Taming Destiny - a Tamer Class isekai/portal survival fantasy.

The shock that ripples through the guards’ spines as they spot the newest addition to the Pathwalkers is satisfying to see.

“Who…?” asks the one on the right, only to be shoulder-checked hard enough to stumble a little sideways by the one on the left.

“It’s Runs-with-the-river, idiot. Who else could it be?”

“Maybe a delegation from another village,” argued back the first. I watch in a bit of bemusement as they get into a debate and almost seem to forget about us. What sort of guards are they?

“A delegation from another village? Accompanied by our Pathwalkers and our Warriors? Use the berry-brain inside that thick skull of yours, would you?”

Joy seems rather less amused at the sight. She snaps her jaws together loudly and the two arguing Warriors look up. A moment later, they appear rather shamefaced with the olive-green of embarrassment flashing through their crests.

“Uh, apologies Honoured Pathwalker Weaver,” the samuran on the left ventures, tilting his chin up. Joy flicks her tail in dismissal.

“We wish to enter,” she says neutrally instead, moving towards them. The herbalist and Runs-with-the-river stepping forward with her indicates wordlessly exactly who she means by ‘we’. The two guards exchange a nervous glance, but don’t move out of their way.

“Shrieks-loudly said that only you and Honoured Pathwalker Herbalist were to be given entry. I…he said nothing about an additional Pathwalker,” the one on the right says tentatively. If I had to guess, it would be that he’s fighting between two impulses: the desire to obey his direct superior, and the desire to obey the Pathwalkers who are his indirect superiors.

“Then I suggest one of you goes and finds him,” says Grubs-in-the-dirt levelly. “And while you’re doing that, you might as well find our sisters since I’d imagine they’ll want to have some say.”

The guard on the right looks at the one on the left uncertainly – I think I can see what the hierarchy is.

“Go on,” the samuran on the right tells him and he doesn’t need more urging than that, shooting off into the village quickly. By his speed, I suspect that he has some sort of movement-enhancing ability, but I haven’t checked either of them yet. I decide to remedy that now, using my slower and potentially less productive version of Inspect, since it’s the one which is least likely to be detected.

The remaining guard shifts a little nervously – perhaps he’s realised that if we decided to march into the village right now, it would be one against the whole group arrayed before him, including three Pathwalkers, four Warriors, and me.

Still, I’m currently intending to play nicely for now. Hopefully diplomacy gets me what I’m aiming for and we don’t need to resort to violence – especially in light of what I was discussing earlier with the herbalist.

While we wait, the results of my Inspect seep back into me. It’s not the same as a normal Inspect – no box appears in front of my eyes. Instead, I get a sense of how much health and mana he has compared to me, whether it’s likely that I could Dominate him, and a kind of feeling of what his extra ability might be.

It’s unsurprising that his health is significantly more than mine; it’s equally unsurprising that my mana outstrips his by a large margin. I get the sense that his Willpower is below mine, which I also expected. As for his ability, it’s different from the ones I’ve encountered so far – more defensive than offensive. Without getting any real details about it, I would guess that it’s something which would help him stand fast in the face of a charge.

Tempted to do the same to Runs-with-the-river, in the end I decide that I’d be better off asking her permission and then using a proper Inspect than risk her feeling betrayed or violated or something by me using a surreptitious Inspect.

Stepping forwards, I come level with the newest Pathwalker, my approach making the guard tense even more. I don’t pay him more than cursory attention, though, focussing instead on Runs-with-the-river.

“I’m not coming to ask you for an answer, don’t worry,” I say quickly, the space where River’s Bond once was sending increased pangs of loss through me as I have to focus on him – her – being able to understand me instead of being able to rely on the Bond transmitting the information. I have to grit my teeth briefly as the pain swells.

I catch a hint of pain in her body language and eyes, the lines of it both hauntingly familiar and disconcertingly different. I feel another pang run through me, this time one of dismay.

“Sorry, I’ll go,” I say, already preparing to step back. I hadn’t intended to hurt her.

“It is fine,” she says, raising one of those delicately clawed hands, clearly more agile and capable of finer movements than her old ones were. “What did you wish to speak to me about?”

“I was wondering…” I hesitate. “Would you mind if I use Inspect on you?” I ask tentatively. “You don’t have to agree,” I hurry to add. “It would just be–”

“Very well,” she interrupts me. I stumble to a stop mid-sentence, eyeing her with more than a hint of surprise.

“You don’t mind?” I check.

“No,” she replies, amusement joining the pain. “Not as long as you share the results.”

Ah. Fair enough, I think. I don’t know how those without a screen manage to work out what their stats or abilities are, but they obviously do. However, maybe knowing what Inspect says would be useful for them regardless.

Quickly using the information-gathering Skill, I eagerly look at the notification it sends through.

Samuran: Runs-with-the-river

Tier 2 Beast (Evolved)

Special abilities: Fire Herbalism, Poison-Claw

Health: 610u

Mana: 1530u

Minimum Willpower recommended to Dominate without other impacting factors: 78 (65)

A recently Evolved samuran with as-yet unused new abilities, this Beast was recently a Bound (Dominate) of Markus Luke Wolfe. Previously a user of the spear, this Beast has not yet developed a new fighting style which encompasses her new abilities. Social Beast with a strong capacity to form bonds.

Close message? Y/N

So much has changed. From her name and description to her species. Still, I suppose that answers one question I had: River had previously been identified as ‘lizard-folk’ because he had been under a Dominate Bond with me, and that was my name for them. Now, not Bonded to me, his description has reverted to what Inspect would normally say.

I’m also intrigued by her Willpower: it’s the highest I’ve seen on a samuran so far. I wonder whether that’s something inherent to Runs-with-the-river or whether it’s been affected by his…her previous Bond with me. Like how the body successfully fighting off a virus makes it easier for the body to fight off the same virus in the future.

Of course, that’s only when it’s at max which at the moment it’s not. A dip of thirteen points is something I’ve only seen when the creature in question was trapped or fearful, or similar. Runs-with-the-river is none of the above.

Then come the changes in the description and her actual stats and abilities. I eye the other Pathwalkers, in particular the herbalist.

“Shall we take this off to the side a bit?” I ask her, not sure whether she wants her information shared with everyone. Unfortunately, without a Bond, I can no longer communicate it to her privately. Loss rattles through me once more.

Runs-with-the-river follows my gaze and then shakes her head slightly.

“My sisters,” she starts, emphasising the relationship while eyeing the two other Pathwalkers, “will need to know what I can do.”

“Well, your health has dropped a bit,” I tell her, though keep my voice down so it doesn’t spread too far. “And your mana has increased a lot.” In fact, her mana has increased by far more than her health has dropped.

Originally, her health had been eight hundred and thirty points; now, it’s six hundred and ten, which is still almost double mine. Her mana, however, has leapt from seventy points to a thousand, five hundred and thirty. That’s an over twenty times increase. At only six hundred and fifteen points, I abruptly feel that I’m being left behind.

In comparison to Grubs-in-the-dirt, the newest Pathwalker outstrips her on all counts. Again, I wonder if that’s something intrinsic to Runs-with-the-river, or whether there’s another reason for the differences.

“And my abilities?” she asks, her eyes intent on me. She’s shorter than she was, I realise. Before, her eyes were level with the tops of my shoulders. Now, they’re level with my chest.

“Can you feel them in some way?” I ask, curious myself.

“I sense that I have two,” she responds thoughtfully. The attention that the other Pathwalkers and the samurans in earshot are paying is made clear by the surprise that ripples through their spikes and the quiet clicks which meet my ears. Those who weren’t paying attention now are and I sigh internally. So much for keeping things quiet.

On the other hand, perhaps they’re used to knowing what each other is capable of, working together to defend and improve the village. And as long as it doesn’t come to a fight between us, then them knowing what River’s abilities are isn’t a problem.

I suddenly realise that I’m assuming that River…Runs-with-the-river will be on my side. With that fear settling in my stomach like a lead ball, I listen to her speak.

“I sense that one ability is linked to fire and…potions? And the other ability is linked to absorbing and using poisons.”

“Interesting,” I say, forcing myself to smile despite the fear inside. “One is called ‘Fire Herbalism’, and the other ‘Poison-Claw’. So it seems like your feelings are pretty on the mark.”

Runs-with-the-river hums.

“I wonder if–” But I will never know what exactly she was wondering as that’s the moment when the other village Pathwalkers accompanied by seven Warriors arrive on the scene.

Obviously pre-warned by the messenger, the group look unsurprised to see the third Pathwalker standing next to their herbalist and weaver. I take a couple of steps back from the small group – I’m not asking to go in right now, after all.

“So it is true,” the one apparently called Wind-whisperer says with clear surprise. “The traitor has Evolved.”

“I am no traitor to the village,” declares Runs-with-the-river firmly. Apparently Evolving has made her feel more able to speak to them as an equal. Or maybe it’s more than that. “At least no more than the rest of you are for what you allowed to happen, and what you would have allowed to happen if I hadn’t stopped it.”

“You speak with authority which you have not yet earned, Unranked,” hisses the other antagonistic Pathwalker – if I remember correctly, that was Wood-shaper. The third – Grower, or something – seems to be the silent of the group and instead of participating seems to prefer to observe.

“And that’s only if we allow you to join our group at all after all you have done,” adds Wind-whisperer spitefully.

“You mean bargaining with the one who has eliminated the threat of the Forest of Death? Or defeating the one who would have killed you all one by one for her own power?” Runs-with-the-river asks, refusing to back down. It’s…quite a change. Is this due to her Evolution, or time to think, or something else?

“I mean that I see no reason why you, who are directly responsible for the deaths of not one but two of our sisters, should be allowed into our Honoured group. I call for banishment!” Wind-whisperer clicks angrily. “Who is with me?”