"Thank you! Come again!" The black-haired young woman waived the customer off, who waved back.

"Thank you!" The two buyers, an older portly woman and her son carried a bag full of herbs and medicine. "You know! This war's been very trying on the people. You and your elder sister are so kind for setting up shop in this area. Your herbs helped my aunt and her sickness!"

My stupid aunt's been complaining time and time again. It's a relief she's finally done whining. She took all my herbs dammit.

The dark-haired woman smiled, violet eyes flashing. "It was no problem, hopefully she'll be right as rain."

"You know, a girl as smart and beautiful as you would be an excellent catch for my son…" The woman smiled, poking her son teasingly. "Durson needs to find a wife soon!" The boy smiled embarrassedly.

Dammit mom, stop saying stupid stuff like that. Now she thinks I'm inept.

Useless son, stuck at home, no job, at least give me beautiful grandchildren...

The young woman laughed politely, waiving as they left. As soon as they were out of sight and earshot, her smile dropped, replaced with her trademark scowl. She rubbed her temple. "Angela, do we really have to pretend to set up shop?"

Angela, who was knitting to the side, sported a wide grin on her face. "I think it's good, we get to listen in on some gossip, and make a bit of money on the way, carrying money from Surda makes it easier to pretend to be travelling traders." She chuckled as Solembum got up from his nap, yawned, and morphed into human form.

That boy seems to like you. He says, smiling toothily.

Elva rolled her eyes, "He 'seems' to like me." She turned again to Angela. "We've been here for over six months now Angela, first you said we shouldn't let Faris's parents know what happened, now we're so far we can't even keep track of his condition, aren't you his teacher?"

Angela raised her eyebrow, "He already graduated from my lessons when I dropped him back home all those years ago, and he proved he's resourceful with everything he's survived. I scried him just last week, he looked quite alright to me." She giggled, "Are you worried Elva?"

"And you aren't at all?" Elva replied dryly. You didn't feel the depths of his despair Angela, if he had gotten the impetus to do so, he would have…"

"Do you believe he's that weak mentally?" Angela asked. "And by that manner, why didn't you go speak with him? You're a young, independent woman, both physically and mentally Elva, I can't give you orders unless you yourself agree."

Elva frowned. She found herself hesitant when it came to the idea of leaving Angela's side and going her own path in life. Very few beings had methods of being resistant to her abilities, and Angela was one of them. There was something comforting about being near someone who was never at risk of her manipulation, whether intentional or not. People, no matter how kind, could not resist even the occasional ugly thought. Faris was no exception, and his mind had been full of ugly, self deprecating and vindictive thoughts. She knew there where a plethora of things she could have said to comfort him, but she felt it would be cheap. "It would be cheap if I just told him things to make him feel better, I couldn't do that."

"But you would have if I stayed and told you to do so?" Angela looked somber, "There are some things magic simply can't fix Elva."

"Oh, I'm well aware." Elva stood up. "As it is, I'll be touring the city, maybe I'll hear secrets important to what we're after."

Angela chuckled to herself before turning to Solembum, "She's funny when she's trying to be serious."

Hmph, humans are odd when they move on from the kit stage…

Elva moved across the city, her ability allowing her to move virtually unnoticed, she wore a dark robe, hood covering her face, giving off a sense of foreboding, the best way to avoid giving others pain and discomfort would be to switch out, but moving in such a way to avoid their attention worked as well.

My foot, the damn foreman stepped on it, I'd like to see how he feels.

Hurry up you arses! I need to get to work quickly, I'm only 2 days of work away from paying off my debts.

The war… the war has been going on for so long now, I haven't seen my husband in so long… he still sends letters but it's not enough. All these single women, they have it lucky, the cowards who litter the brothels can fulfil their needs… perhaps...

Elva passed by a carpenter, who smiled and nodded to her. She nodded, back, sidestepping out of the way of a rushing clerical worker, papers and documents in hand, in a rush to get his day's pay and get rid of his debts. She last passed by a woman, dressed in all black, as if in mourning. Her eyes darted back and forth, accusatory thoughts flinging towards any young woman passing her by.

Look at that one, dressed in a cloak, hiding some ill fated disease she got from the plethora of men who had their way last night with her.

Elva ignored the woman. She continued down the street, passing by vendors and merchants and peoples, milling about and doing their work. She soon grew too hot to keep the hood up and lowered it.

Oh! It's that Girl?! I can't let her see me like this, it's unbecoming!

Elva turned her eyes to see the young man.

Oh no! She sees me!? He turned his head. He was wearing dirty smock, covered in hay and brown stains of questionable origin, his face was wet with water, drenching it all over, he had been in the middle of cleaning himself with one of the pipes near the stables, normally meant to simply dispense water for the horses. From what she could see, he was a stable hand likely. Elva looked at him a bit, rolling her eyes as she approached.

"Hello!" She began, smiling warmly. "It looks like you're hard at work, I admire anyone who works up a sweat." She repressed grimace as his thoughts and fears flashed through her head.

"Oh!" The young man laughed a bit, "Thanks I guess, you know work and all." I hate this job, I despise this lord, my brother went out to fight, but the lord's son gets to play around.

"Yes, a greater person than even the local lord and his son." Elva began to slightly push.

"Oh?" The young man looked at her oddly. What's she playing at? Is this a trick?!

"The lord's son wooed my sister, but left her for another younger, prettier girl, sometimes… no, it's nothing." She gave a sad smile. "See you later I guess."

"W-wait!?" The young man said, "What did you mean? Sometimes?" He began, leading her on, but only somewhat hopeful.

"I wish someone would do something about that Lord." Elva continued, "With the King down towards the border, he's been abusing his position, and I think he should be… replaced." Elva covered her face, blushing shyly, "But I'm just a poor store keep, there's nothing I could do alone." Unbeknownst to the man, she had bent her knees just slightly, making herself look even smaller and demure than normal, he gulped nervously, and Elva felt like rolling her eyes as she felt his thoughts. She was lucky she no longer felt the overriding urge to aid others.

"Umm…" The man began, "I know a group, they might be able to help you, maybe you should bring your older sister as well, we're a group that men and women join, our goal is to liberate people from this corrupt system."

Elva thought back to Faris's description of democracy, a lofty ideal that the people held the power, an ideal he said was attainable, but still not perfect. He also warned of a certain number of bloody Revolutions that normally took place during such dramatic political shifts. "Wow! Really!? That sounds amazing! Could we, meet and join?" She scrunched up her face into a cute pout, or as best she could approximate, but from the fact he no longer exuded anxiety she could detect, she likely won him over.

"Sure!" He looked excited, "Meet me tonight! Near the eastern wall, just after sunset!" He excitedly turned, leaving early that day despite knowing the trouble his mother would give for it, he did not care.

Elva watched him go, allowing the distaste to fill her face. "That settles that then." She turned to walk back to Angela, ready to report they found who they were looking for. In his haste and excitement the man didn't realize his makeup/paste was no longer covering the circular scar on his jawline…

So… call me dumb, but I don't get it. Tartarus began, his voice echoing within Faris's mind, Faris for his part had finally dozed off, Tamera had finally tired out and he found an empty cave for all of them to rest in, with Ventus being asleep part of the day, he kept watch as the night took over. The cave was dry, filled with an earthy, clay smell, the walls, while mostly dry, looked glossy, like touching them would squeeze out swaths of water. Faris lay down on a light blanket as he remained in a half conscious half meditative state.

What's there to get? Faris inquired, he recounted the trip so far. Faris took the time to test the limits of his newfound, or oldfound, mental ability, to his delight, he could do all he could do before, spread his awareness, view memories, communicate, and even attack with his mind. But he was also able to utilize the skills he honed over the year, that pleased him immensely, so much so he didn't chastise the spirit for boasting.

The notes, the mission, it says to be on the lookout of individuals with scars at the jawline. They're related to the rebel group up in the North. How would their message spread that quickly? Not even the common people know much of the rebellion.

Faris's eyes remained closed, with his mind spread, every organism in the cave shown as a light, millions of tiny dots littered the walls and floors, the light for himself, Ventus, and Tamera where the largest in the room, with the only thing brighter the energy from Ventus's gem, which pulsed, as if breathing in and out. The scar at the jawline is like a tattoo, their calling card to represent they belong to the rebellion. Faris didn't need to look at the document further. They were first discovered when The Big 6 apprehended some thieves led by an individual who had some level of magical ability, each member of that thieves gang had the scar, and when they were interrogated, they had sworn allegiance to the rebellion group.

The Big 6, that's your friends isn't it? A pretty arrogant name. Faris ignored Tartarus's goading, but the spirit, emboldened, continued. Though I doubt very many normal beings in this world are a match for them, or where a match for you when… He stopped, fearful of Faris's answer.

I'm moving forward in life am I not? There's no use brooding too much about the past.

But you're going to get vengeance for what happened?

Of course I am. Tartarus seemed to laugh at his matter-of factness. Eventually, Faris got up, he was rested as well as he could be, and Tamera was in good shape. After giving her a quick brush and pat down Faris hopped on and lightly spurred her on. Tamera sprinted towards the forest's thickest part. At first when Faris had lead her through that way she had resisted, she was a smart horse, and the prospect of entangling and cutting herself on the thistles and brambles that littered the forest floor was an unpleasant venture to say the least. Yet they moved through as if they practiced this movement, as if Tamera had grown in the forest and somehow developed the skills to navigate it quickly and safely, every step sure. She knew when to duck her head to avoid the branch that seemed to jut out of nowhere, she knew exactly where her galloping hooves would touch the massive exposed branches, and just where she needed to be leaning to keep herself from falling. She knew when to leap, understanding that what looked like simply more undergrowth led to a large ditch in the ground. This was a combination not only of Tamera's incredible strength, nimbleness, and whits, but a bit of a guiding eye and trusting presence in Faris's part.

Faris saw it all, he spread his mind, far and wide, not just to his animal companions, but to the wild animals that littered the forest floor and trees, the birds that flew in the air, to the trees and plants themselves. Even past that, millions upon millions of tiny lights littered the forest, representing the millions of microorganisms part of the world they lived lived in, illuminating without and within each living organism, who glowed of their own life. Normally, the force and mind of even the smallest of plants would overshadow even the largest microorganism. Very few magic users, if any, would ever have the wherewithal, or understanding required, to somehow make sense of the jumble of simple data representing the way a protozoa observes the world around it. Faris was one of those someones, if simply because he already had ample experience of feeling insignificant and small, allowing him to remove his ego and grip on himself enough to spread his consciousness. It could be considered akin to the feeling as one's consciousness fades and spreads, like the instant before sleep truly overtakes you, or when one dies. Though even with this willful destruction of self, Faris was more alive than ever before, because much like Eragon had discovered with ants, Faris realized that most creatures were simply alive, and had not the time nor energy to contemplate their existence past what they did in the now. It was ultimately in his opinion, admirable, and enviable. He shook that thought from his head, catching himself in time to direct Tamera away from the thistle bush she was about to crash into. Don't think, just be aware, you aren't Faris right now, you are everything, everyone, and nothing at all… He returned to his trance like disposition, and as he did he saw through the planet's eyes, it was an odd feeling, like seeing one image on one eye, and another on the other eyem, only multiplied by the thousands, mixed together with his almost implicit awareness of the world around him.

So strange… Tartarus murmured within. I knew through you and your previous life that most living things were a host and collection of millions of smaller pseudo-beings staying together in an interconnected, mutually beneficial way, but to feel it, in action, to see it in my eyes… how does one even begin to think to take another life if they could understand other beings to this level?

Because they don't… Faris observed and imprinted each creature that entered his field of understanding, the depths of his spread so great, he could now at a glance, identify and separate every key function and ability of any plant or animal he came across. He did his best to keep the animals from imprinting on him, or he vice versa, until he began to feel an animal-like hunger and aggression, opposed by an extreme about of pain and fear. Unconsciously, Tamera, in tune and following his mind's lead, raced towards the targets, as Faris grew closer, a part of his mind nagged at him, a far away voice, crying out in alarm, despite that, he continued forward, closer, closer, both his body and mind curious as to whatever gave off such a dull aggression and hunger, lacking the instinct associated in animals, or the excitement, sadism, fear, or hate associated with humans. The being the fear emanated from was human, and from the tones of their mind, they were young, but he couldn't discern the other, not even with the creatures of the forest or the trees, only that they feared it. Just before he entered the clearing, he could finally understand, the warning came from Tartarus. He looked in shock as he saw a little girl, one leg missing, covered in burns and cuts. She wore a tangled mess of brown hair, covering her eyes and most of her nose, only a tiny mouth and small chin where fully exposed, they were open in a wordless, soundless scream as her assailant stood before her. Standing above her with a perverted look on his face, a man with scarlet eyes, as evil as the ones that haunted Faris's nightmares at times, a shade.

"Oh?" The shade turned to look at Faris, who had immediately leapt from Tamara, ordering her to stand down and back, he unsheathed his heavier blade. Tartarus.

Done. In almost an instant, he felt his body lighten, but it was him getting stronger as Tartarus reached into his reserves, pulling out the mass of strength within him to bring his blade down at full force on the enemy before him, just as the Shade raised his hand towards him...

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Afterword:

Welp hey, how are you all doing today? Good? Bad? Eh? Welp, here's this new chapter, I hope you all found it interesting. Faris had a year to his mind, all by himself to practice his defense and offense, whilst he's physically weaker, it's not through his base body being weaker than before, its more because from the beginning of the story, Faris has been enhancing his attacks with magic, if even only slightly. Trading stamina for burst power and all that. So this year, while he's a good deal stronger than he was before, he's also technically unable to replicate the same level of ability he could before he lost his magic, of course Tartarus's help may be of use to him, but otherwise he is for the time being dealing with a limited tool kit. Also, Elva and Angela are in Surda, in it's capital of Aberon to be specific, their reason? will be explored next chapter, along side Faris's encounter with the shade, and a few other things.