Kyle blinked a couple of times at the Matriarch’s words, sure he misunderstood something. I am not looking to kill you, he sent to her. If I can break the formation impacting you, I might be able to stop the plague from spreading through you. To accompany the thought, he focused on memories of deconstructing the runes on the laboratory door.

  The Matriarch let out a breath, a hint of amusement playing through the next thoughts she sent to Kyle. You are a curious one, kin-slayer. You had no compunctions about slaying my young. Why does this request seem to bother you so?

  He took a moment to consider his next message. It was true that he hunted shrikes without much consideration before, but he wanted to present his new thought process carefully. The last thing he wanted to do was offend the C Grade, potentially rescinding her order for his protection.

  Before he could respond, she sent another telepathic message to him. When you look upon me, what do you see?

  I see a powerful C Grade, Kyle responded almost immediately.

  You have seen others, the Matriarch pressed. Am I truly as powerful as they?

  Kyle was about to respond in the affirmative, but paused. The Glaivebeak, Ghork, and the Scourge all possessed power that Kyle felt outstripped the shrike Matriarch. Jarberry and Fernie didn’t necessarily give off a more powerful aura, though that felt like more of a conscious effort on both of their parts.

  I am not unaware of my condition, kin-slayer, the Matriarch continued, not waiting for his response. I am injured, crippled, and past my prime. I may live years longer yet, but to what end? As long as I am here, the hatchlings will not grow. They are subject to my leadership, as I am subject to the relics of my old Master. They can’t rise beyond their station as long as I draw breath.

  Kyle felt the frown growing across his face. What do you expect me to do about it? He finally sent. No matter what she said, he didn’t feel confident that the shrikes would just stand by if he tried to kill their Matriarch. Worse, if what she said was true, they may even be under a compulsion to defend her. That was a scenario he absolutely had to avoid at any cost.

  I want you do demonstrate your worthiness, kin-slayer. I have seen the echoes their deaths; the skills you use to take our lives and preserve your own. Even now, I can sense faint whispers of my kind, dormant within you. Show my brood that you are worth respect, in fulfilling their ancestor’s wish.

  The Matriarch’s thoughts were full of conviction. Kyle could see the flames of fervor in her yellow eye, a contrast from the weariness it replaced. She wanted this; planned it all along, unless he missed his guess. The Matriarch was just waiting for her chance to die on her terms, and Kyle was the instrument to help her do it.

  He looked at the Shrike Matriarch, eyes drawn once more to the runic inscriptions that were her prison and curse. Despite her power, she was a prisoner. Bound to the will of a long-dead master, watching as her brood were forced to follow it as well. Worse, the late king poisoned the connection, her own strength serving as a conduit to spread a plague she was powerless to stop.

  The scars on his stomach burned with phantom pain. He understood. Tell me what you need me to do, he sent.

  It is simple: survive. The Matriarch’s next message echoed even louder in his mind, as he felt all the nearby shrikes perk up. Bear witness! The kin-slayer has issued a challenge for leadership of the clan. The outcome will determine your allegiance, carry no ill-will.

  Wait, a challenge? Kyle thought, eyes widening as he saw the Matriarch shift her weight.

  Prepare yourself, kin-slayer. I cannot simply die. Survive my attack, show that you are worthy to lead the clan! As the last thought came through, the shrike Matriarch roared.

  Kyle felt mana get drawn into the wicked blade on her remaining arm, and instantly activated Ignition and Storm Shelter. His Ferric Augmentation was also pushed to its limit, veins of bio-metal spreading to cover his skin.

  [DR. MAYHEW, NOW!]

  Kyle didn’t hesitate as he poured energy into his connection to C.H.A.D.D. A moment later, a lattice of layered bamboo woven together with thick, bark-covered vines materialized between Kyle and the edge of his barrier. At the same moment, Kyle activated Healing Impetus across most of his body, priming his cells with regenerative power.

  Less than a second later, the mana condensing around the Matriarch’s blade hit a crescendo. Kyle roared as Storm Shelter was put under immense pressure, finally yielding to the immense angled slash. Another cocoon of vines wrapped around Kyle at incredible speed, and he only now recognized the gray bark coating them. He could hear the bamboo and vine lattice get destroyed, barely detecting a faint pulse from the familiar gray material a moment before the construction was shredded.

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  C.H.A.D.D. had managed to replicate the stonebloom. Its disruptive properties slightly destabilized the wicked blade of mana, further weaking the attack just before it collided with Kyle. He let out a scream of pain as the slash struck his crossed arms, the mana buckler on his left arm giving one last push before it, too, was crushed and destroyed under the oppressive attack.

  The blade bit deeply into his flesh, meeting fierce resistance against his Enhanced Carapace’s Ferric Augmentation. The force of the slash sent him flying backwards, compressed blade of mana still trying to cut through his arms. Kyle frantically activated Healing Impetus on the damaged arm, feeling mana drain faster than Ignition could replace it as Tenacious Vigor funneled energy into the damaged cells.

  Finally, the mana blade lost its shape. He felt blood flowing freely from his right shoulder and left hip as the attack broke over his arms, leaving nasty cuts as the remnant energies sailed past, biting into the stone of the canyon before dissipating entirely.

  Kyle’s left arm dropped, his forearm a mess of blood and cuts, despite his constant infusion of healing energy. He could only feel pain below the elbow, and was pretty certain his shoulder had been dislocated by the force of the blow. Before his eyes, he saw new cuts opening up as others healed, the remnant energy from the attack stubbornly lingering.

  He looked down the canyon toward the source of the attack; the Matriarch. He’d been blown back well over 150 meters by the attack, and found himself surrounded by a group of shrikes. His eyes were drawn to a resplendently colored alpha, who looked at him with wide eyes.

  For a moment, he felt certain that they were about to attack him. Then, the alpha chirped.

  Tough. Alive. Strong.

  Kyle grinned. Or tried to, as he coughed up a mouthful of blood. Not food? Kyle thought at the creature as he regained his composure.

  No. Too chewy.

  At that, the nearby shrikes backed away slowly, giving Kyle space as he started to walk toward the Matriarch.

  [DR. MAYHEW, THE SHRIKE MATRIARCH OVEREXERTED WITH THAT ATTACK.]

  “I know,” Kyle said. Both Auric Perception and Identify confirmed the erratic movements of the Matriarch’s mana. He had no doubt that, in the past, she’d been able to use attacks like that in succession. Now, it was simply too much for her body to handle. The Matriarch was taking damage simply trying to regulate her own mana.

  That was well done, kin-slayer, she thought at him. You are powerful. I chose well.

  Kyle met her yellow eye. It blazed with resolve, despite the weakness clear in her stance. Are you sure this is what you want? Kyle asked.

  I am, she thought.

  Kyle nodded slowly. I will try to make it as painless as I can.

  With that, he activated Parasitic Resonance. The tendrils of mana met fierce resistance as they invaded the Matriarch’s mana network, despite no active effort on her part. The pathways of a C Grade creature were just that difficult to influence.

  Kyle sat, legs crossed as he regarded the Matriarch. His left arm was still bleeding, but Adaptive Regeneration and Healing Impetus were slowly winning the battle of attrition against the remnants of her attack. In addition to Ignition, Kyle siphoned a bit of the Matriarch’s power, replenishing his mana reserves as Parasitic Resonance took hold, slowly but surely.

  It will be a little while before I’m able to do what you’ve asked. Tell me your story. He respected her choice to leave on her terms, but Kyle didn’t want her to be forgotten.

  You are amusing, kin-slayer. Very well. With that, the Matriarch sent a series of memories to Kyle. He looked through her eyes at an ancient goblin woman, saw the other alphas that he knew would rise to C Grade alongside her. He tasted bitter potions, felt the pain of runic inscriptions being seared into her scales time and time again.

  He saw countless battles, coming out to fight against other remaining C Grades who were in seclusion. Her injuries accumulated during this time, her arm taken by another Beastmaster’s shrike, while her eye was taken by a C Grade Warrior. Eventually, her brothers and sisters began to fall, one by one. Soon, she was left alone with the goblin, who had settled back near her descendants in a small village, the same one Vel’Norn lived in.

  One day she left, and never returned. Kyle felt the twin isolation and elation at her captor’s departure, the sorrow of being left alone merging with the hope of freedom for the first time. Slowly, the Matriarch’s family began to grow, and Kyle felt her pride at watching her first hatchlings become alphas.

  The cycle continued for centuries, and that pride began to mix with concern as none of the hatchlings approached her level of power. What would happen when she died? The Matriarch was unsure, but she endured nevertheless as her progeny spread across Er’Mithren, meeting and connecting with other shrike packs.

  And then, the plague came. So recently in her mind, the anger at the memories so clear. Her little ones suffered, the shrikes around her nest began to decline. She told them to go, to leave her, but in an act of rebellion, they still stayed close. Maybe, deep down, she wanted them to.

  When she started to see her kin across the world begin to die, her attention was drawn to Kyle. As if a map was seared into his brain, he saw the locations of each of the shrikes he’d slain. There was anger in the Matriarch, certainly, but he saw through her eyes the opportunity he presented to break the cycle and give her peace. A sentiment that was only reinforced when the alpha watched Kyle destroy the abomination after the conflict with Zierlan.

  Now, you know, she thought at him. Do what must be done, and remember us. Do not let our lives be wasted.

  Kyle nodded solemnly. By now, Parasitic Resonance had taken hold, the oft-unused ramping aspect of the skill having worn through much of the Matriarch’s natural resistance.

  Thank you, he said. With that, he twisted and drained. A relaxed expression fell over the Matriarch’s face as her eye lost focus, a torrent of energy flowing into Kyle. He barely noticed a cacophony of cries from the shrikes in the canyon, distracted by a pang of agony as his core greedily drank in the power. He retained enough presence of mind to send some of the pure mana to C.H.A.D.D. and the World Tree Seed, knowing the Core of the Parasitic Devourer got what it needed.

  A splitting headache came on, signaling Adaptive Anatomy was making another change. Coupled with the now-familiar feeling of levels to check, Kyle was eager to meditate and understand the changes. For now, though, his attention was drawn to the pack of shrikes approaching from the ravine mouth.