“Well, this is coming along nicely, good moisture, no sign of deterioration. Like this, if you keep feeding it you’ll cultivate good growth, best of, it can be done with the meat chunks most everyone doesn’t eat anyway, but even so, it’s never a bad idea to spoil this magnificent mold with a little bit of dessert, of course, it isn’t needed, but does increase the growth marginally.”

  He poured a little bit of honey into the mold container and then placed it down.

  “I hope I’ve explained thoroughly enough.”

  His captive audience consisted of a few commanders and some selected workers who watched in silence as Nokuji spoke. “Seems simple enough, but I question why you had four of these fermentation tanks created instead of one larger one. Seems pointless to me.”

  “Well, call me cautious, but considering I can't be in charge of looking after them at all times, I would be remiss if a blunder on my part caused all the mold that’s been growing so far to be lost,” Kenenth explained. “So, as stated before, training others in tending to each other would be the safest course. And with instructions written down, barely any problems should arise.”

  “I’m not against treading on the side of caution on something this important. However, some of these scenarios you’ve written down seem excessive,” Nokuji commented, holding his ten-page instructional manual, while wearing a new cloak from this coming winter selection, this one quite furry, like a polar bear's fur. “Right here on page six, you state. ‘In the event fermented alcohol that has sat too long and grown bitter, now having become vinegar, comes into contact with the mold, remove immediately with fabric or anything else that absorbs liquid’. It's fine, but how likely do you think it is to occur?”

  “Eh... about as likely as what I've written through pages two to ten,” He shrugged. “But to err on the side of caution is never a bad idea. If you are interested, I can go through each scenario of the list and explain in detail the necessity of each cautionary measure.”

  “That will not be necessary, though I wished to see in person the work you’ve done so far, I also desired knowledge. I hear you have been eating some of the plant fruits, instead of using them for making warming waters.”

  “Listen, if that's about maximizing the yield by a few extra milliliters, I will just say in my defense I ain’t a full-on meat eater, I do require a bit of plant stuff that I can eat, Lord Commander.”

  “Do not leap into shallow waters snout first,” Nokuji replied. “Though those plant fruits are disgusting, you have shown their use, in effect on the body, no wonder the heretics were so upset when the trees were cut down. They have always been strange, but it would seem they know many more uses for plants than building with. And to think I only thought they were too weak to carry stone.”

  ‘Jinki mentioned something or other about that on his birthday. Shame they cut down the trees, I could have begun work on the fermentation tank sooner, and probably feel less guilty about technologically inciting alcohol. They already had it, so there could have been hope that they would use it the right way. Who am I kidding, they would have gotten shitfaced faster than a relapsing alcoholic.’

  “Happy to help, though botany isn’t an area of expertise of mine; it does overlap with chemistry to a certain degree, so I’m not unhelpful--”

  “That willingness is a useful quality,” Nokuji admitted, cutting him off. “That is why I desire your knowledge regarding plants. The yield of the warming waters is steadily dwindling, as I’ve been told. How do we combat this?”

  “There are a few ways to increase not only the amount of fruit and alcohol, unfortunately, none that can be taken advantage of.”

  “And what makes you say that? After having worked with my builders, have their incessant bickering caused you to dismiss their skill, or do you doubt them in such a regard?”

  Kenneth glanced at the pair; their arguing had given him a fair few migraines, and this was an opportunity to mess with them, but he didn’t feel that petty today. “It had nothing to do with them, more so the location. The easiest way to harvest fruit is to plant or resow trees nearer this location. Now I don’t doubt it couldn’t be done, it's just they don’t tend to grow or live long if they aren't planted in good soil or are not given sunlight.”

  “Is that all?” Nokalccha laughed. “It would be easy to create a tool to redirect light from above to below.”

  Nokaljjour audibly scoffed. “A simple contraption, I can easily create a place up top for the trees using unused homes and empty storage buildings, so there’s no need for complex glass contraptions that will blind people.”

  “How about I blind you?”

  “Instead of light, I’ll blind your eyes when smashing those ugly things over them.”

  “The first one to hit the other will have their scales peeled,” Nokuji threatened in a commanding tone, though a bit bored-sounding, probably because she had to deal with them on a decent basis. “So which one is better?”

  “Neither really, depending on which way you want to kill everyone in an odd ten to twenty years,” Kenneth monotoneily replied. “You see, trees and buildings don’t really mix. They like to spread their roots, and well, if you have them planted up top and their roots stretch out too much, the ceiling will potentially crumble, and vice versa down here, this place might start flooding.”

  “Then what other way do you suggest our need for the warming waters is met?”

  “Relocation, find some good ground near here, just not too close to the walls. Dig up any potential trees you don’t need, and then put the tree you do need in the ground. If you want them to acclimate and grow faster, mix some excrement into the soil. Trees do love it for the most part.”

  “Shit, it is,” She said, her voice rumbling low. “You do find uses for the useless. However, it will be an undertaking if carried out. The hunters do lose members out there in the wilderness ever so often, carrying only what they need to bear. You do seem to torment them with your demands.”

  “Torment is stretching it quite much, I’d say… Lord Commander.”

  “You think so, even with your most recent demand?”

  “I only ask what I need and may I remind you I ask for permission and you agreed, I dare say you have a hand in perpetuating set… torment as it were, not that I’m sure they are even doing the job given, they haven’t brough back any living animals for testing, I’m guessing right now they are probly killing potential useful creatures.”

  “By my command, they are not.”

  Just then, Sniffer entered the room with a fresh, leaking cut on her face. “Commander Black Beak, we caught an Alshe still living.”

  Nokuji's normally cold expression warmed slightly as she flashed him a smug grin.

  “Eh… I can admit when I'm wrong,” he shrugged.

  Up above, the air was filled with howls and moans, from the Alshe, the sounds reminiscent of a moose, mixed with a wolf, and strangely a chinchilla.

  Setting eyes upon it, the strange sounds it made fitted it’s frame quite well, despite its legs being bound, lying down, it was clear to see it was about as tall as a great dane, with physique of a testoseron fulfilled bull, but it possessed none of the mammal qualities as it was seemingly an aquatic creature with grey rainbow scales that shimmered and glinted in the light, webbed feet lacking claws, and a slender body with a fin at the end, similar to a mermaid.

  Yet despite all of these aquatic traits, there was a distinct lack of gills, causing Kenneth to wonder briefly if this creature, evolutionarily speaking, was an in-between or a distant cousin to the first creature of the sea to come up on land.

  “Well, this is an extraordinary catch,” Kenneth muttered, gesturing for Nokstella and Kolu to step back while he got his tools ready.

  “It's too early,” Nokuji offhandedly commented.

  Standing over the Alshe, Nokmao had a strange, cold yet somewhat proud expression. She only took her eyes off the thrashing and panting beast once she noticed him and the commander. “This was what you asked for, wasn't it?”

  “In one piece, even, splendid.”

  “You could be a little more respectful of this feat, healer. It was not easy cornering this beast, but I managed to get everyone coordinated in time to trap it out of the water.” Honestly, Kenenth stopped listening to her halfway through the first word, as he took out the tool and poison and approached the Alshe.

  It was far from calmed by his approach, but some hulking muscle kept it on check as he gently inserted the needle and pumped its veins full of poison, to which it quickly grew limp.

  “Did you use too much?” Nokuji questioned.

  “Oh, nowhere near a lethal dose, just the standard Sil poison, the little mermaid there won’t be moving for a while,” Kenneth replied nonchalantly as he began to pack up his things. “Well, I have to teach my students, and afterwards, dayily blood donation, so I hope you can find a good place where it can stay safe for now.”

  Nokmao far from liked being ordered around by him, “Say when the beast is of no more use, I'd like to skin it.”

  “It is out of season for it to be hunted,” Nokuji said commandingly. “Its capture is allowed, but once this is over, it has to be set free.”

  “Black Beak, how long do you need it here?” Nokmao questioned.

  “Hmm… a bit hard to say, really, give me a moment.”

  “Do you really intend to keep this thing until spring?” Nokuji inquired with a stern look.

  “It's forbidden to hunt, but not capture and keep, besides, it's not about the meat, there are plenty of them, one won't matter.”

  She narrowed her eyes, a glimmer of anger flashing as the commander was about to say something; however, before words could come, Kenneth answered the previous question.

  “About a year give or take.”

  This caused everyone in the vicinity to freeze up for a moment.

  Nokuji slowly turned her attention to him, “A year…!”

  “Give or take, of course, assuming the species is worth the trouble, but it will be a long time before I can know that.”

  “And why such a long time?”

  “Well, it has to build up an immunity, and that takes some time.”

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  “And you neglected to tell this, the amount of time, not to mention the inherent cost of keeping it alive and fed enough, why?”

  “Honestly, it didn’t cross my mind at the time, but if capital is the issue--”

  “It is not. You may have more gold than I know, but having this lower creature fed in comfort is a mockery to nature.”

  “Comfort…?” Kenneth repeated while the image of the animal being chained in a dank, dark cell crossed his mind. “I was only attempting to find a use outside the norm, with the potential of this being an asset instead of just meat.”

  “You want a slave animal?” Nokmao questioned in chuckling bemusement at such absurdity.

  “Well, we call them pets, but you are in the right area.”

  “I’ve had about enough of listening to you, and I will not let you make me and my hunters be mocked like this any longer!” Nokmao exploded.

  Unfazed, Kenneth simply replied. “Tell me what you see when you look at someone like me?”

  “Is this a trick, or an invention?”

  “How about I do it for you? I have no rough outer protection, sharp teeth, or claws, you name it, and yet still, where I come from, my kind rose to the top of the food chain, and we accomplished so through cooperation, specifically with animals. Those who were strong enough to carry and pull what we could not, and those who could track and assist in hunts.”

  “Drag the Alshe out and let it run free,” Nokuji commanded.

  “Did I say something wrong?” Kenneth questioned.

  “I simply realized your intent was to turn us out like you,” Nokuji said with a slight growl. “We do not need a lesser beast to be elevated to anywhere near our station; all is born from Amito’s embrace and from the dirt, all was shaped with their duty in life. To use what springs from it is one thing, but what you were suggesting is mockery bordering on heresy.”

  A dull silence filled the air as all watched and waited for what would unfold.

  ‘Religion stands in the way of progress yet again,’ Kenneth internally sighed, knowing if he protested this in the slightest, his guest's right would probably be gone. “I see… my apologies, I was unaware, the religion and its inherent laws are something I have yet to learn, but thank you for teaching me this part.”

  “Upon the next of your endeavors, you are to inform me of every step,” She more coldly and callously told him, whereupon she took her leave.

  ‘Bullet dodged, I suppose, guess I know where the limit of what to ask for now is. Oh well, you continue to live, you get to learn,” Kenneth thought as he took his leave to get to class, the modified mantra a necessity he created from the sheer number of near-death scenarios he'd been in.

  Stepping into the classroom, Nokset and Nokoovo were already seated and waiting.

  “Apologies for the delay, I had some business to attend to, but it is fine now,” Kenneth said as he got ready to teach.

  “Does the delay count as the time we have to spend here?” Nokset questioned. “I’m tired of having to work after class all the time.”

  “Unfortunately, the time I need to teach will always be fixed, I’m afraid, so better buckle up, for today we will be revisiting a previous subject, medical ethics.”

  “At least I can sleep through this. I don’t need to hear another speech about a wagon and choosing who dies,” Nokset yawned.

  ‘Feel free too,’ Kenneth thought, glancing at Nokoovo. “Well, let us get started. Nokoovo, do you remember the principle behind medical ethics?”

  “There were four: the first to allow a patient to make an informed decision, second for us to act in the best interest of the patient, third ‘do no harm, or bad’ and/or do not hurt them without good cause, and fourth equality, all patients are… are equal, and deserve equal treatment.”

  He had only mentioned it once, but she was an astute learner, plus he had also had it written down on the book’s first page.

  “Perfect,” he said. “Now I want to revisit the third principle, in particular, because as healers we swear by oath, to not harm, but that extends beyond our patients. It is called the Hippocratic oath, or some call it the hypocrite oath, for to help someone, you must do harm, but the intent must be betterment—“

  “You can stop now,” Nokoovo said, seeing through him. “Say what you will say, tell me how I need to change, so everything can go back to the way it was.”

  ‘Was I a hopeful idiot, did I underestimate her intellect, or both?’ Kenneth sighed as he straightened his back, looked her in the eyes, and spoke his mind. “I want you to stop being a slaver.”

  On earth in the modern day, that would have been a simple request, but not as much of a rarity as it should be to speak, yet here it was not the same as everyone in the room looked at him oddly.

  All of them except for Nokoovo, who never once broke eye contact, but as the old saying goes, ‘the eyes are the window into the soul,’ and it was clear what he asked, simple request or not, wasn't something she would unquestioningly do as she had others.

  After a brief silence, she replied, “I cannot.”

  “I see… why?”

  “Is the conflict solely due to what I did, or the oath?”

  “Yes on both parts and more.”

  “I made a mistake, many mistakes, but I have stopped,” she tried to argue, before stopping herself, her expression growing shameful. “But I suppose once Ink has been spilled onto a page…”

  “You are not wrong about that, but it’s also how it continues to drip.”

  “Is that what you think?”

  “Hard not to, I’ve seen your literature, I suppose each time I’ve come to visit,” Kenneth said, as he remembered clearly all of the slaves and chains. “Where I come from, slavery is outlawed, and I know the brutality and ugliness involved.”

  “Is that what you only think?” She questioned getting up from her seat.

  “What else is there to think?”

  She walked right up to him, “Please allow me to show you.”

  Kenneth could feel himself getting sick at the thought of her spouting some nonsense about Nok being superior and such like her mother, thinking of Aki as nothing but lower beasts. And yet if that had been drilled into her head at a young age, due to the nature of her family and their religion, she wasn’t wholly guilty in her actions. If there were any chance of her seeing things his way, it might very well be the last chance. Her youth by the moment was becoming a distant memory.

  “Very well, Nokset, rest up. Class is canceled today,” he said as the pair and his bodyguard all left for the slave pen, though he had everyone but the two of them go inside. And the moment they did, the atmosphere completely changed.

  Where before there had been some sounds of breathing and rattling of chains, now there was utter silence, as every eye dared not look at the arrivals.

  “Off to a great start,” Kenneth commented.

  “It is,” Nokoovo replied. “They know their place and are obedient. My master may have started the work, but it’s I who continued it.”

  “What excellence, a cold pen filled with fear, terror, and pain, where you lick your wounds and hope an infection, or fever doesn't kill you.”

  “Yes, there must be some ugliness, and I will admit, it does not disgust me, but in the end, it is a mercy.”

  “Mercy, I bet they would agree,” Kenneth replied with hostility, while gesturing to a cell, that one in particular with Romeo and Juliet, who were very near each other.

  “The cuts and scars are not my doing; many gain them when shaving their fur, or when someone becomes too intense in their prayer, but this fate is preferable, is it not?”

  “Would you have this done to you?”

  “I’ve done worse upon myself,” she coldly reminded him, yet even so, her voice hinted at a shared warmth.

  In truth, ever since they stepped down here, she had seen different, cold, and robotic, in a sense, though he had only really noticed a moment ago.

  “You said it yourself, did you not, the third principle, you must do harm if it is meant for betterment, that is what I’ve done, what my family has been doing for generations, bettering them so they become subservient and obedient. Because it is either this mercy or immediate death, and I know my choice.”

  “Death or slavery, not much of a choice.”

  “They have a choice, all walk down Lorizo’s paths; if they desired not to be here, then they simply chose the wrong path. Of all the houses, of all people, if not for us, they would all be dead, or saved for later. It was the great House Obaliy who first slew the raging beast within and saw another opportunity.”

  “That line sounds rehearsed, doesn't it?” Kenneth asked. “And isn’t it easy to shift the blame of everything, all you are doing, onto the divine or tradition so you don’t have to feel the guilt of any of it, and besides, your argument with obedience or death doesn’t really hold up, wouldn’t you say, you are going to kill most of the Sil.”

  “Yes, whether they are obedient or not, that is their fate, but it is not done out of malice or disrespect, but quite the opposite; their shell is impressive, sturdy, and strong, and often troublesome to deal with. It is used for armor, and the meat eaten, it’s disgusting, but we eat it as an act of honor, we were all shaped from Amito’s embrace and stand at our stations, they are simply below us, perhaps if they had other uses, such a grim fate would not be theirs.”

  “All you did was confirm what I just said, so then if all are shaped and have their place, where do I rank?” Kenneth asked.

  “That is not for me to say, only the priests could make such a determination, but I hope we stand equal; there is so much to learn from you, so much you willingly offer,” Nokoovo replied, her voice for a moment warming before she looked around at the slaves. “I do not blame you for disliking this place, nor the sight of each of them. It wasn’t always so.”

  “I hear some got to go outside.”

  “Yes, but it was more than that, obedience, it was also community, some lived above, but others lived below, that is why their fur was shaven. They were slaves, nothing more for some, but others saw them as companions, a rare few trusted friends.”

  “Don’t know about you, but I don’t put collars on my friends.”

  She looked at him for a moment, then down at the ground, “Perhaps you think it strange I refuse to simply abandon this work when you ask me, but I can’t; it is my duty to my family. It cannot be forsaken and must be continued, perhaps eventually it can return to the way it once was here, where the most trusted slaves could walk freely, care for the sheddlings, and the children played, not too dissimilar to the relationship Nokstella and the boy have.”

  “What is that supposed to make me think this is okay, that because once upon a magical time in the past, Aki and Nok were able to associate with each other more freely?” Kenneth questioned his words throughout the entire conversation, garnering some attention. “I’ll give you this. I don’t dislike hearing about coexisting, but the folks at the tower have done a far better job at it. From what I saw, I doubt it’s perfect, but it's a hell of a lot better than this disgusting stuff. Can't you honestly see that?”

  “And yet you skin the hide of slavery.”

  “Huh, what are you talking about?”

  “I see how you care for Nokstella, and it’s thanks to slavery that she was able to choose you; You cannot deny such merits.”

  “Yes, and if I hadn’t been there at the right time in the right place, she would have been dead all thanks to slavery,” Kenneth replied with brewing anger. “And thanks to that, she was separated from her mother.”

  “And without, you and I would have never met.”

  For a moment, a sharp, cold pain stabbed at him at the thought as her words reached his ears, but all too quickly it melted away, and began to evaporate. “If not for slavery, Nokstella wouldn’t have marks that don’t go away, if not for slavery, she would be with her family, and if not for slavery, her mother wouldn't be d—!!!”

  At the last possible second, he caught himself and snapped his head to the entrance as it was thankfully devoid of anyone; he could only hope his voice had not been carried with the wind.

  “No matter what exists in this world,” Nokoovo began in a melancholy voice. “Good or evil, they will always share some part of each other. That must be something you know too.”

  “I do,” it finally dawned on him, he couldn’t save her, because she didn’t need saving, she truly believed what she did was for the better of everyone, and there wasn’t anything he could say for her to see his point of view.“You know, you have been my best student, I’ve ever had, inquisitive, studious, and a fantastic project partner.”

  For a short moment, her eyes lit up, probably believing she had hit the hammer on the head, before Kenneth snuffed that light.

  “That’s why I’m sorry, but I doubt we could ever agree, so if you will continue with this, I can’t have you as my student anymore.”

  “Y-you… i-is this only because of my mistake?” she said stammeringly. “You told me you knew about all of this, you accepted me as your student, as I was. Is this a test, or a punishment?”

  “Neither, only a choice,” he replied, looking her in the eye. “ I’ve seen you, more than I know most others, if anyone else, that’s why I’m sorry, and I truly wish you the best, and there are no words that can describe how important you have been with the book.”

  With no more words to be said, Kenneth just left feeling a mix of guilt for having failed her and himself, but relief.

  Predictably, after that, he threw himself into his work, occupying his mind and body, idiotically ignoring Nokstella and Kolu as he continued his work on the blood registry.

  He only took his mind off it for a moment when his employee tapped him on the shoulder with the tip of his tail. “So am I supposed to be writing anymore down, or are we done, because I’ve tried, but ‘mumble, mumble’, isn’t easy to write.”

  “Oh, sorry, where did you come from? I’ll repeat,” Kenneth said, looking into the microscope.

  “You know you look like Rock.”

  “Really, didn’t know my skin was that dry,” he dryly replied.

  “What a shame to spar with someone who lacks a tail,” Nokhavadoo smiled. “Though there is a resemblance, you aren't as pretty.”

  “Maybe I’ll paint myself—“

  He suddenly stopped.

  “I suppose you’d look better with another color, that of a champion, isn't as flattering on you, white, could work, but would be bor—“

  “Look through this and tell me what you see,” Kenneth said in a mostly quick and solely panicked manner.

  A bit confused, Nokhavadoo was slow to act, “Hmm, I see a blob, and another and another. What am I supposed to see?”

  “No, no, it could be nothing, maybe it’s just common, but wait, if it’s spreading,” Kenneth muttered out loud as he looked over his notebook.

  “You sound a little like Rock now, when he wants revenge,” Nokhavadoo commented somewhat uncomfortably.

  Kenneth suddenly stopped and looked up at him. “You have the rest of the day off.”

  With worriedly hurried steps, while Split was keeping in pursuit and Nokstella and Kolu barely kept up, he went straight up top into the Grand Hall and directly to Nokuji, who was in the middle of a talk with Nokaljjour.

  “Closing the hole, I used lighter stone; however, there was a mistake made in the inventory, and I need three times as many as the ones already used.”

  “I’ll see what can be procured from Freikoli…” She looked up, seeing Kenneth coming down the stairs in a hurry. “To what do I owe your visit, Black Heal—“

  “No time for that,” he cut her off, his breath heavy and heart pounding. “Sorry, but this can't wait. I think there’s a chance we've got a brewing epidemic that's about to boil over.”