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Matt opened his eyes and saw.
It was like the world had been hidden by sunglasses that were finally taken off. The world was sharper, more real. Colors were far more distinct, as though separated by lines each time they changed hue. Sounds broke into a melodic composition, every movement highlighted.
Matt released his Concept, and the world returned to normal, giving him a moment to orient himself to his new ability.
It was a stronger effect of what the Emperor had done, when he had appeared as a hologram when they met at the PlayPen. The man didn’t even need to be present to impact reality itself, which made Matt’s status as a peak Tier 4 cultivator practically insignificant in comparison.
I am Endless, his Concept whispered in his spirit, but compared to the absolute oceans of strength which the royals displayed with their mere presence, he was a single drop of water.
And Liz grew up with these monsters.
Taking stock of his situation, Matt scanned the area to find only Travis, Liz’s brother, still lingering in the chairs they’d set up around the house to watch the Ascension. Quietly, he walked inside, jumping when he kicked a finger-long shard of what he thought was glass.
After looking at the Tier 17 and ensuring he wasn’t bothered, Matt scooped it up. He could feel the same energy that had permeated the air during the Ascension.
Some still lingered around them, but in a much smaller quantity. Here in this shard, the energy was condensed. He could even see a part of the ascender’s calf captured in the shard like a picture.
Once inside, he came face-to-face with a graceful redhead holding Aster. Now that Matt was less absorbed in his newfound Concept, he felt through his bond with the small white fox that she was in serious distress.
He crossed the intervening distance with hurried steps. As he reached out to scoop up the white fox, Aunt Helen shifted slightly to deny him.
He looked to the Tier 24 Phoenix with concern. Her feathered hair swooshed in an arc as she moved.
Quietly, he asked, “What’s wrong with her?”
He trusted that the older woman had her reasons for preventing him from taking his bond, but he still needed answers.
The older woman smiled, but it was one filled with what he interpreted as remembered pain. Or maybe a shared experience.
“Beasts who advance usually do so without complications from Tier 1 through 4. Tier 5 is a monumental change. Little Aster is having her mind forcefully enhanced. She is going from Sentience to Sapience. And it hurts like nothing else.”
She looked down, and kept stroking the little fox, whose flank was now violently quivering.
Matt wanted to clarify. “So, she’s becoming more human? And those hurt?”
Aunt Helen smiled. “I remember mine, though it was so very long ago. It’s excruciating. And there isn’t much that can be done without hurting her more. Her mind is growing and creating new connections. I’m doing my best to soothe her, but I can’t interfere anymore.”
“Is this going to happen every time she Tiers up?”
His stomach rolled at the idea, and he tried to send warm, comforting thoughts to his bond. But she was curled up tight, even mentally. She let nothing in, and Matt was getting desperate to help.
“No, Matt. This will be the worst. Tiers 5 through 10 are all about the mind evolving, and Tiers 11 through 14 are about your body feeling…wrong. Easier advancement has its drawbacks. Beasts’ minds grow, which makes it so that we start feeling trapped in our own bodies. It’s why we create a more fitting form once we reach Tier 15.”
She gently rocked the ball of white fur in her arms. “This is the worst of it. She’ll get better in a few more hours. It’s almost over.”
Matt opened his mouth to ask a question, and Aunt Helen spoke over him. “When she finishes this, she’ll need a good cuddle and sleep with the people she cares about. The next few days will be hard for her, and the world will be a completely new place. It will be up to you and Liz to guide her through this. But I’ll give Aster some advice before I leave. She’ll come out of this stronger. It’s painful, but natural.”
He still wanted to grab his bond and hold her, but he respected the phoenix, and would wait for Aunt Helen to finish. Matt wasn’t so arrogant to think that he could do something that a million-year-old cultivator couldn’t do.
- Writer
