Page 63 of Feral Gods
"What do you see?" I ask, curious about how her perceptions might differ from mine.
Kaia's gaze narrows in concentration. "Images... fragmented. A woman with silver hair. A circular chamber filled with similar pendants. Mountains that aren't Causadurn Ridge." She blinks rapidly. "And emotions—pride, urgency, something like... longing?"
Fascinating. Where I perceive only technical information—magical construction, power sources, theoretical applications—she receives emotional and visual content. Our complementary perspectives offer a more complete understanding than either could achieve alone.
"The pendant contains memories," I explain. "Impressions its creator wished to share. The silver-haired woman is likely Morwen herself, or another high-ranking purna of her bloodline."
"Why would she reach out to me now, after all this time?" Kaia's voice carries equal parts suspicion and curiosity.
"Because you've awakened." I gesture to her hands, still glowing faintly with magenta energy. "Your encounter with the dark elves triggered what was dormant. The purna have ways of sensing when bloodline powers manifest—particularly significant bloodlines like yours."
She absorbs this information, her eyes never leaving the pendant. "Can they use this to find us?"
"They already know your general location from the scout's report. This would allow more specific communication, but only if you choose to wear it." I study her profile, admiring the determination etched in her features. "The choice remains yours."
"No." She steps back from the altar. "I won't open that door. Not yet. Not until I understand my own power better."
A wise decision. I extinguish the examination spell with a gesture, leaving the pendant contained but dormant within our protective circle.
"Then let us continue your education." I move toward the chamber's center where I've prepared a more expansive workspace. "The sanctuary's outer defenses are secured. Now we must address your personal protections."
Kaia follows, her movement graceful despite the weariness I can sense in her aura. "You mean shields? Like what I created instinctively when the dark elves attacked?"
"Similar in principle, but controlled rather than reactive." I indicate the floor where I've inscribed a complex series of concentric circles. "Personal defense requires precision, efficiency. Your instinctive shield was powerful but costly—it drained your energy reserves completely."
She steps into the outermost circle, positioning herself as I've previously instructed. "I remember the exhaustion afterward. I could barely stand."
"A common issue for untrained practitioners." I circle her, adjusting her posture with careful touches. "Magical energy, like physical strength, must be properly channeled to maximize effect while minimizing expenditure."
Her body responds to my guidance, shoulders relaxing, stance widening slightly. Each point of contact between us—my talons at her elbows, the brush of my wing against her back—generates a subtle resonance that distracts me momentarily from our purpose.
"Begin with visualization," I say, regaining focus. "Imagine your personal energy as a sphere surrounding you. Not rigid, but flexible—a membrane rather than a wall."
Kaia closes her eyes, breath deepening as she follows my instruction. The air around her shimmers faintly as her magic responds.
"Good. Now condense that energy. Draw it closer to your skin, intensifying its density without sacrificing coverage."
The shimmer contracts, growing more visible as it concentrates. Her brow furrows with effort.
"You're forcing it," I observe. "Allow the energy to find its natural equilibrium. Think of water seeking its level, not stone being shaped."
"It resists," she says through gritted teeth. "Like trying to hold smoke."
I move behind her, my larger form creating a protective enclosure around her smaller one. "Magic responds to emotion as much as intention. Your frustration creates resistance." I speak directly into her ear, my voice lowered. "What emotion allows flow in your experience?"
She considers this, her head tilting back slightly. "Certainty. When I'm absolutely certain of what I want, what I need—that's when the power comes easily."
"Then find that certainty now." My hands hover just above her shoulders, not quite touching. "What do you know beyond doubt in this moment?"
Kaia's breathing changes, becoming deeper, more centered. "That I choose my own path. That I won't be controlled—not by King Kres, not by the Matriarch, not by anyone."
The magenta energy flares brightly, then settles into a perfect, shimmering sphere that clings to her form like a second skin.
"Excellent." I allow my approval to warm my tone. "Maintain this state while moving."
She takes a careful step, then another, the shield moving with her effortlessly. A smile breaks across her face—genuine delightat her accomplishment that affects me more profoundly than it should.
"It feels... right," she says, turning within the circle to face me. "Like discovering a muscle I didn't know I had."
