Tyrant of Choice
Against Catastrophe
Stigma of the Chosen
Born of Will
Coronation of the Wild Song
Forge of Cardinal Thunderflame
The Call of Defiance
Transmuter of Burdens
Savant of the Green Wilds
Champion of the Halcyon
Sheltered
Challenger's Crown I
Pit's Harmonic Stats
RES: 150
INE: 333
AFI: 252
REI: 197
EVA: 495
MIG: 101
ALA: 279
FEL: 154
"Holy wow," Felix muttered, attempting to keep his jaw from the floor. "That's...that's a lot of change."
Pit warbled in agreement.
"You're a Primordial, now?" Felix asked, too floored to absorb it all.
"Just like you," Pit said, his tone bright and pleased. "Now I won't fall behind anymore!"
"Bud...is that how you felt?"
Pit shrugged and looked away. Felix gathered him up in a hug and Pit cooed into his shoulder. "I'll never leave you behind, Pit. Alright?"
"Alright."
"I mean it, bud," Felix repeated. He let his friend go and held his newer, more slender shoulders at arms length. He was still the size of a pony, and small pops of static electricity zapped his scaled hands. "I don't care if you're as big as a house or as small as a pup, you're with me. No matter what."
Pit didn't reply, just ducked his glossy, raven head into Felix's chest. They stayed like that for a bit, Felix standing next to the couch, Pit rumbling contentedly into his torso. Things were strange and hectic, but Felix felt good and...and calm, for the first time in a long while. The storm raged outside, but around him there was only the soft crackle of the fire.
His eyes drifted to Vess, still asleep despite their noise. She'd shifted into a different position at some point and now her long umber hair hung over her face like a curtain, revealing only the tips of her nose and far cheek. He bit his lip as his Mind started to spool outward again, picking up on new worries.
"Were the other's affected?" he asked Pit, meeting his friend's golden gaze. "Like you?"
"In a way."
Felix and Pit parted as Vess stood, stretching languidly and letting her blanket slide from her lap. She was wearing a pale orange silken blouse and voluminous navy trousers, both of which set off against her darker skin tone remarkably well. A dimple deepened as she smiled brightly, and brushed hair out of her face. "I am happy to see you well, Felix.
"Me too," he said, then coughed. "You I mean. Seeing you is nice.
"Mm." Her smile widened a bit more. You are taller than I recall. Andscalier.
Felix immediately shoved his hands into his jacket pockets...only to discover he hadn't any. A frustrated burst of Will and Mana changed that, and he stowed his scaled fists. "Ah. Yeah. Consequences of my actions, apparently."
Vess tucked a wild lock of hair behind her ear. "I see. And you are...fine? You were out when Pit and your other friends brought you back."
"My otherBeef? Is he here?" Felix pressed his Perception up against the edges of the room, but the doors were warded for privacy. "Is he okay?"
Vess stepped forward, carefully resting Felix's weaponry against the chair she'd left. "He seemed well. The Lady Isla was taking a look at him, last I knew. He is...strange, though. Him and his little companion creature."
Hallow survived too. That's good. "Don't be fooled by that big Body of his, where I'm from he's basically a kid."
"Truly? Remarkable. He was the only one strong enough to move you, despite his injuries. He seemed quite sweet." She lifted a hand and touched his jacketed forearm, causing Felix to flinch slightly. "May I see?"
Felix swallowed nervously. Somehow she'd gotten so close without him noticing at all. She can't teleport, can she? He didn't fight as she eased his left hand out of his pocket and held it up in her own.
Vess peered closely at his knuckles and fingertips, and Felix felt her hot breath against the strangely sensitive scales. "They are shinier than I expected," she said.
"What?" he asked.
"Your scales. They are quite glossy in the firelight, and quite delicate." Her own small hands, dark brown to his midnight black, twisted his hand over and ran across his palm. His palms were lighter by several shades, and the scales were intricate and tiny. "Quite beautiful."
"Uh," was all Felix could manage. He pulled his hand back, disengaging her light grip. "Uh yeah, I guess. It's something I have to get used to regardless of whether I like them or not. Shoving a metric shit ton of Primordial Essence through your core has some side effects, apparently." He paused, blue eyes going wide. "You're not...?"
"Covered in scales?" Vess asked, laughing in that husky way she had. "No. I am much the same. Physically at least. The rest of us haven't had a chance to speak much on it, but that Tier IV Link produced some drastic changes in all of us."
"Not physical?" Felix asked. "So did your Skills change?"
"They did." An expression flickered across Vess' face as she stepped back from him. Felix couldn't place it before it vanished into a business-like calm, and she busied herself with her hair. It came loose quickly, her Agility and Dexterity proving their mettle as she combed and braided it in quick succession. "A great deal, in fact. You, Lord Autarch, have changed almost every one of my Skills to Epic or better."