Icarus Awakens

Rushing water filled the air with a low roar as the sudden drop in the terrain turned the small river into a waterfall. It followed a path that looked like it had been cut into the mountain by a giant’s sword angled downward to strike at a rocky heart. Trees and lesser foliage covered the mouth of the ravine before falling off as it traveled down below the rock. The waterfall continued into the darkness.

Tlara had pushed for this specific target, hard. There were advantages. The two level threes and a scattering of level ones and twos meant Kob could control the major threats while the trainees acted with more independence while overseen by Sigron and the Beastmaster. The identified monsters had no powerful abilities like the frost strangler and primarily relied on their bulk, strength, or numbers to kill.

But they were underground. I know she’s doing this on purpose, he told Hunter. How does she know?

Are you afraid of the dark? the brusk voice teased him.

No, I’m, shut up. He took a steadying breath and sat down on the ledge next to the waterfall. How sure are you that we’ve tagged them all?

Not. Hunter’s ability to mark all kinds of creatures was impressive, though the repeated scouting runs were revealing the weaknesses. For one, a rogue construct Tlara noticed, but Daniel had not, showed that the limitation against items could be deadly against things not considered creatures. They kept well away from that. Tlara’s mutterings had identified it as something an ‘incursion army’ hadn’t been careful enough to keep track of, but Daniel was in no mood to poke the murder bird to find out more.

Then there were things Hunter simply didn’t register to tag, being unfamiliar with this environment and the scents of the inhabitants until they were closer. In addition, disruptions to Hunter’s ability to hear or smell drastically limited his range and made it easier for high level creatures to elude him. The waterfall, the darkness, and the depths made it so Hunter hadn’t noticed the creatures until they were almost on top of the ravine’s entrance. That, combined with the recent revelation about invisibility, made Daniel worry about all the things they could have missed before.

“Let’s go! Unless you want to stay behind?” Tlara shouted over to him. She had no bound beast unleashed, planning to wait until they reached the bottom of the drop before she pulled something out. Behind her, a very tentative Sigron was slowly walking into Kob’s mass through a small opening in the armor.

“Yeah yeah.” Daniel stood, doing his best to hide his anxiety. “You still haven’t told me how we’re getting down.”

“Fucking figure it out.” She threw the hand sign he’d taught her and then jumped off the cliff.

His eyes followed, partially hoping her fall wouldn’t slow. Instead, the avianoid stretched out her arms which turned into full wings. It was Grow Wings, a power unique to the race and something Daniel wasn’t too shocked to learn existed when he’d seen it in Lograve’s feature encyclopedia. He doubted Khare’s power to shuttle weapons about their body could be learned by a human, and the gestalt wouldn’t get too much out of a charm ability. Kob and Khare, for their part, began climbing down the rock face as stone giant and vine ball. Sigron, in his heavy armor, couldn’t have done it himself and had very reluctantly agreed to let Kob shuttle him. That left Daniel and a massive beast to contend with the near sheer fall.

Hunter growled. I’m not going to like this.

Like what? Daniel had seen Hunter’s character sheet and knew there wasn’t anything that could help. Springing Strike did have slight fall damage reduction when it hit, but not to the point of tanking terminal velocity. Do you have an idea?

I can climb down if I’m careful.

But how will I… His fears of what lay below evaporated. You’re not saying what I think you’re saying?

Only on the way down. Hunter lowered himself to the ground.

Hell yes!

There should have been a helicopter following them to get an establishing shot. With the sun half-eclipsed by the lip of the ravine and the waterfall throwing enough mist to create the occasional rainbow, the scenery was a perfect frame for the four climbing down the rock wall. Khare was making slow progress by rolling down and using vines to stabilize the descent. Kob was a powerhouse and could have been at the bottom by now if they weren’t taking care to keep the imprisoned Sigron stable. Then, there was Daniel and Hunter.

The ringcat had his claws fully extended to sink into the rock as he descended one leg at a time. Daniel was holding on to the long fur and doing his best to straddle Hunter’s back. His legs didn’t go all the way around, but his newly improved strength was enough to make hanging on the fur a breeze.

Clinging to Hunter like a baby monkey was a far cry from charging into battle on top of him, but Daniel preferred to think of it as a solid first step. The only downside was the intense animal smell made worse by the dampness of the waterfall, but nothing was perfect. The noise also drowned out any chance of talking, though it didn’t stop Daniel from hearing Hunter’s complaint. You itch.

That just means we need to do this more so you get used to it! Daniel replied with mental cheer. He sensed a slight unease over the emotional bond now at its strongest, but nothing that couldn’t take a lighthearted poke.

No.

Aw come on, think how cool we’ll look. Think how cool we already look, Daniel added, mentally switching to the imaginary helicopter’s point of view.

No! Daniel vibrated as his taxi grumbled.

Do you think they need measurements for saddles here, or is there a one size fits all? Wait, there was that giant thing back at Hagain. It’s probably some kind of size category.

I think I could survive if I let go here. The implication sobered Daniel. Most of Hunter’s packs had been left above ground, but a few pouches, including one made of reinforced leather, were still in his possession.

Not with the lightning spines exploding you won’t! Alright, alright, we’ll talk about it later.

The bottom of the drop was now visible as a large underground lake. Tlara was standing on the bank that ringed it and was in the process of summoning one of her ‘tools’. Daniel and Hunter were halfway down at this point and the slowest to descend.

You know, Daniel thought to himself, There’s enough room on here for two people to ride together. If things go well enough this week maybe I could invite Claire to-

Stop.

He blinked in surprise. Daniel was sure that had been a private thought. How did you hear that?

I felt you thinking about her. Strange emotions, makes it hard to focus. The ringcat continued his careful climbing.

Is it that weird? Interest was overwhelming his desire to avoid discussion of intimate topics with Hunter. Ringcats form packs, so even if you don’t, uh, date there’d be some commonality.

Packs are not companions. They are, Hunter paused and climbed down a few meters before finding the right word. Alliances. Made to be broken when there is no need for them.

Were you ever in a pack?

No. Yes. No. Hunter chuffed indecisively. When we first met you made me believe I was. Before that, I hunted with my creator before they turned on me.

So that’s what it felt like for you. Creator? So you have a parent?

Progenitor.

Daniel’s whistle was lost in the roar of the waterfall. Big word. Do you feel anything for them? I mean, it sounds like they went gerbil near the end but... he trailed off, realizing what he was being flippant about.

No. I feel nothing for them and have no intent of spawning others. Not yet, it is not time.

Do you feel anything for anyone?

There was another pause. The conversation had taken them to a survivable fall distance. The rest had reached the bottom and Hunter would be there in a minute. You. You are a friend.

Aw thanks you big murder cat, you’re my friend too. A frown crossed Daniel’s face as he had a worrying thought. You said my ability made you think I was in your pack earlier. Is this like that?

I chose this, Hunter replied with sudden determination. You could have taken me by force. Tamed me. You offered the choice and the chance to make it, so I chose you. You are my friend, Daniel.

Daniel’s phone vibrated. It was hard to check in the current arrangement, but he was close enough to the bottom that he could leave a hand free and risk the fall.

Bond: Friendship with the Creature affected by Feature: Beast Friend* has been further developed! This has improved the benefits derived from this bond.

- The number of Powers you may share with this creature has increased to two.

- Mana may be expended to temporarily share the senses of the bonded creature if you are within the range of the Telepathic Link. The bonded creature may also use this benefit at the cost of its own mana. This is a Spiritual Ability that functions in an area of Magical Suppression.

“Woah.”

By the time they reached the bottom, Daniel had approved Hunter to use his Regeneration as the second shared power. At least, he thought he had. There was a sense it had worked but no confirmation from his phone like last time. There was also nothing better in his power list to share and it made Daniel feel more comfortable bringing him into battle. The talon ability may have improved upon Hunter’s impressive strength enough to be considered. Hunter, as with any thoughts about saddles, completely rejected the notion.

“Took you fucking long enough,” Tlara said snidely, a giant insect with lightning spines embedded in its jaws standing next to her. She and the others had lit the magical kind of torches that wouldn’t burn the gestalt. There were a couple in the packs Hunter bore, but those were left hidden at the top of the ravine. Daniel had been interested in whether he could make these as an Artificer, but with no way of learning the formulae he was stuck just carrying them.

Daniel ignored the barb and took out the one he had stuffed in his pack before descending. Five sparking lights reflected off the turbulent surface of the underground pond. “You sure these things aren’t in the water Sigron?”

The knight nodded. He’d fought what they were hunting before and had painstakingly written a few short lines about them when they decided on the target. The burrower skabs were another non-lightning creature with scaling variants. Level one was the normal kind, and level three was a ‘veteran’. They were slow and couldn’t burrow in a fight, but had some form of web or adhesive used to trap prey.

Red outlines were visible through the rock wall. Two hulking bodies supported by about a dozen legs moved about among miniature copies. Another pack, Daniel thought. I wonder if it’s just ringcats that make them by opportunity. Are other creatures more sociable, and what about higher levels? Hunter became way more talkative at level 1.

“Move.” Water rippled as Kob spoke. Their armor fully broke with another pulse of intense mana expenditure. With their vines free the giant was able to move without as much earth shaking. Sigron and Khare followed on foot, while Tlara mounted her beetle and held on tightly as it walked up the wall and onto the ceiling.

Cool. Daniel let the thought slip to Hunter.

No. With the strengthening of their bond, Daniel could better sense the ringcat’s emotions. Not from observing him, but through an innate connection. The wall that had been between them at Hagain was continuing to crumble and he could see more of Hunter through it as it went. He was definitely growing tired of the repeated joke.

“Come on Hunter,” he whispered, giving his friend a reprieve. “Can’t let them have all the fun.”