I prowled through the forest, and as I did so, I listened for any news from my people as they scouted. My general influence over sound allowed me to parse conversations from a dozen different locations. Even so, as with all things like this, there was no immediate news. In fact, I remained wholly unknowing of any turn of events for over a day. On the second day, as I continued my path around in the lands surrounding my capital, I heard whispers of a particular creature that had been seen in the surroundings.
The wyrms weren't inextricably tied to the Misti Hawar, but they remained something that could be considered related. Were they somehow communicating with or scouting for the Misti Hawar?
"How did they get here without any of us realizing it?" I demanded of my elites. "The creatures are able to move quickly and remain mostly hidden, but this should not have been possible! How are they here?"
"I apologize." Foire spoke. "The blame lies with me. All of our scouting forces have been pulled back to the city itself to ensure that none of our real enemy cannot be allowed into our stronghold."
"That makes sense." I ground out. "Do you have any plans about this?"
"We do." Took answered in his stead. "It is being implemented at this time."
"And the plans are flexible to include potential Misti Hawar presence?"
"They're planned around the assumption that the Misti Hawar will attempt to interfere."
"Good. Do you need my assistance specifically?"
"No, Zaaktif, though your presence would never be unwelcome."
"Of course. Now, what news is there from those from Tala? Your command "
"Thou hast seen our struggles." The Alpha spoke. "Nonetheless, we are all confident that our contributions shall grow immense quickly. Our expertise with construction remains unmatched compared to those whose experience is entirely unrelated to aboveground construction. The difficulty lies in encouraging thy subjects to abandon the locations of warmth to engage in active construction."
"The people from Tala don't want to leave the buildings?" I clarified.
"Yes."
"Force them out. Tell them that those who are most effective and focused will be given time to spend in my presence. There is proven history that prolonged exposure to me grants a greater proclivity to potential evolution. Chjell is a living testament, as he spent so long unable to evolve and was able to become Keel simply from being in my presence. If that isn't enough, then they aren't welcome in my city. Those unable to work because their minds are so weak that they fall apart at the thought of a little hard work in the cold are not true Saharliard and they cannot count themselves among my people."
"Thy will be done." The Alpha responded as they walked out of my quarters. With a moment's consideration, I called them back.
"I'm going to make a guess here, there is no consequence for correcting me. However, do you two both wish to evolve and to become something different than what you are?"
"We can hide nothing one from another."
"Our desires have long been known."
"We desire freedom, to see the world as Nievtala intends."
"Not as an inseparable pair,"
"But as a pair of individuals."
"Great." I nodded. "Then one of you go to do as I asked while the other stays here with me. You can bring information to your partner when you are finished."
They looked at each other, obviously uncomfortable with it.
"Separation is…" The male trailed off.
"Painful."
"Then suffer through pain to get to your goal." I flicked my tail dismissively. "I can't pretend to know your feelings, suffering, or so on. But you have a goal, so do what's necessary to complete that goal. If you don't, then you weren't strong enough to seize your goal for yourselves anyways."
The female flared her frills.
"As thou commandest, Zaaktif, we—I shall do." With a resolute turn of her entire body, she stepped away to do as she said. Something in the male's face shifted as she deliberately turned away, and I felt Nievtala's presence for a moment. She said nothing, and though I sent a couple questions her way, she didn't answer me. She quickly faded from my awareness and there was nothing more for me to say to her. Instead, I refocused on my elites as they listened to me.
"Took. What's your plan?" I asked. "There's wyrms to kill before they're allowed to kill our own. If we have to fight them while the Misti Hawar provide magical shadow for them, then we're going to suffer unacceptable casualties."
"There are three hunting pairs that have approached closely enough to be considered a threat. The others, while they have drawn near, moved further north than can be considered a threat. For now, only the six will be dealt with. As we've experimented with the Misti Hawar, we will focus on encircling single wyrms with various magics. That should force them into corporeal form while their mates attempt to save them. Packs will operate at triple strength, focusing on magical capability to protect ourselves from shadow ambushes."
I flared my frills. "How many packs will be in the field right now?"
"Two. Each will field at least ten Khatif or Keel with magic proven to affect the shadow magic, supported by twice their number of nonmagical Saharliard."
"Is there anything stopping us from moving forward on clearing the wyrms from the area immediately?"
"Only your command."
"Then go. Kill the wyrms. I'll be nearby with the Male Alpha."
He shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, and I evaluated him. "In fact, 'the Male Alpha' is cumbersome to say. Instead, I'll call you Iituli."
The newly named Iituli grimaced, but he flared his frills in acceptance. The mere act of being named seemed to make him uncomfortable, but he didn't argue with it. Instead, he forced himself to speak.
"Iituli listens and obeys, my Zaaktif."
I flared my frills and strode forward. Seeing me leaving the conversation, Took threw her head back and shrieked her command to the surroundings. The two packs fell into their ranks quickly, each communicating among themselves as they prepared the method to encircle and entrap each of the wyrms, and how to react if there were others that came to their support. Finally, conversations about how to slow, stop, and kill the Misti Hawar if they appeared while the hunt of the wyrms was actively underway clarified the path of attack when the hunt inevitably was complicated.
"Forgive me, Zaaktif." Foire spoke. "I have failed you."
"Then don't do it again, Foire. There was merely an overreaction. Now, temper yourself and prepare to find and hunt the beasts. It won't be long before we find ourselves in battle, and I need you to be ready to fight and to kill."
"As you command."
Then, with Iituli by my side, I strode into the forest, hoping the Misti Hawar dared to attack. After all, I had a score to settle.