Chapter 317

Days passed and I spent them working alongside each caste of keelish. Though I'd hoped that most, if not all, of my elites would evolve as soon as I did, that wasn't the case. In fact, ten days after my evolution was complete, I remained the sole Keel and there still were none that had entered the evolutionary state. Nievtala assured me that other evolutions were soon to come but couldn't or wouldn't give me any timelines. Instead, she continued to ask me when I would sire a brood.

"As soon as Sybil evolves to Keel, you can ask again." Had continued to be my sole response, but the goddess didn't care. Something about how the barriers between us had been thinned allowed the bored goddess to pester me nearly incessantly, something she continued to take advantage of. Beyond that, though I felt a certain level of kinship to her, I also recognized that Nievtala wasn't a mere voice that I could hear. The few times her mind touched mine instead of reaching out through the bounds of the System, the overwhelming power of her presence reminded me that she was a goddess, a being of power so immense that I couldn't begin to comprehend her capabilities. Thus, though I felt my frustration mounting with each day's queries, I didn't allow myself to express even a hint of frustration. 

On this the tenth day, I led a team in preparing stables or pastures outside of the bounds of the city so that the space inside the walls could be reserved for the people of Nievtra. After months, nearly a year, it seemed, I finally returned to digging. Instead of creating tunnels I definitely wouldn't fit in, though, I instead worked in tandem with one hundred other keelish as we carved a several feet-deep ditch in a massive perimeter. We packed the earth outside the ditches, creating walls that were just about two feet tall, but, combined with the depths of the ditches inside, the walls were at least five feet tall. Though the oryx and several goats the hunters had managed to capture over the past twenty days could jump over them, they stayed within the bounds of the walls we slowly established. The oxfiends, on the other hand, were wholly unable to leave the expanding enclosed pasture except for through the single entrance we'd left. There, the earth was left mostly untouched, and the herds slowly moved through it in a steady tide of ten or so oxfiends across.

With a grunt, I tossed another handful of dirt up and out of the trench. My claws were too narrow and sharp to carve the dirt like the Kha'Tals', but I still tossed what I did loosen up and out of the path of those who came behind me. While I continued on my work, Nievtala returned with her inane questions.

[You know that rutting is enjoyable. The addition of more hatchlings will allow you to progress your [Skills] as well, especially [Nurturing Enunciation]. You might as well get started on it. If it happens early, what's the big difference?]

"You tell me. I don't know if Sybil evolving would lead to healthier, stronger, safer hatchlings."

[You know I can't tell you.]

"Then why do you ask me what the difference is?"

Blessedly, Nievtala went silent after that and allowed me to entirely focus on the work at hand. I didn't truly enjoy the mindless physical labor, and could recognize, whether by nature or habit, I was now a leader whose greatest use would be in warfare. My [Skills] and [Titles] would lead me to enhancing my people's strength and my own. [Spear of the Many], once mastered, would serve as a lynchpin in my strength, allowing me to confront creatures much beyond my own capabilities. There hadn't been enough of a justification to experiment with the [Skill] since my evolution, what with Vefir and the healers being needed everywhere in the swarm, all the time. I couldn't justify pulling any of them from their duties to allow me to experiment right now when I could be doing so much more for my people as a whole instead. 

Even so, I decided to attempt to use this [Skill] once more after completing the work for today. Perhaps I could call it a reward of sorts. We worked for hours, and I continued to use every [Skill] at my disposal to hasten the work. With [Enervating Address] heightened by [Voice of the Divine], my people worked through the day, only pausing for a short time to devour a large portion of cooked ant meat that was provided to each of the workers. Once their bellies were filled, each worker eagerly approached me and resumed working. I felt a swell of pride watching the previously lazy and unwilling members of my people self-driven to work. That it was in pursuit of my approval wasn't lost on me, and I didn't mind. I'd long since cemented myself as the center of my race, and I would continue to do so for as long as it benefitted us. 

The suns set behind the Shandise, and though true dark was far off, we ceased our work though it wasn't yet complete. Some of the Kha'Tal remained focused on digging out the trench, but after I convinced them that it wouldn't be complete without several more hours of work from at least fifty keelish, they stepped out of the trenches and towards the city. I knew that they wouldn't stop working once they got there, but I didn't mind. Instead, I walked to the far edge of the city, where I could begin searching for Vefir to conscript him into helping me in this most recent practice session with my dangerously powerful [Skill].

Before I got there, Sybil intercepted me and I slowed my pace to allow her to keep herself beside me.

"Your report?" I asked.

"Though we continue to send most of the Sik'Tal out, there are precious few creatures to be found higher up the mountain except for those we have already encountered. There is a surplus of the ants, and it is more and more obvious that however they feed themselves can only be found underground. Joral and several of his Kou'Tal are attempting to make any headway on initiating a more positive relationship with the creatures and today had no breakthrough. As we have no particular need for the Sou'Tal's administrative work, we have been filing in where we are necessary. The Hak'Tal have been training in combat with Brutus, whenever he believes you safe enough to leave his sight. 

"Of course, the Kha'Tal remain the quiet backbone of our people. This all raises one question, though."

"What is that?"

"Do you wish to continue to call us your swarm, Ashlani? Or should we become something more than that?"

The question filled my mind and caused me to slow my pace even further, nothing more than a pensive walk that allowed those I'd left behind to catch up and then pass us without issue. It was quickly obvious to me that the question had merit, and I already knew the answer, even though I hadn't thought about it previously.

"No, we are a nation. The New Empire of the Saharliard, and every keelish my subject."

As soon as I declared it, I received a [System] notification.