Chrysalis

"Are you alright, Granin?"

The old Shaper raised his head wearily to meet the concerned gaze of his youngest triad member. Torrinna Laksham gleamed in the darkness of the Shadow Realm, a product of the ore she'd been able to obtain to form her True Skin, an infused variant of Manganese she'd stumbled on by chance. He tried not to glance at the padded leather armour that covered her left leg. He should probably be grateful the warrior circle left her any of the precious material at all, but he couldn't help but feel bitter and suspect they'd ensured that she wouldn't have enough to form a whole skin. She was tough as nails though, more than willing to bear the shame of being incomplete in order to utilise the enhanced properties of the ore to enhance her Shaping. The Circle had high expectations of her, as did the cult.

"I'm fine," he muttered, waving away her concerns. "When you get to my age these jaunts in the Dungeon become more taxing on the system."

A pair of serious eyes looked down on him as he rested after his recent exertions. The confrontation between Balta and the monster had put everyone on edge. The creature appeared more than willing to try to get under the silver fool's skin and being a puffed up warrior, the glorious leader was unwilling to endure what he saw as an inferior creature's mocking. In the end, his own triad members had been forced to restrain the enraged warrior before he'd thrown himself upon the restrained monster in a blind rage. A ridiculous display for an esteemed member of the warrior Circle and a complete embarrassment for his family. Granin was hoping they'd settle for paying off the members of the delve to keep it quiet rather than resort to more … extreme measures. Not that the monster cared.

"I don't think I've ever seen a creature with such a low sense of self preservation," he burst out.

Laksham raised one stony eyebrow.

"You expected the candidate to cooperate after we chased it down and abducted it? I think he's being well behaved all things considered."

Granin was a little taken aback.

"Him? That sounds a little familiar. Have you been communicating with the specimen much, Laksham?"

He knew she'd been speaking to it via a mind bridge, as had Nium, the second of the triad, it was necessary that he himself not be the only one making contact with the creature. But now he began to suspect that they may have been speaking more than he assumed.

She shrugged.

come into contact with a proper candidate. You can't blame for

proper candidate yet. I'm not certain what the leadership is planning right now, this isn't the sort of action that we would normally take. I do know that the cult hasn't decided

creature. He was a human before he was reborn here as a monster, he deserves to

of the Dungeon. A monster. We may have a different opinion of creatures from the Dungeon

Laksham stated, her gaze

to argue with the young Shaper, he wouldn't win even if he tried. She was a stubborn as an actual rock, this one. It wasn't a problem, she was smart and cautious, he could trust her to make good decisions. It was the other Shaper in his triad he was worried about. Nium could be a little more

to perform the healing

Granin groaned.

forgotten. Could you handle it this time?

before Laksham moved away into the darkness surrounded them, making her way toward the monster's ape pet. He almost envied the ease with which she was able to sense it out. At her age he hadn't been able to wield a fraction of that sort of skill. Pushing his misplaced jealousy aside, Granin moved back toward the rest of the group. They weren't far away, the warrior triads stood close together keeping watch over their cargo. The monster seemed to be behaving itself, its

a mind bridge to his fellow Shaper

told us

I feel like if I keep

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'He?' Granin grimaced.

for a fact that they communicated when the ape came in for healing. All I want to know is that there isn't

Granin. He's not that stupid. This is a highly intelligent monster we have here, he knows he isn't getting away. He's quite

with the specimen

[What? Why?!]

getting too close to the