little in response. ¡°Oh, you smell it then? Or hear it?¡± Mia¡¯s eyebrow goes up at the questions. ¡°You¡­ no, almost no one can sense magic that isn¡¯t directly being worked into a spell, and even then, it is usually the physical manifestations that people observe. Can you actually taste the magic?¡± Ada¡¯s expression continues to drop, before lighting up again at the question. ¡°Yes! Some magic at least, some of it is more like a sound, other like light! They all are present in all ways but they tend to be biased to one or the other! As far as I¡¯ve seen so far at least! Your transformation tasted nice, but it had something missing! Like the spices in a dish!¡± Ada¡¯s head animatedly bobs up and down beneath her tail and Mia¡¯s hand. Mia considers her words for a few moments. ¡°Clearly your perception of magic is different, better, than mine. So, if it is sentient, maybe I haven¡¯t been able to hear it. But I am no biomancer, I can¡¯t just magic myself new senses. And I am not sure it is safe. The magic during genesis events tends to hurt a lot of people, or change them against their will. If the magic we use has its own will, and we stop directing it¡­¡± She looks at Ada again, the adorable creature looking up at her with her big ruby eyes, almost pleading. The magic had not harmed her, it had helped her, protected her, and seemingly cooperates with her, for now at least. How much harm could there be in trying to give it a bit more freedom? To coordinate with it? ¡°Okay, I will try to listen to it, see what it wants, if you complete a successful hunt with it.¡± Ada¡¯s expression lights up again. ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll show you how nice it is! It feels trustworthy to me at least, it said it wants what''s best for me, that we share a path!¡± A big smile reveals rows of sharp teeth, designed to tear apart the woman¡¯s prey, in what Mia suspects would be a much less adorable display than Ada¡¯s appearance. Mia considers Ada¡¯s words for a few minutes, the two sharing a comfortable silence. It is only interrupted when a yawn escapes Ada next to her. ¡°Getting sleepy? I am not sure how exactly the barrier worked and can¡¯t tell how much your body has been able to rest since your transformation, but you¡¯ve also been quite active today, if I were to hazard a guess.¡± She grabs the side of the blanket and lifts it, motioning for Ada to crawl underneath. ¡°We can continue talking tomorrow, and we can start making plans as to our next steps.¡± Ada gives her a bleary nod, before crawling underneath the blanket, curling up into a little ball. Covering her in the blanket, Mia then moves over to the other bed, getting ready to sleep herself. ¡°Good night, little one.¡± ¡°Good night, Mia.¡± The voice is muffled by the tail and blanket, barely any movement coming from Ada.