Reborn From the Cosmos

Miniarc-Meet the Parents-20

“Do you want to know what your problem is?”

Lying on the ground and panting for breath, it takes a moment for my mind to process his words. I’m not out of breath, of course. After a fresh transformation, I’m in peak condition, as I always am. My heavy breathing must be a stress response. While there isn’t a single wound on my body, my ego is in pieces.

Three things determine a caster’s strength: talent, knowledge, and mana. Of them, I’ve always considered talent to be the most important. Still do. Saints, I’m a perfect example. Before my transformation, I wouldn’t even have the qualifications to be noticed by monsters like the Atainna clan. But Orum has definitely proved the value of knowledge.

“Your problem is that you do not feel the change,” Kierra’s father continues before I can puzzle out whether his question was rhetorical or not. “Your shapeshifting ability is unparalleled, but your control is horrible. Taking another form is more than growing fangs and claws. To use a creature’s strengths, you must embody them. Become them. It is written that the old masters would spend 1,000 days in a new form before even attempting to use it in combat.”

“Sounds like a waste of time,” I grumble as I sit up in the person-sized crater Orum created when he slammed me into the ground. Damn elves and their physical affinities.

“Why?”

“Well, because…” I trail off as I remember something important. Everyone doesn’t have my body’s instincts. Every new form I have comes with basic instincts that mean I don’t have to waste time trying to learn how to use new limbs or breathe properly. Regular casters have to learn from nothing, don’t they? I can’t imagine what that must feel like, being in a body you have no idea how to work. Sure, it’d get easier with time like everything else, but that first transformation would be interesting, for sure. “Uh…”

“Good, you realized the folly in your own words. A proper shifter knows each of their forms intimately, down to every hair and nail. You lack even the most basic understanding. For example, your partial transformation of the enormous limb. Only good for shock and awe. There is a reason such creatures reside in the sea. By taking its form on dry land, you were only able to bring out a fraction of its capability. Or truly, none. For all intents, it was just a club of meat.”

“It’s not like I had a better option.”

“You do not realize all your options so how do you know?” He points at me. “The first step is learning to use that body properly. You crippled yourself learning from Kii. Your bodies are very different and you do yourself a disservice trying to move it as she moves hers.”

“It seems you plan to cripple her again.”

I stiffen as the familiar voice makes me turn around. I fight to keep the horror off my face as Morgene stops at the edge of my crater, lips pressed in a serious frown, dark green eyes narrowed. Standing at her shoulder is a dismayed Kierra. My wife’s eyes meet mine, communicating a quiet horror with me that makes me want to take her by the hand and run away.

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Reflexively, the rising tension prompts me to search for Alana and Talia, who’ve both wisely stayed away and seem perfectly fine. A quick scan of the surroundings reveal a confusing lack of threats. What has Kierra so worried? Besides close proximity with her mother. That’s enough to put anyone on edge but she looks…scared.

Very little frightens my lovely savage. So little, I can’t even imagine it.

“If she wants to realize her potential, what she must do is explore that other, much more fascinating form.” Those eyes turn to me and I shiver at the look in them. That’s the look a miser observing his life savings. Or a glutton surveying the feast they’re about to devour. “Kii tells me you call it ooze? Such a demeaning term for something so miraculous.”

“A shifter’s strength comes from their versatility,” Orum answers. “You will not question me on matters of the body.”

“I would not. As you know better than to question me on matters of magic and this clumsy pup’s magical potential far outstrips any capability she has as a shifter.”

I do my best to look at Kierra discretely, using a curled lip and scrunched brows to ask if she told her mother about my seven affinities. I doubt it, as Kierra has made it clear that her loyalty lies with us and our fledgling clan, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if Morgene interrogated her successfully. The woman has an air about her that says she could wring blood from a stone if she was motivated to do so.

“Erm.” My in-laws stop glaring at one another and turn to me. “What do you mean?” Does she know something about my base form and Cosmo? Or did she simply guess?

“That’s just it. I don’t know, not for sure. After all, what you can do should be impossible. If I had to guess, I would say that your body has a special affinity for manipulating space, some kind of natural instinct like your shapeshifting. A pure affinity I suspect, as it’s the only way I can imagine any creature being able to bear the cost of constantly maintaining a small realm with an connection on a separate layer of space than they exist on.”

…what?

She clicks her tongue at whatever expression I’m making. “Don’t worry. The least I can do is share any discoveries I make with you. Besides, it would be a travesty to allow your talents to fester.”

A terrible conclusion starts to form in my mind, but no. It’s too horrible to contemplate. “By discoveries, do you mean—"

“I mean that you are a trove of knowledge relating to my affinity,” she clarifies, lips arcing in an amused smile laced with something a touch more benevolent that outright cruelty but still very worrying. “It is a rare thing for me to find a clue in advancing my mastery. To walk away would be spitting on the Spirit’s guidance. Since you cannot provide me insight into your gifts, then I have no choice but to study them myself, hm?”

Oh. Oh, saints no.

No wonder Kierra looks so rattled.

“What are you planning?” Orum asks.

“Planning? Please. I don’t bother with tricks.”

“You can be devious,” Kierra mutters, no doubt referring to how she was tricked into her prison.

Amazingly, Morgene doesn’t show so much as a shred of remorse when reminded that she locked her own daughter in a verdant cage for two decades and would have left her there for longer until she met her mother’s expectations. “There is a time for subtly, but outright deception is beneath me. A spider’s web is an effective trap, but it’s meant to capture insects.” She waves a hand dismissively. “I want exactly what I said, to learn more about the null affinity by studying Lou’s strange ability. Something I’m sure you’ve already considered. Don’t you think you can learn something from a pure shapeshifter?”

He hums. “Her body is quite remarkable. I could enhance my own potential if I had the chance to examine her in depth.” Saints preserve me, it’s my worst nightmare. Two powerful individuals have learned about me and want to take me apart. My stomach knots at the thought of fighting them. I’m confident in my body, I am…but saints save me, if there is anyone in Harvest that could figure out the secret to my apparent immortality and defeat it, it’s these two. Really, haven’t I been through enough?

“But it is not our place. Lou’s secrets are hers to share if she pleases, not ours to take. She is family, Morg. I know you value that. You have brought Kii enough discord for a lifetime. Leave her be.”

Ah.

I get it.

Morgene is Kierra’s savage side, the half the revels in bloodshed and pushing everyone, including herself, to their limits. And this beautiful bastard is her other caring side, the one that likes to nurture her flower and cling to her loved ones. Thank the saints for the Orums of the world. I have to fight the urge to get up and hug him.

“Trouble is merely opportunity in disguise. Did she not grow from the experience? Did she not gain?”

“Actions are not only judged by their results. I will not allow this.” He cracks his knuckles, no. Those were the sound of his bones snapping and reforming, his hands becoming something closer to the paws of a beast. “Try, and you will get that fight you’ve been looking for.”

I don’t know what he expected of her, but I hope it wasn’t to scare her off. Morgene licks her lip in a very recognizable way, but doesn’t take the bait, shaking her head as if to cast away the temptation. “You’re assuming our daughter doesn’t want me around.” I bite my lip to keep from laughing at the expression Kierra makes. “I have plenty to offer. I assume the destroyed city means her little clan has a few problems with this kingdom’s monarch. I may have refused the crown, but I have some experience with politics. Seems Lou has a penchant for the Atainna way of negotiation. It just needs…refining. As for Kii, I’m sure she could do with a proper sparring partner rather than a force of nature.”

Oh, no. Kierra’s frown has eased, going from horrified to contemplative. Is she actually considering this?

“There is also something you should consider before being in such a hurry to run back to the provinces. Your biggest concern is that Kierra’s partner won’t be a good match. Why not guide said partner? Then you’ll have nothing to worry about. Aside from that, Lou could benefit from your knowledge as a shifter. Isn’t it about time you take a student?”

Now he’s considering it too!

Morgene chuckles, sensing victory. “Oh, yes. I think this kingdom will be very good for the Atainnas.”