บท 28: Chapter 26

Once again, I found myself floating aimlessly as soon as I acknowledged my willingness to evolve. This time, however, I realized that this evolutionary space was the only place other than the sand bath that I could remember where I had ever relaxed in any way since my reincarnation. Even sleep was taken with a rigid and pragmatic approach–in order to grow, I must rest. Only my baths, which I had not taken with my body injured as it was, and this out-of-body space were where I would or could relax to any extent.

Slowly, I allowed myself to loosen and allow my stress to begin to drain from me. I was about to sigh in relief when I was rudely interrupted.

[Oh, but are you lucky little fang! I've never seen a Martanimis be so foolish as to take whole, living, and potentially dangerous prey into its mouth like that. They're always so careful to make sure they kill anything before it enters their mouths. I must confess, I was sure you were doomed once you began to track it. I mean, they prey on keelish. Of course it's going to eat you. But… It isn't often I'm happy to be proven wrong, but here we are.]

My sigh of relief quickly shifted to exasperation. Regardless of anything else, however, I was still in her space, so why would I expect to be offered some level of privacy?

[I couldn't tell you. This isn't a relaxing soak in a hot spring or a massage, it is an opportunity to grow wiser and more powerful.]

That was true enough, I supposed. I began to ready my question when I was once again interrupted.

[Now, I do have a little… free information for you. Please realize that this is a direct quote, and does not contain my own thoughts. "Do note that this does not at all impact your ability to ask a question during this evolution, and is instead recompense being offered to you by the Administrative Body". Or System, through the Body. It doesn't really matter which. Those other fogeys just want to maintain–yeah, ok, I'll stop it.]

My mind reeled at the casual revelation. Was the System not regulated, or, more correctly I supposed, administrated by the Administrative Body? And was she currently listening to other Administrators or the System? What was she possibly angering?

[Don't interrupt me by thinking so loudly. Anyway, "due to the Administrative Body's general reluctance to provide to you the information that you rightfully deserve as a System User, there will be additional information provided at this time to ensure that you, as a System User, are not impaired from being allowed to make informed decisions…" Yeah, I'm not reading the rest of this. Basically, here's some free information because you deserve it. The Administrative Body has worked to keep you in the dark for a while, despite my attempts to convince them otherwise. Not too surprising though, since most of them don't support the keelish System User or me by matter of principle. A bunch of capital B Bitter fogeys, if you ask me.

[The information to be provided is: the Exceptional Individual Skill is somewhat of an attempt at leveling the field by the System. There are species that are inherently more powerful than others, like the Misti Hawar or even humans, and the weaklings deserve a leg up beyond their quicker maturation. Thus, the System's creation of the Exceptional Individual Skill. You might wonder how it is that this is a help to weaker species, since all creatures have the ability to acquire the Skill. However, think on it. After all, there aren't many seven to eight year-old human children who are as physically or magically powerful as an adult, right? Even for System Users, it is nearly unheard of for humans or other more advanced races to ever have any reason to learn about this Skill, much less have the opportunity to acquire it, since their Quest progressions are so much more complicated than your own.

[Anyway, given the power of the Skill, you should focus on getting as many of your brood to qualify for the Skill as soon as possible, especially those–]

The Administrator's voice was cut off, apparently by something else. She returned with a sigh after several moments, obviously frustrated by her inability to communicate what she'd wanted.

[You should help your brood acquire the Skill. The earlier the better. That is all.] The surly tone that dripped from her voice was somewhat amusing, though I tried to stifle my amusement and general confusion.

[Ok, little fang.] Her tone became ridiculously saccharine sweet and condescending. [Exceptional Individual good. Get brood to get it. Got it?]

I nodded my head, or at least tried to while attempting to tamp down my frustration.

[Good. Now that that stuffy business is out of the way, what question do you have for me? I hope it's a good one.]

I actively tamped down my feelings about this Administrator as I posed my question: Other than following the Quests from the [System], how could I ensure that the steps I was taking would best lead me to the best long-term progress?

[A clever question. And, perhaps, a good one.] I could detect a hint of approval in her voice, and with it came a swelling of warmth within me, that I was fairly sure wasn't entirely natural to me. That gave me pause, that a bit of intention directed my way could so completely alter my perception. I would need to be more cautious with this Administrator.

[The question will take a bit of history to fully explain, so I will provide. The keelish race, contrary to its current state of weakness and disharmony, was once a prominent and powerful people. Their presence and power has greatly reduced since that time, due to the combined efforts of others!] she emphasized the last word, seemingly for someone else who was listening's benefit.

[Now, however, the keelish are seen as naught much more than vermin. Once, your forefathers ruled an empire, and their emperors were honored not just by their people, but by all peoples. That time, however, is long gone, but from it comes your answer: the way of your forefathers, and thus the way of the keelish, is that of conquest and domination. An omnipresent, voracious hunger demanding to be fed, screaming to be sated, and whose glut never finds peace. In order to ensure that the steps you take are most beneficial to your growth, you simply need to ensure that you continue to conquer, to dominate, to progress. What you have done thus far is in keeping with that inherent need, that genetic predisposition, and you need simply continue on that path. If the juncture comes which you must choose, choose violence. It may not be the answer for a human, but it nearly always is for a Keel.]

Something about how the Administrator said the word reverberated throughout my whole being. Keel… that is what the keelish once were. I could feel the Administrator's presence begin to withdraw as she left a final phrase for me. [So, be more Keel, and less ish.]

As my mind began to fade, I couldn't help but sigh that the revelation of the keelish forefathers' name was packaged in a pun.