Chapter 310

I walked through the city, giving quick commands to whoever I saw to gather near the wall where we'd first entered the city. It was a testament to my wholly solidified authority that, as I walked, my journey came across fewer and fewer keelish, though Brutus sending another of the guards forward to give the same command helped as well. Fortunately, I'd thought to give the command to those watching the ants' hole to fill the pit with as much water as they could muster before coming as well. Thus, for a time, my people could come and watch as I Spoke the entirety of the Words of Power of Nievtala. Just knowing that I had finally found them in their entirety, I felt a wide grin cross my face. 

Something told me that I would want as many of my subordinates nearby as possible when I finally Spoke. So much of Nievtala's Words were communal in nature instead of wholly individual, and I knew that even if I was the sole member of the swarm currently able to evolve to become Keel, every individual would benefit greatly from witnessing my ascension. 

While hundreds of keelish milled around, curious about why I'd called them to assemble once more, I scaled the walls from a stairway that'd been centuries since forgotten. As I rose above the masses, I looked over them and felt their expectations settle over me. They were right to trust in me, for long behind was left the insecure hatchling, the revenge bent human, and the hesitant child. I rose before my people as the Zaaktif, their emperor, he would lead them to victory and conquest, to safety and surety, to life and past death. I would sacrifice Ashlani the human to Ashlani the Keel and stand tall as their bastion, their leader, and their [Spear]. Here on the wall waited for me Sybil, Took, Brutus, Shemira, Vefir, Foire, Trai, Ytte, Percral, and the rest of my elites. I walked to stand in front of them, my back to the world outside our walls. I was ready.

I rose both hands high above my head and addressed my people. 

"Some of you have walked with me from my hatching, others from my original ascent to Swarm Alpha, and the rest of you from my journey there all the way here, to our ancestral home. You have seen me step forward as your Alpha and overcome insurmountable odds placed against us. When the Veratocracy sought to eliminate us as pests, I led our escape. When the Moonchildren debated our worth, I proved it. When the inhabitants of Shandr hunted us, I returned death in kind, and when the indlovu sought to disrupt us, I held us together. 

"The world itself rallies and rails against the keelish. Every nation sees us at best as annoyances, but most consider our existence to be a blight upon the land. They hunt us, not for food or even for sport, but for extermination. No longer will we permit this! No longer shall I allow these other people to demean and hate us!"

Roars of approval filled the air as I cut my hands through the air. The widespread noise shifted to scattered cheers until it grew to a crescendoing chant.

"Ashlani!

"Ashlani!

"Ashlani!

"Ashlani!

"ASHLANI!"

I let the cheer fill the air, echoing off the walls for a minute before I raised my hands again, calming the ravening horde. The time had come. Nievtala's presence washed over all of us, and a single moment stretched into eternity as she watched, and we waited with bated breath. The Words came freely to my tongue, striking the air with a nearly physical power as I Spoke my evolution into being.

"Through the flaming crucible of war are we refined, through the quenching in the blood of our foes are we strengthened, through the tempering of the sacrifice of our lives are we completed. We are the blade bared at the throats of those who dare oppose us, the throne to which the wise submit, and the peak which casts the long shadow."

As the Words faded from the air, Nievtala spoke.

Yes. You are mine.

Instead of possessiveness or manipulation like I'd felt before, her words were pure exultation. She gloried in finally no longer being alone, in someone joining her–

Like an arrow from the bow, I was struck with an understanding, as if a fog had been pulled from my mind. This voice–I knew where else I had heard this voice. I couldn't say why I hadn't ever been able to understand that before, but now I knew where else Nievtala had spoken to me. A dozen proofs of my certainty flashed through my mind, too quickly to be understood. 

Before I could ask any questions or make any further declarations, a wave of exhaustion washed over me. I realized I was about to evolve, even though I hadn't confirmed with the [System] that I was ready. Evolution to becoming Keel was immediately overcoming me without my input. 

Looking out over the assembled keelish, I saw each one lay prostrate, whether willing or not I couldn't tell. They all refused to look up at me, though it wasn't me they avoided looking at. I tried to turn to look at what I knew was above and behind me, but as I started to turn, my legs gave out underneath me and my eyes closed before I could see anything except for a pearlescent tail. My head thumped against the ground, and then, I felt and saw nothing.

[Sybil POV]

Ashlani's head hit the ground with a discomfiting thunk. Sybil again tried to stand under the overwhelming presence, to go to him, but she couldn't move. Above her, the magnificent, perfect personage in the form of what must be a Keel looked at her specifically. Perhaps because of her previous efforts to look at Nievtala's representation, or maybe because of the continued attempts to move though the goddess desired otherwise. Whatever the reason was, though, Sybil needed to see him. He'd spoken with a righteous zeal and focus, almost possessed with a need to say what he did.

His words had made her heart soar, ready to confront anything that stood before them, willing to fight. Something inside of her had changed, made ready for the next stage of life under his knowledge. Then, as he'd finished his speech, Nievtala appeared, and everything froze. She spoke only to Ashlani, and he fell. After a pregnant pause, Sybil still striving to move towards her mate, Nievtala's presence faded, though Sybil could feel some measure of communication the goddess had attempted to bestow her with. 

Now able to move, Sybil rushed to Ashlani's side. He breathed steadily without difficulty, and when Vefir approached, Sybil stepped away to allow him to minister to the Alpha, though her blood screamed for her to stay near him and offer whatever meaningless support she could. Vefir looked up, his eyes wide with amazement.

"He is changing. It has to be so in his path to becoming Keel."

Sybil relaxed before forcing herself to focus once more on the swarm. After all, who could say how long it would be before Ashlani returned, and was it not her responsibility to ensure that everything was moving according to plan and beyond expectations?

[Ashlani POV]

The peace of the evolutionary space threatened to consume my mind as usual, but my agitation at understanding demanded I speak. The Administrator approached, and my eyes pierced the mists she'd held over my mind when I spoke.

"Hello, Nievtala."