"Master, how did you get the bears to cooperate with you?" Alara asked as they walked back to their home.

"I asked." Aila smiled. She saw Alara's face, and giggled. "Alright, I won't tease you. Those black panthers that I recently got were attacking her, and had already killed her cub and mate. I saved her, but could not save her cub or mate. I was too late."

"Oh. That explains how you knew the she-bear." Alara said.

"It also explains the rest. The old bear was alone, a cranky bachelor. I had thrown him some wolves, and left him alone though he is close by. I left him alone because he's smart enough not to bother me. I sent her to him with a dead panther as a gift. He realized that I made an arrangement for him, and accepted." Aila smiled gently. "Rank one beasts can remember things. Rank two beasts are a bit more intelligent. Rank threes are quite intelligent. Rank four can plan. Rank fives are just as smart as a human as far as I can tell. I haven't met any, but considering how clever the rank fours are, they will be smarter."

"Makes sense. So you just asked them?" Ivadra asked.

"Yep. As long as you respect the older ones, and they respect you, you can ask for a favor. Often, a reward will pay for it, like meat." Aila smiled, and held their hands.

"So what about the ones who ran away?" Alara asked.

"The Mercenary Union members were outside the forest. There are no remaining Black Guards." Aila said firmly. "When their Union Master contacts the capital, I'll take you both to Aros, and transfer that place to the guild, and the Mercenary Union. Your home is with me. Not in a place that murdered your mother and great mother." She felt their hands squeeze hers.

"Thank you." Alara said quietly. "I hated that place. It was killing my beloved sister, and would have killed me." Aila nodded.

"I know. That's why I was going to raze it to the ground. Now that it belongs to someone else, you will never have to return to live under it's roof." Aila sighed softly. "I have to work hard to make you stronger. There are things I need to do in other places."

"Master, as far as we can tell..." Alara looked at her sister. Ivadra nodded.

"We feel stronger since last night. Did you do something to us?" She asked. Aila smiled a little.

"I infused you with your elements, and your channels are properly forged. It won't be long before your natural core is formed. The artificial one I made for you will be absorbed, while the dark core for Ivadra will be converted, or absorbed." Aila grinned. "Then we'll work on strengthening your bodies. Ah, I hope that it takes a long time too. I enjoy the method of transfer."

"Master." Alara blushed, while Ivadra grinned. Her dark element made her more passionate, and physically focused, while her sister was more emotionally focused. However, this was while they were cognitive and focused beings. While in Aila's arms, and under her lips, they were both physical beings ruled by sensation, and lust.

"Master, I have a question that has bothered me since I've met you." Ivadra said quietly.

"I figured it was something as you have this curious look from time to time." Aila said.

"Master, you don't seem to have a realm, or rank. Is there something wrong?" Ivadra asked. Aila smiled.

"Realm and rank. That is something I'm familiar with, but it doesn't feel like it applies on Imera."  Aila said. "Layers." Alara's eyes widened in shock, and she pointed.

"Yes! That's what I've felt for so long, but didn't know how to express it!" Alara said, while Ivadra frowned.

"Layers? I don't understand."

"Sister, haven't you noticed that it's not the quantity of elemental essence that matters, but how you use it? The beasts all have layers, and the weakest ones only have the first layer, their core." Alara was excited, while Aila smiled and nodded.

"I only have the first layer as well, but if I consider it, the first layer is the time people learn how to channel the elements." Aila said and rubbed the back of Ivadra's hand while she held her small hand. "It shouldn't be called the first layer, but the introductory phase. The first real layer is Elemental Bones, or Elemental Skeleton." Ivadra lifted her eyes suddenly.

"Is that why zombies are so much harder to kill? Their bones don't break easily, and they are hard to behead." Ivadra asked.

"Yes. Zombies are run by instinct, have the first layer laid by instinct, and seek out their home by instinct." Aila said. She could see it easily with her elemental senses.

"Is that why they also eat people?" Alara asked.

"Food. Warm food is their instinct. Humans, or animals. Humans are easier to hunt down though." Aila said. Alara thought for a moment, but before she could ask, they arrived at the gate to their home.

"Master, you have tons of elemental essence. Why aren't you first layer yet?" Ivadra asked in her sister's place. Aila smiled.

"Because I have to lay the layer for each element." She rolled her eyes. "That means for all the elements, including the ones I haven't found a source for. Ice. Lava. Lightning."

"Wait, Master? You have all the elements, including the advanced ones?" Alara asked. Aila nodded with a soft smile.

"Come. We still have a lot of work that needs to be done. It's late summer, and you need to learn a skill that will help you to develop. Shaala has clothing, and Kaala has food. There are six of you still stumbling, and unsure of their path." She pushed the gate open, and closed it behind them.

"But Master, we've never had any opportunity to grow before." Alara said.

"I know, but that doesn't mean things are like they were." Aila pulled her in close, and smiled. "You have time to choose, but that doesn't mean you have nothing to do. Your jobs are to find things to do. Chores. Organization. Things that can help our family." She tapped Alara's nose. "Do you understand now?"

"Of course, Master. I'm just saying that we need some time. We won't be lazy. We just need time."

* * *

A young woman laid down beside another woman, and sighed weakly.

"Why did you die and leave me alone, sister?" She whispered. She closed her eyes, and fell asleep as her sister's illness now infected her body. She was weak, and unable to do much the last few days. This small shack was their home after their parents abandoned them in the forest.

The young woman's body heat radiated out with her fever, and didn't feel the bed shift.  She was too sick to care, well within the throes of the same illness that killed the sister she now laid beside.  It was her wish to lay beside her, and not be alone when she died.

The dead sister sat up, looked down at the sick sister beside her, and felt hunger roll over her body. She lifted her sister, and put her laying on her lap, facing toward her. She lowered her head.

"Sniff sniff." She sniffed the girl's neck, and down to her belly. With her hunger growing, the zombie tore open the fabric, and saw the pale skin.

Her chest lifted and fell every few seconds as her sister took a shallow breath. With a hungry growl, the zombie touched the skin, pushed in her fingers, and pulled.

At first, she pulled both hands towards herself. As some semblance of intelligence sparked, she moved her hands to pull in opposite directions, and ripped open the skin of her belly. Her fingers slipped into the opening, grasped hold of something firmly, and pulled.

Within her hands was her sister's liver. Shallow breaths grew more shallow as the zombie greedily ate her sister's flesh. After she swallowed the last mouthful, her hand went into the open wound, and pulled out a kidney. The shallow breaths stopped completely.

She died while her precious sister slurped at the wound, and her cold tongue licked up her black blood. The zombie did not intend to eat her sister, only to sate her appetite. Once she was dead, the zombie's instincts pushed her to pull out her remaining kidney and swallow it whole.

Zombies were dead, and did not digest food. The organs would remain within her, and decay into death elements.

Half an hour later, the sick sister opened her eyes again. The one who died first had already emptied her sister's belly. Death elements gathered within their bodies, and saturated their bones. The two zombies pulled the blanket over their cold corpses, and went to sleep as the sun rose in the sky.

They would go in search of food at sun down.