The infirmity was packed when Azura arrived. Over a dozen cultivators had experienced some type of injury. Most were relatively minor. Broken bones or deep lacerations that would heal with the aid of the kin's personnel mana. The one Azura was looking at wasn't one of those. A squirrel-kin lay dead on the table. His chest had several gaping holes in it, like an enraged boar had gored him. There was nothing to be done for that one. It was the one next to him that Azura now fixated on.

She was a dog kin, although how much longer that would be true was still to be seen. An eldritch bolt had hit her. Signs of the change were present, such as tiny tentacles sprouting from her chest. Yet, it was different than when mages were infected. A blast from Eldritch Lord should have caused widespread changes over just a few minutes. This was limited to her chest. At least the kin was unconscious, thanks to her fellow cultivators knocking her out when the changes began. Azura hoped it stayed that way. Waking up to find tentacles growing on your boobs wouldn't be a fun experience.

"Can you do anything?" Her mother asked as the rest of her staff treated the others. Most were simply bandaged and told to rest. Others in critical conditions were given a few drops of a healing potion. The drops were not because they were stingy, although her mother totally was. It was because such potions used the imbiber's mana to restore their flesh. Each drop taken could consume weeks of cultivation. So, they used the bare minimum. Such potions wouldn't work on Azura at all.

"I'll try," Azura said. She focused inward to her ki spiral, drawing out a piece of solid ki. A crimson star appeared on her finger, slightly warping reality. She was briefly captivated by the contradiction of the crystallized ki. Simultaneously, it was so dense and potent that she would expect it to fill an entire room, yet it was as small as a grain of sand. The small size of the ki was fortunate as she forced it into the unconscious kin.

Azura's senses flared as the kin's blood responded to her ki. She felt it flowing through the kin like it was her own. She also felt it's… confusion. Yes, that was the best way to describe it. The kin's blood was confused by the changes going on. So was Azura until she noticed that the kin's mana pool was still inverted. The pressure from it was forcing the mana into the kin's body. That pressure also slowed the eldritch energy, leaving only skin-deep changes. The eldritch power, however, was working its way deeper, reaching for her mana pool.

Azura grimaced. She could fix this, but it would cost her. Azura pulled some of her ki into the kin. Immediately, she set to work neutralizing the eldritch energy. Unlike when she restored her body, the ki she used to heal others was consumed. Her attunement wasn't meant for healing. It took some time and a second portion of ki to remove all the corruption. Sweat was plastered to Azura's face when she finally finished.

"Will she be okay?" Coralline asked.

"She'll be fine," Azura answered, then looked down at the tentacles. The changes that have already been made would have to be solved the old-fashioned way.

"Cut away the tentacles and let her body heal naturally," Azura said as her mother hugged her.

"You did great."

"Thanks… It just took more ki than I liked."

Coralline pulled back, studying her daughter. "How much have you lost?"

Azura sighed as she swayed slightly. "Two months of cultivation. I can't keep this up." She looked into her mother's eyes, identical to her own. "It's time for the others to advance. I'll go find them and…"

"No," Coralline said sharply, getting a confused look from her. "Err, I mean, I can send someone to find them. You, young lady, need some serious rest."

Azura was about to argue, but couldn't muster up the energy. That alone proved that her mother was right. "Alright. Tell them to have all their mana unexhausted and to prepare mentally. Perhaps meditate or something…" Azura trailed off, yawning loudly. She yelped when her mother slapped her on the butt.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"Off to bed!"

"Fine," Azura muttered, staggering away. One of these days, her mother would stop picking on her. It would happen right after the mages accepted kin as equals, the world over.

***

The news spread like wildfire through Azura's Rest. It was finally time. Four cultivators were ready to advance. Gwen couldn't keep a smug grin off her face as she went home to her small alcove.

"Mom! Guess what?" Gwen said excitedly. Her mother, Gretchen, yawned as she got out of bed, an empty wine bottle rolling on the ground.

"Shut up, will ya," Gretchen mumbled, rubbing at her head. Her mother had always been a heavy drinker. Their new lives as cultivators didn't change that. She looked ruffled, her black fur messy, and she reeked. Her sleeping until the afternoon wasn't unexpected, given the night shift she worked, although the drinking afterward didn't help. She constantly used all her extra allotments on alcohol.

Gwen's mood immediately darkened. In her excitement, she'd forgotten what her mother was like. She debated on just leaving when Gretchen spoke.

"So, what were ye yapping about?" Her voice was thick and rough. Partly due to the drink, but it was also a dialect she had from back home… wherever that was. She never talked about it. All Gwen knew was that she had been banished after getting pregnant.

"Er, tomorrow I will advance to the liquid ki stage." As if there was any chance that she would fail.

Her mother just looked at her and snorted. "Big fucking deal…" She reached under her bed, pulling out another bottle. She grabbed the cork with her sharp teeth and pulled it until the familiar pop could be heard. She spat out the cork, taking a long swig.

"Go do something useful and get me another bottle."

"Fuck you!" Gwen snarled. "Go get it yourself, you worthless old hag!"

Gretchen snarled and swiped a backhand at her daughter. The blow was pathetic. Her mother had barely progressed as a cultivator. Gwen caught the blow and gave one back while snatching the bottle away. She restrained herself, but she let enough strength through that her mother was sent crashing hard into her bed.

"YOU DON'T GET TO TOUCH ME! DIDN'T I MAKE THAT FUCKING CLEAR LAST TIME?!" Gwen shouted, smashing the bottle against the earthen wall.

Instead of rousing to one of their standard epic fights before their enslavement, her mother just sobbed, curling in on herself. Something had broken in her that day. In them both. Gwen still occasionally woke up in a panic, convinced a binding spell was restraining her as the men took turns with her. The mages didn't touch her mother. Instead, they tortured her into obedience while they forced her to watch. She still remembered the filthy men saying how a half-kin was close enough to a human.

Gwen gave a low growl. She growled in disgust at her mother and the memories the interaction had dredged up. Part of her wanted to lie next to her mother, giving what comfort she could. The larger, angrier part wouldn't let her. Gwen stormed out. She needed to find something to kill… slowly… as it screamed.

***

Hamal was back at the warren, the den of the rat-kin, having his back slapped by his many family members at the news. Tallous embraced him, swinging him around like a child. Hamal simply enjoyed the larger rat-kin's excitement.

"I always knew you'd be great!" Tallous said. "Does Mom know yet? I bet she does. She's got her claws everywhere!"

"Of course," A feminine voice. Tallous dropped Hamal, who landed smoothly despite the weird angle at which he was released.

"Mother," Hamal began, but he was caught off guard as she embraced him.

"I'm so proud of you! Of all of you!" Fatania said, gesturing with a hand so they all could come closer. The rat-kin embraced. Their dark deeds made the need for light and love even more important.

***

"So it's time then?" Elise asked as she sat next to Gerald in his forge.

"Yup," Gerald said, wishing he could think of something more meaningful. He'd closed up shop when Elise had come over after hearing the news so that they could speak privately. He had to. Kin kept coming by to offer congratulations.

He just decided to ask about the weather when Elise pressed against him, her hands trailing through his chest fur. Gods below! He wasn't ready for this!!! He looked down at the human girl, who was so much smaller. How did she get so imposing all of a sudden!? Her cheeks were bright red as she strained upward, kissing him. It was a bit awkward. Full kin had mouths not made for such activities, but they managed. Once they separated, the red in Elise's cheeks spread to her entire face, making it bright red like a tomato as she leaned toward his ear.

"I want to touch your tail…" She whispered into his ear. Gerald's mind went blank as he numbly followed her every lead.

The sounds from the forge matched the intensity of its usual bellows, although no hammer or anvil was in use. Snickering kin gave the place a wide berth as Elise eagerly followed in her father's footsteps.

Tabatha didn't have any family moments or sexual encounters. She just shouted in glee, racing around and bragging to anyone who would listen. Most gave her as much encouragement as she needed, just to get her to go away. None would do otherwise for fear of a head thwack. Only one kin seemed not jealous and was keenly interested in everything she had to say. Having just returned from Deepmere, the deer-kin Nicola paid close attention to every word.

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