Chapter Nineteen: Honey

Chapter Nineteen: Honey

Everyone watched Darius with bated breath. Swarm familiars were rare; getting to watch ones very first summoning was something special. Moments passed, and it became obvious that the healer was teasing them with the wait. Just as Rosa frowned and opened her mouth, he flashed them a cheeky grin.

Tom felt him spend a huge amount of mana for the skill. The initial summoning for a familiar always required an extreme amount. A fraction of a second later and there was a sound like sleet hitting a cobbled street. Tiny flashes of yellow light popped and crackled in the air around Darius, swiftly resolving into a swarm of fat, fluffy bees.

Everyone watched, amazed, as the fuzzy little insects buzzed about. A low hum filled the air as they moved. Every one of their bumbling, meandering movements trailed a tiny, pale streak of yellow light.

Theyre wonderful! Tanya said, a huge smile on her face.

Darius simply answered with a laugh, childlike and full of wonder. His new swarm of bees danced around him, tracing faint, random patterns of light in the air.

Tom noticed that Tanya and Darius werent the only smiling faces. Everyone was enthralled by the swarm. He understood perfectly; he felt it himself. The swarm, its movements, it just seemed happy.

The few of Seres bodies that Tom had left summoned began to swoop and dart amongst the bees. Tom summoned the rest of them, letting the flock burst from the tattoo on his neck to dance with Darius new familiar.

Wow! Pretty! Fun! New friend! Too slow! Sere sent in a tumbling rush of impressions.

There were five times as many bees as sparrows, and they were much smaller and slower. Their interwoven, playful dance was beautiful. Tom was reminded of when he first summoned Sere, back in the Deep with Val. A pang of nostalgia struck him at the memory.

Eventually, the bees began to settle about the group, only the occasional one buzzing to or fro. Tom recalled most of Seres bodies again. A catharsis settled over the group. They had needed some simple joy.

Goddess, but this feels strange, Darius said. How long was it you took to settle with this, Tom?

Tom knew just what he meant. The overwhelming amount of sensations from summoning a new familiar took some getting used to at the best of times. Having sensations running back through the bond from so many new vectors was incredibly disorienting.

To make things worse, the familiar bond with a swarm-type familiar also felt different in and of itself. It felt like a single bond, stretched in many different directions. Having any sensation or information passed from any of the parts of the swarm all felt like it was coming from the same being.

Tom knew from experience that Darius would be feeling like he was surrounded by a single, enveloping consciousness, all the separate parts of it bombarding him all at once. It would take some time for him to adjust, and begin to sort each of them from the other, to discern direction and orientation from each of the impressions properly.

It gets better quickly, but it will take a long time to begin to fully get used to it. Longer still before you can truly capitalise on the extra information, Tom replied.

Darius nodded thoughtfully. This familiar, it will be very useful in combat, I am thinking. Not even counting its abilities. Its senses, they are very strange, though.

Tom nodded in agreement. With Sere aiding him, he had a constant, clear view of his entire surroundings at any given time. Manoeuvres that would have left enemies in his blind spots, offering them his back, or otherwise obscuring his view, were now much safer to execute.

What are you seeing, through them? he asked the healer.

Darius shook his head. I cannot be sure. It is a lot. Their vision is strange. They see colours we do not. It makes my head hurt trying to adapt. And their smell it feels like they can smell the entire Grounds!

The group chuckled, most of them getting a closer look at whichever of the bees were nearest them. Darius was not finished though.

There is more, too. If I am not mistaken, it seems that they can see life force? Health? Or maybe see is not the right word He trailed off, obviously trying to sift through the wealth of new information he was being sent.

You will adapt, Rosa said briskly. What abilities do they have?

That pricked everyones attention. They leaned in, curious to hear. Most familiars had one useful ability or another, and that went doubly so for collective familiars. Doubly so again for any familiar manifested under a Healing Ideal.

World Wisps were notorious for leaving familiar abilities vague in their descriptions, but once the ritual skill was activated, and the familiar summoned for the first time, the Idealist often gained an instinctive knowledge of their abilities.

Darius smiled like the sun, revelling in the attention. They do their little dance, and it can heal a wide area, I think. Shall we see?

Everyone shuffled closer, intrigued. The bit of matter on the pad of his finger was a deep, burnished golden colour. It glittered in the morning light.

Is that honey? Tanya asked.

Darius cocked an eyebrow at her. There is only one way to find out, he said, his face a flat mask. Then he popped his finger in his mouth.

Everyone flinched. It was incredibly unlikely that any substance made by a healing familiar skill would be detrimental, but Darius skills were odd, to say the least.

The healers eyes went wide. Its good! he said, surprised. Everyone released a collective breath. It is very, very sweet though. Definitely honey.

He made a decisive nod. Then his eyes widened again. Ah, he said. This makes sense. It heals, also.

Toms mind swum with possibilities. Darius familiar was ridiculously powerful. Automated area of effect healing for himself and his allies, in addition to a slowly filled extra healing resource gathered from simple ambient mana and life force? Incredible. Not to mention the utility simply from gaining the sensory input from the familiar. He could now keep track of his surroundings, in three dimensions and, through his familiar, could passively sense life force and mana. It was too much. He was green with envy.

Tom could see that everyone in the group was feeling the same way. He, Tanya and Markus all looked stunned. Rosa looked disgruntled, but begrudgingly appreciative. Darius simply beamed.

I love it, he whispered. I love her, I should say. Granny, what do you think?

The craggy tortoise craned her neck slowly about, trying to track the bees. She made a gravelly purring sound, and a fine cloud of dust rose from her shell.

She likes her too of course, he said, beaming at his familiars.

Shes not the only one, Tom said derisively. Sesame was sitting on his haunches, eyes crossed as he tried to focus on the bee that had landed on his nose.

Hehe, tickles, he sent, before releasing a great sneeze and toppling over backwards. The unfortunate bee shot away in a twirling arc of soft light before managing to stabilise itself.

Sesame sat up and shook himself. Did I smell honey..? He sent, before edging closer to Darius.

I know what you are after, you handsome fellow, Darius said to him. He extended a finger towards the bear, another tiny droplet condensing on it.

Sesames nose twitched as he sucked in great gusts of air. Tom caught the overwhelmingly sweet scent of the healing honey through the bond. Sesames long tongue quested towards it, a spool of saliva dribbling from his jaws.

Gross! Rosa yelled, recoiling. Tanya looked a bit green too.

Sesame swiped the honey with his tongue. The bear froze, then a great shiver passed up his spine. His short tail stood straight out. Toms bond with him was flooded with satisfaction.

Thats Goddess Honey, Sesame opined. He snuffed at Darius again.

No more, my hairy friend! Darius waggled a finger at him. It takes a long while to gather. Perhaps if you are extra good

Sesame gave him a small roar, then shuffled to sit back to back with Tom. Rigid alertness and protectiveness vibrated along the bond.

Tom sighed. At least Sesame was easily motivated.

What are you going to call her? Tanya asked.

Darius was generally an open and upfront person, but in that moment, his smile was the most genuine Tom had seen.

Daisy.