Some weeks passed after I became the acolyte of Huitaca, and in that time, she kept her promise. The lessons were harsh, but not as much as Kiandra’s. 

“Istas, remember what I’ve told you,” the owl said with a melodious voice. “The will inside you is not the only will you can use.” She kept on telling me the same, over and over. But I couldn’t get it to work. 

I spent a lot of time trying to internalize Huitaca’s words. She taught me about the ‘absorption and use of external will into your system’, as she called it.

The principles were simple; Will created all the world. So, if you were to need some, why not take it from the world around you?

But playing entropy wasn’t as easy as saying so.

I kept trying and trying, but my own will was so small that I couldn’t take in the will that surrounded me.

The other problem was that Arlott was still scared of what could happen between Breena and I. Since Arlott gave her the green light to pursue me, Breena took it to heart. So, she used every second I’m not with Arlott to talk to me.

Being aware of her own fears, Arlott started to sleep badly again. Not even my promises helped to calm her down. But at least, she kept on helping Breena and smiling at her. In the end, Arlott knew it wasn’t her fault. 

I held on like that for a time. However, the stress of keeping everyone in check, while also trying to learn how to not disappear from the face of the Earth, was just too much for me.

One day, I talked to Arlott and Breena. I told them I didn’t have an answer yet, and that I couldn’t have one either, unless they were on the same page. After saying that, I prepared my things for a hike to a nearby village we found and went over to get provisions. 

This trip was a two in one. It helped to ease my mind from all the poly-something things, while it also served to spread the word about Huitaca so she could get more will for herself.

Arlott and Breena weren’t as happy with my trip as I was. Breena didn’t understand what they needed to fix, while Arlott looked scared again. But I couldn’t stay around to fix everything for them. Or at least, that’s what Arlott kept telling me, and it was due time to take that advice. Even if it ended up biting her own butt.

It still took all the little will I had left to leave. I knew I would come back, but I hadn’t left Arlott’s side for more than some hours since we met. This trip would take a while more than that.

After many attempts, and maybe more goodbye hugs than necessary, I finally left.

After a couple of hours walking through the jungle, I made it to the village. It would have been a really boring walk, but Huitaca came along. Her company was more than appreciated.

When I arrived at the village, I got a warm welcome. Part of my magical training had been fixing small problems with it. There wasn’t much that I could do, but manipulating things outside of myself was easier for me than to do it to myself.

When I first arrived, the people at the village were a little skeptical about what I could do. Not being able to speak their language didn’t help much either. But then Huitaca came to my help.

Since she could understand and speak their language, she translated everything they said to me with her magic. Then, she did the same for them when I talked. Thus, I began my work as an acolyte.

This trip in particular was very fruitful. Since I had already visited before, the people were gaining some trust. So, I showed them the owl that always accompanied me, and told them that it was the guardian spirit of the forest, so they needed to take care of her and her needs as well.

Doing this wasn’t only a symbolic thing. This little worship was enough to start Huitaca’s healing, and it became visible after some time. She turned into a magnificent owl with shining feathers, and an aura around her that showed her goddesshood. 

We stayed at the village for about a month. It ended up being the worst month I had lived in a while. Being far from Arlott was really taking its toll on me.

“Stop with that!” Huitaca said, almost as frustrated as I was. “You were almost there, and now you are just doing it wrong.”

I tried to shoot her dead with my gaze, but it wasn’t enough. At least not until I learned to control the will the way Huitaca tried to teach me.

Some days later, I got to return to my tall catgirl body, though it wasn’t for long. Some people in the village saw me, and I felt my body turn back to the tall body once again. Scared, I asked Huitaca what was happening.

“You are being worshiped,” Huitaca replied with a muffled laugh.

My mood improved over that. Immediately, as if Huitaca could read minds, -I hope she can’t, I had enough with Cailleach- she replied to what I was thinking.

“You have to have in mind that this is not going to make you a goddess.” With that, my moody self returned. “If a lot of people do so, you might become a heroine. But that would still be too far from being a goddess.” Huitaca proceeded to cover herself with a wing, and I was sure it was to laugh. “But with this much will, we can try to anchor you by your own will now. We should go back home and try that.”

We prepared some nice food for Arlott and Breena, and began our journey back. But when we arrived, neither Arlott nor Breena were there. Huitaca and I split to search for them.

After a while, I found Arlott at the side of a river.

“Arlott, are you okay?” It was the only thing that came from my mouth as I ran to hug her.

She hugged me back, as she started to pour her eyes out.

“Istas, I don’t know what to do now.” Every word was harder to understand as the sobs became louder. “Breena and I haven’t talked for a week now.” She looked at me, trying to keep her sobs controlled. “I really care for Breena. She was there in a lot of bad moments for me. But I don’t know how to approach this.”

“Arlott, look.” I tried to calm her down. “I don’t know how this Poly thing works, but we are in a relationship, you and I,” I said with much more confidence than I really had. “That means that I want to tell you everything that happens and share all that I am.” I kept on going as if stopping would make Arlott cry more.

“This means that I will talk to you if I ever think about someone else.” At last, Arlott’s sobs became less frequent as she began to calm down. “So please, believe me that I will never betray you. I’m sure Breena won’t do that either.” I said all this as some kind of epiphany.

I knew it was nothing from another world, -and I knew about things from other worlds- but it seemed that it was what Arlott and I needed to hear.

After our talk, followed by a really long hug and kiss sesion we both needed, we went to fetch Breena.

Halfway there, I thought I had seen Huitaca, but it was just another owl. It was smaller, and brownish, though it did give me the creeps. 

As I stopped to look at the small owl, Arlott did the same and began searching for what I was looking at, but she couldn’t find anything. I tried to show it to her, but the owl just vanished.

After that, we arrived at the hut. Breena was waiting with just brewed coffee, which was weird, since she usually drank tea.

“Hi, Istas,” Breena greeted me with a giant smile. But as soon as she saw Arlott, it turned into an expression that I could only describe as regret. “Arlott, I’m sorry,” she said, almost whispering.

I was going to meddle in,  but luckily, Arlott stopped me as Breena continued.

“I didn’t mean to harm you,” Breena was so scared, that she began to talk almost as fast as Kiandra did. “And this last week, I just couldn’t muster the courage to tell you anything and…” She kept going for a while, saying so little with so many words.

But at least it seemed the apology got to  Arlott, since she smiled in a way I hadn’t seen in a while.

“Breena, I think we started a little bad here.” Arlott approached Breena and hugged her. “I know I have to think more about this,” she continued without releasing her embrace. “It’s not an easy topic for me, but let's postpone it until we save your body. What do you think?”

Breena looked at me, and then nodded shyly.

As we wrapped this up, Huitaca entered the hut flying and began fetching some things Kiandra left. She went in and out of the hut, taking more and more things until we were too curious to stay in there.

Outside, we found the most complicated ritualistic circle I had ever seen. Not that I had seen too many, but it still was really a complex one.

“Istas, Istas!” Huitaca called like a child who wanted to show her new toy to her friend. “With this circle, you will be able to anchor yourself with your own magic.”

Arlott and Breena shouted of happiness at hearing that, but I was too stupefied to understand the message, and started playing with the bracelet without noticing. But soon enough, Huitaca’s words made it into my head at last, and a smile took my face hostage.

Although Huitaca looked as excited as Arlott and Breena, I got really, really nervous over the outcome this might have.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve had different results. Somedays, I did everything right. But others, I couldn’t even move my hair out of my face using will.

And this wasn’t something I could fail.

I asked Huitaca and the others to wait for a bit, so I had some time to calm my nerves. Yet, I only got more anxious. When I realized I wasn’t calming down, I decided to just go for it.

Despite the circle being so complex, the ceremony was simple enough; I had to use the circle to gather will and condense it into a droplet. Then, I had to create a new droplet of the exact same size with my own will and exchange them. The droplet made out of outer will would go in, and the inner would fuse back with the world. This was so the living world could recognize my will as something natural that belonged in it. Again, there was no space for mistakes, or I’m sure it would mean something bad.

Arlott, Breena and Huitaca stayed right beside the circle, watching as if it was a match of their favorite sport. But for me, it was far more stressful.

Huitaca activated the circle, which gathered a lot of will in a very short time, so I began to condense it. At first, it was simple, but as I had to make it smaller, it became harder. After some time that felt like ages, a droplet of a dense and purplish hue was in front of me. Like a will-o’-wisp, but made of purple melted metal.

The goddess that was guiding this ritual told me to take the bracelet off, or I wouldn’t be able to take any will from inside me. That scared me. I had come to think of the bracelet as a part of me by then.

I still decided to do so, but I never expected what happened next.

As soon as the bracelet was out, I heard the voice I hadn’t heard since I got to the jungle. I saw two yellow and penetrating eyes and everything went to black.