Through the eyes of a lethargic spider

  Ugh... I'm not tired, you are... Stupid Progenitor... Do I call them Mom? Dad? Fuck that. I'll call them Bitch instead. Fuehehe... My head hurts... Vision shifts and turns as Lyla's perch moves and redirects, scouring the empty atrium. "We were supposed to meet someone, right?" Her perch asks, pacing the room. "Someone we knew. They didn't mean that thumb-shaped syncope we met earlier, right?" "Leeta? Surely not... They're already gone anyway." Lyla's eyes catch on the vibrant glimmer of blue wings, fluttering to her head. Hey, a butterfly! I love these, they remind me of Cath. If she knew I associated her with butterflies though, she'd freeze me to death. Wait... "You don't think this is who we're supposed to meet, do you?"

  "I... The butterfly?" "The butterfly." "Butterflies are cute..." "Agreed." "What's a butterfly?" I completely forgot the demon was here... The world suddenly seems less peaceful. An infinitesimal touch of wind graces Lyla's fuzz as thin membranes push at the air, carefully lifting a fragile body and keeping it airborne, oscillating gracefully in front of the trio. Tiny black eyes peer at them, silently coaxing their attention as it slowly edges back. "I guess we follow?" The butterfly immediately responds to the suggestion, bouncing through the air one lively hop at a time ahead of them. Heavy thuds and gentle taps follow the voiceless flutters, a blue glimmer leading them across the hall and back to the elevator they came from.

  Through the eyes of an intrigued elf

  "Gol Dhee and Fluffy, was it?" "Tis I." "Uh, yea. Me too." "We wish to discuss matters relating to your capabilities. But first, Fluffy." "Yes?" "Where does your name come from?" "Oh, that's what Teach calls me. I forget if ever I even had a name so I've just been using that." "That explains it. Indeed." Did they keep me here just to ask about my name? What's so unusual about it? "That aside... We believe you both could benefit from our tutelage." "Hoh..." "I don't mean to brag, or insult, but don't I already have as good a teacher as one could hope? Even you consider her a god." "The revered one possesses technical skill and knowledge surpassing any other. But ability to teach she does not have. We speak from experience."

  Fluffy squints dubiously at the being, fingers twirling the wild scraggle protruding from his chin. "I speak from experience when I say her teachings have definitely made me stronger." "She tried teaching you ae'othas, didn't she?" "Yes? And?" "That is a ridiculous technique which none have mastered but her. Yet she has the habit of always teaching it first. Even La can barely visualise a complex molecule with it. Yet she expects us to grasp at individual atoms to produce all effects." "Then how did she learn?" "We do not know. She is ancient. Perhaps she never needed to." Oh. It just dawned on me... I'm speaking to an individual who predates all known history. And Teacher is one that they consider ancient. How... invigorating!

  "As for Gol Dhee. You intrigue us." "Hoh?" "None of your kind who have ever reached this place have been so weak." "..." "Yet as we understand, the rate of your growth has been tremendous. We have even heard it was you who dealt the deciding blow against Mekrotok. He likely held back. But to injure, let alone incapacitate him, is no easy feat." "It was a fluke." "There are no flukes with Mana. Only perspective." That... sounds eerily familiar. Did Master say something similar once? "The two of you are dull stones with the potential of gems. It will take time for matters to be settled enough for you to be sent above. Until then, allow us to shape you."

  Through the eyes of an intrigued dragon

  Towering megaliths loom around the trio in all directions, the ground beneath them a transparent resin decorated with a Penrose tile of gradating hues. Dozens of creatures, of diverse people, walk by to their own destinations, most paying little heed to the group as they simply persist with their day. A few passers-by do take note of the butterfly fluttering ahead, many offering a friendly gesture while the occasional set of pale eyes grace the trio themselves with interest, nervousness, or reverence. The ones with white eyes seem different somehow. Kinda make me think of Chach'n.

  Their exploration leads them to the closest thing to an alleyway this city has, though still much too wide and well lit to seem tight or uncomfortable for anyone smaller than a house. Several offshoots from the road lead into the neighbouring buildings where the butterfly ahead bounces to, lingering before an open door. This butterfly is interesting. Its soul reminds me of Lyly in a way, though not as... uniform? Now that I see the one inside it kinda makes sense. Aleph steps into the dimly lit room, the critter disappearing into one of four walls of identical blue wings opening and closing in an irregular yet stable pattern. A gentle gaze nudges them from one-thousand directions, and a soft whisper greets them from above. "Hello..."

  A single butterfly, larger than the rest, lays flat against the ceiling. Crystalline wings seem to pull in the dim light, refracting it into a pattern which changes upon every twitch, every minute shift in angle forming a new network of lines, curves, and shapes within a spectrum of indigo and turquoise. "Oho? So we we finally meet, strange observer! I always knew you were actually a hive mind in disguise!" Lyly declares confidently, not a hint of shame in her blatantly false declaration. "Ah, you're as smart as I imagined." You believed that? Lyly clearly just thinks butterflies are cute! "Fuahahaha! It seems we shall get along just fine! Tell us your name, stranger."

  Detaching from the ceiling, the butterfly acrobatically twirls through the air to land upon the spider, wings just large enough to eclipse her entire form. "I am Mikika. It is my eyes that keep watch between the oceans and Mun's domain. I would like to thank you for pacifying the cascade. Without its obstruction I can now safely reach Haven. I have always wanted to see our eldest brother's domain for myself. Is their thread-work as dazzling as they say?" "Meh. It's passable. I could do better." "Wow!" Oh come... Actually... she probably can. Even I can tell she has a lot of Mana and enough skill to compete. "The room next to me is free, so we'll be neighbours for the duration of your stay. It's nice to finally meet you." Feeling left out, Didi slides up to the tip of Aleph's neck, lifts Lyly and places her atop her skull. One can almost hear a ping, followed by the announcement 'Achievement get! Totem pole!'

  Through the eyes of a golden tutee

  "You use Mana. So it will be Ni who instructs you." An ape, coated in black fur which seems to flicker like a flame stands before one of gold, coat shimmering under the bright light of the pristine arena. "You always imitate our forms. Why?" The black ape tilts, scratching his cheek in a familiar gesture of thoughtfulness. "Is mimicry not the polite action? Currently though, it is more to help us. To allow us a better understanding of your body. And a closer grasp of your mind. This also allows for more tactile demonstrations." They say Ni has taken form, yet I feel as though they both still speak. What is their mind? "Try not to overthink us. For now focus on yourself. What is your name?" Can they perceive my thoughts?

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  "Gol Dhee... You know already." "And what does Gol Dhee mean?" "One who is gold. A name granted by she you call the revered one." "Incorrect." What? "Show us your strength. Do not hold back." "I... Very well." Gol Dhee grips the wind, pulling a blanket of air into a wave to slam down on his opposition, who in turn cuts a wedge into the barrage with his fingers. Thick palms dig into the white stone below, fracturing the arena and tearing a field of rocks which are spun into a storm. The tempest is grappled by an intense will, pushing back at his own and warping the stones into a fluid which splashes away from Gol Dhee's grip. "And your other form" How do they... It matters not.

  A deep exhale, and a narrowed focus. Palms spread wide as fur turns white, he grips the world around him with his essence. Tempests of earth, wind, and fire begin anew, scorching and weathering everything in sight as his foe deftly avoids being struck with remarkably efficient, calculated motions. In response, a single loose stone is grabbed, and a single loose stone is flicked into the cyclone, following the flow of the wind to build up speed and slam into Gol Dhee's head. Concentration shattered, he drops his grip and his fur returns to normal. So easily...

  "It is as we thought. Tell us, what is your flaw?" "I am weak." "Incorrect. Weak or not, that is not your flaw. You have a reasonable understanding of Mana. Yet Mana has no understanding of you. Tell us once more. What is Gol Dhee?"

  Through the eyes of a scraggly tutee

  "You use Aether. So it shall be La to instruct you." An elf of shimmering white, stood tall and confident with neatly combed hair stands on guard against one of unbridled disorder, leaning aloof against his fang. The pale elf steps forward, positioning herself within the range of the scraggly one's blade, eyes held fixed on his. "Strike us." "Okay." Fluffy lifts the sword over his shoulder and tenses his muscles to strike. "No." "Hm?" He pauses mid swing, fang tugging at his forearms as he holds back its progress. "Do it properly. Don't hold back. Show us the strike you used against Kixhah." "This place would be destroyed." "It won't." "It will. Are you going to try and stop it?" "Would it be enough to reach the surface?" "No. Of course not." "Then we are not concerned. There will be no damage." "..." They are the Progenitor... Any damage will be on their head.

  With a dubious squint, Fluffy raises the fang once more and clears his mind. No sword, no elf, no world. Only the will to cut. A line is drawn faster than its wielder can perceive, and halted by the rebound of an immovable object. Energy which should have been directed in a narrow band explodes unrestrained, heat and force burning the air and melting the ground before swiftly being snuffed by another, far more powerful will. His fang sits still, gnawing at the impossibly tough shoulder of the other elf who simply cups her chin in thought. Nothing... Absolutely nothing... I've severed layer boundaries with attacks like that, and they just...

  "You didn't even move..." "Would you feel the need to block the strike of an infant?" "Oh? Are you trying to break my will or something? Military tactics?" "No, we simply see no reason to mince words. The will of one who obtained as much Aether as you have with ambience alone would not break from mere speech." So they genuinely view me as a complete non-threat. Did the thought of danger even cross their mind? Damn. This is almost as bad as Master. Before he can think to lift his sword, the world spins and his face meets the obsidian floor, blade clattering away to the untouched marble a short radius away. "You have several bad habits. The way you move Aether is far too organic. You rely too much on the will of Aether itself to fill in the gaps of your knowledge. Why do you keep trying to spin it?" Nevermind. This is just as bad as my master...

  Fluffy leaps to his feet, the ground immediately being pulled from under him as he catches himself with his palms. They're nowhere near me! How? Pushing himself back up he lands on one foot which is swept to the side by an unseen force, the other pushed into a split as he tries to catch himself. "You aren't giving me a break, huh?" "How do you think we are doing this?" They're powerful, so are they maybe doing what Teacher did? Throwing himself forward, he reaches out for his blade only for it to be flung into the air and pierce the ceiling, his body spun and thrown face down. "Are you controlling me with Aether directly?" He grumbles through loose rubble. "We have little more Aether available than you. Even if we had as much as we once did it would be severe overkill for this purpose. Try again."

  A heavy impact slams into his abdomen as he tries to stand, throwing him into a somersault and landing him on his face again. Just like Master... "Ugh... Are you hitting me with air?" "Correct. Can you do the same?" "If I strike I-" "What you describe is different. You enhance your body, then narrow the fallout of your strike. We simply move the wind directly. Stand." As if I haven't been trying to do just... Finally able to remain on his two feet for more than a blink, Fluffy stands before the other elf and reaches his hand out to meet her outstretched fist. A thin film of smooth material lands softly atop his palm, the surface wound by several minute fibres barely visible to the naked eye.

  "It's paper." "Correct." "Is it special paper?" "No." "So just... paper?" "Correct?" "What do I do with it?" "Remove your hand. But don't let it fall." "Okay..." Aether pools into the page, folding the edges with his tight grip and he lowers his hand. Instead of remaining still the paper follows his palm, or rather the Aether gripping it does, and it falls. "Worse than we thought. We expected you to end up throwing it by mistake. It seems your view on Aether is too intrinsically linked with your body." "Aether is a part of me, no?" "A part of you, yes. But not your body. The body is vessel to the soul. Bound by Aura. Aether is an extension to the soul. Also bound by Aura. There is no direct link between body and Aether. This is what you must learn."

  Through the eyes of a shiny tutee

  "Are you sure about this?" "It's not as fast as yours, but I can regenerate. You need to come to grips with your new strength, and if possible figure out your new ability." Oh, I totally forgot about that. My other abilities came so naturally, like when I turned into a puddle at my brother's wedding. That was so embarrassing... A dragon of obsidian scales with violet eyes bearing a gaze of untouchable depths sits across a lush field from a being of shimmering crystal adorned in a neatly woven white dress. "Hit me. Don't worry, I won't die. Much." "You're not helping..."

  Diala lowers her stance, compresses her legs, and launches. This time, her mind is able to keep up with her speed, what should be blurred noise now a detailed world passing by within a blink. Yet her motion is still too fast, little time to think as the distance is closed and she swipes her arm in a whipping motion. The snap of thunder, and the crunch of shattered earth as a hole is dug into the terrain and Aleph. Tumbling into a perfect land, she turns to inspect the damage, friction charring the earth black in an arc around her strike. A gaping wound lays open in the dragon's shoulder, yet blood continues to flow where veins should be and flesh steadily snaps and leashes itself back together. Okay, that looks creepy as hell... Even to me... "Wow! That was agonising!" "Uh, sorry..." "Don't be. I asked for it. And I'll ask for it again." "Are you a masochist by chance?" "What's a masochist?" "Nevermind..."

  Through the eyes of a confident tutor

  "By this point I was ready to deliver the finishing blow, to get my sweet revenge on the overcooked pool noodle. But I decided in all my magnanimity to grant this right to the monkey and allow him some credit." Lyla declares to the butterfly atop her head, pedipalps spinning threads through a blue liquid and into a soft fabric. "Wow! I'm surprised it took you so long to get here with such capabilities!" Wait... Has she caught on? I haven't told a lie, technically, but is this her way of subtly indicating she knows I'm embellishing a little? "You must have really held back for his sake." "Uh, yea! That's what it was! I was just holding back!" What was I thinking? Her two brain cells are clearly still fighting over third place. "So what other cool things have you done?" Well, that's not necessarily a bad thing.