Icarus Awakens

Wake up.

Daniel didn’t open his eyes, though Hunter’s mental prompting was enough to wake him. How long was I asleep?

The sun is at its highest.

Right, he doesn’t know about time measurement. Daniel had tried explaining the concepts of minutes and hours, though they were foreign to the beast. In fairness he didn’t have a watch or clock to demonstrate, and how was Hunter supposed to intrinsically understand a length of time he had no reference for? Without the clock on his phone, even Daniel had but a hazy sense of how much time passed. Quick Mind helped, but it wasn’t perfect.

Is Claire… Awake? Stable? Daniel couldn’t decide on what he wanted to ask, and what he wanted to know.

She sleeps. Most do.

Exhaustion, grief, and regret hit Daniel as the weight of last night fully returned. Why’d you wake me up then?

Something breathed in his face. Daniel opened his eyes to see Hunter’s golden eyes reflecting the sunlight into his. There was something in them bordering hostility that matched what was coming from the Empathic Link. Hunter wasn’t about to attack him, but he was upset. Those in the camp that were awake had taken notice. None had interfered. Daniel’s peculiar companion was notorious as rumors of his nature had spread, mostly focused on his ability to detect ongoing threats.

Hunter?

We need to talk. It was the same thing Hunter had said before Daniel had slept. The same sense of pent-up frustration and bitterness. In hindsight, there wasn’t too much that could explain it other than the obvious.

Daniel brought himself up into a sitting position to better level his head with Hunter’s and then bowed it. You don’t like that I told you to leave.

Yes. Daniel tried to raise a hand to Hunter’s head, but the ringcat snarled. I am not your pet.

I never said you were!

What do words mean? Hunter bared his teeth, drawing reactions from around the camp. People were getting restless. The ringcat didn’t seem to notice. Actions! Your actions. Send me away. Throw me aside.

To protect you!

Did not ask you to.

What could you have done in the mine? You were hurt. When we reached the shaft, you would have had to go back anyway.

And you, Hunter snorted. Reeking of fear. Pain. Should not have gone either. Last night, should have run with me.

What was happening? Hunter’s words were becoming more disjointed, raw emotion beginning to overtake sense. Was the link from his power breaking down? Hunter, you need to calm down.

No! Not your pet!

Daniel panicked as a thought occurred to him. Is this because I’m missing Rorshawd’s soul? The power had originally come from his class but, no, Hunter was normal right before the dragon attacked. What exactly did Beast Friend say in its description? Daniel thought desperately to recall. It made a bond? And it couldn’t be removed unless both sides wanted it to be! Even if Hunter was upset, the power shouldn’t stop working. What if Hunter thinks I’ve invalidated the bond? Is the rule subjective enough that only one side needs to think both are willing?

Daniel looked back into the animal’s eyes. It was strange. Having Hunter’s voice in his head had made it easy to see him as a person, but in a way, Daniel had anthropomorphized Hunter before he’d become intelligent. Anyone with a pet falsely attributed human-like characteristics to their companion. Anyone with a pet, Daniel repeated internally.

There was enough mana left for Moment of Clarity. It would provoke Hunter, but that was the point.

Do not like! Hunter roared in Daniel’s mind as a wave of anger crashed through the Empathic Link. Stop!

Daniel ended the effect, keeping his gaze level.

What? Hunter, even close to being enraged, was thrown by the sudden shift. Daniel had just wasted a significant amount of mana, about all he had left, to do nothing?

Sorry. Even though he knew Hunter could feel his anxiety and fear, Daniel tried to think in a neutral tone. It wasn’t something he had much practice in. Last night I used it too, were you affected?

Yes. Hunter was guarded now, having been thrown off his aggressive tempo.

The bond gave him a limited understanding of Hunter’s emotional state, although that didn’t imply he could perfectly make use of that information. You couldn’t empathize with someone just because some power let you, or even because you could feel part of what the other person was feeling. Trying to understand their situation and the context they were in wasn’t all of it either. Those were just basic steps Daniel hadn’t even considered when he’d first felt Hunter’s anger. What did you see?

You. Near that thing. In danger.

Daniel nodded and thought of Hunter’s maiming. When’s the last time you hunted?

Not since my injury. Hunter seemed to be calming down. Did he understand what Daniel was doing, or had he just burned the anger out of him?

And you’re nocturnal normally, right? I think someone told me that about ringcats.

Yes. I do not need much sleep. My injury gave me enough.

But it’s better for you to sleep every day, right? You’d feel better?

…yes.

Daniel reached his hand towards Hunter again, this time unchallenged. He put his hand as best he could on Hunter’s shoulder. I’m sorry.

Hunter broke eye contact first in the pause that followed. All aggression was gone from him, only weariness was left. You could have died, he thought, eventually.

I wasn’t planning on actually fighting the dragon. But I should have stayed with you one way or the other. I just didn’t want to see you die. You would have if you’d tried to fight that… thing.

I am not careless. Could have stood by you. Protected you. Died with you, at worst. But together.

And the mine?

Would have told you not to go. Would have been better than what happened.

I’d still have another soul hitchhiking in me, but it would’ve been better. Hunter, I’m sorry. Again. This is all my fault. Just, seeing you after the cliff-

You should not worry. I am stronger than you.

No you’re not. My strength is 21 and yours is only 19.

There is more to strength than numbers.

Is there? Daniel had to think about that. Hunter was larger than him, if not in height than total mass. If the two were to arm wrestle, wait, no, that’d be impossible. But it raised a good point. Could a meter tall man with a strength double a normal person’s lift more? What about leverage? Throwing? Humans on Earth could throw farther than any other species because of how they had evolved, but they certainly weren’t the strongest creature.

Thinking too much.

I thought I was keeping that private.

I do not need to hear to understand.

Are you sure your wisdom is only 12? You sound like a monk all of a sudden.

What?

Nothing, Daniel laughed, despite himself. The pain from the dragon attack was still there, waiting for him to drop his guard before it would crush his mind, but with Hunter not in full murder cat mode there was comfort in his presence.

What now? Hunter asked.

Fair question. You’re right Hunter, you’re not my pet. I wasn’t trying to treat you like one, but I was. In some ways.

Yes.

Unintentionally!

Maybe. Hunter thought with just a hint of bitterness.

Before, you weren’t going to snap, were you?

Snap?

It almost felt like the bond was breaking. Were you trying to sever our connection?

No. Hunter reared his head back with offense. Was angry. It is harder to think when I am angry.

Oh. I was worried you were going to hulk out in the middle of the camp.

What?

Nothing. Daniel took a look around camp to better assess his surroundings. Hunter had stayed awake since the tag on Rorshawd was still active. The dragon was alive, but he hadn’t moved. Small mercies.

Both of Tlara’s wyverns had survived as well, neither creature having been close enough to the dragon to be in danger. None of the injured had died since Daniel fell asleep, though the people who had just been injured by the dragon instead of outright killed were very few. Besides one or two others, the only people Quala was taking care of were Tak, Sigron, and the still unconscious Claire.

Worried about her, Hunter thought.

Are you sure you’re not reading my private thoughts?

You were staring. Hunter glanced over to Claire as well. I am worried about her. She is… Hunter gathered his thoughts for a moment, keeping them from Daniel. Something is wrong with her. Too much fear and anxiety. More than you. At dawn, it overwhelmed her.

I told her someone she cared about died. Well, no. I couldn’t even do that.

Yes. Hunter nodded. She did something, before the mine. Took away your fear. Has been doing it to herself?

She has been, hasn’t she? I never would have known but she did seem familiar with phobias. I thought it was just because she had a power that affected them. You’re pretty perceptive to notice that.

She was suddenly not well. It was hard to miss.

I’m honestly terrified of what’s going to happen when she wakes up. She’s going to hate me, Hunter.

Why?

Tears started to form as a blackness gripped his chest, biting through the protection of his friend. I didn’t save Parduc. I just watched him die. I watched so many people die.

You should have- Hunter stopped, stood, and looked away.

Is there something coming?

No. I did not want to tell you the rest.

Say it. Well, don’t say it but… Daniel took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. It would be easy to shut down now, but he’d been neglecting his friend. Hunter, tell me what you want to. You’ve more than earned the right to say something without me judging you. Daniel stood as well, following Hunter’s gaze to the ruins of Roost’s Peak. They weren’t visible, but the opening of the valley was.

You should have had me there. Stupid not to. Would have had another to blame. Not just yourself.

Yeah, I know. Daniel thought softly. I’m not giving myself an excuse, but this whole ‘talking murder cat friendship’ thing is something I never could have expected or prepared for on Earth. I pissed you off while thinking all the while I was doing what was best for you.

Not your place to.

I know, I know. I know that now, I guess is what I’m saying. He sighed. It’s fairer to say neither of us could be expected to play things perfectly in this insane situation. Hell, I fucked up pretty much everything I could have. I don’t know what’s going to happen with Claire, if there’s any way to fix it or not. Daniel buried his head in his arms. Hell, her friend’s dead. I can’t fix that, but I’m not losing you too. From now on, if something is getting on one of our nerves, we tell the other before it drives them to the point of wanting to eat them.

Hunter nudged him softly, mental voice trying to be calming. I was not going to eat you.

You could’ve fooled me.

Hmm. Fine. Hunter looked at Daniel. I do not like stopping time.

That’s not what I- Daniel stopped himself and picked his head back up. Alright, that’s fair but it’s also necessary sometimes. Why don’t we say I only use it when I need to, and warn you if I have the chance?

Do not like that, Hunter grumbled. Fair.

My turn. The darkness of last night was not banished and continued preying on him. Even so, Daniel tried to push it away, push his thoughts of Claire away, so he could stop acting all sullen with Hunter. For now, at least. He tried to joke, but it came out a bit weak. I don’t like how you don’t let me ride you into battle.

Hunter looked insulted at that. I do not like you wanting to.

It could be fun. And it would make us more effective in combat.

No.

I’ll take that as a yes.

Not a yes.

A maybe then.

I do not like this.

Alright, we’ll revisit the topic. But it’s good to talk like this instead of letting resentment build up. He sighed, ignoring the fact that he was letting another emotion build up inside of him. For what it’s worth, Hunter, if I ever tell you to run and you don’t want to, you should do what you want to. You have just as much free will as I do, and I forget that, remind me.

I will, Hunter thought, showing teeth.

Daniel kept smiling back, despite every reason for him to feel sorrow. Just like empathy, or strength, or swinging a sword, there was more to having power than having powers. That was something that could have been intuitive if Daniel had spent a moment thinking about how things worked. It was all about leverage and force multiplication. A rock could have an intelligence of 99 and still be inanimate. At least, I think.

The point was, Beast Friend opened the door. It was up to Daniel and Hunter to make use of what it gave them. Relying on the feature to make everything effortless, or even worse, not putting any effort into the friendship, was how he’d ended up here. Like any relationship, it requires mutual understanding, respect, and the willingness to listen. Considering how his life had gone so far, it wasn’t a surprise it had taken Daniel this long to realize this. We’re still friends, right Hunter?

You need to ask?

Right. That was a stupid question. He really needed to think sometimes before opening his, er, thinking. His phone chose that moment to vibrate.

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

- The range of Telepathic Link and Empathic Link has improved to Range: Moderate.

- Empathic Link has improved to Intensity: Moderate. This link may be temporarily reduced to Intensity: Low.

- While sharing senses with the subject of this bond, you may control the body of the host if they are willing, and vice versa, for an additional ongoing low Mana cost. While doing so, the entity sharing the body may not use Powers belonging to the host unless they also possess the one they wish to use.

What the fu-

When the bond had improved the first time, Daniel had only gotten warm and fuzzy from Hunter reaffirming their friendship. This time, it was another experience entirely. He was right next to Hunter, which meant a full blast of what the ringcat was feeling as opposed to the gentle haze it had been moments before. Hunger, exhaustion, the smallest of lingering resentment, and concern for Claire, all amidst a tide of other thoughts, impressions, and emotions.

Lower it, lower it! Daniel thought, and the tide of Hunter returned to its wide ocean in accordance with his will.

Do not like that.

Agreed. Daniel picked himself up from where he had fallen and tried to ignore the skeptical glances. He felt completely different, like his and Hunter’s perspectives had briefly averaged each other and it was taking some time to adjust back to normal. Also, Daniel’s head felt itchy for some reason. The range upgrade is nice, we’ll have to test it. That other one though, want to try it? Wait, I don’t have the mana for it. Dang it. I never have the mana for it. Things need to stop happening that prevent me from trying out that power.

Not here. People are watching us.

Yeah, yeah. Good point. I’ll check to see how much time we have here.

From the looks of it, Murdon was asleep and Lograve was awake. Otherwise, there was a watch composed of every bound beast, sans Hunter who didn’t count towards that category, and the few of the garrison who had gotten some kind of rest last night. Those who survived were either posted in the keep on night watch or were close enough to escape before the dragon found them in their homes.

“Are you quite finished terrifying the rest of the camp?” Lograve asked in greeting as he saw Daniel and Hunter approach. He was sitting on the ground near, but not next to Murdon. Is everything alright between you? More importantly, are you alright? He asked both privately since his Telepathy could only link one creature at a time even if Daniel and Hunter also shared a link.

“Yes,” Daniel answered simply, and the answer was even true for one of those questions. “We were looking to go out a short distance from camp. There’s nothing dangerous around and we won’t go far.”

“Besides the giant lizard containing the soul that used to be bound to you, you mean.” Lograve sighed. “We’ll be resting here for a few more hours, so you have the time. Why, might I ask?”

Should I tell him?

I trust this one, Hunter replied.

“Hunter and I improved the feature that connects us. There’s something that we want to try that probably shouldn’t be done here.”

“You improved your bond? Impressive, though you have been together for about a month now under extreme circumstances.”

“Wait, how do you know it’s called a bond? And, uh, this is the second time we’ve improved it.”

Lograve blinked. “Twice? I, sure. Sure you have. Of course.” He took in a breath, and then in a combination of whispering and shouting, asked, “How in the Octyrrum have you deepened a bond with that ringcat so quickly?!”

“Kindness and understanding?” Daniel said noncommittally.

“I seem to recall you mentioning something else when we first met.”

“No. God don’t even joke about that.”

Gods. If you’re going to keep your origin a secret you need to be more careful. Lograve considered Daniel and Hunter for a second and continued verbally. “Well, good for you. I’d ask what you can do now but I’ve got enough on my mind as it is. Go on and-”

“So, are bonds a thing? Like, other people can have them? Are there powers that affect them?”

Lograve pinched his nose. “What did I just-” He looked at Daniel again, perhaps seeing something the Artificer was suppressing, and sighed. “No, no. It’s fine. You’re lucky I’m a teacher in my spare time or I wouldn’t have the patience for this.” Lograve patted the ground beside him. “You might as well sit down unless you’re in a hurry.”

Daniel sat, began to ask a question, and was cut off by Lograve.

“Bonds,” he said over Daniel’s words, “Are a special connection between people. Not that kind of connection. Well, not always. There’s bond of friendship, which I believe yours is. Family members can form bonds of kinship if they are especially close. There’s also bond of love that can convert to bond of matrimony, the transition there should be obvious. Contract bonds, which you should avoid at all costs since they can easily trap someone in unfavorable circumstances if they aren’t careful.” Daniel listened as Lograve kept droning on, happy to have something interesting to distract him. “By the way, Bards have a disadvantage when it comes to bonds as they tend to be less attached than others. Bond of ritual is usually power-related. Then there’s bond of vengeance and other antithetical bonds, the odd ducks of the litter. Uh, clutch. Clutch?”

“I think it’s clutch?” Daniel glanced over to Hunter.

“Why do you think he would know?”

Daniel shrugged. “Hunter’s smarter than you’d think.”

“Anyway, you don’t need a power to form a bond. In fact, most don’t form that way. People with a deep enough relationship form one of an appropriate type, though with most kinds it isn’t a guaranteed thing. There’s no specific trigger for it as we know, they just reach a certain threshold and a bond is made.”

“What can you get from them?”

“It depends. Those with the love bond typically start with some kind of partner-sensing capability. Knowing where their loved one is at all times, that sort of thing. Bonds forged in hunting teams can produce special attacks derived from a power from each individual. The bond can deepen with time, growing in strength and the ways in which it affects those bonded. It can be difficult to determine what these benefits are as most identification powers won’t touch them.”

“Huh. I didn’t realize there was a way to improve your abilities beyond advancement. Speaking of I still need to commit,” Daniel tapped at his phone and whistled. “Nine advancement potential. Jeez, I hadn’t checked.”

“Impressive. On my end, last night was the largest gain of advancement I’ve had in my third level. A grim night, but we are better for surviving it.”

“Yeah.”

Lograve eyed him. “You recall what I said after your first battle with me? ‘You never really know yourself until you face an enemy you aren’t meant to beat?’”

“Yeah.”

“I imagine that, given all the circumstances involved, you might be feeling…” Lograve searched for the word, failed, and settled for a phrase. “Under the weather. How are you feeling?”

Daniel just shrugged in answer.

Lograve carefully picked up the conversation when Daniel went quiet and started playing with the dirt. “Of course, the problem with bonds is that you can’t force them. It’s that way with most relationships. Even two people benevolently coming together with the intent of forming a bond can fail, whereas two people no one would guess would hit it off will randomly acquire benefits. This can lead to problems, like if a married man acquires a bond of love that isn’t reciprocated by his partner. Even if not intended, that could prove disastrous for all involved. Also, imagine if you and Tlara-”

“Not going to happen. Ever.”

“Not where I was going, but ok,” Lograve said, nonplussed. “The point is bonds aren’t something you can cheat or control. They are the Octyrrum’s recognition of honest connections felt between two people at a fundamental level. Strengthening them represents this as well, thus my surprise at your progress with Hunter going so far in such a short amount of time.”

“Only two people? Can there be more per bond?” This was making Daniel weirdly think of chemistry. It was a topic he neither cared for nor particularly despised, which had ruled out several engineering career paths before he’d tanked them all. Another thing he’d failed at. Even so, he was drawing one of the few chemical structures he remembered in the dirt absentmindedly while Lograve talked.

“What is that? That diagram?” Lograve had noticed.

“It’s, uh,” Oh boy. Does society on the Octyrrum know about atoms? This was the kind of topic Daniel had daydreamed about explaining to someone from the past one or two times. There was way too much happening right now to get into it. “It’s a lot to explain.”

“Is that magic? Some sort of representation of Artificer formulae?”

“Something from my world. Not magic. We learn about it over the course of a semest, uh, a few months. I could tell you about it later, but could we get back to my question before our time is up?”

Lograve looked more closely at the chemical structure of caffeine before shaking his head. “Familiar somehow. Regardless, yes. Bonds can form between more than two people, rising with both power and rarity the more are involved. There is a legend from pre-Collapse history of a band of eight forming a bond when placed under extreme duress, which turned the tide of war. It might just be a legend though, nothing quite like that has been seen in modern history.”

“We could have used something like that last night.”

“Yes, we could have. It’s part of the loss of Eido. The damned Upswell just keeps taking.” Lograve caught Daniel’s questioning gaze. “There are many people who lost someone they had a bond to. Like everything else, that has weakened us.” Lograve looked sideways at Murdon, who was still suffering the downsides of his race “I am fortunate I did not lose my bond.”

I don’t think I should ask him about that, Daniel thought to Hunter. He’s not joking as much as he normally does which means we’re heading towards sad Lograve. I’m bringing down the mood enough as it is.

It does not matter to me.

You aren’t curious?

No.

“No passing notes in class!” Lograve mock snapped at Daniel. “What were you saying to Hunter?”

“Nothing.”

Lograve narrowed his eyes. “What were you thinking to him?”

“Uh,” Daniel gulped. This was just like high school. “I shouldn’t tell you.”

“Hmm. You’re lucky Telepathy doesn’t let me intercept mental messaging until level five.”

“You’d be able to read minds?”

“Maybe,” Lograve said mischievously. His eyes flicked to where Quala was overseeing those injured and Daniel held his breath. For a moment it seemed like he was going to ask about Claire, but it passed. “Well go on, try out whatever weird thing that bond of yours gave you. Although if it lets you merge with Hunter as some sort of half-man, half-beast fighting creature then I’m officially done with your absurdity.”

“Nothing like that. Yet.”

“You are joking, right?”

“Maybe,” Daniel said, trying his best to mimic how Lograve had answered earlier. As he left, Lograve surreptitiously copied the drawings left in the ground into a notebook.

Hunter and Daniel walked for a few minutes down the sloping road that led from what used to be Roost’s Peak. It wasn’t long before they found privacy from all but Tlara’s wyverns, though that was only if they flew overhead. Sitting down, Daniel felt the sensation of Hunter entering his mind like he was a hand that a tight-fitting glove was being slipped around. Only this time, the divide was less noticeable when the process was complete.

Still strange. As before, Hunter’s part of the conversation in this state seemed like someone had turned his mind into a magazine and cut up parts of it to make a ransom note.

And I’m always out of mana right when we get these upgrades, Daniel complained.

You were not out last time.

I had to save it, didn’t I? Otherwise, I could still be walking around with cheek scars. And then you were hurt and we were waiting for you to get better. He looked at Hunter’s face, now with a blank gaze like the last time he’d borrowed Daniel’s senses. He didn’t need to see that to know for sure as a body-hugging sensation always accompanied Hunter switching views. Are you trying to control me now?

No. I will wait for your permission. You are not my pet.

Don’t sound so smug, you know you want to try. Daniel lifted a hand. Raise the other one? We should start simple and train up to the bigger stuff. I’m probably getting ahead of myself, but if we could become used to each other’s bodies enough to fight with them we could- hey!

Hunter, taking Daniel’s suggestion to control his other arm, had lightly slapped Daniel’s face with it. Ow.

What do you mean ‘Ow’? You did that!

Your pain feels different. Sharper.

You didn’t notice that when my cheeks were cut open?

You had an excuse to hurt then.

Are you saying I’m weak?

I would not have complained.

You just did! Daniel sighed in exasperation, having to fight for a second for his lungs to usurp the control he’d granted Hunter. Do you want me to slap you?